To want a big fat pat on the back because I have actually quit smoking.

[LizaTarbucksAuntie]

I am very very proud of myself, I've been working up to this for a while knowing once I managed the 48 hours I would not go back.

Here I am having done the 48 hours.

[LizaTarbucksNonSmokingAuntie]

I totally rock, that makes three full days.

veryproudofmyself.com

[ChippingIn]

You do rock...

... you just gave me this very very unusual desire to do that funny hand movement going Go Liza, Go Liza... most peculiar :)

[youarekidding]

I HATE 4pm, I hate after dinner and I now hate after DS has gone to bed.

That was after I hated getting up this morning.



Stupid thing is I can go all day without if I know I can have one, and now I know I can't it driving me insane.

Day 1 nearly over.

but then I've done 3 days lot's of times

Well done liza your being so strong.

[mankyminks]

Big fat Well Done,Gold Star well and truly earned . Consider it a compliment that you have inspired me in such a way that I will smoke the ciggies I have left tomorrow (throwing them away would be sacrilege) and ask for your permission to join you on Wednesday?

[aldiwhore]

I salute you all. I am failing miserably, and last until about 11am before smoking stronger cigarettes than I did when I wasn't trying ot quit.

I am rethinking my strategy.

[tallwivglasses]

youarekidding, manky and aldi please keep trying. You'll be so proud of yourselves.

I did it with the help of champix and Allen Carr.

Just worked it out - I've saved £588, my skin's improved and I don't cough anymore

Well done OP and everyone else who's ditched the evil weed. I can't believe I was a slave to it for so long!

[LizaTarbucksNonSmokingAuntie]

Chipping you make me ...

youarekidding, keep it up - we definately can do this

manky...you are very welcome to join us...

Aldi - I did that for a while, I've been looking on the whole givin gup thing as a process that might take a few months, one thing I did was try not to forget giving up was my long term goal so even when I slipped up, I carried on.

tall, thank you, start of day 5 and I'm starting to think I really might be able to do this

[youarekidding]

Hello. Had the wierdest dreams last night and wonder if it's related?

Head feels like its cotton wool, I wanna eat eat eat or kill someone!.

But I have survived a day.

liza you are doing so well.

My trick is being to leave my bank cards at home so I can't just 'pop into the shop'. If there is something we need I will walk to one with DS. He'll then come in and so I can't buy any. He doesn't know you see and I use to get some between work and collecting him.

[LizaTarbucksNonSmokingAuntie]

I've been having really odd dreams too so I sympathise, but then am also madly hormonal and going to the doctors about that today.

Keep it up youarekidding, you can do this, you really, really can.

[norriscoleforpm]

day 4 for me too, slept v badly - mainly due to dh on phone to computer menders till 1am though!!why he couldn't wait till this morning like a normal person to phone and get it mended - All I could hear was' hello? yes, hello - there's a flashing yellow triangle on the screen...' for two hours grr. DD been sick this morning so am off work with her - quite nice but have to call and delegate . Feel v teary today which I remember does tend to happen around day 4..good job I am off really. Good luck all. Onwards and upwards!!

[LizaTarbucksNonSmokingAuntie]

ooo does it? am sat here feeling all sobby at work and have just typed a long anxiety filled post on general health!

Thought I was going a bit bonkers, perhaps not then....

Stick with it Norris

[SmethwickBelle]

Just to offer a supportive round of applause - it isn't easy but you absolutely can do this, I promise you it is worth it. I remember feeling this FURY with the withdrawals sheer undiluted rage at the universe, and a total helpless feeling that nothing would ever ever be fun or worth doing again without cigarettes............

Needless to say this is NOT a true picture of the world it is what your brain is throwing at you when you're withdrawing. I had some counselling at the time which was great as it helped me accept yep, I was feeling like that... but I carried on anyway, a bit like when your toddler is screaming for sweets and you just ignore and plod on with the shopping.

I honestly don't miss them AT ALL, I am so pleased to be shot of them and yes I enjoy a drink, going out, phone call, telly, relaxing etc.. without them, just as much as I ever did.

The cigarettes I mean. Still stuck with a screaming toddler on occasion.

Sorry to evangelise, just keep going x

[LizaTarbucksNonSmokingAuntie]

thank you don't worry about evangelising, it's really helping to have so much support, last night was bizzarely rather more tough than I expected, keep going with the mantra...it gets easier with every one I don't have..

Lovely DH has said that I should not only have a marvellous handbag but also a dress I've been lusting after...

[Chopstheduck]

Well done! Keep at it, you will be so glad you did. Gave up 7 years ago and saved over £12k to date!

[Chopstheduck]

btw I found lollipops were great to give me something to do with hands and mouth to take my mind off it.

[northernrock]

I'm with you tommorrow Manky... Have stocked up on Flake bars and Haribo. I am also getting my fat jeans out from under the bed.
I don't really want to stop (or at least that is what my body is telling me) but I don't want my little boy to lose his mum either, and if there is something I can (not) do to make that less likely, I am bloody well going to do it.
Bring it on Nick O'Tene!

[bibbitybobbityhat]

Yippee Liza - keep going

Just realised it is 3 years to the day since I finally gave up for the last time! I really think I have beaten it this time and couldn't be happier about it.

Now got to tackle the white wine addiction ...

[LizaTarbucksNonSmokingAuntie]

bbh - thank you, I can't wait until I'm saying the same about 3 years.

My habitual glass of wine at the end of the day is next for the chop!

NorthernRock - welcome - good luck and flakes...hmmmm

[northernrock]

Oh God, I can't give up wine!

[LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726]

YY with what SmethwickBelle says... I found that my mind was playing all kinds of 'tricks' on me to get me to smoke again. It's as if the body doesn't know what to do with the conscious feeling of not smoking. It's weird - the dreaming that you smoked is something very strange. I've woken up furious with myself for smoking again (when I hadn't). It's the oddest thing.

You can do this, you have it beat and you'll never smoke again. You'll only go through this awkwardness/desolation/'pain'/feeling of not knowing what to do with yourself/sense of loss/dissatisfaction, ONCE. That's it and never again. Don't look back.. look forward, and into shop windows.... at all the dresses, shoes and handbags you will now be able to afford.

Well done, everyone!

[norriscoleforpm]

The stupidest most ridiculous thing I ever did was get to three years smoke free and think 'well, now I can have just one'. And here I am fours years after that 'one' still trying . What a fool!

[LizaTarbucksNonSmokingAuntie]

not thinking too far ahead at the moment because that will freak me out about how I will cope...I'm basically only thinking about now until I'm through the withdrawl rubbish.

Northern, don't panic it's not obligatory to give up the wine, just determined to get hold of some of my own bad habits :)

[LizaTarbucksNonSmokingAuntie]

norris, don't look back - don't look forward, just concentrate on now which is the time you're doing the really good thing.
Thinkig about how you failed previously will not help you at all. You're succeeding now and that the only thing that counts :)

[LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726]

Awww Norris, I have a friend who did that. She was quit for 5 years and thought she'd done so well that she wasn't hooked anymore... It took her another 5 years to quit again and this time it was so much harder. Smoking is the very devil....

The advice I'd give, which I still follow now after almost 5 years stopped, is never to be complacent, not a 'drag', not a puff, not one single cigarette must pass your lips again, cigarettes have a terrible hold and I know i'd get sucked in all over again.

I'd say that after 2 years, I'd stopped countng the years and really, after three months stopped, it didn't matter to me anymore, counting the months/days either, i knew I wasn't going to smoke again.

[lollilou]

Hi, well done everyone still haven't had one but going through alot of the same symptoms; dreamt I was smoking last night,vivid dreams, having trouble going back to sleep and tearful. Also my brain keeps saying "what about when you go down the pub? Or see friends how are you going to cope?" It's like having a devil on my shoulder! Still I have Allen Carrs book and I'm going to read that next also I now have oranges, peardrops and chocolate. My DH is being v. supportive too just trying to get him to buy me a pressie as an incentive.