My Quitting Smoking Diary - yours too!

calicocat

Hi folks !!!!

I have been AWOL as have been really busy.

Welcome all the new people......i'm new too really:)

Well , i have had a couple of Epic fails, once i had 5 ciggys , then another time i had 10 :eek::(:eek::(....:mad:.........................................however in the past this would have had me saying "oh well stuff it i'm obviously smoking again"... and i would have gone straight back to my usual smoking habits........this time i am not doing that and am starting again the very next day with the attitude that it just didnt happen and get back on the horse so to speak.

I am still on the Zyban, but have been so busy recently that some days i couldnt remember if i had taken it or not so may have missed some (not that that is an excuse by the way), you cant take one in case you OD on it.

I have found the problem has been been having a drink , which is really stupid because i feel so much better when not smoking , and the house smells better , and my skin looks better too....even after a couple of weeks.:T

I cant remember which day i am on now and havent got my diary with me at work so will post this another time , i think it will be day 7 again:o.......BUT I AM GOING TO JUST KEEP GOING , i dont know what it is , whether it is just the habit bit left or the addiction side , but i seemed to remember the addiction side should have gone by now , i havent looked it up again as dont want to get a non-smoking book out and start reading it and get too 'smoking focused' if that makes sense.

Good luck to everyone , and thanks for the continued support, i dont get here that often but all the posts are really helpful and i think definately keep people going:T

Pop in soon.x

jammy_dodger

you just climb back aboard calicocat, and dont be too hard on yourself with your wobbles
the main thing is that you are HERE and want to be fag free, you have already mentioned how good it feels when you are fag free so if there is a next time you are tempted , stay focused on the reasons to stay away from them , or you may be lulled into thinking you can be an "occasional" smoker with a drink but it never ends up that way, they DO creep back in so dont go anywhere near them when you are havin a bevvy, you will just end up feeling rotten and all the hard work undone

YOU CAN DO IT , were right with you all the way

JD xx

Sue-UU

calicocat wrote: »

I am still on the Zyban, but have been so busy recently that some days i couldnt remember if i had taken it or not so may have missed some (not that that is an excuse by the way), you cant take one in case you OD on it.

I have found the problem has been been having a drink , which is really stupid because i feel so much better when not smoking , and the house smells better , and my skin looks better too....even after a couple of weeks.:T

Hi calicocat, well done on coming back and telling us about the goods and the not so goods; you've pinpointed both above!

If alcohol is a problem then leave it alone during these vulnerable times. Let yourself get to the time when you've been free of fags for that long that you'll never want to risk going back.

The other problem is not taking Zyban properly and unless you take it religiously every day....you won't have that "I just don't want a fag" feeling.

Put one in a pot every day and place the pot somewhere very visible - you can't afford to forget to take them. If you do then you'll keep having slip ups, but one too many slip ups could, if you're not lucky, lead you back onto that old road again!

I'm sure you can do this if you try both the above and stay strong and focused!

Sue x

Hi JD, me too with the bedouin ways in a previous life, absolutely LOVE IT!!!

Sue x

I'm using Denis' words again here folks.

"Good luck to anyone in the process of quitting this evil weed, there are only benefits you are losing nothing."

Sue x

jammy_dodger

just wanted to say hi on this thread, and wondering how fellow quitters are getting on

am hoping no news is good news

its been 10months 1 week and 3 days since i have stopped, and barely give them a thought these days and saving myself a bob or two :D

nose is back to the work grind stone , and fine not having to go out on my break to smoke i can sit inside and enjoy my brew with feet up,
rather than spend it putting jacket on , going out puff puff puffin , in the cold rain etc coming in, jacket off washin hands , spray with scent

did that ever disguise the smell...hell NO

JD xx

splishsplash

Hi all
I forgot it was my two year anniversary yesterday:j. Just goes to show there is life after smoking - something I found hard to imagine before giving up!

For all those thinking about taking the plunge, please do - it's totally worth it. It may be a wrench to stop, but once you're over the hump, it's plain sailing from then on.

I smoked 30+ a day for a long long time, and had resigned myself to never quitting, having tried everything with no success, then stumbled on the stop smoking thread which led me to Champix and a last ditch attempt. It worked, and that's why if one thing doesn't work for you, try another, and another until you find a way to get free of the dreaded nicotine!

My silkquit stats:
Two years, one day, 14 hours, 21 minutes and 50 seconds. 21977 cigarettes not smoked,
saving €9,505.46 (I have no idea how much they cost now, probably a bit more than this saved:D)
Life saved: 10 weeks, 6 days, 7 hours, 25 minutes.

Sue-UU

Hiya JD! So, you're well over the 10th month now then, doesn't seem possible that about 6 weeks ago you were concerned about the 9 month mark coming up - and now look how far past it you've come! :T:T:T:T

Keep up the terrific work, JD, the weight loss too, which is also looking good. You'll get there, you just know you will!

Sue x

splishsplash wrote: »

Hi all
I forgot it was my two year anniversary yesterday:j. Just goes to show there is life after smoking - something I found hard to imagine before giving up!

Hello again, splishsplash! I can quite understand how you lost track of forgetting your 2 year anniversary; we move so far away from the smoking world that we do so easily forget because we just don't think about it at all. If it weren't for me having quit on Christmas Day then I know I'd forget, but it really is hard not to remember about it - and if I don't then DH, DD or DS do!

I never, ever thought life would be normal after fags either and I see you're the same. Nicotine is such a evil, addictive drug and it really does have you thinking "I'll never be able to stop", but we all know different!! :j:j:j:j

Many congratulations on a momentous TWO YEARS free, splishsplash!!!!! :T:T:T:T:T

Keep popping back to see us, splishsplash, i's alays so good to hear from you.

Sue x

Let's close tonight with splishsplash's wonderful words of advice to all those of you stopping and all those thinking about it

"For all those thinking about taking the plunge, please do - it's totally worth it. It may be a wrench to stop, but once you're over the hump, it's plain sailing from then on."

Sue x

determined_new_ms

Hi (crawls back into the room shame faced, yet again) just wanted to say hi and let you know I've pledged not to smoke today. Am really irritable now, just over an hour in - would normally have smoked 3 by now so that's something I guess!

I have been freaking out about dying of cancer again recently, not that I have any signs of I'll health just the reality if I carry on that's the outcome.

I am hoping to go cold turkey as that was what I did before and, I feel in the end the quickest route out of the addiction. But I do find the first couple of days hard. My brother gaveme some lozenges if I find it too hard I'll suck on one. My dd has returned home and sadly smokes and just offered me one, luckily it didn't test me too much, let's see how I do in a few hours time! I also work with 3 smokers out of a team of 6 so there will be many times throughout the day where I will be tested no doubt!

Anyway hope you'll take me back despite my many a relapses! Oh motivated the only thing I can say, and I hope this time round I can stick to, is that "one" is never one. I stopped for 6 months last year, went to a festival had one and now it's a year later. As hard as it is try not to have another at all costs!

Anyway will catch up with the thread during the day while others are having "breaks", wishing you all health and happiness x

Sue-UU

determined_new_money_saver wrote:

Hi (crawls back into the room shame faced, yet again) just wanted to say hi and let you know I've pledged not to smoke today.

I have been freaking out about dying of cancer again recently, not that I have any signs of I'll health just the reality if I carry on that's the outcome.

Hi there determined and a warm welcome back to the flock! No need to be shame-faced at all as it really is good that you return each time when you're ready to have another go - and there's never any doubt about us taking anyone back! You certainly keep on trying, I'll grant you that.

You're obviously getting to the stage in your smoking life that I was when I knew I just couldn't take the all the fear that comes with fags any longer; that's the problem I think...the older we get the more scared we become! However, maybe that's not a bad thing, so use it and remember it IF you're tempted again.

Well you remember the pledge, I know that was a good one with you...trouble is...you didn't quite stick to it before, but maybe THIS is the time you will.

Firstly though, have a word with your DD and colleagues and let them know you're NOT smoking and please do NOT offer you one or smoke anywhere near you! Let them really know you mean it and that any scoffing gets a filthy look!! :mad:

I know exactly what you mean about going CT, but if the urge gets strong then by all means use the lozenges. It's far better to do that and get yourself through it than get in a heck of a state and lose it again. I know you have real problems with it, so I think your Bro knows you best. Whatever you think might help then give it a go and get back into the exercise...remember the bike!

YOU CAN become nicotine free, determined, it truly is possible for us ALL and you're no exception so stick with the pledge and remind yourself as many times in each day as is necessary.

One more thing - for now do please come back to us at the critical time and let us help you through it. BTW, don't forget the water...sipping at it as much as you need. Remember to keep a bottle of it with you.

So many best wishes, determined, you'll get there.

Love, Sue xx

determined_new_ms

Thanks Sue - so lovely of you! Not doing so bad so far - almost 1/2 way through the working day. The desire to smoke isn't so bad but the bad mood I am currently in yowzer! Luckily I'm the only one in at the moment and hopefully by the time they do it may have passed...

I actually have a glass of water right next to me! Although I have just eaten a yummy cookie opps!

I promise I will Sue as long as I am near a PC :A

Might have to go out on my bike as I damaged my foot a few weeks ago and haven't been able to run on it since!

Ok better get back to work.... hope you are well x

Sue-UU

Very well done, determined, you're doing very well indeed. Try delving back to some memories of times gone by or plans of lovely things to do in the future to help you through the moods. Try some ideas of your own...anything to help!

If yummy cookies help in the short term then stick with them, but not too many, and.....:idea:..just don't let JD (jammy-dodger) see as she's trying to drop the Lbs that you're about to put on!!! :rotfl:Just be happy, determined and push yourself into being a free lady, you'll be sooo very much happier then. Hard to think that now, but read through splishsplash's post above and you'll see how it inevitably changes us. :grinheart

As an added incentive, why not download the Silk Quit meter, http://www.silkquit.org/sqmmiv/meter.aspx

Be careful with that foot, I messed by hand up in an accident March 2011 and it's still not much good, but could be worse.

Sue x