Daily Check-in Part VIII...

[Ann]

Part 8 of this thread continues here.

To read Part 7, just click on this link...

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...ml#post2258237 (Daily Check In; Part VII)

[Impurrfect]

(((Sax))) your post cracked me up I was doing really well at not gaining weight, other than the same 5 pounds I would gain and lose, back and forth, but I think it's going to become a problem if I don't watch it. I've been grazing a bit more and I know it will add up.

((Kooks)) hugs and prayers for you and your brother.

I bought myself a new blackberry phone to celebrate not smoking for 2 months It's going to take me a while to figure it out, but so far I like it!! It wasn't nearly as expensive as I thought, and the cost it added to my bill each month is less than a carton of cigarettes, so there! The best part is, I have SR friends I e-mail, and now I can e-mail them from work, when it's slow, rather than go outside and take a smoke break.

Hugs and prayers!

Amy

[historyteach]

I'm doing it again. I'm now at One month, two days, 10 hours, 49 minutes and 14 seconds nicotine free.That's 669 cigarettes not smoked, saving $200.70. Life saved: 2 days, 7 hours, 45 minutes.

I'm not gonna say a thing. Just gonna remain grateful.

Nais gadol haya po!

Shalom!

[Aysha]

Well.I am smoking. I really dont feel too guilty about it either.

I bought a pack today. Dont know why. And dont really care at this point.

I am going to quit again after this pack. I hope I am not a chronic relapser with this too.

I may have to just face it and accept I may just be one of those that will be like this forever.

But I hope not.

[tuffenuff]

I am 168 days quit. I will admit that I caved when my dear doggie died a couple of weeks back, bought a small pack (10), smoked it whilst drinking and then got back on the wagon.

I am not re-setting, I consider that just a small bump in the road. You know what? They didn't even taste good. I think it was more the comfort of the act or something like that........

Anyways, all back to abnormal now!

[KOOKS]

Thanks for your kind words.......my brother showed signs of improvement last night. I hope and pray he keeps getting better.

I still haven't smoked. God only knows how I've not caved in, to cigarette's or alcohol. I suppose it's seeing my brother fighting for breath on oxygen and then on life support and knowing he gave up alcohol years ago for the sake of his wife and family.

Don't worry about the relapses guys, you can always try again.


Good luck everyone.

[Dime]

Let's see so far 2,708 cigarettes not smoked, $645.03 saved and 16 days added to my expected lifetime. I'm just not thinking about smoking at all and everything has been fine except for the weight I have gained. I will have to stop eating junk and put some effort on eating healthier for starters. I have 90 days into the quit today.

Amy that is fabulous that you bought a Blackberry and can use your cig savings to pay for it. It adds up quick.

Kooks I am glad to here your brother is doing better and that you are making it without drinking or smoking. When I think about booze and cigs now I just think how much stress they would add to my life.

For those that had a bump and have gotten back on the quit Congrats! Your body remembers the cigarettes you didn't smoke and the money savings for quit were still saved.

[historyteach]

Today, I'm One month, one week, three days, 5 hours, 2 minutes and 17 seconds nicotine free. That's 824 cigarettes not smoked, saving $247.26. Life saved: 2 days, 20 hours, 40 minutes.
Nais gadol haya po!
Wouldda been over four months if I hadn't have slipped for those two weeks.
I should have just done what Tuffenuff did; cuz it *was* just a slip. Oh, well. Hope there will not be a next time!

Shalom!

[KOOKS]

Thanks Dime, My brother is doing better in the sense that the initial problem has cleared,(if you pm me I'll fill you in) his lungs are bad though and he is in intensive care and is sedated most of the time. At least the doctors know what they are dealing with now! Not been able to visit since he went on life support, only his wife and kids. They say his recovery could be a long slow process.


I think I'm going to be piling on the weight if I'm not careful. (((Astro))) I've missed WW's the last two weeks. I might go back on Saturday. I've been eating all the wrong foods though, burgers, ice-cream, cakes etc!!

I'm going to do something about the gym I had planned ages ago and done nothing about it. Take my stress out on the treadmill!!

I've not had a cigarette for about 2 months and 3 weeks. I know I go on about keeping positive no matter what but recently I've been stressed out, tearful, angry, frustrated and not very positive at all at times but I still didn't smoke......now that amazes me. It would have been really easy to start again but I didn't....I'm baffled!!

Keep up the good work folks, it's worth it!

[Impurrfect]

((Kooks)) - I am so impressed that you are still not smoking with all that's been going on with your brother.

I slipped, the other day, and my reason was really stupid in hindsight A coworker and I got into an argument. Afterward, the rest of my coworkers mentioned that I needed to start smoking again?! Maybe I didn't care, as much, if they did their job when I was taking frequent smoke breaks...I don't know.

Anyway, I was really craving a cigarette, but didn't smoke. The next day, still craving and I took my niece to a concert. I finally bummed a cigarette from her. I took 3 puffs, couldn't even inhale, was gagging and just gave the cigarette back to her after realizing I really didn't want to smoke again, after all.

So, I don't consider it much of a slip...3 puffs, non-inhaled, in almost 3 months and it reconfirmed my decision to stay quit.


Hugs and prayers!

Amy

[Dime]

Historyteach you are doing great. Thanks so much for helping getting me going early on. The support here has been a tremendous help!

Kooks glad to hear your brother is off life support. You are proof that we can stay sober and not smoke when the times get really tough. I don't know anyone who can stay positive all the time. But remembering the power of a positive mindset like you do so well can help us see that there is indeed a light at the end of the tunnel.

Amy 3 puffs is not much of anything. I probably get 20 times that from second hand smoke every time I attend an AA meeting. Ball park wise if you were at 3 months and you smoked a pack a day and lets say there were 15 puffs to a cigarettes that would be 27,000 puffs. So if we divide your 3 puffs by 27,000 puffs saved so far you have impacted your quit by .01%. No biggie, keep truckin and stay in the quit.

[historyteach]

I recall what my smoke cessation counselor said years ago about our slips.
Yes, it's great that we get back on the wagon right away.
But, each and every slip makes it easier
for the next slip,
and the next.
Until we are back to buying that pack, and smoking it each day once more.

Be careful out there folks!
We are just a puff away from addiction again.

Today, I am One month, one week, five days, 15 hours, 40 minutes and 51 seconds nicotine free. That's 873 cigarettes not smoked, saving $261.92. Life saved: 3 days, 45 minutes. Nais gadol haya po!

Keep the quit and post before you puff!

Shalom!

[Impurrfect]

Thanks ((historyteach)) but all it did was make me remember why I wanted to STAY QUIT!!! It also made me focus on why I let the stress get me to that point, and what I need to do to NOT get that point again.

I'm taking it seriously, but not going to beat myself up about it. I seriously do not want to smoke again.

Hugs and prayers!

Amy

[Aysha]

I am still smoking. I wish I never even took that first cig 2 weeks ago. Now it seems like I cant or dont want to stop again.
I tried the other day to stop. Went all day and wanted to farkin kill people.
I didnt have a patch either tho.
So I think I need to get more patches and use those to get past the physical craving. Which didnt last more than 2 weeks. And then I will be good. I can handle the mental part. Its the cranky wanting to rip peoples heads off I cant deal with.

So I am hopin to try again maybe tomorrow or def Thur.

Great job everyone. And Amy. 3 puffs is nothing to be worryin about. Glad you decided to stay quit.My first one tasted like crap and I was light headed for like 15 mins. And I really didnt even like it. Dont know why I kept on going. Oh well. I did it once I can do it again.

[Aysha]

Day 2 no smoking again.
And today is proving to be a huge freakin test of my patience.
I was so hot and sweaty at work I almost got sick and had to sit down in front of an AC for like 20 mins. I was hot and aggravated. Then I come home to some BS!
Dont want to smoke dont want to get high. So I must be really serious at the moment about stayin quit.
It would be so easy to do both. But I dont even have the littlest urge. Thank Goodness.
I felt so sick when I woke up the other morning. I couldnt breathe and I was coughin and couldnt stop. I had this tickle in my throat that wouldnt go away and it felt like someone was standin on my chest. I hated how that felt and that was enough for me to get serious and stop again. Turns out I do like oxygen more..LOL
Anyway. Hope yall are doin well.

[nocoincidence56]

27 days without tobacco, 21 days without nicotine. So far, so good......

[facing2day]

WOW! All the interesting stuff going on here. The stats, the quicking, the going back.....all so very interesting for this newbie here. I am just off alcohol, 3rd day....next is cigs. One day at a time.

Just wanted to thank everyone for posting and sharing so honestly. The site is so HELPFUL!

Hopefully I will get through this first new change in my life and be hangin out on this part of the forum soon fighting this addiction.

Is there a webpage where you all get your stats on $$ saved, hours ect of your life saved? That might motivate me!

[Dime]

Welcome Face2day!
I came here just to poke around and wound up quitting a few days later. Quitting has been a very positive experience and was actually much easier than I thought thanks to the good people here.

Astro was nice enough to provide this link to free programs that will provide the quit data.

WhyQuit's Links to Free Quit Smoking Meters and Counters

[facing2day]

Originally Posted by Dime

Welcome Face2day!
I came here just to poke around and wound up quitting a few days later. Quitting has been a very positive experience and was actually much easier than I thought thanks to the good people here.

Astro was nice enough to provide this link to free programs that will provide the quit data.

WhyQuit's Links to Free Quit Smoking Meters and Counters

Awesome to hear you quit! It's on my list, very...long.......looong....list.

[mistycshore]

I'm back on Chantix again, and level up today to a full dose. I'm smoking less already. I'm hopeful. I really need to quit. Am having pretty significant health problems due to smoking. I think this time might really be *it*. I hope so. I've been hanging out here and plan to hang out some more . . . here with the non smokers and the wannabe non smokers, like me.

[historyteach]

When stress gets to us, here are some alternatives to lighting up.
I fully understand; I relapsed for a year, after a two year quit, due to stress. Hopefully, I've learned better now.

Relaxation Exercises

I am adding relaxation exercises here because many people think that smoking helps relax them.

It doesn't.

Nicotine is a stimulant. It increases your heart rate, your blood pressure and other things. But, because it ends the mild withdrawal you feel, when the nicotine level is down in your blood, it feels relaxing. That's one reason why it's so addicting!

Use the following relaxation exercises to help calm yourself during triggers for a smoke. It will help calm the cravings. Remember, a craving lasts for only about 3 minutes. You *can* get through it!


Deep Breathing

Deep breathing is a good relaxation skill for new nonsmokers. When you smoked, if you inhaled deeply, you were breathing in a way which actually promoted relaxation. People who stop smoking often forget to continue such deep breathing and therefore experience increased tension. This exercise will show you how to breathe without cigarettes in a way that slows down the pace of your body and promotes general relaxation.

Correct deep breathing should be done with your belly muscles. The idea is to let your stomach go out as far as possible as you inhale. In this way you will fill your lungs more completely. Try one breath this way before doing the exercise. Put a hand on your abdomen and, as you inhale deeply, feel your stomach expand as though it were being filled by a balloon. Now, let the air out and feel your stomach return to its normal position. As you do the exercise, pause comfortably at the end of each exhalation until you feel ready to take the next deep breath. You can achieve even greater relaxation if you close your eyes during deep breathing and let your mind focus on a restful scene or a word like “calm” or anything that gives you a feeling of mental quiet.


Breathe in deeply, letting your stomach expand until your lungs are filled. Now, pause for a moment and then exhale until you have emptied your lungs. Pause for a moment. Now, take another deep breath in, filling your lungs from the bottom. Hold a moment...and now let the air flow out, focusing your mind on restful thoughts. Keeping the pace regular, again breathe in deeply...hold a moment...and now let the air out, feeling more and more relaxed. Take another breath in ...hold it for a moment...now gently breathe out, letting the tension escape from your body. Once more breathe in...pause a moment... Now, exhale, feeling deep relaxation. Continue this exercise with your eyes closed.

Remember, nicotine is a stimulant. And a craving is actually early withdrawal. When you are having an urge for a sickarette, that urge is really *increasing* your anxiety! So, use these relaxation methods and any others that you know of, (meditation, yoga, exercise, mental imagery etc), to get you through without lighting up. You will thank yourself 5-10 minutes later, when the craving is gone and you remained smoke free!


Hope this helps!

Shalom!

[chippa]

Hi

Day one for me

I'm a dunce who quit for a year and relapsed due to stress as well-

I sing and have been feeling the strain- easy to blame other things, allergies etc, but cigarettes are not helping and I was letting people down, so I'm back on it

Obviously I know that is a pittance of a reason in comparison to my obligation to stay healthy for my family, but I guess it's the straw that broke the camel's back

My son told me yesterday when I told him "You said that last year Dad, how many times are you going to quit?"

I told him as many as it takes

hopefully this one will be the last, that's my goal

[Impurrfect]

((Chippa)) - I think that whatever reason makes us quit, it's a good one. I, for one, wasn't thinking mainly of my health...I was thinking more of money. Of course, improved health is a benefit, but my health hadn't been impacted enough (yet) to be enough of a reason to quit.

I'm still not smoking. Other than the 3 non-inhaled puffs, I've got almost 3 months. Stress has been incredible at work, just found out drugs are rampant there, and I'm happy to say I have no desire to use OR smoke I am, however, trying really hard to get another job.....sigh.

I'm hoping this is the year I can get through without bronchitis. Every year, if I get a cold, it turns into bronchitis, no doubt thanks to my smoking. So far, so good!

Hugs and prayers!

Amy

[mistycshore]

Originally Posted by historyteach

Nicotine is a stimulant. It increases your heart rate, your blood pressure and other things.

Wow, am I feeling that. Zero energy, almost like I'm coming down with something.

Thanks for the breathing exercises. I'll practice.

[mistycshore]

This has been hard day, not craving wise so much - but feeling mostly dead. But it will get better, I know. I'll breathe better tonight. I'll feel better tomorrow. but today has sucked rocks.