The Giving Up Smoking Thread!! Part 2

MimiJane

Morning all,

Doing well, though did have a surprising number of "cravings" yesterday while I was out for the day. Maybe they weren't cravings, more fleeting thoughts of cigarettes which I was then able to put out of my mind (though there were a lot of them :rolleyes:). I suppose we have to expect this ...

I'm having difficulty in calling myself a non-smoker because (in the same way as an alcoholic), I know that having another one would put me right back where I started and I still feel vulnerable, albeit determined to stop ... if that makes sense!

I don't intend to sound negative, which I'm not, just pointing out the feelings I've had in the last couple of days. On the whole, it IS getting easier, my cough is a lot better and I'm sleeping more soundly. I haven't noticed any difference in taste and smell, but don't expect to as my sinuses are shot to pieces after an op. a few years ago :rolleyes:

Well done to everyone

x

ameliarate

I am back but this time with patches.

Last time I stopped I felt so ill, with headaches, feeling down and tired as I was waking up every 2 hours. I guess having smoked for 30 odd years it's never going to be easy but hopefully the patches will help me avoid these symptoms, or at least lessen them.

I am a little worried as I don't seem to have the same commitment this time or rather, am not quite as excited about stopping, but perhaps that's not a bad thing because I won't loose the excitement either - if that makes any sense? Since I fell off the wagon I have not gone back up to 20 a day, but have been on about 10 (so an improvement), but I am fed up of thinking about cigs and allowing myself to have one or stopping myself from having one so I think it will be easier mentally just to not be having them at all.

Anyway, I am picking up daughter from Uni for Easter on Wednesday which may help motivate me as I know she will be pleased that I have stopped, and have a dental appointment in a couple of weeks so will get my teeth cleaned and don't want to cover them in brown gunk again.

SandC

You sound like you are in the right frame of mind Ameliarate. Fed up of thinking about them whilst smoking, so not smoking might be an improvement.

I'm looking forward to my next appointment with the nurse (contraception). I am hoping against hope that stopping will have reduced my raised blood pressure and it will be nice to go there and answer her inevitable 'still smoking?' question with a negative response. I have to see her somewhere around end of April which will be over a month smoke free.

kindofagilr

Me and fiance are planning on quitting, but I dont really feel ready to take the plunge, I dont know what to do.

We quit about a year ago for 3 months, we didnt use anything just went cold turkey, then we were away for a weekend and had a drink and it all went out the window

We dont go out drinking much (probs just christmas lol) so its not like that is going to cause a problem for us, but I suppose its something we are going to have to get over, it might be easier now when we do go out you cant smoke in pubs anymore?

ameliarate

kindofagilr wrote: »

Me and fiance are planning on quitting, but I dont really feel ready to take the plunge, I dont know what to do.

quote]

Why don't you feel ready to take the plunge? Fear? That's what always stopped me, though I told myself it was simply because I didn't want to stop.

Dreamingalound

kindofagilr - there is no right or wrong time to stop smoking, its whenever you feel ready. Only you can make that decision. However do read some of the previous posts on this forum, there is not one quote from somsone thats stopped smoking that says they they wish they stopped, it just says that they wish they stopped sooner.

So don't hold back, whenever you are ready take that deep breath and go for it. Sure, you wll feel terrible for the first couple of days then its one way. I read the Allen Carr book and watched his DVD which was good enough for me. Maybe research into some methods which can support you?

kindofagilr

Thanks guys

I dunno, Its just I enjoy smoking so dont feel ready to quit, but I guess I am going to enjoy it forever arent I? so I do need to take the plunge

Stupidly its not my health that I am ever worried about its the cost more than anything

I spend £5.20 a day and Fiance spends £2.70 a day thats on average £2883.50 a year which is shocking!

We are buying a house and hope to be in there in a couple of weeks, I think once we are in we are going to have to quit cos we wont be able to afford it

AND we are going to start trying for a baby in July (once back off hols to Cyprus) and I wanted to quit before then to get my body nice and healthy for the baby.

I KNOW I need to do it, its just taking the plunge thats all

SandC

kindof, I was saying the same as you a year ago. Something in me just started to change last year. I made a half hearted attempt around October time (after my duty free had all run out strangely enough) but since Xmas it's been building up for me finally taking the plunge.

I really can't explain what it was, a combination of factors.

It is fear that keeps you smoking, I know that much. I guess my main thing that's different this time is the cost. It really was starting to bite, but stopping smoking appealed more to me this time than switching to roll ups which many people I know have done. Nor was 'cutting down' an option as I know that doesn't work in reality. Some people don't smoke much naturally but cutting down when you really want more seems more painful to me than having none at all.

I can tell that you are thinking about it because you are on here. The enjoyment is the crux isn't it? We must enjoy it otherwise we wouldn't do it? I wont' go quoting Allen Carr etc. but I had actually got to the point where the first one of the morning wasn't that enjoyable.

MimiJane

We all feel the same way at some stage kindofagilr. I was convinced I'd never be able to even try to stop because I loved smoking. Not so I'm afraid, it was just plain addiction and I was terrified about being without my crutch:rolleyes:

As Allen Carr says often in his book, you have nothing to "give up", except life as a drug addict and being a slave to the weed (as well as all the many negatives that go with that of course:rolleyes:). It's just fear which stops us.

To succeed, you do really have to WANT to give up and know in your heart of hearts that you have to do it NOW or set a date very soon and stick to it, otherwise it's always "tomorrow" or "next week" and they never arrive somehow ....

Yes, it's tough for the first few days, then the cravings get less and less and it becomes easier to cope with. The actual nicotine addiction goes very quickly in a couple of days, then it's just coping with those niggling little voices telling you it's "time for a ciggie".

Anyway, if you both decide to stop, you'll get plenty of support here as there's nothing you'll go through that someone on here hasn't been though already.

Keep us posted and GOOD LUCK if you decide to go for it

Dreamingalound

MimiJane wrote: »

We all feel the same way at some stage kindofagilr. I was convinced I'd never be able to even try to stop because I loved smoking. Not so I'm afraid, it was just plain addiction and I was terrified about being without my crutch:rolleyes:

As Allen Carr says often in his book, you have nothing to "give up", except life as a drug addict and being a slave to the weed (as well as all the many negatives that go with that of course:rolleyes:). It's just fear which stops us.

To succeed, you do really have to WANT to give up and know in your heart of hearts that you have to do it NOW or set a date very soon and stick to it, otherwise it's always "tomorrow" or "next week" and they never arrive somehow ....

Yes, it's tough for the first few days, then the cravings get less and less and it becomes easier to cope with. The actual nicotine addiction goes very quickly in a couple of days, then it's just coping with those niggling little voices telling you it's "time for a ciggie".

Anyway, if you both decide to stop, you'll get plenty of support here as there's nothing you'll go through that someone on here hasn't been though already.

Keep us posted and GOOD LUCK if you decide to go for it

Well said, you can definately count on us for support, i post daily just to tell everyone how my day was...everyone has been really supportive. We are one big family on here all striving for the same goals.