Want To Quit Smoking

[wowzer]

I've been thinking how to quit smoking. I know I need to. I did get a prescription for something from my doctor, but don't want to take it. Any time that I've tried to quit I just sleep. I'm thinking I will try on my vacation which is the beginning of August. I know it is such a stupid expensive habit. I know this is so much easier said than done. I only wish I never tried that first one.

[lfij]

I don't know anything about quitting smoking, but good luck, you're doing the right thing!!!! (i'm sure by tommorow this will be full of great advice from people who have experience with it!)

[AndreaB]

I don't have any first hand experience as I've never smoked. My parents both did though. They quit and started numerous times but stopped for good when a spot showed up on an xray of my fathers after he was broadsided.

You'll want to keep yourself busy and find something to occupy the time and attention that was put on smoking. Go out for walks. If you get the munchies try to snack on carrot sticks/celery sticks....something healthy that won't sabotage your weight.......unless you need to gain some.

Having an accountability partner would help too. Close by would be best but maybe someone else here is also looking to stop. Actually, user name fajitas is heading down this road to.

[blueeyedmanda]

One of my coworkers took that Chantex no smoking pill and it worked for her. She is so happy, she didn't have any of the withdrawl symptoms or the mood swings.

[UR Groovy]

  wowzer said:

I only wish I never tried that first one.

Me too.

I tried to quit (again) last week & got sideswiped - another excuse to stop the momentum. I heard about that Lame Advertisement (that Amanda mentioned) at a party this weekend. The guy was a pharmacist and was telling us about it. He said it has a really high success rate. It actually sounds interesting. I visited the website to look into it. I don't know how keen I am about anything that "activates" receptors in the brain, but it does seem to work.

It really stinks to keep trying and trying and failing to quit. I'm tired of feeling like a failure over & over again in this. I'm getting the wheeze when I laugh - how completely embarassing. Anyway, I will try again. One of these times, I'll succeed.

Maybe we can come up with some strategies and motivation. Hopefully, some others will want to be non-smokers too.

In any event, I hope that we can all break the habit.

EDIT: AndreaB is right - I am heading down this road - seems I'm always heading down this road. I just can't seem to make it to my destination.

Take care

[Random Guy]

i've quit smoking many times, but i think this last time i quit is for good

and it was easy

and i didn't make my family 'pay' for it by, because i wasn't going through sudden withdrawal

what made this time i quit different?

i took welbutrin

it removed my desire to smoke (couldn't taste it anymore), but because i was hooked, i still smoked - but cut down slowly.

previous times i quit, it was torture. and it was a constant struggle.

this time, it was easier, and i didn't really have the desire to smoke since i quit. I can't even believe that i used to smoke.

i know some people have had issues with welbutrin, but i didn't - it may possibly have saved my life.

different things work for different people. try what you think will work. go for it

good luck

-rg

[nikki-uk]

Well i have had several goes over the years but my most recent attempt has been the most successful (Easter) with the nicotine patches.

So far so good!!....but have gained 10 pounds but working on that.

I really can't ever see me smoking again - it rarely enters my head (I think I have transferred all desire to smoke to desire to eat )

Several things were different with this attempt:

My hubby gave up as well

My sons were aware of us smoking AND telling us what it was doing to our health

I was really embarressed by my habit

I must say I imagined that both hubby and I would have been at each others throats through the withdrawal but suprisingly NO MOOD swings with the patches.

We kept ourselves busy and did plenty of crosswords/suduku

Somehow - this time seems to be for keeps - hope it is for any of you out there!!

[wowzer]

My doctor did give me the Lame Advertisement. I have had so many weird drug reactions, I'm afraid to try it. A part of me doesn't want to deal with the side effects, but I know I have to. I just know it's time to quit this stupid habit.

[UR Groovy]

  wowzer said:

My doctor did give me the Lame Advertisement. I have had so many weird drug reactions, I'm afraid to try it. A part of me doesn't want to deal with the side effects, but I know I have to. I just know it's time to quit this stupid habit.

I'm a little concerned about the side effects too. I haven't made the decision to take it either.

Are you still thinking about quitting while you're on vacation?

I think - depending on the length of your vacation and what you'll be doing - it may work for you. I did it once. I quit on a ski trip. It lasted until about 3 weeks after I got back (then, the smoke-break habit at work got to be too much of a draw). But it was the only time I was ever able to just quit without assistance. I think I was just so busy and having such a good time that I didn't really have time to think about smoking. While the 1st few days were kind of rough, it's almost easier to do it on vacation because you don't have to quarrel with your day to day routines and habits.

I haven't set another quit date yet, but I gotta do it. It doesn't seem to matter how many times I say it - it doesn't make it happen. I wonder what it's going to take !?

Nikki-uk,

Congratulations on quitting. I agree - if you're married, you have a greater chance of success if you do it together.

I'm curious (if you see this) - Are you done with the patches? If you are, how long did you use them? Easter was like 4 months ago or so. (?)

[Anteau25]

I am taking Lame Advertisement right now. It really works! I do not snack or sleep more, nor did I gain weight. I have tried to quit before and was a nervous wreck half the time and wanted to strangle someone the other half. I am pretty calm while taking the Lame Advertisement. The only side effect I suffer from is some nausea. I knew nausea was a side effect before I started taking it but figured that I could deal with it for a couple months for such a huge long term benefit. Besides, I dealt with nausea for a couple years before I was dianosed with celiac! A couple months is a piece of cake ( gluten free of course)! I highly recommend Lame Advertisement!!

[nikki-uk]

  fajitas said:

Nikki-uk,

Congratulations on quitting. I agree - if you're married, you have a greater chance of success if you do it together.

I'm curious (if you see this) - Are you done with the patches? If you are, how long did you use them? Easter was like 4 months ago or so. (?)

Yep, finished with the patches now.It was a ten week course (starting with high strength - weaning down to low strength)

I did have the 24 hr patches but had to take them off at night as I found it hard to sleep at night with them on (OR had the weirdest, scariest nightmares)

I now only ever use a low strength nicotine gum if

1) At a gathering where alcohol is involved!

2) Highly stressed!!

[wowzer]

My vacation is 9 days. I do wonder how I will deal with my breaks at work. I will have to work on healthy snacks. I can afford to gain a few pounds anyway. I am now working on cutting back. I have a couple of weeks until vacation time.

[Michi8]

Best of luck with quitting! As you know, there are all sorts of products that help with quitting, but, IME, none of them work that well if one is not really ready to quit.

I quit for good almost 11 years ago. Tried quitting a few times before that...used nicotine gum and the patch (not at the same time! ) In the end it was will power and timing that worked. The short version is that we wanted to start a family, and there was no way I was going to smoke while pregnant or ever around my kids, so when I had to stop smoking due to dental surgery I just stopped for good...about 6 months before pregnancy. There was no desire to smoke again.

My husband didn't have as easy a go with it. He quit at the same time, but kept resuming the habit off and on for awhile (but never at home.) He found that Zyban final helped him kick the habit for good. Again, he had to be really ready to do it.

Michelle

[Michi8]

  wowzer said:

My vacation is 9 days. I do wonder how I will deal with my breaks at work. I will have to work on healthy snacks. I can afford to gain a few pounds anyway. I am now working on cutting back. I have a couple of weeks until vacation time.

One of the tips I remember about quitting is that you need to avoid situations where there is temptation. In other words, change how and where you take your breaks. Don't go hang out with the smokers, because no amount of determination will keep you from smoking when others are smoking around you and offering you cigarettes. Active smokers are not going to offer the level of support you need to quit and stay quit.

Michelle

[barbara123]

  blueeyedmanda said:

One of my coworkers took that Chantex no smoking pill and it worked for her. She is so happy, she didn't have any of the withdrawl symptoms or the mood swings.

The dor put me on the Lame Advertisement also. But it has gluten in it so i cant take it. Had reaction after the first pill

[UR Groovy]

I found out the last time I attempted to quit that I did myself in with wishy-washy thinking. I wasn't determined to quit. I had a weak resolve. I need to remember all the very good reasons why I want to be a non-smoker - all the benefits:

I won't stink

I won't wheeze after a few weeks (it's that wheeze that you hear during a serious laugh - just when you want to enjoy the laugh, you hear yourself wheeze and it takes the joy away)

Exercise is easier

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

It's a pain to be a smoker - when I'm not smoking, I'll "blend" more.

Smoking is highly inflammatory - I'm trying to reduce all the inflammation, and I can't do that as long as I'm smoking.

I want to grow old with my husband.

I want to see my nephew be married (he's 15) - that means I need at least 10 more good years.

A thousand more reasons - You guys have more?? Please list them.

**Well, after talking about this, I think I want to set a date. I'll get back to you guys with that after we decide. I'm ready to set a date.

  wowzer said:

My vacation is 9 days. I do wonder how I will deal with my breaks at work. I will have to work on healthy snacks.

I'm planning to go for short walks and practice breathing while I'm walking when I make it to my quit date (you know - when I set one) .

I'd also say that quitting right from the start (of the vacation) would probably help. If you wait until you've established new smoking routines on vacation, you'll just have to break those habits too.

  Michi8 said:

Active smokers are not going to offer the level of support you need to quit and stay quit.

Michelle

The other smokers will do me in every time.

[luvs2eat]

  barbara123 said:

The dor put me on the Lame Advertisement also. But it has gluten in it so i cant take it. Had reaction after the first pill

Wait... Lame Advertisement has gluten??? I was going to ask my doctor about it! Anyone else have gluten reactions?

I quit smoking for 14 years... and then last summer I "vacation" smoked after several glasses of wine. What a dope. It's been almost a year and I promised myself and hubby that I'd quit before we moved (from PA to AR) later this summer.

[UR Groovy]

  barbara123 said:

The dor put me on the Lame Advertisement also. But it has gluten in it so i cant take it. Had reaction after the first pill

Crap

EDIT: I just realized I'd better clarify: I mean:

Oh Crap - I'm bummed about that

[Michi8]

  fajitas said:

Crap

EDIT: I just realized I'd better clarify: I mean:

Oh Crap - I'm bummed about that

It looks as though Zyban doesn't have gluten in the inactive ingredients, and so may be worth a try. It worked well to help my husband quit...it elminated the cravings for him.

Michelle

[nikki-uk]

  luvs2eat said:

I quit smoking for 14 years... and then last summer I "vacation" smoked after several glasses of wine. What a dope. It's been almost a year and I promised myself and hubby that I'd quit before we moved (from PA to AR) later this summer.

Now, this worries me!!!

Having given up at Easter - I do worry that one day I'll do something stupid!!!

I think you have to look at it like an alcoholic!! - you simply canNOT have 1 or 2

Another thing I did while on the patches was I had to see my pharmacist once a week for 'counselling' and a breath test thing - where you blow into a tube and it shows levels of all the chemicals in your lungs.

That kinda kept me on the straight and narrow!! and each week he would tell me what % my lung capacity was better - my lessened chance of heart attack ...etc... all encouraging stuff!

[Anteau25]

  barbara123 said:

The dor put me on the Lame Advertisement also. But it has gluten in it so i cant take it. Had reaction after the first pill

I am taking Lame Advertisement right now. I called the manufacturer before starting it, and they said there was no gluten in it. Some of the side effects can be mistaken as getting glutened?

[kbtoyssni]

I had one friend who stopped smoking. A few months before, he stopped smoking in the house, which ultimately made it easier for him to quit. Once he quit, he was used to not having cigarettes as part of his indoor routine so the breaking-the-habit part of it was much easier. He was also motivated by the fact that Minnesota winters are COLD - he didn't want to go stand outside and smoke.

Good luck!

[UR Groovy]

Okay wowzer,

What's the dealio? You going to quit when you go on vacation?

My quit date is August 2 - that's 1 week from today. I'll be using the gum. My hubby's using the patch. I'm totally committed. How 'bout you? I mean, I'm not trying to put any pressure on you - just wondering if you're still going to do this. If not, that's cool. Just curious.

[GeoBarb77]

  wowzer said:

I've been thinking how to quit smoking. I know I need to. I did get a prescription for something from my doctor, but don't want to take it. Any time that I've tried to quit I just sleep. I'm thinking I will try on my vacation which is the beginning of August. I know it is such a stupid expensive habit. I know this is so much easier said than done. I only wish I never tried that first one.

It'll be my one year anniversary of quitting in a few weeks.

I tried the gum first and it only puts you in a state of constant craving. Don't bother.

I now believe there's only one way to quit:

1) Find in your mind to fully believe you want to quit.

2) quit cold turkey

3) don't believe it'll be easy for the first two weeks. it'll be hell.

This theory is how I got through it........ How many months of life have you had on this earth??? Well spare ONE just ONE to be smoke free. don't fear the foreverness of quitting. Start your new life. NOW. How can I continue having ANY pride in myself unless I conquer this one thing. "cause it's not that big a' deal when you are looking from the other side. It takes 14 days to get the nicotine out of your system. COld turkey. Get the crap out of your system and move on!!!!!

I swear after the first 14 days it's like flipping a switch. I wanted to quit and tried for two years until I finally grabbed a hold of own life and made it happen.

[UR Groovy]

4 days.

This thread never developed into much, but it inspired me to pick a date, so I wanted to update.

It's been 4 days that I haven't smoked. I don't get it. It's like someone reached inside me and took out the part that likes to smoke cigarettes.

I'm really happy about this - but, mostly, I'm confused - where did this 18 year-long nightmare go? It seems too easy. It's never been easy before.

I'm using 3-4 pieces of nicorette a day. No cravings - no yelling, stomping, strangling, nail biting ... nothing - oh - but I have been eating lots of snacks - lots and lots of snacks. Still, I don't get it.