The Giving Up Smoking Thread!! Part 2

LEWKI

Hi everyone. A serial start / stop smoker here. I need to get this cracked and finally drop the smokes. I posted here a couple of weeks back saying I was stopping again. Went well for the first 3 days then found the excuse to smoke when an old friend arrived carrying a pack of sangers for the bbq, bottles of beer and of course a packet of smokes. I couldn't rip my patch off fast enough
Anyways, usual story that most of us can probaly relate to, the habit was back and first thing the next morning I was out buying a packet.
Well I am back (again!!!) and look forward to posting...will keep you all informed as posting a message is so much better than nipping outside for that smoke! I won't lie I have every intention of finishing the packet in my pocket. BUT I do have my patch sitting in my desk drawer and I am actually looking forward to it

Good luck everyone and look forward to seeing how everyone does. Good luck everyone!!

larmy16

You can do it Lewki - just be easy on yourself. After three days off the smokes, you can then move on to tackling the psychological addiction which in my opinion is the thing that keeps you really hooked.

I am about 15 weeks on and I am finding it much easier day by day. Like you a serial stopper/starter I got to the stage where there were no illusions left that smoking did anything for me. It is such a relief to be finally free of that ghastly,smelly, lung clogging addiction.

Best of luck to you.

fitzroy

All kinds of reasons why I want to give up. Health, want dental implants (can't have them until I do give up), saving money etc etc

Can anyone point me in the direction of some useful posts about how to avoid gaining weight? I last tried giving up about 15 years ago and within minutes (so it seemed!) I'd gained a stone.

Also, are there any useful posts for my particular habit - I smoke between 9 to 11 cigs a day always in the garden, never indoors; when I'm away visiting family I can go up to 5 days without one (nor even think about it) but as soon as I return home I have one.

Thanks in advance for any posts to which you can direct me.

Denis_UK

I stopped for 8 years started again 5 years ago,it only took one fag to turn me back into a smoker(what an idiot).

Just wondering has anyone been prescribed Zyban ?

Puzzledbubbles

Hi All,

Just popping in to say hello

Am still smoke free and going strong, im really not thinking about it much now, in face i found a packet of 20 unopened that i had saved from my last smoking week just in case, i think i mgiht be reaching the point where i can actually throw them away, but not running before i can walk so they are still there for the moment lol

Well done to everyone for staying quit! Larmy you are an inspiration!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fizroy - i found a good way to change the habit was to do something different, i used to sew a lot and have taken that up again in the evenings, productive and stops me smoking - also i have to admit, stops me eating becuase i dont want to get it messy so helps prevent weight gain - is there anything like this you can do?

In terms of going outside - is there any way you can make it really unattractive - its getting colder now so maybe next time you want a cig just go and stand in the garden for 5 mins bare foot with no coat of jumper - that would definately make me not want to be out there becuase of the cold lol

Denis - i quit cold turkey and have never had zyban but there are a lot of people who have had great success with the tablets so maybe a look back a few posts will give you some more info

Sue, thanks for the support as usual, i always read your messages as if they might be addressed to me as well as the poster you are helping and they always give me a boost

Keep up the quitting guys

P.S. my current favouite fag substitute is a tangle - gotta love the americans lol

chereb

Hi guys. I am an MSE lurker who has decided to become active,lol

Tommorow I will be quitting smoking for the 100th time i think. This will be the last quit though. Would appreciate feedback from people who have been quit for a while. Wish me luck!

Sue-UU

Hi and a very warm welcome to the thread yorkshirekev, fitzroy, Denis_UK and chereb! Here's hoping this is the start to the very best thing you'll ever do for yourself. As Denis has already pointed out, the main thing to realise from day 1 is - there is no such thing as trying "just one cigarette"!! You may be lucky if you should do, but most of us have ended up with deep regrets, please, please don't run the risk of hating yourself for 1 weak moment that could lead to more misery than you'd believe! Another thing to remember is, if you're a drinker, be careful in the early stages of quitting as alcohol can stop you from thinking straight and the first you may know about having 'tried one' is the taste and sore throat next morning....that horrible "oh know" feeling too!!!

Denis, I can't recall anyone coming back with feedback on Zyban, like Champix I'd imagine it's a trial and error thing. Is there anything wrong with choosing the way you quit before, which I'd guess was cold turkey?

I hope you've successfully managed your very first day yorkshirekev, it's a great decision you've made and one you'll be so very happy with if you take it day by day and don't expect too much too soon. All the best!

Hiya Lewki! Never mind, start again, perhaps when you think BBQ's won't be happening. Difficult one that one I know, but....fingers crossed and stay strong! As larmy rightly says though, it's the psychological addiction you need to get past....then it's far plainer sailing and even becomes easier. Every second...minute...hour and day are such great milestones and as you get passed each and every one praise yourself so much as you'll have deserved it!! Keep strong throughout and soon you'll have weeks behind you, what an accomplishment. Go on Lewki, you KNOW you can!!! BTW how about sewing your patch on!!!! :rotfl: Just joking folks!!

As you've discovered fitzroy most cigs are smoked out of habit and association, so every time you think about the going out of doors and associating it with "you know what's" get your coat on and go right out...and away from home. That way you'll get to remove yourself from the area you always smoke in and....get exercise too! As you walk start off reasonably, then speed it up so you get to walking as briskly as possible for as long as you need to. You'll be exercising pretty well doing that for a start; another thing to help is, whatever you go upstairs for...go up twice rather than just the one time. Then, as with the walking, take it up to 3 times for every single time you go up. Take clothing etc up individually and be firm with yourself about sticking to it. Get as much exercise as possible...in the best ways you find enjoyable. The very best of luck in getting back your health and showing a great toothy grin!!! You'll find plenty of help if you read through this thread too.

OK chereb you have the PM and that's from me after 10 plus years of not smoking...and YOU too can do it and get yourself back in good health, smell better, feel completely different (better) and be so very proud of yourself and what you've achieved. Almost all of those who are successfully travelling the same journey on this thread will tell you that they smell and feel great and have loads more energy....a darn sight better off financially too! Exercise always helps you to quit, so start off with that straight away! Important to everyone...is water, it fills you up and quells cravings for cigs AND food!! We ALL wish you luck...but mostly the luck comes from within you ALL as you make your own, especially where quitting fags are concerned; the main thing I can say is, if we can all do it...so can YOU!!

Hiya Puzzled great to see you again! You're really doing excellently, great for you!!! :T Thanks! You've just reminded me of another tip for all, take up a hobby or stick to one you love doing and pick it up and focus on it, it really does distract you from faggy thoughts! :rolleyes: Glad to see you're doing sewing! Funny you should say about me 'talking' to you in the posts I put on as I do try to think of everyone that comes here and recall little things about them and and problems they have or have had. Mostly though it's the successes that I try to keep stored as I believe them to be most important; people don't praise themselves as much as they should at such times, but it's so very important as a little praise (even self-praise) is vital to succeed!! I've often wondered about the tangles, another great way to distract folk obviously! Thanks Puzzled...keep up the great work!!!

All the very best everyone. You've made a terrific move, keep it up for life.....YOURS!!!!! By the way, it helps everyone if in each post you put the amount of time and means used to quit in the title bar. Thanks a lot. larmy...you are doing brilliantly!!! No, I never forgot you!!! :rolleyes:

Sue

Denis_UK

I have packed up many times from 2 hours to 8 years I have only ever done it by punishining myself with cold turkey.I live with two commited smokers who light a fag,go to the toilet,check the post,etc,leaving a smouldering fag in front of me.
All I can say I have never enjoyed smoking a single fag,for me it is a habit of regularly sticking something in your gob,which I usuallly stub out half way down. I think I have a habit not a nicotine addiction.

larmy16

Thank you Sue for watching over us as a mother hen (non smoking!) keeping a watchful eye on her baby (non-smoking) chicks!!!:) You are :A.:T:T:T

larmy16

Denis_UK wrote: »

I stopped for 8 years started again 5 years ago,it only took one fag to turn me back into a smoker(what an idiot).

Just wondering has anyone been prescribed Zyban ?

Dennis I have used Zyban. It made giving up very easy. Sadly, I foolishly over-rode the quit thinking I could just have the odd one now and then and then found I was having lots of now and thens. This time I would have liked to use Zyban but was too embarrassed to go back to the doc and admit I had (stupidly) started again. She had mentioned though, that if Zyban did not work, I could try the Champix.


This time I went cold turkey except for a few patches in the first few days. Then I just forgot to put them on. Before I knew it I was twelve weeks in and feeling more free of nicotine than ever before.

Good luck.