The Giving Up Smoking Thread!! Part 2

mazza111

get them for a fiver in b&ms or free from smoking cesssation clinic, well in scotland anyway.

dreamcatcher73

Hi, have been reading through some of the posts on here and was wondering if I could join you?

I have been a smoker for over 20 years and now enough is enough! Apart from the fact that it costs a fortune, my health has now started to be really affected. I have had a cough for weeks now, my nose is constantly blocked, can't walk up the stairs without becoming breathless and I know I need to change this now before it's too late..

I have tried giving up before without success as I have always been scared of living my life without cigarettes. This time I WILL do it, I want to be around for a good many years yet and I will not let cigarettes take my life away from me.

I won't be using any supplements (apart from this thread, if you'll have me) and I have everything crossed that this time will be the time that I succeed..

I have three cigarettes left, I will smoke them and then that's it, I refuse to part with any more money on something that is trying to kill me!

Wish me luck!

dreamcatcher73

Ok, this is it, I have smoked my last cigarette - EVER :T

As of 7.20pm today I am a non-smoker!

Thank you Sue for the pm, I shall be reading it over and over when the cravings start to kick in.

I have loads of things planned to do when I get moments of weakness, my house will be sparkling by the end of the week

Looking forward to my new life without the demon cigs, especially as I realised today that I have been a smoker for 22 of my 36 years! That's scary :eek:

Here's to a smoke free future and a longer life :j

Sue-UU

Hi dreamcatcher73 and a very warm welcome aboard! It's always great to see another smoker join us and all ready to say goodbye to that horrible, useless habit. So all being well if your plan goes ahead, and I think it will from all you say, then this time tomorrow you'll be a non-smoker!!! At last you've reached the stage when you know you've smoked for plenty long enough and to go on risking your health is never, ever worth it. It's the best thing you'll ever do and the pride you feel as you go further on your journey will be fantastic! Further more you'll have achieved it all by yourself!!! No matter what help you get here on the thread, it's YOU that will have to put any hard work in, it's you who will be the one to take all the credit and why not!!

(Many apologies for not getting this on when I sent the PM dreamcatcher, but had to bolt part way through! Anyway, here's the rest.)

It's so strange how we all have had the same fears of giving it up because we're frightened of being without them, yet what have they ever done for us?!!! Made us into smelly junkies always having to jump whenever they've demanded us to; forcing us to inhale filth smoke and chemicals into our lungs, or to turn out on a filthy, wet night (when no-one else would venture out!) as we've run out and HAD to get more of them or we wouldn't survive til morning!!:o I could go on with more like that, but you know just what I mean. That's no friend to fear being without and at whatever times we normally reached for them on doing something particular (phone calls etc) we soon come to know we could so easily have done without, the world won't crumble and neither will we just because we don't use (or need) them any more. Instead, we all get so much more healthy so very quickly that we soon wonder why ever we didn't do it before, more than that, what EVER made us take it up in the first place!

Time to get on with living the rest of your life now dreamcatcher, time to soon be relieved of that annoying cough and the horrible sinus problems. Time to be able to run up a flight of stairs without getting breathless, time to enjoy life without all the fears of what it could bring us later if we don't kick it out of our lives! If you find certain times (after meals, getting up in the morning and so forth) a problem then change your routine a little so you get out of the 'habit' times. Get straight on with washing up, going straight out for a walk, sit in the garden, playing a game, anything which distracts the mind.

So pleased to hear you're looking forward to your new life, go forward from here and enjoy it, and come on here whenever you need or wish to, there's usually someone here ready to listen and help and we'll ALL be willing you on! :j

All very best wishes to you and to everyone for a very successful Monday and week as non-smokers!

Sue

yellowmonkey

Good luck dreamcatcher and to everyone else. I also gave up cold turkey and have lived to tell the tale.

It will be the best thing you can do for your health and pocket

ym

3XsAlady

WELL DONE, dreamcatcher, I'm almost two weeks in & very proud to say I'm a non-smoker after my 30yr (20 a day) addiction to the dreaded weed. I can honestly say that it has not been nearly as bad as I thought it would be, partly down to Sue's great help, support & advice. Good luck to you from the bottom of my heart on your fantastic decision to become a non-smoker. YOU CAN DO IT

bluedog

I had every intention of coming back here to celebrate my first week as a non-smoker, but everything suddenly went very busy on me! I'm now at 2 weeks 1 day and really pleased to say I'm still smoke-free. I don't think I've had so many trigger responses where I've gone to reach for a ciggy although that could be due to being so busy - so a good thing.

Having the munchies is probably worse to deal with as my appetite has soared. It was rare for me to feel hungry before so it's a bit of a novelty in a way and I'm using it to (hopefully) develop good eating patterns and taking healthier food choices too.

Su - I see what you're saying regarding my comment of "once a smoker" and putting it the way you do, it makes perfect sense. Thank you!

I spoke to my cessation nurse last thursday and have to schedule an appointment with her in 3 weeks time. (she's on holiday or would be sooner). We'll re-do the CM test and from what she's saying, may be moving onto the next stage patches too. I think she said that if I'm still smoke-free at that appointment, they will mark me as a non-smoker on my gp notes too.

Finally, I had a few small sore patches on my tongue for a few days and wondered if this has anything to do with giving up the ciggies please? (It's ok now.) I'm sure I've read somewhere about various things that may happen as the body clears the toxins, but can't remember where I read it or if it was related to smoking in the first place. :rolleyes:

kindofagilr

Hello everyone,

Well I finally did it, I have been on here before saying I was going to quit, well I have done it .... well here I am on Day One anyway lol

My quit day was meant to be Sunday, but for some reason I just couldn't face quitting then.

So today it is, I put my patch on at 6am and 8 hours + later I feel great, I haven't wanted a cigarette all day, so fingers crossed it continues this way.

Work has got PCT sessions very thursday which I am attending for 12 weeks, I got patches and a Nicorette Inhalor from them, I havent had to use the inhalor yet, but I am just about to eat my lunch and may feel the need for a puff then?

I think it will be harder at home, I need to keep myself occupied with something else, I love Cross Stitching so can see myself doing that to stop me wanting to smoke at night time and to stop me from eating rubbish as well lol, OH is still smoking, but I think today is his last day?

My CM level on the 28th May was 10
My CM level on the 4th June was 15 (I smoked like a trooper that week cos I knew my quit date was coming up, stupid I know lol)

I will get my CM level read on thursday and every thursday after that for 12 weeks (I think)

So thats me

sar050680

Well done all who are giving up smoking, today is 3 weeks for me and 3 days for "her indoors" so we are trying to support each other aswell. Have taken up gardening to take my mind off ciggies and gotta say its working wonders, thinking of my carrots, gibbons and spuds growing and what I need to do next with them is really taking the mind away...lol.

Anyway good luck all, I WILL be back next week to update for 4 weeks

Sue-UU

Thanks for your input again yellowmonkey, it's always good to hear from successful quitters...so we can encourage others to be that way too!:D

You're doing brilliantly on 12days, 3XsAlady though is that about 14 now?! A wonderful start.

Very well done indeed bluedog, a great time gone already!! Work can be a great distraction, a very welcome one at the beginning too, so I'm really pleased to see you made the most of it!! Do go careful with the munchies though or you'll soon be regretting that novelty!:rolleyes: Whenever you're peckish try reaching for glasses of water or an apple rather than food or you'll soon have another battle on your hands!! You're quite right in thinking that quitting can induce sore patches or ulcers on the tongue for a few days, luckily yours were quick to go. Anything slightly differing from normal is almost always due to quitting as, you're correct, it's the body clearing the toxins; getting you clean again!

Brilliant news kindofagilr!! So you finally made it and that's great as you're now on that wonderful journey to be free from those evil little devils!! Try saving all that you'd normally have spent, that too will give you incentive....and CASH!!! It's a great idea to get busy with the Cross Stitching as it keeps your mind and hands distracted and you'll have something beautiful to show for your time. I think it's marvellous that your Works has PCT sessions very thursday, pity more didn't follow suit!!

Congratulations Paul!! :T 3 weeks for you and 3 days for "her indoors" is such very good news! It's so good to hear she's joined you as yu'll have so much to look forward to and you can both motivate and help each other. You'll soon be SO very healthy with all the veggies you're all eating too!!! Great exercise as well!!

Keep going EVERYONE, you're doing excellently and should really be proud of yourselves! :TKeep strong and battle on, this is your journey away from bad health and into a healthy life - YOUR life!!!

Sue