Need advice from ex smokers

Bump....For later...I def need to read this!!

I started smoking while I was in the military. I smoked for over 8 years, and I smoked at least a pack a day. My driving force was I wanted to live a long, normal, and healthy life. I must have tried to quit over two dozen times. However, I did kick the habit. The first few weeks are the hardest. With each day that passes, it gets a little easier. I loved to smoke! To this day I would love to go buy a pack of Newports and spark up. But knowing I'm going to live a longer healthier life, God willing, outweighs buying that pack of smokes. Even if you break down and have a smoke, don't give up, get right back on track. It's not going to be easy, but it can be done and many people before you have quit smoking. Life is too short and precious to smoke it away. Think about your family and the extra time you'll give yourself on this earth by quitting. Stay strong, and best of luck to you. You can do it!

When I decided to quit, I asked my doctor how effective was Chantix over the patch, and/or gum. He told me 20% for all three forms, that the remaining 80% is habit (mental). Nicotine is only in your system for 3 days. After that, it's the habit. I took Chantix the week before and smoked just like the commercials say you can. I took Chantix for only 3 days after I quit smoking because of what the doctor told me. I kept an empty pack of cig's in my purse with straws(cut to fit inside the cigarette box) in them. When I felt the urge, I took the straw out and held it like a cigarette. I even chewed on the ends. I haven't craved a cigarette since and that was 2-1/2 years ago. I feel wonderful, am able to exercise until I choose to quit, not because I am out of breath. I can go on hikes when I go camping. My house smells great, my clothes also. I can taste my food. The cough is gone, the raspiness in my voice is gone. I have not been to the doctor for bronchitis or pneumonia since I quit. I did gain some weight and am working to get that off now. Quitting smoking was easier than I thought it would be using Chantix. I have lost a total of 23 pounds, with about 15 more to go. Good luck and you can do it. I loved to smoke as well and had smoked for 25 years. The money I have saved is tremendous.

I quit smoking 4 1/2 years ago. I smoked for 30 years, since I was 15. I was so afraid to quit...afraid that I would gain weight and just afraid I would miss it. I actually used Chantix to quit. I took the Chantix for the recommended time and ended it when I was suppose to(some people use it to cut down, which never works). The first week was tough, but after that I felt so free. I never feel like I want to smoke again. I feel so great...I can hike, I don't smell and have that raspy cough, I can go to the movies without thinking how can I get thru this without a cigarette, I can fly on an airplane, I can go to work without thinking that I need to take extra breaks for my cigarettes. I just think about all the benefits, it was one of the best things I have ever done and that I am most proud of. Don't try to quit with the idea that it will be hard, once you get over the physical addiction, it is all in your head. I hope you can succeed thinking that it really isn't as hard as we try to make it be. And if you are worried about gaining weight, think about how much more exercise you can do. Good luck!!!

I have to second this. I quit 5 years ago, after smoking a pack and a half a day for 18 years. I *LOVED* to smoke. I used Chantix to quit as well. I didn't worry about 'weight gain'; I simply tackled one demon at a time....my focus was on not smoking. Hang in there......you will gain time back (think about how often you concentrate on having to 'sneak' a cig),.....money (we all know the financial expense)....,your life! It's one of the hardest, but most rewarding things you can do for yourself and those you love.....Best of luck!!!:flowerforyou:

You can do it. I quite four months ago. Cravings last for 3-5 minutes -- push through. You can do this. You really can!

I've quit cigarettes twice and cigars twice. Each time for more than a year. My challenge was staying quit three years later, the part most people find easy. Somehow I had convinced myself that quitting a second (or third time) would be easy. It wasn't,but it wasn't impossible.

But here is what I learned:

At its worst, it doesn't feel any worse than a bad cold or a mild case of the flu. The only difference is that it is voluntary.

since you have been smoke-free for 53 hours (maybe over 70 hours now), if you light up you will undo much the effort you have made. You will have to go back through some of that. So don't cheat for a second.

I had always quit cold turkey. Last time I bought some nicotine gum. Maybe a dozen times, I used a piece of gum to take the edge off. Don't expect it to fix it, but it does make it manageable.

After a week, it is all in your head. You've beaten the physical part. Stay strong so you don't have to go through that again.

Good luck.

Stop thinking about it as giving up something and start thinking of it as freeing yourself from things...
Having to carry *kitten* (I'm English) lighter
Having to remember to go to the shop
Having to leave your friends to go out for a *kitten* (again UK)
Having to live with the rubbish feeling that you're doing something thats - from an objective point of view - completely stupid

Oh and think about why you started smoking and how you can get that need filled by other means.

Trust me, I'm a hypnotherapist (and an ex smoker)

Beside the addiction side of smoking, it is also a social habit. When I was quiting, I stopped going out to the parties, hanging out with my friends that smoked, etc... It was just too hard to quit and be in that enviroment. Ive been smoke free since 1985 with only a few slip ups while deployed overseas in high stress situations. When you feel that urge, use it and go for a fast pace walk or slow run. Over time ( several weeks) your body will train itself to associate that feeling to excersice. Good luck. By far the hardest thing I ever did was quit smoking.

I LOVED smoking, too, especially with some beers. I smoked for 12 years, a pack and a half a day. I work in construction, so it was easy to keep one lit all day. I started working out the same time I quit smoking. Everytime I had a craving, I would drop and do 10 pushups. My coworkers thought I was crazy until they found out why. Two months later, 3 of them joined me. I tried to quit twice before, but without any kind of exercise regiment. This time I have immersed myself in exercise, and it has made all the difference. In the beginning I couldn't Go for 10 minutes on the elliptical machine with 0 resistance without feeling like I was going to die. Now I'm on it for 30-45 minutes at resistance level 16. These little victories help me to stay away from cigs for good.

I quit smoking almost 4 months ago now, and yeah its hard. I used an e ciggarette but after 3 weeks i found i no longer needed it, I had my partner for support and we have both quit together
The hardest is going to BBQs and drinking outside because you just feel like your forgetting something, and its a ciggarette thats missing
I personally havent noticed any savings from not smoking, the money just goes elsewhere :S