No cigarettes for 16 hours now. 5th attempt in as many months.

[sibelian]

TELL ME I'M A VIRTUOUS PERSON OR I'LL EAT MY OWN FACE.

[Katashi_itto]

1. TRY THE e CIGARRATES

And your a great person!

[sibelian]

9. I'm sucking the life out of one right now. Why is it so UNSATISFYING?

It's the same damn stuff!

THANKYOU

[RosettaStoned77]

25. I am too, but it is quite pleasant

http://www.totallywicked-eliquid.com/
Is a good place for quality ecigs.
http://freedomsmokeusa.com/
This place has the best selection of e-juice.

I get a tobacco flavor called Outlaw and an Esspresso flavor and mix them. Tastes great!
You can also order different strengths depending on your habit.
Just a suggestion. I know how hard it is!

[heaven05]

36. It LACKS the

Last edited Mon Nov 18, 2013, 09:54 AM - Edit history (1)

many, many chemicals, tars and additives that will probably cause a painful and slow death. You'll beat the cigs, just want to.

[sibelian]

101. I have a horrible feeling it also lacks being TRANSGRESSIVE.

I resent the fact that it doesn't permit me to resent the judgements imposed on me by being a smoker and damn well smoking anyway! I'm a fucking TEENAGER.

[tavalon]

110. Oh don't worry. As a teenager, you will be seen as transgressive

for using ecigs. Transgress away as you slowly taper.

[sibelian]

122. Ah, I'm not ACTUALLY a teenager. I'm 42. I just feel like one...

... often...

[tavalon]

130. Ha!

You didn't seem to have a teenager's writing style, but hey, neither does Ava.

It's a tad weird for me to be writing words of encouragement in a smoking cessation thread. But I'm giving myself amnesty because Big Tobacco murdered my mother when she was 36 and I only 8. Luckily I was a very smart 8 year old and understood what had happened. I was never going to let them get me.

But as a nurse who has helped with smoking cessation, this is a bear of great proportion you are wrestling with. Kudos for every day you keep the murderers at bay. They don't deserve to take you.

[Revanchist]

43. It's not as satisfying in the beginning

Because it doesn't raise your blood nicotine level the same rate as tobacco does. But you body will get used to the lowered amount, it just takes time. It can also do with the nicotine amount in the e-cigg and the amount you used to smoke previously.

[aroach]

74. Is it a Blu?

My husband is completely off cigarettes now thanks to e-cigs. And I am down to five a day from a two-pack a day habit.

We first bought the Blu starter kits but they did not work for us. The nicotine level was too low for one thing. The battery life was terrible so you couldn't keep it going longer than three hours without a charge. He went and bought himself an Ego C-Twist and some 24 mg e-juice and that was satisfying for him and got him off the stinkies. I stubbornly stayed with my Blu because I did not want to waste the money we had spent on the starter kits and continued to smoke for another month.

I finally broke down and got myself a better e-cig but then spent a month coughing every time I used it before discovering that I am allergic to the PG in the e-juice. By then my husband had been off cigarettes for two months. I found a company that makes all VG juice and that took care of my coughing problem. By the way, the reason I did not realize I was allergic to PG with the Blu is that their cartridges are VG.

I suggest you get an e-cig with a good battery. The better the battery the longer your charge will last plus the more vapor it will produce. Then get a very high nicotine smoke juice and use it the first few months. You can step down the nicotine level after you are completely off cigarettes. Also, try some flavors other than tobacco. My husband still prefers tobacco flavors but I love coffee and fruit flavors.

[awoke_in_2003]

100. eGos and similar kits....

are the way to go. Much cheaper than cartridge systems in the long run, and customizable

[tavalon]

111. V2 cig

Best one on the market according to my friend. Their customer service sucks, I mean bad. But she says there is no comparison.

[heaven05]

129. Clean Cigarette is a good alternative also

good battery, long lasting cartridges and different strengths of nicotine to be able to wean yourself completely off nicotine.

[LadyHawkAZ]

87. It's unsatisfying right now because it's not chemical-laden smoke

Once those chemicals and junk get clear of your system, it will be much more satisfying. It takes a couple days. You can do it!

[elehhhhna]

95. Yep. You even get the sorethroat-y thing when you switch to

ecigs. Last few days, no biggie.

Sib: IT GETS BETTAH!!! You smell really good today, too!!!!

[krawhitham]

94. most convenience store bought e-cigs are

I tried convenience store E-cigs a few times (Blu, Bulldog, Njoy, ETC) and no luck

I bought a EGO device with a tank and juice and that worked for me

Over 6 months Smoke free after 20 years of 2 packs a day

[krawhitham]

96. One more thing

Nicotine from a real cigarette (Smoke) takes 5 seconds to hit you

Nicotine an E-Cig (Vaper) takes 30 seconds to hit you

[Skittles]

113. hold some ice in your hands

your mind is obsessed with your nicotine status

[Gravitycollapse]

114. You are receiving less nicotine. There is less of a head rush as well.

Because there is essentially nothing other than glycerine, water and nicotine in the e-cig. Tobacco has all sorts of other really nasty crap that you inhale and you're probably use to that.

[MADem]

2. If you are wanting to quit cold turkey, I would suggest .... cold water.

Keep a large glass of iced water at your side, and drink the water every time you have a craving (which will be often). The water helps to flush the nicotine from your system. The ice gives your mouth something to fiddle with. After 72 hours, it's all gone from your system, that nicotine, and from then on, it's psychological.

Don't go to those e-cigarettes unless you want to maintain your addiction to nicotine. They are also expensive, so you won't have the savings you enjoy from quitting cigarettes.

[randome]

4. Try orange juice, too.

Nothing killed my craving for cigarettes more than OJ.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]There is nothing you can't do if you put your mind to it.
Nothing.[/center][/font][hr]

[MADem]

119. OJ cuts through EVERYTHING! Good idea... nt

[Bluenorthwest]

29. Of course e-cigs are available with zero nicotine so if that's your huge concern it is better than

sucking on ice. There is no reason to act like this is 1986. The most expensive e-cig kit will still cost about a third of smoking a pack a day, less if you are in a high cost cig area like NYC.
Not sure why folks look at those doing something really hard and say 'don't give yourself a break, do it all deprivation style, suffer and suck on a button!' No one gets extra points for hair shirt penance this is not religion, it is about health.

[Oilwellian]

64. It's been my experience...

the people who like seeing others suffer are....oh, nevermind.

[MADem]

121. Oh, please.

Your definition of "suffering" is a paper cut, then?

It's not comfortable. It's also not the end of the world. If you're MOTIVATED, you can do it.

I know.

[MADem]

120. Why not just kick the habit, though?

It's not a question of "giving yourself a break," if you can put those things down for three days, you can put them down for good.

Why not try retraining the mind and adjusting the lifestyle to NOT sitting around sucking on a pipe? It's amazing how much one can get done if one isn't stopping to smoke or "fake smoke" all the time.

No nicotine is better than "safer" nicotine. Or even buying some crap that has "no nicotine" in it (and you could suck on a ballpoint pen with the ink cartridge taken out for free if you're doing without nicotine). It's also cheaper. In fact, it is cheapEST--as in, free.

There's some initial discomfort, but if you stick with it, it passes. There is a short period of time where you have to show a little resolve, but the cravings do recede. Heaven forfend that anyone have to put a little effort into the process...?

[Oilwellian]

62. That's just not true

I recently quit and went to ecigs. You can buy liquids that don't have nicotine in them. They're the best invention to come along to help smokers quit. You get the chest hit and satisfy the itch to do something with your hands, without all the toxins cigarettes gave you. They also have cut the cost for my husband and I by 75%.

[MADem]

118. What's just not true? That they don't cost money? That they

aren't containing an addictive substance--that would be nicotine?

If a person can do it cold turkey, and is motivated to do it cold turkey, they should.

Imagine how much more you'd get done every day if you didn't stop to suck on a pipe repetitively. And even if you are saving 75%--you sure about that number, BTW? Those little "delivery systems" aren't free--saving a hundred percent is better.

[Tikki]

78. It is obvious by the numbers, you need to quit smoking..5 tries in 5 months...

..remember the saying when you think you can't stand it: This too will pass.

Change your routine as much as you can. Rearrange the furniture.
If you have ever smoked in the house, wash the walls, bedding, clothes, curtains.
If you smoke outside…demolish your little smoking area…no chairs.

It is a habit..nothing more or less. It is a habit you want to break.

The nicotine leaves your system soon enough..it's just the habit you need to break.
It can be done and has been done by so many.
You are not any different than those who have quit.
16 hours can turn into 16 years…

Tikki and son…smoke free for 10 years..

[MADem]

117. I don't smoke!

You replied to the wrong person!

It's good advice, though.

[woo me with science]

3. You ROCK.

Seriously, you do. You are not only virtuous, you are an INSPIRATION.

[sibelian]

20. Waaah!

thank you!

[In_The_Wind]

5. You are doing a good thing for everyone around you.

[img][/img]

Think of the money you won't be lighting on fire. [img][/img]

[malaise]

6. Every time you want a cigarette eat nuts

or fruit. I found that a banana or an orange always worked.

[randome]

7. I threw away at least a dozen half-opened packages before I finally quit.

Many, many years ago. Read my sig line.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]There is nothing you can't do if you put your mind to it.
Nothing.[/center][/font][hr]

[Heather MC]

8. U can do it..

But if you get tempted

Try
Chewing gum
Going for a walk/ excercising
Having Sex
Or
Google really gross images of smokers lungs


You can do this

[intaglio]

10. You're good - keep going

Tip given to me by the NHS stop smoking service - wash down surfaces in the house, workshop and car. Traces picked up on your hands from these sources can sometimes trigger the urge to smoke.

9 abstinent years for me.

[B Calm]

11. Good Luck!

[99Forever]

12. The very best thing I have ever done for myself...

... was to quit smoking. It was also the hardest, but it's a double edged sword in a good way. Any time I get the urge, and even after 8 years I do (rarely now) I remind myself just how difficult it was to break free from cigarettes. Works every time.

The benefits from quitting can't be over emphasized. Health most of all, but other things too, not the least of which, is not having your clothes, vehicle, hair, body and breath have the residual smell of tobacco.

Hang in there, you CAN do it.

[Mustellus]

13. You can do this... but check with....

..... WhyQuit.com . Free, non-commercial education and support for nicotine addicts. (Yes, we are addicts.) Video lessons, free books, and the best group of quitters around who are willing to give a hand to the next guy.

Withdrawal is temporary. You can become a comfortable ex-smoker. Like an alcoholic, still addicted, but with the urge gone, and the thoughts stilled, and a normal life ahead of you.

Check it out. The truth will (help) make you free!!!

Free and healing off Nicotine for 11 years, 9 months

Mustellus

[MarianJack]

14. Good for YOU!

Hang in there, it DOES get easier!

Also, I'm sure that your face is MUCH too beautiful to be eaten!

Also again, just to piss off the fundies & righties...HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

PEACE!

[fasttense]

15. When I quit (about a two years ago)

I kept telling myself that there are people who have never ever had cigarettes and they live perfectly functional lives.

And also, remember that if you do slip up, that cigarette is not ever going to taste as good again. It will taste like a dirty ashtray, hurt your throat and lungs, and make you cough - almost as if you never smoked. That's how quickly the pleasures of smoking fades away.

You are a very strong person and your body will reward you for quitting. Keep up the good work.

[jtuck004]

16. Good for you!!! n/t

[raccoon]

17. Kudos to you! you can do it. If I can, anyone can. nt

[riqster]

18. Caffeine got me through the first few days.

Replace a lost stimulant with another. Good luck! I quit in 1977, and have remained on that wagon ever since.

[Le Taz Hot]

19. I tried to quit easily 20 times, probably more,

until it finally "took." It's been 10 years now. The only thing I can say is it's the hardest thing and the BEST thing you'll ever do. The only way I could do it was to use the patch. For me, the clear patch didn't work for some-reason, only the (I hate to use this word), flesh-color patch worked. I cut a straw the size of a cigarette and "smoked" that (someone here took that literally) so as to satisfy the cigarette-to-mouth craving. When I needed that extra "kick," I mini-hyperventilated to give myself a natural rush.

Good luck to you and just keep at it.

[Freddie]

21. My BIL & wife both quit recently

The $$ they are saving equals the payment on the new (young used) car they desperately needed after his 1997 Neon finally died.

[Douglas Carpenter]

22. I had attempted to quit several times over a twenty year period - but all it did was make me

relish smoking all the more. Then a year ago last August - I quit completely and all at once almost effortlessly. The only thing that might have made a difference - And I do say "might" because I don't know for sure is - that I had acquired a dog as a pet - a dog adopted off the street and desperately needing a home. I don't know if acquiring that dog filled some vacuum in my life that made quitting smoking easier. All I know is that is what happened. So, now I have a big old dog who never wants me to leave him and I no longer smoke. Is there a connection? I suppose there probably is.

[sibelian]

123. Wow. That's inspiring and WEIRD.

And BEAUTIFUL.

Amazing, douglas... thank you for telling

[cyberspirit]

23. Final Smoke Worked For Me

I used Final Smoke to quit smoking after 48 years. The first few days I ate all the sugar I could find. After that Final Smoke made it a breeze. It fills the nicotine receptor sites so your body thinks you're getting nicotine. Great stuff & nontoxic.

Keep it up, you're doing fabulously! You'll love being free of cigarettes. Breathing is fun too.

[sendero]

24. I wish..

... i knew some words of encouragement that would really help. But it sounds to me like you want it, so you will have it.

[heaven05]

26. 1 year, 2months cig free after 44 years

you can do it!!!

[peace13]

27. You are too wonderful!

Keep up the good work! Give yourself a big smile in the mirror! A+ !!

[Yo_Mama]

28. You are a virtuous person!

NEVER GIVE UP.

[Bluenorthwest]

30. 6 months off them for me. It can be done.

The health benefits they speak of are only the tip of the iceberg, it is worth it.

[Kaleva]

57. About 9 months for me.

Not only do I feel better overall, the pocket book thanks me too!

[ljm2002]

31. This is a good thing you are doing...

...and you'll be so, so glad once you get it beat.

Be warned, you may not feel better for the first week to 10 days. The throat may actually feel worse during that time as your body gets rid of toxins.

My advice is, if there is some other habit closely associated with the smoking, you may have to knock that one off as well -- even if only temporarily, while you are quitting tobacco.

Be ready with phrases you can repeat to yourself and affirmations and things to chew on and anything you can do to succeed. I used to tell myself each day: okay, now I've suffered for (x) days, if I start smoking again I know I'm going to quit again, and that means I'll have to suffer those (x) days all over again -- best not to start the cycle up again.

Good luck, it is well worth it!

[vt_native]

32. YOU ARE AWESOME!

YOU CAN DO IT. KICK BIG TOBACCO IN THE NUTS!

[bemildred]

33. It's worth it. Try the gum. You are a paragon of virtue and discipline. nt

[marble falls]

34. It can be done and you can do it! Anytime you feel a need: message me and we can talk!

[Dustlawyer]

35. Hang in there, both my parents stopped and started until they got rid of them!

In 3 months you will breath noticeably better and it gets easier.

[Laffy Kat]

37. Don't know you but proud of you all the same.

I did it 25 years ago. It wasn't easy but oh so worth it. Red Hots helped me. I put some everywhere I would habitually smoke: the car, by the phone (land line back then), etc. Don't know what it was about cinnamon, yet it helped tremendously. Make sure to brush your teeth more often, too. YOU. CAN. DO. THIS.

[Ino]

38. After a 2-pack/day, 40-year habit...

I quit cold turkey 2.25 years ago. I used cigarette-length straws, toothpicks, cinnamon sticks, deep breaths to quell the cravings. For me, getting over the nicotine is not the hard part. It's getting over the psychological/habitual/emotional addiction. But remember this... every time you encounter a trigger (waking up, finishing a meal, being nervous, etc) and don't have a cigarette, you are establishing a new habit. Pretty soon you'll have gotten up so many mornings without a cigarette that it will no longer trigger a craving AT ALL.

It does get easier. Hang in there!

[Turbineguy]

39. I used a strategy

of stopping, not quiting. I never quit, I just haven't smoked for a few decades.

[Android3.14]

44. That's what I did

I only want to smoke one cigarette.
I realized that the reason I wanted to smoke another cigarette was because I just smoked a cigarette. I want to avoid smoking the one after that, and I wished I had never smoked the ones in the past. I still want a cig even six years later, but I tell myself that the only reason I want it was because of the last cigarette I smoked.
So I never quit, I just decided to not smoke one cigarette...the next one.
Of course, none of this makes the craving any less.

[Auggie]

40. Get and stay real angry at the tobacco industry ...

worked for me.

DON"T GIVE UP.

[tavalon]

112. Second that one! Fuckers!!!

[sibelian]

134. Didn't think about it that way...

you have a point...

[Auggie]

135. I got over my strongest cravings that way

These fuckers target youth. They target the poor. Like Carlyle, Halliburton, Koch Industries and Dick Cheney, they just want your money. They don't give a shit about you.

If that's not enough, I'll take an educated guess and and say that since I've stopped smoking eleven years ago I've saved about $16,500. Adding income I'd have to earn to pay for FICA and federal taxes, that's over $20,000 in my pocket, not theirs.

So yell. Throw a tantrum. Throw ANYTHING. JUST GET AND STAY MAD AS HELL.

Emotion will quell the cravings.

DO IT.

[TNNurse]

41. Of course you can

It will be tough. Others have struggled and made it. You can do this.

I never smoked....probably because my father died when I was a child. One of the few things I remember clearly about him.......his brand of cigarettes.....too much a part of his life and certainly a part of his early death. Probably one of the reasons my mother who never smoked....died of lung cancer 31 years later. This is harsh, but true.

YOU CAN DO THIS.............

[TheCowsCameHome]

42. Two things -

KEEP BUSY - VERY BUSY. (NO TIME TO THINK ABOUT HAVING ONE)

THROW THE CIGS AWAY, AND DON'T GET NEAR ANY. IF YOU HAVE NONE AROUND, YOU CAN'T FIRE ONE UP.

Good luck. It worked for me.

[Babel_17]

45. Allen Carr's "The Easy Way to Stop Smoking"

http://www.wikihow.com/Quit-Smoking-by-Using-an-Allen-Carr-Book

I quit smoking on April 4, 2011.

I used Allen Carr's "The Easy Way to Stop Smoking".

Border's had a nice compilation of some of the best quotes from that book in a nice pocket sized paperback that I carry around and which was very helpful and inspirational.

Great free videos that were also helpful here.

Lol, I quickly figured out that I'd feel at a loss when walking past the spot I'd stash my cigarettes when at home. I'd have a cup of coffee in my hand and feel like I was forgetting something.

I've had several nightmares about smoking. Supposedly this is ok/"a good thing".

Dreams of smoking 2.38mb 7.10mb UTube 2.92mb 06:28 11/10/06

Joel Spitzer's Stop Smoking Video Library

Allen Carr’s 7 Tips To Stay Quit

Allen Carr’s Easy Way to Quit Smoking

If you follow these simple instructions, you cannot fail.

1 Make a solemn vow that you will never, ever, smoke, chew or suck anything that contains
nicotine, and stick to your vow.

2 Get this clear in your mind: there is absolutely nothing to give up. By that I don't mean simply that
you will be better off as a non-smoker (you've known that all your life); nor do I mean that although
there is no rational reason why you smoke, you must get some form of pleasure or crutch from it or
you wouldn't do it. What I mean is, there is no genuine pleasure or crutch in smoking. It is just an
illusion, like banging your head against a wall to make it pleasant when you stop,

3 There is no such thing as a confirmed smoker. You are just one of the millions who have fallen for
this subtle trap. Like millions of other ex-smokers who once thought they couldn't escape, you have
escaped,

4 If at any time in your life you were to weigh up the pros and cons of smoking, the conclusion would
always be, a dozen times over, 'Stop doing it. You are a fool.' Nothing will ever change that. It always
has been that way, and it always will be. Having made what you know to be the correct decision, don't
ever torture yourself by doubting it.

5 Don't try not to think about smoking or worry that you are thinking about it constantly. But
whenever you do think about it –whether it be today, tomorrow or the rest of your life think,
'YIPPEE! I'M A NON-SMOKER!'

6 DO NOT use any form of substitute.
DO NOT keep your own cigarettes.
DO NOT avoid other smokers.
DO NOT change your lifestyle in any way purely because you've stopped smoking.
If you follow the above instructions, you will soon experience the moment of revelation. But:

7 Don't wait for that moment to come. Just get on with your life. Enjoy the highs and cope with the
lows. You will find that in no time at all the moment will arrive.

http://allencarr.com/

http://www.amazon.com/Allen-Carrs-Easyway-Stop-Smoking/dp/0615482155

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/easy-way-to-stop-smoking-allen-carr/1100625699

[terip64]

47. Congratulations to you!!

I heard about it from a friend and bought it for my son last spring and he quit. Then I passed it on to a couple of friends and they also quit. Hard to believe it works so well, but I am a believer!

[Babel_17]

51. Thank you. Yeah, it seems people do share the success stories

A friend at work got curious and I steered him to Allen Carr's method. It's been over two years of freedom for him now.

I'll be honest, I reread much of the book several times as I enjoyed the feeling of having the message sink in. Even after I quit it was helpful keeping clear in my mind what I went through and why I was able to avoid what some former smokers had to go through.

[terip64]

46. You are an inspiration. Have you heard of this book...

http://m.barnesandnoble.com/w/easy-way-to-stop-smoking-allen-carr/1100625699

The Easy Way to Stop Smoking by Allen Carr

I know at least four people who have read it and quit. Maybe it will help!

Congratulations on your efforts and your perseverance!

[Babel_17]

67. Huh, I just read that it worked for Pink

I was looking at Carr's Wikipedia page and I noticed that. After googling I saw this.

The 'Blow Me (One Last Kiss)' superstar told Shape magazine that she was smoking a pack per day by just 13-years-old so it was a tough addiction to let go of, but she found support in a book that proved very effective for her:

"I quit when I got pregnant by reading Allen Carr's Easyway to Stop Smoking. That really worked for me. (And now) Willow makes me not want to (smoke). And besides, unlike before, cigarettes smell repulsive to me."

I hope she sticks with it!

http://www.pressparty.com/pg/newsdesk/pink/view/60186/

http://www.contactmusic.com/news/pink-quit-cigarettes-to-become-a-mum_3338425

I had another friend at work watch an Allen Carr video and he stooped smoking for a couple of months but then he relapsed. But now he's stopped again.

[INdemo]

48. I quit smoking and if I can do it anyone can

YOU CAN DO IT TOO !

Secret : drink lots of water. It flushes the toxins and nicotine craving away.

[Pharaoh]

49. I quit about 20 times

before it stuck. It's 90 % mental. The simplist thing I can say that you can do is vow to never put a ciggarette in you mouth. And nicotine replacement is a sham, your still getting the drug. Put something else in your mouth. I went thru 100's of bags of sunflower seeds. Keep at it!

[roody]

50. Good for you. You smell so

much better already!

[Mira]

52. You are doing really well, and are a virtuous person.

When I tried all imaginable ways to quit smoking, and did not succeed, someone said to me:
"Good for you. The more often you try to quit smoking, the higher the chance that one of the attempts works."

That made sense to me.
And on the 5th of May 1998 I gave them up for good, never ever to let a cigarette come near my mouth again.
(more than 30 year habit, 2 packs a day)

Inch by inch it's a cinch.

Giving them up is not supposed to be easy, so just bear it. There is life after cigarette smoking has been conquered, and it's a much better life.

[Ms. Toad]

53. YOU'RE A VIRTUOUS PERSON OR YOU'LL EAT YOUR OWN FACE

Seriously - good luck! And being able to stop smoking has nothing to do with virtue. I haven't had to fight that beastie, but I have friends who have. The physical addiction is really hard to overcome.

[Kaleva]

54. For the safety of others, I lived alone for the first 2 weeks after I stopped smoking.

[dembotoz]

55. it gets better

i know the phrase is coined by the gay community but it is true for stopping smoking too

cold turkey worked for me

[Glorfindel]

56. You are virtuous, trust me

I quit about 22 years ago. Cigarettes were the single most important thing in my life, though I would have denied that fact. The last thing I did at night and the first thing I did in the morning was light a cigarette. Quitting was the hardest thing I ever did (I've heard it's worse than giving up heroin, and I don't doubt it). But one day after a few months, I realized that I actually felt good - a feeling I had almost forgotten. Nowadays when I catch the scent of someone who has just finished a cigarette, I think, "Yuck...I used to stink like that all the time!" The nicotine patches helped me a lot, but mostly it was grim determination. Please persevere. You'll never regret it.

[Taitertots]

58. Just remember, YOU ARE GOING TO QUIT. So smoking again means you have to relive the pain next time

Smoking won't ease your discomfort it will only ensure that you suffer EVEN MORE.

[madrchsod]

59. just think of how many hours of life each cigarette costs you.

i quit in 1980 and in the last few years i have had heart problems. this year i basically died do to heart problems. if i wouldn't have quit smoking in the 80`s i wouldn't be writing this.
remember this....everything gets a whole lot better when you quit smoking.

[Cirque du So-What]

60. Virtue, thy name art sibelian

Keep in mind that you're still on the uphill side of quitting. You'll reach the peak at about the three-day mark, and it's all downhill from there. Despite the waning of cravings after you're on the downhill side, however, traps await the unwary. When I quit for the first time, smoking was still allowed in bars, so I avoided those establishments, which carried years of association between smoking and drinking. Further down the road, you must never EVER fool yourself with the delusion that you've conquered the addiction and can handle a 'celebratory' smoke - the root cause of one monumental failure on my part. Far worse than a 'slippery slope,' doing what I did is tantamount to falling off a cliff.

[PasadenaTrudy]

61. Wellbutrin

That's how my bf was able to quit. Took away his cravings, he hasn't smoked in years. Off the drug now too. Good luck, it's a tough one!

[truebrit71]

63. Good job!! Keep it up...it is soooooo worth it...

I have been ciggy-free for three and a half years now, quit cold turkey, and I have never felt better!!!

[valerief]

65. Keep it up. Think of how people won't think you stink anymore. And remember,

most of your angst is in your mind. Start a NEW hobby/activity. It's a necessity when quitting.

[gopiscrap]

66. HANG IN THERE

I was a raging alcoholic and now I haven't had a drink for 19 years!

[MannyGoldstein]

68. Rooting for you!

In case it doesn't stick this time, perhaps next time you can taper down. Start substituting ecigs a few times a day, a few less real cigs each day, etc.

Good luck!

[etherealtruth]

69. You are virtuous and STRONG!!!!!!

[myrna minx]

70. Hang in there! I'm so proud of you! I'm nearly 4 years smoke free and I remember the agony of

quitting. Just remember, you'll have withdrawal whether you smoke or quit - but it DOES get better over time when you quit. DO whatever it takes to take your mind off of it until the craving subsides. The craving lasts about 1 minute - so if you can get through that minute you're good for awhile. Just get through that agonizing minute. Purse your lips and breathe slowly as if you're taking a drag - and chew regular gum. That got me through the torment.

Hang in there. Look at the health benefits you've already achieved ~

http://whyquit.com/whyquit/a_benefits_time_table.html

Within ...


• 20 minutes

Your blood pressure, pulse rate and the temperature of your hands and feet have returned to normal.
• 8 hours

Remaining nicotine in your bloodstream has fallen to 6.25% of normal peak daily levels, a 93.75% reduction.
• 12 hours

Your blood oxygen level has increased to normal. Carbon monoxide levels have dropped to normal.
• 24 hours

Anxieties have peaked in intensity and within two weeks should return to near pre-cessation levels.
• 48 hours

Damaged nerve endings have started to regrow and your sense of smell and taste are beginning to return to normal. Cessation anger and irritability will have peaked.
• 72 hours

Your entire body will test 100% nicotine-free and over 90% of all nicotine metabolites (the chemicals it breaks down into) will now have passed from your body via your urine. Symptoms of chemical withdrawal have peaked in intensity, including restlessness. The number of cue induced crave episodes experienced during any quitting day have peaked for the "average" ex-user. Lung bronchial tubes leading to air sacs (alveoli) are beginning to relax in recovering smokers. Breathing is becoming easier and your lung's functional abilities are starting to increase.
• 5 - 8 days

The "average" ex-smoker will encounter an "average" of three cue induced crave episodes per day. Although we may not be "average" and although serious cessation time distortion can make minutes feel like hours, it is unlikely that any single episode will last longer than 3 minutes. Keep a clock handy and time them.
• 10 days

10 days - The "average" ex-user is down to encountering less than two crave episodes per day, each less than 3 minutes.
• 10 days to 2 weeks

Recovery has likely progressed to the point where your addiction is no longer doing the talking. Blood circulation in your gums and teeth are now similar to that of a non-user.
• 2 to 4 weeks

Cessation related anger, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, impatience, insomnia, restlessness and depression have ended. If still experiencing any of these symptoms get seen and evaluated by your physician.
• 21 days

Brain acetylcholine receptor counts that were up-regulated in response to nicotine's presence have now down-regulated and receptor binding has returned to levels seen in the brains of non-smokers.
• 2 weeks to 3 months

Your heart attack risk has started to drop. Your lung function is beginning to improve.
• 3 weeks to 3 months

Your circulation has substantially improved. Walking has become easier. Your chronic cough, if any, has likely disappeared. If not, get seen by a doctor, and sooner if at all concerned, as a chronic cough can be a sign of lung cancer.
• 8 weeks

Insulin resistance in smokers has normalized despite average weight gain of 2.7 kg (1997 study).
• 1 to 9 months

Any smoking related sinus congestion, fatigue or shortness of breath has decreased. Cilia have regrown in your lungs, thereby increasing their ability to handle mucus, keep your lungs clean and reduce infections. Your body's overall energy has increased.
• 1 year

Your excess risk of coronary heart disease, heart attack and stroke has dropped to less than half that of a smoker.
• 5 years

Your risk of a subarachnoid haemorrhage has declined to 59% of your risk while still smoking (2012 study). If a female ex-smoker, your risk of developing diabetes is now that of a non-smoker (2001 study).
• 5 to 15 years

Your risk of stroke has declined to that of a non-smoker.
• 10 years

Your risk of being diagnosed with lung cancer is between 30% and 50% of that for a continuing smoker (2005 study). Risk of death from lung cancer has declined by almost half if you were an average smoker (one pack per day). Risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus and pancreas have declined. Risk of developing diabetes for both men and women is now similar to that of a never-smoker (2001 study).
• 13 years

The average smoker who is able to live to age 75 has 5.8 fewer teeth than a non-smoker (1998 study). But by year 13 after quitting, your risk of smoking induced tooth loss has declined to that of a never-smoker (2006 study).
• 15 years

Your risk of coronary heart disease is now that of a person who has never smoked. Your risk of pancreatic cancer has declined to that of a never-smoker (2011 study - but note 2nd pancreatic study making identical finding at 20 years).
• 20 years

Female excess risk of death from all smoking related causes, including lung disease and cancer, has now reduced to that of a never-smoker (2008 study). Risk of pancreatic cancer has declined to that of a never-smoker (2011 study).

[spanone]

71. good luck...tough legal drug to escape....

[Arkansaw]

72. Dear Virtuous

You are righteous, good, pure, saintly, angelic, moral, ethical, upright, upstanding, high-minded, principled, exemplary and a an x-smoker.

It is not easy but it is not the hardest thing I have ever done. I quit for two years in my late 20s and while celebrating a couple of good friends return home from Vietnam, I fired one up.

The next time I quit for good was when I woke up from a routine endoscopic examination to see my sweet wife crying. I remember thinking "Oh Shit" it may have been the other word, either was appropriate for the situation.

After an exhaustive research of my genealogy including DNA I learn that I come from a long line of colon cancer and it is probably genetic. The important thing in my situation was it was that little shot of Ether Injection I need in my carburetor to get me motivated.

I hope you find your motivation but I don't recommend the one I used. I am sure you are not as pigheaded as I was.

I am 16 years free.

Good Luck

[prairierose]

73. Good for you...keep going....n/t

[justgamma]

75. You're doing good.

I used to use Scope breath spray when I got the urge. 1 spray, inhale deep and the urge was gone. It also made food taste terrible. Keep it up, you can do it.

[Oilwellian]

76. Sibelian, I wanted to revisit and ask...

what type of ecig you're smoking. I started on Premium ecigs and they didn't cut it for me either. Within a week, I wanted to go back to cigs. My son introduced me to a more powerful battery and great liquids that satisfied my cravings, completely. If you want more info on what I'm using, I'll be happy to supply you with that.

I smoked for 40 years and quit 3 months ago. This is the ONLY thing that has ever worked for me and believe me, I've tried everything. I feel (and smell) so much better now. I know it's cliche to say "if I can do it, anyone can" but it's the truth. I've never been able to quit til now.

[sibelian]

131. E-lites...

It's actually not bad. It's just.... NOT a cigarette. One of the nice things is that the cartridges can be quite strong or weak depanding on how vigourously you inhale... Also, one puff feels like an entire cigarette if you draw hard!! But then I feel dizzy.

[WCGreen]

77. If you make it to Tuesday evening, you will have beat it...

[Jackpine Radical]

79. I quit 30 years ago & never looked back. Here's what helped for me--

First, right after I quit I found I had a surprising amount of energy. This was due to my blood being able to carry more O2 after the CO had cleared out, which happens in a few hours. I used this energy to exercise.

Walk, run, ride a bike, whatever you have available--get a lot of exercise. This does several things. Maybe most importantly, it causes your body to produce endorphins. Smoking also makes your body produce endorphins, which is part of the hook. With exercise you give yourself an alternative route to your endorphin fix.

The exercise also gives you something to do that breaks your usual patterns of behavior that involve smoking. You don't actually have a smoking "habit." You have a thousand little smoking habits. Smoking in your car, smoking while on the phone, smoking with your morning coffee, etc. You have to figure out a way to disrupt each of these habits.

Find little ways to reward yourself, preferably not involving high-calorie food. Food will be very tempting because your taste buts will suddenly turn on when they cleart of the nicotine & everything will taste GOOD! (I made a mistake in using mints, etc. to distract myself from the urges & gained weight, which I then went on to lose as I built up my exercise regiment & fought to get control of my eating after kicking the nicotine.) Use these rewards to keep yourself going. Indulge yourself; get a massage. A bubble bath if you're into that sort of thing.

Go to movies. Do all sorts of things that are enjoyable but incompatible with smoking. Swim. If you don't belong to a Y, join one.

And, dammit, YOU ARE A VIRTUOUS PERSON!

[Keefer]

80. Keep going.

Last edited Sun Nov 17, 2013, 06:13 PM - Edit history (1)

I quit cold turkey the day I had my first heart attack. March 15, 2006. Haven't wanted one since.

Just don't think about it. Find something to do.

[BlueToTheBone]

81. Be gentle with yourself

do things you don't normally do. When I quit, I realized I had several extra hours a day to fill. In the beginning, I cleaned closets, drawers, I even wiped down walls! But rest is a great revitalizer.
12 step offers this advice HALT
Hungry
Angry
Lonely
Tired

Listen to your body and follow its advice. Eat, rest, work on your anger and find companionship that will encourage you in your new pattern.

I've been cigarette free for 30 years or so now. I discovered one of the reasons I smoked was that it gave me something to do with my hands. You are in a wonderful treasure house of your own making. You can take this as an opportunity to really know yourself and love yourself.
Good Luck

[TheDebbieDee]

82. You can kick nicotene's ASS, Sibelian......

Hang in there, fellow or gal! The first 72 hours are the hardest!

[louis-t]

83. Made it 24 hrs. the other day.

I could breathe! I didn't clear my throat every 2 minutes. I slept great, I felt great when I woke up. Phase 2 coming soon.

[Babel_17]

84. Way to go!

Those are some great improvements in your health.

[Major Nikon]

85. Show big tobacco who's boss!

[applegrove]

86. You can do it. Seriously, about 5 months in you'll be quit and

the craves will be down to nothing. Then you'll be amazed at how great it feels to be a non smoker.

[arely staircase]

88. you can do it

If the cravings get overwhelming try a vaporizor befor you smoke a cig. I am at almost two years without a cig and vaporizors made it possible.

[NuclearDem]

89. SCHEDULING SIBELIAN'S TOBACCO HABIT FOR AN ASSKICKING

[WillowTree]

90. They taught us this in a smoking cessation session we had at work & it helped me.

She told us to remind ourselves that the urge to smoke will pass within 3 to 5 minutes whether you smoke or not. I found it to be uniformly true. Mean Old Mr. Urge might be back in 10 minutes, but just knowing that it would pass (or, more likely, we get distracted and forget the urge) in a relatively short period of time helped me to get through it.

Like almost everyone else, it took me quite a few tries until I was finally ready enough to succeed. I smoked for over 40 years and now it's been three-and-a-half years since my last cigarette. You'll get there, too. Just don't give up.

Virtuous for trying? Absolutely!

[aikoaiko]

91. It gets better.

[CTyankee]

92. It took several tries for me to quit. I stopped for good in 1981.

What got me over the top in quitting was this: I REALLY didn't want to be a smoker! And I REALLY wanted to be a non-smoker!

I hated that my clothes right down to my pantyhose smelled like smoke! I hated that my hair smelled like smoke! I had started to hate everything I did that was related to smoking. It was like a mission in my life, to change my life. To change the way I thought about myself.

I found the process transforming and I loved myself afterwards (during a time when I needed to love myself and recognize my own worth). The whole process was good for me. I had started over and I wasn't going back.

I haven't smoked a cigarette since then and I do not miss smoking one bit!

Keep going on your mission. It sounds like you are halfway there!

[Blue_In_AK]

93. You are indeed virtuous,

And you will be so proud of yourself once you've become a nonsmoker. It's difficult but well worth the effort.

[liberal_at_heart]

97. I can't imagine how difficult that is. Hang in there.

[LadyHawkAZ]

98. It will get better in a couple days. Honest, it will.

You can do it!!

[William769]

99. May you succeed.

Lord knows I have tried. I feel for you.

[DesertFlower]

102. good luck. stopping smoking

was one of the hardest things i ever did. been cigarette free for more than 30 years.

[Th1onein]

103. I've joined you.

[giftedgirl77]

104. I quit for 2 months in July

had completely weened myself off the ecigs as well. Then I had a bit of a nervous breakdown down & wanted to murder my boss so I went to the happy home for 10 days & the only time you can go outside is for smoke breaks. That was Oct. Quit again then dad had his leg cut off a month ago due to cancer fell off the wagon again. Quit again, my neurotic inside kitty got out on Monday or Tuesday & I started back up on Friday.

You can quit, if I can you can. The ecigs are awesome, I will be back on them tomorrow & you are right they take some getting use to because you aren't inhaling all of theexextra poison in with them. After a while you won't even need them. Not to mention they smell sooo much better.

[kestrel91316]

105. 15 years after he quit smoking, my beloved father died of lung cancer at the ripe old age of 47.

So I hate Big Tobacco with a white hot passion.

Every time anybody quits smoking, it allows us to collectively poke our finger in Big Tobacco's eye. I hope it hurts them, too.

[KauaiK]

106. You CAN do it sibelian

I did it 14 months ago after 40 years of smoking - YOU CAN DO IT!! Get some straws; suck through the straws; deep breaths in and out for a minute. Do sit-ups, push ups anything to get your mind off of wanting a cigarette. IF you need nicotine replacement get some gum or lozenges, or patches.

[KauaiK]

107. YOU CAN DO IT

I did it 14 mos ago after 40 years and every quit smoking program there is or has been.

Get straws and suck through straws; gum or nicotine replacement. Do deep breathing for 1 minute. Do sit-ups, push-ups go for a walk - a positive alternative to lighting a cigarette.

[StevieM]

108. I smoked for 18 years. I finally quit 3 years ago (in July 2010) with the help of the gum (eom)

[tavalon]

109. You are a virtuous person

and there is help out there if you are trying to do this on your own. You are kicking one of the hardest drugs to kick.

[eqfan592]

115. I feel you, man! Coming up on 7 years clean now, after smoking for 9!

Quit cold turkey on Jan. 1st, 2007. First new years resolution I ever really kept. heh

[grahamhgreen]

116. Take tyrosine, it will fill your empty dopamine receptors and provide some relief

[badtoworse]

124. Hang in there, the first few days are the toughest

I was a carton a week smoker, but I quit many years ago. It's hard, but you can do it.

You'll feel a hell of a lot better and have more money to spend on other things - focus on that.

[KinMd]

125. Nicotine Gum worked for me, been cigarette free for 15yrs

believe me, if I could do it, so can you

[DonViejo]

126. I went cold turkey on July 16 and was fairly amazed how

easy it was for me...until last week. For some reason, starting last Wednesday, all I want is a cigarette...I'm going nuts! lol. Hang in there!

[tjwash]

127. Just start smoking again already.

I used to annoy the living hell out of my friends and family by doing a constant stream of once-a-month-at-least-quit-smoking-and-fish-for-praise sessions.

I finally STFU and just quit cold turkey one day, did not say anything, did not let anyone know anything had changed. I have been smoke free for 13 years now.

I guess if I had an actual point - it would be quit because it is bad for you, and you really want to quit for yourself. Don't constantly quit because you are looking for pats on the back and feel a need for attention. I never works when you do that.

[Silent3]

128. One good thing about losing weight vs. quitting smoking...

...is that once you've been at losing weight for a while (for quite a bit longer than 16 hours!) you don't have to fish for compliments, people offer them very freely, even people you barely know, once you've lost enough that casual acquaintances notice.

I think some people hold back on saying anything because they're worried by the implied, "You were so fat before!", and without that worry, you'd get even more praise and encouragement.

I've never started smoking so I've never had to quit, but what would people say if you didn't mention that you'd quit smoking?

"Nice not to hear you coughing so much!"?

"Hey, you smell much better!"?

The best reason to quit smoking (or to lose weight) is for your own health, of course, doing it for yourself as you say... but "pats on the back" definitely can help with motivation. I think as long as getting attention isn't your primary goal you'll do OK.

[sibelian]

133. But you have to love me more than the cigarettes do or.... or..... or....

OR I'M NOT REAL.

[okieinpain]

132. its not hard. I quit and re-started several times. just keep trying

you'll make it. my last cig was almost 20 years ago. they stink now.