The Giving Up Smoking Thread!! Part 2

Harrietbaby

Hiya, I know it's a bit late but I'd really like to join! I have been smoking since I was 19 and am now 36 - I knew better than to start but did anyway. I have had numerous attempts at giving up and then have always fallen off the wagon.

I now have two beautiful daughters, the eldest is two and the youngest is 5 months. I promised myself I would give up on my eldest's 2nd birtday - but this has obviously not happened. Anyway she's now really interested in things and asking loads of questions. I dread the day when she asks me what I'm doing when I'm smoking (I don't smoke near her or in the house, but she has seen me through the window!)

As I type this I am smoking what will be my last cigarette (children are out for the day).

I hate seeing mums smoking while they push their pushchairs around, but if I'm honest they could easily be me. I need to get a grip and tackle this for lots of reasons -

• my children's health
• my health
• the time I waste smoking when I could be spending time with my family
• the pennies I could save

I always seem to have some excuse that stops me from quitting. e.g. I'm on holiday next week so I want to enjoy it, I'll just wait till after my birthday, I'll just have one more packet, I've bought these so I may as well finish them. Anyway, enough is enough!

Well done to everyone who is on this thread and I hope to follow in your footsteps by becoming nicotine free!

lynzpower

I now have two beautiful daughters, the eldest is two and the youngest is 5 months. I promised myself I would give up on my eldest's 2nd birtday - but this has obviously not happened. Anyway she's now really interested in things and asking loads of questions. I dread the day when she asks me what I'm doing when I'm smoking (I don't smoke near her or in the house, but she has seen me through the window!)

My sis is preggers atm and I just knoew little one would be saying things like " why is aunty lynz killing herself mummy" I would never have had an answer for that!

mazza111

Welcome aboard Harrietbaby, I'm pretty sure sue will be around with some advice for you pretty soon, she's a little godsend. Remember that there is lots of help available if you need it, and water will be your best friend. Most smokers are more successful if following a programme to help them stop, many of these programmes are free with the exception of the cost of the prescription charges, not sure if NRT is free anywhere else but it is in Scotland if you join a smoking cessation group. The support is invaluable here too.

As for me, no more slip ups since Tuesday, took the butterfly stitches out today and the scar isn't going to be as bad as i originally thought. There's one part in middle of the 6" cut that's still a wee bit open but I should be back swimming by Monday, which will take my mind of it a bit more. I am totally changing my life atm, so i know if i succeed in stopping smoking I can do anything (superwoman!!!), have now lost a total of 39 pounds or 17.7kg for you metric nuts, have squeezed my fat a$$ into a pair of jeans 2 sizes smaller than I normally wear, had these jeans in wardrobe for years and wouldn't throw them out because i liked the denim. So another 2 dress sizes and all will be good \o/ but am getting desperate because of the swimming ban imposed on me this week and have put on 1 pound, which i'm pretty sure won't kill me but another thing to disappoint me in myself! Just gotta keep reminding myself that what I've done so far is quite an achievement. So hopefully I'll be a skinny moo who doesn't smell of fags soon. :rotfl:

Harrietbaby

Well almost two hours (it will be better when I can count the days not the hours!) and am now chewing on an inhalator. The only thing is it really makes me cough - much more than cigarettes do! Still at least it keeps my hands busy. My mum's coming to visit in a couple of weeks and have asked her to teach me to crochet - another cigarette avoidance tactic. We shall see - I'm well aware how easy it is to get carried away in the first few days - so fingers crossed.

Mazza just read about your accident - hope you are on the mend, and well done, 39lbs - that's fab!

shimmershelly

Welcome Harrietbaby and congratulations on now being a non-smoker :T
Losing a bit of weight is the next on my list Mazza, I never had any energy for much exercise and got out of breath quickly, but not any more so I have no excuse. I'm going to dig my bike out of the garage and dust it down and start from there.

I had a chat with hubby and I think he must have been experiencing the thing that Richard asked about earlier, it's about the same timescale. He denied it at first then when I told him I had seen his cigs he said he is having a blip and still really wants to be a non smoker. He said he is only having the odd one.
I said I would help him anyway I could, so I have bought him an inhalator for now, for times when he wants to reach for fags, and also the Allen Carr stop smoking permanently book. That one looks to be more for people who have tried and failed and I'm going to have a read too.
I keep forgetting to take the champix, but doing ok without it. The nurse has told me I must complete the course though, mostly because if I ever slip up in the future then they can't prescribe it again unless you did the whole course. His fags called me a bit last night, but I ignored them ok!

Sue-UU

Welcome to the smoke-free world Harrietbaby! By the way, it's NEVER too late to give it up, just be so pleased that you're taking the bull by the horns and going for it, your kiddies and OH will love you for it, but most of all - so will YOU!!!! BTW if you need any more help after your Mum goes home then go to here http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=20792005#post20792005 as there's advice galore on crochet, You Tube too is great!!

That's it Shelley - on yer bike!!! I do hope your right about your hubby v Richard, it so very often happens. Give him all the support and love you can, with luck you'll pull him through the other side!!

Out of the mouths of babes eh lynzpower! :eek: I wouldn't be able to deal with that one either! My little GD was horrified in the week when she found out the neighbour at the bottom of the garden SMOKED??!!

Brilliant attitude wonder woman or err mazza!!! Keep it up and good to hear the arm's doing so well!

Be back later girls and boys if there are any lurking!

Sue

lynzpower

Ooh hello gang

Aww last night was really difficult. Night out with smoking freinds for a meal & pub. I really wanted to smoke. So did OH. We were jsut looking at each other going "I want to do you" and we so nearly did :eek:

We didnt though. i guess these thnigs are sent to try us. :eek:

orangetrader

just here to share my experience of champix. I had been smoking for just over 20 years, around the 20-a-day mark. Tried many things, patches, alan carr, inhalers etc... and none of them worked for me. Got champix from the doc last november and have been off them ever since. I think that they are truly amazing. But I am also aware that some people have had side effects, so can only take about my experience. I was a little suspicious of the little blighters to start with and decided to take half the recommended dose. I carried on doing this throughout and finished the course a few weeks earlier than suggested but it has worked for me with few side effects. I still like the smell of smoke and quite enjoy walking past the odd smoker but I do not intend to put one in my mouth again. Finally, there was one other consideration here or motivating factor if you will and that was finding out that my wife was pregnant with our first child. So was it this news or the wonderdrug champix? I have wanted to give up for a few years now and have tried and failed on my an occasion. I am convinced that it was champix - but I accept the news probbaly helped me stay off them. Plus my brother is in exactly the same position with his first child on the way, he hasn't tried champix and is still smoking.:cool:

Sue-UU

Fantastic lynzpower, you both did excellently!!!:T Remember in future that you did it then - so you can refrain again - for your health's sake!! Remember, you're a non-smoker now!!;)

Thanks a lot for that very motivational post orangetrader! Your little one has a wonderful dad, with or without champix! Let's hope now that your bro will quit too! Either way, congratulations to you. :T

Have a wonderful non-smoking week again folks, and whether you're just starting out or getting close to your destination, keep strong at all times and remember - it's YOUR health that's at stake - keep healthy!;) Some more good weather this week, enjoy it and breathe deeply!

Sue

SandC

Hello everyone. It's a whole month for me today.

Everyone seems to be doing really well. Shimmer, looks like your hubby might be getting his head around it. Great news re the slimming mazza. The AC therapist told us at our clinic that she had a weight problem when she was a smoker and it sorted itself out gradually after becoming a non smoker. Smoking makes you lazy!