The Giving Up Smoking Thread!! Part 2

powerful_Rogue

waccoe wrote: »

Hi powerful_Rogue
Please don't try cold turkey. I just made an appointment with the stop smoking nurse at my Doctor's surgery, I asked her what my options were, I chose patches and walked out with a prescription. I have not looked back, 3 weeks later I am typing this as a non smoker.
Make an appointment!
Andrew

Just made the phone call, Ive got to have an introductry appointment at the chemist first, and then I can see the nurse.
Will give Boots a call and see if its everyday, or if they have specfic times

waccoe_2

Well done to you, go for it, if I can do it, you can!
Good luck.
Andrew

Kizil

Hi

I'm new to forums but have spent the last hour reading comments on here with great interest. I am one of those 'social' smokers, started when I was 19 and gave up for 3 years :jafter 6 weeks at a NHS cessation clinic.

It was just 1 ciggie with a friend at a pub and I was back to it again - can't believe I succumbed :mad:. It was tough as I didn't really have the 'saving money' reason - never bought my own - always smoked hubby's and then maybe only 1 or 2 a day! At the clinic the advisors didnt believe I smoked after a low carbon monoxide reading so that wasn't an incentive either. I don't like the smell of smoke on anything and don't really like the taste either so feel I could quit again. Habit changing and 16 hr low dose patches were my saviour!

That brings me on to the sticking point - hubby smokes over 20 day - does business via phone mainly so is quite happy to stand outside offices and that has become a habit for him. We never smoke in the house but it has become a companionable thing for us to stand outside the house in the snow, rain and wind and puff away! I would miss that and he's not likely to give up - has tried so many times and ends up secretly 'hiding behind the bike sheds' so to speak! Also I don't like the smell of smoke on his breath if I've not smoked too. Bizarre isn't it?? I really feel I can't do it without him and try as I might he's not having any of it! Need some inspiration from you guys, pleeeeease!

Sorry for this long introductory message - others will be shorter I promise!

All the best to those in the process and those who've managed it.

Thank you in advance.:)

Tia_Maria06

Hi everyone. Well I have been smoking for 27 dasterdly years!! :mad: I have been a slave to the evil weed and have tried to quit many many times, usually for a month..

Anyway my story is this... I went to dentist with terrible toothache last Thursday lunchtime, and she pulled it out! I nearly fainted at this op.. She advised me not to smoke as I could get an infection. I told her not to start lecturing me as I had heard it all before, and she didnt.. So, on the long walk home with gauze in my massive mouth :eek:, I remembered I had some patches left from previous attempts and decided to stick one on when I got home.. Then as each hour passed, I was worrying so much if I gave in an smoked I would end up in more pain, so, from that day on I have put a patch on every 24 hours and I am approaching day 7 of being a non-smoker. :D:D

It has been sooo easy! I feel something isn't right.. I'm not stressed, I have been round my sister for 24hrs and she smokes like a trouper and not once did I want one! I dont want to go to cessasion (however thats spelt) as I have been to 3 over the years, but I need to stay stopped. I have received the pack and some leaflets from the gov (?) Wish me luck guys!!!

Sue-UU

Hi powerful_Rogue, I'm so pleased you've gone for the introductory appointment at the chemist first, and then to see the nurse. It's far better that way, gives you more incentive too, but the main reason they like to keep a check on folk is because of the possible side-affects drugs like Zyban may have, they're also expensive so they like to make certain people really mean it when they say they wish to quit! Whatever you do don't go for an option that you don't feel will work for you, so stick to your guns and go for the Zyban!

A very warm welcome to the thread Kizil and to Tia_Maria! Very well done indeed Tia_Maria, stay strong as you are now, you sound really determined to quit, so keep focused at all times. Your Dentist really was right about smoking and teeth, we have several people who are quitting and at least 2 are having teeth implants as their own have got so bad. One young lass is having some of hers out this week! Smoking and teeth just don't match, keep yourself reminded of that if ever you have a weak moment!! Well done on getting to day 7 already, you're doing great, especially if your sister doesn't affect you!!!! :T You'll always get plenty of good wishes from us all, though the luck you'll create yourself, though it sounds as though you're already putting that in!! Keep on reading the thread as it really does help.

Kizil, am I right in thinking you were married for some of the 3 years you've quit for? If so then go back to the habit changing and low dose patches that made things so different for you then. It obviously worked for you so give it another try ...for your health's sake. Your hubby seems very reluctant to quit - now, but might he be persuaded IF you can do it again?! The health is the most important thing to quit for both of you, and if you're far more of a social smoker and detest the smell of his breath then do PLEASE try again! I've sent you a PM, see if any of that helps, but for now, why not get out of the going outdoors habit. You say yourself that it's all about habits, go on Kizil ....break this one AGAIN!!!

All the very best to all our non-smokers, you're doing just great and deserve to give yourself as big, and as many, pats on the back as possible - ALL are merited!! Be so very proud of yourselves! Any hoverers, come on in and join us, it's worth doing that at least!

Sue x

waccoe_2

I am struggling badly for the first time in 22 days.
I stopped several years ago for 3 months but became depressed so I started again!!
This time stopping has gone really well, until last night. A black mist just engulfed me, there is not one thing wrong in my life yet I feel really down, I don't want to talk to anyone as I just think I will argue. I can feel this constant weight pushing down on my shoulders. I went to bed early last night just to get away from this feeling but I feel just the same way this morning.
Think I might go and see the Doctor. I really am worried, this is just not like me, my glass is always half full.
Andrew

bluedog

Thanks for the encouragemnet to my last post Sue-uu. I know you are right too!

Waccoe - I haven't taken your comments as a lecture so no worries and it all makes sense. I guess I let the gremlin take advantage of some silly toy-chucking out of the pram .... so now I'm moving on and chucking out the nicotine gremlins! Sorry you had a black mist last night. I think mood swings can be part of the ummm ... withdrawal/recovery process of quitting. If I remember rightly, I hit the brick-wall, at about 4 weeks after my last quit date so it may be something like that. I'm a glass half-full person usually too and normally bounce back from knocks and things so hopefully this is just a short term thing for you. If I feel low, I try to think of all the good things I have going on, take time to do something that gives me a buzz (listening to birds singing is a favourite of mine) and basically be nice to myself and about myself which helps to lift me up.

Day 1 didn't go to plan at all and cutting a long story short, it's today. My will power is so rubbish on it's own so I've put a patch on today (left over from my last quit effort) and have enough for about 2 weeks to start me off for real. Life's been a bit "crazy train" lately and another long story cut short is that I spent a week in hospital after emergency admittance. The up-side is that after months of being very ill at times, they think they know what's up and forth-coming tests will hopefully confirm it and then get the right treatment in place. It'll be controllable but smoking DOES make it worse and I have noticed this. I need no other reason to quit.

I made contact with the smoking nurse at my doctors surgery about 4 weeks ago, but as ususal, I've not had a response. I've got to pick meds up from the surgery later today so will leave my details again in hope she contacts me this time. I just hope it all happens before my supply of patches runs out!

oldreekie

Just seen your post and had to give you some support - well, attempt to! Not feeling too good this morning ~ nothing to do with the non-smoking. 3 weeks was a bad time for me too but I got through it.

I knew that NRT was never going to be enough to mend nearly 40 years of smoking damage. My GP would probably have written out a script for antidepressants but I did not want to go down that route ~ having spent 20+ years trying to convince them that I was ill and not depressed ~ finally, proved them wrong ~ have coeliac disease.

Even the producers of NRT admit that there is more chance of becoming a non-smoker if 2 methods are used. In my research prior to quitting, I came across much research on this subject. So, I use lozenges with the patches.

My pharmacist, knowing about the depression from my last attempt, suggested something called Avena Sativa. It is based on oats which are known to help depression but I can not take it due to the CD. Someone I know, suggested 5-htp ~ used by folk trying to quit the other weed. Heathspan sell it as "Happy Days" - H&B sell it, too. Can honestly say that the "blackness" has not appeared for some time now.

Have you tried going for a long brisk walk when you feel it coming on? Thought of taking up marathon running and/or repainting the house? Both methods used by people I know, to beat the black dog.

Sorry, this is in haste.

waccoe_2

Thanks for the replies.
I have just been to see the nurse and she is trying to convince me that there is no connection with stopping smoking and feeling as low as this,I think this is absolute rubbish. I have only ever felt as low as this twice and both times it was when I stopped smoking.
Going back to see the Doctor in 20 minutes.
Andrew

waccoe_2

Back from Doctors, she says I am not depressed, thankfully, but I am anxious. I can agree with this but it is not something you would normally describe me as.
Prescribed me Diazepam but only if I feel I need one. I am actually feeling a lot brighter, so I haven't taken one, going to wait until I feel like I did earlier.
It is really helpful writing all this down on here and then to go back and see how I felt on other days, I am probably boring everybody else but if it works...........
Thanks for reading
Andrew