The Giving Up Smoking Thread - Part 3

Triciaxx

elliegibbo wrote: »

Hi All

Sorry I havent been on in ages.

I seem to be struggling now more than ever even though I'm near the 2 month mark.

Keep having the thoughts that "one won't hurt" (although havent caved in). Is this normal??

Thought things would be getting easier but my cravings seem to be worse now more than ever...:(

I posted about the same thing. Since I'm trying to make out that I am 'normal', you can relax.

Seriously, though, it does seem to be common BUT it would be the slippery slope as Hethmar posted. I've been there, done that, got a smelly T shirt to prove it. Not this time, though.

hethmar wrote: »

Tricia - and OMG, dont you feel smug when you see people standing outside a pub or a theatre in the rain sucking away madly on a fag in the interval - its so degrading having to do that, isnt it I was on a train recently, long distance. And there was one guy who would jump out to have just a few drags when the train had an occasional stop at a station. I honestly felt sorry for him

I dislocated my shoulder by patting myself on the back so often. :rotfl:

Lucy1010 wrote: »

Thank you so much everyone

I went to bed early so I didn't have to sit through the cravings

I have been fine up until now, I am at work and I don't usually smoke during work hours but at lunch time I do go out for one... so right now is a little difficult for me and I certainly don't want to start munching on sweets and chocs - don't want to ruin all the work I do at the gym.

I need one question answered please??? What are your cravings like? My mouth feels weird all that time, I don't know how to describe the feeling but its like an unpleasant tingling sensation in my mouth and gums... what is it? Is is the craving in my mouth? I feel this more than anything.

Please tell me what it's like for you xx

Cigarettes alter the way we taste things and also how we use foodstuffs. For instance, according to whyquit.com, caffeine has less effect when you are smoking and you may need less when you stop. Also, it is advised to drink cold water or suck ice cubes to keep the mouth feeling moist and help clear the nasty chemicals which have accumulated in the mouth and throat. Not to mention the sloughing off of dead cells as the mouth and throat heal. It will go in time and everyone seems to have slightly different reactions. I didn't have the tingling but I did feel as if I could smell something bad - went round the house sniffing in cupboards! Hang in there!

heretolearn_2

Well done everyone, whether it's one day or one year so far...

For me it's now 2 months and it's got a lot easier, so hang in there if you are still struggling through the early weeks. I hardly ever think about it any more, I still get the odd 'ooooh I fancy a fag' moment, but I straight away dismiss the idea. There's no more sitting here agonising over dying for one.

Problem is...I'm eating instead and getting fat. Need to nip that in the bud. Now wearing my biggest clothes and I'm NOT going to go and buy any bigger ones.

Sue-UU

Congratulations Hethmar, you've done brilliantly to get THAT far away from fags!!! I'm 12 + years free and feel like I've climbed a mountain - in a great way - I mean.

elliegibbo, it can be quite normal to feel as you do. You've done so much hard work and are coming through it wonderfully, but then you realise that the nicotine habit part that still (for now) remains in the mind starts to play tricks with the "Go on, have on, it won't hurt...just one puff even". Ignore it completely and buzz off out for a walk or run upstairs to open/close the windows...anything to distract you from those thoughts. That's the problems with fags, the nicotine is long gone from the body, but we were addicted to it for a very log time and part of that is so used to being in your mind, and it still stays a little and tries to take control - DON'T LET IT - IT HAS NO RIGHT!!! You are the one in control now, nothing else. So always reach out for something to take your mind off it, something to do, and you'll honestly find it very quickly gets further away. It then pops in fleetingly..and in seconds is gone again without you even realising it. You've done marvellously ellie and you can go the rest of the distance! Congratulations!!!! :T:T


Lucy, you've been given goo advice, especially from Tricia, but another thing that could well be causing the feelings in your gums is the oxygen that is slowly starting to circulate into them. We don't realise all the many ways that smoking affects us, but it so often stops the oxygen getting into the gums, therefor causing all sorts of long-lasting diseases in the gums of many folk. Like as not you'll have got off lightly! Re the cravings, have a look at the PM I sent you.

That is excellent news, heretolearn, Congratulations on having stopped for 2 months....doing so very, very well too!!!! :T:T To wean yourself from the extra food that you're already starting to curse, sip away at a glass of water as often as you wish and always make sure you have a glass/bottle with you to swig on if you feel nibbly. Eat apples..all fruit and celery sticks, carrots are a good one too. One of the things many stoppers have a store in of is Ice Poles, they continuously moisten the mouth and keep you sucking - and no eating! All the best HTL!!

Keep hard at it everyone..it really CAN be beaten as so many have proved using this thread. Best wishes, all.

Sue x

CompBunny

Hi all.

Just popping on to say I'm still smoke free. Missing the cigarettes quite a lot at the moment but I know its just an emotional attachment. Been feeling quite low but spoke to my partner about it today and feel a bit better for doing so.

Hope you are all well.

hethmar

Lucy1010 wrote: »

Thank you so much everyone



I need one question answered please??? What are your cravings like? My mouth feels weird all that time, I don't know how to describe the feeling but its like an unpleasant tingling sensation in my mouth and gums... what is it? Is is the craving in my mouth? I feel this more than anything.
x

Lucy, as another poster has said, its probably oxygen getting back into your skin. I had the most weird creepy crawly feelings in my face in the skin when I gave up after a month or so. I was told it was the oxygen.

Your gums are particularly vulnerable - if you watch any of those 10 years younger programmes, you can see all the smokers have lost most of their teeth or their teeth are loose. This is because the smoke actually kills off the gums with the poisons and stopping oxygen circulating and they start shrinking. At its worse, some people get cancer of the mouth. Cor, you should see my lovely pink gums now :T

Your skin will get better and better the longer you stay off the fags, in fact, you have probably already saved enough to have a decent facial - why dont you book one and get off the dead skin that the fags have caused and see how much more radiant your skin is under that?

mmikailian

1month 1hour not smoked 600 ciggies

Still going well still eating though i must try and stop this but that will come in time my face still a bit spotty but not as bad as before x x

Lucy1010

hethmar wrote: »

Lucy, as another poster has said, its probably oxygen getting back into your skin. I had the most weird creepy crawly feelings in my face in the skin when I gave up after a month or so. I was told it was the oxygen.

Your gums are particularly vulnerable - if you watch any of those 10 years younger programmes, you can see all the smokers have lost most of their teeth or their teeth are loose. This is because the smoke actually kills off the gums with the poisons and stopping oxygen circulating and they start shrinking. At its worse, some people get cancer of the mouth. Cor, you should see my lovely pink gums now :T

Your skin will get better and better the longer you stay off the fags, in fact, you have probably already saved enough to have a decent facial - why dont you book one and get off the dead skin that the fags have caused and see how much more radiant your skin is under that?

I was complimented at work today, was told I had a sparkle about me.... woohoo!! :j I then explained that I had stopped smoking - could this be the reason?!

Sue-UU

Lucy1010 wrote: »

I was complimented at work today, was told I had a sparkle about me.... woohoo!! :j I then explained that I had stopped smoking - could this be the reason?!

That is exactly what it's due to Lucy - and YOU did that - a marvellous thing this quitting lark eh!!!

Sorry MissGolightly, I forgot to say a HUGE congratulations to you earlier on having come soooo very far!!! :T:T:T You've done amazingly ad I'm thrilled to see just how delighted you are on having accomplished so very much!! It sounds as though in the long run the throat infection did you good and helped rid you of that 'orrible muck that really did need to come out. :eek: I thought catarrh was bad enough but that sounded disgusting and far better on the outside! The running will be great for you and help loosen everything up that's still lying low. It'll also help strengthen your lungs and put the good colour gradually back in.


Hi CompBunny and just look at how well and how far you've come - already!!! You are so very close to the great 2 week milestone and it's a LOT to be immensely proud of, your partner too!!! :T:T It sounds as though he's a great guy to have around, support and help such as boosting you when you're low is so hard to come by, you have it with him - he's a treasure!! You'll soon turn a corner and be feeling so much better though, no worries there!

1 month & 1 hour not smoked for along with not having smoked away 600 ciggies is fantastic, mmikailian!!!! :T:T Congratulations on how far you've gone so far. Have a look at my post above as it covers things to help with not eating wrong foods. All the best!

Good luck all.

Sue x

hethmar

Lucy1010 wrote: »

I was complimented at work today, was told I had a sparkle about me.... woohoo!! :j I then explained that I had stopped smoking - could this be the reason?!

I should think its is Lucy. People said things like that to me when I had given up for a couple of months. Your skin actually starts to become more alive Book a facial to clear off some of the dead, smoked like a kipper cells

Lucy1010

hethmar wrote: »

I should think its is Lucy. People said things like that to me when I had given up for a couple of months. Your skin actually starts to become more alive Book a facial to clear off some of the dead, smoked like a kipper cells

Yes on my list tomorrow.... book a facial!

I have saved £32.80 since quitting on Saturday.... £32.80 in nearly 5 days!!!! I have been spending that much to feel horrible about myself....

I am so going to enjoy every single second of that facial

Thanks Hethmar xx