Quitting Smoking... Tips?

[vanisleflamesfan]

Well, I have decided that it is finally time to quit smoking and I am NOT looking forward to the experience.

I was just wondering if anyone has done it and might have any helpful tips... the nicotine gum, the patch, cold turkey, etc.

Thanks in advance.

[Cheese]

The patch helps take the edge off...but its still up to you. Dont put yourself in situations where smoking is/was the norm. Mints, gum, etc etc are useful tools.

[Sharpen 'Em]

Zyban worked really well for a friend of mine. He used to be a pack a day guy and it's been at least five years since he's smoked a cigarette.

[BlackEleven]

I'm not a smoker myself, but my mom had a hard time quitting. She kept wanting a smoke with a coffee or alcoholic beverage; she said that was the hardest part. The only way she managed to quit was to quit these things as well until she could disassociate them from cigarettes -- it ended up taking several years for her to do that.

[vanisleflamesfan]

Originally Posted by BlackEleven

I'm not a smoker myself, but my mom had a hard time quitting. She kept wanting a smoke with a coffee or alcoholic beverage; she said that was the hardest part. The only way she managed to quit was to quit these things as well until she could disassociate them from cigarettes -- it ended up taking several years for her to do that.

OMG... I don't know if I can give up coffee, but that is a good point. I have a smoke with EVERY cup of coffee and I don't know if I can disassociate coffee from cigarettes. Something I will have to watch out for!!

[RedHot25]

Originally Posted by fotze

Go to the cancer ward once a week.

This will do it.

[Flashpoint]

My old man smoked for 40 years. One day Mom went to him and said "It would be nice to have you around when I'm old. I want you to quit".

He went cold turkey. Put on a few pounds, but overall said it was a way better than fiddling around with patches, and gum and the like. Nothing to remember except "no smoking".

Said that after a couple weeks the smell of second hand smoke would turn his stomach. He has no regrets.

My advice? Cold Turkey.

[FireFly]

I just recently quit actually out of financial need rather than my not liking smoking anymore... I used the patch. Works great.

A couple things to keep in mind... how much do you smoke? If you smoke too much, the patch is not as effective. I smoked half a pack a day, and I hear it works up to a pack a day, but loses effectiveness after that.

Also, don't EVER sleep with the thing on! OMG, worst sleep ever. You'll dream funny dreams, be hot and sweaty and uncomfortable all night!

Another no-no... don't put it on your spine! Goes right through your entire blood stream and makes you sick if you do that. Nausious, dizzy, wobbly legs... all of the above.

Also, ban smoking in your house if you haven't already. You'll want to do this before you quit so that when you do, it's not a temptation to just light up. Another trick before you take the big plunge is to make sure you don't smoke within half an hour of going to bed and waking up... the longer you can wait for your first smoke of the day, the earlier your last smoke of the day, the easier it'll be to quit. People who smoke in bed have the hardest time quitting. (No more after sex cigarettes! That's the hardest one!)


After a while, the smell will make you sick. Then it won't be so bad. I can't wait for bars to go non-smoking in January! I'll be able to go to a pub again!

[FlamingLonghorn]

Everyone I know who has quit smoking successfully has done it cold turkey... Not saying its the only way but my friends who have tried other means seem to always go back to it.

[arsenal]

I have tried everything:
Zyban (twice), gum, and the patch. The patch worked best for me, and I quit for about 3 months, then I started up again (long story, not for here).

And I can attest to the weird dreams if you sleep with the patch on. Mind you, Zyban screws with your dreams too.

For me.. gum was the most useless method out there.

[Regulator75]

I quit cold turkey 6 years ago. I smoked almost a pack a day for 10 years.

Honestly, it was one of the hardest things I ever had to do.

Cold sweats, really short temper, never sitting still, the list goes on and on...

This may sound strange, but I didn't change my daily pattern at all. I still went out with my smoker buddies during work, still went to bars, still sat in the smoking section when out with friends.

This continued for about 2 years after I quit. It made it easier somehow.

Now it's the complete opposite, I just find it stinks... can't stand the smell.

Good luck!

[Rhettzky]

Zyban works amazingly well but it really messes with some people. My roommate took it and had no problems except he didn't sleep well. I took it and would have the wierdest dreams and even wake up sweating and heart racing. All the food I ate tasted like complete crap and I completely lost focus. I could be sitting at work for over half an hour just zoning out. It was brutal so I quit taking them. I never smoked while on them though, they make cigarettes taste like arse.

[JohnnyFlame]

I"m the same and have seen the same for that matter as in -- Cold turkey is the only thing that works.

I used my Scottish blood against myself -- Went to the store and bought a pack --tore it in half before I got to the door and fired it into the garbage. Walked home and then after awhile went back and repeated the whole scenario. A couple of days of that and there was NO WAY I was going to buy anymore.

Next and it's going to take a decision on your part -- You hang in places where you are likely to want to smoke and you are done. Only a matter of time.

Make the lifestyle change at the same time -- I started working out and playing tennis, golf etc. more often and the change was incredible. In time I actually quit hacking to death after any physical activity.

To me it's a test of willpower -- You will NO DOUBT come out the other end for the better -- don't let others deter you -- in fact if they do then switch friends -- you don't need the type that drag you down!!!

[FireFly]

I'm living proof that cold turkey isn't the only thing that works... But whatever.

[Gobsgraham]

Do you have kids? Think about being able to put them through University or any school they want to go to. Should be enough for most parents. If not, think about buying a brand new car and paying for it just on the money that you save from not smoking.

Keep 3 cigarettes in the house. Whenever I tried quiting, eventually I would freak out, go buy a pack and say I'll quit after that pack and never do it. This way if you freak out and are going to start again, light one up. Take three puffs (great little buzz) and throw it away. I also bought one pack of nicorette and used about 3 or 4 pieces of it. Again, this was just in times of desperate measures.

Try to stay out of stressful situations if possible.

Once you finally do it. You will know you are done. You will be proud of your accomplishment after only a few days because you have finally convinced yourself that this is it and you will know that you will never buy another pack of smokes again.

On behalf of everyone here that has quit, we wish you the best of luck.

[GoinAllTheWay]

Ugh, the day must come for me when I do the same. I actualy did quit once for a few months, another long story that no one really needs to hear but I went using the patch/zyban approach and it wasn't to bad really. The zyban can mess with you but the above combination is perfectly safe and actualy recomended.

[JBR]

Don't buy them

[Hack&Lube]

Yeah, I've heard the greatest stories about horrible nightmares and just really twisted dream experiences from patch people. Don't sleep with them on ever!

(or do so if you're nuts or need inspiration for some grotesque art!)

Personally, I used to smoke one or two before exams in University which did wonders for calming down anxiety and improving concentration and memory - but fortunately I never developed an addiction probably because cigarettes always leave irritation and hours or days of excess flem in my throat. Sort of the same reason I'll probably never become an alcoholic because I'm Asian so my enzyme that converts alcohol to aldehyde to acetic acid only works at 8% efficiency compared to everyone else - so even after half a beer my body has a toxic reaction to the adlehyde build-up. I can never get drunk.

[Mike Oxlong]

LASER Accupunture!!!

Honestly, swear to God it is the most effective method I have seen out there.

As long as you are really determined to quit and want to, then this works. I don't know all the exact details of it and how it works with your body but basically what it does is release endorphins into your system which helps take away your cravings for the nicotine. It is also very relaxing and a good stress reducer.

Call JR Lazer Care at 255-3655 and set up an appointment. I think it is less than $200 for 4 sessions. Each session takes about an hour. A lot of people quit after the first session and don't even need the other 3. Some people come back for "recharges" if they start getting cravings again. They have an 85% success rate. People who have smoked heavily for YEARS have quit after this process.

Give it a try, if you are serious about quitting then I have no question it will work for you.

It is a more natural way to quit and you don't get the mood swings with Zyban and crazy dreams from the patch.

Here is the website:
http://www.lazercare.com/

[V]

I quit every night and start up again in the morning.

I do like the dreams you get from the patch. That's always a blast.