My Quitting Smoking Diary - yours too!

Sue-UU

A very warm welcome to the thread, mum2amelie, and hopefully to a new and far healthier way of life for you all.

I'll send you a PM full of tips in a moment. Sadly there's only so much room in there so rest I'll put on here. I'm not sure how you intend to quit, but if you think you need any form of NRT then please see a Cessation Nurse by phoning your Dr's and getting an appointment. They are trained in helping folk stop by the means which will best suit them.

If you're just doing it by willpower or after reading Alan Carr's book then all the best to you on being free from nicotine straight away.

As the girls have said, read through the thread, you'll get plenty of inspiration. Drink plenty of water by sipping it, especially when a craving comes along. As determined says, ride the cravings through, they very soon pass off, even quicker if you get straight on and do something else. The secret's in keeping and staying busy and I'm sure your little treasure keeps you very busy! :A Take her out for walks too, exercise is really good for you, get plenty, even if it's only going to the rec with amelie...you're outside and seeing other things, meeting other people and just watching kiddies etc.

Eat fresh fruit and veg and have some carrot/celery sticks ready in the fridge to nibble on, or a few nuts almonds, walnuts any! Anything that YOU think will help you through - do it!!! Anything's worth a try! When you sit down in the evening, keep your fingers busy, so if you knit, crochet or sew, have a go. Even if you just make stitches for the heck of it, it keeps you busy and focused!

If it'll help you then, have an imaginary ciggie! Stand as you normally would (outside) and hold your fingers as you used to do, then inhale in and relax while you exhale. Do that a few times until you feel relaxed. Simply doing through all the motions got "dundeedoll" free from fags, she quit over 2 years ago! You can do the same - we ALL can!!

We're here to help you through - use us! You can rant and rave as much as you wish, we've had it all before - then we love to see the "I did it" posts

Start each day with the Quitters Pledge (below) and enforce it every time a craving comes. It really will get you through them.

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.

Always remember, Sam, that every moment, hour, morning, afternoon and day free from those horrible white sticks is a huge thing, praise yourself at every step you achieve. If it helps then alter your routine so you don't get the 'habitual thoughts', people find that helps so much. Also, if you don't need it, put the money saved in a pot and watch it build up, it's huge incentive, but mostly remember you're doing this for your health and for LIFE....YOURS!!!

YOU CAN DO THIS, Sam! Every best wish for you to achieve your goal!

Sue xxx

All the very best for Day No 3, Chris!! Onward you go!

Sue x

You really are doing so well, Fergie! Don't you love it when it moves into 2 weeks!!! :T:T You're doing marvellously and little by little you'll gradually be free and living so healthily. I'll bet your kiddies are so proud of you. :D

Hi determined, most folk with the feelings you express, myself included, found that those feelings, especially 'the something missing' is the missing of a ciggie which sweeps through your system with a weird feeling of "I haven't done something", "Something's not right" or "Something's missing" We've all then discovered it was mostly at our former 'habit times'. Does than come anywher near what you're feeling? Just can't put your finger on it type feeling? If so, satisfy yourself on knowing all is of then breathe slowly in and out in a relaxed manner til is passes - and

Be so darned proud of yourself!!!!! :grinheart :T:T

Thanks so much for your thoughts, D, it's still awful, but at least we know what it is now....though I'm black and blue especially on my thighs, stomach, chest and back from scratching!! You're right though, DH is wonderful, bless him! 40 years wed and we're still as strong as ever.

Sue xx

determined_new_ms

Sue-UU wrote: »

Thanks so much for your thoughts, D, it's still awful, but at least we know what it is now....though I'm black and blue especially on my thighs, stomach, chest and back from scratching!! You're right though, DH is wonderful, bless him! 40 years wed and we're still as strong as ever.

Sue xx

40 years!!?! Wow sooooooo impressive. You will have to give me some tips, I've "only" been with oh for 5 years so by your standards still in infancy :rotfl:

get those mits out lovely and protect yourself from scratching! We'll look out for the peeps on the quitting thread till you feel better x

Kiwisaver_2

Sue-UU wrote: »

Hi again, Kiwi! I only thought about you last week and wondering how you were out there in NZ, all to do with the Olympics...not that I expected to see you as a competitor!

Thanks Sue, I was there every minute possible watching the Olympics and loving every minute of seeing London in all its glory and wishing I could have been there.

I have caught up the good few pages that I had missed and boy what a rollercoaster .... will she? .... won't she?

determined_new_ms wrote: »

Hi Kiwi :wave: hope you are keeping well! I thought of you a couple of months ago when I watched spartacus, and there was the moment when everyone was saying "if I can do it", then you came in and did the famous spattacus scene, do you remember?

:rotfl: Yes I do remember

I'm Spartacus!

Your stats look amazing and I am so pleased for you, but also it pains me! why oh why did I start again???? My stats would be that impressive too now... Oh well...

Oh well, indeed! Never mind, none of us can fix the past and at least you are back to it and doing so well now. I really do admire your resilience to keep on trying. It's great to see you are back to investing in yourself and helping to make you feel good about yourself.

Stopping smoking is the gift that keeps on giving and it really does just keep on paying dividends. There is nothing to lose from not smoking and so much to gain.

jammy_dodger wrote: »

all the ones not far till my "big One ":j:j

JD xx

Good one JD, you've done so well!!

There are so many other posts I could reply to but would be hear all day but it really does warm your cockles to see new ones join in all the time and get stuck into it, clocking up minutes, hours days and weeks. Soon enough it does all add up to months and even years.

You all know I would never be where I am today without the help of all you guys and gals on MSE stopping smoking threads, old and new.

Kiwisaver_2

One of the promises I made when I stopped smoking was that I would like ultimately to get my teeth smartened up, after years of neglect and largely avoiding dentists, other than when absolutely necessary. I hated going, I hated the condescending remarks and the embarrassing stains and the tar on the backs of my teeth.

Finally I plucked up the courage, went to a brand new dentists, explained that I had stopped smoking for eighteen months and in light of this would like to get an assessment of the 'damage' and have any problems reviewed, sorted with a view to getting my teeth cleaned up, whitened and sparkly white. Well you can hope!

Anyway the dentist was hugely supportive and suggested a plan of action to replace the yuckiest of the stained fillings, fix up one or two problems, clean, polish and whiten my teeth. I got heaps of encouragement and a huge lift form talking with her. The dentist talked to me about gum disease and how there were signs that I had smoking associated gum disease which has now all but fully recovered and healthy tissue has now regenerated to that of someone who never smoked.

Seems like the dentist has been my new best friend and it has been a costly exercise with still a couple of bits to be done and I have been spreading the visits out over a period of a few months but now my teeth are tartar free and almost Persil white. They'll never be Hollywood or celebrity bright white but I don't ever remember a time they were this nice. Even as a teenager I was aware of having yellowed gnashers.

I haven't begrudged one cent of the money I have payed out, it all seems such a worthwhile thing to do with the money I have saved from not smoking. It feels great to put something back and make myself feel even more like a non-smoker than I have at anytime in my life.

As those L'Oreal ads say: 'It's because I am worth it'. :T

determined_new_ms

Kiwisaver wrote: »

One of the promises I made when I stopped smoking was that I would like ultimately to get my teeth smartened up, after years of neglect and largely avoiding dentists, other than when absolutely necessary. I hated going, I hated the condescending remarks and the embarrassing stains and the tar on the backs of my teeth.

Finally I plucked up the courage, went to a brand new dentists, explained that I had stopped smoking for eighteen months and in light of this would like to get an assessment of the 'damage' and have any problems reviewed, sorted with a view to getting my teeth cleaned up, whitened and sparkly white. Well you can hope!

Anyway the dentist was hugely supportive and suggested a plan of action to replace the yuckiest of the stained fillings, fix up one or two problems, clean, polish and whiten my teeth. I got heaps of encouragement and a huge lift form talking with her. The dentist talked to me about gum disease and how there were signs that I had smoking associated gum disease which has now all but fully recovered and healthy tissue has now regenerated to that of someone who never smoked.

Seems like the dentist has been my new best friend and it has been a costly exercise with still a couple of bits to be done and I have been spreading the visits out over a period of a few months but now my teeth are tartar free and almost Persil white. They'll never be Hollywood or celebrity bright white but I don't ever remember a time they were this nice. Even as a teenager I was aware of having yellowed gnashers.

I haven't begrudged one cent of the money I have payed out, it all seems such a worthwhile thing to do with the money I have saved from not smoking. It feels great to put something back and make myself feel even more like a non-smoker than I have at anytime in my life.

As those L'Oreal ads say: 'It's because I am worth it'. :T

Good for you Kiwi :T you are worth looking after and being healthy x

Sue-UU

mum2amelie wrote: »

Thank you very much for the warm welcome! So far so good - I actually crushed up a packet with my last 2 cigarettes before bed last night - I felt so proud of myself, as did my OH. He has stopped with me but he is nowhere near as addicted as I am and seems to be able to take it or leave it (don't ya just hate him??!! Haha). I have an app on my phone that tells me that, without doing anything, we have both saved over £3.00 this morning - that's not something that can be ignored!

How long have you all been on your journeys now?

Hi Sam and well done with crushing the fags - or they'd have done that to you in time! :mad: Good to hear both you and your OH have stopped together, you can support each other throughout and grow stronger. BTW, as men don't have hormonal problems it always seems easier for them to stop, hence him stopping when he feels like it.

I quite agree with the savings - keep it up and treat yourself/ves, you'll have earned it and it'll make you feel so good.

BTW, the length of everyone's journeys should be in the Title Bars of their posts as you'll see above - including your own of course!

Sue x

determined_new_ms wrote:

40 years!!?! Wow sooooooo impressive. You will have to give me some tips, I've "only" been with oh for 5 years so by your standards still in infancy :rotfl:

get those mits out lovely and protect yourself from scratching! We'll look out for the peeps on the quitting thread till you feel better x

Give and take, determined, that and always keep chat, romance and love alive - and everything else that goes with it - imperative!!
I've gone way passed the mits stage, I wake myself up in the night, scratching like mad. Still, at least the pills will slowly be going from my body and things should soon get better - I hope! It still could be a lot worse! I'm an optimist, D, need to be!

BTW, I know all too well you'll always keep an eye on folk and help them out. You're all marvels for that, especially our JD, bless her!

Sue x

Kiwisaver wrote:

Stopping smoking is the gift that keeps on giving and it really does just keep on paying dividends. There is nothing to lose from not smoking and so much to gain.

Hi again Kiwi! I really love the highlighted paragraph above, it's the absolute truth about stopping smoking and is just about the best we can do for ourselves, the best gift we can give ourselves! :grinheart

I'm so thrilled you've had your teeth done and that you're so proud of them. You achieved a lot to in NOT allowing that gum disease to really become a problem. Remember "oldreekie", her teeth were in a terrible state and it cost her soooo much to get them fixed, but she also has had them all done now, though I know it was so terribly painful for her, so worth it though! I know full well she won't mind me saying anything as she'd gladly do so herself.

I'm pleased you too enjoyed the Olympics. I thought I'd miss it terribly, but I've been busy since and now can honestly sad I'm ok about it. It was tremendous though and a terrific summer of sport.

Please keep on coming back, Kiwi, it's always a great delight to see folk from the past, their advise to others is always appreciated (indeed essential) too.

Sue xx

So there you are, folk, something to always bear in mind are Kiwi's words:

"Stopping smoking is the gift that keeps on giving and it really does just keep on paying dividends. There is nothing to lose from not smoking and so much to gain."

Sue x

mum2amelie

Well it's been 19 hours and I won't lie - it's been a struggle! I am using patches - I took it off when I had a bath earlier and thought I'd try to go without but it just got too much for me so I put another on. I have to say that water has been my saviour so far - I tried to have my morning cup of tea this morning and it was a huge mistake - that set off the most horrendous craving! Sipping water seems to be the best thing to keep my hands and mind occupied and it's great knowing my skin and overall health will benefit from the extra fluids

This is the longest I have gone without a cigarette in years. I really feel like I've achieved something massive already.

Current stats are 23 cigarettes not smoked (yes, I was that heavy a smoker) and £8.31 saved!! That's not including my OH!

Hope you're all getting on well

determined_new_ms

awww that's fantastic M2A :j you're doing amazingly and are through the worst of it now! Didn't want to say and freak you out at the beginning of your journey, but the first day is definitely the worst!!

yippee also to the money you have saved kerching! x

mum2amelie

Thank you determined! I'm glad you didn't say that this morning I'm heading to bed now and I'm feeling so positive! Going to go to the supermarket tomorrow and stock up on carrot sticks, celery and dip to see if it helps too :j

hannahroberts1985

:wave:Morning all,

Quick drop by before work. 4 days 8 hours and 18 mins :j

Hope you all have a good day

xx