The Giving Up Smoking Thread!! Part 2

Sue-UU

A warm welcome to the thread Snuffy. As the others wisely tell you, it is the relaxation of the "Friday night feeling", never the same as any other evening. As you say though, you need to crack that first weekend and you'll possibly break it. Change your Friday evening normal routine around for a while to help you get there; go for a really long walk, jog, run, bike ride, anything that makes you feel tired after, but so much more healthy for having done it. Old Nick has some crafty mind tricks up hi sleeve, you need to develop some of your own to fight the evil blighter!

Get yourself all geared up with some sort of 'therapy' plan to tackle this weekend and if you need more help to put you off buying another packer, read through Pennylane's post about her neighbour who is now literally dying due to fag...and the next...and so on. Go on Snuffy, make that break from it THIS weekend, you CAN if you really want to! I'll send you a PM to see if that can help with ideas. Meanwhile, get phsyched up and keep strong!

Thanks so much for telling us about the very sad events of your pour neighbour Pennylane, sadly there are even younger victims to lung cancer than his, but a real shame about his youngsters, let's hope thay haven't already been tempted to start!! It was those awful fears of smoking-related illnesses that helped me kick it all, I knew I couldn't go on living with the fear that kept me awake every night. I feel terrific now!

You're quite right SandC about getting in the right mindset being half the journey!

Oh dear mazza, what a rotten shame. The demons of drink eh! You sound as though you're very quickly affected by the stuff, so wait until you've REALLY quitted and know it, before risking another drink, perhaps when you get to that stage you could only ever have 1 small one IF you need it! Anyway, after you've been doing so very well, and as no-one's sure just how many you had (it might just have been 1) then forget it, put it down to a possible blip then move on with quitting and forgetting about what might have been the case! All the best mazza, you know you can do it!

It's much the same for you too Wesker, keep away from it if you can. Still, you overcame the problems caused WITHOUT an evil little stick that wouldn't have made things better anyway, so you should be really proud of yourself, I am!

Another day tackled everyone, you're all doing brilliantly and getting SO healthy!

Sue

SandC

I faced the drink on the very first night that I stopped smoking. I don't know how it works but the Allen Carr method takes away the psychological feeling of having 'triggers', such as drinking. Without shadow of a doubt the best money I ever spent was going to that clinic.

little_lily

Morning all!

6 months today for me!!!!!

Posted not to gloat but to show all those starting on the journey that it can be done!

I had some really tough moments, especially around the 4-6 week mark but I kept coming back on here for support and here I am, 6 months on, still not a puff has passed my lips.

If I have tips they are:

1. I really believe you have to do 'one of everything' to truly break free. So the first party without fags is awful, the second is a doddle. The first meal out is awful, the second is fine. The first time you finish the ironing without the reward of a ciggie is pants, the seond time it gets easier. It's a question of breaking triggers - and as a smoker for 20 years I had an awful of of triggers to work through! The 'God I could kill for a fag. IT'S NOT FAIR (stamp feet, shake fists)' moments are pretty few and far between now, though!

2. Keep reading on here and post if you're having a bad time. Sue-U is brilliant at getting you through the tough moments and there always seemed to be someone here who had been through the exact situation I was experiencing to drag me forward. I could never have achieved what I have without this site - reading that someone had quit for a few months and was no longer obsessing about cigarettes 25/7 made me think that maybe, just maybe, I could do it too!

3. Keep reminding yourself that ciggies solve nothing. So you've had a row with the OH - say you had a cig, would that take the row away? Solve the problem? Make things better? Of course it wouldn't! Smoke the ciggie, put it out - the problem is still there, nothing has changed, the ciggie altered nothing.

4. Never, ever, fall for the 'just one puff' trick. So many of us on here have failed at previous attempts because we thought we could have just one puff at a party, usually after some wine. I got to five months a couple of years ago, had a ciggie when I was plastered and was back to square one again within days. YOU HAVE QUIT. NEVER, EVER, EVER HAVE A DRAG ON A CIGARETTE AGAIN. You are not in the 0.0001% of smokers who can just smoke at the weekends/at a party/on holiday. You are a drug addict and smoking just one cigarette will put you back at square one - been there, got the t-shirt!

Please, please stick at it guys - it really is the best thing you can do for yourself, and for your family. It does get easier, honestly!

xxx

missmilly

Hello all,

Well, I've had a 'bit of a do' that's for sure. Last Saturday morning I got up, had a cup of tea and promptly collapsed/fainted at the kitchen table! I fell off the chair and cracked my head on our ceramic tiled floor. My husband called the ambulance and I was admitted to hospital via A&E. They finally let me come home yesterday after many tests, blood, Xray,CT Scan etc. Anyway they have found no reason for the collapse and it was only for a few seconds, but I now have to go back to outpatients for more heart tests before they will give me the all clear.

I am very grateful that they are being so thorough, but they have now advised me not to drive until they have completed all the tests and that I must shower and not bath, and that I shouldn't fly to the USA next week for my holiday.

No, I feel absolutely fine and have done since about an hour after it happened, and this has never ever happened to me before. I was just wondering if anyone had experienced anything similar? I had been using 21mg patches for 24 hours which were supplemented with 2mg NRT gum as needed, and have been having help from the smoking cessation nurse at my local GP surgery.

I have not been using any NRT since Saturday and have been OK, it was quite easy in hospital, but now I'm home and on my own all day, I do not want to slip up...........

So any comments would be really helpful, as I am not due to see the nurse again until the end of next week.

Thanks

Missmilly

Snuffy_2

Hi All,

Thank you very much for your post and your PM Sue UU, it has really helped and have taken note of it and will put it into practice tomorrow night.

Thanks as well Mazza as you hit the nail on the head with the drinking thing. I went out with my non smoking friend a couple of weeks ago when I had my patch on and it didn't bother me all night while I was out, but when I got home and was shall we say, a little tipsy, I really wanted a ciggie!! But it's when I'm sat at home opn my own (I live alone, well apart from an old senile dog and a cantakerous moggie) that's when I really miss them so if I'm at a bit of a loose end at the weekends that's when I crave, but will try to keep myself even busier than normal to take my mind off the evil weed!!



Still smoke free which is good and still on the patches

Sweetpeanut

Hi all, just read a lot (but not all) of the threads, you are all really great and you all deserve a big pat on the back for quitting:beer:. A little bit about me, im 35, married with 2 girls 3 & 5 yrs old, my DH has never smoked and does'nt fully understand how hard it is for me to stop, ive tried CHAMPIX (does't agree with my anti-depressant medication) ZYBAN ( same as, does'nt agree) now im trying the patches, started on tuesday so today is day 3, im finding it very hard, im a 20-30 aday smoker, that does'nt enjoy it but feel like im missing my best friend, if im not smoking, my mum died of hardening of the arteries & renal failure in 2000, my sister was diagnosed in feb, with bowel cancer had that removed, found out the following week she is terminal it has spread to her liver & lungs she is only 47, an is expecting her 1st granchild in august, she is currently under going chemotheraphy. I take her for all her appointments and sit with her while she is having chemo done, and i can honestly say it is heartbreaking to sit an watch her go through all of this and not be able to do something (she to was & still is a heavy smoker). So i decided enough was enough i am goin to try my hardest to get smokefree, because this is the worst part of my life smoking, i am in control of everything else apart from this, so from now on if you don't mind, i'll come on here to take all your advice and hopefully end up as successful as you all are, thanks for reading hope i have'nt bored u all love Donna x

mazza111

well am still under the smoking cessation nurses, got my carbon levels tested today and they were at 3, which is normal for me as i work in a loading bay and out in traffic all day at work too, however I would like it to be back down at 1, so will need to take a week off work Any excuse. So I'm guessing i couldn't have smoked too many at weekend.

SandC

Hi guys, glad to hear you are all doing well.

missmolly sorry to hear about what you've been going through. They are certainly being very thorough but it sounds like you simply fainted to me. What will you do about your holiday?

When I got back in after having time off for my father's death one of my smoking 'friends' (I put those around it as I bearly speak to the smoking gang any more what with not going out there) first questions was 'have you started smoking again?'. I was very pleased to say no but I kind of got the impression that it was more than expected.

I know that people do turn to ciggies when stressed but it doesn't actually help does it? I just told her that I would have been dreadfully disappointed in myself if I had used that as an excuse to smoke. Which is what it would have been. Luckily, I stopped associating smoking with something which I like to do a long while ago. Luckily, I no longer than I am missing out on something by being a non smoker.

It just got to me a bit, perhaps there is some envy there on her side? Yet she gets all her fags bought for her by her boss who travels overseas regularly so she would never understand the money aspect. Although for me it was about far more than that. I realise now I was in exactly the right place for stopping. I am very glad that I acted upon that urge just when it was right for me.

Sue-UU

Very many congratulations Lily, you've truly done yourself proud after all the struggle you had at one time, but you came through and went on to achieve the dream you so desperately wanted. I hope you're really proud of yourself, I certainly am! You're an inspiration to all who were here with you at the time! Those are some brilliant tips that you've put, I hope others here now will take note of them and accomplish all that you did! Congratulations again Lily, come back when your year's up won't you!

Hi Missmilly, so sorry to hear of your unfortunate fall, but pleased to know you're a lot better now and will still be kept an eye on for a little while at least. I think they're wise to suggest you stay here rather then fly to the US, it certainly makes sense, not driving too as it's far too risky. I've never heard of anyone else suffering anything from the NRTs, but there's always a first time for anything. Now is the time to put into practice the plenty of water routine, apples and any other fruit too. How about some relaxation CDs to help you through the difficult times, to help with your health as well.

All best wishes for tonight Snuffy, you keep as active as possible and stay strong! Going by all Lily says, it does sound right that for you to make it through this weekend you'll be so much better for next! How about spending some time with your non-smoking friend. I'll be rooting for you Snuffy!

A very warm welcome to the thread Sweetpeanut. I'm sending you a PM which will hopefully help in your feelings about smoking being a friend, not the sort of friend you want for sure! It's good to have you join us (and no, you weren't boring at all) and do all you can to beat all the evils of smoking. My heart goes out to your poor sister, it's a terrible disease and if you can now become a non-smoker and save your own life then your dear sister will be so very pleased for you, to say nothing of how you'll feel when you've QUIT for good!! You also have your 2 little ones to be thinking of and they'll thank you for doing it when they fully realise all that's involved with the perils of smoking. Your DH may have problems in fully understanding all you're going through, but he must have heard about all we endure to give it up and no doubt he'll very soon be so proud of you! Come on here anytime you feel you need help, or to tell us how well you're doing, and you will, soon! All the very best Donna, you're about to embark on a wonderful voyage of good health and you'll so enjoy the results!

I'm sure you're right about the weekend mazza and thank Heavens for that! Have you thought anymore about using one of the paper(ish) masks to cover your nose and mouth when you've got the lorries there? You can always take it off when you don't have one with you, your health would certainly benefit by not inhaling all their CM!

Well done SandC, though I think your guess that her asking was due to envy, or a secret desire for you to even fail - to make her feel better!!! :mad: Any one who had an ounce of common sense at all would never ask the question, especially after the amount of time you've successfully quit for! It's just her hard luck that she didn't follow your marvellous lead!! Do as you've been doing for a long time now SandC and she'll be turning green!!:D

All the very best for a great smoke-free weekend everyone. You can beat this habit as YOU are far stronger than IT!

Sue

driver24ian

Money saving tip!!!Patches from Tesco are £10 and last 2 weeks cause i cut them in half, it says not to but it makes no difference to me except i save some cash, been a week now and feel ok, extra money towards the DMP that starts on 1st july.