OT: Quitting Smoking.....

[tippMANn98]

I know I know, I am still young, but I started smoking when I was 16 :tears: , and since have smoked a pack a day for 9 years now :hammerhea :hammerhea . Its time for me to end this horrible addiction. I decided to help myself! Tomorrow 8/1/08 is my set quit day, been set for 3 weeks as I prepared myself and reduced daily smoking.

I started early, I smoked my last cig. around 9:30 this morning(7/31/08) and started my Patch regiment early, hey why not?

I am working with the American Cancer Society in aiding my journey. I have received lots of good information. Some of which brings me here today.

I was hoping that there are others here that I can (if I need) talk to about quitting, especially if you have quit smoking, and HAVE NOT GONE BACK TO IT!

Thanks all, I feel good that I have made this decision to quit, and i know it will pay off big in my future.

 

[BigAl07]

Good for you buddy! All I can offer are my thoughts and prayers to you for strength and calmness. I've never tried it and hope to stay that way.

My mother quit after MANY years by just being stubborn. Remember you're not alone and there are LOTS of people and places to get support. If you EVER need to talk or anything you have my digits and my phone is on for you. Hang in there... it will be WELL worth it (Imagine the $$$ you'll save over the rest of your life).

Hey for what it's worth.. My wife Julie taught "Freedom from Smoking" classes for a long time at her last employer. If you need anything just let me know.

HANG IN THERE DOOD!!

 

[tippMANn98]

Thanks allen, so far so good. And I know its a psychological addiction as much as the nicotine. I feel I have a strong enough mind to get through it...

$$$ yes, I did the math, it works out to around $125-150 a month.

 

[lcstorc]

Not sure if I count.
25yrs smoking.
3 1/2 months quit.
Since Feb trying to quit but didn't quite make it. Mid April finally did it.
Best thing to tell you is just because you break down doesn't mean give up. (I did lots of times). Other big advice is not to have them near you. If I want to smoke, I have to get up, go to my car, drive to the store and buy cigarettes. It helped that I changed jobs so I don't have my "smoking buddies".

 

[tippMANn98]

Lynn, you count! If you want to get back to quitting, maybe we can help each other?

 

[lcstorc]

Oh I have quit. 3 1/2 months since I have smoked one. The 2 months before that I was trying to quit but didn't make it for more than a week or two. Finally made it through the worst of it so I am not going back.
I once asked my dad how he quit smoking for good. His response was one I remember every day. "Quitting was the hardest thing I have ever done. I am not going to have to do that again."
Scared me off for a while but once I made a couple of weeks I knew what he meant and remember his words frequently.

 

[tippMANn98]

ooooooooohhhh, I thought you quit and had a regression...I get you now....Good, you can be a councilor for me...if thats cool with you...I will PM you when I get these cravings!

 

[lcstorc]

No problem

 

[Annie742]

Well I just quit 8 wks ago.
Oh it will pay off!

Here is why I quit.....

I had a heart attack 8 weeks ago.
I'm still off work because I had to have a bypass. Not fun. I "might" not have a job when I can go back to work.
So here I sit.

Yes it's hard. But you don't want to have any bypass surgeries in your future.


Your young, but heart attacks can happen to anyone at any age!

You can do it! I want one EVERY day!!! It's hard....

But I don't want to die either. And neither do you!

Whats odd is that I have had people telling me I needed to quit. I could die....I almost did.

 

[BigAl07]

Annie sorry to hear about your problems but it sounds like you're on the right track now. Hang in there and ENJOY your tank(s)

Your young, but heart attacks can happen to anyone at any age!

EXACTLY! A good child-hood friend of mine just had a heart attack.... and he's 38..... I'm 37 so that really hit home!!

Your heart lungs and whole body will be so much better off because of your quitting!!

 

[tippMANn98]

Im sorry annie, Not to use you as an example, but I have read way too many stories like this. I am scared to death of something like that happening to me, not to mention it would hurt my wife so very badly to not have me around anymore.

Im feeling good about this.....Moral is HIGH.

 

[Annie742]

Im sorry annie, Not to use you as an example, but I have read way too many stories like this. I am scared to death of something like that happening to me, not to mention it would hurt my wife so very badly to not have me around anymore.

Im feeling good about this.....Moral is HIGH.

OH by all means you CAN use me as an example!

I was one of the stupid ones thinking "Oh that will NEVER happen to me."

Yes, it's very hard on the family too. People forget.... when anything happens to them, it includes all their family and friends.

 

[Woodstock]

I am a successful quitter!

I quit back in October of 2006 and have not touched another one
I just quit cold-turkey with no medications but lots of prayer

I've done very well and have not cheated once. Although once I did DREAM that I took a 'puff' of a cig ... when I awoke, I was VERY angry with myself! LOL

 

[tippMANn98]

Alright, another one!!! I think If I have any issues I will have PLENTY of people to yell at me and tell me NO! or just help along the way!

 

[lcstorc]

I'm good at telling other people no. I am bad at telling myself no.

 

[Annie742]

I'm good at telling other people no. I am bad at telling myself no.

Same here :LOL:

 

[Gina]

I smoked for about 32 years and stopped about 5 years ago.
There are still days that it hits me...how good a cigarette would be right now!
The stressful times are hard mostly because it was a habit to smoke when you were stressed or depressed about something.
I have not smoked in 5 years but, I'm still gaurded about it and don't feel that I will ever completely stop thinking about it.
I consider it to be like a recovering alcoholic, I believe that if I smoked even just one cigarette, I'd be hooked again!
I wish you much success! You can do it, you just have to be very determined!

 

[tippMANn98]

Thank you gina, i'll add you to the "look at all the others who can" list.

 

[CATALYST]

I smoked about a pack and a half a day for about 10 years. I would light my next cig with my last. I too added up the amount of money I was spending. I decided that I would reward my self for quitting and put all of my cig money toward a new car. I can't believe that I could buy a whole car with the amount of money I was spending. I quit in 2000 and haven't had one since. You can't have just one.
I found that pounding on a 2x4 with a hammer helped. I also tried to stay really busy and going for walks helped. It reminded me about breathing all that fresh air I was missing out on. I think drinking coffee without the cig was the hardest. Take each minute as it comes and push on through. It gets easier the longer you go.
Stay positive!!

 

[tippMANn98]

Whew, I cant imagine me going to the bar and having a few beers now! I forgot about that, its when I probably smoked the most.