Quitting smoking....

snake_lady

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Hello. My name is Chris and I've been a smoker for 17yrs.

In that time I have quit 3 times.

1. When I was pregnant with my first daughter. I quit for the pregnancy and 3mos afterwards until some very stressful issues arose and I started again.

2. In 2002, I was struck with unexplained chest pains, shortness of breath, feeling like I was having a heart attack everytime I got up, etc. It took my moron dr. 6mos to figure out that I have severe panic disorder. Since I didn't smoke in the house, and at the time I couldn't leave my house, I quit smoking inadvertantly... as in I didn't plan to quit, it just happened.
Dec. 2004, I started smoking again after having a fight with a coworker and bumming a smoke to calm myself. I hid it from everyone except at work, for about 1yr (only smoked at work, never at home or on the weekends) because I knew my hubby would be disappointed plus I didn't want my kids to know.

3. 2006, I quit for the month of March or April to enter a quit smoking contest where you could win a brand new car. The car was my motivation and it gave me all I needed to quit. I was driving a rusty 91 ford explorer and we had no money for a new vehicle. Honestly I was "embarassed" by it because of the neighbourhood I live in. Everyone else has fairly nice vehicles, and I had a rusty, old, leaky truck.

I didn't win the contest, and about a week afterwards I messed up my back at work and started smoking again.

2 of the 3 times I've quit, were easy because of health issues. The 1st time, i was firm in not smoking while pregnant, had no withdrawl, etc. The 2nd time, I didn't even think of smoking as I was too concerned about dying (even though I wasn't, but didn't know it at the time).

The third time was the only deliberate quit time. I picked a weekend to quit because I wasn't at work. I used the nicotine patch for the first couple days at work and then didn't need it anymore. I also changed some of my habits. Instead of arriving at work early to have a coffee and smoke, I arrived 5mins before I had to be on the floor giving myself only enough time to get my coveralls and boots on. I didn't go outside for breaks, I sat inside and talked to the coworker who didn't smoke. (there was only 3 of us working) I laid off on the coffee and other triggers, and it wasn't too hard at all.

Onto the present:

I enjoy smoking for the most part, and that may be my downfall in attempting to quit. I'm not quitting for a reason, I'm quitting for an oppurtunity. My surgery is on March 17th. I don't have a problem not smoking in places I can't smoke, or around friends that don't smoke. I can spend a whole day over at a friends house and not crave a cigarette. I'm looking at surgery as an oppurtunity to quit. They prefer you cut back, or not smoke prior to surgery due to anesthetic as well as smoking can slow your rate of healing. When I found out I was going to be having surgery, I decided that the day of surgery would be my quit date. Now, when I found out they were doing the surgery I was told it could be a 3-4mos wait for it.... which gave me ample time to prepare myself.

Reason surgery is an oppurtunity: I will be in the hospital on Tues. for a good part of the day. Surgery is scheduled for 9am but I have to be there by 7. I will come home drugged up and in pain...so I won't be smoking that day (aside from the cig prior to surgery).. the day after I will be in pain and getting dressed to go outside to smoke will be difficult... so for 2-3 days I won't want to smoke period.

I got the phonecall with the date, approx. 2wks after my appt. with surgery being about 4 wks away. I felt a little panicked because it was alot faster than I expected. But I put a plan together and this is it.

As soon as I found out the date, I started planning my quit date. My planning includes:

- a list of why I should quit smoking
- monitoring how many cigarettes on average I smoke, for a week
- cutting back 1 cigarette a week.
- week 2 which is this week, I started writting down every time I went for a cigarette and why.
- this is where I am now.

On average I really don't smoke alot when I am not socialising with non-smokers. However if I go to my one friends, I do smoke more because he is a chain smoker. On average, without being around smokers, I smoke 10 per day.
This week, I set out 9 per day. Yesterday I smoked 5.5. It seems like more because I will go out for 1/2 at a time. So yesterday I went outside 11 times.

I did buy some nicotine lozanges a month or so ago, but when I tried one, it made me very jittery. I think that because I really don't smoke alot, even the weakest dose is strong to me... so I will try to only suck on the lozenge for 15mins instead of the 30mins that you are supposed to to get all the nicotine out of it.

I hope ya'll don't mind if I document my journey here, and update this thread along the way. I figure I will use this as an outlet as well, if I need/want a smoke, I will come post instead


Thx for reading.... any tips, advice, support would be appreciated.
 

strange_wings

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Originally Posted by Snake_Lady

2. In 2002, I was struck with unexplained chest pains, shortness of breath, feeling like I was having a heart attack everytime I got up, etc. It took my moron dr. 6mos to figure out that I have severe panic disorder.
Wait - just when you would get up? As in stand up? Didn't have this feeling lying down or sitting? Because if one was going to have anxiety problems it wouldn't happen only when standing up.... There is something that does act like this because some have too much catecholamines released when upright and can look like a anxiety/panic disorder...
If you had something like that going on it might be even harder for you to quit...


Back on topic. Don't keep them in the house and is there anything else you can do to help you unwind from stress? If you can find something to help you relax - and I mean truly relax, maybe it would help? Weekly sessions for massage maybe?
 

abbycats

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Congrats on making the decision to quit smoking!

I have been a smoker for 36 years. I have quit 2 times in my life for 3-4 years each time. The first time I quit I did chinese acupuncture and it worked because I made it work. It wasn't the acupuncture that helped stop the cravings because I had an awful time with it!

The second time I quit I did it with Zyban and that really worked good. I thought I had smoking beat for the last time until I went through a nasty divorce and I started to smoke again.

I tried one more time to quit and used Zyban again and was down 10 days from smoking when one of my cats died unexpectedly from anesthetic. I immediately started smoking again. I told my husband I wouldn't buy packs of cigarettes ever again and that I would roll my own tobacco if I needed to smoke. I kept my word and became twice as addicted to nicotine as before because the nicotine in the pouches of tobacco is way higher.

I will try to quit smoking again in my near future.

Once you stop smoking no matter what happens in your life don't pick up that first cigarette again. You have to work at it every day for the rest of your life.
 
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snake_lady

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Originally Posted by strange_wings

Wait - just when you would get up? As in stand up? Didn't have this feeling lying down or sitting? Because if one was going to have anxiety problems it wouldn't happen only when standing up.... There is something that does act like this because some have too much catecholamines released when upright and can look like a anxiety/panic disorder...
If you had something like that going on it might be even harder for you to quit...
It would ease while laying down, not go away but not near as bad as it was when standing up. I was scared to do too much, laying down I wasn't doing anything to raise my heartrate above resting, as soon as I did raise my heartrate I would have a panic attack irregardless of laying/sitting/standing. I've been on meds for Panic disorder for years now, and thank goodness too. I only have maybe 1-2 per month now, usually when I'm under stress or scared.

Back on topic. Don't keep them in the house and is there anything else you can do to help you unwind from stress? If you can find something to help you relax - and I mean truly relax, maybe it would help? Weekly sessions for massage maybe?
I already see a massage therepist for my disabilities
Going weekly is not an option as I only have $500/year of coverage.

I plan on getting rid of all cigarettes, ashtrays and most lighters... as well as washing my coats, etc.
 
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snake_lady

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Originally Posted by AlleyGirl

Find some craft or activity to do to keep your hands busy
I love to cross stich
Unfortunately because of my hand/arm issues, I have not been able to do them. But hopefully once I have both surgeries (these ones are for DeQuervian's tendinitis) I will be able to cross stich again.

I also enjoy colouring with crayons
It does relax me
But again, due to my hands/arms, its not something I can do.

I am going to go for walks though. If I feel a craving, I will go for a walk. I don't smoke when I walk, and when I come home from a walk I feel too "healthy" to want a smoke.

Boredom is definately going to be an issue. I do know that I smoke to pass time, etc. So even now I'm trying to do other things instead of going for a smoke... reading, coming on here, etc.

Originally Posted by abbycats

Once you stop smoking no matter what happens in your life don't pick up that first cigarette again. You have to work at it every day for the rest of your life.
EXACTLY!!!! That was my mistake. When I quit for 2yrs then got in a fight with a coworker... I thought I could "have just one". Yah
that turned out well. I did learn though, that it's virtually impossible to have just one.

Thank you all for the support.


The more I post/talk/blog about quitting, the more I feel I need to. Posting keeps me accountable for my actions in my eyes.
 

yosemite

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Being admitted to the hospital with breathing problems on January 16 for 9 days was my wake-up call. I've been smoking for 49 years and did quit for a year and a half when in my twenties. For the past 2 years I cut back to about 6 cigarettes a day.

I have not smoked since January 16 and my hubby stopped smoking on January 25 (the day I came home from hospital). We are both doing quite well and have vowed not to start smoking again. I send you prayers for strength to quit smoking Chris.

I had my first appointment this morning with my family doctor and he is so pleased with me. He's been after me for years to quit smoking. He was almost estatic this morning when he found out I haven't been smoking since January 16.
 

cdubbie

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Good Luck on your quit!
Please remember you are truly a junkie addict and you can NEVER EVER have one drag THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. You have already proven to yourself that it leads to relapse.

I am on Day 15 of a cold turkey quit. I take it day by day and am not confident I will not relapse...so I only pledge to myself to not smoke *today*. It is painful and I am hating it...which is why I dont want to go thru a quit again (and again).

Yosemite has a post in IMO that I cut and pasted and keep in my wallet. I look at it when I am tempted to smoke. (I hope that is ok Yosemite; your illness reminds me why I need to stay quit. I wish you the best in your healing).

Please check your PM.
 
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snake_lady

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Originally Posted by Yosemite

Being admitted to the hospital with breathing problems on January 16 for 9 days was my wake-up call. I've been smoking for 49 years and did quit for a year and a half when in my twenties. For the past 2 years I cut back to about 6 cigarettes a day.

I have not smoked since January 16 and my hubby stopped smoking on January 25 (the day I came home from hospital). We are both doing quite well and have vowed not to start smoking again. I send you prayers for strength to quit smoking Chris.

I had my first appointment this morning with my family doctor and he is so pleased with me. He's been after me for years to quit smoking. He was almost estatic this morning when he found out I haven't been smoking since January 16.
Good for you.
It's hard but unfortunately usually a health scare is what does it for most people to quit smoking. I haven't had any, thankfully. My gramma had emphezema (not sure on spelling), COPD and died of lung cancer. That was not enough to make me quit. It might have helped if we were close and I had seen her fight the losing battle.... but we were estranged.

I am lucky in the sense that I don't have any smokers in my house aside from me. My hubby has never smoked, his parents don't smoke.....unfortunately both my mom and stepdad do. But they understand that for the first little while I have to stay away from a smoker's home.

My hubby says I should go spend a couple weeks with his parents. I don't smoke there, I don't admit I started again even though I know they know. His father said he'd kick my butt if I started again.... because I look at him as a father, I don't want to face the disappointment. I have no probs at all with not smoking when we go to their house.... I can not handle disappointment at all, so if I do get a craving (when I'm there) I just think of that and it passes.
 
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snake_lady

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Originally Posted by CDubbie

Good Luck on your quit!
Please remember you are truly a junkie addict and you can NEVER EVER have one drag THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. You have already proven to yourself that it leads to relapse.

I am on Day 15 of a cold turkey quit. I take it day by day and am not confident I will not relapse...so I only pledge to myself to not smoke *today*. It is painful and I am hating it...which is why I dont want to go thru a quit again (and again).

Yosemite has a post in IMO that I cut and pasted and keep in my wallet. I look at it when I am tempted to smoke. (I hope that is ok Yosemite; your illness reminds me why I need to stay quit. I wish you the best in your healing).

Please check your PM.
Could you please send me the link?

Congrats on day 15, you're doing great


You have a great way of thinking, about not smoking "today". That is what I will do.... I can't say I won't smoke ever again, but I can say I won't smoke today.

It's very inspiring to hear other people's success stories


Thank you all for sharing.
 

strange_wings

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Originally Posted by Snake_Lady

It would ease while laying down, not go away but not near as bad as it was when standing up. I was scared to do too much, laying down I wasn't doing anything to raise my heartrate above resting, as soon as I did raise my heartrate I would have a panic attack irregardless of laying/sitting/standing. I've been on meds for Panic disorder for years now, and thank goodness too. I only have maybe 1-2 per month now, usually when I'm under stress or scared.


I already see a massage therepist for my disabilities
Going weekly is not an option as I only have $500/year of coverage.
Train the husband then?
Do you have a nice bathtub? Maybe unwinding with nice long baths and if you can tolerate them and scented stuff - aroma therapy oils and candles could help some.

This is one of the things that can mimic panic disorder http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/art...?artid=1501099 If you scroll down to "Psychological Profile" it even mentions it. Some that have this do have major issues with anxiety, it will even wake them up in the middle of the night with panic attacks but generally laying down/resting does make them feel better. I'm lucky that I only have the physical symptoms and not really any marked anxiety - even if my heart is doing 180.
Meds to treat it tend to be the same as for anxiety, though doses usually differ.

One of the reasons why some that have this probably find it harder to quit is because nicotine binds acetylcholine. They also get dependent on even that tiny boost to their blood pressure. I believe this is one reason why my mother has such issues with trying to quit - she has low blood pressure and when she tries to quit she gets dizzy. I really wish she would quit though... it's already starting to cause her serious problems.



My grandmother died from complications due to emphysema - pneumonia had made her very weak and it's believed she may have had a heart attack. I had to watch her slowly get sick over the years. Over the years she went from being a little short of breath to eventually being in a wheel chair and on oxygen 24/7 in a nursing home.
 

mbjerkness

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I quit about 25 years ago. What We used to motivate us was, DH and I put the money. we would have used ,to buy a pack of cigarettes. into a jar for three months. then counted it to see how much we saved. We went and bought a new T.V. The thought of all that money kept us from smoking.
 

yosemite

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Originally Posted by CDubbie

Good Luck on your quit!
Please remember you are truly a junkie addict and you can NEVER EVER have one drag THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. You have already proven to yourself that it leads to relapse.

I am on Day 15 of a cold turkey quit. I take it day by day and am not confident I will not relapse...so I only pledge to myself to not smoke *today*. It is painful and I am hating it...which is why I dont want to go thru a quit again (and again).

Yosemite has a post in IMO that I cut and pasted and keep in my wallet. I look at it when I am tempted to smoke. (I hope that is ok Yosemite; your illness reminds me why I need to stay quit. I wish you the best in your healing).

Please check your PM.
I don't mind at all. If my story helps any of you then it's my pleasure.

PS - I have no PM from you.
 
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snake_lady

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Originally Posted by mbjerkness

I quit about 25 years ago. What We used to motivate us was, DH and I put the money. we would have used ,to buy a pack of cigarettes. into a jar for three months. then counted it to see how much we saved. We went and bought a new T.V. The thought of all that money kept us from smoking.
That's a great idea.... but not enough motivation for me unfortunately. Over a 3mos period I would only save about $40. I buy cheap cigarettes, $12 for a carton of 200 smokes, and only smoke 5-10/day (so the bag of smokes lasts me at least a month). Now if I was smoking name brand cigarettes, which are about $10/pk of 25, then it would be a different story.

I know it adds up, and I'm thinking of different little rewards I can give myself for milestones along the way.
 
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snake_lady

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Originally Posted by Yosemite

I don't mind at all. If my story helps any of you then it's my pleasure.

PS - I have no PM from you.
The pm was for me
However I did read through some of the posts that Dubbie mentioned, in the nicotine thread in IMO, and am keeping that bookmarked.

Another thought: when I quit for the month contest, I printed up a bunch of pics of smokers lungs, as well as the milestones when you quit smoking...

http://www.lung.ca/protect-protegez/...ienfaits_e.php

Within 8 hours

carbon monoxide level drops in your body
oxygen level in your blood increases to normal

Within 48 hours

your chances of having a heart attack start to go down
your sense of smell and taste begin to improve

Within 72 hours

your bronchial tubes relax and make breathing easier
your lung capacity increases
the list continues in the above link.
 

cdubbie

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Thanks Yosemite!
Pookie's post too hit home
Reading of your troubles helps when I am wanting one

Please stay quit and take care of yourself.

(I sent a PM to Snake Lady, sorry for the confusion)
 

kscatlady

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I was a smoker too. But I think the psychological addiction bothered me much more then the physical nicotine addiction. My real challenge is when I drink. I get to a certain point and I WANT one. My leg starts going one hundred miles an hour and I can't stop thinking about smoking a cigarette, even now, when I haven't smoked (except for one stupid drag that ruined my streak) since Thanksgiving. I don't really drink that often though and the cravings are getting better.
 
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snake_lady

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Originally Posted by kscatlady

I was a smoker too. But I think the psychological addiction bothered me much more then the physical nicotine addiction. My real challenge is when I drink. I get to a certain point and I WANT one. My leg starts going one hundred miles an hour and I can't stop thinking about smoking a cigarette, even now, when I haven't smoked (except for one stupid drag that ruined my streak) since Thanksgiving. I don't really drink that often though and the cravings are getting better.
YES
I will agree very much on the psychological aspect of it with myself.

Certain things, like drinking alcohol or coffee, instill the need for a smoke. I will be avoiding both for the first week or so.

What's really helping is writing down the reasons I smoke...when I go for a cigarette, I write down the time and why I want a smoke.. whether it be the need for one, boredom, finished a coffee, etc. It's helping me pinpoint when and why I smoke.

The toughest one I think is going to be the one I have before bed. It's my "signal" the day is done and I'm going to bed. I've been trying to put it off, even if its just by 20mins. If I'm going to bed at 11, normally I have one at 10:55... I've been trying to lengthen the time between the last cig of the day and bedtime to disassociate smoking with going to bed.
 

yosemite

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Originally Posted by Snake_Lady

YES
I will agree very much on the psychological aspect of it with myself.

Certain things, like drinking alcohol or coffee, instill the need for a smoke. I will be avoiding both for the first week or so.

What's really helping is writing down the reasons I smoke...when I go for a cigarette, I write down the time and why I want a smoke.. whether it be the need for one, boredom, finished a coffee, etc. It's helping me pinpoint when and why I smoke.

The toughest one I think is going to be the one I have before bed. It's my "signal" the day is done and I'm going to bed. I've been trying to put it off, even if its just by 20mins. If I'm going to bed at 11, normally I have one at 10:55... I've been trying to lengthen the time between the last cig of the day and bedtime to disassociate smoking with going to bed.
The last thing I do before bed is scoop the litter - perhaps you could try that as a signal the day is done.
 

lil maggie

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I don't mean to be nosey but why are you having surgery? I really hope it's nothing really serious! I'll be praying for you!

As for the quitting smoking, CONGRATULATIONS!!! I'm a smoker too and know how hard it is to quit. This is such a good idea writing it down, having friends aware of what you're doing and getting the support you need! Good Job!!

Originally Posted by Snake_Lady

.... I can't say I won't smoke ever again, but I can say I won't smoke today.
....Great advice!

Sorry I'm not much help and I'll I can do is pat you on the back! (and soon not have to pat you on the back for coughing LOL)

GOOD LUCK!
 
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