How I Finally Quit Smoking. A New Year's Toast.

[donco6]

For those embarking on yet another attempt at finally quitting smoking, I just wanted to share my experience in the hopes that it might help someone. A disclaimer for the inevitable naysayers, shouter-downers, and overall contrarians - this is my experience and I don't really give a shit if you don't like it. So just move along unless you really have something to offer that may actually help people.

I was a light smoker - maybe a pack a WEEK, so take that into consideration. I never smoked at work. But after work I'd have to light up as soon as I got out. I'd go to happy hour and have two or three more. At home I'd have one in the evening when I let the dogs out. Every day, without exception. I viewed smoking as a little "reward" to myself - I'd worked extra hard, or I was THAT stressed out that I needed it - whatever.

I'd tried quitting many times. I would always start with getting upset with myself for being weak. Then I'd rush around the house and divest myself of all cigarette packs, including those hidden in coat pockets and suit coats, under towels in the drawers, in my car. I always felt I had to remove the temptation (which was a silly mistake, as you'll see later).

I used aids every time. I first tried the gum. In the long term, it didn't work for me. By the time I felt the need for a piece, I was already way down the road to thinking about wanting a cigarette and it would be too late. Then I'd just get a double-rush of nicotine when I lit up. I sort of managed to cut down, but never fully quit. Soon, I'd be right back where I started - or worse.

Next I tried the lozenges - same problem as with the gum. Didn't work for me at all.

The next time, I signed up on a website that offered assistance, which actually was pretty helpful. I read experiences of others who'd tried and what they'd gone through. At the time, I blew a lot of it off, but I remembered it later, so it was worth looking at. They recommended the patch, and sent me a freebie. I used it and it was by far the most helpful aid. But I still just couldn't quite kick that last "reward" cigarette of the day. I continued to smoke, though less than before.

So what finally did it? About six months ago, I started my usual jag of going around and purging myself of cigarettes, and suddenly I stopped myself and thought, "What's the point of this? I can just run down to the corner and pick up a pack ANY TIME I WANT. The place is open 24 HOURS A DAY." I realized I was just fooling myself into thinking that I was removing temptation. It was ridiculous. What I had to do was just decide that I really didn't want to smoke. That it wasn't a "reward" I deserved at all. And ultimately I'd have to suck it up and just stop reaching for a cigarette.

So, I left an open pack in my car. Every day. I knew it was there. Had a lighter, too - right there in my center console. But I'd wear my little patch in the morning, drive to work, drive back home, all the while conciously choosing not to go there. Finally stopped wearing a patch at all. I didn't have a puff for many months.

About a month ago, I found an open pack of cigarettes in a suit I hadn't worn in a while (I actually LOST weight after quitting, unlike others - odd). I pulled one out and lit it up (I don't know why - just did). Had a few puffs and stubbed it out - I just didn't find it enjoyable anymore. Threw them away and haven't thought about it since.

I know a lot of people are way heavier smokers than I was and this may not be at all helpful. But I'm glad I don't smoke anymore. It was just bad FOR ME. And I'd finally gotten to the point I could make that decision for myself. Ultimately, I really believe that's the place you have to get to. Aids are great; support is great; but in the long run, I believe it's just you versus THEM! :)

Hope this helps someone. Have a great new year everyone.

[Bonobo]

1. Similar experience here...

You have to give yourself the option of smoking in order to actually feel free to CHOOSE each day not to smoke.

Sounds weird, but it is true.

[Morning Dew]

2. Good for you !

If I only smoked a pack a week, I don't think I'd even worry about quitting.

As it is, I smoke more than that - hope to quit this year.

[donco6]

7. Even at that amount, I noticed it.

Just that taste in my mouth when I woke up, the smell on my fingers and clothes. The annoying little cough - nothing major, sure. But it just bothered ME that I couldn't control something like that. And I really couldn't! I may have only had a few a day, but I HAD to have those few! I hated that.

[Morning Dew]

54. Exactly. I can't control it.

It's going to have to be all or none for me.
The times I have quit, I've tricked myself into thinking that just one would be ok... then it was back to full on smoking within a day or two.

Congrats ! I hope to join the club soon.

[Electric Monk]

3. Congrats on quitting. Seriously.

One question, though... what brand has 40 in a pack?

[donco6]

8. LOL! Yike! Maybe I was underestimating.

I might have just been lying to myself. Typical. I always excused how much I smoked to make it sound "not so bad."

[valerief]

4. Good for you! I quit years ago, no aids, just decided, like you, it was NOT a reward.

Tired of stinking, worrying about my blood pressure, cancer. Tired of wasting my money. I didn't need smokes when I was a kid and I thrived. Decided I could do the same as an adult.

Quitting was the BEST reward I could give myself.

[ljm2002]

5. Congratulations to you!

I never reached a pack a day when I was smoking, more like 1/2 pack a day. But still.

For me, it just became something I had to do. I knew it was a nasty habit, it made me smell, and it was a bad example to my children. Still it was awfully hard to quit, eventually I had to steel myself and note each day that any suffering I had done that day by not smoking was like an investment, and if I went back to smoking then that investment was wasted -- thrown away -- and I'd have to do that suffering all over again, because I already knew I was going to stop.

It worked on the third try, and I did gain some weight, but it was well worth it.

[tranche]

6. Congrats!

I've been smoke free since March -- 9 months now. I don't see myself going back.

[valerief]

10. Congrats to you, too! No reason why you should go back. Years ago,

everywhere you went was Cigaretteville. Now Cigaretteville is a ghost town in most places. It's so easy to quit now and so easy to not pick up the habit now.

[beac]

124. The fact that both Virginia and North Carolina just banned smoking in bars/restaurants is surely a

sign that smoking is on its way to being a thing of the past, at least here in the US. (Of course, the cigarette companies are just switching their efforts to Third World countries and still raking in the profits :mad:.)

I recently passed my four year quitting anniversary. Did it cold turkey and probably would have quit sooner except that I worked in the bar/restaurant industry and was around it all the time-- with both staff and customers partaking.

The only downside to these bans is the increased likelihood of having to walk through a gauntlet of smokers to get to the door of your local watering hole or favorite eatery. Still, it's a world better than sitting in an enclosed space with all that secondhand smoke.

[donco6]

12. That's great.

I just came back from vacation, and that was always a HUGE temptation for me. I'd smoke everyday whenever I got the chance. This time, though, I really didn't even think about it - even if I was having a drink at the beach bar. I remember having dreams about smoking - isn't that pathetic? But haven't had that in a long time.

[Subdivisions]

9. Yep...

I had smoked for about 15 years and one day I just decided I didn't want to smoke anymore and, though it was rough at first, I haven't smoked a cigarette since. That was nearly 15 years ago. When I'm asked how I did it, I reply "I just decided not to smoke anymore." It's amazing the power of an honest decision over that of a physical craving.

[valerief]

16. Just last night I was telling a smoking friend that I think the cigarette industry

loads propaganda on us on how hard it is to quit. It isn't. Not physically or mentally once you actually decide. And with smoke-free public places now, it's easy to live in a cigarette-free world. So much easier now than twenty-five years ago.

BTW, I've been smoke-free for years now, too. Best thing I ever did for myself.

[duhneece]

66. I think people are addicted at different levels

I smoked for 40 years; have been teaching smoking cessation for the past 3 years.
According to research (at NIDA, I think...I got the info at a training) people become addicted according to how quickly they metabolize nicotine, meth, heroin, etc. One of the tricks of the tobacco industry has been adding ammonia to tobacco because that causes one to metabolize more quickly, increasing the possibility of addiction.

[valerief]

86. Will the FSC carpet glue added to cigarettes strengthen addiction? nt

[Bolo Boffin]

11. Very similar experience here as well

For me, it was setting a quit day one year in advance. I was up around one or two packs a day. I'd quit for four or five years at one point, and picked up the habit again. I'd done all the behavior modification things like throwing your butts into a big gallon glass jar with some water and visualizing that crap in your lungs. Over the course of the year I just smoked less and less.

And then as a kicker, on December 18, 2000, I sat in the hospital room while my grandfather, a lifelong smoker, drew his last breath. I don't recommend that part to anyone.

I've had one cigarette since, and one cigar (when my brother got married). It's been over nine years now. I had a jolt looking at an ad for a carton of cigs at the gas station - $52???? Good riddance.

[donco6]

14. Yes, holy cow, the cost is astonishing.

I'm not even sure how people can afford to keep up those heavy habits like they used to. My mom smoked heavily and died of a heart attack at 54. I'm approaching my 50th this month. I want to be around a lot longer than she was.

[Subdivisions]

19. Hi Bolo! =) This is one thing I can relate with you on. Cost was also

a consideration for me as well. I calculated that I was spending $2000 a year on cigs. Heck! That's a vacation to the Mayan Riviera every year! On cigarettes?! No thanks.

Good to see you venture into the daylight, Bolo... :hi:

[notadmblnd]

13. I know lots of men that have quit by just deciding they didn't want them any more

the powers that be say it is easier for men. I've done the patch- nothing, I've tried hypnosis- just giggleld through it because it felt so hoakey, tried chantix and wellbutrin. chantex gave me awful headaches. the wellbutrin has helped me cut in half but am now at a standstill. cigarettes are my best friend and I still haven't figured out how to let them go.

[donco6]

21. I think you're right.

Some of the website posters mentioned that, too - that men sometimes have an easier time of it.

Well, it's a new year, so who knows?

My partner did the hypnosis and it totally worked for him - he recommended that for me, but I think I'd have been like you. I just can't trust someone enough to be hypnotized, I don't think.

[movonne]

32. That's the way I did it...got a tape and it worked...but also I wanted

to...I tried many times before but just plain didn't want to stop...it has been over 20 years now...

[duhneece]

67. Look closely at that 'best' friend

You might see an abuser. What else would 'whisper' in your ear, "You are nothing without me; you can't concentrate, you can't relax, you can't do anything without me. You're weak and you need me."
What kind of friend steals $$, poisoned people you've known & loved?
(I really had to work on this, as I had thought of cigs as my best friend, one who'd been there with me through good times and bad...)

[likesmountains 52]

74. +1...that is not a "best friend."

[Maru Kitteh]

117. And now at least one woman. IMO it's the only way that reallly could work for me.

So I did. I just *decided* I did not want them anymore.

[glowing]

15. When I've quit in the past, I've lost weight too.. Having a smoke after a large meal

is the only thing that makes my belly feel ok.. when I've stuffed myself... so, in order to not feel to full and need that cig, I had to eat less... or at least eat just enough and shove away from the table. Which is why I tend to want to eat out less when I stop smoking because they over feed you on the plate and I always feel wasteful.. so, I tend to overstuff trying to finish a meal... and I know that if I do that, I will want a cig.

[donco6]

24. I stopped the happy hour thing.

At the beginning, it was just too hard not to smoke and drink. I'd bum a cigarette off someone, which made me feel even shittier. So I just had to stop that little habit. This made hubby very happy. So, two good things from one decision!

Now I can have a drink and not think about it. But I just don't drink as much, period.

[proud2BlibKansan]

17. Thanks for sharing.

[Bunny]

18. Congrats to you!

Anything that works is worth sharing.

I quit cold turkey 11 years ago, after 25 years of smoking. If I could smoke only 2-3/day I would probably still light up.

[Berry Cool]

20. Good for you; congratulations!

People seem to have to find what works for them, whatever it is. Obviously you found it. Maybe it will work for someone else.

Now you can start enjoying the wonderful process of repair and healing your body is already undergoing.

And here's an oldie but a goodie to everyone else trying to quit: a link to Keith Olbermann's "I Quit!" on the MSNBC Web site:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8889786/

And as a bonus, a direct link to two of his most inspiring videos:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/8887128#8887128

This one is about why he quit. If you smoke and you watch no other video, watch this one.

Then, for those who have tried and failed, his "Try, try again" video:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/9070157#9070157

Lots of helpful stuff on the "I Quit!" site.

Good luck to all!

[OnceUponTimeOnTheNet]

45. bookmark for morn.

Thank You for the links!

[Roon]

22. Yay!

It will be five years for me next month. I used group and the patch.

[sharesunited]

23. It's true. When you get angry enough at the damn things, you will quit.

[Maru Kitteh]

25. Tic Tacs here - and I"m SO HAPPY FOR YOU.

Soon, you'll hardly believe you ever smoked in the first place.

Like you, I had to keep them close by me, with me, available, in order to stare them down and say "fuck you - you're not going to run my life any more."

I kept Tic Tacs and the cigs at equal reach, and I chose the Tic Tacs.

Congrats to you again.

[donco6]

26. Yes, the stare down!

I did do that a few times. I remember opening that console to get something out, and there's that happy little Marlboro lights box looking up at me, like a puppy on its belly.

I'd say, "Fuck You", slam the lid closed and go about my business. But I never once took one out of there.

[Walk away]

27. I was a pack a day. Seven yr nine months quit. Don't tempt fate....

it's best not to keep them around and for some people smoking one can ruin a quit months later. I think it can convince a person that they can have one or two every once and a while. That's a dangerous thought for a quit.

Just leave them alone and enjoy your clean and healthy lungs. Does your skin feel different yet? It took about eight months for me and the skin on my face felt softer. It was so cool! Good luck.

[donco6]

28. A lot of things feel better.

I started yoga this month, and if I were still smoking, there's no way I could have done it. The breathing exercises would have caused a coughing FIT in me. It's helped me to think about just taking care of myself better - eating better - cutting down on the alcohol - spending my time on more worthwhile pursuits. Or maybe it's the other way around - the quitting smoking was just a side effect of wanting a different life. I dunno. But it's better either way.

[Walk away]

55. Good for us! nt

[Voice for Peace]

114. Agree... DON'T tempt fate.

After my last quit, I felt amazed that I had no desire to smoke anymore, and was enjoying all the benefits of being cigarette free. If I had the urge to smoke, I would just take some deep breaths, and stretch. After about the first week, the desire to smoke was completely gone.

And then, after about a year had passed... a little puff on a friend's cigar, an occasional puff on a friend's cigarette; and I thought: this is so cool: I can take a puff here and there, but the desire to be a smoker is GONE!

... oops....!
all it took was a little stress..
just a little puff...
and I picked the habit back up. I was back to smoking full time within a week or two.

Beware a cavalier attitude! The pattern of being a smoker is still written in the brain -- even if we have written over it, it's still there. It doesn't take much to switch back over to those old tracks. I'm quit again now but it took me four years. I don't ever want to take this for granted again. Thanks to everyone for the great reminders.

[malaise]

29. The best way to quit smoking is to frighten yourself

re the health consequences of smoking. Additionally think about what you could buy or where you could visit if you stopped wasting money on cigarettes.

Congrats.

[SPedigrees]

30. I quit with my hubby and a bunch of friends

one day after smoking 3 packs a day. I tried earlier unsuccessfully to cut down on cigarettes but never had success with that. Just stopping was pretty easy. Maybe it helped to quit en masse with others (none of us ever returned to smoking.) Other factors might have been that we all were young and had only had the ciggy habit for 5 or 6 yrs. I had a personal goal of moving to a nicer apartment with the savings, which was considerable even though cigarettes cost a mere 35 cents a pack at the time.

I do think that after smoking so many cigarettes during those years I was just saturated with nicotine and had had enough. Possibly upping the amount of cigs you smoke to 3 packs per day for awhile would make losing them completely seem like a relief. It did to all of us.

[donco6]

37. Wow - 3 packs a day!

I'd think that would have been way harder - a whole lifestyle change, really. Good for you!

You could be right about the nicotine overload. I could see that.

[Thirtieschild]

31. 9:40 a.m., Aug 3, 1982. Quit with a cigarette in one hand and a lighter in the other.

Continued to smoke for the next month or so, just didn't light the cigarettes. Got the breath part of smoking and the hand part of smoking, which seemed to be what mattered to me more than the nicotine part. I wasn't a light smoker, had smoked a pack and a half a day for 28 years.

[quiller4]

69. That is how my father quit more than 50 years ago. He walked around

with an unlit Chesterfield cigiarette that he would suck on periodically. He grew up in tobacco country and used tobacco in every form at some point in his life. He was nearly 60 when he quit and lived to be 102.

[SPedigrees]

83. Wow 102! Now that is impressive! Good for him and may he rest in peace. nt

[lunatica]

33. Congratulations on quitting

I smoked 2 to 3 packs a day for 30 years. I was lucky to be accepted in a stop smoking double blind study with Wellbutrin. I think it's the same thing the ad with the woman from Fayetteville, NC is talking about because we were told to continue smoking as much as we wanted for a week, then to quit. By the second day of taking the pill I was able to pass on having a cigarette many times because I simply didn't crave it anymore.

The hard part was the emotional dependence on the cigarettes. Like you say, the reward or the help with stress or the habit of lighting up at certain times or under certain circumstances, like you in the bar or right after work. At 2 to 3 packs a day I had lots and lots of those, but since I didn't have the physical addiction anymore I could say no to my brain letting me know it was time to light up. The feeling of wanting a cigarette passed quickly.

That was about 15 years ago. Not a day goes by that I'm not grateful that I quit.

[donco6]

38. Another thing I noticed -

I would smoke when I wanted to be part of a group. There'd be a group that would meet out on the patio that I wanted to break into, and smoking seemed to be the ticket in. So I'd light up.

[juajen]

57. Re: Wellbutrin

Please be careful when taking wellbutrin. When I first decided to quit, my doctor gave me Zyban, but didn't monitor my blood pressure. I had a stroke, which, fortunately, was not a horrible stroke, but it sure weakened my right side.

I am 68 yrs. old and smoked from the age of 15. Of course at that time I was only an occasional smoker, but when I quit I was up to three packs a day. I smoked a long time. When I finally quit after three tries, it was cold turkey. I was simply not going to be controlled any more by nicotine. My health is much better, but, honestly, food does not taste better; just the opposite. I actually miss smoking a lot. It was a real stress reliever for me, but I am glad I no longer smoke. I actually do not know how I afforded it all those years.

Good luck to any one who is attempting to quit. Remember, it took me several times to finally get there, but I have been smoke free for about eight years. Have faith.

[Hissyspit]

90. Heh. The lady here in Fayetteville was profiled in the newspaper because she's

become somewhat of a celebrity.

She used a new drug - Chantix from Pfizer:

http://www.fayobserver.com/Articles/2009/10/05/937081

Lisa Smallwood tried just about every stop-smoking gimmick on the market, from nicotine patches and gum to a smoking cessation program.

- snip -

"I had smoked for 29 years, so it was more of a psychological thing," she said. "I wasn't very secure and stayed on it (Chantix) for five months."

(Note: I am not endorsing this product.)

[JanusAscending]

121. I'm in the process of deciding to quit......

My Dr. prescribed Wellbutrin for me, but I find that as I'm still lighting up less often, when I do I get these waves of nausea. Is this something you experienced? I stopped taking the Wellbutrin because I wasn't sure if this is supposed to happen. Has anyone else experienced this? I can't afford the patch, but it helped me quit once before, but now I can't afford the cigaretts either!! By the way, the woman in the ad you mentioned was on chantix,which I dare not try because of the possible side effects. I've been a pack a day girl since I was 14 (stole my Dads) and I am turning 71 in a week or so. They are my "crutch" for stress and lonliness.

[lunatica]

126. I didn't have any side effects like nausea at all

But the cigarettes started tasting bad. I did try one after a few months and I hated it and put it out after one toke. The taste of oily nicotine stayed with me all day long and it did make me a little nauseated. I took the Wellbutrin for 6 months as directed in the study and that was 15 years ago, but to this day cigarette smoke smells bad to me. Even that first wonderful whiff when you first light up is not there.

Talk to your doctor. Maybe you're getting too much in each dose.

[JanusAscending]

127. Thanks...will do!

[Froward69]

34. I am afraid of killing somebody

that is when I am in withdrawal i get more and more agitated.

when i was in the Hospital recovering from my appendectomy. I did not ave any smokes for three days when it hit. I became agitated at not being able to go collect rents. I came across as a raving maniac. I scared the whole nursing staff, My brother, Best friend and doctors. One Doc actually had a patch in his pocket and was brave enough to walk in and stick it on my arm. in 10 minuets I became the same soft spoken lovable (yet big @6'2") wonderful guy I like to be.

I have slowed to 10 or so a day. but would like to quit altogether. I joined a website... and may actually quit this year... that is my goal.

[Speck Tater]

35. Congrats!! I'm at 306 days, but my method was different from yours.

I watched my best friend battle inoperable lung cancer. I sat with her through chemo, drove her to her radiation sessions, and helped her around the house when she wasn't able to care for herself. It's been just over a year since her diagnosis, and she is doing very well, and appears to be in remission at the moment.

Watching that happen to someone you care about is a real wake-up call! I never even think about cigarettes any more. The only reason I know how many days it's been is that I wrote the count on my calendar in the square for the first of each month. If it weren't for that it wouldn't even cross my mind these days, even though I had smoked heavily for 47 years prior to quitting.

[Warpy]

36. I think most people who quit successfully

do so when they finally look at that cigarette they're about to light up and really don't want to do it any more and that the only way out is through.

Congratulations!

Oh, and the amount of a substance in any addiction isn't what counts, it's the physical and mental consequences of stopping it suddenly that do.

My mother had three packs a day down her lungs and quit much the same way you did. She just finally got to a point she couldn't do it any more. It's just a shame she got to that point too late.

[CTyankee]

111. It's true. You have to want to be a non-smoker. That was how I quit.

It was in 1980. I had a new relationship that was a non-smoking one and I wanted it to continue. I hated the idea of being a smoker because of 1)the smell of my skin and my clothes and 2) the stigma of being such a "loser."

I had smoked for 20 years. I never looked back. I never had the sweats or any such "withdrawal" symptoms. It was over. And I've never gone back. Ever.

[DisgustedInMN]

39. Congrats, I've been smokefree..

..for a year and 5 months now. Chantrix did it for me, where everything else didn't. Still get "the urge" from time to time. I just remind myself just how difficult it was to finally quit and that gets me past it. (the $50+ a carton doesn't hurt either)

[WillowTree]

40. I do so wish I could use the patch.

It did seem to help me with the cravings when I tried it. Trouble is, they cause terrible welts on my skin that last for weeks, even if I put them in entirely different places from day to day and, apart from the discomfort involved, let's face it, sooner or later one runs out of places one can scratch in public.

I'm taking another run at it next week and I do feel motivated, so here's hoping. Meanwhile, MAJOR congtats (and props) to you on your success. You've certainly earned them.

[donco6]

41. I had problems with that when I used Walgreens brand.

When I used the real (expensive) ones, I didn't get that at all. I put them on my OUTER upper arm, not the inner - big rash there.

Also, I bought some down in Mexico (shhh, don't tell anyone), and they didn't give me that rash either.

[demosincebirth]

46. I went went cold-turkey and this is what many recommend. It wasn't easy...it was hard!!

[NashVegas]

49. I Used the Gum

At about 1/2 the recommended dosage. It was actually quite easy - but only because I was finally ready.

[demosincebirth]

51. . Well good for you! I was fully ready many times, also

[endless october]

42. glad that you quit. congrats!

i quit in '08. one of the smartest things i've ever done. used the Allen Carr method.

[kgnu_fan]

43. knr

[demosincebirth]

44. I was a two pack a day person trying to quit for years and the longest I

lasted was one week. Even tried cigars and chew, but always went back to cigarretes. One day I was going over my life insurance policy and there was a diference in premium between a smoker and a nonsmoker. Wasn't much, maybe 30 - 40 bucks a month. I don't know why, but that was they key and from that day on I haven't picked up a smoke now going on eighteen years. On the other side of the coin I gained 20 lbs in 4 months. I don't ever regret quiting. It was the hardest thing I ever done in my life.

[donco6]

58. Whatever it takes.

I'm not sure there was anything that pivotal for me. Not that I can think of anyway. But my progress kinda built up over time, so maybe it was a multitude of events like that which finally culminated in the realization that it was me versus the cigs, and no one could really pull me through it but myself.

I think the weight gain is directly related to the amount of smoking you're trying to overcome. I wasn't nearly as heavy as you were, so I didn't see any gain. I wish there was a way to avoid that, too. I've heard some people talk about how they WON'T quit because they don't want to gain the weight.

[proud patriot]

47. former smoker here

I was a chain smoker .. very addicted ..I used the niccotine gum for 3 years and then moved to Trident ..

I know I used the gum way longer than intended but it worked for me

[Warpy]

52. Any way you can quit is the right way.

Congratulations!

[donco6]

59. Pfft - whatever works.

I probably used those patches WAY longer than I needed, but I was just really determined not to fuck it up. And I bought a whole bunch while on vacation in Mexico and thought "well, I might as well use them, it's not like I'm going to need them after this."

[janx]

84. The patches definitely take the edge off, but they're

expensive. Did you buy them when you were in Mexico? (Dare I ask?)

[donco6]

105. Yessiree.

Bought about three boxes, opened them up and stored them securely. I only needed about half a patch a day, so they lasted a long, long time.

[NashVegas]

48. No One Quits Before They Are Truly Ready - Good For You

I stopped smoking 2 & 1/2 years ago and only recently started using the "q" word.

When I stopped, I went cold turkey, on vacation and with the help of nicotine gum. Being on vacation and away from my routine was of tremendous help.

I wish I could say I lost weight, like you :) ... still have another 15-20 to come off in order to be where I was before stopping.

[OnceUponTimeOnTheNet]

50. K&R. My state goes smoke free in May. I'd love to quit too.

This will actually help me to set a quit date.
May 2010.

Congrats to you, and Thank You for sharing the story with us.

[Mojorabbit]

53. I smoked two packs a day for 39 years

and I tried every aid ever put on the market over the years. I enjoyed smoking but was trying to quit for health reasons.
The first time I tried Chantix, I had suicidal thoughts and was one of the first hundred written up on the side effect.

Six months ago, I put two packs of smokes in the freezer and went on a half dose of Chantix watching carefully for side effects and knowing if I ABSOLUTELY had to have a smoke one was right in the kitchen freezer. I quit with no problem at all. Go figure. I have no idea why it took this time but it did. I gained 25 lbs and will work on that this year.

[donco6]

60. Good for you.

I just saw a commercial for that before I came upstairs to check my posts. It specifically warned about the suicidal thoughts. I'm really glad it worked for you.

[depakid]

56. Could be a lot of folks in Victoria needing stories like yours ($20 per pack soon?)

Doctors are calling for a new state tax on tobacco that would see the price of a packet of cigarettes rise to $20. The Victorian branch of the Australian Medical Association (AMA) has proposed a 'tobacco transaction levy' that would increase the cost of a cigarette by 10 cents from next July, rising to 30 cents in July 2012.

The AMA is appealing to the Victorian Government to introduce the tax, saying the Federal Government remains silent on the issue months after receiving the Preventative Health Taskforce Report. The president of AMA Victoria, Dr Harry Hemley, says a survey also found three quarters of smokers would quit if the price of a packet of cigarettes rose in price by half.

"That's why we're encouraging the state Government to introduce the tobacco transaction levy, which would give the Victorian State Government an extra $3 billion a year just in Victoria alone, which would allow us to fund a lot of the shortfall in our public hospital expenditure," he said.

Dr Hemley says the State Government should introduce the ban in the face of Federal Government inaction. "The failure of the Federal Government to respond to the primary health care strategy has prompted us to encourage the state Government to introduce this transaction levy," he said. Treasurer John Lenders say the AMA's suggestion will be examined.

"We've seen the number of Victorians smoke drop from in the mid 40 per cent to about 16 per cent over the last 20 years and that is saving thousands of lives," he said.

More: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/12/28/2781612.htm

[donco6]

62. WOW!

Who on earth could possibly afford that? It would have made me think twice, even when I was cheating.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

61. Good for you stick with it.

I quit 19 years ago.

[dem mba]

63. I had a very similiar experience

major stress kept me coming back, but i was always a light smoker. I came to pretty much the same conclusions you did; you have to just make yourself not want the "reward".

also helps if you are regularly exercising, esp. cardio. when your lungs are feeling healthy you tend to not want one of those cigs.

best of luck to all the quitters out there. hope you pull a sarah palin and quit!

[hardtoport]

64. Congrats!

I quit a pack and a half day Camel habit about 5 and a half years ago. The wesite www.whyquit.com is what got me through it.

[toadzilla]

65. yay! such a gross habit, glad i gave it up.

The longer I go without doing it the more disgusting I find them.

[varelse]

68. That's pretty much how my sister quit - 3 times

the third time, thankfully, was the charm. Happy new year and congratulations on your victory :)

[Gore1FL]

70. I am betwwen 8 and 9 months

The only way to quit is cold turkey. It is more about habit than addiction. Once you beat the triggers it is easy not to smoke--the problem is the sheer numbers of triggers you encounter in the first week or two. I smoked 2 cartons a week, and went to zero.

[valerief]

89. Did you learn to HATE smoking? Once I quit--and it wasn't hard--I found I HATED smoking. nt

[Gore1FL]

129. Well.. I haven;t had the first hand experience, of course

What I have noticed is how much it stinks, and I cannot believe I went through the day smelling as bad as those who I used to smoke with. I didn't notice them or me at the time.

[applegrove]

71. I knew I was going to make an attempt to quit smoking six months before I did. Right

then I quit smoking in front of the computer. I smoked only in the kitchen while sitting in my chair. So I stopped equating being online with smoking. When it came time to quit I used Chantix (I was suddenly overwhelmed with a desire to quit so I made a last minute appointment at the clinic and got a prescription). I would go for a walk every time I had a bad crave and buy a popsicle. I smoked while on chantix for the first week. No nicotine got to my tobacco receptors in my brain. That link was somehow broken the 2 months I was on Chantix. Then I went off Chantix. I started smoking herbal cigarettes when I really felt I was going to cave. Those herbal cigarettes are horrible. I smoked maybe 10 packs in the months after i quit tobacco.

Now I equate smoking with that feeling of disgust I had when I tried herbal cigarettes. I've rewired my brain. Amazing. I don't feel a desire to smoke when I see people smoking. I am so happy to be quit.

[donco6]

72. Sounds like you created your own system you needed to work for you.

Pretty clever, and good for you. I wonder if this would work for the heavier smokers here as well?

[applegrove]

73. I was a pack a day smoker for 27 years. I had quit before but had always

fallen off the wagon after a few months because I really, really wanted to smoke. Now I don't.

Some people go squirrely on Chantix. I could tolerate it because I was already on meds for PTSD. I wonder if people shouldn't be on calming meds whenever chantix is prescribed. I had the vivid dreams but none of the bad psychological stuff.

[donco6]

75. I had really wild dreams if I forgot and left my patch on.

But I'm sure nothing as bad as what others have described. That's a really interesting idea.

[applegrove]

76. Congrats on your quit!!

[janx]

85. Hey, those dreams are FUN!

:rofl:

[Historic NY]

77. Stick with it I'm coming up on 4 yrs in a couple of days...I used laser acupuncture.

[12string]

78. cold turkey

1 1/2 packs a day.I started smoking 40 years ago.Been thinking of quitting the past few years.Have just passed the 70 hour mark.Almost three days now without a puff.I'll make it.

[valerief]

88. Congratulations!!! You WILL make it. It's the nicest gift you can give yourself. nt

[donco6]

100. Good for you.

Great news.

[Romulox]

79. In 3 days, it will be 8 years since I smoked my last cigarette.

I used the gum, if anyone is interested. It can be done!

edit: I was a 2 - 3 pack a day smoker for 15 years, too. Not a "lightweight"!

[zoff]

80. I've quit cold turkey twice.

The first time with the aid of a 2-week, ice cold morning rub down regimen. I put on 20 pounds immediately and stabilized in the high 150s. The second time I just quit with no weight gain. I stayed clean an average of 4 years each time. I'm back to smoking about a pack a day. When life is stressful, the habit creeps in. I think its better than drinking as I hurt no one but myself.

[DesertFlower]

81. congratulations. i stopped 26 years ago

after 30 years of smoking. i smoked about a pack and a half a day -- sometimes 2.

i did it with hypnosis.

hubby stopped about 15 years ago. he kept trying and would fail. he said "i'm going to keep trying and one day i'll be able to stop" and he did.

[countmyvote4real]

82. It's all about the commitment to do it.

More aids are available now (I'm all for anything that helps.), but it ultimately comes down to whether you want to smoke or not.

I agree with much of what you have to say. The reward smokes are the best. And there are so many things besides great sex that compel a reward when I want to smoke.

Hypnosis (one-on-one, not group) has worked most successfully for me when I consider how long I abstained.

Most of all, congratulations on your decision not to smoke anymore.

[sce56]

87. Lucky you patch! I did it cold turkey no drugs gum or patch back in 1995!

Can't stand the smell of them now days and glad they banned smoking in most places here in California too!

Like I say quit cigarettes before they quit you!

[Mortos]

91. Spending the last week with my dying father

in March of 2009 was a big motivator for me to quit. He looked at his 3 sons and said, "Please don't end up like me. This is my fault for smoking." My brother and I made a promise to quit once the stresses of his death and funeral were passed. We both did for a few days and then started up again. I got to the point I was only smoking a few a day and only at work. I realized how stupid it was to keep smoking and damage myself. My dad was only 67 and he suffered from cardiovascular disease, diminished circulation in his legs and he had 2 strokes in a month that finally forced him to choose death over a life of paralysis and eating through a stomach tube. I have been smoke free for 3 months now. I hope to never smoke again. My brothers still both smoke heavily and I fear they will end up like my father...miserable crippled and ultimately, dead too young.

I hope this helps someone to not end up in a hospice bed struggling to talk through a paralyzed mouth praying for death and watching your children mourn losing their parent.

[undeterred]

92. That must have been hard to watch.

I learned the lesson about the dangers of smoking in my first job out of high school- I was a nursing assistant on a medical unit. There were patients with all kinds of diseases there. The absolute worst cases were people with lung disease- who were literally gasping for breath, suffocating. Most of these were related to a smoking habit and were irreversible. Nobody ever said anything to me about not smoking- they didn't need to. I was 18. And with these patients in mind, I've never even tried a cigarette.

Hang in there and don't smoke. It would make your dad proud.

[donco6]

107. There are things that trigger your brain to start down the road.

Even with your brothers, I'd bet. They're probably thinking about it, but just can't face it . . . yet. And I know people don't want to be nags about it, but mentioning your own thinking about it might not be seen that way . . . maybe?

[Contrary1]

93. I quit using the nicotine patches...

If anyone else is trying this method, here's a hint to save some money.

Buy Step 1, and cut them down as needed as you lower the dose. With the 21mg patch, you will get extra days by cutting them down to either the 14mg or 7mg dose.

I used surgical tape, and put them as close to each other as I could. I found that the 7mg a day dose was too much to quit completely from, so I cut the patches even further to an approx 3 1/2mg dose.

It took a bit longer, but I had no problems at all.

[donco6]

101. I cut them, too.

I found I really didn't need much - I was a pretty light smoker, like I said. But if I used 1/2 a patch in the a.m., I could make it all day without even one craving. At night it was a bit of a struggle - I couldn't wear the thing after about 6 p.m. (dreams).

[democrank]

94. Congratulations, donco6.

It will be three years in February for me. After many years of smoking I just quit cold turkey. Started by changing any habits I associated with smoking, like coffee in the morning. Didn`t have any for a month. After meals, I stopped sitting out on the porch by the wood stove where I smoked. I`m convinced this change of habits I connected with smoking really helped. Three years later, there are times I still want a cigarette. Hard habit to quit.

[donco6]

102. Mine was letting the dogs out to pee.

I had convinced myself that that was MY time to have what I wanted. So I worked with my partner and we traded morning duties for p.m. (which was really hard for me to bring up, because he didn't know how my brain was working with that, and I could have just kept it up indefinitely. I kind of had to destroy it myself - ugh).

[BigBearJohn]

95. I quit 500 times. I finally quit over 15 years now. How I did: I started to actively

associate ugly, bad, horrible things with the habit.

Everytime I wanted a cigarette, I would talk to myself, saying things like,
"Go ahead John.. rush out to the car and wrap your lips around the tailpipe
and take a real huge drag.

I would think of licking my grandmother's nicotine stained finger nails.

I would imagine emptying an ashtray into my my mouth and then licking the
ashtray.

I would think of chug-a-lugging a quart of road tar.

Finally (since I hate drugs), I would picture the cigarette as a huge
hypodermic needle sticking out the mouths of smokerss and imagine them
plunging the nicotine into their gums.

Do that for 30 days. It helps to replace the "pleasure" moments of
smoking with very ugly ones.

It worked for me. We are not geared to give up on our friends.
As long as someone looks at cigarettes as a "friend" -- you'll never
quit. Mainly because, in a time of need, you WILL turn to a friend
for help. Hell, I used to call them 'my ciggie-poos' --- YUK

[donco6]

104. The web site I visited had a lot of that on it, too.

A lot of people used that kind of association (and even some on this thread, too). I think maybe I did it a little, mainly thinking about my own smoky-smelling fingers. I just *hated* that. And I knew there was no way to smoke without getting it all over you. So that helped sometimes.

[valerief]

123. DING DING DING! You gotta hate cigarettes to quit smoking. That's how I feel, too. nt

[nvme]

96. I Still Smoke

I cough for about 10 minutes each morning have a smoke and coffee and have a steady stream of the damned things everyday. I get crazy when I cant have one. quitting drinking was far easier than this. these words you guys post are encouraging. I have bookmarked the page. I am terrified at the consequences. The agony of quitting is what I dread. but thanks ya'll.

[donco6]

99. It took me multiple, multiple tries.

But I did gain more control each time. Finally, I was able to just decide. But for ME, I couldn't do that the first time out of the chute (even though I thought I was ready).

[kag]

118. My dad smoked a pack (or more) a day for fifty years.

The whole time I was growing up he smoked constantly. He tried to quit many, many times, but never was able to...until...I honestly don't know what made him finally do it, but in his late sixties he successfully quit. I think it was similar to the OP's story. He just decided he didn't enjoy killing himself anymore. Anyway, even after fifty+ years of smoking, I could see his health improvements after quitting. The cough is gone. He doesn't reek anymore. He's never been in great health, but I truly believe that had he not stopped he would be dead now (he's 76).

I'm not sure if I've made it, but the point I'm trying to get across is...it's never too late to quit. And whenever you do, you will find yourself feeling better. Good luck.

[valerief]

120. You're in an abusive relationship. The cigarette is your abuser. To free yourself, you must stop

loving your abuser. You must hate it. It's your enemy. It's a wife beater. It's a child molester. It's a rapist. It's a serial killer. It's the enemy. Once you believe that, you'll quit. Good luck!

[BigBearJohn]

128. When I first quit successfully, I had asked myself this:

Is life worth living without cigarettes.

This stopped me in my tracks. I said to myself,
"John, if your life is not worth living without
cigarettes, then your life is worth shit!"

Then, I looked back at my early as young boy
of 10. I used to ride my bike to the park,
go swimming, play with friends -- and I didn't
smoke then. My life was wonderful.

My new goal was to once again feel that FREEDOM
from the ever-present urge to reach for a cigarette.
I wanted the monkey off my back, even it killed me.

When the urge got too great, I would simply go to
bed and sleep.

I reached my goal. I am finally free. (after thinking
they would eventually have to bury me in a Marlboro box.)

[customerserviceguy]

97. Best to you on keeping your resolve

I never smoked, and I've always wondered why so very many people who I consider intelligent ever took it up in the first place. Three puffs of a Marlboro Light in junior high school was all I needed to convince myself never to do that to myself again.

[Angry Dragon]

98. Glad for you

working on quitting myself..........could be better but am cutting down

[donco6]

106. Anything is a start.

Like I said, I tried and stalled several times - but I consider each one of those a success. It's a long row to hoe.

[rox63]

103. Congratulations!!!

You've done a wonderful thing, both for yourself and your loved ones.

I'm in training to become a respiratory therapist, so I see the consequences of smoking all the time. If a person does not stop, it will eventually kill them. And it's not a pretty way to go. Just ask the spouse and kids of someone who will never be able to speak to them again, because the only way they can keep breathing is on a ventilator. Or the lung cancer patient who is trying to buy a few more months of life from chemo and radiation, even though the cancer will eventually take them anyway.

All the folks who quit are giving a huge gift to your family and friends: The gift of your company for many years to come.

[swilton]

108. Keep Up the Good Work

I'm going to follow your good example and try to apply it to my weight problem....

[Odin2005]

109. CONGRATS!!!

[Laura PourMeADrink]

110. A doctor told me, plain and simple, your body is addicted

to the nicotine. The best way to quit is to wean yourself off the nictotine. He said, smoke a pack a day (20) for a week. The next week - 19 a day, the next 18, and so forth and so on.

I think this would work, truly, if you could have a cigarette whenever you wanted during the day and pace it out. But, with all the bans on smoking - smokers are forced to smoke whenever they are "allowed" to. So, if this means smoking 5 during your lunch hour and none until 5pm - it doesn't allow a steady, paced, cut-down.

[dionysus]

112. good for you! i think it's easier to quit once you get the mindset you describe.

[bigwillq]

113. Good for you.

Congrats. Thanks for sharing your story. I quit for two months during the summer. I have since cut down considerably but still smoke two or three packs a week (was a pack a day smoker). Slowly, I am cutting down. Hopefully, I can eventually quit for good.

[hangman86]

115. I just opened up my wallet

and there was my reason for quitting staring right back at me! When they raised the price to over $7 a pack, I couldn't afford to kill myself anymore.

[solara]

116. Bravo! It is difficult to finally quit smoking no matter how much or how little you indulged

I was a heavy smoker.. but I quit in much the same way as you did and came to the same conclusion, it IS just YOU versus them! For me it has been nearly three years since I smoked a cigarette!

So I celebrate you, applaud you, support you and totally validate your experience ( I wish I had lost weight like you did, but.. oh well)

Here's to you - Happy New Year!



:fistbump:

[BabbaTam]

119. This will help people

Thank you so much for sharing your experience. I have a good friend who is trying to quit and maybe this will be helpful to him.

[callous taoboy]

122. Great post. My dad was shocked into quitting:

Walked into his office one day and a gentleman was smoking a ciggy through his traceotomy hole. Dad quit precisely at first glance at this fellow smoker.

[beac]

125. I was a 'light' smoker like you and

also finally realized that 'treating' myself to a cigarette and/or smoking one to relieve stress was like treating myself to an arsenic cocktail and was only adding to my stress.

I did it cold turkey. I planned my quit for the first day of a vacation. I had a cigarette the morning I left for the trip (fortunately to a place that had just banned smoking indoors!) and haven't had one since. I left a smoker and came home a quitter.

The only "aid" I used was a rubber band, suggested to me by a friend who said it would give me something to do with my hands when I was craving the distraction of a smoke. Sounds crazy, but she was right. I kept a band on my wrist for about two months.

I do still have the occasional dream that I've had a cigarette and wake up really mad at myself. ;)


Congratulations on quitting! :applause: