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Old 02-11-2011, 08:01 AM   #21
Smyth's Skate
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I am on day 26 being smoke free. I decided last fall that Jan 16 would be the day I no longer smoked and here I am. I use a rather strong support group at http://www.alberta.quitnet.com
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Old 02-11-2011, 08:15 AM   #22
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I quit smoking on September 29, 2010 after about 20 years of smoking about a pack a day. My wife has quit for about a year and a half now. We both started living more actively and eating better and it's amazing what a difference the little lifestyle changes make.

What really worked for me and my wife was reading "The Easy Way to Stop Smoking" by Allen Carr. It's a short, quick, easy read and it worked when nothing else had in the past. The only problem with it, if you want to call it that, is that you are encouraged to smoke while you're reading.

Good luck to all. This is one of the best things you can do for yourself.
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Old 02-11-2011, 08:27 AM   #23
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After roughly 25 years of smoking, I'm now somewhere around day 30 without even a single drag of a cigarette. The only thing that works for me is the nicotine gum and I'm slowly (very slowly) chewing less and less gum per day, which is encouraging, but this is still the toughest thing I've ever had to do. Surprisingly, the cravings that went away first were the 'first smoke in the morning' ones. I can now go a couple hours after waking up without anything which is awesome. I've managed to quit a few times before but I never truly felt committed to it like I do now.

Best of luck to all my fellow quitters.
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Old 02-11-2011, 10:22 AM   #24
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The NRT has never been the best way to quit from everything I read prior to myself quitting. Something about dragging on the withdrawal symptoms which makes a ton of sense. Quitting cold turkey and just getting the nicotine out of your system is key. From there it's mostly dealing with the habit. I had my last cigarette the day after thanksgiving this year. Used Champix. I was initialy worried about coming off the Champix as I thought that would be when I was most likely to relapse and although things did get a bit harder after I stopped taking it, I am feeling much better these days.

Although I don't consider myself completley out of the woods yet, I would have to say I'm pretty impressed that I managed to make it. And I can assure anyone of this.....if I can make it this far ANYONE can. I LOVED smoking. I didn't even really want to quit, I did becuase my g/f did and I didn't want to be the only in the relationship smoking. I know I will miss it but gettting to the point that I'm feeling pretty happy about doing this.

Best of luck to anyone thinking of going down this path. It aint an easy one but one that anyone can walk. I truly do recommed the Champix though. It may not be for all, I think I was likely best case scenario because other than some very light insomnia for the first couple of weeks, I experienced no side effects.
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Old 02-11-2011, 10:22 AM   #25
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I'm not a smoker myself, but my Dad was for 30 years. He was an on again, off again smoker who tried quitting several times before finally quitting a couple of years ago. He swore by Black Licorice for helping him quit and easing the cravings. Supposedly there is something in Licorice root that mimics the change in blood pressure that nicotine does but at a much lower rate.
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Old 02-11-2011, 10:27 AM   #26
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Drury18 View Post
I'm not a smoker myself, but my Dad was for 30 years. He was an on again, off again smoker who tried quitting several times before finally quitting a couple of years ago. He swore by Black Licorice for helping him quit and easing the cravings. Supposedly there is something in Licorice root that mimics the change in blood pressure that nicotine does but at a much lower rate.

That's funny- my dad quit smoking after 20 plus years and he used black licorice too. He gained about 30 pounds but he lost it! I had never heard that before.
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Old 02-11-2011, 10:28 AM   #27
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good luck. I used to smoke 1-1.5 packs per day of players flter. its been 17 years since i quit.
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Old 02-11-2011, 10:40 AM   #28
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Red Slinger View Post
What really worked for me and my wife was reading "The Easy Way to Stop Smoking" by Allen Carr. It's a short, quick, easy read and it worked when nothing else had in the past. The only problem with it, if you want to call it that, is that you are encouraged to smoke while you're reading.

Good luck to all. This is one of the best things you can do for yourself.

Couldn't agree more. I hate to sound like a broken record ... but you're doing yourself a disservice if you don't have this book sitting on your coffee table. Coming up on two years for me ... and I still flip through it from time to time.

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Old 02-11-2011, 10:52 AM   #29
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Good luck to all. Nicotine is a hell of a drug, it plays jedi mind tricks on you but it is beatable.

I quit smoking some time last year, I don't even know or care to know the date I stoped. I'll remember my last cigarette vividly, it was a sunny day while on lunch break so I think it was during the spring, lol.

I was a pack a day smoker for 15 years. Smoked up to 2 packs when i'd enjoy a heavy night of drinking, which was a regular occurance. Quit soooo many times. Few months here, once I almost lasted a full year. The thing that worked for me was a book. I noticed someone else already mentioned it, but I can't help but promote it enough.

Allen Carr's Easyway to Stop Smoking. Can't say enough good things about the book. Its a very short book, took me about 3 weeks to read it because of the anxiety I felt about quiting smoking. Should have taken me a night, or 2 tops to read thru it. I've never had an easier time quitting smoking. I'm a skeptical guy and never thought a small book would do it. I think after getting 10 pages in, I was calling the author a self righteous #######. He brags about how awesome he is, I cursed his name a fair bit, lol.

I quit smoking in the middle of the day, thru the rest of my pack in the garbage and have never looked back. The hardest thing is to actually get thru the whole book. Myself, and 3 other friends have successfully quit smoking after reading this book. My mother, my father and a real good friend have yet to finish the book after having it for months. Getting thru it seems to be the biggest problem. The book just provides a different perspective of smoking that made it easy for me to quit.

I'm confident i'll never smoke again.

***EDIT***

K, well 2 people mentioned the book, it was only 1 prior to me typing my message out, lol

Last edited by Pacem; 02-11-2011 at 10:54 AM.
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Old 02-11-2011, 10:56 AM   #30
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Quit September 16, 2010 cold turkey after a 7 year habit.

The first 14-20 days were pretty tough. I didn't see/feel any improvement and going back would have been so easy. I was agitated most of the day, and I simply didn't feel like doing anything. I had become so accustomed to having a smoke before doing ANYTHING that I found without it I just didn't want to get up and do anything.

After I got through the first few weeks, the cravings subsided. I was also able to start doing the things I loved without having to spark. I also started to notice a few benefits. I started breathing better, and the constant coughing when I stepped into the cold went away. My energy levels were more sustained throughout the day. The most noticeable benefit, however, was that big number in my bank account. I have a lot of extra money that I don't know what to do with. That is just an awesome feeling considering how tight money had always been.

In early September, I couldn't go 3 hours without having a smoke. I have now gone almost 5 months without. I started losing the constant cravings sometime in November. I don't even think about it unless it is right in front of me (tv/people on the street). Never having to worry about having something in the house to light up at all times is like a weight off of my shoulders.

Great thread, and I hope it helps a lot of other people get to where I am at...then beyond to where some of the other posters are at. 17 years smoke free? Fantastic! Good luck to all of you. I'm not going to lie to you and say that it is easy. The only thing I can say, is that it is so worth it.
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Old 02-11-2011, 11:10 AM   #31
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Originally Posted by scotty2hotty View Post
Couldn't agree more. I hate to sound like a broken record ... but you're doing yourself a disservice if you don't have this book sitting on your coffee table. Coming up on two years for me ... and I still flip through it from time to time.

This book helped me a helluva' lot too. It just made so much sense and was so easy. Cold turkey for me...it will be 5 years in May. I smoked 2 - 3 packs a day. Allen Carr was a fricken' genius.
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Old 02-11-2011, 11:24 AM   #32
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I was 8 years clean on January 10. When drinking the urge to smoke still creeps up but I have never slipped up....cold turkey the only way to go, don't convince yourself you can have "one here or there" it won't work. Good luck guys.
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Old 02-11-2011, 11:26 AM   #33
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Congrats to all of you.
I have just started what seems like the 500 th attempt to quit that nasty lip candy.
My recent attempts to quit have been getting longer/easier before i get back on the wagon. The hardest thing is having a few friends whom do it. I see these guys once every couple weeks and its been natural for years and years to just hang out and enjoy a chew. Last time we hung out I was informed he was trying to quit as well so we almost went the entire time clean and then gave in.
My grandma is my motivation as she smoked for almost 60 years, broke her hip and because of the smoking there were more complications than ever need be. She hasnt had a smoke in over a year now and finds the smell of others gross which is funny!
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Old 02-11-2011, 11:46 AM   #34
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Woke up this morning and didn't even feel like a smoke.

It has only been a couple of days (I started a bit early) and I definitely don't miss waking up with my mouth tasting like an ashtray and coughing up some horrible phlegm crap.

And Pylon if its all the same to you I'd prefer we keep a thread going instead of a group. For no other reason than having a thread is a bit more convenient.
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Old 02-11-2011, 01:12 PM   #35
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Couldn't agree more. I hate to sound like a broken record ... but you're doing yourself a disservice if you don't have this book sitting on your coffee table. Coming up on two years for me ... and I still flip through it from time to time.

Someone have a copy of this book they would like to loan out or sell? I cant find it on iBooks.
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Old 02-11-2011, 01:24 PM   #36
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I have that book, started it, never finished it. Still smoking right now. Have been thinking more lately about quitting, but not sure if I'm quite ready just yet.
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Old 02-11-2011, 01:42 PM   #37
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The real test for me will be Feb 27th.

That's the next time I go to a Flames game.

In the last 5 years, I can't remember ever not going for a smoke at both intermissions. If I can do that, I can do anything.
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Old 02-11-2011, 02:18 PM   #38
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The real test for me will be Feb 27th.

That's the next time I go to a Flames game.

In the last 5 years, I can't remember ever not going for a smoke at both intermissions. If I can do that, I can do anything.

It's actually pretty easy. I was surprised to actually be pretty happy about being able to stay to watch the festivities. Turns out they do things on ice in between periods, who knew?

Oh, and you get to avoid the cattle yard they made us all stand in. That in itself makes it worthwhile.
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Old 02-11-2011, 02:33 PM   #39
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I have that book, started it, never finished it. Still smoking right now. Have been thinking more lately about quitting, but not sure if I'm quite ready just yet.
Then you're not.

The most important part of quitting is WANTING to quit. If you are on the fence, then you are not ready.
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Old 02-11-2011, 02:49 PM   #40
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Ok i might be in, let me go on a bender this weekend..I'll decide on sunday.

on and off for 15 years.

but quiting as been on my mind
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