How do you know you have officially quit smoking??

[BigBrodieFan]

The lady I work with was 59 when she quit. She had smoked 2 packs of Marlborough Reds per day for over 43 years and she had developed COPD. She started taking Chantix and she also swore by this website for the forums:

http://quitsmoking.about.com/?nl=1

She also used to use some sort of quit-o-meter on her computer, and every day it would pop up and give her the amount of life she saved (like 2 days of life saved), and then the amount of money she saved by not buying cigarettes. I don't know how accurate it was but it certainly helped her have some type of gauge. I asked her for that web site but she doesn't have it anymore, but she gave me the above link.

Another lady I train on Monday and Wednesday mornings quit smoking one year ago and decided to start with some physical fitness. When she came to me she would be out of breath walking up stairs. Now she is doing a solid 45 minutes of aerobic exercise three times a week without losing her breath. It took awhile, but she's doing great. (She has also lost 30 pounds and her blood pressure is significantly lower!) One good change leads to another.

Good luck again, I love hearing 'I am quitting!' from anyone!

[SeoulFire]

You just nailed the difficult part of quitting - the psych side. Physiologically it is relatively easy with decent willpower. It was the un-pairing the situations that were most common for smoking that I found to be the most difficult - the sad part is that for a regular smoker almost everything is a smoking situation.

[Sample00]

Originally Posted by habernac

You're never clear. I quit 9 years ago and still want one. Every. Single. Day.

You just need to fight it with every ounce of your body every single time.

I keep telling myself that since I started my fitness regime, how would I feel if I were smoking during this process. Then I realize, if I was smoking right now, you would find me curled up in a fetal position at the back and bottom of the treadmill!
Talk about a massive coronary if I tried to run and was still smoking.
Fitness in this instance wins hands down!
Havent felt like having a cigarette/cigar since I started exercising. Having said that, I still think about it. Every. Single. Day!

[OilKiller]

You quite when you stop. That's all there is to it. You can't even have a single puff though. Smoking is not an option at any point. You can't say, "Well, I'll just have this one." You simply have to stop entirely and that's it.

It will be 5 years for me in May. Unlike some others that have posted here, the very thought of having a cigarette makes me ill. Especially if I smell them now on someone...ugh.

I quit cold turkey and have never regretted it for a second. Love being a non smoker. Easier, healthier and SO much cheaper.

Oh and by the way...I smoked 2 to 3 packs a day, so if I can do it, anyone can.

[nik-]

I quit 7 years ago and I still wish that I could smoke every day.

I've gone a few times and had a smoke here and a smoke there and I haven't started back up again. The taste and feeling the next day does help prevent from smoking.

[OilKiller]

Really nik? After 7 years you still want one every day? Can't say I think about smoking at all anymore.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by OilKiller

Really nik? After 7 years you still want one every day? Can't say I think about smoking at all anymore.

I definitely wish I could smoke every day, not necessarily want one. I miss the habit and the actions of having a cigarette.

[GoinAllTheWay]

I quite at Thanksgiving with Champix. I'm not sure I yet consider myself a non smoker TBH. Not sure that's the mindset I wanted either. To get myself through the mental part I told myself I'm not actually "quitting", I'm just going to see how long I can go without and hopefully that turns into a life long habit.

I'm just now starting to feel more "normal" and I think it woud be kinda weird to actually smoke now despite the fact I was a pretty regular smoker for almost 20 yrs. Went to one party where it almost drove me insane that I couldn't have a smoke. Next one I went to I didn't even give it a moments thought. I think today was a kind of milestone as I think it's the first time I didn't think about smoking until I saw this thread.

Do NOT use NRT, it only extends the really bad withdrawal part. Do Champix or cold turkey. Cold turkey is actually the most succesful method.

[John Doe]

Originally Posted by VANFLAMESFAN

I did say 15 days without an ENTIRE cigarette.

I'm not a big drinker or party guy anymore. I drink maybe once every 5-6 months. So I will be interested to see how I handle that kind of night.

My big must smoke times were after a meal, getting into the car, during intermissions of hockey games, right after work and party time. I've handled each one of the situations pretty good, but havent partied yet. I think I should be able to get thru that.

I found that when I quit smoking I didn't know what to do with my hands as I was used to holding a cigarette most of the time. The first few times that I went out I found that I was drinking much faster than usual, and ended up getting quite drunk in very little time.

[Pinner]

Champix makes it really easy. Nicotine is a nasty addiction, quit and don't look back, not one puff ever !

[habernac]

Originally Posted by OilKiller

Really nik? After 7 years you still want one every day? Can't say I think about smoking at all anymore.

another friend of mine quit 20 years ago and still wakes up every morning wanting one. Nicotine is an evil, evil drug.

[Cecil Terwilliger]

For the guys that say it is lifelong and that they crave every day: How long and how much did you smoke?

I've smoked for about 5 years or so. I smoke about 4-8 cigs a day.

I've had a really bad cold/cough in the last week and felt so horrible I've had 3 smokes in the last week and haven't had one in 4 or 5 days. I've been feeling a little bit of an urge but I figured now is as good a time as any to quit.

Honestly, if every day for the rest of my life is a struggle I'd just assume keep smoking. Obviously it hasn't been very long without a smoke for me but I definitely don't feel like if I kept this up that in 2 years from now I'd be craving a smoke every single day like people claim.

[habernac]

I was never a heavy smoker, 10 a day max. Unless I was drinking.

[krynski]

I've relapsed many many times, but recently, i've been able to keep it at bay. I won't buy a pack, but i may have a cigarette (or four) in one night, and be able to resist the temptation to purchase a pack. If i lived with a smoker, i know this wouldn't be the case. <- don't do this. It doesn't work for many, and god knows i tried to keep it at bay at least a dozen times before i developed this system. BTW, Nicotine is the most addictive drug that exists. Its more addictive than any of the the illegal narcotics out there. Be proud if you can kick nicotine, because you truly should be.

[Dion]

My mother smoked until her mid 40's before she quit. Her motivation was her dad who had quit also. She said if he could it she could too. When she did quit it was cold turkey. The only time she's had the desire to smoke was when my father died 10 years ago. Of course she resisted the urge as she knew lighting one up would have her smoking again.

She gets the smoking dreams from time to time but has no desire to start agin. In fact she now loathes the smell and doesn't want to be around it. She also has asthma which is another thing that keeps her from starting up again. In addition it was the psycological aspect of smoking she found that made quitting difficult. Once you're done with getting the nicotine out of your system all the things you did daily made it difficult. Like a smoke with a drink or cup of coffee and after a meal of course.

On the other side of the coin a lady friend of mine who died recently from breast cancer could never stop. She quit on 3 or 4 different occassions but always started up again. The longest she quit was 3 years. Her biggest problem was she loved smoking as it helped her relax and when she did quit on those 4 occassions it was always because she had to and not because she wanted too. The message I got from her is you have to want to quit or it won't work.

Congrats on your efforts VANFLAMESFAN and don't give in to the cravings

[Rjcsjc62]

Smoked for 18 years, quit in September.

Like others have said I think you have "quit" when you go through an otherwise impossible day (18 holes, night at bar, studying, etc.), without even thinking about smoking.

I am now at a point where I can watch the superbowl and hang out with all my smoking friends without smoking even crossing my mind.

I may have an occasional craving but they are fewer and further between, and 2 thoughts have kept me from caving in:

1) All cravings, ALL of them, eventually pass. Sure some cravings may be a whim and goes away in a moment. Others are impossible to ignore and make you willing to walk over broken glass just to punch your own mother in the face to steal her last cigerette. The point is, it goes away. 5 minutes? 10? 15? It WILL go away even if you dont give in.

2) If I smoke again I will waste another 6 weeks of my life being on Champix which made me the single most miserable ########## you ever met. I fought with my kids, and my wife, I preformed my job terribly, and I couldn't sleep. Giving in to smoking will mean that eventually, I will have to do that again.

[WilsonFourTwo]

I lived 15 Years of 1/2 to 1 pack a day. Like most smokers, I tried about a half dozen times to quit (1 - 3 months at a time). This time, I haven't had a puff in 7 Months, 3 Weeks, 5 Days, 16 hours and 50 minutes.

As for your exact question......I don't think that there's a specific time line. I knew from the moment I put out my last one that I was over them. All that's left is to continually prove myself right.

BEST of luck to you. If you can't do it on your own (no shame in that), seriously consider Champix.




PS.......you don't stink anymore either. Chicks dig that.

[Dion]

As for myself I never started because I always hated the smell. That and none of my friends were smokers. Having watched my mother quit I can appreciate what smokers are going through when they to quit. I'm very thankfully I don't go through what smokers have to do to quit. To those who have quit you have my utmost respect.

[habernac]

I had to give up beer for half a year to finally get rid of the damn things.

[WilsonFourTwo]

Originally Posted by BigBrodieFan

The lady I work with was 59 when she quit. She had smoked 2 packs of Marlborough Reds per day for over 43 years and she had developed COPD. She started taking Chantix and she also swore by this website for the forums:

Champix (Canadian name) is amazing. I was pretty freaked when the doctor starting asking (a lot) of mental health questions before prescribing, but I went for it and everything ended up terrific. Between family, friends and work, Champix has 5 successes, one "In Progress" and 1 failure. I will gladly answer questions about the experience, don't hesitate to ask.

As for a little computer app......I use one as well and swear by it. I don't look at it very often anymore, but the for the first few months it was a real nice comfort/reminder.

http://www.dedicateddesigns.com/qk/