25 Year Smoker Ready To Quit! Support thread!

reply to post by Greenize


I was a hard core smoker for 24 years. I quit smoking using nicotine gum. Just chewed all the gum I wanted. Cravings for an actual smoke continued off and on for a few months. After about a year of chewing the gum I just started tapering off and substituting with regular gum. The nicotine gum is a lesser of the two evils and you could potentially chew it forever if you needed to and it will not give you cancer.

reply to post by Greenize


Hi friend.
I myself have been smoking for 30 years.
I actually love smoking and smoke around 30/40 a day.
I've tried stopping several times, patches, gum, inhalators.

Even the thought of quitting breaks me out in a cold sweat.

Until recently.

My daughter bought me an e-cig for fathers day, and this is my 3rd day
without a real smoke, a record for me.

The thing that helps me with the e-cig is the whole effect.
You inhale and get the throat hit then blow smoke rings.
Whilst it is the early stages this is the best thing I have ever
tried to help me quit smoking and if this doesn't work i'll happily
smoke the rest of my life away with real smokes.



[edit on 9-7-2009 by jimbo2167]

[edit on 9-7-2009 by jimbo2167]

reply to post by Greenize


Well, good luck my friend I really hope you win.

I am a 30 a day smoker,let's see ah, 32 Years .

I have not had tobacco, will be exactly 3 weeks tomorrow.

Over the years I tried and failed everything, 3 weeks ago after watching this (below) youtube video I took delivery of Ecigarretes.

Boy I cannot believe how easy it has been, really easy, granted I'm still addicted to nicotine, but what the hell nicotine doesn't kill you.



Mods, this is not an ad for a product, the vid is but one of a compilation reviewing several.

good luck greenie , with your inspiration and everyone else here on ATS , i too am going to try to quit this friday the 10'th.... i will suffer along with you and the others here who wish to join. i have been a more than a pack a day smoker for about 23 years.. i love it and despise it at the same time. i wish you all the best of luck. god bless

Remember the Three rule

3 hours
3 days
3 weeks
3 months

Each one of those is a goal to reach in quitting any habit, over drinking, smoking, drugs, coffee whatever the fixation.

Once you hit 3 months the hard part is over, your body is no longer dependent on that substance.

From there on it's all in the mind.

reply to post by Greenize


I quit smoking two years ago. I smoked for 20 years. I started very young. The best (although the hardest) way to quit is cold turkey. After being smoke free for two years I honestly don't know why I ever smoked to begin with. The rewards from quitting will start soon after you quit. Your energy level will increase dramatically, your five senses will be like never before, and the best part.....thought process improves. The money you save is definitely a good thing too!

I think the key to quitting smoking is that you got to want to quit for the right reasons. Do it for yourself. No one can make or scare you into doing it. If you can get past the first three day's (which I believe you can) the rest is easy.

Try having some baby carrots available in a sandwich baggy. Instead of reaching for a cigarette reach for a carrot instead. This helped me get through the first three days.

S&F for you, for having the bravery of taking on this endeavor. When you quit you'll be glad you did.

reply to post by TheMythLives


have u made them quit yet?

You have some great ant-cheat devices going on! I loved the sharpie hash mark you did, excellent idea. I'm a bit concerned about someone stopping caffeine and nicotine all at once though. I would go and have my blood pressure checked quite a bit the first couple of weeks to make sure it wasn't shooting through the roof with two things to go through withdrawals on.

Originally posted by lellomackin
Good luck man!!!

It's hard, but doable.

I'll give you some crazy counter-intuitive advice.

Try to quit coffee at the same time. I know it sounds like it would make it worse, but for me it didn't.

First of all, like you said, the coffee is a huge trigger. I also found booze (obviously) and oddly enough sugar to be a trigger.

Secondly, I found if I wanted to cheat, I would have a cup of coffee and consider that the big cheat for the day and the little buzz I would get from not having caffeine for a few days would augment the nicotine I was missing.

Another weird thing I did was when I would break down and have a smoke, I would take a sharpie (seriously the permanent marker kind) and draw a hash mark on my arm. I told everyone I was doing this so basically I set myself up as to where there was no "sneaking" a smoke. When I did cheat the momentary satisfaction was left with a permanent reminder that I was cheating.

Anyway, that probably all sounds weird, but try to find something that you can relate to that will help you get through it.

Oh, and another thing, put the money you would have spent on smokes in a jar everyday. After a month, besides the health benefits, you will se a real tangible reason for quitting.

Best of luck.

reply to post by Greenize


I smoked for 20 years. I started when I was 12 yrs old. I haven’t had a cigarette since February.

The lozenges and gum help a lot and should be used for 90+ days, I used them for more. After this time you will notice that some days you can go for a long while after waking up and not need a lozenge or the gum, choose a day like this to dump the lozenges or gum.

I still crave cigarettes, and catch myself wandering around looking often. It’s not easy friend. You have to stick with it, even one cigarette is like starting over so don’t smoke any after you quit.

I turned into a real asshole for a couple weeks after dumping the lozenges, so you may want make sure your family is prepared.

P.S. before I quit I had this constant flem in the back of my throat, that went away after just a few days and now I can breathe like I did when I was a kid. That’s the motivator for me, and I think motivation is very important to kick this habbit.




[edit on 9-7-2009 by Donkey_Dean]

... The good news is, ... regardless of how long you've smoked, ... the lungs will begin healing immediately after you quit, ... you may even notice a difference in a day or two. ...... and if you take apple pectin, or eat apples, .... healing is dramatically increased.

... as far as cravings, ... that surge of anxiety you get ?? .... remember it only lasts about five minutes, you are stronger than your impulses.

Why is this post even on ATS. Maybe I should start posting about my hemmeroids and what the best remidies are.

Smoke these....

There are many methods to quiting the habit of smoking available to the public now. My personal feeling about many of these is ...you are simply replacing one for another with some of the methods available. I found what helped me in the end was to just quit cold Turkey with no help. You will have withdraw symptoms for about 1-2 weeks then you see a gradual improvement in your skin,hair,disposition and most of all you will have a dramatic increase in energy. The increase in energy was what I noticed the most. I was not tired all the time any more....I wish you all the support in the world my friend...Good luck

reply to post by coacoathunder


I've heard Preparation H, Tucks, or a few extra pillows does wonders for hemorrhoids.

this is exactly what we want to see on the front page of a conspiracy website!
Yeah!

Good luck, but next time use BTS...

reply to post by Greenize

Hi!
Just like you I had been a so called "heavy smoker" (30 - 50 cigs per day) for almost 35 years.
My doc urged me to quit because I suffered from asthma etc..
During my years as a smoker I had at least a dozen times when I tried quitting. All with negative success. Even my daughter Rabea said: "Dad, I suppose you will smoke all your life".
Then I bought this special book: "Endlich Nichtraucher" in English: "The Easy Way To Stop Smoking, by Allan Carr".
Some of my friends told me about (for 2 years he is not an addict since reading it).
So I read it, and the wonder happened. I am free from nicotine now (for half a year).

It´s really easy - I swear. And as well I swear, that I don´t get money from Allen Carr! ;-)
I know, what you fear but you won´ loose anything but gain a better health!
I wish you succeed in quitting!

I would also recommend the E cigarette as an aid to quit smoking. You do still get the nicotine but not the chemicals.

I quit cold turkey several years ago and stupidly went back to smoking.
I have not quit yet but I know when I make the commitment to do so the e cig will help.

It does take a commitment to yourself.
Good luck, I wish you all the success in the world!

reply to post by Greenize


I am a non smoker and I can tell you my story that gang were ready to kill me in 6th grad to smoke with them but I refused. I looked at smoking as poison and never touched it. I am retired now and up in the age. It is the attitude how you look at things. You are the winner to step away from smoking. If you put 3 or 4 pieces of cumin in your mouth and chew on it, you wouldn't have any problem to quit smoking. You can carry cumin (spice) in your pocket. Any time you feel the urge to smoke, just put a few pieces of the spice in your mouth.

I am throwing all the good juju i have your way. Hopefully you can kick the habit.

I started yesterday. I am broke and can't afford any more so I figured now is as good a time as ever.

man, i need a smoke!
i'm a on again off again smoker. i'm on again, nerves due to moms illness and almost death. just an excuse, i know.
anyhow, for me, an extended backpacking trip into the woods is the easiest way to quit. don't bring any. and make sure to stay out of bars and away from friends who smoke. a real friend will not smoke around you and be understanding.

[edit on 9-7-2009 by rubbertramp]