The Giving Up Smoking Thread!!

basilcat7

JoeHel wrote: »

heh heh ... bit hard to tell with some of our usernames isn't it chick!

Yes, I know mine is just as misleading... but I'm definitely a girl ... no man could EVER talk this much, eh TNG?! :rotfl: :rotfl:

Ha ha- exactly.... I go on and on and on !!!

I have a cat called Basil (funny that) and she is a girl too... we thought she was a boy, then paid a trip to the vets.. oh dear. Its not the one in my avatar though- that's Minnie. And she's a girl with a girl's name ....;)

TNG

JoeHel wrote: »

heh heh ... bit hard to tell with some of our usernames isn't it chick!

Yes, I know mine is just as misleading... but I'm definitely a girl ... no man could EVER talk this much, eh TNG?! :rotfl: :rotfl:

I gasp in awe at your proficiency and prolific-ness, JoeHel

It might get on me nerves if it wasn't 100% bona fide sound solid brilliant advice

you crack on

basilcat7

Evening all..How's everyone ??

Had a craving earlier brought on by my pay rise!!! left work and immediately thought 'I'll have a cigarette to celebrate' then I remembered I'd given up !! why is is when stressed or happy - i.e the weekend... we reach for the fags ? So we are using them for good and for bad situations- or maybe it's just any excuse..

it's weird but the longer I have given up the more clear headed and peaceful I feel about everything.... I don't think it helps stress, I think it causes it and the same with alcohol !!

As Allen Carr says ( I have his stop drinking book too) it's putting poison into your body and why would you want to do that ?

I'm not going to go as far as giving up drinking but it's all just making me think... I feel more in control and grown up if that makes sense ??

Sorry if I'm going on and on, just being a bit thoughtful about it all this evening.

:think:

melbury

I know, sometimes I just think I will light up and then remember that I don't smoke anymore!!! Quite a shock to the system. Hopefully it will start to fade into a distant memory.

suki1964

Thanks for the welcome everyone, and welcome to those that joined today:wave:

Nearly through day two. A bit tougher today as the thoughts of "one wont harm" have been creeping in but am resisting and telling myself one will be one too many and I'll no longer be a non smoker. The "habit" and "reward" ciggies are the ones Im struggling with. I get a craving, go off and do something to keep my mind off it, then want to reward myself with a smoke for getting something done - madness.

One good thing, the smell of smoke on anyone else is really making me feel ill already, maybe I will get to be one of those boring "ex smokers" yet

Joehel, Champix is being hailed as the latest wonder drug in the fight against nicotine addiction. It IS an antidepressant but has been found to have a high success rate for those wanting to give up smoking (Ive heard up to 60%) Doctors can prescribe for up to three months. You take them for at least a week before your quit date and hopefully you manage to get through withdrawal relatively painlessly (as I am so far) and keep you off them long enough for you to break the habit of smoking.As with all methods you still need will power and determination

For me its my last chance. I have COPD which is progressing quite quickly now (im 43) and Ive had a constant chest infection and cough since Sept. Ive wanted to give up for the past four or five years, the fear of the pain and the failure has stopped me trying again - until now.

Just wish I never ever picked up that first one

JoeHel

suki1964 wrote: »

Thanks for the welcome everyone, and welcome to those that joined today:wave:

Nearly through day two. A bit tougher today as the thoughts of "one wont harm" have been creeping in but am resisting and telling myself one will be one too many and I'll no longer be a non smoker. The "habit" and "reward" ciggies are the ones Im struggling with. I get a craving, go off and do something to keep my mind off it, then want to reward myself with a smoke for getting something done - madness.

One good thing, the smell of smoke on anyone else is really making me feel ill already, maybe I will get to be one of those boring "ex smokers" yet

Joehel, Champix is being hailed as the latest wonder drug in the fight against nicotine addiction. It IS an antidepressant but has been found to have a high success rate for those wanting to give up smoking (Ive heard up to 60%) Doctors can prescribe for up to three months. You take them for at least a week before your quit date and hopefully you manage to get through withdrawal relatively painlessly (as I am so far) and keep you off them long enough for you to break the habit of smoking.As with all methods you still need will power and determination

For me its my last chance. I have COPD which is progressing quite quickly now (im 43) and Ive had a constant chest infection and cough since Sept. Ive wanted to give up for the past four or five years, the fear of the pain and the failure has stopped me trying again - until now.

Just wish I never ever picked up that first one

Hi Suki. That's what intrigued me about champix - that it's not a nicotine replacement thing. I don't know anyone who's tried it. I was going to ask the doctor for it if I didn't manage to do the cold turkey thing. I'd love Joe to be able to try it but he's on anti-depressants already so I don't think they'd let him.

I remember day one and two as being quite a challenge and I found it really hard to concentrate and just felt really light-headed. The third day was a little bit better and then day four was definitely better. In the first week there were times when I had massive pangs but I just thought positively and they went in no time. You have such a good reason to keep going Suki, just hang on in there. The "habit" ones will gradually ease away as you do things without the ciggie. I promise it doesn't take long to get used to doing the same things without fags and they soon feel normal. You stop thinking about smoking nearly so much.

When you think about it realistically, I think you deserve a better "reward" than sucking smoke into your poor lungs. It's not much of a reward, is it. Not compared to lovely clean breath and letting your lungs start to clear and heal themselves.

It's the drug addict in us all that starts our quit trying to barter and work out if we can have one little fix a day. To quit, we have to accept that to stay smoke-free we can never have another puff. Once we accept that, and just get on with it, life is so much easier!

WelshWoofer

Hello again and thanks to all that posted their advice and best wishes.
Still going strong and seem to be OK.

It never occured to me that having the gum after not smoking or having replacments etc would infuse me with nicotine again!
Will definitely try harder to not use it - I haven't caved in yet - I guess its just like a security blanket!

Its Weds AM here in Japan now and I'm just off to work - people smoke any where and everywhere here - even in the office!
Feeling quite self righteous though and the best thing so far is that my hair hasn't smelt of smoke for days now and I'm far less self conscious about ponging!

suki1964

JoeHel wrote: »

It's the drug addict in us all that starts our quit trying to barter and work out if we can have one little fix a day. To quit, we have to accept that to stay smoke-free we can never have another puff. Once we accept that, and just get on with it, life is so much easier!

This I know all too well, Im also an alkie 9 years into recovery - its the same steps really Just my luck my two "best friends" bit me in the bum

But you know I found the whole detox and withdrawal from booze so much easier and believe me thats no walk in the park But quitting smoking has defeated me and then the fear of failing and the fear of the pain has stopped me trying again - untill now and this time Im determined to see it through

I dont know about the champix and other antidepressants. Because of my own personal history. I couldnt use the last tablets they were advocating and I didn't think I could take these either but according to the nurse who's overseeing my quitting the only contradiction is if you are already clinically depressed with suicidal tendencies as champix can make them worse. it may well be worth going in for a chat with your gp?

Anyway time to pop my pill and hit the nest with day two safely under my belt. Today I didnt smoke and I dont plan to smoke tomorrow

Well done everyone who didnt smoke today :T:T:T

MJay

Hi Suki & Rachael!
You are both doing great!!

Suki, at one point in my career I worked with heroin users. Many fought through and came off completely but still couldn't get shut of the cigs. The two drugs that are the most lethal are the two legal ones: cigs and alcohol. The tide is clearly turning against nicotine. Well done you for dealing with the latter.... You are clearly someone with all the right attributes to kick the weed. keep it up, you're getting there.

Oh Rachael, I love that you are already finding the positives in being smoke free! I hate it when I take things out of the cupboard that I last used before giving up... Yuk!! The smell.... I've said it before on this thread.... I can now pick out the smokers as I pass them in a shop.... What a wondeful going home present you have given your self from this trip!

I have just passed my TWO WEEK MILESTONE!!!

Will admit to struggling a bit on and off today and I cannot figure out why... never mind, "This too shall pass..."

Nite, nite and big congrats to all of us!

I_love_Airedales

Hello all you quitters. I gave up smoking 25/7/07 with the great help of this thread. Many thanks to Jo for starting the thread and IDA too.
I chose Champix to help me give up and it was for me an easy way to give up. You are eased off smoking and on the 8th day you stop. At this stage you have to make a bit of effort.
I started doing lots of excercise in the fresh air and I really felt great. There are so many benefits that you have yet to experiance. The fresh breath, pink tongue, people not backing away from your smelly breath, clean hair, bright eyes, lovely clear skin, breathing easier, no hacking cough and loads more to look forward to.
Take care all, keep on quitting it is worth a bit of hassel to feel as good as you will in a short time.
Hi Jo & IDA
Best wishes ILA