The Giving Up Smoking Thread!! Part 2

WASHER

Thanks allthatmularky, I actually don't want a cigarette, its the craving I am hating today, it has been constant since the moment I woke this morning, nothing at all is helping, Ive been for a walk.

My BIL says some people do crave all day everyday for the first few weeks, if I can get through this difficult period, I can get through anything.

I haven't chosen the easiest time to give up although that was intentional, the children are on holiday, Ive got PMT (sorry if thats too much info), my husband is to be made redundant shortly and I'm worried about finances etc (no debt, just the mortgage thankfully).

I will look back in a few weeks and think gosh, what was all the fuss about, just like I did with child birth, the only difference is I'm only giving up smoking the once!

larmy16

Washer you are not alone. I am way ahead of you time-wise but I am going through a bad patch. I know I cannot smoke but I'll tell you what helped me last night and I don't know why. I was putting back the lid on a tub of Fairtrade coffee and I sniffed the smell of it in deeply and for some reason it did the trick. I don't drink coffee, cannot stand the stuff but do like the smell.

Sometimes I think it's not good to post that you still have urges down the line as it may stop newer non smokers having a go, but I think what I am experiencing is an association and a learned response which of course I have to unlearn and there must be others who still retain a bit of that.

Anyway, stay strong. Thinking of you. Blimey, fancy you chucking that woman out of your house! And you hadn't even given up then!!!!!!:D

Anyone remember the scene in the film The Jerk. Steve Martin is being pursued by a gun toting maniac who keeps taking shots at him.

Later on they bump into each other and he is friendly to Steve Martin who is perplexed and wonders why he doesn't want to shoot him any more. The man replies "Oh that, sorry about that, but I'd just quit smoking" :rotfl:

karmacookie

Stay strong Washer!

I'm on day 3 and I know how you feel.

The only thing that's keeping me going is that I really, really want to stop this time and I don't want to let myself down.

My poor dog doesn't know what's going on, he's never ususly walked this much!

ageing_biker

hi all, washer, getting off cigs is a bit of a booger, the first couple of weeks you just cant stop thinking about smoking, get to week 3 and things start to ease a little but I mean a little, eg at first you may think about it 1000 times a day, after 2 weeks perhaps 700 times after a month 400 and so on, you just have to be strong n the early stages, after 18 months I still think about it maybe once in a while but thats it, just a thought and its gone in a flash, hope things get easier for you soon, ab

WASHER

larmy16, thanks for your post, its good to know I'm not alone in this. You must keep posting and letting me know if you still get urges to smoke so far along the line, it helps us newbies understand what to expect.

As far as that woman is concerned, her tone annoyed me so much, and if you knew me you wouldn't believe for one moment I would ever say boo to a goose, I wish people wouldn't judge others because they smoked, drank or whatever, I never in the 17 years of smoking smoked in a confined place or infront of non smokers, I respected peoples choice not to smoke, they should have accepted my choice to smoke as long as it was not affecting them.

Off to smell some coffee..

WASHER

just seen all your posts, thanks for the support, it really does help alot.

KC - wishing you lots of positive thoughts and luck, today is the worse day for me. I honestly thought it would get better each day, but in my case it was easy to start off with and today is hell.

I'm off to smell coffee and make the dinner, my husband will be home shortly....god help him, the mood I'm in:D

larmy16

Washer as you have found (and me) just cause you feel really optimistic one day, it does not follow that the next will be the same.

This is why I personally treat smoking one day at a time. I have to.

When you get a craving just let some time pass. I reckon 3 weeks in and you will be feeling a lot more confident.

shimmershelly

Hi this has probably been linked to a few times in the thread but it's a good one for new quitters to have a look at. It explains really well the cravings and how they are terrible to start with but do ease eventually, and it's pretty amusing in parts
http://www.brummieblogs.com/2006links/diaryexsmoker.html

I hit 5 months on tuesday (I rounded up in the title because I haven't a clue how many weeks or days that is now!), and don't really ever get any cravings but that might be because I quit with Champix and that turns off the nicotine receptors in your brain.

And Larmy got a tip for you with the dieting, TicTacs!! They have been my savior when first giving up smoking and also to stop me stuffing my face. I always have some in my bag, and pop a couple instead of smoking/eating

larmy16

What a great idea Shimmershelly, I will get some, but knowing me I would eat the whole pack.

I am rather pleased this morning as I appear to have lost 3 lbs! I will officially report on Monday but it has given me a boost so that I will be more motivated. My weight can go up and down by 4 lbs in a day so it's only if its still that reading will I be sure on Monday morning.

See I'm addicted to the scales now!:rolleyes:

SandC

WASHER wrote: »

larmy16, thanks for your post, its good to know I'm not alone in this. You must keep posting and letting me know if you still get urges to smoke so far along the line, it helps us newbies understand what to expect.

As far as that woman is concerned, her tone annoyed me so much, and if you knew me you wouldn't believe for one moment I would ever say boo to a goose, I wish people wouldn't judge others because they smoked, drank or whatever, I never in the 17 years of smoking smoked in a confined place or infront of non smokers, I respected peoples choice not to smoke, they should have accepted my choice to smoke as long as it was not affecting them.

Off to smell some coffee..

I remember sending an email around the office where I used to work asking people to use the ashtrays provided outside and not drop butts on the ground. One chap responded with a 'filthy dirty smokers they should all be shot' email to which I responded 'actually I'm one of them you just never saw me with a ciggie in my gob'. He went rather quiet after that!

So I feel the same as you - I also have no patience for those who insist that all smokers stink. If they did then I wouldn't have had so many express surprise at seeing me with a fag in my hand on a night out saying 'I didn't know you smoked'. Ah but you must have done cos we all stink don't we?

Anyway. All this stuff is normal and will pass.

Actually the nicotine is out of your body after 3 days but you are left with all the association and blackmailing that the nicotine has done to your mind to contend with. If you sit down and properly analyse, see how long each pang lasts and you'll see it's a mere seconds - and the pangs will get further and further apart.