What happens to your body if you quit smoking right now...

[BurtWorm]

A public service message from Burt Worm (who quit 3.33 years ago, on Valentine's Day 2004).

(Don't think I'm being a nudge. I don't care if you smoke or don't. But I know this kind of information was very encouraging to me, and I hope it will be to some of you who want to quit.):

http://www.healthbolt.net/2006/07/19/what-happens-to-your-body-if-you-stop-smoking-right-now/

• In 20 minutes your blood pressure will drop back down to normal.
  
  
• In 8 hours the carbon monoxide (a toxic gas) levels in your blood stream will drop by half, and oxygen levels will return to normal.
  
  
• In 48 hours your chance of having a heart attack will have decreased. All nicotine will have left your body. Your sense of taste and smell will return to a normal level.
  
  
• In 72 hours your bronchial tubes will relax, and your energy levels will increase.
  
  
• In 2 weeks your circulation will increase, and it will continue to improve for the next 10 weeks.
  
  
• In three to nine months coughs, wheezing and breathing problems will dissipate as your lung capacity improves by 10%.
  
  
• In 1 year your risk of having a heart attack will have dropped by half.
  
  
• In 5 years your risk of having a stroke returns to that of a non-smoker.
  
  
• In 10 years your risk of lung cancer will have returned to that of a non-smoker.
  
  
• In 15 years your risk of heart attack will have returned to that of a non-smoker.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

1. Thanks. I Read These A Lot. I Just Gotta Figure Out A Way To Get Past The 8 Hour One.

:)

[BurtWorm]

3. The 48 hour one is a great milestone.

If you like the way food smells and tastes, for example.

[Skittles]

111. I didn't notice any difference at all

nope

[Johnny Noshoes]

139. I quit 24 years ago.

I used to smoke a pipe mostly but still inhaled - at least when I first started up the bowl. A few days after I quit I was drinking some milk and wondered why it tasted funny until I realized that was the way it was SUPPOSED to taste. My mom quit fairly easily after nearly 40 years but my dad never could.

[LostinVA]

4. It truly sucks, but it's doable -- I quit the first try

I knew I had to, because there was no way I was going through that again.

[Triana]

108. Same here - quit first try - cold turkey...

...that was back in the 80s. It sucked. I gained 15 pounds - a LOT for my small frame. BUT - I figured I'd give it a year. After that I went on a diet and got the weight off. ONE thing at a time.

My stepdad had lung cancer - THAT scared the bejeesus out of me. EVERYONE in my family quit smoking after that. It ultimately killed him, bytheway.

[central scrutinizer]

172. quit cold turkey in 1986

boy those Camel straights tasted so good with coffee, but I flushed the last half pack down the toilet and never looked back.

[Marrah_G]

19. Hehehe

I was just thinking the SAME thing. I've tried to quit a dozen times. At best it's lasted 2 weeks, then the stress gets to me and I find myself buying a pack. I've been considering hypnotism, just because it's getting damed expensive to still smoke. I know I SHOULD quit, but I still don't WANT to quit.

Sigh.... maybe if I took up drinking instead ...

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

29. Well, The 8 Hour Thing Was More From Sleeping, Than It Was From Quitting.

:rofl:

[tridim]

33. And if you use the patch during that sleep..

Hang on for the ride!

I loved every moment of my "patch dreams". Some don't, but I sure did.

[truebrit71]

45. I stopped using the patch for that very reason...

...out of control shit....

[tridim]

46. Mine were very lucid and controllable

You can do really cool (and fun) stuff while controlling a dream. I won't go into detail. ;)

[rudy23]

61. My "patch dreams" were like Caligula meets Ingmar Bergman

Crazy, crazy dreams. I'm so glad I'm done with that--hardest thing I've ever had to do.

[CGowen]

73. Do you mean Tinto Brass meets Ingmar Bergman? n/t

[Hippo_Tron]

135. Would you recommend trying the patch for I guess you would call it "recreational sleeping"

I'm not worried about becoming addicted because I'm good about not making things habitual, but I'm kind of curious.

[tridim]

177. No, but honestly I've found some unused patches laying around the house..

and I used them even though I didn't need to.

From what I've read it's pretty rare to have pleasant patch dreams. If you're prone to nightmares in normal sleep your patch dreams will be nothing more than intensified nightmares. I assume that's why some people don't like using the patch at night.

[madokie]

56. the next time you want a cig tell yourself that you'll wait for the next urge

and see how long it is before the next urge comes. in three days I was going for several hours without an urge and then I knew I would never smoke another even though then I was hitting the bars nightly. maybe the second hand smoke is what helped me. When I started smoking cigs were 15 cents a pack and when I quit they had just gone up to 60 cents a pack, were no generics back then either. aug 14 '77

[Toots]

146. November '76

They had just hit $.50 a pack. I also started when they were $.15 a pack It was the very best decision I ever made in my life. Probably the one of which I am most proud of myself for. It was indeed a great accomplishment and now every time I see a smoker my opinion of them is lowered. Any person with any intelligence at all knows how harmful smoking is and if they continue to do so then they are IMO not nearly as intelligent as they may think they are..

[DWilliamsamh]

160. Don't be such a jerk - typical ex-smoker

How nice of you to be so judgmental. Don't get me wrong I know smoking is bad for you but considering someone "lower in your eyes," makes you a judgmental jerk. I am willing to bet that when you were smoking you knew it was bad for you but you did it anyway.

Did it ever occur to you that some people have more difficulty with addiction than others? Or did it occur to you that some people (myself included) literally make a cost benefit judgment that they LIKE to smoke, and the pleasure of that outweighs the fact that it will shorten your life?

Basically I understand why you quit and I am happy for you that you quit. But those who smoke aren't lower forms of life than you.

[DWilliamsamh]

167. Deleted by user

[Bandit]

173. Opinions are like assholes, everyone has one

Toots stated an opinion which IMO was fairly close to mine. When ever you meet someone new you form an opinion of that person. Many things make up that assumption. Smoking is only one factor but it is an important one. I can find absolutely nothing intelligent about smoking. People that choose to do so IMO are demonstrating that for whatever reason they are choosing to do something contrary to the intelligent choice. You seem mighty defensive.....I understand smoking is an addiction but thousands of people quit every single day. You could also if you really wanted to do so..

[frankly_fedup2]

187. I feel exactly the same way about anyone who drinks alcohol. You hear about how

second-hand smoke kills nonsmokers more than smokers. I don't see how this could be because the smoker is not only inhaling the smoke, but also breathing the second-hand smoke. Also, how many people are killed by drunk drivers yearly? Even if someone says they are social drinkers, well 9:10 they are drinking some sort of alcohol daily. However, that is acceptable by the majority of society but it's a totally different thing regarding people that smoke. Some people treat you like you have the plague or something.

On the other hand, there are people that pass that judgment on people that are overweight as well. It seems to me that if you are not at least close to anorexic and have absolutely no hips and pretty much have the body of a young boy, the majority of society judges you as lazy as well as anything else they want to and people feel they have the right to say something to total strangers about their weight. I would say a food addiction would be the hardest of all considering you have to eat to live (unlike smoking and alcohol).

[DWilliamsamh]

204. Yes opinions are rampants and some are based in codescention....

When some one chooses to do something that you see as "unintelligent" because you would make a different choice, you call that person unintelligent. That just being just being holier than thou. I am SURE that there are things you do in your life that I would not choose. Obviously smoking has nothing to do with intelligence. I used to work in a hospital. The number of doctors and nurses who smoke shocked even me, a smoker. Obviously those doctors and nurses aren't unintelligent. And neither am I. I hardly think I would have lasted 15 years as a network administrator in a publicly traded company, nor would I have graduated from one of the top universities in the country.

Also, I said in my post that I CHOOSE to smoke based on my own calculation. I smoke because I want to. So you are right - if I wanted to quit, I would. I don't want to. You may not agree with my choice to do something that is LEGAL but unhealthy, but my decision doesn't make me or anyone else for that matter, deserving of your insults.

[truebrit71]

43. You and me both....my daughter asked me to quit for her upcoming birthday...

...she said she didn't want anything else, just for me to stop....damned kid nearly made me cry....

So...her birthday is Sunday, Monday next week I quit...

[BurtWorm]

51. Good luck.

I quit for my daughter and wife. It never worked for me to quit for other people until the last time. It's now my perpetual Valentine's Day gift to them, my anniversary of freedom from addiction.

[truebrit71]

55. My bride quit smoking, cold turkey, about 8 weeks ago...

...she had a really bad dose of flu, alarmingly high fever for 2 1/2 days, and by the time she was somewhat back to normal she hadn't smoked for 5 days...I hid her smokes to help her out, and she has been smoke-free ever since. I now smoke outside the house, which has the pleasant side-effect that I now smoke half as much as I used to, so I am hoping that quitting the other half won't be too hard...

Besides, my wife managed it without losing her mind, she sleeps better at night, has more energy (nudge, nudge, wink, wink) and has actually LOST weight...So I will have plenty of support from both she and my daughter...

[Maru Kitteh]

119. So you hid HER smokes but YOU are STILL SMOKING.

*tap* *tap* *tap* *tap* *tap* *tap*

*finger wave and "nuh'uh" icon*

[truebrit71]

157. Yup. I hid her smokes so she wouldn't be tempted...

...and I quit smoking in the casa...

If BOTH of us quit at the same time there would be a real danger of impending divorce...

[JBear]

155. Why not quit Sunday? (nt)

:bounce:

[frogcycle]

106. get really really mad at the corporate pukes

who are making money by killing you. Think like a POW being tortured. I WILL NOT give in! Think of the craving as the torture they are inflicting on you, not as something you yourself want. Stay mad. Not at everyone who is getting on your nerves - at the pukes trying to lure you back onto their poison.

well, it worked for me - 37 years ago. Cold Turkey.

[Moochy]

113. How my dad quit smoking

Back in 1985, my dad decided that we needed a computer and he stopped smoking so that he could afford an Apple 2+. He looked at how much he was spending on cigarettes, and just got rational about freeing up that money. Of course he put on 25+ lbs that he never has taken off. Maybe that kind of money-based reasoning would help you stop, it worked for my dad and his purchase has subsequently led me to pursue a career in software development & architecture.

So in summary, PLEASE THINK OF THE CHILDREN! :)

[Maru Kitteh]

122. My dad quit by dying. But here's what most people who smoke don't like to

think about, you don't usually die quickly. It took my dad 20 years from the time I waved to him as a small child on the sidewalk in front of our local hospital.

It started out with having a hard time walking up hills.

Then he had to quit work, but it was time to retire anyway.

Then he had to give up bowling. That was hard.

Next came driving. His sense of shame was palpable, he could no longer take care of things for his wife. He was a dependent.

The last Thanksgiving we assembled with my uncles he could no longer speak, but the mischief of brothers is interminable. The ensuing biscuit fight is one of my fondest memories.

I won't go into the long details of his death except to say that every humiliation one strong man can bear was endured. Whatever your worst fears about loss of control and privacy, of self, were realized.


Just. Stop.

[Moochy]

125. My Grandmother died from lung cancer

Agree 100%, Just Stop. My Grandmother died from lung cancer... she smoked a pack day from 18 until she was 50 I think, After she quit, she was pretty healthy up until her mid eighties, but only died from the malignant lung tumor at 86. I miss her.

[Jack from Charlotte]

164. Agreed. What I did at first was to.............

Walk. Put a radio headset on and walked around the track at the school next door. Tried to run and couldn't go more than 100 yards. I walked all day that 1st day. Then walked during the evening. Same thing the next morning.

No one was more addicted to cigs than me at 3 packs a day of the strongest (Winston) I could find. I walked day and night and then ran after a few weeks. Was in my early 40's at the time.

Have run a few marathon's since.

Now how come I could do it but you can't? I'm I somehow better or stronger than you? I don't think so. That was the attitude I had.

Go for it.

[warren pease]

216. 8 hours isn't too bad...

..,.and after seven days or so, when the tarantulas and scorpions finally split and left my feet and ankles alone, things improved greatly. But the real breakthrough came about 10 days later when the Komodo dragons at last took off in that yellow stretch Hummer, I suppose for the airport and then back to some Indonesian island, and I knew I was finally over the hump. Now if I can keep these damn flesh-eating ghouls from tearing my house to splinters every night, I might just pull this off.

Anyway, good luck. It's about the hardest thing I've ever done, except for watching a Bush state of the union speech.


wp

[LostinVA]

2. 12 years for me this past April 1

I smoked two packs minimum a day for over ten years.

[BurtWorm]

8. Congratulations!

You're three years away from that last great milestone. :toast:

[LostinVA]

10. I know!

[ret5hd]

5. You forgot one: In 10 minutes...

You kill all your friends and co-workers (who were previously nothing more than minor annoyances) and spend the rest of your life in prison.

5 months cigarette free myself...and all my friends and co-workers lived to tell about it.

[BurtWorm]

13. Could also have said in two months you feel fat

but I didn't think that would be particularly helpful. :hi:

[bling bling]

116. It's true though.

From what I've come to understand, smoking increases blood sugar levels. When you quit smoking you also quit giving your body those jolts of increased blood sugar. Your body tries to self-medicate, thus you crave sweet foods and/or carbs, or pretty much anything to give your blood sugar a quick boost.

I wish I'd known all that before I quit smoking and gained 10 pounds. I might be wrong but I think even chewing certain types of sugarless gum can increase blood sugar which would be better than eating snacks every 2 hours.

[emmadoggy]

184. Whoa. That's interesting. I never knew that about the blood sugar...

My Dad quit smoking when he was in his thirties. He gained a substantial amount of weight (I don't know exactly how much but it was probably at least 30-40 pounds) which was exacerbated by the fact that he started sucking on hard candies to ease his cravings!

A couple years later he was diagnosed with diabetes. He lost some weight but ended up gaining most of it back. He was never very good about taking care of his diabetes. In the beginning he monitored his blood sugar but eventually quit doing it altogether. He took his insulin every day, but other than that most people didn't even know he was diabetic because he still ate anything he wanted. He was lucky in that he never had many of the problems that diabetics usually have to be careful of.

Unfortunately, it caught up with him. At the age of 52, he got sick with the flu. He went into ketoacidosis. His heart stopped in the ambulance on the way to the hospital, but they worked on him for 80 minutes and got it going again. They said when they checked his blood sugar when they first brought him in, it was at 1800. He never woke up. He was in a coma for 3 days and then died. We were devastated. That was 10 years ago.

We've always blamed his death on the diabetes, but in truth, I guess, the f*'n cigarettes started the whole thing so they should share in the blame too.

[bling bling]

205. Low blood sugar can also cause marked moodiness and crankiness.

Which would explain why people who quit smoking are ready to jump down your throat so quickly. That was *another* thing I wish I'd known at the time I quit smoking. At one point I thought I was losing my mind.

I'm really sorry to hear about your dad. I vaguely remember reading something about a link between smoking and diabetes when I was researching blood sugar related to smoking. Thanks for sharing that, it gives me yet another reason to never go back to smoking.

[emmadoggy]

210. Thanks, bling bling.

I still miss him terribly and especially mourn the fact that he never got to see any of his grandchildren and worse, that they never got to know him.

Thanks again for the blood sugar info - it definitely connects some of the dots.

When I was a kid, I hated my Dad's smoking so much that I have never, ever been tempted to even try a puff. My younger brother, however, was young enough when my Dad quit that he didn't get the full turn-off from it and became a smoker. (I also think we have a whole younger generation who seem to be more into smoking. I know very few people in my own age group who are smokers, but lots of younger 20-something's who smoke. ) Thankfully, a few weeks ago, my brother decided it was time he HAD to quit (he finally added up how much it is costing him and realized how much other stuff he could use that money for!) and has been doing well with it so far, I believe. Keeping my fingers crossed that he keeps it up.

[bling bling]

212. Good for him. I hope he keeps it up too.

My husband quit at the same time I did and we started putting the money into a savings account for college for our daughter. She'll have about $30,000 in that account by the time she's 18.

It was the best decision I ever made, for so many reasons.

Anyway, it was nice talking to you and have a great weekend.

[emmadoggy]

213. Back at ya!

:)

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

99. reminds me of the great bloom county where steve tries to quit

and nearly murders opus for following his orders to hide his cigarettes

[yankeeinlouisiana]

6. Nope, not being a nudge at all.

Thanks! I've been trying to cut down and quit for a few months now. I guess I just have to do it!

Thanks again, great info!

[BurtWorm]

16. Hope you find your method.

:toast:

[sallyseven]

7. All true. I stopped in 1989 and feel really good.

Right from the start I did. It is amazing. You don't smell, you don't burn your clothes, and people like to kiss you. Like your grandchildren and assorted other people.

[tridim]

18. The lack of stink is the best immediate effect IMO.

When I quit my laundry bill dropped by at least half, probably more.

If you smoke you smell like crap, regardless if you can't smell it yourself.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

9. I quit four days ago.

How did I make it easier? Made a bet with a friend that she gets to shave my head if I ever smoke again.

I am not someone who would look good with a shaved head. At all.

And she has spies everywhere.

[HCE SuiGeneris]

31. Congrats -- keep it up. I am clean now after smoking for 30 years.

1 day at time -- and congratulate yourself every day!

[Mandate My Ass]

11. Just one month shy of my 17th anniversary smoke free

I quit in July 1990. Gained significant weight and finally lost it after more than a year. I wouldn't recommend cold turkey though. That was tough. Best of luck to those trying. :-)

[Morgana LaFey]

70. Cold turkey is the best way for some (like me), but others need

other methods. Maybe those artificial aids help (the patch, gum, whatever).

I'm 2-1/2 years clean, and my lungs aren't back to normal yet. Perhaps never will be, I dunno. So it's a damn good thing I quit when I did. This wasn't the first time I quit -- but it sure as hell is going to be the last time.

For some reason it was really easy this time. I used an herbal supplement that helped, and I can't recommend it highly enough (anyone interested can PM me). But you have to have sufficient motivation. Without that, nothing works.

[ananda]

144. I quit in 83 and chewed gum.

I never used the patch or hypnosis, just chewed gum
for many years... Wrigley's doublemint.

I expect that quitting smoking was good for me because
I had an allergy to smoke that affected my inner ears.

However, I came to miss its analgesic qualities and
still do... but I haven't touched a cigarette since March 83.

For a while I'd occasionally have a dream where I was
smoking and it would seem so real that upon waking I
thought I still smoked. That was strange and kind of
surreal. I think I remember being nervous for some
weeks after quitting; and I'm pretty sure I would still be
smoking if it weren't for the health risks.

I'm a bit orthophobe on health issues now that I'm older
and have suffered some physical problems due to the
way my brain and nervous system process pain and
inflammation. That means I sometimes miss the good
old days of drinkin, smokin, and dopin... but I like being
in good health more.

Sue

[tridim]

12. All true, I just wish I could quit my new addiction to Commit Lozenges

I spend more on them than I ever did on cigarettes. At least they don't cause cancer.

[RB TexLa]

14. since I have never had high blood pressure do the other still apply?

[jus_the_facts]

15. In 10 years your risk of lung cancer will have returned to that of a non-smoker.

...completely and totally FALSE...at least in my Dad's case...15 years after he quit smokin'...he developed a lung tumor...while it was cut out sucessfully...he still died from Leukemia which he happened to also be afflicted with....doctors said they'd NEVER seen anyone else in their experience with these two different types of cancer...so not everyone who quits smokin' after 10 years will be returned to a non-risk of lung cancer. :(

[BurtWorm]

21. Of course it doesn't mean you're free from risk.

It just means your risk is "normal."

My father also died of leukemia. It probably wasn't smoking related (though he did like cigars and pipes) but to repeated exposure to benzene or other noxious chemicals when he worked as a floor finisher.

[skids]

141. Quitters have a higher cancer risk than non-smokers...

....decades (the rest of their lives) after they quit. That statement simply was not true.

The risk comes from insoluble lumps of alpha particle emitters lodged in the lungs, as well as to a lesser extent the increased number of precancerous lesions, which everyone has but ex-smokers have more of. They don't come out over time.

[JBear]

156. Noxious Chemicals!

Benzene is also found in cigarette smoke...along with many other toxic chemicals.

:bounce:

[Ioo]

23. NON-Smokers have a risk for lung cancer - So it is true.

There has been a lot of cases where NON SMOKERS get lung cancer, smoking is not the ONLY cause.

So the bullet;
In 10 years your risk of lung cancer will have returned to that of a non-smoker.

does not say the risk is ZERO, it says it is the same as a non-smoker...

[Bassic]

39. Yes, however

the risk of a non-smoker developing lung cancer is considerably smaller.

[mzmolly]

42. My husbands boss, who never smoked got lung cancer at the age of 41.

He's still battling it. :(

[TexasProgresive]

90. My brother-in-law smoked most of his life and died from

a non-tobacco related lung cancer. Go figure.

[Le Taz Hot]

104. Andy Kauffman died of lung cancer

and he never smoked.

[MADem]

149. Isn't that what took Dana Reeve (Christopher's wife) as well? nt

[focusfan]

180. do you think he could have died from 2nd hand smoke?

you don't necssarily have to be a smoker to die from 2nd hand
smoke. 

[Chico Man]

203. Maybe he had RADON in his basement.

[HCE SuiGeneris]

17. I quit 8 months ago after 30 years. WoooHoooo!

[bling bling]

120. That is fantastic.

I hope you celebrate all the time. You deserve it.

[mzmolly]

20. I quit several years ago

when I discovered I was pregnant with my dd. Great info BW, now if I could get my husband to quit. To his credit, he's down to about 2 ciggies a day.

[BurtWorm]

26. That was always my goal when I was a heavy-ish smoker

to get it down to one or two a day, so I could "enjoy" each one. It was easier to quit cold turkey for me.

:hi:

[mzmolly]

35. So glad you quit BW.

I weaned off regular cigs by switching to cloves, I found they weren't laden with all the extras that increased addictive qualities, and it was easier.

Wow you quit cold turkey huh? Good for you! :hi:

:yourock:

[BurtWorm]

37. Love the smell of clove cigarettes!

My method was to have a straw the length of a cigarette in my hand, ready to puff at whenever the urge overwhelmed me. It works!

:patriot:

[mzmolly]

40. I'll mention that trick to the smokers I know.

I bet it would work quite well.

Thanks for your public service comment, I forwarded the info on to smokers I know.

:loveya:

[Le Taz Hot]

105. I did that too!

Taking a drag off that straw helped me with the habit of putting something up to my mouth and taking a drag. It DID help.

[MidwestTransplant]

152. 2 cigs. a day is probably the equivelant of living in LA

As long as they aren't Reds or Filterless.

I don't really know if that's true. Just trying to be funny.

[mzmolly]

207. Hell, I laughed.

:rofl: :hi:

[soleft]

22. Thanks, I sent this to my ex

who I happen to like

[helderheid]

24. Made it 8 items down so far!

:hi:

Sent to my hubby who still smokes.

[Ioo]

30. hang in there!

[Lone_Star_Dem]

25. I hope this is taken in the spirit it's intended.

My friend, a nearly 2 pack a day smoker for 2 decades, just stopped. She has high blood pressure and is a breast cancer survivor so for her it was a medically necessary she do so right now. Her doctor prescribed something called Chantix or Chantax or something like that. I don't know if this drug has bad side effects or not, but she's not smoked in 8 weeks now and said it hasn't been hard on her like when she tried to stop before. It may be worth looking into if it's risks are less than those of smoking for those with serious health conditions.

[ellenfl]

47. i did chantix also but had to quit it at 1-1/2 months

because it upset my stomach. that was enough tho' . . . well, that, and my so having a quadruple bypass a month ago. needless to say, he has quit, too. it ain't easy.

ellen fl

[Alexander]

48. My dad is taking Chantix

He's 74, had smoked for the past 50 or so years (I can't remember a time when he wasn't smoking) and just a few weeks ago decided to quit.

He says Chantix is making it much easier for him. He hasn't had a cigarette in about three weeks - something I've never seen him do before. I normally don't like the crap Big Pharma churns out, but if it works...

[Gidney N Cloyd]

27. I quit 5 years ago after almost 30 years.

Oddly, blood pressure wasn't a known issue until afterwards so I'm blaming it on Republicans.

[kimmylavin]

28. Good luck to those trying to quit!

Wish me luck on the trying to diet! :)

[some guy]

114. thanks

and I hope your diet goes better than my quitting...

:hi:

:hug:

[wake.up.america]

32. Congrats to Bud. Never smoked, never partaken of alcohol, no other drugs, nor do I do aspirins..

I feel great, although I need to lose a couple of pounds.

[SecularMotion]

34. I quit 12 years ago this month

I read somewhere that it takes a 1/3 of the time you were a smoker for your body to return to normal. It would make more sense that someone who only smoked for short time would recover quicker than a long-time smoker.

[Bassic]

36. I guess I'm at point number 5 right now then.

Yay!

[sueh]

38. When does the bad mood go away?

I quit 2 years ago and have been in a perpetual nasty mood since.

[BurtWorm]

41. January 20, 2009.

:patriot:

[sueh]

49. LOL!

:hi:

[helderheid]

77. !!

:rofl:

[Bryn]

110. Good Idea!

I will quit on January 20, 2009 :hide:

[BurtWorm]

127. I tried to quit on November 7, 2000.

Bad day to quit smoking!

:crazy:

[ellenfl]

44. i am at 3 months since my last cig and i have to say that food

does NOT taste as good as it used to. it tastes different. i guess i will just have to get used to it. unfortunately, i got fatter anyway.

ellen fl

[taterguy]

50. I'd love to see a similar list for what happens when you quit driving :)

[tandot]

52. Yeah. my risk of lung cancer already returned to that of a non-smoker and

and my risk of a heart attack will do the same in about 2 years. However, I eat so much healthier now and my doc says that my risk of a heart attack is extremely low.

Smoke free 13 years and counting.

Thanks for posting this, BurtWorm. I hope more people will be able to quit.

:hi:

[nonconformist]

53. Thanks for this. I've been very seriously trying to psych myself up to quit

Trying to get mentally prepared and all that.

I've quit before, but obviously not permanently. I quit during both of my pregnancies and breastfeeding times, and I quit another time back in about 2000/2001 for several months... only to go back to it. It sucks, I feel so weak when it comes to this. I don't even really enjoy smoking anymore, because I feel like I HAVE to smoke to function properly. I smoke about a pack a day, Marlboro Lights. I've used the patch in the past, but it doesn't seem to agree with me. It seems too strong or something... it makes me feel nauseated and dizzy, completely knocks me on my ass. I wonder if using a "step" patch would work, on a step 3 with lower levels of nicotine. I've also wondered about the gum. I tried to quit cold turkey a few months ago and caved after about 36 hours, so I think a crutch would help with success.

[BurtWorm]

59. The greatest crutch in the world for quitting cold turkey: a straw

Keep it with you at all times and draw on it every time you get a craving or feel nervous. Also take the time to be still--seated, calm, alone, eyes closed, listening to quiet sounds or music. And keep the straw handy to sip air whenever the urge to smoke comes over you. You'd be surprised how quickly that urge passes.

[K8-EEE]

65. What Worked For Me

I quit a million times before I really QUIT....I started quitting when I was 21 and didn't succeed until age 25. That was 22 years ago and so I've saved myself 22 years of toxic cig damage! Here's what I did:

1. hour rule: Keep a package of cigs in your freezer and repeat to yourself several times a day that you are MAKING A CHOICE to triumph over them. For some reason throwing my cigs away created this panick to buy some at the store, smoke in the car...ALWAYS WAIT AT LEAST ONE HOUR BEFORE LIGHTING ONE.

2. during the one hour delay do something aromatherapuetic -- use your saved cig money to buy scented bath or use some really expensive shampoo or just anything that smells YUMMY. You won't want to wreck it!

3. After two days, you have to keep asking yourself, do you want to start again at day one or be at day 4 (5,6,7,) tomorrow?

4. congratulate yourself CONSTANTLY for kicking the cigs to the curb; practice saying, "I don't smoke; I quit smoking, I don't smoke, I'm not a smoker." So much better programming than "I'm trying to quit" which is like saying "I'm going to smoke again."

5. if you have access to a pool or the beach, swim all weekend, you can't smoke when you're wet! After a few weeks you will notice your lungs getting stronger, such a great motivator. The first summer I quit I finished a lap without coming up for air for the first time since high school, I felt that I was repairing myself -- it's a great feeling!!

YOU CAN DO IT!

[DiverDave]

74. I'm up to 3 packs a day

I would love to quit this filthy habit, but the only things I haven't tried are hypnosis and acupuncture...
The money I would save would be a good bit,too...
I too, feel ashamed and hopeless against these goddamned things.

Well, off for another one...

[ellisonz]

75. Half a pack a day, you can do it!

:smoke:

[johntully]

136. Hypnosis worked

for my friend!

It was amazing!

[madokie]

54. august 14 1977 8:00 am last cig

my bod tells me every day, Thanks man.
my best friend told me at the time that he would quit too if I made it a year, I remind him of this all the time but up to this point he still smokes.

[Stinky The Clown]

57. A heart attack was, for me, one hell of a motivator

I am now smoke free and loving it.

After 50 years ....... yes, it is still possible even after one smokes that long.

[Hubert Flottz]

71. That's what did it for me too.

A massive heart attack is one hell of a wake-up call. I'd smoked for 40 years and I smoked 2 cartons a week for most of those years. Quitting smoking was the hardest thing I ever did. I feel 100% better! I can live without them...I have for almost 3 years.

I know how many times I'd tried and failed to quit, so the only thing I feel for those who can't quit, is sorry. Sorry that they ever started smoking. Sorrier still that I ever started.

[madrchsod]

58. one`s doctor will be happy

one would save around 1500 dollars a year if one smokes just one pack a day

food tastes better, a person smells better, clothes,car,and house smell fresher...

the list goes on and on


almost 30 years for me...

[snooper2]

60. So I get the first two every night when I sleep..

In 20 minutes your blood pressure will drop back down to normal.


In 8 hours the carbon monoxide (a toxic gas) levels in your blood stream will drop by half, and oxygen levels will return to normal.


does that count?

[siligut]

62. Chantix helps people quit smoking.

I have heard great things about Chantix. You take it before you quit smoking and it takes the craving away. It comes with a whole “help you quit and stay quit” program. I have heard several success stories from people who have tried to quit before and weren’t able to until they tried Chantix. You do need a prescription, but if you have a PCP whom you have seen within the past year you may be able to just call the office and request the Rx be phoned in.

[The River]

68. RE: Chantix

One users experience.

After 1 week of "start up" doses I didn't notice
much of a decrease in the urge to smoke. In the second week
I found the 2X day doses gave me nausea that lasted a few hours.
No thanks Chantix....

ps If you use the online help program, don't sign up until day 1 of taking the pills.
They assume you start the moment you sign up. I was 1 week behind their schedule and couldn't fix or stop it.

I prefer the gum. It's worked for short periods in the past.
Besides, chewing/parking it gives you something to do with your mouth.

[siligut]

150. Thanks for the advice, there ought to be a warning.

Maybe they don’t tell you that you can’t pause the program because they want you to start right away? At any rate, kudos on quitting.

I quit many years ago, that was when the only flavors of nicorette gum were mint and ick. I also used lobelia tea, and would say that it worked pretty well and would be the least expensive way of avoiding cold turkey. Everybody is different when it comes to quitting, some people feel cold turkey makes them tougher.

BTW, If you have trouble with other pills making you nauseous, try eating something first, that can help.

[EarlG]

174. I'm taking Chantix right now

I've smoked for about 15 years, and I was up to a pack a day. I started taking Chantix last Friday. On Saturday I smoked 6 cigarettes, on Sunday I smoked 4, on Monday I smoked 2, and since Tuesday I've completely stopped.

Apparently it doesn't work for everybody, but I've found it to be really incredible so far. It has almost completely killed the cravings - I still get a slight urge to smoke in the middle of the afternoon, but it's no big deal, I've got an open packet of cigarettes on the kitchen table which I haven't felt compelled to touch all week. I feel like I've been completely separated from the addiction, and I'm already wondering why I thought smoking was such a big deal in the first place.

I heard that around 30% of people who take Chantix experience nausea, it's the most common side effect. I can't say I've had any of that yet, although I'm always careful to take it immediately after eating and not on an empty stomach. The first week I was on 0.5mg, and this week the dose is upped to 1.0mg, so we'll see how it goes.

I understand it may not work so well for others, but in my experience it's been amazing.

[Nite Owl]

181. Good luck EarlG

I was taking it, started about 3 weeks ago. The half dose wasn't bad and the way it worked on the brain to stop those cravings was amazing. I just stopped thinking about it. I got the nausea but not that bad until I started the full dose. I tried to stay on it but the nausea turned to vomiting and I stopped taking it. It's been two days and the cravings are back. I'm thinking maybe of cutting the pills in half and just going with the half dose, I could put up with that. Going to try it like that and see if it still works.

[EarlG]

186. Thanks!

Good luck to you too. One thing - I don't think this is a problem but you never know - you should probably ask your doctor before you cut the pills in half. I have no idea how these work, but I know that some pills are time-release and if you cut them in half you get the full dose all in one go, which is not good. I have a feeling that's not how these work though, I think they're too small for that.

I just started on the full dose today and I haven't gotten any nausea yet... fingers crossed.

[Synnical]

206. Thanks for this

Will definitely talk to my doc about it. (I've tried to quit several times and lately have been smoking more due to the stress of a new, very demanding job). Will also talk with my Pharmacist friend who loves to smoke and half-ass jokingly justifies it by saying the brain has nicotine receptors.

-Cindy in Fort Lauderdale

[ThomWV]

63. I Got Paid $500 To Quit

I thought I'd quit so I went to a local teaching hospital and asked if they had any smoking cessation programs going. They did indeed, one that was sponsored by some drug company. A trial of some sort I suppose. I signed up.

The deal was this, I had to take some pill every day. They gave me a Palm Pilot with a built in modem. Every evening they sent out a survey and I had to plug in the Pal Pilot and respond. Once a week I reported in (10 minute process) and got the next weeks pills and a quick check set of questions. I was told that the drug being administered, if I was getting it instead of the placebo, was one already on the market and they were just testing it for a new application. At any rate I felt no effect from it other than quitting smoking was pretty easy after the first couple of days. Anyway, they cut the program short. I think it was supposed to last 50 weeks and we were to get paid $10 for every week we stuck with the program. It ended after a month or two. I gave back the Palm Pilot and that was that until about 2 months later when a check arrived in the mail for the full $500 that I would have got had the program went to completion. By then I had quit of course.

That was 8 years ago. Never smoked a single cigarette since.

[DixieBlue]

64. I have these hanging in my office.

Quitting is a battle. I got months without a cig, have drinks with friends and then smoke half a pack.

I just look at each day as an opporunity to start again.

These reminders are good. And helpful.

[K8-EEE]

66. ALSO: BUSHCO & BIG TOBACCO LOVE THAT YOU SMOKE!

Let's face it big tobacco is a huge BushCo supporter and they need their GOP contributions funded....DON'T HELP THEM....

[Hubert Flottz]

67. In three years if someone says, "Get Over Here," you'll have to...

make three trips!

Edit...But at least in three years you'll still be around to make those trips.

[NaturalHigh]

69. I haven't had a cigarette in nearly twenty minutes.

My blood pressure must be almost normal by now.

[lebkuchen]

72. Statistically, you're better off not smoking.

But there are no guarantees.

I don't know the stats, but from observation, the majority of Germany smokes. It's very difficult to avoid second-hand smoke in restaurants, though the laws are slowly changing. What w/the cradle to grave medical care and Germany's budget concerns, you'd think laws encouraging non-smoking would be more strident, but they're not.

[KoKo]

76. In 6 Months...the STRESS WILL KILL YOU!

[arikara]

78. 7 years for me

I tried many times to quit before that. The only good thing was that every time I tried and failed, when I restarted I smoked less. I was down to less than half pack of extra lights when i was finally successful.

The way I did it was I picked a date to quit then worked on my own head. I wouldn't smoke inside anywhere I could enjoy it, even accidentally threw out the ashtray for my car so couldn't smoke while I was driving. Every time I stood out in the cold and rain puffing I told myself how much I hated it, how it was disgusting and made me stink, and how unhealthy it was for my body. It was all so unpleasant that I was practically forcing myself to smoke by the time the date came and I didn't have any problem quitting. I never put on any weight either.

[Thirtieschild]

79. Last cigarette 9:40 am Aug. 3 1982

Had smoked for 28 years, pack and a half a day. Quit cold turkey, a cigarette in one hand and a lighter in the other. Played a lot of solitaire - kept my hands busy, didn't demand much of my mind. Continued to smoke for a couple of months, just didn't light the cigarette. Gave my hands something to do, inhaling air gave me good air.

Are you sure about the 10-year figure, that after 10 years chances of lung cancer are the same as a non-smoker? All the statistics I've seen have been vague about that one, I assumed we never approach the lung health of someone who never smoked.

I don't like the smell of stale smoke, but do love second-hand smoke. Know it isn't healthy but it sure feels good.

[BigBearJohn]

80. Thank you for this. I sent it to all my smoker friends (not many, thank God)

[shimmergal]

81. I quit in Nov. 1989 after trying many times before.

What did it--I had a chest cold & congestion that just I just couldn't shake. Not even with antibiotics. So I went cold turkey. There weren't any really effective aids then except for the gum, which was very expensive and by prescription-only.

What I used when climbing the walls wasn't the straw trick, exactly. I'd actually take out a cigarette and put it in my mouth, unlit; meanwhile I had a second cigarette burning that I could inhale the smoke from second-hand-like. Maybe it wasn't the healthiest way to stop but it got me thru and eventually I didn't even need that.

However, just an alert for anybody who has recently stopped. Some people get scary side effects, a few months after. I did, and thought, "Omigod, it's too late; I have lung cancer." Eventually this went away too, and I was fine. But in the meantime it was really frightening, the more so as I had no health insurance then. If anyone wants details, PM me.

[Saphire]

82. I quit one month ago tomorrow.. Thanks for the encouragement.

[BurtWorm]

128. You're past the worst of it.

:toast:

[MsMagnificent]

83. Great list

Thanks

[Kazak]

84. 8 years (tobacco) smoke free!!

:thumbsup:

[hisownpetard]

85. The thing that's different about Chantix is...

the way in which it works: unlike the others, it has no nicotine
in it at all. What it does is block the receptors in your brain
that keep telling you to have another cigarette. Since you start
taking it a week before you actually intend to quit, allowing the
medicine to build up in your system so that, by the time you smoke
your (hopefully) last cigarette, your body is already not craving
the nicotine as much as it would have been, otherwise.

It worked for me, the first time. (I needed to have surgery - unrelated
to smoking - but my doctor said he wouldn't operate until I'd been smoke-free
for 3 months! My internist then prescribed Chantix.)

You're supposed to take it twice a day, but I couldn't tolerate the one at night.
It caused some pretty crazy dreams, on those nights I managed to sleep! So I wound up
just taking it in the morning (and, since I'd cut the dosage in half, I continued taking
it until the pills were gone, which was very helpful).

Haven't smoked in 8 months. Great, huh? Now if someone can recommend a diet so
I can lose the 20 lbs. I've gained...

[Hissyspit]

86. Welcome to DU!

:patriot:

:toast:

Congrats on quitting!

[hisownpetard]

88. Thanks for the Welcome!

I am so happy I discovered DU before losing
my mind. What a great group!
Thanks again.

[west michigan]

91. No kidding about the dreams...

...have taken Chantix for eight weeks... smoke free for 5. I smoked for two weeks at the full dose and started to misfire a little more than I liked. Anywho... I kept taking the pills and stopped with the Nat Shermans. The first day was awful untill about five o'clock and it has been a very smooth ride since. Well it has its moments around other smokers. I feel like I have left the herd at some family functions. Granted people are congratulatory while they are feverishly puffing away, but I feel that with the herd being short one more person it makes the remaining ones feel a little more vulnerable. Dreams... that is what got me to post. Some have been really strange. Dreamed about people and places I have not seen in years and years. Actually for a while I looked forward to going to sleep. Whats going to happen on the brain tonight you know? 21 year smoker @ pack to pack and a half without drinking.

[hisownpetard]

92. I remember thinking the wording was strange...

on the Chantix information sheet... it said, basically,
that the medication will "change the way you dream."
And it really did! As you say, it was kind of fascinating,
in a weird way. The dreams weren't nightmares, just different.
More details, more realistic with less 'special effects.'
Often, they were really funny. And I could remember them for
a longer period of time after waking up in the morning.

How are yours different? I find this so interesting. I wish
I knew the physiological mechanism involved. (And,
by the way - once you stop taking Chantix, you go right back
to the way you used to dream, so enjoy the novelty!)

And congratulations on your accomplishment. That's fantastic.

[west michigan]

94. I would have to say...

... I agree with your first paragraph. I had a few scary ones where I would tell myself that I am dreaming and would wake up. These were far and few between. I have had three dreams where I have smoked and boy did I feel miserable after waking up. The first dream I physically felt and knew that I went through half a pack of Marlboro lights in a box... It took a solid day to readjust from that one. Tha last smoking dream was a few days ago and it was humorous to me when I woke up because i do not smoke anymore. Easy to put behind me.

As far as "realistic" ...absolutely. Will follow up later

[vssmith]

87. I quit 4 years ago and hell I have only gained 50 lbs.

Once I quit for 12 years. I was drinking beer at a friends house and he was smoking. I said let me try one of those. I bought a pack the next day and smoked for 10 years until I quit 4 years ago. My advice--be careful.

[vanboggie]

97. Ditto on that caution

In the early 80's I quit cold turkey and stayed off the cigs for two years. I was out having a few drinks with friends and decided I could handle "just one" too. Like you, I went out and bought a pack the next day and was soon going through cartons again. It's a very powerful addiction. Good for you, because at nearly $50/carton here in MI you're saving a bundle.

My niece was an addicted smoker like me and she just quit using Chantix. Knowing she'd tried everything else, I got enthused about quitting, but unfortunately my doctor still thinks Wellbutrin will work. I have my doubts. That took the wind out of my sails about quitting, so I'm still feeding the state treasury.

[BurtWorm]

129. My heart really goes out to people like you who want to quit and don't know how

which is the vast majority of smokers, I believe. I was certainly in that category for most of the last dozen years of my addiction. Don't worry, though. The day will come when you'll just decide enough is enough. Good luck.

:toast:

[asthmaticeog]

193. I'm doing Wellbutrin right now. It's working well.

It's not doing much for the cravings themselves, but it's keeping me from getting irritable (OK, from getting any more irritable than usual) which helps me ride out the cravings pretty easily. Some lucky bastards I've known, the stuff has actually made them tobacco-averse. I'd give it a try if your doctor's advising it. If it doesn't work, nothing's stopping you from trying Chantix afterward. If this quit doesn't take, I'm definitely going to try Chantix.

[vanboggie]

209. True

I understand Chantix took away the cravings, too. That's what I was looking for. Thanks for the encouragement to take the Wellbutrin - I have it and might as well use it I guess.

Good luck with your quest to quit!

[janx]

215. Wellbutrin made me feel speedy and nauseated.

It made me grind my teeth all the time!

I'm going to try the patch again as I've had the most success with that. I made it four months last time, until a friend of mine lost her temper and bummed me out... The first thing I did was go to the store and buy a pack. This was about a year ago.

P.S. The patch, too, yields some very wild dreams!

[proud patriot]

89. I quit 3 years ago

:woohoo: Durring the bush presidency no less :think:

[smalll]

93. You forgot "getting fat" -

probably should slot it in between increased circulation (2 weeks) and lung capacity improvement (three to nine months.) Just to be fair.

[BurtWorm]

130. It's the worst part about quitting.

And it comes with its own health hazards.

:scared:

[antonialee839]

95. My husband and I

quit four years ago. I was up to 3 packs a day. We started out using the patch for about two days until I looked at their calendar and realized that the patch was just as controlling as the cigarettes, always reminding you to buy more damn patches. I took the patch off, and threw it in the trash. If I was really irritable, I'd light a cigarette and just let it burn, for some reason it really helped me. I wouldn't smoke it, I'd just hold it and sniff the second hand smoke. After a while, I didn't even need to do that. Haven't picked up a cigarette since and neither has my husband. It's so nice to be able to breathe again, and not smell. Plus at $4.00 a pack, ouch.

[Chico Man]

96. Quit almost 2 years ago

Running about 10 miles a week right now and I feel GREAT.

[dysfunctional press]

98. you left "tobacco" out of your headline...

after all, i don't remember morticia addams having any particular health problems...

(and smoking pot lowers your blood pressure)

[Chico Man]

201. Quitting pot lowered mine

Actually smoking pot always made me quite anxious..

And quitting pot also made my seasonal allergies much more manageable. Seems any kind of smoke irritates my sinuses.

Seems my body is happiest and healthiest with no tobacco, alcohol, pot, multi vitamins, coffee.. particularly when I am focused on a well balanced diet.

Actually eating well and drinking plenty of water makes me feel better than anything else I just mentioned, particularly pot.

I never was one for eating the stuff.. but once I get through the current employment hurdle which may involve drug testing, I may have to give that a try.

[dysfunctional press]

208. tobacco (nicotine) acts as a vascular constrictor- raising blood pressure...

pot acts as a dilator- lowering blood pressure.

not all smoke is created equal.

[cgrindley]

100. How long does it take to become a sanctimonious

anti-smoking evangelist?

Personally, if I cared any less, I'd start smoking again in a heart beat. It was fun, it made me look as cool as hell, and those who die young won't burden the wretched health care system.

[Skittles]

112. if I was told I had 6 months to live

the first thing I would do is buy a carton of cigs - yes INDEED

[BurtWorm]

133. I've had the same thought.

:toast:

[cgrindley]

137. Not a day goes by

that I don't miss smoking. It's such a shame that it's probably the one of the worst things you can do to your body.

[Chico Man]

202. Icky

I'd have to say smoking cigs never made me feel good. It was always just something to satisfy an urge. I've experienced far better natural ways to make myself feel good.

[BurtWorm]

131. I hope never.

I can't stand anti-smoking evangelism (or evangelism of any kind).

:hi:

[Le Taz Hot]

101. You and I quit at almost the exact same time.

Mine was closer to the end of February. I smoked for 35 years and would NOT have been able to do it without the patch. I didn't have any of the dreams people are talking about. I did start having MAJOR cravings about 6 months later. I called my doctor who prescribed Welbutrin. Absolutely did the trick, though I understand you're supposed to start taking it before you stop smoking.

[BurtWorm]

132. Interesting!

I couldn't tolerate Wellbutrin. I broke out in hives. It's about the only allergic reaction I've ever had. Weird.

I'm curious about these dreams people have reported here. Makes me want to try the patch, but I'd probably just get addicted!

:crazy:

[Le Taz Hot]

151. Actually, you don't get addicted to the patch,

strangely enough. That step-down thing really worked for me. I was literally terrified of the day I stepped down from Step 1 to nothing. Believe it or not, it was a piece of cake and this is coming from someone who was hopelessly addicted to nicotine.

There is one more thing: I tried the clear patch and for some reason, it didn't work on me. I then tried the band-aid colored patch and it was much more effective.

[rec_report]

102. More smokers will possibly consider quitting, if they get this info.

K&R.
Polar Bear

[likesmountains 52]

103. 21 years ago I quit...no regrets here!

[Decruiter]

107. Thank you for your heartfelt, DU, PSA message. I needed it and so did

Mr. D. One thousand times thank you. Your link provided was saved and forwarded on.

[Libby2]

109. You all have encouraged me to

try again, thank you.

[some guy]

115. thanks for posting

I smoked two cigarettes while reading the thread...

:(

stupid addiction.

[Lindsey]

121. Well...my story is pretty friggin' sad...I quit smoking in 1992 and then

1 month ago...I started again. I had been listening to some cd's that are based on sounds that are meant to help one reach higher levels of creativity. You're supposed to listen to theses cd's in sequence. The first one puts you in a hypnotic state and lasts about an hour. My dreams were unbelievable freaky. I did feel a sense of well-being that I haven't felt in a long time. Then, I was at a festival with friends and I bought a pack that advertised themselves as no additives and I thought I could handle it and just have an occassional one. Well, that did not happen. I'm now at about 1/2 a pack a day. I called someone at the cd hotline and the lady said not to judge myself and that I'm reverting back to old coping mechanisms. I couldn't believe it when I just got home and this was on DU! I feel incredibly encouraged after reading everyone's posts. I have a hypnotherapist who I will be getting with in 4 weeks. In the meantime, I'll definitely get either the patch or the Chantix which I just now read about here. Thanks guys. You are all so terrific. I can't imagine what I'd do without the knowledge I've obtained from my DU family.

[BurtWorm]

134. That is a sad story.

:cry:

Better luck this time. :toast:

[Maru Kitteh]

117. June the 3rd, 2001.

Third best day of my life.

#1. Met baby daughter.
#2. Got married.
#3. Quit smoking.

[BlooInBloo]

118. It's been 3 days now, and my sense of taste is unchanged. It's a load of crap.

[Maru Kitteh]

123. I'd say from experience that varies according to many factors.

Are you still exposed to smoke.
How long did you smoke.
Etc.

[BlooInBloo]

124. (shrug) I was referring *only* to the advertisement, which is apparently not to be trusted.

[bling bling]

126. My sense of taste is unchanged after a year.

Same with smell. Pretty much everything is the same. Except, obviously, that I don't smoke. And the 10 lbs. I gained.

Congratulations on making it 3 days. Those first few days were the hardest for me.

[The Wizard]

138. Part of every cigarette

purchase goes to a Republican campaign fund. Need any more motivation?

[trumad]

140. I've not met one person who has quit who has said they feel the worse for it.

Every single one of them say it's one of the best decisions they ever made. Do you notice that not one pro-smoker has entered this thread and tried to flame it? That's because they know the habit is bullshit.

[FlaGranny]

142. Additional "side effects"

If you and your spouse quit at the same time, after about a week you will have the biggest fight of your lives. :D

Buy yourself lots of hard mints - you will need something without too many calories to suck on.

A few weeks after quitting it is possible to get something resembling pneumonia or severe bronchitis as your lungs begin to clear themselves of all the gunk.

I wouldn't want to discourage anyone, but you should also be aware that the above is possible. Of course all the good benefits far outweigh the very temporary drawbacks.

[Mend]

143. I dreamt I was smoking for 5 years after I quit....there I was with a cigarette

in my dreams. No dreams now for ten years, no cravings, nothing would get me to smoke again, not even terminal cancer. It is well and truly gone.

[a kennedy]

145. and how long before I'm back to a size 10???

that's 2 sizes smaller then I am now after quitting smoking 2 years ago. :cry: :cry: :cry: and I'm walking almost every day for 2.5/3 miles, have tried to cut back on food and haven't budged off 160 lbs. :cry: :cry: :cry:

[trumad]

147. That simply means that your weight loss plan is the wrong plan.

[Seedersandleechers]

161. I know just how you feel

Same thing happened to me. I used to look great in a pair of jeans, then I quit smoking. Buying new clothes just isn't fun anymore. I'm now trying to do a no carb diet and I'm starting to lose some weight. Good luck..

[Clark2008]

148. In three hours you go bonkers...

:)

BTW, I quit when I was pregnant, but, now that the baby's born, I've been sneaking cigs from hubby. First thing I thought about. How sad is that? I need to get him to quit so I won't be so tempted. When I was pregnant, the smell and taste made me sick, so I didn't necessarily want one, but now that the hormones are leaving my body, I have the craving again.

[LynneSin]

153. I find it amusing the posts about "I knew someone who died of lung cancer who didn't smoke"

Well guess what:

You can die of Cirrhosis of the liver and yet never have a drop of alcohol
You can die of Heart Disease and yet have the healthiest diet & exercise program


No one ever said that Lung Cancer was exclusive to smokers only - it's just an extreme increase in the chance of getting that or many other types of smoking related illness by continuing to smoke. And that's the same thing with the other 2 illness - if you drink or eat excessively your chances increase.

My father smoked and he died at age 41 of Lung Cancer. He wasn't particularly a heavy smoker, perhaps half a pack a day most days but he still got hit with pretty quickly. By the time the doctors realized what he had the cancer spread to his brain. He was diagnosed in October and died in January.

My uncle smoked too but never got lung cancer. Of course he had his jaw & tongue removed due to cancer. Nothing like living the rest of your life drinking your meals through a straw and having a permanent drool (I love my uncle - he finally quit after all these years).

Smoking is like playing Russian Roulette. Everyday everyone, whether they are smokers or not, plays 'Russian Roulette' in some way - talking on the cell phone while driving, ordering a double whopper from Burger King, heck jay-walking could be a risk to your life. Smoking is like taking that gun and adding in a few extra bullets. You may get lucky and survive but your chances are greatly increased for getting something.

If you smoke that's fine - whatever. But do me a favor, stop trying to justify it as something that 'isn't dangerous'. We're liberals here and we all know about how the Big Corporations promote propaganda in order to sell their product. Making dumbass posts about 'so-n-so got lung cancer and didn't smoke' is nothing more than you buying into Big Tobacco's lies

[Bonobo]

154. I quit 14 months ago.

[Zavulon]

158. How did you quit?

I'm not having much luck. I've tried the patch, didn't help.

[Bluebear]

166. Commit lozenges.

[Zavulon]

175. Never heard of them. These are over-the-counter?

Thanks for the answer, BTW. If these are over-the-counter, I'll be spending my lunch hour looking for them.

[donco6]

190. that's what I used.

Over the counter. Not cheap, but they work pretty well.

[Zavulon]

191. Thanks.

Looks like I'm not getting a lunch hour aftwe all, but this is my first item to pick up on the way home.

[BurtWorm]

192. I quit cold turkey.

I have a two-part method: 1) Reduce the stress that leads to the craving, and 2) replace the habit with a non-toxic substitute when the craving can't be controlled. How did I do this?

1) Gave myself permission to pull myself out of the world and be still for a few minutes several times a day. I'd just sit with my eyes closed, listening to silence or white noise or very calm music or recorded rain storms or waves. This was during the really stressful first week; it pretty quickly became unnecessary.

2) Cut a straw to cigarette length and kept it in my hand at all times. Anytime a craving came on, I would sip air through the straw, exhale, and repeat as long as needed until the craving subsided. Eventually, after two or three weeks, you might be ready to get by without the straw. Then you can just do deep breathing when the urge arises--and it will, though less and less frequently.

Good luck!

:toast:

[L. Coyote]

159. You forgot: Giant Corporations supporting Republicans will no longer get your money.

[Cleita]

179. Strangely enough this was the one reminder I needed constantly

fifteen years ago when I quit for the last time. None of the other points worked on me as well as knowing they weren't getting my money anymore.

[L. Coyote]

199. Do the math. $ per day x 365 days a year x X years, plus interest. Better than an IRA.

[zanne]

162. In two weeks, your circulation will increase.

Indeed it does. ALL over your body, if you get my drift.

[Dukkha]

163. 7 years 6 months 14 days 5 hours 53 minutes

as of this post. It took me a bit longer to get the coughing out of my system but I was a 2 pack a day smoker

[Javaman]

171. and 22 seconds. it's not like you are missing them at all, huh?

LOL

[TechBear_Seattle]

165. Quitting smoking is the easiest thing in the world

Staying quit, now, that is a different story. :hi:

[DWilliamsamh]

168. Not being a nudge at all - Thanks

I am a smoker and I appreciate two things: the reminder of these facts (I've seen the list before, but as of now I still get more pleasure than pain, I'm short sighted that way I guess) maybe they will help. I also appreciate that your OP wasn't a condescending screed.

Thanks.

[BurtWorm]

169. I've been there.

Not that long ago. I still find the anti-smoking police to be as nauseating as liquid nicotine.

[Javaman]

170. In 20 minutes you will be jonesing for a butt and be bouncing off the walls. nt

[FatDave]

176. I quit 4 months ago to the day

My blood pressure was actually higher than normal when I went to the doctor last week. Of course that may be the extra 15 pounds I added to my already lard-covered body. I also expected my immune system to get a little stronger, but it hasn't. I still get sick at the mere mention of a cold going around. No change in energy levels either. If anything, the extra weight has made me less energetic and I feel closer to a heart attack than ever.

On the plus side, I went out to a bar last week, sat with and talked to smokers, and managed to not go completely ape-shit. Haven't had a smoking dream (that I can remember) in a few weeks either.

Smokers who don't want to support the cigarette industry: With minor effort, you don't have to. Get yourself one of these ($50 for top-o-the-line), a box of these (less than $3) and a bag of tobacco straight from the farmer ($20, about 1.5 cartons worth). I recommend the Ramback Gold for the tastiest smoke you've ever tried. After a little practice, you'll be able to whip up 20 cigarettes in less time than it would take you to run out and buy a pack. Plus you get to become a tobacco connoisseur. You know how sometimes you take a drag and it tastes sweet? That's when you hit a good chunk of tobacco. Make one out of pure Virginia tobacco, and every puff will taste as sweet. And you'll save money.

Damn, now I really want a cigarette. Mmmmmm, Ramback....

[focusfan]

178. i have been smoke free for 9 years

I smoked for 18 years when my house burnt and I had smoke
inalation in my lungs.i would literally get sick when i lite
up so  my hubby bought me the patches that helped me quit.the
only thing I have to remind me that i use to smoke is the
nicoitine on my teeth.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

182. I am still here to prove it!

I used to smoke a small amount when I was in my 20s

FYI

http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/abstract/bmj.38142.554479.AEv1

[stimbox]

183. Hardest/best thing I ever did.

I'm between 7&8 on that list.
I smoked for around 20 years with a couple of 1-2 year quits.
The 3rd time is a charm.
I used the patch and welbutrin.
Now I suck on cinnamon toothpicks when ever I feel the need.

[kwassa]

185. Quit 24 years ago.

after 14 years of 2.5 packs of Marlboros every day.

[valerief]

188. I'm so glad I moved out of Cigaretteville years ago. nt

[Red1]

189. Just Remember

The Iraq "war" will cost thousands of young men a women their lives from picking up the habit while fighting for asshats lies.

[librechik]

194. Thanks--I quit 15 years ago in February

on my 40th birthday.

I'm good to go!

I recommend quitting to everyone, though I know how hard it is. Boy, do I.

If you manage to quit, you will never regret it (though the cravings still visit occasionally. It's hard, really really hard.)

[valerief]

195. It's not so hard when you realize lung cancer is much harder. nt

[Alexander]

196. I quit cold turkey 2 years ago from a 2 pack-a-day habit.

Best decision I ever made. I don't cough up nasty gunk any more (apart from the usual pollutants in the Phoenix area), my voice sounds fuller and clearer, I feel healthy and I am comforted by the fact that I don't need smokes as a crutch any more, unlike many people I know.

[flamingyouth]

197. Smokers are also twice as likely to get bladder cancer.

I am a two-time bladder cancer survivor, and smoking is the #1 cause. I'm a non-smoker but I was married to a smoker for 11 years.

[BurtWorm]

200. I'm glad you survived!

:toast:

[otohara]

198. Drink Lots of Water - Detox More Quickly

Don't Neglect Yourself
This is a time when you should be taking extra care to make sure all of your needs are being met. The following guidelines will help you weather withdrawal more comfortably:

* Eat a well-balanced diet. Your body needs good quality fuel now more than ever as it works to flush the toxins out of your system.

* Get more rest. Chances are you'll feel extra fatigue for a few weeks. Don't fight it. Sleep more if you can.

* Drink water. Water is a great quit aid. It helps you detox more quickly, works well as a craving-buster, and by keeping yourself hydrated, you'll feel better overall.

* Exercise daily. Walking is a wonderful way to get exercise. It's a good, low impact aerobic workout, and it works well to keep cravings in check. Take a few 15-minute walks every day and see if it improves your spirits.

* Take a daily multi-vitamin. Your body can use the extra boost a vitamin provides for the duration of withdrawal from nicotine. Cigarettes deplete so many nutrients. A daily multi-vitamin may help you regain your energy more quickly.

Withdrawal isn't a pain-free experience, but it is survivable, and it is certainly short-lived. Always keep in mind the fact that withdrawal from nicotine is a temporary condition.

http://quitsmoking.about.com/cs/keepthequit/a/thingstoavoid.htm

[onethatcares]

211. yeehaw, I quit 1Jan2007 12:01AM EST

and I'm feeling better

[fujiyama]

214. Any idea why some are more prone

to become addicted than others?

I often will mooch a cigarette off someone else at a bar, but that's about it. I actually don't like the feeling of smoking during the day...well maybe sometimes with coffee...or in the car with the windows rolled down...The few times I bought a pack, I really felt like having a smoke in those situations. In a way though, I can see why you'd get hooked, but I guess I was lucky I never did.

Either way, I haven't bought a pack of smokes in a long time. I was never really hooked though.

A few very short term practical reasons to quit:

1. It's just waaaaay too expensive, especially depending on your state's "sin taxes", it's literally just burning money. I can't imagine how people can afford multiple packs a day.

2. Try working out. The times I smoked, any kind of aerobic activity would be very difficult. I'd get real wheezy. Walking felt awful. Jogging and running were even worse.

3. Anyone want to kiss an ashtray?

4. Want to contribute to republican contributors?