The Giving Up Smoking Thread!! Part 2

maccababe

Hi Naomim, will be spending most of my w/e on public transport visiting my mum who lives with my sis in west london. Prob not such a bad thing as you can't smoke on public transport and my mum or my sisters family don't smoke either. Know exactly what you mean about the 'clean the bathroom have a fag' thing. Its almost a treat for doing a horrid chore. Feeling good so far today. Even with my daughters friend for a sleepover hasn't tipped me over the edge. Have spent so far today emptying and unloading machines and generally looking at things that need to be done with no real intention of doing them. Am going to have a long bath with some smellys and then out with the dog for a long walk and off to my mum's.
Good luck everyone.

penguin83

Hi everyone - can I join you all. OH was dx with COPD last week we are both smokers and he has been commenting on quitting this week (this is a massive step for him as previously he wouldnt even entertain the idea). So I have been wanting to quit for years but always made excuses, I know feel ready to give it a serious go. My debt is under control, my weight loss is going great so I can give it my all.

I am about to start Allan Carrs book and I am planning on going cold turkey. Dont really want the NRT but I am open minded so not going to rule any method out.

I have smoked for 10 years (since I was 15) and so cant ever remember being smoke free. We would save 300.00 a month by quitting and that will make a massive difference to by debt free date although if I am honest that doesnt really motivate me - the health benefits are much more motivating esp now I am losing weight - I wont be able to blame anything on my weight soon!

Sorry for the massive post. I am going to need loads of support which I know all you lovely peeps have in bucketsfull!

Havent set a quit date yet - I am going to finish the book first but as a quick reader it could be in the next few days

Well done everyone so far - your stories are really motivating x x x

Sue-UU

Hi Penguin and welcome. Not a long post at all as it's good for us to have some info so we can help and support where possible. So sorry to hear about your OH, but if you'll both give up smoking then so much the better! You're so right to look at it all from the health angle before all else as that's the most important thing by far. When you do make the decision to quit change any routines that you find difficult, tea instead of coffee or vice versa, a shower/cleaning your teeth as soon as you get up, going for a walk or running up and down stairs whenever you get a pang; those type of things will all help get you through.

I can't emphasise enough about the importance of water, not just when a craving hits, but at any time as they also help fill you up which also helps you not eat as much. Drink OJs and peel and eat clementines to take up time as well as the orange doing you good. Ice pops are very good too as they take up time and are cool and refreshing - filling too. Anything like that you can think of which isn't fattening will help you so much! All the best to you both.

Hi everyone, not been on for a few days as not been too well, all's ok now though. Good to see you on here so much Naomi, you're doing marvellously for yourself as well as the others!

Hi Tommy! Good to see you here. All the very best to you and your GF, I really do hope you both get on well with champix and can quit for good! Very well done so far for sure! You too maccababe and Sarah and you OH too! Graeme - you're doing wonderfully well and sound as though you're almost there, keep strong and don't falter!

Excellent news mudgekin! The air filtration unit sounds a real marvel for your mum. Keep it up as you've both achieved so much and seem to almost be there!

Keep up that resolve you've had going so well HHH and muster up all the strength you can - you CAN do it!!!! Don't forget the water and exercise as it'll do your brain/mind good too! TDQO Well done on tackling in again! Far better than giving up on it altogether!

To all those having hiccups, have a look at the top of this post at the tips to Penguin and be just as strong as is possible. Keep it up jeaniej and yes, you're right, it's just your mind, so keep your mind focused on anything and everything that's good in life!

You too can (and will) be just as strong again MrsChips, just as soon as you get that courage back and get your mind focused more positively. It'll happen - so long as you want it to!

Hi and welcome to all new members, it's great to see so many trying to beat this nasty, evil thing that tries to break us - prove you're better than IT!!!!:mad:

Sue

louserendipity

hi all !

i have hit the 2 week mark now and feel like i've cracked it now !

only thing is , where some people have said they have more energy - i feel absolutely shattered constantly!

i think it's because i am eating so much more and it's making me feel sluggish

so where's the thread for overeaters ?

well take care all and keep up the good work,
lou x x

adarynefoedd

Still not smoking!! Though quite a few cravings as I have stopped using the dreaded patches. They were causing so much skin irritatation I thought stopping them was more sensible so nicotine free for several days.

The patches did help firstly to give a month to try and and develop new behaviours and secondly they seem to cure the desire for 'spikes' from smoking.

The most difficult thing I find is to get down to things especially to writing reports which I do for a job, the short emails and letters are OK but 35 ages plus are a problem, also sustained attention to housework. Eating too much is also a problem but will not have to join one of the weight loss threads.

I do not honestly think that such a hardened smoker as I was is ever cured simply not smoking a day at a time. I still try to think of smoking as an abusive partner that everyone thinks I should get rid of - and I finally have but he was amusing, comforting, there etc etc :eek:

maccababe

you are all doing wonderfully well. have been away for most of this w/e with countless time (grrrrr) spent on public transport. Haven't felt too grumpy and have coped ok(ish) until today when I didn't take a patch with me, am now home and have patched up with a fresh one, hopefully, psychotic feelings will now subside.
Have noticed food consumption is slowly on the up so must switch to water and the clems.
well done everybody.

DitaBombita

Hello all - Im quitting tomm - have Allan Carrs book and also some nic patches for first few days. Stared a new job two weeks ago and the whole area is smoke free - so not smoking for eight hours during day. When I leave work at 5pm have a cig but get a massive nic rush thats not very nice. So tomm is quit day! EEEEEEK.

adarynefoedd

Good luck with the patches, they did work for me for over a month and I was one of the most hardened smokers on this board, I found the patches oddly calming but after a month the skin irritation got too much and now - nothing.:D

queen_vi

hi not been here for a while everyone seems to be doing great
been six weeks now for me and i think today as been the hardest no special reason just wanted one all day:eek: :eek: :eek: think i will keep popping over and reading these treads as this was a great help when i started see you all tomorrow vi

penguin83

Evening all - very well done to everyone, your stories are so motivating.

Sue thanks for the welcome and all the really useful info - Ill be picking your brains over the next few weeks. Read a chapter of the book last night - planning on doing a chapter a night before bed. Ill check tonight how many chapters the book has and that should give me a rough idea of a quit date.

Can I ask - has anyone given up with another smoker in the house. I think it will be a huge motivation for OH if he sees me succeed in quitting so would still be smoking afer Ive quit. I dont think it will be too bad as we dont smoke in the house anyway. He works nights and I work days so we dont actually spend a huge amount of time together but there would still be lighters and ashtrays in the back room - where the computer is (we smoke in the back garden) although there wouldnt be cigs as he would take them to work with him and we dont tend to leave any 'spares' in the house.

Just trying to identify the potential pitfalls in advance! x x