I finally quit smoking!!!! Something that works.

[Dr.Phool]

Sunday, it will be 13 weeks since I, or my wife have had a cigarette!!

We've tried everything over the years. Patches, gum, hypnosis, injections behind the ear, and over-the-counter crap.

Back around the first of April, our doctor gave us prescriptions for Nicotrol, nicotine inhalers. They friggin' work.

The only bad side effect I've noticed, is, there are some foods I really don't like after all.

[EFerrari]

1. Yeah! My two pack a day habit salutes you!

:applause:

[NNadir]

56. Good for you!!!!!!!!

Congratulations. May you never go back.

[OhioChick]

2. Congrats to you and your wife!

I'm trying like hell to quit, myself. Nicotrol works, huh? Have to look into that.

[TheDebbieDee]

7. I'm a big booster of the use of hypnosis

to quit smoking. You may want to keep that in mind, too.....

[OhioChick]

9. Thanks........

I'll keep that in mind, as well. :)

[Dr.Phool]

13. I tried that twice

Didn't work on me.

[Dr.Phool]

11. Initially a little expensive, but, well worth it

[Skink]

3. So 3 dollar gas wasn't enough?

[TheDebbieDee]

4. Congratulations!

Happy breathing to you and your wife......

[Rude Horner]

5. Congratulations!

Keep up the awesome work! It's great that you and your wife can provide support for each other. My wife quit smoking a long time ago and she's been clean ever since. It's a battle, but your lungs will thank you.

[jillan]

6. Thanks - I'll have to ask for that.

Dam - I turn 50 this month, time to start thinking about my health more seriously.

[Nevernose]

8. The Am. Lung Assoc. says good things about them

Said that when used in conjunction with that anitdressent (I forget the name), the succes rate's over 50% -- compared to cold turkey, which has somewhere between a 1 and 5 percent chance of working.

[Dora]

17. I bet that was Wellbutrin or Zyban

I went on Wellbutrin SR in 2003 and quit smoking almost a month later. My husband quit at the same time, but without pharmaceutical assistance, and I believe that he struggled with it more than I did.

I stopped taking the Wellbutrin about eight months later, and I'm still not smoking cigarettes. Yeah, the health aspects are wonderful and my taste buds went out of this world crazy waking up, but I'm most thrilled at the money we're saving.

[michreject]

51. I used Wellbutrin as well

Been 7 years now. From 2 packs a day to zero. My wife quit using the same stuff. 8 years for her.

I took it for 2 weeks prior to quitting. My hit day came and I quit. I took it for the 3 weeks after quitting, as directed. I went to doctor for a follow up exam and my wife wanted to know if I could keep taking the stuff. She said that we never got along so good. I was zombieyed all the time.:evilgrin:

[ben_thayer]

10. CONGRATULATIONS!!

Keep up the good work! I've tried the patches and the gum- neither worked for me...
How do you use it? Expensive? Is your insurance helping to cover it? Cigs are almost $5 a pack in Michigan and this is a habit that's GOT TO GO!

:applause:

[Dr.Phool]

18. They give you these little plastic inhalers

That look like cigarette holders. You insert a little cartridge in there, which contains the nicotine equivalent of 2 cigarettes. A 30 day supply is 186 cartridges. And they recomend using at least 6, but not bore than 16 to start.

I personally have never used 6 in one day. And for the last month, I've used like one a day, and don't really need that.

MY insurance did help cover the cost. Which is a good thing because it ran out last week.

[ben_thayer]

20. Thanks Doc!

I'm definitely gonna look into this!

Again-Congratulations!

[michreject]

52. I never understood the concept

of putting nicotine in your body to help you quit nicotine.:shrug:

[durrrty libby]

12. Congratulations, that is Huge!!

Commit lozenges are fantastic too.

My 3 neighbors had amazing success with that method.

[rubberducky]

14. Salute!!

[MadMichDem]

15. Who's better than you today!!

I joined Quitnet and each month they send you an email to inspire you. July 19th marks my two year quit date. Congratulations to you!! I used zyban and the patch. But also tried to quit at least 30 times over the years.

[Joe Fields]

16. Lucky you! A person with health insurance.

[tandot]

19. That is fantastic. I quit 12 years ago and know hard it is.

:thumbsup:

[Vidar]

21. Congratulations. Way to hang tough.

[xxqqqzme]

22. Hooray - last month was 11 years

for me. You will thank yourself over and over in the coming years.

[meti57b]

23. CONGRATULATIONS!!!! I am so happy for you!

I was truly fortunate in being able to quit when I got out of college.

[wordpix2]

24. congrats from someone who hates cigarettes & secondhand smoke

Both my dad and stepdad died from lung and heart disease---both were heavy smokers.

[Rainscents]

25. I am going to make an appointment with Dr and ask for this stuff!

Thanks for posting this.

[Dr.Phool]

29. It really made it easy

And, I've tried everything before. And I was a 2+ pack-a-day smoker for nearly 40 years.

[Clark2008]

26. I have to ask, because it's the No. 1 reason I don't quit.

Did you - or more specifically, your wife - gain weight?

Women seem to gain more than men when they quit smoking. I am a small person - an extra five to 10 pounds on me is devastating.

[Dr.Phool]

28. No, actually, my wife was overweight when we quit

And she had just started Weight Watchers at the same time, and she's taken off over 30 pounds since then.

I've stayed pretty much the same weight.

[Truthiness Inspector]

27. Awesome!

I'm curious which foods tasted different to you afterwards, though. Is it a salty/sweet thing or what?

[lectrobyte]

30. Was anal fisting involved? Sorry to bring up A.C., but

you have to see this thread http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x1580201 just for the sheer strangeness of it all.

[RagAss]

31. hahahahhahahahaha....

:rofl:

[helderheid]

32. wish I could pass this on to my hubby without him feeling like I'm nagging

Congrats! Another great solution is pregnancy. It will be 7 years smoke free in December. I quit the night I found out I was pregnant with our first. Helps to have a uterus.

[Ms. Clio]

33. That's exactly how I quit, seven and a half years ago!

Nicotrol inhalers and a prescription for Welbutrin.

5 months later, and I was off of both the inhaler and the drug and have never looked back - I quit the first time I tried.

A twenty-two year, 2-pack a day addiction gone forever -- it has been such glorious freedom.

Mega congrats to both you and your wife! Hurray!!!

[Jean Louise Finch]

34. Congratulations to you both!

Fantastic news! I'm so pleased that you found something that worked. Congratulations on your new healthier life!!

Jean Louise

[Synnical]

35. You may want to post this in the Smoking Cessation Forum

Might be helpful for those lurking. I know I'm there now and again.

Thanks. Congrats to you. :applause:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=326

[Floogeldy]

36. Sorry that you are enjoying your new addiction to pure nicotine gas.

Honestly, not much of an improvement.

[arwalden]

37. Well, Actually It IS An Improvement...

... breaking the cigarette habit is more difficult that some people might realize. Not only is there the physical addiction to the nicotine, but there's also the psychological addiction. It's very difficult to retrain our minds and to break automatic habits when simultaneously dealing with nicotine withdrawal. By substituting nicotine from another source (OTHER than cigarettes) it allows the Quitter to focus their efforts on NOT smoking a cigarette and in developing NEW habits and NEW methods and NEW routines while they get accustomed to NOT being a smoker.

<< Honestly, not much of an improvement. >>

That's a pretty uninformed and cynical thing to say. The nicotine inhalers (just like the patch) will gradually taper-off the addiction to nicotine, and when combined with the Quitter's motivation and the behavior modifications and the Quitter's new routines and mindset, eventually leads to complete freedom from nicotine.

[LaurenG]

45. ...

:thumbsup:

[asthmaticeog]

38. It's a BIG improvement insofar as inhalers don't destroy one's lungs.

:dunce:

[Misunderestimator]

39. Aren't you just a ray of sunshine? To the OP... Congratulations!

Welcome to the non-smokers club! After 13 weeks, I'm sure you already feel the effects of NOT having that nasty smoke clogging your lungs. It's been 13 months for me and I have never felt better.

:toast:

[Ms. Clio]

49. I was addicted to cigs for 22 years, to the inhaler for 5 months

now I've been free of both for 7 years.

In my universe, that counts as a huge "improvement."

[swag]

40. Congratulations. Keep going!

[tjwmason]

41. Congratulations.

:woohoo: :toast:

You're doing brilliantly.

[KyndCulture]

42. did you guys just do the inhaler? or did you need wellbutrin too?

I am desperate to quit but I can't take wellbutrin because I have epilepsy.

[arwalden]

43. You're Well On Your Way To Success... Congratulations!!!

Keep going!! Eventually you'll taper off the nicotine inhalers and you'll be completely free from it all. It takes work, willpower, a new mindset and DETERMINATION to ultimately be successful... and it sounds like you've got EVERYTHING it takes to be successful.

When I quit smoking (four years ago)... I did it with the help of the nicotine patches. I was able to re-train my ways of thinking and re-establish new routines while gradually tapering-off my nicotine addiction.

The other BIG motivation for my partner and me (we quit at the same time) was the amount of MONEY we would be saving. Our combined weekly cigarette costs was $90.00 --- multiply that by 52 weeks and we were burning $4680.00 per year. Ack! :crazy:

In just a little over one year, we had saved enough by NOT smoking that we used the savings to reward ourselves with an RV camper... it was only a small pop-up camper... but a FUN reward anyway.

In the past THREE years, we've saved over $14000.00 --- and we're already looking at upgrading our pop-up camper for a full-sized travel trailer. It will also be a small entry-level travel trailer... but it's a HELLUVA reward for NOT doing something.

If you sit down and figure out how much money you're wasting (and then imagine and plan-out all the OTHER things you *could* be doing with that money) you'll soon discover another BIG motivation that will help to GUARANTEE your success.

So... keep up the good work! You're better than half-way there! Good luck!! (And keep us posted!)

[NewWaveChick1981]

44. First off, congratulations!

:hug: My sister quit smoking cold turkey a long time ago, and it was hell for her---but she made it, and you will too. :) Second, smoking dulls your taste buds, which is why some people put way too much salt in stuff (my grandmother was a chain smoker and did this) and which is why you can actually taste food once you stop. :) It's great to find foods that taste good, but it's also kinda weird when stuff you thought you like really sucks.

I'm very happy for you and your wife! Keep up the good work! :D

[MissMillie]

46. FANTASTIC!

I know first-hand how hard it is to quit. Making it this far is monumental. Don't let anything spoil it now!

[wildhorses]

47. I am SOOOOOOOO happy and PROUD of you two...

Yeah right!!! like you had something to do with it wildhorses!!! ....ehhh quit your yammering and go bak to bed ya silly wanker you're talking to yourself like a blathering idiot!!!

[WoodyTobiasJr]

48. Congrats!

I've been trying (albeit half-assedly) for sometime now. The patch seemed to work to some degree but I still found myself wanting to smoke to some degree. Perhaps I will talk to my doctor about Nicotrol. My company will pay for any smoking cessation products so why the hell wouldn't I?

I smoke roughly a pack a day. At $10/pack (in Canada), that's ...... holy crap! $3720 a year I spend on smokes!! My wife smokes a pack a day too so thats $7440!!!!

Forget how harmful cigarettes are,that's almost $8000/year!! That's just sick!


On a side note, I don't know how many people in the U.S. have seen the warning labels on Canadian cigarettes. The warning must cover 50% of the packaging and they have some pretty graphic pictures.

[AirmensMom]

50. Congratulations!

:bounce: :woohoo: :yourock:

[samsingh]

53. congrats.

[Cobalt Violet]

54. Congratulations. It gets easier with time.

I'm 20 yrs + without a cigarette. I tried several things too. Smoking a joint when ever I wanted a cigarette finally worked for me. :smoke:

[bigwillq]

55. Good for you both!

Congrats! :bounce: :toast: :hi: