The Giving Up Smoking Thread!! Part 2

graemecarter

Luckycharm wrote: »

Hi everyone

I'm into my third week now and just wanted to say...the tears and the downers and the antsy 'what am I going to do with myself?' feelings all get better. They really do.

Your body has relied on this drug for so long it's just going through some healing and restoration but it does get better.

I have a personal belief that it will take a full year's cycle of my life to feel totally free of the drug. I want a first smoke-free birthday, christmas, summer holiday, good times, bad times, whatever. Once I've experienced a full year I'll know I can do it forever.

In the meantime, I'm trying to focus on just living my life as it was before this major upheaval.

There are many, many successful quitters in the world and we can get there too. I'd rather be someone who thinks about smoking 5 times a day for a minute or two, than someone who constantly obsesses about quitting.

Best of luck to everyone today. Have a relaxing sunday.

Quite true, though I feel that I will need constant vigilance for the rest of my life. Many people stop for years and then start again. Once a nicotine addict, always a nicotine addict.

I just have to get through one day at a time. The days are already mounting up (375 to be precise)

Sue-UU

Joanne, try and get your head stuck in an Alan Carr book, then read and re-read it. Actually get 2 of them 1 for you and 1 for your mum! Then when you're through them start off together with your bf as ref........ you may just get there! :rolleyes: BTW having a terrible cold is the perfect time to quit!

Brilliant news jammy dodger and bucketshop! That first full week of being stopped is a great amount of time! You've both done marvellously and whether it's gum or Zyban that gets you off the starting blocks, it doesn't matter. The main thing is - YOU'VE QUIT!!!!! Stay strong from now on girls and don't forget the things that help with that continued strength of mind and staying the weight you are - water, fruit and exercise!:D

graeme_carter wrote:

Quite true, though I feel that I will need constant vigilance for the rest of my life. Many people stop for years and then start again. Once a nicotine addict, always a nicotine addict.

I just have to get through one day at a time. The days are already mounting up (375 to be precise)

Sorry Graeme, but I have to disagree with your statement in the 1st paragraph. It can very often be true perhaps with alcoholism as that's an illness, smoking is NOT it's habit! With folk who stray back to smoking after years of being quit, that's usually them having a weak moment, and very often due to friends and circumstance. I know of so many people have never and would never return to the old dread, fear and total addiction that smoking brings. I have friends who smoke, but I'm NEVER tempted and KNOW for a fact that I'd NEVER return, not after all the fear that wracked me through and through on a daily basis! The words cancer, emphysema and COPD are enough for me!!

Keep it going everyone, it's so very worth all the short-term effort for the long-term gain.

Sue

larmy16

I am with Graeme on the vigilance thing but gentle vigilance and not white knuckle vigilance if you get my drift.

I can think of one instance where I might well start again and that would be if my partner left me for someone else. Sorry folks - but I admit that would be the hugest test of my resolve and I don't know if I would be strong enough.

Let's hope it does not happen, but I am just being honest here.

I do think the smoking ban has removed so many of the previous reasons one might be tempted to start again, a drink and cig in the pub being one, relaxing anywhere with a cigarette - the sure knowledge of the illnesses it can bestow etc. etc.

Have a happy non-smoking week everyone.

janiebaby29

Right , I'm a newbie , been smoking since i was 14 !!
i have given up twice before , one for two years and one time being 6 months .
Ive had a back probelm so i'm stuck at home and only go out once a week .
Ive got no cash on me atm so i would have to go to town to get some .
i do have patches in the home so can put one on in the morning ,
my hardest point is the 1st one in the morning along with a coffee , how do you guys cope with that ??
6 ciggies left so shall finish those today so i have none in the house for tommorow !!! eeeek

FEE_100

You will cope Janiebabey, it will be hard but as long as you are prepared you will be fine. I still had my coffee first thing in the morning as I felt the sonner I get used to it without fags the better. Some people advise to avoid all the things your used to but Im sure you will work out your own path. I also started with the patches but stopped using them after they brought me out in a rash but they did the trick for the first week or so that I used them, so good luck for 2mrw coming on here will be a great support for you it really really helped me:D.
Got over my blue period at the weekend but boy did I have a mother of a hangover yesterday!:rotfl:
Had a very strange dream last night that I was smoking rememer vividly getting one from a mate smoking half of it throwing it away and then getting another one about 5 mins later and smoking it too. Remember being mad at myself and that it tasted awful, so dont no if that was a good thing or a bad thing!!! Just wish I was at the stage where I didnt even think about smoking at all.
Was talking to my sis las night (smoker longer than me by about 10yrs) and she was asking how I was getting on etc, invited her to join me in my quit and told her I still had some patches left over i could give her but she declined saying she still had loads of duty free left from her last holiday. Wish I could persuade her to give it a go Im sure she could do it but I suppose you cant really push anyone into giving up..

DesertFlyer

bucketshop wrote: »

That's me been smoke free for a week now! I'm very proud, especially as I went round to my friend's flat last night where a few folk were smoking and wasn't even tempted.

Well done bucketshop and jammydodger for getting "hell week" out of the way! :j

Joanne good to see you are still here and I hope both you and your mum are able to start the quit together.

stclair and janiebaby29 hope you manage to start well. Let us know how you are doing as you go.

janiebaby29 the morning cigarette is definitely hard but try to change it to something else, and if you can give up the morning coffee then that will help as it will help break the psychological connection. I'm told that an apple and some water are more effective at kick-starting the body in the morning and getting the energy going. Try that or something similar (Sue has recommended clementines etc.).

Well done to everyone else who is racking up the days! I should pass the 100th cigarette not smoked by this evening and feel so much better for it! I even had to sit in a car for 3 hours with a chain smoker today and made it OK!

Tippytoes

Hi all

I'm not one for using scare tactics - not even sure if it's appropriate on the forum - but here goes.

Over the weekend, a close friend of mine lost her father to lung cancer. He had smoked most of his life, and was only in his 60s when he died. My friend is distraught beyond words, but the worse thing is to see her little children crying for their grandfather and not really understanding that they will never see him again. A very sad (but unfortunately not unique) situation. I mention it because it's made me realise that I never want to put my family through that pain. I'm still having "ratty" days, but last weekend's event has made me rock-solid determined never to smoke again.

stclair

Grr the nurse has called asked me to change my appointment to 4pm

Ive done well today though I woke up at 10.00am and did not have a cig until 12 noon, where generally I would have one within 5 mins of getting up. Im going to set myself times im allowed to have a cig and see how its goes. In preperation for a FULL STOP once ive started by course of zyban.

I worked it out yesterday I only smoked 9 cigs where I would normally smoke between about between 12-15 a day (only 3 difference however its a start).

Tippytoes I keep having thoughts of being diagnosed with cancer so its making me more inclined to QUIT and for good.

larmy16

Welcome Janiebaby, lovely to have you join us. Just post on here whenever you feel a need to share - we are all getting there at different times and the support on here is trememdous.

Tippytoes, that was a harrowing post but oh so unfortunately true. My Mum died of Emphysema in a long round about way. She was of the generation where they were encouraged to smoke - and nothing much was said about the negatives.

janiebaby29

Thankyou for the welcome !!!
I had been up early this morning so went for a nap before seeing my doctor ,
i woke up and thought i had time for a coffee and ciggeratte , but didnt and had to dash out !!!:eek: but in reality it was'nt that bad .
that gives me hope for tommorow :eek::D