Smoking Cessation Thread.

Originally posted by Relentless
Intrepid, you lead on this. I am still in the planning stage, so here we go.

Swallows first Wellbutrin and goes to bed.

I quit Jan 1. I used Wellbutrin as well. It wasn't as hard with the pills as without. Stayed on the meds until April. Went through withdrawal again after they got out of my system but by then I hadn't smoked in 4 months. I wasn't about to start back up.

I gained 30 lbs while quitting. I started a new diet and exercise regimen July 5th. I've lost 10 lbs since then. I feel lots better and have lots more energy and motivation.

Originally posted by duckhunter
I quit Jan 1. I used Wellbutrin as well. It wasn't as hard with the pills as without. Stayed on the meds until April. Went through withdrawal again after they got out of my system but by then I hadn't smoked in 4 months. I wasn't about to start back up.

I gained 30 lbs while quitting. I started a new diet and exercise regimen July 5th. I've lost 10 lbs since then. I feel lots better and have lots more energy and motivation.

Thanks for your story!

Intredid advised me to plan ahead so.... since I got some time before the quit date I am actually trying to lose a few pounds right now before I start.

As for the Wellbutrin, I really don't like the way I feel on it, maybe it's just that I am not sleeping very well on it for some reason. I'm bummed because if I don't start adjusting to it, I just will have to use another method since I can't tolerate not feeling like me. Oh well, still intend to pick a date on or before Aug 9th either way.


How are the 7/26 quit dates doing?

Relentless, are you taking the medication AND smoking? That may be the problem. I don't know about this med, maybe it's not good for you to do this.

Its OK on the welbutrin

its not like a patch or the gum it does not have nicotine in it. It just helps ease the cravings and make the smokes taste bad. Kinda like anabuse for smokers although it does not work for everybody

Originally posted by intrepid
Relentless, are you taking the medication AND smoking? That may be the problem. I don't know about this med, maybe it's not good for you to do this.

Actually, the directions for Wellbutrin (Zyban I think is the non-generic) is to start taking it for 10 - 14 days and then quit. It needs time to get in your system, then the cravings are suppossed to be much less severe once you stop.

It has a much higher success rate taken this way then started on the quit day as it needs time to get into your system.

I actually went 10 days last time before the Dr. gave me the right (suggested dose) and was too far gone for it to have a chance to work. I am hoping taken properly it might actually help. (I do get downright psychotic when I stop cold turkey).

Well, I can tell you that the first day was the worst day. That doesn't mean that the tricky bastards go away. Day 2 was OK. Evening of day 2 was tricky. Today is good. Just know that the HABIT will keep at you. You can deal with the addiction with pills, patch, muleheaded stubornous, BUT the habit is where it can get you. I reached the bottleneck on the highway last night and my hand reached for the smokes, only to find gum. Today, I reached the same area and I reached for my gum. BIG DIFFERENCE. Let's get through the first week, it can be done.

1. Whenever you crave a smoke, do deep breathing inhalations
and exhalations. It will satisfy the urge to inhale and exhale,
and you can imagine smoking coming in and out in a visualization
exercise to try to fool your body, when in actuality every smoke
free breath is purifying your body.

2. I once quit smoking by cracking and cleaning pecans instead
of smoking, and it worked!

3. Have a jar of water with cigarette butts in it and watch it grow
browner, and browner......as a reminder why you should stay off
cigarettes.

4. Every week set aside the money you would've spent on cigarettes,
and at the end of the week, or month, treat yourself to a reward,
i.e. how about a professional massage (a true detoxifier)!

5. Visit sauna baths if you are in good health as this helps detox
the body, as does drinking lots of water to purge yourself.

6. Take up crocheting, embroidering--anything that keeps your
hands busy. Potholder weaving on a little loom, drawing...

7. Put photos on your refrigerator like a wrinkled up smoker's face,
someone with nicotine stained teeth, someone with emphysema
on oxygen tanks...

good luck!

aWoman

i am sooooooooooooo proud of all of you that are quitting, it is hard but YOU CAN DO IT my habit was gum, and its still here, even after a month. gum and popcorn, OMG i can't get enough popcorn!!! lol. anyways, any advice i can give, i will surely try, but its all willpower to WANT to quit. you don't NEED to smoke you WANT to smoke, cut out the WANT, and the Need disappears!!! congrads, after the third day, things start rolling more smoothly, they say after three days all of the nicotene works out of your system. good luck to everyone again!!!

Originally posted by smilingsarah82you don't NEED to smoke you WANT to smoke, cut out the WANT, and the Need disappears!!! congrads, after the third day, things start rolling more smoothly, they say after three days all of the nicotene works out of your system. good luck to everyone again!!!

Very true. This is day 4, feeling good. Thanks to everyone for the encouragment, it helps.

I would gladly jump on the band-wagon, but I stopped smoking a year and 5 months ago (yeah, still counting months lol...)

But I'll say this: it was the best decision I ever made!!! There's no word to describe how better I've been feeling since then, how better I perform in sports, how better my breathe is, my teeths, etc etc...

Everything!

So keep it up, Intrepid (and others...) ! Quit that nasty disgusting habit! It's so useless anyway, and once you've quit for a while, you realise that people who smokes (especially people of the opposite sex in my case), not only they don't "look cool", they look stupid and week IMO. This might be the only thing that quitting makes you look cool.

No offense anyone, this is just my opinion. Cheers.

Originally posted by intrepid

Originally posted by smilingsarah82you don't NEED to smoke you WANT to smoke, cut out the WANT, and the Need disappears!!! congrads, after the third day, things start rolling more smoothly, they say after three days all of the nicotene works out of your system. good luck to everyone again!!!

Very true. This is day 4, feeling good. Thanks to everyone for the encouragment, it helps.

Wow Intrepid. Feeling good and on day 4? GREAT for you. I am starting to think I will make the leap on Monday. Who knows.

I quit smoking on July 1st, had my last cigarette before the ambulance took me to the hospital with acute myocardial infarction. After three days of cathetrization, angioplasty, and stent insertion, I went home to recuperate and had two drags on a cigarette and I could feel the stents around my heart arteries and never smoked again. To everyone I say stick with the quits!!! Also, just quit and tell yourself that "I will smoke no more forever". Even if you don't have a plan, just quit and do anything but smoke or even hold a cig. Take a hot bath, go for a short walk, Hang from a door jamb, or munch a few fat free pretzel stiks. I am resigned to the fact that I may be disorganized for a month or two, but that is preferrable to smoking. Besides, I don't want my cardiologist to be a loser, and I don't want to deprive my friends of my unique talents , humor and insights; so Think of all the other people you are doing this for:bnghd:

Originally posted by Relentless
Wow Intrepid. Feeling good and on day 4? GREAT for you. I am starting to think I will make the leap on Monday. Who knows.

Just be prepared for those first 2 days. Not good. Felt so good I went without the patch today. Bad idea. Stomach was tense and achy. Put it on, feeling better. Guess it's best to do things the way you are supposed to.

ONE WEEK Yahoo. How's it going with everyone else? Keep at it. If you fall off, get right back on. It can be done.

Keep at it guys! The payoff is so worth it! Everyone around you will thank you for it. GO TEAM GO TEAM GO!

Congrats Intrepid


The hard parts over

Yesterday (Sunday) I woke up at 5:30 AM and did my usual chain smoke/coffee thing at the computer. Suddenly around 8:00AM I just stopped. I did not intend to quit yesterday (I was thinking about doing it today but hadn't made a full committment), it just kind of happened. I ended up just taking it one more hour to the next. Since it wasn't my real quit day I almost rewarded myself with that "just one" before I went to bed, but I passed on that too. SmilingSarah's Ebook had prepared me for that.

Anyway here I am 24 hrs (almost) later and I seem to be fine. Maybe this Wellbutrin is really going to work. Usually by now I should be having depression, aggression and generally psychotic behavior (I know this doesn't happen to everyone, but it does happen to me - to the point I walk around bursting into tears for no reason and can't explain it).

So, yesterday was a full week on the Wellbutrin, and 3 days ago I started some quit smoking detox herbs I had lying around (I just mention it cause it may be contributing). If I make it through today..........

By the way, I have one stumbling block that I am trying to avoid - my husband. I have not told him I am not smoking since he is a smoker and I really feel he has caused me to fail in the past. (Like he doesn't really want me to quit cause it puts pressure on him to - even though I have never done that.) If my behavior becomes erratic he will recognize that I have quit too soon (he didn't seem to notice yesterday, I was still walking around with them to make it less obvious). Now that it is the work week, at least I will be out of the house for 10 hours today. Anyone know how to deal, with this feel free to butt in.

So far feeling fine and keeping my fingers crossed.

Oh, by the way Intrepid. (One for each day you made it). Hopefully I am now following in your footsteps.

Relentless, just worry about yourself, that's the person you're doing this for. I was lucky, my wife decided to quit too. She made it a week today. She also flew home for the week, most of our friends and family smoke so I'm a little concerned. Crossed fingers. But once you've been though the first 2 days the though of throwing that experience in the trash is inconcievable. I don't want to have to go through that again. Hope she sees it the same way.

Cryss and I found our motivation for quitting, it's called we spend about $544.00
a season,(136.00@month) on those things! We had no idea we were spending THAT damn much!
It's no wonder we can't seem to save up for anything. We found all our Camel Cash, which was something we've collected over a season, about 160 packs we smoked to get the cash. So we multiplied the number times the retail cost of the pack, plus tax, and walah! We spent that much to kill ourselves slowly. we could've used that money for other things, like a new car downpayment. We found our salvation in the closet. Someone gave us a bunch of free samples of "REVEL" a smokeless tobacco product, that comes in tiny pouches. They only come in two flavors, mint and wintergreen(which makes it easier to convert to gum, when were ready). Point is, yes we're on edge, but it goes away. I noticed my shirt doesn't smell like the bottom of an ashtray anymore, that's a major improvement. My house looks fabulous, cuz we kept busy, and the only thing tempting me is my own stress about work.
I want to taste things, but I have to remember my diabetes, and not eat more than a fistful of food, at a one sitting. I've been losing weight, so I'm trying to keep that up. It seems more stressful to quit sometimes, but I pull out that plastic bag of Camel Cash, with the figures on a piece of paper, and I'm reminded why I'm doing this. Good Luck to all of you!!

CONGRATULATIONS INTREPID!!! Awesome, Keep up the good work.

Relentless-
just tell your husband that your quitting smoking, then, put your foot down. Tell him that your quitting smoking and you want him to go outside to smoke. (Trust me, in order for you to quit, he needs to not smoke around you) He will, just don't give him an option. Both my husband and i tried quitting at the same time, only i suceeded. He smokes outside, because he knows that the smell tempts me. I wasn't rude about telling him to smoke outside, but he understood me. completely. He won't even smoke near me, and he only smokes when im in the car with him, if its a long trip, and the windows are all rolled down. hopefully its that way with you and your husband. He will understand, he may not like it, but if he isn't smoking in the house, it will not only be good for you, (and not being tempted) but your house will smell ten times better!!! GOOD LUCK