To all ex-smokers…

[ButteryNut]

How did you manage to quit?

Tell me your secrets, NRT? Knitting? Drinking water every time you got a craving?

Me too. Had a wobble or two after a few years but pregnancy was the final incentive.

You can do this. What I liked about AC was that it was all about what you were gaining rather than what you lose.

I don’t think I could have quit if vapes had been around 15 years ago.

Allen Carr’s book here too

Nicotine lozenges. I eventually replaced them with polo mints. Took me 4 years to get off them!

I vaped for a short while. Then got pregnant and stopped vaping too.

What was it about the Alan Carr book that made people quit? I don't think I am so easily swayed but willing to give it a go.

Got a physical job that required me to be pretty fit. Also most of my friends had stopped by that point so I felt like an outcast standing outside the pub having a cig. The last time I had one (back in 2016 or so, after a long break) it tasted revolting and that was that.

I'm surprised when I see people smoking these days - it's really not that common any more. Plus the cost!

Pregnant. The only incentive that worked for me

Vaping, found a flavour that worked, never looked back

Got pregnant

I vaped for a month but it really didn’t hit the spot so I just quit. Stopped 6 years ago this month. Had to stop drinking booze for 3 months to break the connection. I hate the smell of fags now.

I was motivated by seeing cats bum lines appearing on my face. I am vain.

I tried to give up many times. Vaping for a while helped I think.

I got sick of the vaping (cost, battery running out, etc ..) and packed it in.

For a year or two I’d smoke when I went out drinking (as couldn’t resist the urge), but that’s passed now and can drink without feeling the need anymore. I think peer pressure (friends looked down on me for smoking when out) helped me stop doing that.

I think I spent most of the 20 years I smoked trying to give up. It was a horrible waste of money and undermined my confidence, but it felt good at the time.

I gave up when I met my now husband. He’s never smoked and, although he never said anything, I felt embarrassed and slightly ashamed that I smoked. It helped that I smoked maybe 2 a day max 😂

Allan Carr seminar. Paid for by my health insurance

I really struggled with the idea of being a non-smoker, I liked being a smoker. Whenever I tried to give up I ended smoking more as it was all I could think about so I decided I wouldn't give up I just wouldn't have one one day. And then decided not to have one the next day. So now I am still a smoker I just haven't had one for 10 years. It somehow helps my brain to think about it like that.

Now just need to apply the same thought process to doughnuts.

1st time in 2005- tried nicotine gum which was vile, then saw the pharmacy who put me on a patch- which itched. I soon stopped!

2nd time 2015- I was a covert smoker and only did it occasionally at work or out having drinks with friends for about 1yr. DH didn't realise I'd re-started, and when we went on a holiday abroad- I just stopped cold turkey. Haven't touched one since, but strangely, had a dream last week I was smoking!

I've never even tried a vape nor smoked since.

I was having a minor operation and took the opportunity to stop while recovering. Seemed a waste to start again. Waste of the time fighting the cravings, waste of money, waste of my health. Used nicotine lozenges for a few months.

I switched to vaping, threw all my cigarettes (after soaking them) and lighters in the bin.
Chose fruity flavours, high strength and my vape was stuck to me for the first 2 weeks. I was a non smoker at last after 15+ yrs.

Took another couple of years to quit the vapes as I actually really liked them. That was a cold turkey, all in the bin, fed up of being stuck to a vape thing and took a couple of weeks to get over the habit.

Your GP can help you, please speak to them. You may not succeed first time but you WILL succeed. Good luck!

Got pregnant.

But, I find my cravings are still there and I still like the smell, but I wont go back to it now, due to the cost and I honestly think that is the only thing

Was absolutely sick of it. Hated it, hated being dependant on them, hated spending my money on them. My partner (now husband) didn't smoke and he made it quite clear that he couldn't see himself having a family with a smoker. I had tried on and off for a few years. Stopped for a few months with Allan Carr, went back on them. Then, just decided one day, and that's been it. Stopped cold turkey. Wrote a list of all the reasons why I didn't want to smoke anymore and carried it round with me. Whenever I got wistful about how cool I thought it was, I would imagine myself as the most haggard, desperate old "fag ash Lil", coughing and spluttering away. Told my friends that smoked that they weren't to give me cigerette, that if I asked, they were to tell me to go and buy my own. Been over 15 years now - I have had a couple but would never go back on them. Don't consider myself an ex smoker anymore - I'm just a none smoker.

I got cancer and quit 🤷🏻‍♀️ It was a genetic cause rather than smoking related but I got mega sick on chemo and they’ve repulsed me ever since. Bit drastic though!

Nicotine lozenges although I'm rather addicted to them now, but they're far, far less harmful

Allen Carrs easy way to give up smoking book. It was tedious but not too long and it did the job with one read

Champix for 3weeks then walked across the American wilderness for six months 🤣