Anyone an ex-smoker or trying to quit?

T

theron

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Apr 20, 2009
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I've been a smoker for 17 years, and today I am going to try to quit smoking again. If you're an ex, what has worked for you? So far, Chantix and will power have not worked. If you're trying to become an ex, what hasn't worked? I'm hoping that I will be motivated to quit knowing my health risks will decrease for myself and my family. And, all the money I save can be used for my other addiction: knives! Don't be afraid to share your thoughts.

Theron

:D
 
I quit 4 or 5 years ago after smoking for 16 years. I told everyone I was quitting to use that as motivation. I knew if I failed, everyone I told would bust my chops continuously. :)

I decided on using the gum to help me quit. It gave me the satisfaction of doing something, chewing the gum, when I got a craving. I used the gum for about 2 weeks.

I quit doing everything that I associated with smoking....coffee...beer...etc. I did that for about 2 months until I was sure I was over the worst of it.

Good luck man...don't give up no matter what. It's worth it.
 
I quit smoking for 8 months.I chewed toothpicks,still do.Then I got plowed one night and smoked a cigar.I still get bent,smoke,and chew toothpicks.End of story.
 
First, you must have to convince yourself that you want to quit. I quit in the 70's when it was cheap to smoke so I wasn't driven by the price. The price now would be a real driver. No matter how you do it as was already said "It will be worth it". Good Luck
 
If you look reality dead in the face it is easy to quit.

Smoking....
Stinks.
Kills you.
Costs a lot.
Is an addiction = weakness.

For me to successfully quit I had to get real tough. My honest belief today is that if you smoke you are either.... Weak = can't quit. Delusional or Ignorant = Actually think you "enjoy" killing yourself and smelling bad and costing lots of money all at the same time. I can't be nice about it or on the fence about it. There's no mistaking the fact that SMOKING IS BAD!!! If I think it's ok once in awhile or ok for other people to do it I will start again.

I don't want to be weak. I also took what I was spending on cigarettes and rewarded myself with knives. I was able to have a tangible reward with me all the time to help remind me to stay away when I was feeling like going back.

It isn't hard to quit. It doesn't even take willpower to quit. If you make yourself look at the reality of cigarettes. If you make yourself NOT want them more than want them. Hate the cigarettes!
 
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I quite 12 years ago,got tired of the man having me by the balls,Nicateen.My suggestion would also be a sport,been mountain bike racing 12 years now and win sometimes.Just say fuck that shit and quit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
I smoked for 22 years, seriously tried to quit eight times and failed, and then I found something that worked for me.

My father died, and I panicked about what would happen to mom with no one to help her. Then I was able to quit. I couldn't do it for myself, but I could for someone else.

The first four days are the worst. Easiest way through that part is to wait until you catch flu. I don't know about swine flu, though. I guess if you're dead you won't be smoking. And I wasn't sick when I finally quit for good.

My funniest failed attempt to quit was with jalapeño peppers. The corner store where I bought my cigs had a gallon restaurant can of pickled jalapeño peppers on sale for next to nothing. I thought if I ate a pepper every time a wanted a smoke, it would burn so bad I wouldn't even want to breath through my mouth. I was still smoking when I finished the can and I could drink Tabasco sauce like lemonade.
 
Quit cold turkey. Think of the money. Thats how I quit. I told myself a few years ago: " when they raise the price to $3.65 a pack in March. I'm done"
 
I am highly allergic to cats. I had to leave my home because the judge gave it to the ex through the divorce. I moved to my parents for a few months and then to a new place with my now wife. I was down to about a pack a week, but could not kick it. So, my wife's daughter had to have a kitten. I told her I was allergic, but she said it was only in my mind. Yeah right, however, at that time I had less than 300 income to my name, the rest went to child support, the ex, and the house payment, a very dark time for me. So being able to live with then girlfriend, I really had no say to kick out the cat. So, to finish up (there is a point), I could not breath at night if I smoked at all, and had liquid lungs from the cat. It was scary, some nights, I had to get up out of bed, and walk, just to clear my lungs. I smoked for 25 yrs. I have been smoke free for about 4 yrs. now, and also cat free for about 2 yrs. Putting tuna fish juice on my wife's favorite sofa, solved my cat problem too! However, I still to this day, give credit to that God forsaken feline....
 
Quit first thing in the morning, that way you already have an 8 hour head-start.
 
I have been smoke free almost 8 years. First off, I was finally and actually READY to quit!! It makes a difference. Secondly, I tried something new for me, I used nicotine patches. They made me sick, so I cut 'em in half. Then I went cold turkey. I was completly READY to quit. Let me know if I can be of assistance to you. One Day at a Time.

I was a 20+ year smoker too.
 
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I wish I could offer an "It worked for me" story, but unfortunately I can't. I DO know that after 25 years of smoking, I am getting VERY tired of the decreased lung capacity, smelly clothing and hair, and constantly paying more all the time in tax revenues for stuff I don't agree with, and so on. Thanks to all who offer advice, and my best wishes for the OP and all who are going through that or have been there.

Matt
 
It took me a few several tries to quit smoking successfully. I'll still have 2 or 3 a month, but it's now out of pleasure as opposed to addiction, and I don't fiend if I go several months without.

Two things helped me. Firstly, when I started getting in to shape, I was doing sprints every night. You can't smoke heavily and sprint. Also, the results after a week of sprinting without smoking for your lungs are amazing. Having a smoke reverses all of that hard work though, so it makes it a whole lot easier to make it through the craving.

Secondly, the last time that I went to quit, I hit that point about a week in where I was going to have "just one more." This had caused me problems every other time quitting but my buddy told me to go ahead and smoke it- just just kill the entire pack. After a week without and sweating all the poison out of my system, my tolerance was way down. I puked my guts out and I didn't want one for a good long time after that.
 
I asked my doctor for help.

He told me to buy the patch, and he prescribed Zyban. I followed a plan he put together, using both at the same time. I was on the patch for 10 weeks, and Zyban for 12 weeks. I started the Zyban first, and smoked normally the first week. Week two I discontinued smoking, and started the patch, and followed the plan above.

That was in December of 2000/January 2001, and have been smoke free since.

I smoked for 25 years prior to quitting. One of the best things I have ever done for myself and my family.
 
I was a pack-a-day Lucky Strike non-filter man for 23 years...no wimpy smokes for me....I worked it down to two cigarettes a day over a 3 month period....exercise did help, so did the heart arrhythmia and hypertension attacks at 3am resulting in trips to the emergency room, have been diagnosed with essential hypertension and eat a pile of pills, but am not addicted anymore, simply dependent so I don't have a stroke.

That was two years ago.

I still have an occasional cigar.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
If you tried and failed in the past to quit, it might be a good idea to get a dr's help. A bit of support for quitting helps a lot.

Many companies and/or health plans offer some sort of quitting plan, look into that if you qualify.

If you end up using any of the drugs used to aid in quitting, make sure you realize how they are supposed to work, how to take them properly to get the best effect, and what expectations you should have for them.

I've read that in 24-72 hours after quitting a person regains their sense of smell, that must be awesome, especially when enjoying good food.

Good luck.
 
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