My Quitting Smoking Diary - yours too!

Thrifty_Pixie

Hi all!

I've been here before....gave up for a year June 2010-2011....stupidly started again when we had a death in the family....now I'm back! Had my last cigarette at midnight on Sunday 7/1/13.

My husband and I tried to give up last week in our last week of hols but on day three we had a massive row and decided we'd wait until we were back at work this week. I didn't want to waste 4 days hols sleeping off the cravings! Let my co-workers bear the brunt!

Also we've decided to use nicotine replacements as we're a nightmare around each other otherwise. We plan to wean ourselves off them asap though.

So, I am armed with an electric cigarette, lozenges and gum if I need them, but so far I've used the cig only at 'crunch' times during the day and nothing else. My husband's using the lozenges and neither of us has been close to caving...yet! We'll see.

Good luck to everyone here, and a big thank you to Sue-UU for still being as supportive as ever

Peace,
TP
:coffee:

warez22

Hi Thrifty Pixie!

Good luck with your quest to give up the dreaded weed. You sound really strong and motivated, which I reckon is half the battle.

You are also lucky that you are doing it with your partner. I think this thread is an absolute godsend and Sue UU deserves a damehood!

Keep strong, stay in touch and each day as it comes.

Sue-UU

Hellloooo there Thrifty!! It's really good to see you, sad too as you've had problems. Never mind, onward again you both go.

Please see my PM as there's vital info in it re the way this particular thread is now run as opposed to the old ones.

Good to hear you're already on Day 3, well done!!!! :T

You've got to keep going this time round as you're on my "Quitters Success List" and I don't want to take you off there - no way! I'll send you another tips and advice PM as I doubt you still have the other.

All the very best this time round, Thrifty, from here on though, please let nothing get in the way of a healthy life, it's only a quick fix and NEVER solves anything, though I can understand you thinking it might after the death of a loved one.

Onward Thrifty and I'm so pleased you came back to get the support that's here for you.

Welcome back

Sue x

warez22 wrote:

I think this thread is an absolute godsend and Sue UU deserves a damehood!

Ahhh, that's so sweet thanks, warez, I just read that out loud to my SH who's still laughing! :huh: Mind you.....so am I. :rotfl:

I get your sentiments though, bless you, warez, I just try to help.

Sue x

anablle

Just checking in and how lovely to read that your all doing so well :T, well this is my seventh day and still managing to fight nic off , this is my first day off since quitting so gutted the house inside and out to keep me busy , the house looks great ,smells great, but I'm don't look great and I don't feel great I'm still not smiling !! god I wish I could just feel normal all I'm getting off everybody I meet is " are u ok ? " even the fab peeps I care for have asked if I'm ok and that's me trying to hide my true feelings (obviously not very well ) oh well ill keep going and hopefully my smile will come back .

Sue-UU

Hi anablle, looking back a couple of days I see you should be on 7 days, that's 7 whole days FREE from the beast which is truly amazing however you're looking at it!!! :T

However, it's obviously not making you feel so good at present which isn't unheard of at all, I promise you. It's a heck of a come down for many people, all to do with the dopamine levels see here http://whyquit.com/whyquit/a_symptoms.html

This is why I try hard to urge people to exercise as much as they possibly can, for many it's vital in order to get the endorphins working and make you feel much, much happier.

In all honesty, anablle, how much exercise do you do that's above what you used to do?? Please be honest as it's far better that way to be helped; if you'd sooner PM me, please don't hesitate!

Sadly, unless people understand what stopping smoking is like then they can't possibly appreciate how you're feeling, the ones who understand us best are those who are going through it with you or those who have been there at some point of their lives.

You sound as though you might be working so I can understand that you don't have many hours free, but right now do try to up the exercise. Even if it's just walking, a brisk walk outside can do wonders. Even better if you also have an exercise dvd to workout with once a day. Anything like that will help so much.

Do you have a friend who's given up at any time? If so talk to him/her/them and pour your heart out to them. Do you feel tearful at all, if so let the tears flow!! That is absolutely vital!!

Are you sleeping alright? Are you eating properly? Have you got the same energy that you had before?

If you feel tired or low since giving up smoking, anablle, please don't worry! Some people are affected by this whereas others feel completely the opposite and energised. It's just another side effect of your body adjusting to the lack of nicotine. Nicotine speeds up the metabolism to an unnaturally high level, which means that without the nicotine, your metabolism slows down to adjust. This causes your energy levels to drop and you not to feel great, but it's only temporary and will soon return to normal.

For now, boost your energy levels by avoiding sugary and processed foods. I know I say it a lot - but drink plenty of water! Have snacks consisting of seeds, nuts and dried fruit, don't have too many at a time, but a few 3 or 4 times a day do help. Take a short, brisk walk when you're feeling tired and take a break from what you're doing, it honestly does help to divert the concentration to something totally different. Then relax and always make sure you eat a good healthy breakfast which will keep you going through the morning. Try a similar healthy lunch and so forth. Your body WILL right itself anablle, just give I chance.

Meanwhile, in your spare time do things that normally give you a buzz, watch a film you love, speak to a good friend on the phone - anything that you feel at your happiest when doing it.


Keep letting us know your exact feelings, it's the only way to help!
Take care of yourself and remember this won't last too long it's just a part to be worked through. Do try to be happy that you've stopped, that your health WILL benefit so much, and that you'll save money and feel better - in time!

Be patient and kind to yourself and give us as much information as possible.

Hugs, Sue xxx

anablle

Hi sue , i don't excersice at all I work very hard caring for people with dementia which takes a lot of my time , and by the time I get home and sorted my family out ( there is only me so have to sort teenage hormones ect ) it's time to eat then bed ready for the next 7.oclock start , I know what your saying but like today my day off was sorting house /shopping etc with everything I needed to do it didn't leave me time for anything else ,the joys of single parenting that's just how my life is and to contend with giving up smoking just adds extra pressure :eek: , but I'm doing it there are many times this week I nearly brought cigs but the most important thing is I didn't :T where as on previous attempts any excuse I would've been straight down the shop . I know it will get better thousands of people can't b wrong plus it could b a combination of January blues and a rewarding but very stressful job , this thread helps tremendously i love reading how others are doing so well , aswell as being able to write how I feel because it really does help me , especially hearing your kind words sue , you are truly amazing I will get there I'll just try and do a bit more positive thinking

Sue-UU

Hi anablle and thanks for telling me more about your day/life stc.

You're right about January blues, especially if you normally suffer from them at this time. Being a single parent can't be any joy I'm sure, I don't think I could have manged our 2 alone, particularly our lad, bless him...heart of gold now and would give anyone his last penny, but a teenage horror!! :mad: Of course, if you do have a sane moment with the youngster/s then ask for some moral support..it's amazing how youngsters like to feel they're helping - that they're needed too, give them the chance at least.

I can see that your job is definitely rewarding (I did that too many years ago), but again, sadly no stimulating conversation. How about writing down your true and inner feelings in a book or on the PC just as if you're talking to a best friend.

One thing not to do this far in is to be tempted with thoughts of buying any more of those nasty little devils. You're staying remarkably strong all things considered, but I'm still inclined to think that you'd benefit enormously by any amount of totally different exercise each day.

Looking ahead a bit, but I think we need to, try at the weekend at least to have proper adult conversation to stimulate you or for you to just chat to properly even if by phone; a chat to someone who would have raise a smile.

If nothing else, anablle, be very, very proud of all you've achieved so far, you're doing wonderfully well, now THAT at least should make you smile....even if only a little bit. :grinheart

Hugs, Sue xx Here for you as we all are!

anablle

Thanx sue my girls are amazing and are really very good but I still need to keep on top of them to make sure they stay that way , I will definitely get my head round the excercise side of things once I've got my head straight ....promise . And yes you did make me smile :j see its working already x

warez22

Morning All

Slept all through again last night so that is that one all sorted!

Had a weird couple of days. I havent smoked but I keep thinking 'ok I have played at giving up, proved that I can do it, let's get back to normal now' I then have to have a word with myself that this IS normal and then carry on.

I'm not having any cravings as such, just unsettled, especially in the evening.

I even asked my OH for a fag before I went to bed last night and he said how much I would regret it, I threw my toys out of the pram, but then slept like a baby and this morning am SO glad that I didnt have one.

I keep thinking it's only a matter of time before I fall off the wagon because smoking is who I am. Totally ridiculous when you put it in black and white but I am being honest in how I am feeling.

I don't want to smoke, am doing brilliantly, so why is my mind trying to sabotage me?

Anyway, hope everyone is keeping their inner demons in check and feeling the benefits already of not smoking. Good luck.:)

Kiwisaver_2

Sorry I'm a bit late for the New Years Smober Party but I have been thinking of you all and kept meaning to come and cheer the newbies on into a fag free 2013.

I'm so very nearly at the two year mark - without checking I think it was 16th January 2011 by the time I took the final plunge, after deliberating over timing for a week or so

A new years resolution to stop smoking works its magic in so many ways; certainly health and wealth will be improved greatly and lets face it what more in life could you wish for?

Kia kaha (stay strong)