I QUIT! The quitting smoking support thread.

[DuffMan]

smoking is great, me and my brain agree on that, but, not being a slave to the habit and scheduling most of life around it makes up for missing the 8 minutes or so of smoking bliss.

I'm at 4.5 months now, 1300 not smoked, wow, what's that like a 5 gallon bucket full of butts worth?

It's funny a few times I quit how I recognized my brain was trying to convince me to keep smoking, one won't hurt, quit tomorrow, quit next week something big or important is happening this week. today is not a good day to quit. You have to overcome your brain, it's brainwashed and it's trying to trick you. It wants it's dopamine rubbed.

[nik-]

I had quit for 10 years and then started again 6 months ago while on vacation.

I quit again three weeks ago and other than the first 3 days it's been pretty easy. If you slip up in the future, it will be easier to quit the second time around.

[northcrunk]

This is my third week not smoking. Second time I've quit. The first time I followed the patch instructions to a T as I was a pack a day smoker. Quit for 3 years and went to vacation and started up again. This time I used step 2 of the patch for a week and step 3 for two weeks and I would say I'm ready to go off of it in a couple days. I picked up a Vapur brand e-vaporizer and it really helps with the habit. $13 for the rechargable kit and $10 for 5 refils. Lasts about 2 weeks. Pretty cool to smoke inside as it is just water vapour and no nicotine.

[V]

Huh, this is the third time I've quit with Champix, and it's easily been the hardest one.

[Cflames_12.5]

Originally Posted by nik-

I had quit for 10 years and then started again 6 months ago while on vacation.

I quit again three weeks ago and other than the first 3 days it's been pretty easy. If you slip up in the future, it will be easier to quit the second time around.

This is my worry. I'm going to the Philippines for a month in July. I don't smoke except when I drink. Which is usually Friday night or Saturday, I might have 4 or 5 smokes. That is the only monkey I can't get off my back. Drinking and smoking go so good together. But I'm pretty sure that I'll be drink a lot more when I'm on vacation. I don't crave a smoke at all at work or any other place. Just drinking.

[GoinAllTheWay]

Originally Posted by V

Huh, this is the third time I've quit with Champix, and it's easily been the hardest one.

I'm on my 2nd attempt with Champix. Someone mentioned when I announced farther back in the thread I was going to try again to not be alarmed if the Champix doesn't seem as effective this time.

I did notice that it took a while longer to really kick in this time, maybe that's what he meant. But this attempt has been easier for me for whatever reason.

I actually felt myself become alarmed a couple times that I might actually go the distance this time, how weird is that???

But like others in this thread, I can echo concerns about certain events and not smoking. Lots of tough times ahead. I'm really not sure how I'll handle a tropical vacation without smoking.

The drinking and not smoking hasn't been bad so that gives me a bit of hope.

[V]

If 'go the distance' means smoking right up until the 14th day of pills, then that's exactly what happened to me this time. It slowed down a lot, and I was down to 2 smokes a day at the end of the 14th day, but I never got close to that the other two times I quit with it.

For the first time, however, I got uncontrollably angry while on these pills. Never had that the other two times. A few times at work I would get really mad, and then later I wouldn't really be able to understand what set me off. I didn't enjoy that very much.

[Cflames_12.5]

Originally Posted by V

If 'go the distance' means smoking right up until the 14th day of pills, then that's exactly what happened to me this time. It slowed down a lot, and I was down to 2 smokes a day at the end of the 14th day, but I never got close to that the other two times I quit with it.

For the first time, however, I got uncontrollably angry while on these pills. Never had that the other two times. A few times at work I would get really mad, and then later I wouldn't really be able to understand what set me off. I didn't enjoy that very much.

I had the same issue. It is a side effect. My brother couldn't handle that side effect he lost complete control a few times and had to stop taking chapix. The one thing I did enjoy was having super weird dreams. I wish their was a pill I could take just for that. Cue the matrix memes.

[GoinAllTheWay]

Originally Posted by V

If 'go the distance' means smoking right up until the 14th day of pills, then that's exactly what happened to me this time.

No, I meant in actually being able to stay a non smoker. Sorry, I wasn't terribly clear there. Ya, I had the same issue this time, I went right up to 14 days. First time I think it only took a little over a week.

I wish their was a pill I could take just for that. Cue the matrix memes.

Apparently drinking a lot of apple juice before bed produces similar results.

I got them at first but they fade over time. For whatever reason, the most vivid one I ever had, I was a contestant in Big Brother. Man that was an amusing one.

[JonDuke]

I just passed 24 hours with a cigarette and didn't kill anyone!!
(although I voluntarily secluded myself to my bedroom for most of the day)

Last time I quit for 18 months, then started, and have smoked for ~a year.
Last night, my 4 year old asked me to stop smoking. I said yes, and she stuck out her pinky. We locked fingers, and I promised her that I'd quit today.
When she pinky swears that she'll be good, I hold her to it.
She totally turned the tables on me, and I'm gonna use that as my extra motivation.

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by JonDuke

I just passed 24 hours with a cigarette and didn't kill anyone!!
(although I voluntarily secluded myself to my bedroom for most of the day)

Last time I quit for 18 months, then started, and have smoked for ~a year.
Last night, my 4 year old asked me to stop smoking. I said yes, and she stuck out her pinky. We locked fingers, and I promised her that I'd quit today.
When she pinky swears that she'll be good, I hold her to it.
She totally turned the tables on me, and I'm gonna use that as my extra motivation.

You can do it. Just have to tell yourself you aren't missing out on anything by not smoking, and it's the truth.....because you really aren't. In fact, you are gaining so many things.

I'm just past 20 months now, and I will NEVER smoke another cigarette in my life.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by JonDuke

I just passed 24 hours with a cigarette and didn't kill anyone!!
(although I voluntarily secluded myself to my bedroom for most of the day)

Last time I quit for 18 months, then started, and have smoked for ~a year.
Last night, my 4 year old asked me to stop smoking. I said yes, and she stuck out her pinky. We locked fingers, and I promised her that I'd quit today.
When she pinky swears that she'll be good, I hold her to it.
She totally turned the tables on me, and I'm gonna use that as my extra motivation.

Spending time alone helped me when I quit. There are just so many triggers that you almost have to become a monk for the first couple of weeks.

If I started to have really strong craving, I found going on a power walk outside would help get my mind off things.

[prarieboy]

Originally Posted by JonDuke

I just passed 24 hours with a cigarette and didn't kill anyone!!
(although I voluntarily secluded myself to my bedroom for most of the day)

Last time I quit for 18 months, then started, and have smoked for ~a year.
Last night, my 4 year old asked me to stop smoking. I said yes, and she stuck out her pinky. We locked fingers, and I promised her that I'd quit today.
When she pinky swears that she'll be good, I hold her to it.
She totally turned the tables on me, and I'm gonna use that as my extra motivation.

Great motivation for sure.

If I could offer a little insight it would be that you cannot quit smoking unless it is for YOU. It's all in the mind. I tried Champix and Zantac?? before and quit but always went back. I quit for good about 18 months ago and simply smoked my last smoke and made up my mind that I was done. I know now that I can never smoke tobacco of any kind because I might start again.

My kids would see me in a whole new light (bad) if I ever started again.

[Major Major]

So long as we're talking about pharmaceuticals as a way to quit, I'd like to offer an alternative and something that worked for me personally. Take a healthy dose of mushrooms, give it an hour or so, then have a smoke. I full on yakked and haven't had a smoke since. That was 3 months ago.

[acerbic_1]

Get e-cigs. Not officially quitting but you'll stop smoking the same day - I did 4 years ago and haven't had a "real" smoke since. Still hopelessly addicted to nicotine but not pummelling my lungs with carcinogens.

[SportsJunky]

There is actually something to that mushrooms thing. I remember reading an article some time back about scientists looking at creating an anti-smoking drug from the active chemical ingredient in mushrooms.

[Cflames_12.5]

After having a really crappy few weeks I bought a pack of smokes last night. Instant regret. Then this thread shows up to remind me. Only solution smoke every last smoke tonight get really drunk and remember tomorrow why I quit with a super hangover and horrible smoke lung.

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by acerbic_1

Get e-cigs. Not officially quitting but you'll stop smoking the same day - I did 4 years ago and haven't had a "real" smoke since. Still hopelessly addicted to nicotine but not pummelling my lungs with carcinogens.

Nicotine itself is relatively harmless

[JonDuke]

I tried an e-cig a few months ago. Liked the novalty of it at first, but I just couldn't get into it.
Just hit 48 hours, and still no deaths!

Originally Posted by acerbic_1

Get e-cigs. Not officially quitting but you'll stop smoking the same day - I did 4 years ago and haven't had a "real" smoke since. Still hopelessly addicted to nicotine but not pummelling my lungs with carcinogens.

An argument for another thread, but I think that's still highly debatable.

[T@T]

Been about 17 months now, everytime I walk past the smoking areas at work places I amaze myself that I used to be married to that stupid habit myself.