I QUIT! The quitting smoking support thread.

[Deviaant]

I had a lung infection that put me in the hospital for 3 days, at the worst I was literally unable to breathe. It was scary as heck. At that point I decided I'm going to do everything I can to ensure I never feel that way again. I've been a pack a day plus smoker for about 20 years now.

Today is currently day 13 without a smoke. I also intend to lose some weight as well, but it's taking everything I've got to not smoke so I want to get that under control before I change anything else.

I feel ok, I'm at the super gross phlegm phase now. It's a minute by minute battle but I'm winning so far.

Good luck to everyone else who is quitting. Toughest thing I've ever done.

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[Flacker]

Originally Posted by Deviaant

I had a lung infection that put me in the hospital for 3 days, at the worst I was literally unable to breathe. It was scary as heck. At that point I decided I'm going to do everything I can to ensure I never feel that way again. I've been a pack a day plus smoker for about 20 years now.

Today is currently day 13 without a smoke. I also intend to lose some weight as well, but it's taking everything I've got to not smoke so I want to get that under control before I change anything else.

I feel ok, I'm at the super gross phlegm phase now. It's a minute by minute battle but I'm winning so far.

Good luck to everyone else who is quitting. Toughest thing I've ever done.

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Hang in there Deviaant. I am day 3 today, and it doesn't seem to be getting easier, but this time I am determined to make it stick. If I slip and have a cigarette, I won't let that deter me from carrying on.

I broke up with my long-term girlfriend in April, so I am just recently trying to get back into the dating scene. I have used this as motivation to help me quit. Because if I had a choice to date a smoker or a non-smoker, I know what I would pick.

[Deviaant]

Seems like we both have good motivation to do this. Some Rocky days ahead for both of us but we can do it. I have kept my hospital wrist band thing just as a reminder why I'm quitting. That and I'm cheap so I'm keeping a running tally of how much money I've saved so far.

Originally Posted by Flacker

Hang in there Deviaant. I am day 3 today, and it doesn't seem to be getting easier, but this time I am determined to make it stick. If I slip and have a cigarette, I won't let that deter me from carrying on.

I broke up with my long-term girlfriend in April, so I am just recently trying to get back into the dating scene. I have used this as motivation to help me quit. Because if I had a choice to date a smoker or a non-smoker, I know what I would pick.

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[devo22]

good luck guys, hang in there!

[Deviaant]

Still going strong, I'm no longer using the patch or gum. I do carry some nicotine gum around with me just in case, I really feel I need a smoke. I also have a full pack of smokes sitting in my freezer. To me the thought of I could have a smoke if I really wanted to to be calming, I'd be all panicky and think about it all the time if they were not around. So when I feel a good amount of time has passed I'll throw my freezer pack out but till then they are there if I want them. Honestly I'd forgotten about my freezer smokes till now.

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[Traditional_Ale]

Originally Posted by Deviaant

Still going strong, I'm no longer using the patch or gum. I do carry some nicotine gum around with me just in case, I really feel I need a smoke. I also have a full pack of smokes sitting in my freezer. To me the thought of I could have a smoke if I really wanted to to be calming, I'd be all panicky and think about it all the time if they were not around. So when I feel a good amount of time has passed I'll throw my freezer pack out but till then they are there if I want them. Honestly I'd forgotten about my freezer smokes till now.

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I quit almost three years ago now, totally cold turkey without cutting down and I didn't use any kind of nicotine product. By day three I should have been at the hospital, because I was puking like Ray Charles on the rehab center floor. I couldn't even keep water down. Once I wasn't bedridden (jazz cabbage and frozen fruit are a miracle) a friend gave me a pack of smokes that I did not open/unseal. I carried around for three weeks in my pocket until I gave it away to someone asking to bum a smoke.

I found it comforting to know that if I was going to cave, I was going to be all-in. No sneaking drags or bumming random smokes or anything. I wanted to know that caving is caving and to not pussyfoot around this. I think the reason so many people can't quite ever quit is because, well, they don't ever get the nicotine out of their system completely and let the brain rewire. I wanted the nicotine out of my system as fast as possible. Although given the aforementioned puking and being bedridden for a couple days might not be for everyone.

I have not had any nicotine since, yet even at almost three years watching Mad Men makes me jones, lol.

[Cecil Terwilliger]

I vape and I still jones bad for a smoke when I watch mad men.

Between the smoking, drinking and womanizing that show could’ve been called Vice City.

[Traditional_Ale]

Originally Posted by Cecil Terwilliger

I vape and I still jones bad for a smoke when I watch mad men.

Between the smoking, drinking and womanizing that show could’ve been called Vice City.

I feel like Mad Men is my new vice. I don't smoke, I'm trying not to drink as much, and I've sworn off women for a while. What am I doing to myself!?

[Deviaant]

I am lucky in the sense I don't drink, I have found the use of jazz cabbage has been a big help since coming off the patch. I do honestly feel better, I can breathe so much better, I have more energy heck I even sleep better. I feel like it's a mental game at this point. I need time to pass, I need my new routines to become habit.

One minute at a time, the craving will pass I and I will not go back to the hospital for my lungs again.

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[81MC]

Anyone experience a decrease in headaches when they quit? Honestly going on about day 20 of a constant and relentless headache, and thinking maybe I really should quit and see if it helps out with the frequency. Winter is a huge trigger for me, so this will probably be harder than I think. Congrats to those that have maintained while I fell off long ago.

[Deviaant]

Can't say I've had any headaches anywhere near as bad as you have experienced. However since I've stopped smoking I feel a lot better. More energy, clearer thoughts just generally feel better all round.

Originally Posted by 81MC

Anyone experience a decrease in headaches when they quit? Honestly going on about day 20 of a constant and relentless headache, and thinking maybe I really should quit and see if it helps out with the frequency. Winter is a huge trigger for me, so this will probably be harder than I think. Congrats to those that have maintained while I fell off long ago.

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[prarieboy]

Originally Posted by Deviaant

Can't say I've had any headaches anywhere near as bad as you have experienced. However since I've stopped smoking I feel a lot better. More energy, clearer thoughts just generally feel better all round.

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Good for you. Seriously.

All smokers know that what they are doing is bad for them but the addiction makes people lie to themselves. I quit a 30 year habit about five years ago. I was sick of it. First couple of years there would still be times when I'd try to tell myself just one would be OK. It isn't. Ever.

Ride your current success and rid yourself of that awful controlling habit.

[Deviaant]

Well I'm going through a pretty nasty craving so here I am saying it's only a craving and it will pass. I am surprised a bit at the strength of some of my cravings even after a month and a bit of no smoking. Thankfully they only last a minute or two. I feel I have the will to continue on my path but my Lord some moments I feel like id kick a puppy for a smoke. (I'd never harm an animal on my worst day)

I hope everyone else who is quitting is having success. I'm kind of glad I found this thread, it's good for me to just put some of my stuff out there.

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[ResAlien]

Originally Posted by Deviaant

Well I'm going through a pretty nasty craving so here I am saying it's only a craving and it will pass. I am surprised a bit at the strength of some of my cravings even after a month and a bit of no smoking. Thankfully they only last a minute or two. I feel I have the will to continue on my path but my Lord some moments I feel like id kick a puppy for a smoke. (I'd never harm an animal on my worst day)

I hope everyone else who is quitting is having success. I'm kind of glad I found this thread, it's good for me to just put some of my stuff out there.

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Keep up the good work bud. 6+ years here and it gets easier as time goes on. You’ve got it.

[Flacker]

Originally Posted by Deviaant

Well I'm going through a pretty nasty craving so here I am saying it's only a craving and it will pass. I am surprised a bit at the strength of some of my cravings even after a month and a bit of no smoking. Thankfully they only last a minute or two. I feel I have the will to continue on my path but my Lord some moments I feel like id kick a puppy for a smoke. (I'd never harm an animal on my worst day)

I hope everyone else who is quitting is having success. I'm kind of glad I found this thread, it's good for me to just put some of my stuff out there.

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Hang in there brother, I had a men's weekend that caused me to relapse, but I'm not deeming it a failure, just a bump in the road to quitting. Feeling energy levels increasing, needing less sleep to feel rested, and just an overall feeling of better health is motivation enough for me to keep going.

[81MC]

40 Days already. Sure is nice to be able to go for a run without feeling like I’m dying. Can’t say it’s helped with the headache, but I’ll take what I can get .

[Deviaant]

That's awesome good for you.

Originally Posted by 81MC

40 Days already. Sure is nice to be able to go for a run without feeling like I’m dying. Can’t say it’s helped with the headache, but I’ll take what I can get .

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[Deviaant]

I'm not sure how long ago it was 2 maybe 3 weeks ago now. I let stress get the better of me and I had a slip up. I can say with certainty that single smoke made me feel so light headed and just gross that it solidified my resolve to beat this stupid addiction.

I beat myself up over my slip up but I did realize that my lapse in will power was a benefit. I figure my last encounter with cigarettes made me feel so gross that's what I remember now. Not the "good" feelings I thought a smoke gave me. Now I don't really long for a smoke nor do I envy smokers in the least.

Now I feel im in a maintenance mode. Keep my new habits in place, don't fall back into my old ones. Keep positive and do my best to avoid stress.

In general I do find my tastes are changing quite a bit. Oddly for me I seem to be craving more and more veggies. I hated veggies before. So I had told myself that once I feel comfortable being a non smoker I will turn my attention to my weight. I have set a goal of a 100 - 150lb weight loss. Before I throw myself into the gym I have to make sure my lungs are healed from my lung infection that started all of this for me. I have been for a sleep apnea test and turns out I have pretty severe sleep apnea. I have a follow up with the sleep clinic and my doc at the end of the month where I will explore the surgery. I am young (38) and I figure the lifetime cost of the sleep apnea machine and the general annoyance of that machine at least warrant a discussion with my doc about the surgery.

All in all I feel great and I am looking forward to beginning my weight loss journey next.

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[annasuave]

Just dropping by to offer kudos to Deviant et al - all those quitting, quit, or some place in between.

It ain’t easy. But you made it this far, so you know it’s not impossible. You gotta channel you inner Stubborn Bastard and grind on through. Sometime around a month in you’ll realize “hey it’s been a month!” Or you’ll be driving your car and you’ll realize “hey, I’m not smoking” or something that marks your own personal point of no return. By which I mean that you’ll think about the effort, the struggle, and suffering you’ve put in so far, and you’ll realize that you’re not going to waste it. You’re never going back, and you’re done. It’s a pretty good feeling!

Hang in there. Keep grinding through it. It doesn't stay this uncomfortable.

(21 Year’s. Or maybe it’s 22. ITs been so long, I don’t even know anymore.)

[Angelamc]

Originally Posted by Deviaant

I feel I have the will to continue on my path but my Lord some moments I feel like id kick a puppy for a smoke. (I'd never harm an animal on my worst day)



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lol, don't feel bad about thoughts of kicking puppies, I was ready to sell my son for a smoke!


Just this last summer, after 5 or so years?, I cheated and had a puff of a smoke. Headrush etc. but man that did not taste good at all, blecht. Happy to report that my one puff after however many years did not start me smoking again. Although, if it had been any of the years leading up to this I don't know that it wouldn't have. Hang in there all!!