Quitting Smoking!!

[scoobydoo]

Who has quit smoking? I'm on day 6 and today's been the roughest day so far. I 'm constantly thinking about have a cigarette and I can hardly concentrate on anything else. I'm keeping my hands busy. I'm using the nicotine patch but still feeling a little jumpy today. I'm not really eating more than usual just switching my routine like getting right up from dinner and clearing the table, not having coffee in the morning, etc. Anyone got any advice? How'd you quit and for how long now?

 

[snailheave]

will power...
but i never started

 

[scoobydoo]

Great THAT helps alot!

I actually was pretty proud of myself this weekend. I was stuck on a 25 foot boat all weekend with my husband, dog and 3 kids! AND I couldn't drink because I figured I would have to smoke then.

 

[beth]

It is just willpower and doing as you're doing. Avoiding all the smoking triggers.
I did smoke off and on. Was never a heavy smoker so it was not really a big deal for me to give it up, but I know its an effort. That patch is what is making you jumpy.....stimulation patch.

 

[scoobydoo]

I was smoking at least a pack a day for the last 25 years. Today is the only day I'm a little jumpy. I take it off at night because the first night I couldn't sleep. We'll see how it is tomorrow. Thanks for your help.

 

[tizzo]

I smoked for 15 years and quit 5 years ago. And, like you, I also used the patch but I also found one thing that helped me out a lot. You gotta start thinking like a non-smoker. After dinner a smoker thinks about lighting up and somebody who has never smoked thinks about whatever they are gonna do next... You gotta THINK like a nonsmoker. If you know one (luckily for me, it was my little brother) but try to imagine what they are thinking at certain times and mimic them. If you keep dwelling on when you usually have one, and what your gonna do to pass the time til the next time you'd usually have one, then it will be really hard.
5 years quit and I still get the craving sometimes, especially when I drink. I miss it, but I don't long for it like I did in the beginning...
Even though it seems harder and harder for you as time goes on, realize that's only mental. Your body let's go of the addiction way before your mind does...
And the reason people gain weight when they quit isn't all the oral fixation. That feeling of swallowing feels a like like inhaling smoke so don't fall into that trap either... You are doing great so far and I truly hope you stay on track. Keep us posted on your progress!!!!
Hope this helped, I can't proofread, kids fussin' in the backround...

 

[scoobydoo]

Thank Tizzo,
I'm trying to keep busy and avoid the situations when I smoked, like breaks at work. When the urge is really strong I take a few deep breaths which actually helps. if I wait long enough the urge usually passes and I start doing something else. If I do eat something I try to get something healthy, like fruit. My husband quit about 5 years ago and I don't smoke in the house because of the kids. All of my friends have quit already so I'm not around any other smokers. My mother and I are trying to quit at the same time and we have a $100 bet on it!

 

[beth]

Originally Posted by Tizzo

Tiz! That smily could trigger a desire to smoke! jk.
I do fell its an oral fixation, though, but heck what I know.
Its true what you say. The smoking moments are really times of relaxation and escape from life. That's hard to give up. Replace the "smoke time" with observation time of your tank. I loved just sitting down in front of my tank with a magnifying glass looking at everything. The point is, replace the pleasurable smoke time with something that is also pleasant to you.....like coming to SWF.com and posting up a helpful response to someone.

 

[scoobydoo]

And with the money I'm saving (smokes are almost $5 a pack here) I ordered a new refractomer today. I jumped the gun a little but had to reward myself! It should be "paid for" by the time I get it.

 

[tizzo]

Some people can't do this but it's another thing that worked for me...
When all the people around me smoked I would try to breathe in the second hand and tell myself that I was getting my nic fix via osmosis. A lot of people can't be around cigarettes when they are trying to quit but if you hafta be, take in a deep breath and then feel guilty for the rest of the day for "cheating".
You will be amazed at how much you save. You no longer need to allocate that 30 bucks a week for smokes, it's neat. For a while it's like free money. :jumping:

 

[puffer32]

I am going through this right now, trying to quit. I am good for afew days, then smoke again for a few days, it would help if the hubby would quit, but he won't.

 

[mouse03245]

Hats off to all of you who have quit! I wish I could. I have the utmost respect for anyone who has quit or even tried to quit. It was going to be my new years resolution and then my mom got sick and then now Im getting married this saturday and it is veruy very hard not to pick up that stupid butt!!! So good luck to u scooby and just remember "you are stonger than you think!!!!" :notsure: Is there such thing as a marriage resolution? maybe ill try it!!!

 

[mouse03245]

PS. my soon to be hubby wont quit either, so i know where your coming from.....any advice? good luck

 

[scoobydoo]

This morning is much more difficult. I'm starting to pms too which isn't a good combination :scared:
Good Luck MOUSE. I wouldn't try to quit now either if I was you. You have waaaaay too much going on right now. Maybe after the honeymoon you and hubby could try together.
I've tried a million times before but always ended up smoking again. One of these days I'll succeed. I just have to keep trying until I do.

 

[darth tang]

You know, I have quit three separate occassions for a minimum of three months with the longest being a year. The problem is, I enjoy smoking. It isn't the "habit" part of it, or the nicotine. I actually enjoy it. Strange I know. Everyone says it may kill me one day. But there are many things that may kill me that I do. Like the occassional night of drinking.
Anyway, I do limit myself to only half a pack a day. I figure I keep it in a moderation and things should be ok. Everyone I know that has health issues from smoking smoke between 1 pack- two packs a day.

 

[tizzo]

Yeah Darth Tang, I know what you mean. I also enjoyed it. The absolute only reason I quit is cause my hubby's a respiratory therapist and when we were dating he said, "How my gonna marry you if you smoke?" So that's when I quit. But if he died tomorow, I'd leave his funeral with a smoke in hand!!

I KNOW it's not a wise choise... but like you smoking was something I simply enjoyed!

 

[beth]

Originally Posted by scoobydoo
And with the money I'm saving (smokes are almost $5 a pack here) I ordered a new refractomer today. I jumped the gun a little but had to reward myself! It should be "paid for" by the time I get it.

Wow, that makes you now an official Disease Forum Helper! :cheer: LOL
You'll be suprise how much money you'll have now to enjoy life rather than wasting it on stinky smokes.

 

[xpdition03]

I've tried the nicotine patch, gum, stick, even the

[hr]
but the best thing for me that worked was to quit cold turkey. Those other remedies give you small doses of nicotine and you'll need to do it for like 3-5 weeks before you actual quit. I usually went about the 2nd week then gave up.
3 days is all it takes for nicotine to leave your body, that's truely the hardest part. If you get past the 3 days, then you're cool.
I've smoked a pack a day for 15 years, decided to stop because my family is more important to me. I do not want my kids smoking when they are older so I had to make a decision... to act as a role model for my kids...
It's reasoning is very simple: QUIT OR DIE

 

[xpdition03]

One point also...
Don't try to do the cold turkey thing if you're not ready. I don't wanna encourage you on changing your current method because it might mess you up.
If the patch is working for you then don't stop... keep doing what you're doing and remember your family is depending on you...

 

[chypriss]

Smoking isnt a bad habit..quiting is, no body like a quiter!!! J/K I wouldnt mind to quit but i don't smoke that much, maybe 5 or 6 cigs a day(only at work), but I can smoke a pack on the weekend. One thing I think would help if your a smoker trying to quit is to stop hanging out with smokers, once I started to hangout with them I started to smoke. I went cold turkey for a few weeks and then went back to smoking again, only reason I stoped was because I got sick and it hurt my throat to smoke. My big thing is cigars that is one thing I will never stop smoking.