The Giving Up Smoking Thread - Part 3

myonlysunshine

Hi Alibob

Just wanted to second what Sue has said about the sleep problems..

It does seem to be really common i had insomnia for the first few weeks..but it honestly does get better..

Also huge well done for not smoking with your friends, those are the situations that will test our resolve..however the more you face them, head on the easier it will get.

I see my dad and twin sister every day and they both smoke.

The first couple of weeks I could have done without being around them to be honest.. but it was unavoidable as my mum was ill at the time and we were taking her to Christies every day (Now THAT was a reinforcement NOT to smoke if there was ever one )

I soon learned to ignore them, and me and my mum would look pitiful at them outside in the freezing cold getting their fix...trust me that will make you feel better come wintertime!

I think your doing fab just remember to take one day at a time, and you have some great advice from Sue to keep reading if it gets tough!

Hi Warez22..:)

Keep it going, if your concentration allows why not try dipping into a book before you go to sleep? The running that you are doing is great and will hopefully improve your mood too....dont worry for now about the ups and downs of of how you feel it WILL even out, and anybody who cares for you will learn to put up and shut up for now and be proud of you!:T


Best Wishes
Mel x

warez22

Hi everyone,

Thanks for all your kind thoughts, it really does help.

Am still going - I am not thinking about smoking every single of the day, which is good.

Sleeping is getting better. Also my moods have improved hugely. Had a hideous weekend which seemed to be the 'peak' and I am now on the way back down.

The amount of accessories I have got on my quest to give up is now quite ridiculous. I have sleep easy radox, Yogitea bedtime and have now added chewable vitamin c tablets which are supposed to help cravings. Every little helps!

It's getting better - going for my run tonight - wouldn't say I am enjoying it but my body is certainly benefitting from it.

Beginning to think I can crack this which is a FAAAABBBBB feeling.

Have a good day everyone and keep smokefree:T

kahunababy

Well unfortunately I never stopped smoking when I had planned too. The weekend turned into a very stressful, hetic weekend and I just didn’t have time to do all the things I wanted/needed to do and say a very hard goodbye to my old friend ‘Nic’! So, I am here declaring 15 or so hours without a cigarette!

That is actually some achievement for me as previously I have always used some sort of Nicotine replacement where as this time I am cold turkey. I am not finding it as hard as I was expecting but I do know things will get harder before they get better.

Anyway, I will call by again tomorrow and let you all know how I am getting on. I just want to say a big thank you to Sue, your PM was/is a real motivator and thanks again for taking the time and effort to help us all through our nicotine grieving.

Hope you are all doing well and thanks for the support!

xKBx

JennyJewell

Hi everyone
I think I joined this thread before but sort of disappeared sorry
I'm starting a new job tomorrow - one that I have been trying to get for 6 years so I am really pleased It's a special needs school and smoking is absolutely banned - realistically I wouldn't be able to smoke from half 7 in the morning until about 5 in the evening so I have decided that now would be a good time to make it easier on myself and stop Today is therefore my last day of smoking and I look forward to all the benefits that stopping will give me
Could I please join you?
Jen

spg1

Tomorrow is the end of my third month smoke-free.

I've sought motivation from lurking on these boards from time to time during that time so thought I'd add my experience which hopefully may help others.

I've smoked on and off (mostly on) for the past 28 years :eek: and have spent the last five or so years using both cigs and nicorette gum in a very long drawn-out and half-hearted attempt to cut down on the former.

Finally decided to bite the bullet CT and after a couple of false starts here I am in the midst of my longest quit for over 14 years.

I'm sure different things work for different people but for me, closely monitoring (spreadsheet) and then gradually reducing nicotine consumption ahead of quitting seemed to make the first few days more bearable than when I've tried to give up CT previously. I went from the highest strength Silk Cut to the lowest over a few weeks and then reduced the number I was smoking to five or six a day so that by the end I was smoking probably the nicotine equivalent of one normal-strength cigarette a day.

As others have said, taking things one day a time is really helping me - I've not focused on the idea of never having another cigarette (even though that is what I suppose I'm aiming for) as it's too big a target for me at this stage.

Telling myself that I can have a cigarette tomorrow or at the weekend if things get really bad has provided some tangible relief during the worst times (and still does).

I know it's still early days but as time goes on, I'm navigating my way through more and more trigger situations (nights out with smokers, holidays etc) which is also making it gradually easier. I do think the smoking ban has helped as I'm not surrounded by people lighting up at work/in pubs etc.

Anyway, that's me! Good luck to everyone else on the thread.

P

Sue-UU

A very motivational post, Mel, thank you so very much.

Sue x


warez, I am absolutely delighted at your news, it really sounds as though you're body's getting used to living without drugs and chemicals and that your mind is now accepting that Nic is out of your lfe for good!!!! :T:j:T Great news on 11 days CT!!!!

Don't forget, if you should have a day when things aren't quite so good that the next day will, like as not, be so much better. That's so often the way it goes. What a reward for so much hard work, warez, I'm so proud of you, let alone how you feel!!!

Sue xx


Hi again, KB, it's a joy to see that although you couldn't quite make it the other day that you're back to give it another go now. I hope today turned out to be kind to you and that you achieved the full day, if you did then - very well done you!!! Now have a go with the 2nd and so on, keep it like that and you'll be doing it right - one day at a time!

You're welcome to the PM and do keep focused on that 'friend' part and the grieving, but also remember that the bad friend deserves no more than to be kicked right out of your life! :mad: You're too good for it.

Sue xx


Hello again Jen! Please, don't apologise about 'disappearing' the last time, if the timing wasn't right, then that's it, pure and simple. You don't need to ask to join us either as I'm just so delighted you came back and I wish you all the very best with your new and very rewarding job...the perfect time to take hold of your health too!

Did I read on your siggy that "everything happens for a reason?" I certainly believe so Jen and just 'knew' when my time was right....12 & 1/2 years ago! Try the Quitters Pledge below Jen and see if that helps:

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 tricks your mind and makes things more bearable to do it in bitesizes.

All very best wishe, Jen and enjoy that job.

Sue xx


A very warm welcome P (spg1)!! From all that you've written I almost feel as though we should know you quite well. You've stopped smoking in the self same way that I did, and for me it worked marvellously! I sincerely hope it works just as well for you, it has so far and the longest in 14 years?? It's marvellous! :T:T

I'm quite sure that the view of taking things one day a time is the way we would all do best to view stopping as we're not committing ourselves to anything life-long which can be frightening, but we're hoping for the very best. Whichever way we choose to do it, it has to be "our own way" and if we choose a means of pretence to get us through via an almost comforting way......why not??! Whatever works, try it, after all it can do no harm and who knows what we may achieve as a result.

I thoroughly agree that the smoking ban has helped, in a tremendous way too, as most of the fags we've ever smoked are from seeing other folk lighting up, or....someone passing round the packet which often drew us in without us fully realising it.

I am so thrilled you've come on the thread and told us what you're doing and I'd dearly love it if people benefit as a result and - if only one person were to be helped as a result - what an accomplishment for them - and for YOU!!!

Many, many thanks indeed, P and please let us know how you get on when you want to. All best wishes.

Sue xx

"To get through the hardest journey we need take only ONE step at a time, but we MUST keep on stepping."

kahunababy

Wow, I made it to day 2!!!!!

Last night was a real eye opener for me. I always always have a smoke straight after I have eaten and last night I even went and looked for them before I remembered that 'I'm not smoking today'. I had to find something else to do otherwise I would have just sat there and sulked so I got packed lunches sorted and even sorted out the washing (I usually do all this when the kids are in bed).

Once the kids were bathed and in bed I jumped in the bath too, had a nice long soak and then put my (freshly laundered) PJ's and dressing gown on. I knew that would put me off smoking as I love the clean feeling you get when you get out the bath and put on fresh PJ's. I knew I wouldn't want to ruin that by smoking. Hell if that works for me then I'm happy with that.

Day 2 hasn't been too stressful so far, it is strange not joining the others at work for a fag break but I just go off and grab a glass of water when they are out or spend that time to write my shopping list/household chores. The time I wasted smoking I am now putting to some good use. Strange question but has anybody else gotten really thirsty? I ususally drink atleast 2 if not 3 liters of water a day anyway but I must be nearing 4-5 now as I am constantly thirsty. Came on all of a sudden yesterday so I am thinking it has to be linked with smoking (or lack of it).

Anyway, thanks for the support and the posts, every little tip helps!

KB

alibob_1986

20 days today, still not feeling too bothered about it. Had a slightly wobbly moment last night, with the guy i am dating when he went out to smoke, we were at mine and felt weird standing in the door while someone else smoked in my garden! But i didn't smoke and so am onto day 20. Tomorrow's my first night out, going to take my inhaler and get a friend to try very very hard to restrain me if i try, i know it's entirely my responsibility not to smoke though, but if someone can distract me that will be good.
i had a dream last night that i had a smoke. i had already had a couple and then had one drag on the third and threw it on the floor saying "oh my god, but i don't smoke anymore! then i picked it up and finished it anyway and said i'll only smoke socially now" but i knew i was really going to go back to it. i don't want to!!! have to hope my willpower holds up through the alcohol.
spent some money today, not been saving the money from smoking or anything as i couldn't afford to smoke but looked at my finances today and decided i can spare 20. so went to a charity shop to pick up a few books, i read like an animal so even 4 books will only last about a week, so getting them cheap as chips is the way forward! Bought Holly a couple of books too and a toy rabbit then went and got her some vests and us both some socks....ok not exactly exciting but it was still nice to be able to buy stuff and wonder where i am going to find the money from for my next pack of fags. Smoking messed up my priorities, i would rather not buy new clothes or books and smoke instead, madness!!!!
Also, have about 10 more rows to do on Holly's jumper and then it's time to make it up She pulled all the stvtches off the needle again on monday, but i must be more chilled out as i didn't get anywhere near as angry as last time!!!

gizmo111

Can I join you all - I'm on day 6 and finding it not too bad not as hard as I htought it would be but seems very strange and I actually lit a cig yesterday but then stood staring at it thinking what a waste of time, money etc it was so put it out - so not really convinced that counts as a fail as the only puff was when I lit it.

I have been smoking 20+ a day for 30 years or more and have never really made any effort to give up other than talking about it a lot. About 3 years ago I tried to stop half heartedly with gum, but was so pleased I didn't smoke for a whole day and half an evening I had a fag as a reward!

I am determined this time not to smoke again and if a flag behind you lot give me a kick up the butt.

I have declared my house no smoking and have been washing curtains etc to get rid of the lingering smell.

Good Luck everyone.

Voyager0001

Hi all
I have made it to 8 months without smoking!
It has been quite difficult at times (and also quite tempting at times when in the company of other smokers) but I have been determined this time.
My DH is still smoking. He recently started again after a 5 month quit:( which does not make things easy for me - and he reeks!
He did say that he is not enjoying it and is starting to feel guilty about smoking so may consider quitting again (fingers crossed!)
I have noticed he has started to cough again especially in the mornings so hopefully this might spur him on to try and stop again.

Good luck to all my fellow quitters. Have a good day!