I QUIT! The quitting smoking support thread. - Page 11 - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

afc wimbledon · 02-22-2011, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dissentowner

Well to be honest I could care less about the nicotine addiction which is kinda the opposite of you I guess. I want to be done with the cancer risk, bad smell, and all the other nasty side effects of smoking. I am finding this a very nice way of getting my nicotine fix without caving. I will cut them back as I go but I need them right now and if that keeps me from lighting up I think it is a positive. Best of luck to you too!

I tried some of the early (late 80's when I quit) nicotine gums but the taste was dreadfull so just chewed on regular gum and straws mostly.
I suspect the nicotine alone will be easier to quit in the end once you have broken the cigarette addiction.

burn_this_city · 02-22-2011, 04:17 PM

Someone is claiming to have smoked 3 packs a day!?! Thats 5 cigarettes an hour, I dont even think thats possible. Even if its only 20 packs that still 4 every waking hour. Even truckers dont smoke that much.

afc wimbledon · 02-22-2011, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

Someone is claiming to have smoked 3 packs a day!?! Thats 5 cigarettes an hour, I dont even think thats possible. Even if its only 20 packs that still 4 every waking hour. Even truckers dont smoke that much.

I easily managed that, of course we are talking late 70's UK where it was acceptable to smoke in a resteraunt while eating 'waiter an ashtray please'
I can remember smoking in hospital, in cinimas, any where on a bus or train or tube.
At least 2 smokes before I got out of bed.

Those were the days.....

FlamesAddiction · 02-22-2011, 04:27 PM

I think being a "social smoker" is probably easier if your were never an addict to begin with. I know too many people who quit for a while and then start right back up because they try to manage the habit into an occasional thing.

I know for me, I won't even try. My brother-in-law brought home some cigars from Cuba and I was too afraid to try one. That is after not smoking in 7 years.

burn_this_city · 02-22-2011, 04:31 PM

I agree with FA. I quit for 3 years, went to a shesha bar a couple times and was right back to smoking half a pack a day.

burn_this_city · 02-22-2011, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by afc wimbledon

I easily managed that, of course we are talking late 70's UK where it was acceptable to smoke in a resteraunt while eating 'waiter an ashtray please'
I can remember smoking in hospital, in cinimas, any where on a bus or train or tube.
At least 2 smokes before I got out of bed.

Those were the days.....

Bleh, thats disgusting

At my worst I was smoking a pack a day and that made me sick quite a bit.

afc wimbledon · 02-22-2011, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

Bleh, thats disgusting

At my worst I was smoking a pack a day and that made me sick quite a bit.

Man it was so different in UK from Vancouver when I first came out in '85, everyone smoked everywhere back in Britain, god knows how anyone who didn't smoke survived, I could roll a smoke and light it while riding a bike in my youth!.

pylon · 02-23-2011, 03:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dissentowner

Well to be honest I could care less about the nicotine addiction which is kinda the opposite of you I guess. I want to be done with the cancer risk, bad smell, and all the other nasty side effects of smoking. I am finding this a very nice way of getting my nicotine fix without caving. I will cut them back as I go but I need them right now and if that keeps me from lighting up I think it is a positive. Best of luck to you too!

I'm with ya bro. I have been using nicorette. The trick with the cessation aids is to only use them when you are at breaking point I find. At one point I was more addicted to nicorette than I ever think I was with smoking. However, it is definitely the less of the two evils. Today I made it through the day with three pieces of gum, which is a an all time low.

It is amazing though how ingrained the habit is. I had one of the sales guys come in my office today, that didn't know I quit, and say "Lets go for a smoke." I grabbed my jacket, and was halfway to the door before I said... "Wait a sec..." lol. Just the routine of running out to the back for a few minutes seemed normal. That definitely triggered a piece of gum.

Anyway, into day 10 now. And still holding it together.

And Cecil, I don't think the guys are crapping on you, they are just trying to help you out. I couldn't do what you are trying either. If I lit one right now, I would be done for. Maybe you are a lot stronger than the rest of us, but I cannot find middle ground myself. The switch is either on or off for me.

Red Slinger · 02-23-2011, 09:51 AM

Cecil- my apologies if anything I said came off as patronizing. My intent is only to be a cautionary tale of what can happen. I was in the same position as you (more or less) and chose to be a social smoker. I've also had two friends that have tried the same tactic at different times. It didn't work for them and it didn't work for me. I've never met anyone that it has worked for. That doesn't mean it won't work for you but to be honest you're chances aren't good based on my personal experiences. If you want to quit smoking I believe it's an all-or-none proposition.

Like you said, this thread is intended as a support group for those trying to quit smoking. When I was a smoker nothing pissed me off more than former smokers getting on their high horses. So, I can appreciate your frustration with some of the comments, including mine. However, for someone like me who has been where you are, it's a fine line between trying to help and being a condescending arse. I hope that you are able to heed some of cautionary tales and ignore all of condescension.

Continued good luck.

Pacem · 02-23-2011, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

I think being a "social smoker" is probably easier if your were never an addict to begin with. I know too many people who quit for a while and then start right back up because they try to manage the habit into an occasional thing.

I know for me, I won't even try. My brother-in-law brought home some cigars from Cuba and I was too afraid to try one. That is after not smoking in 7 years.

Yup my Father in law had some Cubans. Couldn't smoke them. I was ok with it tho. I knew i'd be back to smoking if I lit a Cuban. Still sat out on the porch with the men and socialized tho.

I remember in my other failed attempts at smoking I'd get my friends to blow the smoke in my face cause I felt i was missing something. So stupid now that I think about it.

Cecil - Your view points on controlling your addiction are counter productive to the people that are trying to put in a honest effort to never smoke again. Say what you want, having a cigeratte once a month or rewarding yourself with 3 after not smoking for 2 weeks is NOT quitting smoking. Having a cigarette once a month still makes you a smoker. Your words are not encouraging. I have yet to see someone develop a social smoking lifestyle. I'd be surprised if I ever witness it happen. The large majority of people in this thread are trying to rid themselves of smoking entirely. You could possibly control your addiction (I personally don't believe it) but you are perhaps giving false hope to others by suggesting its possible, far from encouraging. Encouragement is the point of this thread.

VANFLAMESFAN · 02-28-2011, 01:43 AM

Not sure where or how it came about, but today was a really tough one for me. All I could think about was going down the street, buying a pack, smoking one and throwing out the pack. Not sure why though. Today was a pretty normal, lazy Sunday. Lots of lying around the house, but I couldn't stop thinking about having a smoke.

It's been just under 5 weeks and this day was probably the toughest since the first few days of withdrawls. Hope tomorrow is easier.

Cecil Terwilliger · 02-28-2011, 01:49 AM

I went to my first Flames game in years without a single smoke. Other than a few at the HC I've been in the clear for around 3 weeks.

Urges come and go. Worst are with TV shows/movies that have lots of smoking and when I'm drinking.

WilsonFourTwo · 02-28-2011, 07:35 AM

Cecil, VANFLAMESFAN, Pylon, and the rest of you.....keep up the work, you're all doing really well.

Seriously - several success stories in one thread......pretty awesome guys!

WilsonFourTwo · 02-28-2011, 07:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cecil Terwilliger

Urges come and go. Worst are with TV shows/movies that have lots of smoking and when I'm drinking.

LOL - Mad Men is the absolute worst for quitting, damn near killed me!!

I'm so glad that I eliminated the quick/easy access to smoking materials before watching the past season!

pylon · 03-01-2011, 12:43 AM

I hit 2 weeks on Sunday. Feel great. Put on about 5 pounds, but with all the working out I have been doing, I just makes me look a little wider, not fatter.

I really think I won't be looking back this time. I just feel so much more positive than the previous times I have quit.

BTW, good work everyone that has stayed with it. I kinda thought htis thread had died, and everyone had dropped out, but looks like I was wrong.

pylon · 03-05-2011, 10:42 PM

Well, 3 weeks in about 1 hr for me. How is everyone else holding up? The lack of updates makes me worry.

Cecil Terwilliger · 03-05-2011, 10:56 PM

I'm doing great. It has now been over a month since I've bought a pack and exactly a month since I finished my last pack.

I don't think about it hardly at all anymore unless there is an obvious trigger like drinking.

dissentowner · 03-05-2011, 11:34 PM

Doing great, have not had a smoke since that one slip.

WesternCanadaKing · 03-09-2011, 10:33 PM

I fell off the wagon last week. But I'm currently in the process of getting back on. Its been 3 days since my last one, so hopefully I can make it last. It appears I'm not like Cecil and can't handle the 'occasional' smoke... its gotta be all or nothing it seems like.

Hope the rest of you are still doing well!

Cecil Terwilliger · 03-09-2011, 10:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WesternCanadaKing

I fell off the wagon last week. But I'm currently in the process of getting back on. Its been 3 days since my last one, so hopefully I can make it last. It appears I'm not like Cecil and can't handle the 'occasional' smoke... its gotta be all or nothing it seems like.

Hope the rest of you are still doing well!

To be fair I was drunk so I don't really remember smoking and I wasn't in a situation where I could buy a pack either. One other time since I got pretty liquored up and really wanted to buy a pack but luckily couldn't because I was at the Liberty and you can't sell smokes at Universities (even if they are second rate...).

It has now been over a month since I last bought a pack.