The Giving Up Smoking Thread!! Part 2

Catherine25

Hi all I hope you dont mind me coming back Iv been lurking on here, keeping up to date with the posts, you are all doing wonderfully!!! Well done!

I have tried a few times to quit since I last posted but it hasnt gone very well, I only managed to quit for a few days
This past few weeks I have been having a bit of trouble breathing so I went to my docs today and she has prescribed me an inhaler. I really want and need to quit the smokes so I asked her for some nicotine patches as well. When iv quit before iv always just did it cold turkey but im hoping il have a better chance of succeeding using the patches.
The doctor also had me blow into the peak flow thing and I only managed a miserable 300, she said for my age, weight etc it should have been 430! so not very good!

Its my 25th Birthday tomorrow and im determined to quit, I dont want to spend the next 25yrs smoking!! Plus im sick to death of going outside in the wind and rain to smoke :mad::rotfl:

So iv set my quit date for mon 15th nov. Il come bac on and let you all know how im getting on.

Catherine

larmy16

Catherine come back and keep posting once you stop the cigs as it is the support that you need to keep up with, as once you go it alone the nicotine starts to nag and your resolve can weaken.

It is important in the first few weeks to make quitting the biggest priority in your life IMO. Anyway all the best to you.

Sue-UU

Hello again Catherine and welcome home! It's always so good to welcome folk back when they're so determined to quit, but are having problems doing so. Going cold turkey is ok if you've built yourself up to a pitch where your will-power is strong, but if not then it's far better that you do as you're going to do now with the patches and inhalator. You'll get far more chance of REALLYY being able to make it this time and....give yourself one heck of a 25th Birthday present in doing so! :j
My peak flow (I have asthma) reading is a lousy 350 and I got moaned at and told to practice, practice and...you guessed it...more again. Still, I've increased it from 260, so you too can get yours much better in time, especially after quitting. One thing your Dr may already have told you is that from our 30's we begin lose lung capacity, hence so many folk starting to develop problems from then on - IF they continue to puff away.

You're having the warning signs already, Catherine, please, this time continue on that journey until you reach your destination. You'll know it when you do as it says "You've Quit Fags, terrific!" You'll know it most by the way you feel and all the pride that truly does make you glow!!! Keep coming here and talking to us, let us know your feelings. Even if there's no one here at the time, writing it all down really does help so very much.:D

You really CAN quit, Catherine....lets see this time to be THE time! :j Reward yourself along the way, it helps and makes you stop and think how el you've done!

I quite agree with you Daz, I do so hope copperjar returns, Kittyboo and Jenny Jewel and others too! You can ALL do it, let us help you - please. You'll feel so much better as a result.

Same has to be said for all those viewing the thread and wondering if YOU too could do it.....the answer is YES, so long as you keep right on trying!

Sue x

copperjar

dazco wrote: »

copperjar

Please come and let us know how you are getting on. Even if it is not so good

Hi there - well its still good news :j 10 days smoke free!
Still have some wobbles but have remembered the advice each time on here. I think my main rpoble has been whenever I've felt stressed out I convince myself that a cigarette will make me feel better. But I know it won't - some deep breaths and taking myself away from the cause of gthe stress does though!

Payless_2

Has anyone else felt tired during the 1st week? I know that I'm not sleeping properly as I'm waking up a couple of times every night. It may be the wind but I usually sleep like a log. Even so, at times today I've felt as if I couldn't keep my eyes open. I feel as if I'm getting a cold too - possibly detoxing?

mustkeephoping

Sorry not been here recently and thank you all soooooo much for your kind words of support, and good to see so many getting such heartfelt advice from this forum on those sh*tty days.

I am still on top of the world having given up an addiction of 30 + years. I think why I have succeeded this time is that I have really appreciated and focused on all the small positives:

• Clear Skin
• Fresh smelling skin & Hair
• Fresh smelling clothes
• A sense of freedom from that "hold" nicotine had on me
• Not focusing on when I could have my next fix
• Realising that a cigarette is not a reward BUT actually seriously damaging my health
• Having my husband totally supporting me and despite having a "blip" ciggie last weekend after a few drinks at a party, he is still as determined as ever to continue on his smoke free journey.
• The "moments" are very infrequent now and thanks to the wonderful PM I had from Sue U, I have adapted a mechanism to distract from those little "monster" cravings

All, please keep going, it's an amazing feeling not to be the victim of nicotine addiction, I truly am still on top of the world and I sincerely wish you all a good journey.

Keep going all XXX

mustkeephoping

Payless wrote: »

Has anyone else felt tired during the 1st week? I know that I'm not sleeping properly as I'm waking up a couple of times every night. It may be the wind but I usually sleep like a log. Even so, at times today I've felt as if I couldn't keep my eyes open. I feel as if I'm getting a cold too - possibly detoxing?

Hi I know exactly how you feel. I have been having quite bad sleeping problems - actually very realistic dreams (certainly not erotic as some have experienced :eek:). A few days ago I decided to remove my patch at bedtime and this has made a significant difference to my sleeping pattern, HOWEVER, I am into week 5 now so please don't try this without consulting with your Smoking Cessation Counsellor (if you have one). When I met with mine this week she agreed with what I had done but advised me to keep my nicorette inhalator by my bed for my morning "fix" - as it happens I haven't need this at all and it really is getting easier.

Hope this helps andf Good Luck XX

Payless_2

mustkeephoping wrote: »

Hi I know exactly how you feel. I have been having quite bad sleeping problems - actually very realistic dreams (certainly not erotic as some have experienced :eek:). A few days ago I decided to remove my patch at bedtime and this has made a significant difference to my sleeping pattern, HOWEVER, I am into week 5 now so please don't try this without consulting with your Smoking Cessation Counsellor (if you have one). When I met with mine this week she agreed with what I had done but advised me to keep my nicorette inhalator by my bed for my morning "fix" - as it happens I haven't need this at all and it really is getting easier.

Hope this helps andf Good Luck XX

Thanks. I don't have 24 hour patches this time as I remember the vivid dreams from an earlier attempt to quit. I once dreamt that I was at work and it was so realistic that when the alarm went off and I really did have to go to work I felt like I was doing a double shift :rotfl:.

I didn't get them to avoid the tiredness but as I am still tired I think that I might as well change to them as they will stop my almighty morning craving.

Keep it up. I hope I'm feeling as proud as you should be in 5 weeks time.

Ps I meant the windy weather and not my own personal wind in my previous post . That's one effect that coming off the fags hasn't had - yet.

Sue-UU

Ahh...well done copperjar, it's so good to see you're keeping up the great work and staying strong. I'm thrilled to note that you're seeing stress for what it is...and knowing full well that no fag on earth could ever fix it - in fact the opposite is true as it adds to it and makes it last far longer. By that time, as fags cause stress, you'd have been on a 2nd or 3rd and way back where you started!! :(However, you're far wiser than that and all credit to you for saying "NO, GO AWAY" to any feelings! You are going so WELL!!! :j

Hi again mustkeephoping, it's lovely to see you back too, though I honestly never doubted you, just guessed you were getting on with it quietly! Those 8 bonuses you're feeling are what we all experience, though how about fresh breath too? Please give your husband our praises for all he's doing, both for himself - and for YOU! :T Tell him he's forgiven that one blip, just to keep at it here on. My husband always urged me on in such lovely ways and it sounds as though you have a wonderful one also. Great work mustkeephoping, you have so much to be so proud of!!! :T

Hi Payless, it's always good to ask questions, and wherever possible we'll answer them, honestly too. Re the sleeping problems you're experiencing, there aren't many of us who escape them - BUT - they soon pass off.!! So, know that an end is in sight and always have a nice relaxing (not too hot) bath/shower before bed, a milky drink and then read for a while, even if it's only for 5 minutes; just so you're completely relaxed. If you can't get straight off to sleep then think good thoughts i.e, memories of lovely holidays and all that you do on them, anything that takes your mind away from other thoughts. If necessary then go to your Pharmacy and ask for some "Kalms" they're a natural sleep remedy that folk on here have had success with. Re the feelings of having a cold coming, you're right...it's all about detoxing. Your body's cleansing itself through...it really made me feel so much cleaner and fresher - even on the inside too - yippeee!!! Don't forget - plenty of water to help the process on, fruit AND exercise too are so good for you.

I liked MKH's wording here so am closing with it for today:
"All, please keep going, it's an amazing feeling not to be the victim of nicotine addiction, I truly am still on top of the world and I sincerely wish you all a good journey."

Sue x Have a lovely weekend, get plenty of fresh air and exercise.:)

Catherine25

Morning all! Im gearing myself up to quit and im looking quite forward to it! I have a question i hope someone can help me with. Im planning to have my last cig on sunday nite and was wondering do I put the patch on after my last cig or wait until monday morning? they are the 24hr patches. hope someone can help, thanks xx