Anyone an ex-smoker or trying to quit?

Rat Finkenstein said:
Cold turkey.
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Did the same, just threw away all the packs i had in my house and on me, and everytime a craving was even a thought i just used will power to kill it.

That was more than 9 years ago, dont even remember exactly how much time has passed since the last time i smoked, used to do at least a pack a day and way more on weekends.

Just my opinion but every method that makes quitting "as soft as possible" is nonsense, is like trying to get away from something you dont want to get away from, you either want to and do it, or you dont, but thats how i think, dont know if it would work for others.
 
I forgot to mention that I also used the patch! However I used the patch with many attempts before the one that finally worked. You must make yourself not want to smoke more than want to smoke. Must be able to fight off the cravings that are sure to come. Have a plan for them.
 
Im glad this post came up. I myself am trying to quit. I know its hard but I also know that my health is more important.
 
10 yrs ago this January I buried the man that ment the most to me My grandpa!:grumpy: He smoked for sixty odd yrs (WWII vet) and I mean the tough stuff roll your own,Pal Mal, Chesterfield Kings etc, all non filtered at 70 he put them on the fireplace mantel one day and SAID no more!! COLD TURKEY he lived for 7 more years the man had only been sick enough to need hospitilization a couple times in his life to the end, BUT he knew that his days were numbered! Long story short in Feb 1999 I put the smokes ALL TABACCO down for the last time Cold Turkey!, two things YOU have to want too and YOU have to find the thing/s that make YOU!!:thumbup::thumbup:


I will Gaurantee it is the best thing YOU will ever do for YOU!!!

Good luck and be strong!,

Shawn
 
I quit about 8 and a half years ago after smoking for 27 years. My high motivation to quit began when I brought my then 7 year old daughter to the doctor with a cough and he demanded to know "Has anyone been smoking around this child?" That ended the smoking in the house. Then my own doctor wanted to bet me his house against my house that I would have serious and irreversible chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) within 5 years. He advised me to climb to the top of the Washington Monument and "Hurl myself into space" to "save myself from the suffering and withering death that will surely be my fate" if I didn't quit smoking. He said it was a shame I wouldnever see my child grow up. He was a Sikh, with the turban and the huge fierce moustache and all, and he stared me down. I was so pissed off that I wanted to smack him. Instead I left his office and threw my cigarettes in the nearest trash can - no waiting until the end of the day and no "last cigarette". I just tossed them and walked away. I have never had another cigarette since - although I have had the infamous "smoking dream" many times. As much as the doctor pissed me off, I believe he knew what buttons to push, and I'm now forever grateful to him for saving my life.
 
How much are you smoking everyday? Some people are more dependent on nicotine than other's cold turkey may work for others but it may not be easy for some. Get the help of your GP. They'll give you the best advice. I've tried Zyban but the side effects were a bit too much for me (nausea, giddyness). I also seem to have an oral fetish, i.e. its not just the nicotine; I need to occupy my hand and have something in my mouth. He recommended me to use nicotine inhalers and it worked. It's ok to fail when you try to quit, just keep trying. I failed many times before quitting for a whole year only to relapse again a few months back because of some family issues. It's good to identify the triggers that make you reach for that smoke. Exercise is a good idea, especially running long distances. Best of luck... Thinking of quitting is the first step. Don't give up.
 
I'm a pack-a-day and then some, (5 or 6 more cigs a day) smoker. Since 8 am I've smoked 13. :)
 
I am 25, started smoking anything I could get my hands on, got down to just smoking cigs and quit this past December. The huge cost was a motivator. Not being able to walk up more than one or two flights of stairs without being winded helped. But having a dr. tell me that my abnormally high bp was a direct result of my smoking was the kicker. My family has a history of heart trouble so I figured I should do what I can to ease up on the old ticker...
 
Kohai999 said:
I worked it down to two cigarettes a day over a 3 month period
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This is more or less what I did, and it was enough nicotine to keep the fits at bay. The hard part was breaking the habits -- first thing in the morning, get in the car, finish a meal, etc.. It was weeks before I pooped right. :(
 
Your opening comment disturbs me:
"......and today I am going to try to quit smoking again......."
There's a reason you are using that word "again".
If you set out to "try to quit smoking" then that is what you will succede in doing - trying.
You won't succede in "quitting".
And you will be doing it - again.
Don't "try" - just "quit".
Attitude is the single most important factor in your success.
Accept the fact - in full 100% honesty - that smoking is your enemy. Every single pack you buy is only one step closer to poorer health and detriment to your life.
Believe it and accept it, because it's true.
When you buy what you want to be your last pack, forsee it and set up a particular time/date/etc. to buy your LAST PACK knowing full well that when that pack is gone, it will be your final pack.
When it's gone, you are DONE.
You QUIT.
You don't TRY.
You don't STOP. (If you STOP, you can just start agian!)
QUIT.
Quitting is not a ceasing of something. It's an ACTION. It's a DOING. It's something you actually DO.
It's not the ending of an activity, it's the beginning of a new activity.
The activity of a life FREE of that enemy that only wants you to DIE.
I watched my 69 year old father and my 57 year old brother DIE from throat cancer.
I smoked 2-3 packs of Camels every day for 30 years.
After sticking my father's ashes in the ground, it was evident what the results of smoking are.
I QUIT on his birthday so I would ALWAYS remember the reason why I made that choice.
That was 9 years ago and I HATE the smell of that enemy.
Don't dick around.
Get mad at what it is and what it is doing to you.
Pick a day that means something.
Buy that last pack. Smoke it. Enjoy it!
When it's gone, you're done.
Think it'll hurt a little? Yep.
Gonna be uncomfortable? Yep.
Gonna have some withdrawals? Yep.
So what. All of that goes away and goes away FAST if it's what you want.
Just friggin' quit and do something FOR yourself.
All of the gum and patches and pills, etc. are FUTILE if you don't truly want it for yourself.
In the end, it's YOU that quits.
 
GUILT...the bride of my youth did not smoke when we were married, she started. Both tried to quit however the only time she could not smoke was when she was pregnant. I quit 8/22/70..our youngest was born 9/27/70 ..neither of us smoked again - smoke-free for >38 years.

There are benefits....none of our kids smoke, we're both in our 70's and in reasonably good health..and my cardiologist told me that 'quitting smoking was the best thing you could ever have done for your body"..and its great seeing kids, and now grandkids, grow and graduate from college.

As hard as smoking is on you, there are others that are impacted and some you love and some love you.

Good luck.
 
It sometimes takes multiple attempts and YOU have to WANT to quit smoking. I quit smoking 6 weeks ago and it ain't easy as I smoked a pack a day for the last 20 years. I developed what's called a smokers cough and my breathing consisted more of heavy wheezing ... not very sexy. I applaud your desire to quit and hope you find the strength to actually do so. I quit cold turkey but I understand the patch / pills do really help.
 
I quit like 25 years ago, after a few unsuccessful attempts. Here's what I did. In those days you could get information sent to you, with graphic pictures of people's lungs after smoking. Horrible, scary, photos. I examined these photos and then every time I smoked a cigarette, I considered what I was doing to myself. Pretty soon, it was impossible to smoke.
It worked like a charm, and I recommend this highly.:thumbup:
 
I am far from strong willed as my obesity shows but I really wanted to quit smoking and said to all that when my brand of cigarettes goes over $X I will quit.

Well they did and I did. Determination and cheapness combined to help me end a 18 year habit more than 15 years ago now!
 
Cardio was an ass-whoopin for me, and never stopped me from smoking, i kept score, and figured i was alotted smokes for miles.

Patch + Firm desire to quite. = sucess for me.

I had a past aquaintance that scared me away from patches, but after numerous (three) previous attempts (some sucessful for a few years) I finally stopped bumbing, smoking, and desiring smokes. I also cut out my drinking. I can't stnad much more than wine or Sake on occasion now wiskey doesn't go down the same anymore, and i use to love a good scotch or burbon, quite regularly i might add.

I forgot what it was to smoke, seriouslly, i think i am on month 11 or 12. But I have quite enough to know i am still a smoker.
 
I'm not a smoker, but my GF was. She quit cold turkey about 6 months ago. It was tough for her, but she was motivated to do it. We've been working out 3 days a week and she has really seen benefits from that, as well as the fact that she hasn't gotten sick like she used to (sinus and upper respiratory problems). So, now that she is also seeing positive bennies from quitting, she's really happy about it and it simply reinforces her decision.

You may want to look into both hypnotism and acupuncture or "auriculotherapy" for helping quitting. I know several people who've used hypnotism to quit. Auriculotherapy is a type of acupuncture or meridian therapy that uses specific points on the ear. You can use needles on these points, but most doctors who are using these protocols with patients will use electrical stimulation of these points (you feel very, very little) or cold laser (you feel nothing). It's supposed to work very well, too. Generally you go in I think 2x/week for 3 weeks, and then you have some tune-ups every few months, or something like that. I know several acupuncture specialists whose practices are built up of a lot of smokers and it works quite well.
 
I quit smoking on chantix though I have tried to do cold turkey on two occasions, but of no use. I have smoked for around 5 yrs with pack a day. Thanks to chantix and the support my family provided me. It really helped me to get over my nicotine addiction and I don’t feel craving anymore. There is one thing which I would like to share and which helped me a lot initially, try having a glass of water when you feel craving the most. It a tough road but it's worth so best luck to all those who want to give up smoking.
 
I smoked a pack,pack and a half for 16 years.Failed on my first 3 attempts,every time I drank I failed.Quit again when smokes went up to 3 bucks a pack and I was buying 3 packs a day between me and my ex.Cigs up here now cost over 10 bucks a pack:eek:
Start easing into some exercise as some others have said. Chewing some gum in the first month helped too.It's all about mind association-just about evrything I did had a smoke involved.Had to deprogram my mind-and the last time was the hardest for me,as just about everyone I knew smoked and they all smoked around me.It took a New Years resolution to stop and I would not lose to the 3 people who made that same resolution with me-took a lot of willpower.I also quit drinking which was my downfall the first 3 times.Killed 2 bad habits with one stone.Can't believe it's been 17 years since I quit,but it was definitely worth it.
Keep fighting the good fight.
 
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