The Quitting Smoking Thread
- Thread starter Voymom
- Start date
Boricua SS
Member
well... i will never get the whole smoking/quitting smoking thing since i dont smoke, so i dont know what you all are going through trying to quit... the only thing i can reference here or even try to compare it to, would be my weightloss battle... food is an addiction like any other out there, and since i used to be morbidly obese (i weighed over 550 lbs and now weigh 290ish), obesity can harm someone and kill them, just the same as smoking does.. i still struggle with food to this day, and from the sounds of it, and personal experience with my father, it sounds like quitting smoking is just as hard, if not harder...
My father is a smoker and has been for the better part of the past 40 - 45 years... and with the recent birth of his first grand daughter (my niece), we are all encouraging him to look into quitting... he is 61 now, and we would all like to see him see his grand daughter graduate high school, college, get married, etc... and be there for my children when the time comes... but as every addiction, HE has to want it, not US... If we all push him and he is not ready, he will not do it.. same as my weight loss.. for YEARSSSSS, everyone was telling me to lose weight... but i wasnt ready to... and one day, i was, and havent looked back since... he has tried in the past.. and boy, was he crannnnnky
, so i can imagine what some of you are going through..
i wish you all the best of luck... and i look forward to reading the progress stories
My father is a smoker and has been for the better part of the past 40 - 45 years... and with the recent birth of his first grand daughter (my niece), we are all encouraging him to look into quitting... he is 61 now, and we would all like to see him see his grand daughter graduate high school, college, get married, etc... and be there for my children when the time comes... but as every addiction, HE has to want it, not US... If we all push him and he is not ready, he will not do it.. same as my weight loss.. for YEARSSSSS, everyone was telling me to lose weight... but i wasnt ready to... and one day, i was, and havent looked back since... he has tried in the past.. and boy, was he crannnnnky
, so i can imagine what some of you are going through.. i wish you all the best of luck... and i look forward to reading the progress stories
Matt
Member
- Dec 2, 2011
- 4,035
Denali n DOO said:
I'm doing ok, but driving is the killer for me. I was down to 3 a day during the week, one on the way to work, one at lunch and one on the way home. Weekends I smoked less, unless I played golf or went to a meet.
I just keep saying to myself I won't have one. I guess my willpower is holding up.
I thought VoyMom quit some time ago.. Having people around you that smoke is the bitch... I quit smoking for about 2-3 months, then buying a house, my wife turning into a emotional wreck, work, etc... I picked it back up. But I quit again yesterday, as the guys that I was bumming from at work quit yesterday...
Denali n DOO
Member
- May 22, 2012
- 5,596
Well I'm on day 4 now and I still keep wanting a cigar. Been going to bed early so I don't have to think about it. The cravings are sometimes hard to get outta my mind. Being busy helps I washed the truck n changed ps fluid yesterday. I went to the store n picked up a carton of cigs for my wife ($79) so I bought myself a chocolate bar. I really don't think she noticed me quit yet or she just ain't saying nothing. So at the end of day 4 it'll be $70.00 in my pocket and 64 mini cigars not smoked! I think my lungs are happy about that!
Funny, I never saw that cigar smoking smiley avatar until I quit, now I see it all the time.
Funny, I never saw that cigar smoking smiley avatar until I quit, now I see it all the time.
I quit smoking back in 2005. It was not hard at all for me and here is why. What happened is that I caught pneumonia and had a scary bought of lung pain during my sickness. The pain manifested itself as upper back pain. So my suggestion would be that if you ever get sick and feel any pain unusual or have weird symptoms never before experienced then you could be that much closer to cancer than ever. This whole thought scared the crap out of me and it took me zero days to quit. After I quit I went on nicotine gum for a bit but quit that. So now whenever I feel like I might need some nicotine I look up graphic pictures of what tobacco users cancer looks like and scare myself into not wanting any.
My suggestion is the next time you get sick and/or can't inhale smoke because it hurts too much from ex. pneumonia...refrain from going to the store and stay at home for a week and heal yourself. It took two weeks to get over the addiction of putting the cigarette in my mouth. It took about the same amount of time to start smelling my food again. Breathing is 100% better and I don't smell smoke on anything anymore. You will be surprised at how much smoke infiltrated everything you got near. My mom still smokes and her Malibu smells like an ash tray up close. Not something I wanna go back to.
If you smoke indoors among other people then let it be known that this just as bad for them than it is for you. Second hand smoke is unfiltered and kills. At the very least get outside and smoke if you never quit. Good luck..and I know you can do it!
My suggestion is the next time you get sick and/or can't inhale smoke because it hurts too much from ex. pneumonia...refrain from going to the store and stay at home for a week and heal yourself. It took two weeks to get over the addiction of putting the cigarette in my mouth. It took about the same amount of time to start smelling my food again. Breathing is 100% better and I don't smell smoke on anything anymore. You will be surprised at how much smoke infiltrated everything you got near. My mom still smokes and her Malibu smells like an ash tray up close. Not something I wanna go back to.
If you smoke indoors among other people then let it be known that this just as bad for them than it is for you. Second hand smoke is unfiltered and kills. At the very least get outside and smoke if you never quit. Good luck..and I know you can do it!
Selecting a realistic date was the smart way to go. I think you'll have a much better chance at success waiting until after such a major event.Voymom said:
It was much easier for me. When I quit, there wasn't a big event to work around.
- Feb 3, 2012
- 2,523
BO TIE SS said:Selecting a realistic date was the smart way to go. I think you'll have a much better chance at success waiting until after such a major event.
It was much easier for me. When I quit, there wasn't a big event to work around.
Thanks Bo Tie! I hope that this time I can do it for good. I know the sooner the better, but if I don't "prepare" myself mentally for the challenge I will ultimately fail. I know it can be done, I did it for 3 months, and did it a few years ago. I want to quit, and I think that wanting to quit this time will make it much easier to stay away from them. I will be getting an e-cig for the awful days, but I won't rely on it 100% like the real cigs.
Denali n DOO
Member
- May 22, 2012
- 5,596
Matt said:
Lol, we're opposites! I have had no cigars but I have bummed cigarettes the last two weekends while drinking. Going good I guess but would be better if I had nothing on weekends. So far that's 32 packs of cigars I haven't bought, savings of $286.00!!!
Denali n DOO
Member
- May 22, 2012
- 5,596
Voymom said:Holy Shit Batman!!! I would save $286.00 in about 2-3 months compared to your 2 weeks. You really needed to quit!
$572.00 a month is your savings, you could pay my freaking rent dude!
Bad habits are Expensive,
Cigars- $8.75/8pack x 2 day=$550 month
Coffee- $4.00 daily, 2xl Tim's for wife n me=$124 month
Budweiser's -$30 every weekend=$120 month
Almost $800 month, Crazy huh
!!!
Matt
Member
- Dec 2, 2011
- 4,035
Denali n DOO said:Bad habits are Expensive,
Cigars- $8.75/8pack x 2 day=$550 month
Coffee- $4.00 daily, 2xl Tim's for wife n me=$124 month
Budweiser's -$30 every weekend=$120 month
Almost $800 month, Crazy huh
You need to start brewing your own beer. Depending on how you do it, 2.5 cases cost between $25 and $40 to make...after you buy the equipment.
Well, my quit date is the day I sell my house. I refuse to smoke any where near my new house, and around my family.
Denali n DOO
Member
- May 22, 2012
- 5,596
Voymom said:
Of course you guys can do this
!! There's NO such thing as a failure when quitting smoking, if it only lasts 2 days then you were smoke free for 2 days! If it only lasts 2 months then you were smoke free for 2 months. The Goal is to be smoke free forever, so just keep trying to achieve the goal...
Matt
Member
- Dec 2, 2011
- 4,035
Voymom said:Well My quit Date is November 17th if anyone wants to join in!
That was my Grandpa's birthday. He was smoking when the ambo came to his house to pick him up after his first heart attack.
He survived another 5 or 6 before the last one finally got him at about 87 or so...he quit quite some time before that though.
- Feb 3, 2012
- 2,523
Matt said:That was my Grandpa's birthday. He was smoking when the ambo came to his house to pick him up after his first heart attack.
Nov 17th is my deceased daughter's birthday. It's a very special day to both hubby and I, and it will give me more will power to quit so I don't fail my little girl.
- Feb 3, 2012
- 2,523
Well...Mat and I are on our way to a hopefully smoke free life. Mat went out and bought the NJoy electronic cigarette. They are one of the only 2 e-cigs that has been tested by the FDA, and it was found that they have little, if any carcinogenic materials in them. In fact they have less carcinogenic materials in them than the regular smoking cessation tools, like the gum, patch etc..Scientific studies suggest that quitting real cigarettes and smoking the NJoy e-cig lessens your chances of death from smoking by 99.9%
I also like that the cartridges are MUCH cheaper, we can buy cartridges equivalent of 1 carton of real smokes for only $14.00. The cartridges also come in tapered levels, regular being 1.8mg's of pure nicotine, 1.2mg, .6 mg's, and 0. I'm using the 1.8 for a week, and then dropping to the .6mg's. The starter packs were slightly expensive, but not bad. In the long run it's not only cheaper but healthier, and if we use the NJoy e-cig for recreational/regular use, we are still lowering our chances of smoke related death by almost 100%.
I think this is what Mat and I need to actually be able to quit smoking together, and not kill each other.
I also like that the cartridges are MUCH cheaper, we can buy cartridges equivalent of 1 carton of real smokes for only $14.00. The cartridges also come in tapered levels, regular being 1.8mg's of pure nicotine, 1.2mg, .6 mg's, and 0. I'm using the 1.8 for a week, and then dropping to the .6mg's. The starter packs were slightly expensive, but not bad. In the long run it's not only cheaper but healthier, and if we use the NJoy e-cig for recreational/regular use, we are still lowering our chances of smoke related death by almost 100%.
I think this is what Mat and I need to actually be able to quit smoking together, and not kill each other.
northcreek
Member
jeffro312
Member
I quit smoking may 2012 here in ct ciggerette prices went up to 9.04 for a pack of newports or Marlboro. So one day I had one ciggerette and no.money for more so I got really mad at them and all the money I spent on them and told my self that that was the last cig I'll ever smoke...
(I've told.myself this many times so in my head I thought bull.... I'm going to get a pack as soon as I get money)
So time came I thought about buying more instead I bough a big pack of gum some sour patch kids some gummy bears etc anytime I thought of a ciggerette I'd eat to kinda replace the thought I used to drive a delivery truck so lot of time to wanna smoke. Candy worked still smoke free no urges any more either.
(I am 50 pounds heavier though)
Just thought I'd share my success story. Good luck all. Cold turkey is only way to go all these other gimmicks just prolong and tease you... after a week or two it gets easier. Get mad at them until they make you sick
(Side note I quit drinking a year prior to this I'll admit if I still drank I would have never quit smoking)
(I've told.myself this many times so in my head I thought bull.... I'm going to get a pack as soon as I get money)
So time came I thought about buying more instead I bough a big pack of gum some sour patch kids some gummy bears etc anytime I thought of a ciggerette I'd eat to kinda replace the thought I used to drive a delivery truck so lot of time to wanna smoke. Candy worked still smoke free no urges any more either.
(I am 50 pounds heavier though)
Just thought I'd share my success story. Good luck all. Cold turkey is only way to go all these other gimmicks just prolong and tease you... after a week or two it gets easier. Get mad at them until they make you sick
(Side note I quit drinking a year prior to this I'll admit if I still drank I would have never quit smoking)
- Feb 3, 2012
- 2,523
jeffro312 said:
I quit smoking last year in December, but only lasted 3-4 months. My cravings never went away, partially because my husband either bummed smokes off people at work, or hung with them when they smoked, and he would smell like a cigarette when he came home. He would also smoke in front of me knowing I was trying to quit. Now we are both quitting together.
By the way, congrats on being both smoke free and drink free!!
jeffro312
Member
Voymom said:
Yea my gf still smokes around me and the rest of my family I always joke and ask for a cigg and if they actually give me one I break it and laugh and tell them how stupid they are for smoking damn cancer sticks.... that's another factor I guess Gma passed of lung cancer couple years back and my best friend recently of pancreatic cancer age 26 not smoke related still cancer and my brain associates all cancer with smoking for some reason haha
Denali n DOO
Member
- May 22, 2012
- 5,596
- Feb 3, 2012
- 2,523
Today is a no good day....I'm ready to fucking kill someone. I'm frustrated as all hell right now. When I get like this, it is REALLY hard for me to not express how I feel and often times it pisses people off, which pisses me off. I'm guessing it wouldn't be so damn bad if I could actually get nicotine. These stupid e-cigs are so damn harsh to inhale that you can't get enough to conquer the craving.
Then you have to wait for the stupid f'er to charge.....I'm so pissed off right now. I'm very very pissed off right now, at everything and everyone.
Anyways, I needed to vent a little. Sometimes I rather just keep smoking, dying seems to be so much easier than this shit.
Then you have to wait for the stupid f'er to charge.....I'm so pissed off right now. I'm very very pissed off right now, at everything and everyone.
Anyways, I needed to vent a little. Sometimes I rather just keep smoking, dying seems to be so much easier than this shit.
Well, still smoking here. I did get moved to my new house. However, I am not smoking in my house, or around my house. I force myself to go for a walk at the track while I smoke. Makes it so I only get like 1/2 a cig in.
Been way to stressful, inbetween being lied to about my new job transfer, and other things.. Moving, spending a crap ton of money on the new house, etc.
it will happen eventually.
Been way to stressful, inbetween being lied to about my new job transfer, and other things.. Moving, spending a crap ton of money on the new house, etc.
it will happen eventually.
I smoked for over twenty years. And I liked smoking. But I started having trouble breathing and my doctor told me that I would start seeing the effects of being a long time smoker soon. He offered to give me a prescription for a nicotine gum, but I thought about it and decided to quit on my own. I didn't want to blame the gum for me failing to quit. So when I woke up on a monday morning in April on 1996, I decided to wait an hour before I lit a cigarette. Then I waited another hour. And another....The first three days was rough. The withdrawal symptoms are physical and mental. The physical symptoms are greatly diminished after 72 hours, but the mental symptoms(the urges and the need to keep your hands busy) last much longer. After three days I knew I could do it. At first I carried my pack of cigarettes in my shirt pocket as I usually did. If I felt the urge really bad, I took one out of the pack and smelled the tobacco....but did not light it. Then I put it back in the cigarette pack. After the third day I no longer carried the pack in my pocket. I started carrying toothpicks instead and substituted them for cigarettes. I then graduated to gum, then mints. It was a long road, but it was well worth it. The one thing that I focused on was wanting to make sure that I was around for a long time so I could see my children grow up. I can breath so much better now. Food taste better. Yes, I put on a few pounds, but I know I'm far healthier now than I would be had I kept smoking. I can smell things! And now I can't stand the smell of a cigarette. I didn't realize how offensive they were when I smoked. It's an awesome feeling of accomplishment! You know that you can do ANYTHING after you've quit! Good luck to all of you that are trying to quit. You CAN do it! BUT....you have to make up your mind that you want to. And ONLY YOU can do that! My children and my wife were my motivation. What's yours?
Just had my 10 year anniversary of quitting last week. What works for some won't work for others, and I think timing has something to do with it as well. If you're in highly stressful situations at home or work all the time, it may not stick. Good luck!!
meerschm
Member
- Aug 26, 2012
- 1,079
I started when I was 8. was staying with my grandmother in Detroit while my mom had another kid. my uncle who was an old, wise, 12 or so hooked me up.
i was at a pack a day by the time I was 15.... was going to quit when I joined the air force, but when the MTI said light em if you got em, the three days without was forgot.
forward to when I was 32. 1986 about this time of year. smoked for over half my life. my kids got sick and I knew it was partly due to my smoking in the house. youngest hacked cough when I smoked, and I felt lousy about it. signed up for a smoking cessation class with the W-P AFB hospital, used gum which was new and prescription only. six months later, i wanted the damn gum, and have never looked back. ( I quit drinking the same time, so it was a bit of a challenge)
I saved and spent on me the huge amount of money I saved by not smoking. I still have the post-addict bias against the smell and cost and health impact of smoking.
it killed my dad, and I hate the damned stinky stuff. i stop people in the street and just mention that that shit can kill you. (not to anyone pissed enough to chase me down, most folks say, yea, I know)
good luck with shaking the addiction, and a happier, healthier life for you and your children.
i was at a pack a day by the time I was 15.... was going to quit when I joined the air force, but when the MTI said light em if you got em, the three days without was forgot.
forward to when I was 32. 1986 about this time of year. smoked for over half my life. my kids got sick and I knew it was partly due to my smoking in the house. youngest hacked cough when I smoked, and I felt lousy about it. signed up for a smoking cessation class with the W-P AFB hospital, used gum which was new and prescription only. six months later, i wanted the damn gum, and have never looked back. ( I quit drinking the same time, so it was a bit of a challenge)
I saved and spent on me the huge amount of money I saved by not smoking. I still have the post-addict bias against the smell and cost and health impact of smoking.
it killed my dad, and I hate the damned stinky stuff. i stop people in the street and just mention that that shit can kill you. (not to anyone pissed enough to chase me down, most folks say, yea, I know)
good luck with shaking the addiction, and a happier, healthier life for you and your children.
- Feb 3, 2012
- 2,523
3 weeks and counting for both Mat and I. We used the e-cig for a week and we were done. The first 4 days were absolute hell but its much better now. How is everyone else doing? Any other quitters or soon to be quitters? It has been so woth it for us.
Voymom said:
Way to go! There will still be urges, but never go back! Be strong, you can do it! It will be well worth it!
Congrats to those who have quit!
I've posted this before, just a reminder...
If you quit 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 3 to 9 months coughing, 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.
non-smoker since May 1, 2000
I've posted this before, just a reminder...
If you quit 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 3 to 9 months coughing, 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.
non-smoker since May 1, 2000
Wooluf1952
Member
BO TIE SS said:Congrats to those who have quit!
I've posted this before, just a reminder...
If you quit 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 3 to 9 months coughing, 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.
non-smoker since May 1, 2000
Good to know.
I stopped smoking November 22, 1989. I just wish I had all the money wasted smoking for the previous 20 years.
