My Quitting Smoking Diary - yours too!

Fergie42

Went to Tesco for the electric thingy and the pharmacist said they struggle to get the cartridges so she wouldn't buy the brand they had! Went to Asda who told me they didn't sell them at all as they don't have a licence! I felt like screaming 'I'm really trying here...help me!
Anyway, will go to local chemist after work and see what they say. Failing that I will buy patches. Not had nearly so many today in my unofficial fag breaks at work so still determined. x

cheesytwist

Good day Determined, you're sounding a little more positive today which is good to hear.
I agree, having a smoke wont change the reason of your stress (mite make ya feel an ickle bit better for a moment) and you will just beat yourself up after but you did good in only having the one and a bit. You threw the rest out which sounds positive too. Yes just keep ploghing away.
Welcome Fergie, you sure have an expensive habit lol between you and hubby. Dont worry about not stopping straight away, cutting back to start with can be just as successful. Never tried the E Cig so cant comment but I have found the patches to be worth their weight in gold. I cut back using patches, stopped smoking at work to start with and found it relatively easy whilst using the patch. Hope you can figure out which route is best for you.
I know that my local pharmacy (boots) offer a stop smoking service and I believe the patches are free if you sign up with them to stop. Think you get interviewed at first then have to go once a week to have a chat and get your next pack of patches. It wasnt the route I wanted to take, but free patches was sure tempting. I didnt want to have the pressure of anyone else being involved so opted to buy my own patches.
Today is day 22 of no smokes and day 5 with no patches either. Have had some horrid moments but I am getting there, the tears are calming down a bit now too lol.
Unfortunately, I cant really treat myself to anything with the cash I have saved as I am in a situation where I have to stop now so I can afford to turn my heating on in winter and need to start saving for that now !!!
(I live in north Scotland so it wont be long before I have to start turning some on)
Anyway, the better health should be a bonus i can enjoy
Good luck to you Fergie and your OH
Determined....keep on trying, yo will get there
XX

SaLoGo

Hi Guys, thought I'd check in. Had a few crap weeks at work and felt like I could really do with a fag but have kept resisting and here are my stats...
Five months, five days, 20 hours, 25 minutes and 11 seconds.
2382 cigarettes not smoked, saving £714.64.
Life saved: 1 week, 1 day, 6 hours, 30 minutes.

I can't believe how long I've managed. I actually thought I'd never do it! I can't wait for the 6 month mark

Just a bit annoyed that I can't change my signature to say 5 months lol

Sue-UU

Hi everyone! Sorry not to have been with you for a couple of days, but I've not been well. I came on briefly yesterday, but had to lay up in the end. However, I'm ok now.

Hello Fergie and a very warm welcome to you. Firstly, can I suggest that you ring your Dr's surgery and ask to make an appointment with the Cessation Nurse, they are properly trained to chat with you and guide you on what means of NRT to stop smoking.

We will all help you here as much as possible, but you also get to visit the CN and keep that physical contact that many find such a help. Please do ring and make an appointment at least, then just listen. It's far better to stop now while you can...far better than when you might have to!!!

I've sent you a PM and if you wish will gladly send you another for help and tips to stop smoking.

Every best wish to stop completely - soon.

Sue xx

Thank you so very much, cheesytwist for helping determined so very, very much! I so appreciate your help for her, especially at a time when she's needed desperately!

Re the emotion you've both suffered, let the tears flow as much as is necessary and let it all out of your system, it's by far the best way. Stopping smoking is just like losing a friend, in short it's a kind of grief for that 'friend' who was always with you through life in almost everything you did. However, recognise that this so called friend was a "very bad friend" who made you do so much just to get that nasty drug inside of you in order to function, even making you risk your life for fags!!!!

However, get over this bout of emotion and you'll find you're soon feeling so much better - and - thrilled to bits you stuck with it and didn't falter and said ta ta to that nasty beast!!!! :mad:

BTW, cheesytwist you said you'd be pleased when you were counting weeks, but - you already are into weeks, about THREE!!!! Many Congratulations!!!!!! :T Now, if you can afford to, use some of the money saved to treat yourself - you deserve it!!!

Determined, I am so terribly sorry to hear your news, no wonder you've struggled so, but under such awful circumstances you have really done yourself proud! There's so little I can say to help you with your personal problems, but you know I'm always here.

As I've said above to cheesy, let all the emotions go, cry as much as you need to, your body needs to shed all the heartache to help you feel much better, to be able to continue on.

Now, let the blip go and, as you put it, keep on trucking. Stay strong and focus yourself and see the you further down the line who is free from smoking and all it's threats and the lives it takes. It's you who can help stop it from taking yours! As I've said before you didn't name yourself "determined" for nothing.

Love, Sue xxx

Very many Congratulations, Sal. :T:T:T You've really done so very well and I'm hoping you feel so terribly proud of yourself. I'll bet your future hubby is!

It just goes to show that you don't 'need' ciggies to get through crap times either, they won't help at such times. You see you're proving that you CAN beat smoking!!!

Of course you can change your signature to read 5 months..then again at 6 months etc, that's not a problem at all. Go to "User CP" over to the left of the top green bar above, click on it then click on "Edit signature" and away you go!

Keep us updated please, Sal.

Sue xx

Fergie42

Thanks for your welcome's everyone. Definitely going to ring the doctor's today for any help I can get and meet the CN.
Don't feel too bad so far so fingers crossed xx

Sue-UU

Splendid news Fergie!!! You might also like to mention to your hubby that - men seem to find stopping smoking a lot easier to stop than we girls! I'm sure it must be due to hormones and time of the month problems we suffer from.

All the very, very best with the CN, with finally stopping the fags asap too! You'll certainly be saving your lives and your pockets and watch your youngsters grow!

See if the Quitters Pledge below is of help to either or both of you. It may even be more beneficial further down the line.

Quitters Pledge

"Today I promise not to smoke any cigarettes, tomorrow - if I wish - I may do."

Renew the pledge every morning on waking. This helps in not making quitting feel as though you're planning something lifelong, it helps trick the mind in taking it all one day at a time. The lifelong part you determine for yourself when you're ready.

Best wishes,

Sue xx

Fergie42

Aw thanks Sue. I'll certainly remember that Pledge. I rang the CN and they have a drop-in centre tomorrow so going in my lunch-break and hopefully get the patches and some good advice.
Can't speak to OH about it as he just doesn't want to know. I do understand because if he came home one day and decided we were quitting I would be cross too as I firmly believe you have to decide yourself and no-one can make you.
However, I am the one who buys the ciggies so he is only getting 10 a day regardless!.
Thanks again for everyone's well-wishes and support x

cheesytwist

Good day everyone. my daily check in
Sue UU, pleased to hear your feeling better. (sorry got ur name wrong before) thx for the positivity...yes your right i can count in weeks but feels quite weak(pardon the pun) lol. Sal has got the right one now...counting in months...I so hope i reach that altho it sounds scarey knowing that you ob still want a smoke after all that time!!!
Really felt like having a smoke today, dont think it was the nicotine it was just having a smoke!!! work wasnt great, stressing me out n a few personal probs going on too so it accumulated in a huge desire to smoke. I resisted, despite being in Tesco for some shopping. Thinking/knowing that a smoke wont make anything better really helps when resisting.
Fergie...hope you have managed to get something sorted to get you started on your road to quitting
Determined.....hope your doing ok
Off to put on the Deep fat fryer and get sopmething greasy, gooey and fattening in instead of inhaling chemicals

MY NEW STATS
smober time 22 days 20 hours
ciggies not smoked 456
money saved 137.71
Life saved 1 Day 21 hours

:T:T:beer::T:T

Sue-UU

Fergie42 wrote: »

Aw thanks Sue. I'll certainly remember that Pledge. I rang the CN and they have a drop-in centre tomorrow so going in my lunch-break and hopefully get the patches and some good advice.

Can't speak to OH about it as he just doesn't want to know. I do understand because if he came home one day and decided we were quitting I would be cross too as I firmly believe you have to decide yourself and no-one can make you.

Oh, GREAT news about the appointment, Fergie, you really are determined to get fags out of your life and I do applaud you for taking that major first step - the vital one!!!

With regards to your OH, you're wise to let him come to the decision in his own time; in fact IF you can stop then he may well start to think to himself "If she can do it then so can I"!! You go ahead and hope that you'll be the one whi is a really good example to him. It's happened before on the threads here - so......!!!

You're young lass will be delighted at every step you make!

All the best,

Sue xx

cheesytwist wrote: »

Yes your right i can count in weeks but feels quite weak(pardon the pun) lol. Sal has got the right one now...counting in months...I so hope i reach that altho it sounds scarey knowing that you ob still want a smoke after all that time!!!

Really felt li Thinking/knowing that a smoke wont make anything better really helps when resisting.
Fergie...hope you have managed to get something sorted to get you started on your road to quitting

MY NEW STATS
smober time 22 days 20 hours
ciggies not smoked 456
money saved 137.71
Life saved 1 Day 21 hours

:T:T:beer::T:T

Hi cheesytwist, no worries about the name, actually it made me giggle. I understand what you said about Sal having all those months behind her, but you must remember that she too was at the same time as you not so long ago! Be patient, it'll happen soon enough.

Remember also, that when things go wrong in life it's only natural during the early stages to think about puffing - it was what we used to do to resolve things..or at least we thought it used to resolve things or make us feel better. However, it was only that 'hit' of nicotine we used to cling to, only natural then that when things go awry we had 'thoughts' of them then. It doesn't happen often though and the further from smoking we get the less it happens and the less each 'pang' lasts. I can promise you that's the case!

Hang onto those brilliant stats you have above, that really some achievement - already!!!! :T

Stay strong and determined!

Sue x

jammy_dodger

good morning fellow freedom fighters

just had a quick catch up ( had a hectic few days in work so couldnt log in )

hugs to you Sue uu sorry to hear you have been under the weather xx

great to read the support to those newly started their journey :T:T
..please please dont be tempted back to the " just have one "
..it is the weekend nearly upon us and guess thats asociated usually with a "glass of something nice "
stand proud and say NO and take control of YOUR life and dont let nic dictate what you do with your hard earned cash

JD xx

good to see you taking a stand in your househols fergie42 let us know how you get on with CN , stay focused on the reasons why you have decided to quit ( the cash you dont waste on the fags soon mounts up too)

I wish you well

xx