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24 Hour No Nicotine/No Smoking Club ~ Part 13

Old 06-07-2018, 01:27 PM
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It's definitely not easy, just keep trying least you will get it!
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Old 06-10-2018, 10:44 PM
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Today was reeeeaally difficult. The guy I'm seeing mentioned he might be moving away (something happened at his job and I guess the solution is to quit and move to a different state?) I'm not sure if it'll actually happen or not but the way he talked so casually about it speaks volumes on where things stand between us.

Maybe (probably) I'm over-reacting but I cried for like 2 hours. Really wanted a cigarette but didn't give in. Going to sleep soon and will wake up to 2 weeks tomorrow. Sorry for venting but I guess it's good to know this is still possible even when I'm upset.
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Old 06-11-2018, 01:39 AM
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You're doing great Cosima, getting slowly out of hell.
Venting was the best thing you could do, SR is the right place for this.

Remember you are fighting against one of the worst addictions on earth.
Scientists say cigarette is similar in many points to heroin and almost as hard to quit.
No wonder you find it hard at times!
You're in the gigantic process of removing the habit of smoking cigarettes from your way of life.
You're winning that incridibly difficult fight minute by minute since two weeks! Congratulations!!!

Here's a little tip:
Try to see the cravings coming before they strike to look at them from a distance when they hit.
Per exemple, I was having terrible cravings every time I was getting in my car.
So I got into the routine of seeing these cravings coming 15 feet before opening the car door and it completly stopped after less than 10 times doing this.

Keep the good work, cravings will start to be less frequent and will almost disapear in a few weeks.
Take a deep breathe and feel how your lungs are now a lot healthier!

Have a good week!
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Old 06-12-2018, 02:29 AM
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Thank you Canadian Koala, I appreciate your insight and encouragement! I'd been doing much better but that was kind of ridiculous, I had to go sit outside where I would usually smoke just to calm myself down. I think it was a combination of factors but it's actually embarrassing that I had that strong of a reaction..

Anyway I came across this article and wanted to share for anyone else trying to quit.. sorry it's a bit weird and out there but it basically talks about seeing cravings as the "healing" of your body/mind which has been numbed for so long. Interesting way of looking at it.

https://medium.com/concrete-shamanis...g-c3b52298192e
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Old 06-16-2018, 07:43 PM
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How's everyone else??

Hoping others will post so we can move on to a new page and my embarrassing outburst will fade into the background lol. But really though, this quit has been intense. The guy I talked about is also trying to quit and it seems to be changing the dynamics of our relationship (for better or worse remains to be seen). It's forcing me to change personally in ways I had not been previously ready for. I'm having to form new habits and fill my time with more productive things, finally.

I joined a gym. My house is clean, my kitchen is stocked with healthy food rather than the usual takeout leftovers and soda. I'm getting things accomplished.. it feels great but there were some very difficult moments and I know I'm not totally out of the woods yet.

Anyway hope everyone else is doing ok
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Old 06-17-2018, 01:12 AM
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Originally Posted by least View Post
I'm sorry to say I relapsed so today is day one again.
Hello there Least!

Wanted to give you a shoutout and to say I'm going to be quitting cigarettes myself in a couple days! I have 4 packs left and then it starts! Ugh! But I'm mentally ready to tackle this evil sh!t! My husband stopped smoking almost 5 years ago!

I'm 58 and have smoked since I was 13! It's way past time I joined the nonsmoking group! My younger sister stopped smoking 42 days ago! I saw a strange car parked at our Mom's today and couldn't figure out who it belonged to? A sporty car! Come to find out? It's my sister's! Dang! I'll be saving almost $500.00 a month by stopping! Can't y'all just imagine what I can do with that kind of money?

I'll be rooting for everyone here too!

TOD
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Old 06-17-2018, 01:35 AM
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Hello!

It's great that you do all you can do to succeed Cosima!
I should join a gym too since I've gained many pounds since I've quit.
What did you do with all the ashtrays? The lighters?
I still have my smoking paraphernalia hidden somewhere in the living room closet.
It reminds me I should throw everything to the garbage !

I read the "shaman" article you posted and it's very well written.
We can tell the author really went trough the process of quitting smoking.
I really believe in his "breaking point" theory.

I don't agree with him on one point : that using quit-smoking aids (gums and patches) don’t work.
This is really what pulled me out of the smoking hell personally.
It's true that it makes the journey a bit longer before being a true non smoker but it makes the process a lot more confortable.
I didn't have any physical cravings using patches, I was always feeling like I had a cigarette a few minutes ago. That was a big plus!
Violent cold turkey may heal faster but good luck going through it!
The chances od success are lower (I think)
Eh! That's only my point of view, any way you do it is fine at the end!

Hang on my friend, we're doing this
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Old 06-17-2018, 07:07 AM
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Thanks again Canadian Koala! I threw out my ashtray but had a million lighters floating around and they're just sitting in a closet now too. I've definitely been eating more but tried to cut down on sugar. The main issue I'm still struggling with is sleeping.. I had insomnia when I first quit drinking and now it's sort of back, not as bad as before but there are some nights I'll get less than 6 hours of sleep. So I'm hoping working out will help with that as I'll be physically tired.

I never tried the gum or patches but definitely believe they can ease the transition and probably increase the chances of success. I think I like the idea of the patch most because it's not a hand or mouth thing. With gum or vaping I was worried I'd just remain addicted to the action if that makes any sense.. Cold turkey is violent and volatile though, not something I ever want to experience again!

Good luck TOD and keep us posted! It is nice having the extra money, even if you just use it to pamper yourself you can feel totally guilt free about it
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Old 06-17-2018, 08:38 AM
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What a great thread, good to meet you all.

Am truly impressed you would cry, rather than smoke Cosima, that is what seems to be what smoking does (among many other things) enable us to contain feelings that need release! Crying, laughing, exercising, dancing, whatever it is, just not smoking.

My stop date was March 25 2018, no smoking since then, no vaping, or NRT, just a cold turkey quit. The only thing I focused on was not smoking, and am only just now, beginning to reign in on sweet things, and replace those sweet things with a reasonable amount of fruit each day. It's a work in progress, and have gained some weight, but nothing to scream about. And the liberating thing is that, not smoking, am slowly becoming less breathless, and so inclined to move around more.

Having smoked since I was 16 years old (am 51 this year) fairly heavily throughout that time (20+ a day, in the last 20 years, roll-up tobacco mainly, but tailor made when affordable) I got to a point autumn last year when I was both sick and tired of it, and fearful about the impact of smoking on my body, and gradually cut down, and down, to less than 10 per day, prior to stopping altogether. I set a date when life was fairly quiet (as much as we can control these things!) and so far, that was that....

It is though as they say, not the stopping, it's the staying stopped...main motivators at the moment is the much improved state of my teeth, that my time is not dictated by, or at the beck and call of a substance, and I can smell, and taste like I haven't experienced for a very long time.....

And agree about cold turkey...it's not something I'd want to go through over and over (like I endured with drinking) so that's a sobering thought when applied to whether or not I smoke today....am very grateful not to be smoking
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Old 06-17-2018, 03:47 PM
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Originally Posted by Canadian Koala View Post
Hello!

It's great that you do all you can do to succeed Cosima!
I should join a gym too since I've gained many pounds since I've quit.
What did you do with all the ashtrays? The lighters?
I still have my smoking paraphernalia hidden somewhere in the living room closet.
It reminds me I should throw everything to the garbage !

I read the "shaman" article you posted and it's very well written.
We can tell the author really went trough the process of quitting smoking.
I really believe in his "breaking point" theory.

I don't agree with him on one point : that using quit-smoking aids (gums and patches) don’t work.
This is really what pulled me out of the smoking hell personally.
It's true that it makes the journey a bit longer before being a true non smoker but it makes the process a lot more confortable.
I didn't have any physical cravings using patches, I was always feeling like I had a cigarette a few minutes ago. That was a big plus!
Violent cold turkey may heal faster but good luck going through it!
The chances od success are lower (I think)
Eh! That's only my point of view, any way you do it is fine at the end!

Hang on my friend, we're doing this

I did cold turkey off pain meds almost 4 years ago! July 7th will be my fours years!

I did cold turkey off all sodas 2 years ago!

I'm striving for the fact if I can cold turkey off those? I should be able to cold turkey off cigarettes? I also have stopped drinking Baileys Irish Cream mixed in a glass of milk recently too. That was one small pint jar with mostly milk in it late at night! I'm a 100% Disabled Veteran with lots of painful areas. I've never had a problem with alcohol, but I wanted to stop it along with the cigarettes. So I'm 50% on my way!

TOD
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Old 06-17-2018, 04:30 PM
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Hi TOD

Quitting cigarettes cold turkey is the fastest way to get the nicotine physical addiction out of your body within a few days as Cosima's Shaman said in the link she posted.

A Shaman’s Guide To Quitting Smoking

But science tells us that only about 3% to 5% are actually able to kick the habit without any help

I think every smoker is different—and some may find it more manageable to stop smoking without any help like you did with previous addictions.
Some think it's easier to deal with acute withdrawal than it is to put up with more mild symptoms for an extended period of time.
Others say that weaning themselves off cigarettes with a nicotine patch or gum teases them and they prefer a more black-and-white approach.

I went with a longer term fight (12 weeks) using patches and gums and succeded.
That was my way...but there's more than one way to do it!
It's really up to you TOD and I wish you all the courage you need.
Let us know how things went!

We're all doing this together and this thread is here if you need to share. Best of luck!
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Old 06-17-2018, 05:21 PM
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Originally Posted by Canadian Koala View Post
Hi TOD

Quitting cigarettes cold turkey is the fastest way to get the nicotine physical addiction out of your body within a few days as Cosima's Shaman said in the link she posted.

A Shaman’s Guide To Quitting Smoking

But science tells us that only about 3% to 5% are actually able to kick the habit without any help

I think every smoker is different—and some may find it more manageable to stop smoking without any help like you did with previous addictions.
Some think it's easier to deal with acute withdrawal than it is to put up with more mild symptoms for an extended period of time.
Others say that weaning themselves off cigarettes with a nicotine patch or gum teases them and they prefer a more black-and-white approach.

I went with a longer term fight (12 weeks) using patches and gums and succeded.
That was my way...but there's more than one way to do it!
It's really up to you TOD and I wish you all the courage you need.
Let us know how things went!

We're all doing this together and this thread is here if you need to share. Best of luck!
I've never been one to wean myself off things! I just couldn't do it! When I was getting the pain meds, prescription, I'd purposely run out early so it would be two to three weeks before I'd get my next refill. That left me with NO choice, but to start the w/d's and detoxing. By the time the next bottle came in? I'd be well into being off them. I'd return the refill to the VAH pharmacy and tell them to cancel my prescription!

Cokes of course were a little harder because I could just go to the store and buy more. So I had my husband do the shopping so I wouldn't be exposed to them! Now I order groceries on line and show up for them to be delivered to my car! LOL Wish that was available when I started going off the cokes! SMH It also saves me money too, because I'm not walking thru the store finding things to buy I don't need!

Since being medically discharged from the ARNG back in 2007? I have to plan a trip to the Base to get cigarettes now. So there will be no more planned trips. I also went to the Tobacco store to buy a carton at a time in between the Base trips. There'll be no more of those trips either. AND I won't have to hear Mr. Preppy say: "Hi Darlin'" anymore when I'd walk in the door. The store also burned sickening scents to cover up the smells of their smoking behind the racks. Speaking of scents? I'll be saving money on not having to buy the oils and candles anymore to cover up my smoking smells!

When I think about ALL the money I've wasted on Baileys and tobacco products? I just want to pass out! I'm ready for a NEW start in life in a much better way!

Once these packs of cigarettes are GONE? I'll start the new chapter and adventures in my life. PPL always say: "Oh stop while you still have some?" I can't do it! I'd smoke the damned things as soon as I couldn't stand being w/o one. Sigh!

I tried years ago to stop! I had a month under my feet w/o them and then I went to my two week summer camp with the ARNG! Good LORD! The things that happened that two weeks had me going and buying a carton of cigarettes. I was dating a guy from another Company that were doing their two weeks close to us. I got a call he had broke his arm. Two soldiers went on patrol and only one came back. The other was found dead in the woods. While a soldier was sleeping in his cot. A bug crawled into his ear and into his brain. It killed him. A helicopter full of soldiers was accidentally targeted and blown up! They had flown too close to a target range where old tanks were being blown up. I couldn't take it anymore and bought a carton.

TOD
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Old 06-17-2018, 08:13 PM
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Originally Posted by Canadian Koala View Post
Hi TOD

Quitting cigarettes cold turkey is the fastest way to get the nicotine physical addiction out of your body within a few days as Cosima's Shaman said in the link she posted.

A Shaman’s Guide To Quitting Smoking

But science tells us that only about 3% to 5% are actually able to kick the habit without any help

I think every smoker is different—and some may find it more manageable to stop smoking without any help like you did with previous addictions.
Some think it's easier to deal with acute withdrawal than it is to put up with more mild symptoms for an extended period of time.
Others say that weaning themselves off cigarettes with a nicotine patch or gum teases them and they prefer a more black-and-white approach.

I went with a longer term fight (12 weeks) using patches and gums and succeded.
That was my way...but there's more than one way to do it!
It's really up to you TOD and I wish you all the courage you need.
Let us know how things went!

We're all doing this together and this thread is here if you need to share. Best of luck!
Thank you for sharing the link! Just finished reading it all. Quite an awakening!
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Old 06-19-2018, 02:24 AM
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Hi supporters!

How are y'all doing?

I'm on day two off the Baileys Irish Cream! I just opened a pack of cigarettes. That leaves me one pack after this one and then I'll be starting the journey of being smoke free when these two are gone! That's probably going to be Thursday or Friday?

I'm super excited about these chains being released I've been wearing for so many years! The Government has stepped up to the plate to stop opiate use in patients that don't really need an abundance of them. I'm glad I chose to stop them on my own before that happened!

Now the Government is getting involved in the nicotine problem! I don't even want to imagine what's going to happen with this? So I'm super happy I've chosen to stop smoking on my own! Last night when I got out of the shower? I stepped out into the hallway and cringed at the nicotine smell that likes to gather in that area. I don't smoke in the house, but when the porch room door is open the smells from in here escape into the house. I'm already expecting my strong sense of smell to go overboard when I stop smoking. It did when I stopped the opiates. So there's going to be some super house cleaning to rid it of the smells! Ugh! This includes my car too! It's too hot outside to do too much work so I'll have plenty to do inside under the A/C!

Something else I'm hoping for is my BP will start to go down! I'm sick of taking BP meds. Then a water pill after that. Then a cholesterol pill after that . It just seems like I have to take one pill after another and it's due to smoking and the alcohol I've been drinking! I'm also hoping the ear ache I've been having in my left ear will also go away? I've read too many stories about PPL smoking having had bad ear aches and after they stop smoking it goes away.

After years of dealing with dental problems because of addictions? I had to have all but two teeth pulled. I now wear an upper denture and a lower partial. I don't want to lose anymore body parts or functions due to my addictions!

I think about when I'll get up I make my coffee and sit down with my cup of coffee to smoke while reading my stuff on my computer! How do y'all manage that? Now that you aren't smoking?

TOD
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Old 06-20-2018, 04:37 AM
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Pipefish, thank you and congrats on your quit, 3 months is great!!

TOD, I don't know if my BP has actually gone down but I definitely don't miss that heart pounding, out of breath feeling after smoking.. You will start noticing physical changes pretty much right away.

Ugh yeah mornings were difficult at first though, just stock up on lots of breakfast foods. I never used to eat breakfast but I actually have to now if I don't want to be all moody.. I'll have to come back and write more later but just wanted to say good luck and keep us posted!
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Old 06-25-2018, 02:50 PM
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How's it going TOD? Today is 4 weeks for me and I wish I could say it's been a never ending pink cloud, but that's not entirely the case. There has been a rollercoaster of emotions. And I have to continuously remind myself it's not ok to transfer my addiction to sugar binges. I gave up soda cold turkey the same time as the cigarettes sooo it's been a lot to adjust to.

The other thing that's been really getting to me is all the time I have on my hands. Obviously it's the same amount of free time I had before, it's just glaringly obvious now that I'm consistently wasting it. I've been stalling and avoiding and procrastinating and using cigarettes to "fill the time". Now I'm just angry at myself.. How is it already the end of June?

Anyway, no one said it would be easy but I will say on the good days I feel a sense of peace I haven't felt in years. Like I'm remembering who I am before/without being enslaved to any substances. So there's that and I'm grateful to be smoke free at this point.
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Old 06-25-2018, 03:34 PM
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Originally Posted by Cosima11 View Post
How's it going TOD? Today is 4 weeks for me and I wish I could say it's been a never ending pink cloud, but that's not entirely the case. There has been a rollercoaster of emotions. And I have to continuously remind myself it's not ok to transfer my addiction to sugar binges. I gave up soda cold turkey the same time as the cigarettes sooo it's been a lot to adjust to.

The other thing that's been really getting to me is all the time I have on my hands. Obviously it's the same amount of free time I had before, it's just glaringly obvious now that I'm consistently wasting it. I've been stalling and avoiding and procrastinating and using cigarettes to "fill the time". Now I'm just angry at myself.. How is it already the end of June?

Anyway, no one said it would be easy but I will say on the good days I feel a sense of peace I haven't felt in years. Like I'm remembering who I am before/without being enslaved to any substances. So there's that and I'm grateful to be smoke free at this point.
Hello there!

Well it thrills me to read you're 4 weeks w/o cigarettes!

I broke! I was down to my last two cig's and got the news my husbands best male friend that's been like a father to him? Passed away! Watching my husband fall apart did me in! I bought 4 packs!

I'm also going thru stacks and stacks of paperwork I've got around here getting ready to do battle with the creditors. I signed with a debt relief company! My stress level is over the top right now! So not a good time to stop two things at once.

I stopped the Baileys almost 7 days ago! So half of what I wanted to start is started! I'm not chain smoking and I don't buy a carton or more at a time. This helps me to not smoke so many.

So? I'll give y'all an update when things settle down around here. I really want to stop, but I don't want to climb the walls either dealing with so many stressful situations that's at my doorstep right now?

I'm rooting for you and will be joining you down the road!

TOD
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Old 06-29-2018, 01:28 AM
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Hi Everyone,

Come Monday, I will have been a non smoker for 5 months. I'm using a vape, and reducing the nicotine strength every 3 months. I've found it to be really helpful. Yes, I'm still getting nicotine, but I'm out of the habit of buying cigs, smelling like a cig (OMG it stinks), etc. Saved money too! Upgraded my car! Always seem to have money in my purse! My teeth are whiter! I can smell my perfume from myself!
I'm 52 and smoked since I was 14 years old.
I ways knew that it was a smelly habit, but just HOW SMELLY, you don't realise til you stop. I can "smell a smoker" a mile off, and if someone's just had a smoke, then comes to speak to me - I could vomit due to the smell. Standing next to, or behind a "smoker" isn't nice at all. The smells clings to everything, breath, hair, clothes, furniture. That alone will remind me of why I stopped and help me maintain my resolve.

Keep fighting the good fight, with all they might!

Much Love
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Old 07-20-2018, 12:40 PM
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Hi All.
I'm 2 1/2 months off of nicotine and 19 days smoke free, off of tea cigarettes.
I smoked a pack and a half for 42 years.

The craving is constant all day, but I distract myself and eat lots of popcorn.
Running out of popcorn now feels like running out of cigarettes.
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Old 07-21-2018, 01:13 AM
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Congrats Bute and Morning Glory! I feel such an attachment to this thread now and want to stick around to encourage others because posting here really helped in the early times. This was a seriously challenging quit and I only smoked for 5 years. So I can only imagine how hard this would be for people who have smoked for decades.
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