The Giving Up Smoking Thread - Part 3

tickledpink1986

Hi all.

I am new to the board and have stopped smoing just today!

I am getting married in 4 months and have been thinking about quitting for a while now - I want to look like a princess on my big day and I don't think a cig quite goes with that image LOL

I have bought an electronic cigarette to help with the cravings, I have a chart on my wall to keep track of my progress and have put a facebook app on my wall so all my closest friends and family (who will be at the wedding) know I am quitting and I also been looking at photos of smoking brides to put me off haha!! I would love to know what other people use?

When we are married we also want to try for a baby but I am not sure how smoking affects female fertility. If anyone could give me some more information it would defiantly give me another incentive to quit.

The thing I am worried most about is being irritable and nasty to people around me. I don't want to drive my H2B nuts or cause arguments. Does anyone have advice for keeping calm?

My H2B gave up about 5 years ago and said it was easy but I don't think I am as strong as him and I'mn worried he won't be very supportive.

elsiepac

Sue-UU wrote: »

Hello there Lee-anne and a very warm welcome to the thread to you also! It really is good to see you over here and having a shot at this awful demon. I know sometimes it can be difficult to think about things other than the prime reason you're quitting for, but do please have a look round at all the harms that face smokers and try to think about your health....it's of greater importance to us than we sometimes remember it to be and is all too often lost if we fail to take notice! I know right now you're feeling a little low, but do try hard to think how marvellously you've done so far! Anyone who has smoked for quite a while will know full well that just half a day or even a few hours is a long time for someone who's smoked for quite a while, and therefore everything to be proud of!!


Focus hard on your work and not the habit that went hand-in-hand with work and look forward to home hours and the lack of stress from fags they bring you. Habits are easily formed - but with determination they can be broken as is all too evident from people here...including me! :j One thing's for sure, you know what you can do with your money that you would normally has spent on fags , either that Lee-anne or why not start a 2nd pot so that you can count up your smoking savings separately and give yourself a real buzz that way. Come on here just as often as you wish/need, it does us all good to be able to write down exactly how we feel and whether it's good or bad it's fine - we can easily put up with anybody's rantings, so give vent whenever you need to, and in time let us know just how pleased you are at how far you've come - which should be by the end of today or tomorrow, all being wel as that really will have been a long time! Don't forget Lee-anne, be sure to treat yourself as that too will do you feel good and make you feel so proud of your achievements and why not, you'll deserve it! I'll send you a PM with some tips in for now all best wishes on putting up a great fight to rid yourself of this evil habit. BTW, encouragement is given out here by the bucket load!!

Hi Sue

Thank you so much for your PM and your kind words on here. You'll be pleased to know I safely got through the rest of the working day and as predicted I was fine when I got home and have been all evening. Tomorrow I am working from a different office so hopefully the temptation will be less - especially as I'll have no opportunity to buy any even if I did cave in, so probably a good thing! I really do want to quit for good this time, I've done it in the past when I've been a much heavier smoker on around 20-25 a day, this time it's an average of about 8 so not so bad in theory, although I'm missing it more!!! The NHS app I would like to recommend to everyone as it also tells you how much money you have saved since you stopped, mine was on about £6 when I left work today!

I like the idea of putting it in a pot, and had considered that - the only thing is, I didn't budget for cigs, I just used whatever money I had, which was scuppering me money-wise, so I think if I put the money in a pot, I'll find myself shorter in what is already a short month! I may wait a little longer and see how I go - I've got so many pots on the go at the moment! (Great feeling!)

Again, thank you so so much for your - as always - extremely king, supportive and non-judgemental encouragement, I really appreciate it.

Goodnight, and well done to everyone else who is further along than myself, you're doing admirably!

Lee-anne xxx

Sue-UU

Hi tickledpink and a very warm welcome to you, and hopefully to the beginning of a smokefree life. Firstly, I'll be blunt in saying that I know very little about E cigs so I'm unable to advie; the only thing I will say is...be careful in using them as, to my mind, they're too much like the real thing and may be more likely to entice you back to 'real' fags.

Why not consider an Inhalator which gives a short blast as and when, or if, you need it. You can then wean yourself of it quickly.

With regards to fertilty, smoking does impose risks in concieving as well as cervical and many other cancers! You're getting married and considering starting a family - why not take this great chance to get yourself healthy, for the short term as well as for life. You're obviously young, why not grab this chance while you can.

Not everyone gets temperamental when they stop, in fact many of us are relieved to see that it's far easier than we'd ever thought. Please tickled, don't worry yourself about things that may not happen. Do have a word with your H to be though and ask for his support and love to help you through it, he loves you so I'm sure he'll be glad to help. It's very often far easier for guys to quit than us gals, but you CAN do it just as he did. Stay strong tickled and don't worry about others, they'll understand that it can be difficult so ask for their support. Read through the PM I've sent, there's plenty there to be of great help.

Best wishes and let us know how it's going, and don't forget to vent your feelings here...it really will help.

Sue x


Lee-anne, that really is fantastic news, I'm delighted for you! :T:j You're welcome to the PM. All the very best for tomorrow, no worries about wondering why, at a time when you're smoking less, that you're feeling it more. I honestly believe it's because there's more time between the fags we don't have, so the harder it feels as we can't seem to praise ourselves so often - even though we should!! I hopethat makes sense, it does to me, but then, well you know me LC! Great news about the app. With regards to the money, rather than put cash away that you've not budgeted for...stick an IOU in the pot and that way it's still mounting up and you're getting the buzz anyway!!!

Both you and tickledpink bear this in mind.....

Tell yourself every morning "I'm not going to smoke at all today, but if I wish to, I may smoke tomorrow." Repeat that pledge every morning, it maks things more bearable to do it in bitesizes.

Sleep well folk and be happy you've gone another day! Be chuffed!

Sue x

Erme

tickledpink1986 wrote: »

Hi all.

I am new to the board and have stopped smoing just today!

I am getting married in 4 months and have been thinking about quitting for a while now - I want to look like a princess on my big day and I don't think a cig quite goes with that image LOL

I have bought an electronic cigarette to help with the cravings, I have a chart on my wall to keep track of my progress and have put a facebook app on my wall so all my closest friends and family (who will be at the wedding) know I am quitting and I also been looking at photos of smoking brides to put me off haha!! I would love to know what other people use?

When we are married we also want to try for a baby but I am not sure how smoking affects female fertility. If anyone could give me some more information it would defiantly give me another incentive to quit.

The thing I am worried most about is being irritable and nasty to people around me. I don't want to drive my H2B nuts or cause arguments. Does anyone have advice for keeping calm?

My H2B gave up about 5 years ago and said it was easy but I don't think I am as strong as him and I'mn worried he won't be very supportive.

The e-cig makes it a doodle......I have a page of links for equipment if you'd like me to PM you them (can't post them as MSE is no ads)....Let me know..

I'm also on the e-cig though just reducing because of 'other issues' right now but it really does help and there's lots of move on stuff after the e-cig. In fact you can reduce your nicotine if you're filling your own carts by just adding more glycerine you get from the chemist. (took me half a day to find out where to buy glycerine from when I refused to pay the ridiculous prices for PG on the e-cig sites :rotfl:...it could only happen to Erme...tee hee.....apparently it's good if you're constipated...:) So don't be surprised if you get the trots first day or so - it's the e-cig)..

Let me know anyway hun. Sure you can do this. SO many folk have tried all the other methods available on the market and quit successfully with the e-cig..

As for me...

5 or so cigs too many yesterday mainly cos I was tired and 7 before I'd even started this am (this is actually a sheesha pipe in this smiley ) so like will have to cut back mid day...

Also I can't say this strongly enough to ppl trying to quit - INVEST IN SOME TINS OF THE WEE MINTS (?altoids or they are called something else in M+S but they're in green tins there right by the tills)....you can get them almost anywhere...they're about a £1 and one tin will last you a good few days. Helps so much when you just want something in your mouth. Also healthy nibbles like popcorn (air popped...get the maker off eBay) and dried fruit help....

And start a new hobby like crochet, knitting or sewing. Again it helps when you want something to do with your hands.....

So yeah...that's me. Slept a bit better but not great though anything is an improvement on Sabbath evening...

Everyone have a good day

E

tickledpink1986

Thanks for the messages all. You have given me some great advice.

I got through day one so I am really proud of myself!

I did end up going to bed about 9pm because the cravings just got too much! I usually smoke in the evening in front of the tv so I will go out today and buy a crossword book to keep me busy tonight.

I love the ice lolly idea too, yesterday I ate far too much chocolate and crisps! Im also feeling really thirsty so I think it will help with that.

I will keep popping on everyday to let you know how I am getting on

Thanks again all

Sue-UU

tickled, that is wonderful news and is a great start for you to build on and go step-by-step into a non-smoking world! :j:T Many of us go to bed early in the initial stages and it's far better do that than to stay up and let it all get the better of us. Anything like that which you think might help, give it a go - you have nothing to lose and so much to gain! Drink plenty of water as it will fill you up and not only help curb your desire to smoke, it also stops you eating extra and the eating the wrong things. So always have water close to hand and either have some regular swigs of it or just sip it, it really does help and is very important to you anyway. The ice lollies/pops are a brilliant idea and first came about from one of our very successful quitters "feedumall", she found them to be lovely and cool and so very refreshing, and the thing I like about them is that, like apples they're longer lasting and kill any desire to smoke which is great. All the best with the crossword puzzle, and as Erme advises, crochet, knitting or anything like it will help enormously so give anything that appeals to you a go - and don't forget exercise! Even a 10 min walk is so beneficial. One day at a time tickled and you will get there! Keep looking ahead to that wedding then further still to the joys of parenthood! So much to look forward to and great health to do it all with! :j Take care and keep feeling the pride as you earned that.

Good to see you again Erme, and giving out such great advice too where hobbies are concerned. All the best in slowly weaning yourself off the dreaded fags, you feel a darn sight better when you have.

Take care everyone and no matter what befalls you in life - a cigarette will never, ever make it better, it'll just drag you back in to where you don't want to be! So go healthily forward to the end of your journeys.

Sue xxx

CountingPennies

Ok, so i NEED to stop smoking....and i WANT to stop smoking. Can a please join in with these post?

I spend £3.06 - £5.93 per day on menthol cigs (depends if i can afford 10 or 20), i'm up to my eyes in debt, i have lung disease (bronchiestastist not COPD) and i really REALLY want to stop this time for ME and my 3 kids. So i figure if i have somewhere i can moan and find encouragement then it might work? Lol.

I have 6 cigs left in my pack, but i'm not gonna snap them or give them away....i'm gonna smoke them today (hanging my head in shame). After the have gone (will save one for before i go to bed), they have gone and i will NOT be buying anymore. So i'm going to call tomorrow day 1. Might even add it to my signature thingy at the bottom!

So can i come and annoy you all....and give support to others where i can???

Kate xxx

Sue-UU

Hi Kate and a really warm welcome to the thread, and hopefully to you ridding yourself of smoking for good. so, of course you can join as, it'll be good to have you here.

I was so sorry to hear of your disease though, to be honest I'd never heard of bronchiestastist before, but having just read a bit about it online I can see why you're so keen to give smoking the boot! Obviously smoking didn't start it, but if you can free yourself of fags then things should be a lot easier for you, especially as you have 3 kiddies to care for; they'll certainly be happy if Mum gives it up. it will certainly give you far better capacity in your air ways as well is your lungs and I'd imagine that some exercise in the coming weeks we'll do you the world of good even if it's difficult at first.

Are you going to use any form of NRT or go cold turkey and free yourself of nicotine after just three days? Read through the PM that I sent, hopefully quite a bit of that will make sense to you and help you, I certainly hope so. When you get time have a browse through this forum as that alone will be a great source of help to you in the coming days. One thing to always remember is that you're never alone in stopping smoking as thousands all over the country are doing exactly the same and for many - tomorrow will be there Day 1 too!

To help the days ahead especially from tomorrow on try and remember this mantra as soon as you get up in the morning:

Say out loud every morning "I'm not going to smoke at all today, but if I wish to, I may smoke tomorrow." Repeat that pledge every morning, it maks things more bearable to do it in bitesizes and feels a little less threatening.

Do as you said and come on here whenever you wish/need and pour your heart out about everything you feel, give vent to your emotions here, you'll offend nobody that way but all being well will feel a lot better afterwards, so don't hold back - we can take it! All we ask is that for each first post of the day you put in the title bar what day you're on and the means of quitting i.e. Day 1 cold turkey. That way we all know just how to help you, we all so helps you keep aware as well and that too can be a bonus.

Keep yourself busy Kate and you know where we are if you need us. Don't be at all fearful of tomorrow....it's a start on a far healthier life so hang on to that thought. All very best wishes and don't forget we're all rooting for you.

Sue xx

hoogervaaner

1 month - willpower

I have tons of energy and nicer skin but gained half a stone.... this has really upset me as I have always been very very thin and am now at my heaviest ever. I have started exercise and will take on board the drinking loads of water tip. I am still thin to most people but not to me and really don't want to gain a single extra pound.

Sue-UU

Hi hoogervaaner, it's lovely to know you've done sooo very well. Congratulations on having gotto the really HUGE benchmark!!! :T:T Please don't worry too much over the weight, focus on the "tons of energy and nicer skin" you now have and settle into an exercise routine that you'll enjoy, then gradually increase it and you'll soon shift the weight. Most, not all, people put on some, but it's temporary and can be got off.

If you've been over-eating with meals (larger portions) then drink a glass of water 1/2 hour (no less than) before your meals, make sure it's no less than 20 mins before or you won't have sufficient enzymes to properly digest the meal. At other times sip waterregularly, keep a bottle with you so it's.....on tap! In a couple of months you'll have a smile on your face and excited about your new healthy life. :j Best wishes hoogervaaner and be happy with the you that's still there, you'll soon see the you you're more used to looking back in the mirror! :happylove For now be sooooo very proud of yourself, you've done brilliantly!

Sue xxx