Smoking Cessation Thread.

It is so strange, when I first stopped smoking I used to always think about wanting one all the time .I'm happy to say that I hardly ever think about wanting one now.

Originally posted by freespirit
It is so strange, when I first stopped smoking I used to always think about wanting one all the time .I'm happy to say that I hardly ever think about wanting one now.

THAT is so true!! I quit smoking June 21st of this year....I was just thinking the other day that its been a long time since my last craving...I barely ever think of it....The only bad thing...Is the last craving I had was the WORST. I quit using the patch for 1 week and then cold turkey......NO weight gain I actually started eating healthy a few months before quitting....I LOST 20 lbs right before quitting smoking, since then I have stayed about the same weight....BUT I have had to cut down on the food and upped the cadio workout or I would have put the weight on...I SOOO SOOO SOOO wanted to loose my last 20 lbs before the end of the year, BUT I'm doing all I can to stay the same!!

June 8, 2004 was my quit date. It has been almost 5 months now.

Previously in my long life I have quit many times. It is true that every time I learned something from the quit even though I started smoking again.
The most important thing I learned was to prepare yourself for the quit.

Now I do still get craves, but I call them situational craves. That is when I do something that I always had to have a cigarette to do. But, those are getting farther apart now that I have found substitutes.

I see the biggest problem now is taking this quit for granted. Thinking that I have beat smoking forever. Wrong. It is an addiction and I must always be on guard .

NOT ONE PUFF EVER

Well, your success stories are encouraging and I bow down to all of you.


Now, I have to try again. I hesitate to tell cause I so don't want to admit failure again on this thread, but before the weekend is out I intend to end this. (Yes I have been planning for it and I should be ready.)

*takes deep drag*

OMGosh

I work in a lab and am seeing diseased organs close up, and it has made me decide to quit smoking on my 48th birthday coming up in a few weeks.
Check out these gross photos. I hope they persuade you to quit:

www.smokinglungs.com...

Also here are some gross photos of results of smoking:

www.smokinglungs.com...

This is a must-see!

whyquit.com...

I wish to add to this thread. I am proud to announce, after 26 yrs or so of being addicted to cigarettes, that I have now been nicotine free for 46 days! I used the patch for two weeks, then decided I did not need. Surprisingly, to me, it was not as hard to quit as I had been conditioned into thinking it would be.The first three days were the worst, and then it just leveled out. I was a heavy smoker, up to two packs a day sometimes, mostly around a pack a day.
I you want to quit smoking, You Can! Just Lay the Damn Things Down. Suck in some clean fresh air, instead of smoke. It feels great!
I will never again smoke another cigarette. Big Tobbaco is no longer funded in part by me!
I am now, Free of Nicotine!

Well it's been 4 months and some odd days and I'm still not smoking.I must say I'm very proud of myself and everyone else that has jumped on to the bans wagon.How is it going? cheers To all.

Well I' m still not smoking, but a funny thing happened yesterday as I was leaving work.I had just got into my car and all of a sudden I thought of how good a cig would taste right know. I couldn't believe it has been so long since I'd even tought about wanting one, I cann't even stand the smell most of the time anymore.I now have to loss the weight that I gained,I'm working on that now as well.
I hope everyone else is still doing good.

Three years, two months ago, I quit smoking after 35 years of being a tobacco slave. As I have read here, one must 1. prepare for the quit. 2. Truly desire to quit. My method was cold turkey. It was a tough two weeks before the nicotine craving left. I very rarely get the urge for a cigarette anymore, and have not had as much as a single puff since I quit. You were not born with a smoldering weed sticking out of your mouth. You do not need it, and can quit at will. For your own good, and for the good of your loved ones, please do.

Okay, one more time:bnghd:

Yes, I'm gonna try it again. My big mistake the last time was that DH saw me successfully making it and begged me to put it off to give him another month so he could prepare and we could do it together (I was into day 10). Probably biggest mistake of my life, since I was really doing fine that time and in the end, he bailed on me.

I am 10 days into the Wellbutrin so anytime between now and Wednesday I have to stop (Dr. said not to try till I've been on it 2 weeks, but the last time I did it on day 10.) The other thing that seemed to help was not waking up and denying myself first thing in the morning, since my day starts with coffee, cigarettes and ATS, so allowing myself to get going first on my regular routine, then just taking it hour by hour for the rest of the day once I had my act together seemed to be a big help.

Any minute now could be the last cigarette of my life - wish me luck.

Good luck relentless, hope you do well with this.

I personally haven't had a cigarette since February 7th, and this time, I have hardly had any cravings, so that is a good sign! 69 days and counting!

Hope you can join us in the non-smoking louge!

Thanks Susquehanna, I really hope to join the rest of you too.

So I had one last cigarette after writing my post 7:30 AM Sunday and that was it. I'm into day three - the biggie right? If I make it another 24 hours the nicotine is physically out of my system and I just have to fight the mental part. Right? When will I stop feeling like I want to kill anyone who does the slightest dumb thing around me? I really need my tolerance back.

I really messed up yesterday because I had to have fasting bloodwork in the morning and left so early I forgot to take the Wellbutrin. I think it was more panic than lack of it cause I don't think it clears your system that fast, but it was a rough day. I just want my calm back.

Oh Geez, look how I ended the last two paragraphs, if that doesn't explain it all. My major quit problem is that I go nuts without nicotine - literally. Oh well, everyone is going to have to deal with it this time. I need a sign on my door, I am sorry I am the beast from hell at the moment and I can't tell you when it will end, so you better get over it until I do.

Made it through day three without incident and then day four, though apparently I am being used as a secret weapon at work. I have gotten wind of the fact that if anyone in my office needs anything from a reluctant soul in the front office, they tell them it's really me who wants it and the word is out that I have quit so everyone is afraid of me at the moment.

But seriously, I somehow have gotten to day five pretty painlessly compared to other quits. I have not faltered one puff, and I think this definately makes a huge difference in my confidence to move forward, as well as my state of mind clearing up more quickly this time. Also, been doing a lot of detox type stuff - saunas, salt baths, etc. and just sleeping A LOT the first 4 days to get the nicotine at least physically cleared since I am not using any nicotine replacement therapy.

I feel relatively normal at the moment and cannot fathom risking it now. I just keep reminding myself the hell I have to go through every time I try again, and since this time I seem to be getting off fairly easy on that count, I just can't throw that away.

I know I am not out of the woods yet, but I think I see the light breaking through.

To all those that have gone before me:

Just keep with it. I was glad to read how you think about how bad it is to stop each time, i've gone through tht myself...I just remind myself the same as you, when the urge hits, chich it still does on occasion, especially on days like today was at work:bnghd:

AS an ex-smoker, i should tell you that smoking is like alchoolism... once an alchoolic always one... the same goes with the smoking.

I soked for 13, started when i was 12 and stopped when i was 25/26.

After several attempts to stop smoking i finally realize that the only way is COLD TURKEY, dont fool yourselves thinking that if you smoke less and less eventually you wont smoke ... that "AINT RIGHT"... soon youll be back to the same ammount of cigs or more.

So pack yourselves with water, Vitamic C, fruit lots of fruits ..and TONS OF WILL POWER !! all of that together should keep you up... but be ready for a struggle, cause when your brain states demanding for some nicotin you really have to have guts to turn your face and get some water instead....

so as a x-somker i wish you guys the BEEST, and that you may succed on kicking your addiction once and for all... Your wallets will thank you too !!!

and if i can help in anyway, let me know........

[edit on 21-4-2005 by BaastetNoir]

Day 7 and still on board. If I make it through today I got a week under my belt.

How could I possibly throw that away? I can't can I? Yikes! When will I be sure it's over? A friend I never knew was an ex-smoker told me yesterday that if I make it two weeks, no matter how much you miss it, you just won't do it. I hope he's right.

Yeh guys I could'nt agree more - I have been off the cigarrettes for a month now and feel tons better - keep up the good work you guys

The other thing is the money I've saved as well!! In two weeks without smoking I have saved enuf to buy and have fitted a new CD player to my car