The Giving Up Smoking Thread - Part 3

shadydaz

Erme,

Quite happy with the amount that I have cut back, couldn't ever give it up completely, it keeps me going at work!

So all in all, happy with what I have acheived so far with everything.:D

Happier that some of it has rubbed off on the wife, she has been stopped smoking a while again now too (week 7 ish). :T

And sorry if anyone finds this next bit disgusting! :eek: I was a bit of a nail biter in the past also. This just stopped automatically when the smoking stopped! :A I gues a theory to back up why this happened is that smoking actually elivates stress and anxiety levels as apposed to the common misconception that it releives these feelings.

Regards,

Daz.

shadydaz

Sue-UU wrote: »

I'd forgotten all about your weight gain, Darren, whatsisname (can't think of it, though maybe Alan) who was quitting at the same time as you had the same problem..he also was delighted and the 2 of you always shared Champix dreams and weight gain, remember?!!! Strangely enough the ladies never get the same dreams as you guys!! Possibly just as well.

It's little wonder you were always so slim if you drank THAT MUCH coffee a day!!! :eek: Do you use the decaf type, if not why not try.

oooh I love that last sentence! Thanks for the laughs, Daz, it's good to have the humour back. :grinheart

Sue x

Yes, I remember having the wacky dreams, though mine were not Champix related , matey boy's might have been! Probably just down to the extra oxygen in the bloodstream at first and the body adjusting back to normal :rotfl:

You'll be glad to hear that my sleep pattern and dream patterns have returned to normal.

P.S. Couldn't possibly give up all of my vices, I'd have to change my sig to MR PERFECT!:cool::rotfl:

smileytiger

Morning guys - really need to vent today so apologies in advance!

Well back at work with a vengance after my week off. Yesterday was so manic it was almost surreal. ( 2 residential groups, 3 evening events & everyone wanting drinks in the bar)Today should be a bit quieter, but playing catch up with all the stuff left over from last week, kindly left on my desk in my abscence like no one could be bothered to do it . Oh and why do people think it's ok to ignore phone calls/emails - have a group arriving tomorrow - and still don't know how many are in it - partly because no one bothered chasing the leader for details when i was away & partly because the group leader couldn't organise a 'knees up' in a brewery. I've only had a week off !!!!!! and it's a complete shambles - god knows what'll happen when i leave this summer.

Anyways on a brighter note i did get an email from a recruitment firm offering me an interview for a job similar to what i'm doing for twice the salary:D - always too good to be true as it'll involve a 2.5hr commute each way when we move. So no good for me - but nice for someone to take the time to read my CV and stuff.

Again apologies for the ranting - but i feel so much better now - will go make a cup of tea, turn up my radio & tackle the pile in front with a bit more enthusiasm.

At least depsite all this i'm still smoke free:j:j

Hope you're all having a good smokeless day

hugs
Chrissie .x

Sue-UU

Good Morning everyone, I hope it's a really great one quitting wise, if not that tomorrow WILL be!

Not sure that my "thanks" button's working properly, though instantly is shows it has, but then it's gone! So forgive me if I haven't thanked where appropriate, I do mean it.

You're doing and sounding just great, NTC, all anyone could suggest is that you carry on in this same amazing way!!!

Good to see you chipping in with good advice, Kiwi! Thanks.

You won't be selling me your breakfast any time soon, Jenny (the 2 separately for me), but you're certainly sound so very positive now, stay as you are...keeping up the wonderful work!!

If the gym appeals to you then why not try it after you've allowed enough time for your body to fully recover from the flu. It'll help even more with giving up for sure as it'll help you feel great inside when the endorphins are released into the brain.

Sue x

Jonny, you really are doing so very, very well and sounding so positive. It's good to hear the app is also motivating you as anything like that can only be good. Please, be so very careful about going out tonight and preferably don't have too much wine so that it makes you think differently; it's amazing just how powerful alcohol can be, so ok in moderation. However, if you start to feel a little vulnerable either go to the bathroom for a few minutes or maybe make your excuses to leave a little earlier.

Re the sleep, get yourself as relaxed as possible with a long, relaxing bath/shower. Have a milky drink and perhaps do a little light reading after getting in bed. Try this for a couple of nights and if it doesn't help have a word with your Pharmacist as there are some good things to take to relax you and help. The broken sleep won't last too long, but remember your body is going through a huge change right now and has to have chance to adapt from so much nicotine and horrible chemicals. Keep sipping water to help it cleanse.
Just remember, with each day that passes you're getting far more used to being an ex-smoker!

Am I right in thinking you are on your 4thday now? If so the nicotine is now out of your system!!! :T
If you could put the time and means on the Title Bar of your post it would be so helpful for us all, thanks. See my Title Bar above my post to get the idea.

Sue x

shadydaz wrote: »

Happier that some of it has rubbed off on the wife, she has been stopped smoking a while again now too (week 7 ish). :T

And sorry if anyone finds this next bit disgusting! :eek: I was a bit of a nail biter in the past also. This just stopped automatically when the smoking stopped! :A I guess a theory to back up why this happened is that smoking actually elivates stress and anxiety levels as apposed to the common misconception that it releives these feelings.

Daz.

Wonderful news about your dear Wife having stopped now, Daz! Please tell her "congratulations and keep up the tremendous work! :T" from me as I am so happy for you BOTH!!!

So SNAP! I also was a nail biter for years - then just stopped - but never thought of it being connected to quitting, but that would have been the time and definitely adds even more clout to the theory that smoking induces stress..NOT tother way round!!!

Maybe you're right about your dreams being due to the extra oxygen in the bloodstream, I just remember LOTS of posts filled with them!

Sue x

Oh dear Chrissie, you do (or did) sound stressed out and little wonder as to why either! How mean can folk be for Heavens sake! Or maybe you should look upon it as no one is up to your great standards! Just think though - what would you have been like if you were still puffing and terribly stressed - nah, maybe it's best we move on and not dwell on that picture!!! :eek: Smile it all away with beautiful thoughts of being fag and nicotine free, Chrissie and keep smiling.

Vent away anytime folks, it does us all a power of good.

To all those watching in and having problems with keeping on the wagon - even if each time it only lasts hours or days never give up trying - one of these days you'll hit the right time and start your journey for real!!!

Sue xx

Needstochange

Good evening gang :wave:

Jenny banana on toast :think: never tried that oddly but sounds good. Peanut butter on toast is my desire at the moment

Jonny :j:j you are doing so well. Have a lovely evening with your friends and I bet they will be pleased you are not disappearing outside during the evening too.

Chrissy that sounds like one busy job sometimes nice to know you are popular elsewhere though maybe its time to ask for a pay rise

Hi Sue hope you are well too

Well I can report even less cravings again today in fact not actually sure if I had any Two colleagues at work have decided to give up too which I am so pleased about. One is so badly in debt and really struggles on a pretty low wage but still smokes. At least he will be able to have a bit more of his wage left when he does this. I haven't even preached to anyone honest but they both have said that it has seemed easy to me which is not entirely true of course. I have made sure they know about all my build up campaign and how determined I was that this is it for me. They are far too young to understand the Eddie Mair story so i have told them about this thread in case they want some online support at its best:A

Thank you all again I will never tire of saying that to everyone who has helped and I hope I can be some help to the new quitters Not good at thanking if I am honest but its not that I dont care its that I am a scatty bird who forgets so sorry and thanks to all :beer:

JennyJewell

Sue-UU wrote: »

You won't be selling me your breakfast any time soon, Jenny (the 2 separately for me), but you're certainly sound so very positive now, stay as you are...keeping up the wonderful work!!


Sue x


Jenny banana on toast never tried that oddly but sounds good. Peanut butter on toast is my desire at the moment - Needstochange

Ladies - I've also had two bananas dipped in melted nutella today,lol :rotfl: So naughty and yet so nice

Shady - I have found exactly the same thing with my nails I've only caught myself nervously nibbling them once and that was when I was watching 24 and it was a particularly tense episode, Jack Baur,mmm

How's it going Jonny? Feeling good?

NTC - It's a fortnight for me at 12 o'clock tonight

Sue - I've just noticed your title bar - 13 years plus!! WOW!!! How fab Just pasted and copied this from the stop smoking benefits timetable for you: Your risk of smoking induced tooth loss has declined to that of a never-smoker (2006 study). And you're not too far from this, (15 years): Your risk of coronary heart disease is now that of a person who has never smoked. You like? Whoo-hoo - well done

Hi Chrissie Rant away hunny - we all need to get it off our chest,(apt wording there,lol) Nice job offer! Sure you can't take it? You could always use it to your benefit in your current job

Hi Kiwi How you doing?

I'd better go cook some late tea for my boys now

Catch you all soon,
Jenny x

Blue_Elephant

hello folks Can I join in? I need some help!

I'm technically on day 3 having had my "last" cigarette at 11pm on Monday night. I caved in at 7pm on Tuesday, and at lunchtime yesterday. Today I've been good so far. BUT I'm finding this so hard!

I'm using champix, which I thought was supposed to make it easier, I took it all week last week and set my quit date for Tuesday.

I miss it. I miss the taste, the feeling you get when you know it's getting through your system. I sound like a hardened drug addict lol, which I suppose I am.

I've also been smoking half my life, and I'm scared. I've never dealt with problems bigger than kids' stuff without cigarettes. Or good times or anything really. Except a flight to/from Australia and that was torture!! I'm not really painting a good picture of myself am I?

I really need to stop for health/wealth reasons primarily. Oh and cosmetic reasons. I've finally got fed up of the nails on my right hand being yellow amongst other things!

You guys all seem to be doing so well, how do you stop the cravings??

x

smileytiger

Hi Blue Elephant welcome to the thread.

I'm sure Sue will pm you lots of really supportive stuff and everyone on here knows exactly what you are going through, and although it may seem as if we are just sailing through - it's not the case as we're all human:o

A few of my thoughts below:)

1)Quitting is not easy, but it can be helped by Champix or NRT products. However you must want to quit in your head as this is the major factor in whether you will.

2) Try writing down ALL the reasons you want to quit and then all the reasons to still smoke. The quit list should be longer if you are ready to quit.

3) Try not to think about smoking - i know it sounds weird - but the more you think about doing without something - the more you will miss it

4) Don't think of it as depriving yourself of something - you are giving yourself a better life not a worse one.

5) The best thing i have found is to keep busy and where possible change your daily routine so the familiar coffee & fag moments are not there every day.

6) Take up new hobbies or interests - even just going for a walk really helps when you feel like you 'need' a smoke

I'm sure the other guys will have lots of tips as well - but above all take small steps and one day at a time and you'll get there.

Wishing you lots of luck in the days ahead

hugs
Chrissie .xx

oh and ps - despite what you may think - smoking does not help you deal with stress or problems - it makes you more edgy and makes things worse .xx

JennyJewell

Hey Blue
Welcome hunny Everyone on here knows exactly what you are going through, trust us I had been smoking for nearly 23 years - almost two thirds of my life, we can all start and stop most things that we want to in life You've got to really want to and you can

Google 'Stop smoking benefits timetable' - this really helped me in the beginning and hopefully it will help you I congratulated myself on every hour and over the first few hours I used that chart to see how I had benefited myself and what I had gained

I hadn't actually decided to stop smoking - I woke up two weeks ago struggling to breathe and everything under my ribs felt compressed and squashed. I decided not to have my usual cigarette with my coffee that morning. On my way to work I chose not to smoke a fag as I usually did. At lunchtime I didn't bother going outside in the cold for a cigarette. When I got to the end of the day I realised I hadn't smoked so I just decided to stay like that for a little bit and see how it went and I have remained that way since except that now I am not quitting my lovely sweet-smelling clothes, my clear skin and white teeth, my soft beautiful-smelling hair, my yummy tastebuds, my growing nails and my clean lungs full of fresh air - oh, that is the best part, how I appreciate that clean fresh air so,so much

The craving for that cigarette lasts for just a minute or two hunny - I ate tangerines and other orange citrus fruits, it helps to take away the cravings

We are here for you Blue You can be the Boss of You

Hope that helps you x
Jenny x

Needstochange

Blue_Elephant wrote: »

hello folks Can I join in? I need some help!

I'm technically on day 3 having had my "last" cigarette at 11pm on Monday night. I caved in at 7pm on Tuesday, and at lunchtime yesterday. Today I've been good so far. BUT I'm finding this so hard!

I'm using champix, which I thought was supposed to make it easier, I took it all week last week and set my quit date for Tuesday.

I miss it. I miss the taste, the feeling you get when you know it's getting through your system. I sound like a hardened drug addict lol, which I suppose I am.

I've also been smoking half my life, and I'm scared. I've never dealt with problems bigger than kids' stuff without cigarettes. Or good times or anything really. Except a flight to/from Australia and that was torture!! I'm not really painting a good picture of myself am I?

I really need to stop for health/wealth reasons primarily. Oh and cosmetic reasons. I've finally got fed up of the nails on my right hand being yellow amongst other things!

You guys all seem to be doing so well, how do you stop the cravings??

x

OK Blue this might be shot down as far as advice goes but have you thought that maybe you weren't ready yet? How long were you on champix for? I don't know much about it and i'm sure the people on it will be along to give you some thoughts but is it worth going back to the gp and starting it again?

Course there is another way of looking at your last few days. How many did you used to smoke in 2 days before this? well whatever then congratulations Blue because you have only smoked 2 where you would have smoked X amount :j:j:j Well done you

It took me around a month of smoking a normal amount to really get my head in the right place to stop and to be sure the goal was something I really wanted. I did the whole writing my reasons down, imagining life without my "best friends", getting the quit pack and reading this thread over and over again.

Supposing you decided to smoke one a day and give yourself an absolute quit day in a months time ish. You could spend loads of time getting mentally ready and still actually only be smoking one a day :cool: Just a thought. Like I say I will probably be shot down for this but I do think the key piece is being totally 100% ready to give up and maybe you were not quite there yet

good luck and let us know how you get on