Suggestions for quitting smoking

[stardustsmagical]

I'll be keeping a close eye on this thread.
I too have been trying to quit for years and lost count the number of times i've failed. The longes i managed to quit for was 1 1/2 days
I'm trying to psych myself up at the moment ready to give it another go. It's getting too expensive and i have my eyes on a new camera.

[suesjools]

I am still not smoking but will admit to having a blip, the house next door has been made into three flats and the people who have moved in the ground floor just sit and smoke all day, it is coming up through the floor boards on the first floor, as well as getting stale smoke I can tell the minuet they light up, not joking but their window blinds are brown tinged and they are yellow themselves, and no I am not going over the top this is all true and sod all I can do about it, so I am still on low patches and have my inhilator that I use one cartridge a day in and if I have to carry on using them then so be it. Sue it is more dangerous for BF for you to smoke near him than him to smoke hiself ( or so I was told), next door are affecting me as soon as they light up in a morning my nose lining comes alive and I start to go hoarse...........so stop please hun XXX

Wow, Buttons, that stinks, literally and figuratively, hope your nasty neighbors move out soon. I will remember what you said, you're absolutely right about secondhand smoke being worse in some ways than primary smoke, it's one of the main reasons my kitties spend most of their time outdoors, don't want to inflict my bad habit on them. Glad you're still staying strong, (IMHO any amount of quitting is strong and healthy), good for you!

Does the e cig really work? Bf is considering it as a way to quit smoking. Me, I'll probably go the itchy patch route again, it really worked last time, only started up again when I had the boss from Hell, but she's history now, so no worries on that account.

Hugs and kudos again,

[buttons-and-bows]

Well Sue, It didn't kill you last time you stopped and nothing bad happened to you did it?
To be honest I don't use my e-cig as I think it is too much like a real giccy but if I got super despetate I would use it as it's loaded and ready to go and they are so much like a real one it's untrue, I think they encourage me. I have got 5 ciggy's in a packet downstairs just in case I get to want to deck someone but I suppose they would be that stale by now I wouldn't want is,
Captain jewels gets on with the e-cigs brilliantly so i would ask her.

[suesjools]

I'll be keeping a close eye on this thread.
I too have been trying to quit for years and lost count the number of times i've failed. The longes i managed to quit for was 1 1/2 days
I'm trying to psych myself up at the moment ready to give it another go. It's getting too expensive and i have my eyes on a new camera.

Definitely give it a try; as I always say, it's not like you lose anything by trying, no matter what happens.

Thanks Buttons, much appreciated info.. Bf will appreciate it, too.

Best wishes for many sales to all,

[FirstGreenIsGold]

Back many moons ago, when I had a birthday, I went out with some friends and some kind and generous people bought me a variety of drinks. Shooters and the like. I mixed it up good and was sicker than a dog. Smoked way too many cigarettes that night.

Quit cold turkey. Only had three drinks over the course of the next seven years. I've never had another cigarette and I now drink in moderation. (Probably have about two drinks a week, some weeks none.)

No, my advice is not to get pie-eyed and sick. lol

Eat carrots and celery.
Drink lots of water.
Brush your teeth a lot.
Start a walking program. Moderate exercise, whatever you can do.

If you have certain habits that are linked strongly to smoking, then change up the habits as much as you can.

I admit it, there are times when I still have a cigarette craving, just for a fleeting moment. And I quit in 1991.

[Salomina27]

Well Sue I stopped on willpower too
BUT...I had already been stopped one time for ten years, then started again for six (and you think you felt a failure lol what a stupid woman I was!)
The last time I tried to stop I had tried a number of times over a period of time perhaps a year ot two, don't remember exactly. I tried nictoine tablets, easing off gently and such and in the end got so bloody fed up of the whole process which in a way made it harder for me, I just decided to stop altogether without any slowing down gradual methods.
It was hard, I will not pretend it wasnt, but I was very determined though it damn near killed me in frustration lol I've heard that about it being harder to quit and more addictive than heroin and I believe it!
There is a bit more to my story which I do not want to go into here, but will pm you about it Sue.It was one of the hardest times of my life, through stuff going on, but I was determined to get a handle on it, even though I went half mad at the time (I kid you not lol) but that was exacerbated by my circumstances. Some would say not the best time to quit but I had my reasons, which Im very proud of today.
I stocked up on my favourite sweets to suck on, blackcurrant and liquorice boiled sweet, soft in the middle. I fugured Id rather have rotten teeth than cancer lol and knew Id wean of them again when I was past the cravings (which I did) also I wasnt bothered about putting weight on, in fact I needed to and wanted to, so again just thought any surplus to requirements could go when I was over the worst and food craving substitutesubsided too. Thirdly I borrowed my sons game boy and played a great game of Mario he had, the latest at the time (he was on some sort of mission and it was interesting, not just boring jumping over a few bricks stuff )it had lots of levels to complete and was sheer escapism and mentally stimulating . Everytime I finished a meal I was allowed (I made the rules!) to go on the game boy when I craved the after meal cigarette. Probably along with a sweet or two. My son was on another game by then on his computer and happily let me play, he was also very happy to see me stopping. I will never forget a talk he gave me at only 12, talk about from the mouths of babes! He was scared of me ruining my health and dying and losing his Mother but you couldnt have scripted it the words he put it into,it totally floored me and was determined to make him proud and quit .
Luckily hard though it was, that last time, I stayed stopped, actually it wasnt luck, it was ME and sheer willpower!
Now 7 years down the line I am so much healthier and fitter than before, I certainly wouldnt ride the racing bike or my other bike the way I do up hills and for miles, you must be joking!
Most stupid thing I ever did was starting smoking and re-starting too!!! One of best was stopping.
Sue I know you can do it, but dont beat yourself up if you fall a few times, you have a lot going on at present.
Good luck! Your hair, breath and clothes do smell much nicer too, its true. I HATE the smell of it now.
We're here for you too to help

Buttons I sympathise I have it drom my lovely neighbours too who share their dirty habit up through my floorboards it drives me mad, but think youve got it worse

[Oldandintheway]

I gave up in September 1996 & was a heavy smoker for many years - started when I was 15.
Not sorry I gave up & should have done it a lot sooner.
I needed help, as I was addicted & would kill for a ciggy if I tried to go cold turkey.
In those days, nicotine patches had to be prescribed by a GP, & that's what I did.
But, they have to be prescribed to suit your particular smoking level, as they are/were? different strengths. Price of tobacco also was a factor in my giving up, & I'm sure you'll get a big fright if you add up a years worth of cigs.
My advice:
1 You must seriously WANT to give up.
2 Get rid of all temptations out of the house.
3 Use the correct strength patches (they worked a treat for me)
4 Tell all family & friends your giving up & for them NOT to give you any smokes even if you beg.
5 Get in a supply of boiled lollies or similar.
6 The money otherwise spent on smokes - put towards another goal. (I found I couldn't afford both, so one had to go & that was smoking)

Good luck & you won't be sorry!

The benefits:
1 You will be able to breath easier in a very short space of time. (I noticed a difference in 3 days)
2 Your food will taste better & health will improve.
3 You will be richer & wonder just why the hell you wasted all that money over the years.
4 You can stop feeling like an outcast at social gatherings/work/restaurants/cinemas etc.etc.
5 Your loved ones will get to have you around for longer!

[suesjools]

Wow, some amazing advice here from some amazing people, thanks so much FirstGreen, Sal and Old for sharing your stories, you all sound similar to me in so many ways, except I never was athletic, even before I started smoking, so don't think that's going to happen now. I do enjoy a wee drink from time to time though.

I just want to quit so badly, (OK, so well) that it leaves me for good. I fear that's not possible, though my grandfather did quit for almost 50 years when he married my grandmother, she hated the smell and wouldn't let him smoke indoors, so he quit to make her happy and didn't start up again til after she died. I guess if I could go 50 years smoke free that would be good enough for me, too.

Thanks again to everyone, will get the patches (they worked for me before, only I didn't have the right strengths, thanks Old for reminding me of that), and give it a whirl as soon as I finish these last 4 packs, which, at the rate I smoke, shouldn't be more than a day or two at most.

Thanks for your support, it means a lot more than you'll ever know.

Hugs,

[HerMajesty]

We loves ya, Sues, and want you around tripping over your kitties for a LONG time!!

[suesjools]

We loves ya, Sues, and want you around tripping over your kitties for a LONG time!!

LOL, thank you Your Majesty. When I quit they'll likely be inside more, so good chance of that.

Hugs,