Quitting smoking. Anyone want to buddy up and join me.

Hey peeps I'm quitting smoking on the 28th of Sept for the fourth time.

I need to make it permanent this time and wondered if anyone out there fancied joining me in quitting and buddying up. Everyone I socialise with is a smoker. It's a nightmare.

So come on guys who is with me? Someone? Anyone? Help! Please....

Unfortunately for you I already quit, but I do wish you luck!

A few tips would be to avoid alcohol (if you drink) for a bit, 'cause cigs and booze go together superbly.

Get all your ash trays cleaned and out of your site, you don't need the reminder.

Good luck and stay strong!

gave up last new-years... don't smoke at all now.

Good luck to you though.

It's tough at first but you can do it

reply to post by sharps


I'm a shiney new member to ATS. Have been avidly reading for a few months but haven't been motivated to join until your post.

I quit smoking 2-1/2 months ago after 1) smoking a pack-a-day for 19 years and 2) having 'quit' at least a dozen times in that period. I never made it past the first week before. This time I simply knew I could do it, that I no longer wanted to be a smoker. I still get crazy cravings and experience bouts of what all us ex-smokers can call junkie rationalizations. But I am still smoke free and much, much, much happier. Beat the junkie rationalizations and you can beat the withdrawl. Our lives and those that care for us are worth it

Be strong, be good to yourself if you have momentary lapses of reason, and keep your focus having a day without 'junkie thoughts.'

reply to post by NoArmsJames


Yeh that's good advice, thanks. I've never chucked the ashtrays before, just buried them at the back of a cupboard. I guess I always knew I'd be needing again. Not this time though....but they are very very nice ashtrays especially the giant 70s pub ashtrays I've got... Doh

reply to post by blupblup


Gawsh I'm touched by the link cheers, it brought a smile to my face after what has been a painful day at the hospital.

I haven't had one supportive person in my social life because they're all smokers and smokers very much do not like others leaving the herd. They've been saying, 'see you saturday' all week and I'm going 'no you won't I quitting, I'm quarantining myself for a two weeks.

Double post sorry Mods

[edit on 25-9-2009 by sharps]

reply to post by squirrelwhisperer


Welcome to ATS shiny new squirrelwhisperer. I feel honoured that you chose to register to lend me your moral support, thank you.

I've quit for 6 and 9 months respectively before. The problem was I never got past having constant chest infections. I started smoking again just to feel well. I have a history of ear nose throat and lung problems so I'm keeping my fingers tightly crossed this time, what with winter on the way and swine flu. I'd rather start smoking again than take the vaccine.

Anyway, thanks for your support guys, see you on the boards.

Just a warning....the majority of heart attacks occur almost immediately after attempts to quit smoking. So, you might check with your doctor.

Good luck.

-Dev

i do it with you. i quit last week but had a relapse when i fell into a depression. i smoked my last cigarette today.
i'm off the smokes i just hope i can stay off

It's coming to the end of my 15th day and so far touch wood I haven't been tempted to smoke. I also haven't yet had all the horrible side effects I got the last two times I quit.

I am slightly cheating though because I'm on 'step two' patches and have a nicotine inhaler. So far I've had two days where I was busy and forgot to put on a patch entirely. I also go for days without using the puffer and as a result I'm only on my third capsule in total.

It hasn't been all good though.

On day one, by the time I managed to get my perscription from the chemist I was already 14 hrs into it. As I pulled over to park outside the chemist a woman nipped in and straddled the two car space. The red mist came down and I just lost it with her. Her ignorance just pushed all my buttons. I was so loud they heard it in the chemist. Needless to say she abandoned her trip to the Post Office next door and drove off presumably to come back at a safer time. Prior to that I hadn't raised my voice in Anger in at least six months.

I also had another two days later. My landlords contractor was doing doing the guttering and soffits and they tangled my tv aerial cable, pulling it loose so I lost all non satellite TV. Which for me means half my channels and about 5 of my favourites. I complained and so a supervisor came round who wound me up so much I demanded he get off my property immediately and was so vocal and forceful that my landlord came to see me an hour later. 4 promies later despite promises they have still not repaired it.

Since then things have settled somewhat, but I've broken skin several times on my knuckles from hitting the wall. I've just got a punch bag so hopefully that will help.

The hardest part for me is the last ciggy of the day, I'm really missing them.


reply to post by thing fish


hi there Thing

sorry about the delay I only just noticed there were additional posts today. Depression has been a major part of my life and relationship with ciggies too, so I can sympathise.

I hope you're still off the smokes, either way please come back to the thread and let me know how you're getting on.

it's going pretty well. i crave smokes pretty bad still but i am not giving in. it's hard cause where i work everyone smokes. makes me want one you know.

reply to post by thing fish


Thats great news. I'm still on the wagon too, but I am still using an inhalator. I was on patches for 3 weeks. Then I was housebound and couldn't refill my prescription. So since then I've been on the inhalator. Never went back on the patches and I'm averaging one capsule every six days rather than the expected rate of six a day. If I get really stressed, am really craving it or I'm with smokers I have a couple of puffs and I'm sorted.

I'm now at the stage where ciggies are not the first thing I think of upon waking (or second after a pee). The last one at the end of the night though is the one I'm still craving. I've also put on nine pounds already.

reply to post by sharps


Me I'll buddy up with you. I quit today.

Got my patches, gum, and my funny plastic cigarette things. And it was all free dont you just love the NHS.

EDIT: It was reading this thread yesterday, and the fact that at last Ive come to my senses, that finaly pushed me into it.

So thanks.

[edit on 13-11-2009 by Agent-ATS]

Originally posted by Agent-ATS
reply to post by sharps

 

Me I'll buddy up with you. I quit today.

Got my patches, gum, and my funny plastic cigarette things. And it was all free dont you just love the NHS.

EDIT: It was reading this thread yesterday, and the fact that at last Ive come to my senses, that finaly pushed me into it.

So thanks.

[edit on 13-11-2009 by Agent-ATS]

Hey buddy, you gotta love that NHS.

I too have at last come to my senses and you hit it on the head, thats exactly how it felt for me too. The time was right, I kind of thought to myself 'you were never meant to be a smoker'. Tell you what though it seriously messed with my sleep the first three weeks. I was having extremely vivid dreams about subjects I hadn't thought about since early primary school (5-8 yrs). I remembered an entire section of my life which I'd have denied was true a few weeks ago, but I checked with me ma and it was all real.

reply to post by sharps


I quit before for over a year, then my uncle died of cancer he never smoked a day in his life. So at the funral i thought screw it and started again.

But im going all out this time. And to be honest i didnt find it that hard before. The gum really helped but the side effect of the hicups was a pain in the ass.

reply to post by Agent-ATS


I tried gum too, I didn't get hiccups but I got really bad indigestion and heart burn. I also gave up before, twice for 6 months each time. I felt awful the whole time, had repeated chest infections and started smoking again just to feel well. Both times previously I quit in spring hoping to be well by winter. It never happened, so I thought quit in the autumn and see what happens. Touch wood no problems so far. The 'no smoking' in pubs has been a massive help this time too. Another help is that I use half the cash I save to pay down debts and the other half goes on CDs.

Update: day 3

I was told by the girl at the chemist, to really take a hard "lug" on the inhalator to get it started.

I sucked on that thing like I was sucking a tangerine threw a straw.

What a %^$£$ that women is lmao............it burnt the back of my throat like no cigarette has ever done, induced a coughing fit, and made me cuss her out loud.

Advice DONT suck it too hard, nice gentle puffs will be fine. But I must admit it is doing its job and working a treat. I’ve had enough of the gum; they give me jaw ache, and hiccups.

But now I’m walking about with what looks like a plastic Tampax in my mouth.

Nice image ha’.

Day 5 - Well done and congratulations, pat yourself on the back. For the several times in the past that I've quit I found that the hardest part was taking the first step.

Doh! Silly girl. As you have now found out it only takes 2 or 3 normal puffs to get it going.

I fell off the wagon on Saturday with one ciggy. God it felt good. I forgave myself because of the stress I was under. Just bought a mac mini and new magic mouse. On the third time of use it failed. I found a cheapy usb mouse lying around but it was a nightmare in use and I got so wound up that I attempted to throw it. Of course the mac mini through acrsos the room after the mouse. The result, one #ed new mac mini, two #ed Mice and a ciggy for me. Oh and I hit the punch bag so hard it broke the bathroom door.

I guess I must have anger issues! So I've made a promise to myself to walk away when I'm stressed so as to deny that urge to smash stuff up.