Quitting smoking....

snake_lady · Mar 15, 2009

Originally Posted by Julianne

An update...

It has now been almost 2 days since my last cigarette.

AWESOME

Keep trying to remember that the withdrawl symptoms are usually the worst on day 2-3....then become milder. You're almost through that now

Great job. I am so proud of you.

Yesterday was pretty easy, but last night and today has been difficult. I have started using the gum to try and ease things.

Nothing wrong with using NRT to help you with your decision to quit.

I am grumpy, frustrated, bored and a bit overwelmed. I keep on wondering when it will get easier. I keep on going back to the websites listed in this thread, and re-reading all the articles, just to keep myself motivated.

Aaargh, just having a moment - don't mind me.

I know why I am giving up and have no intention on starting again, I knew the first few days would be the worst - it's just getting through them is tough

A link to some health milestones from quitting: http://www.cancer.org/docroot/PED/co...ng_Smoking.asp

You are doing great. Google lung cancer pics/stories. That helped me when I quit previously. This one is really powerful to me: http://whyquit.com/whyquit/BryanLeeCurtis.html

You CAN do this. You are a strong woman in control of yourself.

B!tch here, cry here.... vent your frustrations. That's what we're here for.

cdubbie · Mar 16, 2009

Woohoo Julianne! Nice going!

When I was going thru the CT withdrawal...I just accepted it and surrendered to it. I felt the unpleasantness in all its intensity...but I knew I was NOT going to smoke so to just bring it on!

I had that short attention span too. I just went with it. I jumped activity to activity not caring I wasn't getting anything done. Whatever it took to get thru that few minutes,hour, day, or whatnot, I jsut rolled with it.

Not making light of it at all. I wish I had journaled a bit. I also found reading and reading about the quit helped a lot each day.

Rooting for ya!!

abbycats · Mar 16, 2009

The last time I quit smoking I crocheted several afghans! Anything to keep my hands busy! I also played tons of video games!

grooverite · Mar 16, 2009

Originally Posted by Julianne

........I know why I am giving up and have no intention on starting again....

AWESOME!!

I can tell just by reading that that you are on your way to breaking those chains (of nicotine) with strong will and determination!! Congrats!!!

julianne · Mar 16, 2009

Well I have made it to 72 hrs, and things are getting a lot easier.

I have stopped using the gum, I only landed up using 5 sticks - but they were a lifesaver when I needed them. I am now concentrating on getting all the nicotine out of my system.

I still have a bit of the 'brain fog' - but I am starting to feel better already. I have been taking walks and just relaxing, doing light exersize.

The one thing I have noticed is my appetite, I am eating anything I can get my hands on! I have decided to try and eat healthier from tomorrow, when the worst should be over.

Has anyone else had imaginary conversations with oneself, where you are trying to convince yourself that smoking is not bad, and it wouldn't hurt to have one cigarette ?? That happened to me yesterday - I thought it was really weird!

Thank you everyone for all your vibes and support - they are working

and good luck and to everyone who is cutting down / quitting!

Julianne

cdubbie · Mar 16, 2009

Originally Posted by Julianne

Well I have made it to 72 hrs, and things are getting a lot easier.

Has anyone else had imaginary conversations with oneself, where you are trying to convince yourself that smoking is not bad, and it wouldn't hurt to have one cigarette ?? That happened to me yesterday - I thought it was really weird!

Julianne

I only had that convo like EVERYDAY - many times a day - for three weeks! :lol
at quitnet.com they talk about the nicodemon and give it shape like it is a tangible being. He's on your shoulder trying to convince you to give in to the addiction.

Eat healthy if you can. I drank a lot of cranberry juice - I really craved sugar (which is unlike me). I also wanted to flush toxins. Be sure to drink lots of water too! I was majorly dehydrated - my usual 2-3qts a day wasn't helping it much either.

julianne · Mar 16, 2009

Originally Posted by CDubbie

I only had that convo like EVERYDAY - many times a day - for three weeks! :lol
at quitnet.com they talk about the nicodemon and give it shape like it is a tangible being. He's on your shoulder trying to convince you to give in to the addiction.

Eat healthy if you can. I drank a lot of cranberry juice - I really craved sugar (which is unlike me). I also wanted to flush toxins. Be sure to drink lots of water too! I was majorly dehydrated - my usual 2-3qts a day wasn't helping it much either.

i think I need to visit quitnet.com! It was only afterwards I realised what I was doing!

I never eat chocolates or sweets, but since friday I have gone though 2 doughnuts, a big packet of cadbury's mini eggs, a pack of boiled sweets and 2 chocolate bars

From tomorrow - no more sweets!

Thanks for the tip about the cranberry juice - I forgot it was an antioxidant!

Julianne.

julianne · Mar 18, 2009

Just a note to let you know how the no smoking is going...

5 days and counting with no cigarettes, and I feel fantastic

Already my breathing has improved, and can take really deep breaths - I never realized my chest was so tight before. I am suffering a bit of insomnia, and tiredness during the day (which is to be expected), but when I am walking home from work, I don't get breathless anymore. I just feel great - I hope it just not not just euphoria!

I still have cravings but they are not so bad anymore - I won't lie and say it's easy - I do miss smoking, and did enjoy it - but I feel this time I have a good chance of beating it!

to everyone!

I need updates from you! Chris, Lil' Maggie

j.

nurseangel · Mar 18, 2009

Good luck with your surgery and with the smoking. DH actually quit using a "hypnosis" tape that was on an "As seen on TV" type of thing years ago...so long ago that it was a tape and not a CD. I learned self-hypnosis from a book and it's wonderful. I don't smoke, but the Govenor's proposed $1.00 a pack tax in NC would certainly deter me.

yosemite · Mar 19, 2009

I'm just checking in on the non-smokers and soon-to-be non-smokers.

Sounds like you are all doing well. Hubby and I are still not smoking and can honestly say it hasn't been too bad at all.

snake_lady · Mar 20, 2009

Originally Posted by Julianne

5 days and counting with no cigarettes, and I feel fantastic

.............

I need updates from you! Chris, Lil' Maggie

j.

Great job Julianne.

I am so glad I made this post in the first place

I didn't really expect that anyone else would quit with me, but I'm so glad that you decided it was your time, and Cat will quit with me on April 7th. You give me the confidence I need to help me quit.

My update:

Well, there's a reason I haven't posted here. Its time I take account for my own actions.

I fell off my wagon. Still smoke under 10/day, but I quit writting them down and counting.....I've been doing some pain smoking, stress smoking, etc.Which are all just excusesfor I just haven't been motivated.

I plan on getting back on track on Monday (everything seems easier to do on a Monday, I dunno why) and count my cigarrettes out....6 smokes/day for next week. 4-5/day the week after, then we'll be at the 7th.

So there's my update, honestly I feel better now than "hiding" from this thread.

Cat? How are you doing???? Haven't heard from you in a few days on here.

yosemite · Mar 20, 2009

Originally Posted by Snake_Lady

Great job Julianne.

I am so glad I made this post in the first place

I didn't really expect that anyone else would quit with me, but I'm so glad that you decided it was your time, and Cat will quit with me on April 7th. You give me the confidence I need to help me quit.

My update:

Well, there's a reason I haven't posted here. Its time I take account for my own actions.

I fell off my wagon. Still smoke under 10/day, but I quit writting them down and counting.....I've been doing some pain smoking, stress smoking, etc.Which are all just excusesfor I just haven't been motivated.

I plan on getting back on track on Monday (everything seems easier to do on a Monday, I dunno why) and count my cigarrettes out....6 smokes/day for next week. 4-5/day the week after, then we'll be at the 7th.

So there's my update, honestly I feel better now than "hiding" from this thread.

Cat? How are you doing???? Haven't heard from you in a few days on here.

There's no need to feel guilty or hide - quitting smoking is very, very difficult and to even cut back is a huge step forward. So you fell off the wagon a bit - no big deal. I've tried to quit so many times and it just didn't work - this time it did. That's the way it goes. Be kind to yourself - it's coming.

lil maggie · Mar 20, 2009

Originally Posted by Snake_Lady

Great job Julianne.

I am so glad I made this post in the first place

I didn't really expect that anyone else would quit with me, but I'm so glad that you decided it was your time, and Cat will quit with me on April 7th. You give me the confidence I need to help me quit.

My update:

Well, there's a reason I haven't posted here. Its time I take account for my own actions.

I fell off my wagon. Still smoke under 10/day, but I quit writting them down and counting.....I've been doing some pain smoking, stress smoking, etc.Which are all just excusesfor I just haven't been motivated.

I plan on getting back on track on Monday (everything seems easier to do on a Monday, I dunno why) and count my cigarrettes out....6 smokes/day for next week. 4-5/day the week after, then we'll be at the 7th.

So there's my update, honestly I feel better now than "hiding" from this thread.

Cat? How are you doing???? Haven't heard from you in a few days on here.

At the risk of repeating everything you just said, I thought I'd just quote you. DITTO! It's comfort smoking. Anytime there's pain and stress, I grab for the pack. I need to take control again. I know I need to be stronger and get back to cutting down because if I don't, April 7th is going to be very tough! I love this thread but I sneak around it when I'm not doing well which is what I shouldn't be doing. I know I have friends to talk about it with but I feel like I let them down if I tell them I was smoking like a chimney

Yeah, I was feeling guilty and know I shouldn't but ya just do.

Ok, I'm back! I'm back to writing in my smoke journal today and back to those 5 or 6 ciggies!

It's very hard but I'm better than those nasty ciggs! I'm tired of smelling like an ashtray! I'm not going to let cigarettes control my life!

rapunzel47 · Mar 20, 2009

I am not now, nor have I ever been, a smoker, but much of my family has been and some still are. So, I've been following this thread with you brave folks who are taking this bull by the horns, and I thought it was about time to let you know that I'm pulling for you.

Hang in there. You CAN do it.

scottf · Mar 20, 2009

Im trying to quit now. Im using the gum

whisky'sdad · Mar 20, 2009

I coulda sworn I posted to this post!

Anyway, I started smoking in 1988 since my girlfriend smoked. She eventually quit in 1991, but I continued on. I smoked until about 2002 when I finally said, "NO MORE" and quit cold turkey. Once in a awhile, I would have one, but then, I'd be sick for a month. In early 2006, I started bumming smokes off fellow employees at the ski resort I worked at. Summer rolls around and I'm working at a summer camp where a majority of the staff smoke. (Most of the staff were from Europe) So, with telling myself that I would only smoke for the summer, I started buying smokes again. Well, summer ended and I was still smoking. Didn't stop until November.

March 2007 rolls around and I start up again here and there. At this point, I could stop and start when needed. Worked at the camp again for the summer and when it was over, went back to the here and there smoking. I came to Prague at the end of 2008 and have been smoking since.

I had started to read this post and tried the cut down method, but it didn't work. I got to 6 smokes a day and was totally jonesing for more.

So, yesterday, I'm out on the patio having a smoke when I feel a weird sensation at the back of my throat. I take it as a sign to quit now! I smoke the remaining 2 smokes and now it has been a day and a half since I quit cold turkey...again!

Day 1

cdubbie · Mar 20, 2009

Hi Whiskey!

1.5 days cold turkey is no walk in the park! Congrats on your success so far!

(It is a day by day thing for sure).

Please keep checking in with us - I believe it helps.

(I am up to day 40. Argh.)

lil maggie · Mar 20, 2009

Originally Posted by CDubbie

Hi Whiskey!

1.5 days cold turkey is no walk in the park! Congrats on your success so far!

(It is a day by day thing for sure).

Please keep checking in with us - I believe it helps.

(I am up to day 40. Argh.)

Is it getting any easier for you?? I'm a little worried that I'll go bananas when I finally quit. It's so hard just cutting back. It's 3:30pm here now and I've had 2 today which was before noon. It gets to where I think about it all the time! I'm going to try to not smoke another until after dinner and just keep putting it off longer and longer.

yosemite · Mar 20, 2009

Originally Posted by Whisky'sDad

I coulda sworn I posted to this post!

Anyway, I started smoking in 1988 since my girlfriend smoked. She eventually quit in 1991, but I continued on. I smoked until about 2002 when I finally said, "NO MORE" and quit cold turkey. Once in a awhile, I would have one, but then, I'd be sick for a month. In early 2006, I started bumming smokes off fellow employees at the ski resort I worked at. Summer rolls around and I'm working at a summer camp where a majority of the staff smoke. (Most of the staff were from Europe) So, with telling myself that I would only smoke for the summer, I started buying smokes again. Well, summer ended and I was still smoking. Didn't stop until November.

March 2007 rolls around and I start up again here and there. At this point, I could stop and start when needed. Worked at the camp again for the summer and when it was over, went back to the here and there smoking. I came to Prague at the end of 2008 and have been smoking since.

I had started to read this post and tried the cut down method, but it didn't work. I got to 6 smokes a day and was totally jonesing for more.

So, yesterday, I'm out on the patio having a smoke when I feel a weird sensation at the back of my throat. I take it as a sign to quit now! I smoke the remaining 2 smokes and now it has been a day and a half since I quit cold turkey...again!

Day 1

Good for you! The first few days I think are the hardest to get past. I smoked for 49 years so it was well past time for me to quit. So far, so good. Take it one day, heck 1 hour at a time. And don't beat yourself up if you slip up - just carry on.

snake_lady · Mar 20, 2009

Well, today is not a good day for me.

I've smoked 5 already, and am aiming for 3 or less for the rest of the night.

I'm going to put 8 in my pkg for tommorrow (that's part of my prob right now. I have been just grabbing them out of the bag instead of putting them in my pkg. When I do put them in my pkg, I smoke less because I'm more away of how many I have).

I know I said Monday to get back on track, but I changed my mind. Tommorrow there will be 8 available, and I am aiming to smoke less than that.

Quitting smoking....

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