Peter G

So here I am 45 days sober and feeling the slightest bit optimistic that I have learned a few things about willpower and the act of freeing myself from addiction.

Not that I am some sort of Zen master on this stuff, but since I found SR I have found some tools and some great advice that has seriously helped me stay away from booze. For those that don't know I have been an all day, every day, "drink to die" kinda dude for a very, very long time.

Anyway, I woke this morning hacking my brains out with the usual painful cough, thinking that there may not be a point to my NOT drinking if I'm gonna croak in a few years anyway from lung cancer. So I have concluded that really - REALLY - I want to lay down cigarettes for good.

Problem is I am a massive smoker of 25 + years. I'm the kind of guy that smokes first thing in the morning, I can't finish a movie without smoking, and need heavy sedation on airplanes in order to not lose my cool from not smoking.

It's worse also lately, because since I quit drinking I'm up to 2+ packs a day. I've been at 2 packs a day plenty while I was boozing, but not recently, and now that I'm sober it just makes me feel miserable. While I've only recently come to realize how damaging and destructive boozing is, I've hated my smoking addiction for many years - but it always seemed like quitting the smokes would just never happen.

I just really want to know how anyone here managed their quit. How was it possible? What's my best course of action and what can I get to help? I've tried the patch before and it didn't help much - then again the other times I've tried to quit were half a$$ attempts at best.

Anything that may have helped you - even the smallest thing. I will try anything I need to, because I am sick to death of smoking, and feel as though I'm cheating myself NOT drinking, when I'm obviously still killing myself by smoking.

So, if there's any heavy smokers reading this that managed to quit, please pipe in here (no pun intended ) and tell me how you went about the process. Can? Message me privately if necessary. I need a guru on this. Someone who can show me it's not only doable, but NOT the enormous, intimidating nightmare I'm making it out to be. I really need the help, because to be completely honest I'm worried that I'm not capable of NOT smoking. Drinking is an every day all day battle that I am winning but I truly do consider smoking to be just as hard a battle, at the least. Anyone?

K, rant over.

totfit

Sounds like your nic addiction is pretty strong. I think NRT is a good way to go. The nicotine patch helps a great deal. Also, try and get plenty of exercise, and eat a well balanced diet. There is the saying about quitting drinking that you have to change "everything", that goes twice for smoking. This is a great opportunity not only to quit smoking, but to become the person you have always wanted to be. Make those changes. Change your routing and really work on taking care of your body like you never have. If you keep the attitude that you, "want to be all you can be" and be truly "clean" and sober, then you will succeed.

Bazel

If you have Champix were you live, go to your doctor for a prescription. I know many many people who have been successful on it, including myself right now. It blocks the nicotine receptors in your brain. From all the people I know who have been on it, it has literally affected everyone in a different way but most have been successful. also if you are a coffee or pop drinker, cut that out - all the caffeine does is produce a stress hormone that creates anxiety....Good luck!

Peter G

Heard about that drug. Is it the same as Zyban? My doc has Zyban for sure, I've seen the pamphlets. I will certainly try anything.

I'm not much the coffee drinker (and I hate soda) so I think I'm OK there. My worst problem with smoking is my job. I write and produce music, and when at the keyboard I smoke heaps of cigarettes - most times without even realizing that I do. I'll light one when another is still burning away in the ashtray. So I really have to be able to tackle the cravings from that perspective the most.

Walking or getting exercise makes the cravings manageable enough but I can't always do that. When I'm sitting at my console and keyboard/computer it gets real bloody tough to not blaze up.

I'll get to my doctor on Friday and grab Champix if possible - and once I do I'm picking a quit date and that will be that. I'm truly praying that I can beat this for real. Used to be quite the athlete (back in the day lol!) and I wouldn't mind having some wind again so I'm able to do some healthy activities without huffing and puffing. Hockey, squash, martial arts, swimming, e.t.c... that was the stuff that made me feel great before booze took over. Now that I'm sober and feeling better, they all seem like natural alternatives to the clubs and pubs I used to frequent.

Bazel

No Champix is not the same as Zyban. Zyban is actually an antidepressant and it works for quitting smoking. Myself personally, it didn't work for me. All it did was make me feel like I was extremely high and felt like ants were crawling all over me. Wasn't a very good experience. Google Champix - you will learn a lot more about it than what I can tell you. All I really no is that it is a drug that blocks the neuroreceptors in your brain that target the nicotine (or something like that). What I can tell you with certainty though is, I do know quite a few people who have used it and have had success, myself included and I really really really loved smoking (when I didn't hate it). I was hardly out of bed before I was out in the garage smoking my first morning cigarette. It is very effective, you should definitely ask your doctor about it. As I said, I am now at day 23 and honestly it doesn't even bother me. The first week for sure was difficult because you have to change who are you all of a sudden over night, the second week was much better with a few episodes of really wanting one, week 3 has been great, not even an inkling of a desire or want for one! Once I got through week one and two, I was determined to never have to go through those weeks again. I wanted to quit more than I wanted to smoke and still do - the mental part of it is the hardest battle I believe. You just have to want to quit more than you want to smoke!

Peter G

Oh OK, glad I asked if Zyban and Champix were the same cuz I'd have just asked for Zyban. I just googled Champix and you're right, quite a different thing indeed. Good news for me is it is available in Singapore so I'll be hitting the doc up for a script first thing Friday.

When you say things like "week 3 has been great, not even an inkling of a desire..." man that really stokes me. I hope the Champix is as effective for me. I definitely have the motivation. I figure maybe I should use some NRT (patch or gum) to help with the first week or 2 on top of the Champix, if that isn't dangerous to my system.

Do you have to wait with Champix - as in - is there a requisite period of time before the drug becomes effective in our system - aka Zyban? Or is it an immediate kinda thing?

Bazel, you're getting me bloody excited about quitting haha!! It's starting to not look so intimidating. I know it's still heaps of work and no magic pills, but even from my own google search and your experience, it does look promising. Given that I am extremely motivated certainly can't hurt also.

Oh BTW, never did mention the financial aspect of smoking - living here in Singapore. It's 12.00 a pack here, so @ my 2 packs per day I have been spending approximately $672.00 a month smoking/killing myself. (That's 475.00 USD) How bloody maddening is that?

Here's what really gets my blood boiling: When I got sober I decided that on my first year sober anniversary I'll splurge and get myself a Harley Davidson. Off I went during my 3rd week sober to price one here in Singapore, and found out that payments for a 2010 Harley Vrod here are 650.00 per month (with a down payment of course). How f#$%D up is it that I'll willingly take public transit and smoke my face off, when I could be riding a Harley everywhere and live healthier/longer!! Jeez I am just now realizing this!!! Aargh! Man if I could go to the Doc right now I would lol!!

SlvrMag

Thank you for your post.

I have been a smoker for 25 years. Started at age 13 and am now 38. I quit for 2 months in December and patches helped me so much. Problem was I thought I have been smoke free for a while, one cig will be ok.

Nope.

Within a week I was buying my own again.

If you are really done, I think the patch would really help you. After a week of not smoking I realized that the 'habit' of lighting up was almost gone. I would forget that I would usually smoke at _____ time...such as after dinner.

I will be trying again soon. I got some info from my doctor for a smoking cessation 'class' and as soon as I sign up (THAT is the thing, WHEN I sign up...) I will give it another try.

Just like drinking and drugs, I (or you) have to really want it.

Bazel

Binder - You have to been on the Champix a minimum of one week. The first three days, you are only on 0.5 mg once a day, days 4-7 you are on 0.5 mg twice a day. Starting week 2, you take 1 mg tab twice a day. It has to slowly build up in your system. Anywhere between day 8 and day 14 is where you pick your quit date. Entirely up to you. My husband is also on it and because his day 14 landed on a Friday, he decided to push it to Day 16. He is now on Day 3 of no cigs! I hear you on the price of cigarettes. I live in Alberta, CA and we too pay over $12 a pack. Can you say STUPID!!!! And yet, I have paid it over and over and over again. That is a nice new vehicle sitting in my driveway along with your Harley...dumb. You can do this Binder - really you can! Do whatever it takes to get through a craving the first week or two. I will tell you what I did and it is really stupid but man, it worked. At that point, my husband was still smoking so week 1, when I was having bad cravings, I just went and sat downwind of him and smelled the smoke. It seriously got me through. The second week, I had about 3 episodes where I need to be downwind of him. Not sure why it worked, but it totally settled my craving down and I could move on with out feel mental! It was good. My third week, i didn't have to and when I did catch wind of it, it was nasty! YOU CAN DO IT!!!!! Just make it through day by day. I still won't say I am a non smoker, I can only say, I didn't smoke today. somehow that mental game has also helped me. Whatever you do, do not have a drag, not once because otherwise you are screwed all over again! If you really want to quit, you can - just BELIEVE! Good luck on the Champix. Keep us posted!