9 replies to this topic

[Lori]

My attempts to give up smoking previously have failed.  I start the day wanting to give up but after a few hours I break and think I can always try again tomorrow.
But that tomorrow never comes, every new year or on my birthday when I say I'm going to commit myself to quitting never happens.
This time with the help of nico-gum so far I've gone 11 days and doing alright. When my will power starts to break I reach for a nico-gum and say I'm committed to quitting now, not tomorrow.  I started smoking when I was 24 so it's been 30 years of chuffing away on cigarettes, so much time and money wasted  smoking.  My son has been on my back for ages about quitting, if I got sick he would be devestated.  I know an 87 y.o. man who quit when he was 54 and he's still alive so there is hope for me yet.

[jumping151]

good luck.  11 days is a big hurdle, you're well on your way.

if you don't already, now would be a good time to take up running or something really good for your lungs.  you'll find that that cigarettes are even more distasteful once you start breathing deeply (worked for me).

and to keep it R.E.M.-centric, I went running in NYC yesterday to "Document"-- kept me going the whole time

[michaels]

Congratulations on stopping smoking. Nicotine gum helps take the edge off of the moment when it comes, but it's all in the head ultimately. When you wake in the morning, make a daily pledge not to smoke. Dont think of the rest of your life without cigarettes at the moment, as that can be a daunting thought. You have a smokers memory, that'll never leave you. But over time it becomes distant, and I guarantee you that you have made the best decision you will ever make in your life.

[Driver Nate]

As of this past October I've been tobacco free for four years and believe you me, it wasn't easy getting there. I also used nicorette gum to satisfy my urge to smoke but ultimately what did it was my own will power to quit once and for all. I wish you the very best.

[2headedcow]

I'm a smoker and every morn I tell myself to stop.  Keep up the good work,

Your story has inspired me to at least purchase a quit aid today.  I will let you know how I go.

[Lori]

Thanks for your words of encouragement all.  I don't feel tired as often and had real bad insomnia the first week but it's better now.  My husband still smokes but he's cut right down and
smokes out of my sight.  A 30 gram pack of tobacco has lasted him a whole week.  This is shocking, well I find it is now, we used to go through 5 to 6 packs a week, that was over $100 weekly. I still get the urge especially after coming home from work and after dinner, it was like a big wind down from the daily stress sitting down with a cigerette and coffee.  However I find I'm less stressed not smoking.  Now I walk around the back yard chewing nico-gum inspecting the garden and the urge to smoke quickly passes.  I'm not worried about putting on weight because  I'm fat anyway, smoking never kept me skinny, and actually I've lost 3 kg since I stopped, feel like I have more energy and moving around more.

2headedcow, on 11 January 2013 - 01:50 PM, said:

I'm a smoker and every morn I tell myself to stop.  

You can do it.  It's true what everyone has said here, it's the best decision you will ever make.  The nico-gum is really helping me, i don't think I could do it cold turkey, depends on how addicted you are.   Right now I'm on extra strength, eventually I switch to the lower dose then none at all.

[C.A.]

Good luck in your attempts to quit.  I've never been a smoker, so I can't commiserate - it just never appealed to me.  My dad quit late in life and whenever he felt the urge to buy a packet of cigarettes he bought a packet of seeds instead.  I suppose the purchase itself provided a distraction and the task of planting/tending them kept his mind off the smoking.

[Lori]

Thanks, gone into my third week of quitting which is the longest I've lasted from previous attempts.  I feel awesome, except I'm  still having episodes of insomnia, trying to get over that with camomile tea and avoiding coffee in the evenings.  I got home from work late afternoon today and instead of sitting down with a coffee and couple of cigerettes I went and staked tomato plants and my pants started falling down. The action of smoking doesn't appeal to me anymore, I really started to miss it in the second week, the one drag, only one drag but I know it will set me back, that's what I keep telling myself, I'd be one puff away from  the habit and realizing that I'm getting over it now.  Still crave nicotine but not as much and am chewing less nico-gum.  Been watching some 'smoker's lungs' and anti-smoking videos on youtube to help keep me on track.

[eva83]

How is it going? I'm sure you're doing great!

[Lori]

eva83, on 02 February 2013 - 01:52 AM, said:

How is it going? I'm sure you're doing great!

Not really, well kind of.  I'm a bit ashamed of myself.  I weakened last week and had a cig.  I've had five in the last two weeks.  It sends me on a massive head spin and an awful giddy feeling, why would I want to do that to myself. It's nothing compared to what I used to smoke but the negative is I might get back to my habit of smoking a lot.  My husband having tobacco on him doesn't help, I need to get over that.  I'm okay during the day on nico-gum, it's the evening that does me in for some reason.  I've ordered an electronic cigerette kit for when I get the urge to stop me from smoking real tobacco, I feel like I need all the anti-smoking ammunition I can get.  Wish I could do it cold turkey, I have tried that but it's never worked.  I am going to beat this addiction.  I want to.