Any smokers out there?

I just quit myself . last July 20th ,, i smoked for over 35 yrs and i freakin loved smoking! just one day i seen an article for a hypnotist coming to town for $59,99 and would take my desire to smoke away .. so ithought for that price ( equal to a carton) i take a chance .. and that was my last cigg! i did gain weight . but i alowed myself that as after 1 week i didnt smoke? it was worth it to stay quit ,,, my husband had 6 by pass done 10 yrs ago so he quit then , i , just couldnt take the smell of it in my car and lets face it ,, u cant smoke anywhere anyways! in Canada anyways . i spent more time looking for "smoking sections" etc then i did watching the events! very frustrating ! hence the reason im here , to lose the wieght i gain from smoke cessation

I quit with Chantix..it really worked for me except for the messed up dreams... it made cigarettes smell and taste awful!

ME TOO! Chantix was my miracle!!! Messed up dreams, but it really works! I was a smoker of 15 yrs. I will be smoke free for 2 yrs on April 19th! If your insurance covers it, give it a try! If not, well, its is really expensive. Good luck to you! I know what your going through!:flowerforyou:

I LOVED the dreams. Alas, when I went off the Chantix I started smoking again. I've quit several times. This last time in December. I think I've got it kicked this time because I really wanted to quit this time.You have to really want to and commit to it or it will not work.

I quit 2 year ago in April with Chantix..! I have crazy dreams as it is so I didn't have any side effects... Plus, and while I don't support this idea, I used my friends left over Chantix and found I only needed that first week of pills. You can do it..! It's totally worth it, I promise.

What helped me was giving myself one extra day after my quit date, I called it a April Fools Joke and quit on the 2nd instead. Just give yourself a break and breathe.

I quit April, 2010 too!!! I quit on the 19th, and I too used Chantix! Chantix was my miracle! I however took it for a full 2 months, I wanted to make sure I had the very best chance for success, I tried to quit and failed so so so many times! But I am finally a non smoker, after 15+ yrs! I honestly never thought I would really quit! So happy I did! My brand is over $5 a pack now! No way I could afford it now! lol

Sometimes I think that I don't quit just because I don't wanna turn into a preachy ex-smoker. Advice is one thing, those of you that posted all your happy 12-stepper mantras can talk to my b@lls. Congratulations, that worked for you, now go be happy in your damn meditation room talking to your plants or whatever. You and your swamii can touch each other and recite incantations and leave me the hell out of it. Props to those of you that told me where to get an app or discount Chantix... that's an action item that a guy can follow through on.

The thing keeping me from quitting is the unknown habit that I'd replace this particular habit with... 'cuz I'm not deluding myself about addiction bahavior - smoking is just the unhealty manifestation of whatever is so broken within my psychological makeup that I feel a need to abuse myself. That's not going away just because I suddenly decide cigarettes are icky... some other monster is going to rear it's head and fill the void.

I like to tell myself that smoking is the only thing keeping me from killing hookers. However upset society is that I'm polluting my body and their air, they'd be waaaay more upset if I was dumping strangled prostitutes down by the railroad tracks every couple days.

I just recently quit 10 days ago. I traded my ciggarrets in for a gym pass I have been smoking for 17 years and im only 30. sad huh? ive had 2 children and just recently gained all my weight in a matter of 3 years.. i let myself go that bad. what I can tell you is this.. Ive have the worst self esteem ever over the last 3 years! & these last 10 days have been amazing. The best way to go is cold turkey...why drag it on with a bunch of smokeless ciggs or patches, if after 8 days you feel like a million bucks! and after 2 weeks you cant stand the smell. it takes 9-10 days for you to accept the positive outcome of quiting.Ive done it before, and started again because i guess apparenty i was young, nieve & not ready! it is hard, but ive noticed when i leave the house or do an extra chore i keep my mind occupied and trust me when you quit smoking you feel an extreme extra burst of energy, every single day, all day!! and what better way to do it then keep a positive mind that your saving money, you can breathe better and just keep reassuring yourself of these positive things all day!! burn it off at the gym! I personally always hated the gym, but it has kept my mind occupied! and gives me 1 extra positive thing to look forward to throught my day!! lots of gum & mints!! Stephanie

I just started Chantix about a week ago, i'm still smoking but it seems to make me forget when "it's time" for another cigarette. I have not smoked one when i first wake up or right before bed for 2 days now.. i figure that cut two out per day so maybe it will be less and less as the time goes on. My insurance only covered $10 of the 30 day prescription and let's just say it cost me twice as much as i spend on cigarettes in a month!! But i'm ready to quit, just tired of the smell, the dependency, and not being able to breathe well when i exercise! If you are ready then go for it!

It is expensive! But well worth it, at least it was for me! I tell everyone, Chantix was my miracle! Good luck to you, I hope you have success!!!!

Hi,

Decided to give up cigarettes for Lent. Gone cold turkey and so far after two days going ok.

The main trigger for me is getting in the car and the first thing I'd normally do is light up, cannot really avoid that. But just got to remember why I've stopped, health, money and the smell. You might not realise it but we smokers stink to non-smokers!

Going to counteract the weight gain by speeding up my swimming.

My advice is, you need to have your head in the right place and want to stop. Give yourself a goal to achieve. And if you feel tempted think about all the stuff you've done to get where you are now without a cigarette and you'll be undoing all that good work.

Good luck

I was a smoker for 22 years and made up my mind finally to quit. I joined a support group with a leader that provided a lot of great information about cigarettes and the health hazards. You will have to gain 100 pounds to risk your health the way cigarettes do. That fact hit home for me and relieved the fear of gaining weight. I was also afraid to exercise when I was a smoker.

You can do it if you make up your mind. And your husband will be just fine with you as a nonsmoker.

Smoke a half pack of cigarettes and put 2 pieces of scotch tape around them. Write down on a piece of regular paper why you want to quit and be brutally honest with yourself. Wrap that pack with the paper that you wrote and put another piece of scotch tape around it. Keep that pack with you at all times and put a round of tape around the opening to the smokes for everyday you go smoke free and if you smoke use that pack to smoke from. Each time you take one out you will be forced to unwrap the pack and look at the reasons why you are giving this habit up and you will think of why you want one. If this doesn't stop you from wanting that cigarette I don't know what will. I craved one after going cold turkey doing this for 2 months and tried to unwrap it and even went as far as getting something to cut the wrapping off before I realized how far I'd come. I then wrapped the pack back up and found another way to deal with the stress I was going through.

I quit a year ago. It was difficult. Especially during stressful times. I did gain weight, but I gave myself 6 months to not worry about it. Quitting smoking was so important to me, that a few months of gaining weight was worth it. Now, I am focusing on losing weight because I have the not smoking under control. And my ex-finace smoked whom I lived with at the time. It can be done if you are motivated. Don't worry about the weight. It will come off!! (FYI, my quitting smoking had nothing to do with our breakup...lol.)

I loved your FYI.... LMAO!!

Way to go on your accomplishment of being smokefree for 1 yr. I like the mind set you used going into it!

I myself quit just over 5 years ago after smoking for close to 19 years.

I quit 2 months ago, it was/is the best thing I've ever done. I PROMISE AFTER A FEW WEEKS..the desire goes away. YOU CAN DO THIS. And the other poster is right..JUST DON'T BUY THEM. I ate lolly pops and sugar free gum to take my mind off of it. The first few days are tough but each craving is only a minute or two long. I did gain 10 lbs...hence the need to lost 17 lbs. now.

That's my story too! I'm on fitnesspal because I gained 10lbs once I quit smoking. I'm healthier now than I have ever been in my adult life and it will only get healthier from here!