Quitting, what works??

[wuzzled]

I want to quit smoking, and I've been cutting down how many I smoke a day. I have already picked a quit day, twice, only to light up first thing that day. See, I always seem to still have cigs left, I keep thinking I need to be out when I go to bed, so when I wake up there aren't any to smoke. Lame excuse. Well based on the number I smoke each day, tonight could be the night I really have none left when I go to bed. So, I am really going to make sure I smoke all of them today!

Trying to decide on a stop smoking aid. Patch, gum, chantix, or other things. Any feedback on any of these would be great. I have heard chantix is effective, but have also heard people experience strange dreams, or other side effects.

[Astro]

Hey wuzzled, different strokes for different folks, you'll have to try and decide what works for you. Check out the stickies at the top of this forum, there's lots of cessation information. And please join in on the Daily Check-In if you feel so inclined, it helps some of us with being accountable.

I used WhyQuit - the Internet's leading cold turkey quit smoking resource for help too, but my experience was with smokeless tobacco, the stories and pics on that site scared the bejeesus out of me.

[Angel1]

When it comes to successfully quitting smoking, knowledge is power. Educate yourself on what smoking does to us, what physical and emotional withdrawals to expect in the quitting process & how to deal with cravings.
Attitude is everything! Quitting can actually be an enjoyable process...it all depends on how you approach the challenge. It's important to keep focused on the positive rewards of being smoke-free, rather than dwelling on the idea that you are depriving yourself of something.
Remember, a craving IS NOT a command.

Best of luck to you on your new journey

[Dime]

Welcome Wuzzled!

Astro is exactly right, different strokes for different folks. And Angel is spot on with the recommendation to increase your knowledge on what smoking really does to us. You probably know most of the facts but the process strengthens our fortitude to stop.

I crushed and destroyed my last cigarettes to help make the decision final in my mind. Playing for a time to stop did not seem to match my mood to quit when the time came so waited a few days for my motivation to hit a high point and quit cold turkey. For me I think the patches/Chantix/bupropion approach would not have worked as well because my mind would have been stressing over whether or not the meds were effective. For others those approaches have worked well.

After the first few days of the quit it really did get much much easier. Cravings are only temporary and do pass fairly quickly and when I reminded myself of that it made it much easier to cope.

Bottom line is that it was remarkably easier than I expected. Almost five months now and I really never get cravings or think of cigarettes at all anymore.

You Can Do It!!!!!!!!

[Sikkisirus]

With me it was the gum which helped me quit. 2 packets and I quit. Now I get sick around cigarette smoke.

[wuzzled]

Haven't had a cigarette since Friday night. Yesterday was rough a few times, but I made it. I am trying the chantix, taking only half of recommended does though. So far today, I haven't had much craving, little easier than yesterday.


Dime said:

"After the first few days of the quit it really did get much much easier. Cravings are only temporary and do pass fairly quickly and when I reminded myself of that it made it much easier to cope."

Thanks Dime, I will keep this foremost in my mind, knowing each day will get easier, why would I want to go back and suffer the first days again?

[Dime]

Exactly Wuzzled,

Just don't let those craving/desires fool you. They are temporary and they do pass! If you can keep the panic mode off when they occur they really pass quickly.

You can do it!!!!!!!

[pugluver]

I was a 1 1/2 pack smoker for 20 years. I tried chantix and it really really helped me tremendously! Alot of it though is mental strength...you have to want to quit. I am so glad I did. Although I have gained 20lbs.
Now I need to quit the wine. Best of luck to you!!!!

[Impurrfect]

((Wuzzled)) - Dime is right...it really does get easier and it doesn't take much time. I used the patches. I didn't miss the actual smoking itself, I missed the activity of smoking, if that makes any sense. My left arm really thought it was supposed to be propped in the window in my car, holding a cigarette In fact, I STILL find myself lowering the window, just a bit, to let out the smoke in my car, even though I haven't smoked in over 4 months. Then I tell myself "hey, dummy, keep the a/c IN the car!!!"

For me, I was just really, really sick of smoking. That helped a lot this time; the patches helped; but what really helped, was everyone here, cheering me on, and letting me know that if I had a bad day, wanted to climb the walls, it was going to get better...and it always did.

Hugs and prayers!

Amy

[wuzzled]

Thanks impurrfect - I figured out the car really does start without a cigarette.

I know what you mean about the "activity" of smoking. I don't seem to really crave the cigarette, it just seems like I am supposed smoke at a certain time. There are really only two times a day I struggle with. That being that first one in the morning with my coffee, and around 3 pm. These were the only two times a day I actually smoked at the same time everyday, the rest was rather random.

Today is day 6, I know I am going to make it. I am a little worried about tonight though, I have bowling, and while I never smoked while bowling, a few girls on my team do smoke, so hopefully, they will smell really bad, rather than good. I think I will be ok since I didn't like to smoke while bowling anyway. Just worried because I haven't smoked for 6 days.

[Dime]

Originally Posted by Impurrfect

I didn't miss the actual smoking itself, I missed the activity of smoking, if that makes any sense. My left arm really thought it was supposed to be propped in the window in my car, holding a cigarette In fact, I STILL find myself lowering the window, just a bit, to let out the smoke in my car, even though I haven't smoked in over 4 months.
Hugs and prayers!

Amy

Beautifully put Amy! After the first few days of the quit my cravings were just a memory response of what I used to do at certain times. When they popped up I would tell myself "ah there goes that memory response, I am so glad that I do not smoke anymore".

It might sound silly but that realization really helped me to let those memory responses pass quickly.

[pugluver]

I found these comments to be very interesting, especially because I feel like I am an expert on tobacco addition. I quit smoking after a 1 1/2 pack addiction for 20 yrs. Oh, by the way, I also drink, this makes it twice as hard because the two go hand in hand. Is it true that cigs(like heroin) are harder to quit than alcohol.?
My 4 pk a day lucky strike 5th of vodka Dad said so. Chantix was IT for me. It was amazing. Yes, I did have very wierd dreams, etc., but the side effects were so minimal in comparison and only lasted a few weeks.
Oh boy, sometimes I wish that I could just have one cig after dinner...Not!

[Dime]

Originally Posted by pugluver

Is it true that cigs(like heroin) are harder to quit than alcohol.?

I have quit alcohol and cigarettes. In my mind I do like to think in terms of "harder to" because it plants a seed in the mind that something is going to be hard. When I think something is going to be hard I end up creating the hard part all on my own.

I was very ready to quit each when I did, applied myself and found neither that difficult. The toughest part for me has been dealing with collateral damage from my drinking.

I see you have posted elsewhere about stopping drinking. I am going respond to that post on drinking.

I promise you can do it!!

[penny74]

What works is not lighting up the next one.
Hard but true.
After 3 or 4 days it gets easier.
just think of what good you are doing to your body.

[Jae]

Hey guys! As you may see, this is the first time I post!

well, my problem is related to smoking. Im 23 years old and have been smoking for about 4 years now. I'm really concerned about my health, and I Know and feel that it has been deteriorating day by day...Not in such a drastic way of course, but for example, i get shortness of breath now and then, you know, feel weird at times...

My first question is, how likely is it that I already have lung cancer. Let's say I've smoked 8 cigarettes a day since the day I started, everyday!

Let's take out the genetic probabilities.

Thanks in advance!

[Wartrace]

Originally Posted by Jae

Hey guys! As you may see, this is the first time I post!

well, my problem is related to smoking. Im 23 years old and have been smoking for about 4 years now. I'm really concerned about my health, and I Know and feel that it has been deteriorating day by day...Not in such a drastic way of course, but for example, i get shortness of breath now and then, you know, feel weird at times...

My first question is, how likely is it that I already have lung cancer. Let's say I've smoked 8 cigarettes a day since the day I started, everyday!

Let's take out the genetic probabilities.

Thanks in advance!

Only a doctor can tell you what you want to know. I CAN tell you this though, the longer you smoke the greater the odds of you will get lung cancer/mouth cancer/ throat cancer ect.....

I am an idiot myself, I always thought that these things were "cumulative" and that if you quit soon enough you would never have to worry. Do yourself a favor Jae, take a look at soe of these young people and what they had to deal with from smoking;
WhyQuit - the Internet's leading cold turkey quit smoking resource
Look in the upper left hand corner where it says "We died young".

[Blake'sTyger]

I'm hesitant to recommend any product, but after 9 days as a non-smoker (this is the longest I've gone without a cigarette since I was eighteen) I feel like mentioning my quitting method might help someone. I'm certainly no expert-- but I do feel like a new non-smoker, and not like a smoker having trouble with quitting. Smoking's something I used to do, but not anymore.

First: I'm a believer in going cold-turkey.
Second: No matter "how" you quit, you have to be READY to quit-- you have to really want it. Completely and thoroughly.

Third: I downloaded an iphone application that absolutely helped me quit. It includes a primary hypnosis session and backup session, a smoking calculator to tell you how much $$$ you've saved not buying cigarettes, and "quit-smoking-fact-cards" with tips and motivating facts (things like '1/4 of all smokers die in middle age').

If you have an iphone or touch, you can find it by searching "smoking" in the application store. The hypnosis session was strikingly effective, and the backup hypnosis session definately helped me through some rough moments. And there's a video testamonial from Ewan McGregor, who quit using this cat's system. This whole thing costed me about 50 cents more than a pack of cigarettes.

THat's what worked for me. The only affiliation I have with this program or the guy who started it is that I used it, and it worked (so far, so good).

Best,

Dave

[Fishman33]

Cold Turkey if you can.

[LovesToTravel]

I have already posted this somewhere. I quit 17 years ago. I can't believe that I am saying that. 17 years. I went to a group hypnotist. It wasn't the hypnosis but the tape and the idea to never touch a cigarette because it can't end up in your mouth! When I first quit I had to listen to this tape to try to relax me over the minutes. The first 11days were terrible on the 12th day I was leaving work and took a 1/2 smoked cigarette out of the communal ashtry. I got in the car and finally got to the place where I would wait to light up so I didn't smoke too many on the way home. Let me tell you that cigarette smelled so bad and I realized that I don't even know who it belonged to...ick. I threw it out the window and realized that I could do this. In the beginning I talked about how many minutes it had been since I had quit smoking then days and months until finally years. I smoked for 26 years. I couldn't even quit during my 2 pregnancies. I bought a pack of cigarettes for the initial hypnosis. I keep it in my drawer at home. Originally the idea was to not buy any while out because I have some at home. It is still there.

I did have a cigarette after about 4 years. I thought that I could smoke like my husband only once in awhile. I have never been so sick in my life. I know it was nicotine poisoning. I wouldn't touch one now if you paid me to.

You can do it!!!

[TheSunAlsoRises]

Originally Posted by pugluver

Is it true that cigs(like heroin) are harder to quit than alcohol.?

I am only on day 9 without a cigg... but i'm almost 5 months without a drink. I can only speak from experience but stopping smoking was easy compared to giving up the bottle... of course i'm an alkie... But like someone said its all in your mind if you think its gonna be harder it will be. Congrats on giving up the ciggs...