It has been 57 hours since I had a cigarette ARGH! ACK!

[Mizmoon]

This morning was very difficult. I'm not sure why, but I really wanted one, much worse than yesterday. I know hubby has some in the house. But instead of giving in I got ready as fast as I could and ran away to work where there are no cigarettes.

Before you get mad at hubby remember that he's a nicotine junkie too and it probably scares him to see me quit. He knows that as soon as I'm comfortable with not smoking I'll be coming after him to quit. And I am relentless.

I'm trying to look at is as if I 'got away with it'. What I mean is that I got away with smoking for all these years and if I give it up now, odds are I'll suffer no health problems - thus I will have gotten away with smoking with no consequences.

Or perhaps the lack of carbon monoxide is making me insane.

[billyoc]

1. 15 hours from now

you won't have any more nicotine in your bloodstream. That's it, from then on, no more physical cravings. You're almost home free. :)

[HeeBGBz]

3. Hang in there

I used to smoke about 3-4 packs a day and I did it. Are you using the patch or anything?

I did the patch, gum and munchies, vitamins and a monetary goal.

For the money I didn't spend on cigarettes, I flew out to Los Angeles for a long weekend.

[Mizmoon]

9. I use patches and for a major emergency

I have this thing called a "nicotine inhailer". I haven't used it yet, but if I feel like I'm going to break I can "puff" on this thing and get some satisfaction without actually smoking. The thing is it's so cigarette-like that I don't want to use it unless there is no other choice.

[Mizmoon]

4. Well, I am using the patch

so I'm pretty well "niced up".

That's the really scary part - all this pain is in my disturbed brainpan, not actual nic withdrawl.

[katmondoo]

2. Hang in there You are doing good

[corporatemedia]

5. It has been 5.7 minutes since I had a cigarette...about to reset the timer

[King Coal]

6. Focus on positive things.

No more having to make sure you have smokes and a lighter when you leave the house.

No more expense to pay for cigs.

Food will really start to taste better.

It's not so bad, and soon the craving will go away.

I know, I've been there and done that. You can do it standing on your head MizMoon.

Good on ya!

[SnowGoose]

7. Oh sister, I'm rooting for you.

I only smoked for about 2 years, but dang, it was hard to stop.

Even so, it is *so* important for you to do so. I actually study cigarette smoke exposures now (working on my PhD). While you certainly know that smoking causes cancer, emphysema, and COPD, (all long term problems) you may not realize that it also lowers your innate immunity, and makes you way more likely to get sick (as in get strep/pneumonia/other respiratory infections).

Maybe if hubby gets sick this winter and you don't, that might give him just that little extra initiative.

Be strong - your body belongs to you, not to Philip morris.

[DebinTx]

8. Hang tough Mixmoon

I too am working on quitting. Don't smoke at all during the day but still have to have that first one in the morning. Chew gum, walk, etc. but remember, if you happen to fall off of the wagon, get right back on!

[Beer Snob-50]

10. hang in there!!

my wife gave up cold turkey about 5 years ago now and hasn't had one since. it has been tough on days but still!!

[moosedog]

11. This is what I did.....

When you want a smoke., think of what you can buy with what you save by not buying ciggs. Think how clean your home will be without all that orange stuff all over everything. Think about how good your place will smell. All this and better health. It is mind over matter. Chew gum...hang in there.....hugs, Mrs. Moose

[tuvor]

12. Use the gum for backup.

It's the smoke that's killing you, not the nicotine. Better to chew it than to smoke it.

I'd still be smoking if it weren't for the gum. Fortunately there are many more aids than there were even ten years ago. Something else might work for you. Just saying you don't need to suffer needlessly.

Good luck!

[arwalden]

13. The First Three Days Are The Worst...

... that's when you're having PHYSICAL withdrawal symptoms (if going cold turkey). The rest of the time, you're fighting psychological cravings.

I quit over two years ago by using the nicotine patches. They worked so well to control the physical cravings that I only completed 6 weeks of the 8-week program.

During the first few weeks, I'd wake up early to put on a fresh patch then go back to snoozing so that it would have a few minutes to "kick in".

Towards the end, I was forgetting to put on a patch AT ALL... and that's when I realized that I didn't need them anymore, so I quit the patches too.

It's a crutch, to be sure... but one that helped me to break free of both my habits: the physical habit/addiction, and the psychological habit. --- While STILL receiving nicotine, it was easier to give up the ACT of smoking without the stress of being nicotine-free.

Good luck to you!

P.S. I couldn't have quit without my partner quitting with me at the same time.

P.P.S. Some helpful hints:

Reward yourself with the money you DIDN'T spend on a carton of cigarettes. Start saving later... but for now, it helps to reinforce that you're doing something good by being good to yourself with a present or two.

BRAG BRAG BRAG! Tell your friends, relatives and co-workers. Their support can be very encouraging. (It helped me a lot... and the fear of failing after they had been so supportive was a great motivator too.)

Most cravings (whether psychological or physical) only last a minute or two. It sounds silly to do, but whenever I'd have a craving, I'd purse my lips (as though I was holding a cigarette) and breathe in slowly and as deeply as possible. Then I'd exhale through the same little "cigarette hole". One or two more times of the same breathing exercise and the craving has passed. --- Sure, another one will come, but so what?! You made it through this one!! Do the same thing again until the cravings are fewer and farther between.

[LisaLynne]

14. Hang in there!

We're rooting for you!

[gollygee]

15. Congrats!!

A great accomplishment! You're already almost past the worst of it!

Yay :)

[short bus president]

16. jeebus!

I'm hoping day two (today) won't be as bad as day one was. I've not been overly comfortable in my own skin without burning death sticks to suck on.

[Mizmoon]

18. Hey SBP! It's you and me, baby.

At least there's still ganja.

[short bus president]

19. Indeed.

I woke up this AM and had to bake a cheesecake, so figured I might as well bake a bit of my brain, too. Now I'm really, really hungry for roast beef hash with eggs runny-side-up, and I don't have any roast beef hash. Sigh.

But the cheesecake's gonna be good.

[catmandu57]

17. Hi, this is R. Zimmerman for the American Cancer Association

I used to smoke about twenty packs of cigarettes a day, but, since I lost one of my lungs I cut my smoking in half. Cheech and Chong it's off the wedding album and sounds much better when they do it.
Seriously, congratulations, I'm pulling for you.