Ex-smokers. Help for those quitting please

[Posey]

Would you be kind enough to put down your smoking history to help those trying to pack it in. May help to see there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Could you say:

• how long you smoked
• how many a day
• how many attempts to stop
• how long since you stopped
• did you use gum, patches, or similar, or willpower alone or Allen Carr or what?
• how was it for you, then and now

Thank you!

For me:

• smoked for about 15 years
• average 10/day
• too numerous to remember but probably 2 or 3 serious attempts but never for longer than a week or 2 and always like hell on earth
• stopped 9 months ago
• read every Alen Carr book there is on smoking
• this attempt, I knew I would never smoke again and never have cravings. Cannot recommend Mr Carr highly enough especially his one aimed at women smokers.

posey, I didn't think you were a smoker! (it's the flowery name - sounds, well, un-smoky)

me

-smoked 16 years but with 2 years off before dd and 9 months off (with a couple of lapses) for ds.
-average between 10 and 20 a day, but smoke thin roll-ups
-lots of times - only 2 for any length of time (well actially 3 if you count the lapse during pregnancy)
-stopped at christmas under duress due to being up spout again
-had hypnosis the first time (the 2 years). I think I gave up more because hypnotist was a friend than because of the hypnosis. think alan carr is a pompous git. and apparently he never inhaled.

• i plan to give up for good this time rather than stop for the duration of the pregnancy (it's a differnece in mind set). not at all sure I'm there though: I had a very hard time this time - prob harder than before. the 2 years time (with hypnosis) was easiest. it might be that it was harder because I want it to be for good.

god I fancy a fag.

actually look - I've just read over that and I have written "I smoke" 10 - 20 a day. that's a freudian slip so i won't correct it.

um - that isn't very positive is it? where is charliecat??

OK:

• how long you smoked - from 17 to 37 so 20 odd years. I gave up when pregnant with ds, so for about a year in 1997, when I was 31, and again for 8 months in 1999. Smoked on NYE 1999 and that started me again. Another 3 months of stopping in 2001 and then I carried on until March 2003, when I finally gave up properly.
• how many a day - at least 40, sometimes 60 if I went out/had people round etc. I smoked Marlboro/Camels full strength until 1994 when colleagues persuaded me to go to lights so from then on it was Silk Cut Ultra Low, so the wussiest fags you could get.
• how many attempts to stop. Answered above, so Once when pregnant with ds (successful); twice when I did the 8 month stint; third time with the 3 month stint and fourth time finally did it. I sincerely hope so anyway, I never intend to smoke again.
• how long since you stopped. 3 Years this month
• did you use gum, patches, or similar, or willpower alone or Allen Carr or what? Allen Carr book and cold turkey all times.
• how was it for you, then and now. It was bloody, bloody hard when pregnant with dd. The first time, with ds, it was easy peasy. Lulled me into a false sense of security. I never ever want to go through it again. If I hadn't been pregnant I don't know that I'd have done it.

I watched my dad die of lung cancer in 2001, when he was 59. He was a 40-60 a day smoker for most of his life. I still carried on smoking until 2003. Well done all stoppers. I honestly don't miss it now and only wish I'd stopped much, much sooner. I'm aware that I may or may not have got away with it in terms of long term damage to my health.

SP a lot of people were surprised I was a smoker (in RL)
You're right about the mindset, hugely important. I think it must be impossible to carry on not smoking when you're constantly craving it. You would have to be very very strong to do that.

So come on the rest of you, I know there are loads of ex-smokers on here.

how long - roughly 15 years
how many - at most 60....at least 25.
attempts at stopping - probably about five serious attempts, none lasting more than a month until this time.
how long since stopped - july 2004. had my last cig on the last day of june 2004.
what did i use - medium strength nicotine patches for one week, and willpower.
how was/is it? - it was damn hard work giving up but i was determined to be cig free before i got pregnant so that was my motivation. i'm fine now, have had about three times (recently) when i felt the urge for a fag, bought i fought them and am proud of myself.

i found my key was keeping myself occupied.......for me the psychological aspect of my addiction was much harder to overcome than the physical addiction. the actual 'craving' for a cig only lasts 5-10 mins, i found if i kept myself busy for that amount of time the urge passed and i was fine. figuring out coping strategies that work for you is a big part of it.

bought should be but..........having a conversation with dp at the same time......motherhood has rendered my brain incapable of doing more than one thing at a time once ds is in bed!!

how long you smoked ....not long really 4/5 yrs

• how many a day.....20
• how many attempts to stop....2
• how long since you stopped....3 yrs
• did you use gum, patches, or similar, or willpower alone or Allen Carr or what?....willpower (i was pregnant with DS1)
• how was it for you, then and now....forst few days REALLY hard but after that wasn't too bad actually, i did have ds to worry about but i didn't stop until teh day i finsihed working at 29 weeks!

Its ok, now i hate the smell of smoke, it makes me heave and i only have fleeting thoughts of "oh i could have fag now" and thats it

how long you smoked - 17 years
how many a day - was down to 2-4 towards the end. Most was 20 when I was a student.
how many attempts to stop - several halfhearted
how long since you stopped 2 yrs 9 months
method - willpower, when found out I was pg with DS
how was it for you - never allowed myself to even vaguely fancy one while pg (smoke made me feel sick anyway) and by the time DS was born couldn;t bear the idea anymore (the smell, couldn't bear the thought of polluting DS in any way)

Stopping drinking (almost entirely) helped too.

Miss neither.

how long you smoked - 5/6 years

• how many a day - about 20 roll ups!!
• how many attempts to stop - only the one.
• how long since you stopped - 5 years now.
• did you use gum, patches, or similar, or willpower alone or Allen Carr or what? - gum and not going out drinking for a while!
• how was it for you, then and now -Still fancy one at times. Hated having to give up, will never smoke again so I never have to give up again!

Flossam......same here. Never want to have to go through the quitting process again, and that is my real motivation in those rare moments when i want a cigarette.

how long - 12 years (didn't inhale for first 2, but was only 14)
15-20 a day
4 attempts to stop
11 years since I stopped
didn't use anything, just went cold turkey. mixed more with non smokers, bit my nails, put on a bit of weight, saved a small fortune, and banned DH from smoking in the house. he gave up when pg with first dd.
now really anti smoking, can't stand it, don't like being near anyone smoking, feel shocked when I see anyone smoking near their kids (esp in a car), can't work out how anyone can justify thye expence.
my dd's don't really know what smoking is, if they see someone smoking they are curious, and we explain what is wrong with it. by thye time they hit their teens, I am hoping it will carry such a stigma, sothey never try it.

QR!

how long 20yrs
how many 10-20/day
attempts to stop 3/4. Didn't give up with 1st pregnancy, to my eternal shame. Gave up through and 5 months after 2nd pregnancy. Stopped for 6 months having used patches in 1998. Finally gave up using hypnotherapy in 2002 with no trouble at all.
Firm believer that it is relatively easy when your mind is in the right place. Missed it much more psychologically than pysically.

Smoked for ...over 10 years. Smoked between 25-35 rollups a day. Ended up smoking 1 every 20-25 minutes in the end :(
Had one xillion million attempts at stopping.
Tryed everything.
Last resort was spending 90 quid on hypnosis. Still wanted to smoke my lungs out.
Cold Turkey and Allen Carrs voice in my head.
also whyquit.com
Been off the fags a year and a few motnhs and dont give them a thought now.
If i do, its for a millisecond, and by the time ive thought its not worth it im over it.
Do try and stop. And dont stop trying :)

-6 years
-started as a 'social' smoker, wound up a pack/day; two packs/day at weekends
-tried to stop 6 times
-stopped 21 october 2002, the day i found out i was pregnant
-used extreme nausea from early pregnancy
-wasn't bad then, b/c i was very ill. now? i still think of them, every day. but the smell and taste completely put me off.

My smoking patterns have changed so much that I can't answer in pithy snippets I'm afraid so forgive me the boring smoking life story. I had my first cigarette at 8 I think - and was sick but it didn't stop me from having another. I became a 'proper' smoker at around 15, 10 a day, this became 20-30 a day in my twenties but I'd binge smoke at night especially but as I got older it began to make me so ill that I wouldn't have another one until the next evening, then I'd binge smoke again (and binge drink, I was, to my shame, a laddette). This pattern continued until me and DP started going out. He smoked 20-30 a day, just regular no binges however.

We made a pact to stop together as we wanted to have children together but didn't want to bring them up in a smoking atmosphere. It was all tied up to our future and we both felt it was immoral to bring a child up like that - that was our ethos and we didn't give ourselves any lea way.

I used inhalators - great to get you through acute moments of craving. DP used Allen Carr and the drug..I've forgotten what it's called now. He did say it make him hallucinate but it also stopped the cravings.

We've been stopped 5 years now. I'd occasionally crave one in the 1st two years and would have a puff on an old inhalator very occasionally. Now I don't miss it at all, in fact it really does turn my stomach. I don't binge drink anymore either - am totally moderate me .

how long- 3 years
how many-average 25 a day
-2,I stopped for 3 years from age 17 to 20, then started again when i went to uni.
-It has been 14 months since I've quit.
-I used nicotine tabs you put under your tongue everytime you have a craving, I was newly pregnant at the time and that was considered the safest nrt i could use. I also had appointment with nurse who went through options will me. I also had a lot of will power my mum died of lung cancer age 59 2 months before.
-I thought it would be a real battle for me because I was so addicted I needed cigarettes all the time. In fact it was alot easier then I imagined, obviously seeing your mother die from smoking is a real eye opener to say the least, I was pregnant I didnt want to harm my baby or let her watch me die. Now I hate the smell of smoke, want everyone to quit, I feel free of it.
It can be done and you owe it to yourself and your family to quit.

how long you smoked -- Roughly for about 10 years

how many a day -- 20+ a day easily

how many attempts to stop -- I have made a few half hearted attempts and one serious one last year that lasted a few months before I gave in.

how long since you stopped -- I have stopped smoking for 9 weeks tomorrow (Sunday 12th March)

did you use gum, patches, or similar, or willpower alone or Allen Carr or what? -- I used patches for the first 4 weeks and then will power alone and it has worked a treat

how was it for you, then and now -- I love being a non smoker and never thought I would really be able to call myself one. My tongue is sooo clean, my hair smells fresh and I find other smokers really do stink (something I never believed when I smoked)

We are off on holiday on Monday and the £300+ that I have saved from stopping for 9 weeks is paying for it, we have got a cabin booked with hot tub and sauna (not to mention the romantic 4 poster bed wink wink).

I am really really looking forward to the 3 month milestone and I'm dead excited about moving house and never smoking in it (in the next couple of months).

I met a friend the other day who I haven't seen for years and she is still smoking, I loved seeing her but it made me realise how glad I am that I stopped smoking, she looked so uncool and yes really did stink.

I can not reccomend enough the benefits of stopping forget all the stuff you already know about your health etc, just think about how good you will feel having stopped something you didn't think you would be able to I found it a really big confidence boost and just feel so much happier.

• Smoked 10 years

• 15 ish depending, a night out could be 30ish.

• countless, easily more than 10

• stopped 4 years march 8th

• used the inhaler and disassociated needing a ciggarette from needing nicotine.

• tough initially but after a few days I would get to the afternoon before thinking about a ciggarette. I did suffer with bad colds for the first month or two and so did dh when he packed in. Don't let that put you off as I feel so much better now.

I still miss smoking, even dream about it when under stress but I never want to touch a ciggarette again as all they did was make me skint, prone to chest infections, foggy feeling in the morning, made me smell, cold when outside having a fag and loose my sense of smell and taste not forgeting the constant guilt at the possible long term affects.

Smoked for years
20 a day
Gave up 5 years this November
Got a bad dose of flu/chest infection, couldnt smoke, then decided not to have another one.
Carried on with patches for a few weeks, they were ok.
I must admit you have to have will power!

• how long you smoked...4 years
• how many a day...15/20 per day (about 5 a day when pg)
• how many attempts to stop...a few half hearted, no serious
• how long since you stopped...1 year 1 month
• what did you use...I had patches on prescription. Started on the strongest and gradually worked down. Had weekly apps with the doctor which was really helpful.
• how was it for you...it was hard. I replaced fags with caffeine, chewing gum and sweets at the start. Kept myself busy after meals and went to bed at 9pm . I'm so glad I quit now. I hate the smell and don't really miss smoking. But I do miss that feeling of relief it used to give me when I was upset/stressed. Haven't found anything that has the same effect unfortunately.

thought i would bump this thread up, quite inspriring, i'm still smoking, so i can't answer them there questions,

I smoked for 7-8 years started 10 a day increasing to 20ish. Gave up when dh said I couldn't do it!! He has never smoked but it was hard, just went cold turkey on holiday and that was it.
Its been 8.6 years now and as the years have rolled on I hate the sell more and more.
The only real inspiration I think is good to help others is that my MIL gave up 12 motnhs ago at 58 years old, she had smoked all her life 20-30 a day. She really shocked us saying she wanted to see her granchildren grow-up, she used patches but still a BIG ACHIEVEMENT IMO!!

• how long you smoked 18 years
• how many a day 25-30
• how many attempts to stop about 6
• how long since you stopped 5 years
• did you use gum, patches, or similar, or willpower alone or Allen Carr or what? patches and a very supportive website
• how was it for you, then and now it was horrible for the first few months. The first day was the worst. I actually caved in after 2 weeks (it was my birthday, I was alone in London, trains cancelled, pouring with rain etc etc)so I bought 10 and smoked the lot. Realised then that it was horrid, and pointless, that I smelled disgusting and felt disgusting. so stopped the patches there and then and have never looked back. Best thing about it is not having to base your life around it - you think you control it, but it controls you - you just have to keep smoking all day, every day. It's lovely not to be a slave to it any more. And the money you save is great. I had a "quitmeter" that I downloaded to my desktop, which told me exactly how many cigs I'd not smoked, how much money I'd saved and how much time I'd added to my life. I found this very helpful. also, if you find info on how your body improves ie after 1 hour of not smoking, after 12 hours, after 3 days etc etc. It all helps to motivate you. finally, putting the money in a jar (and make sure it's a jar not a box, so you can see the moeny mounting up) really helps. Take ANY help that you're offered, and don't give in to those weak and feeble souls who still smoke and want to tempt you back.....

Another tip to help you stay on the wagon is to look at the faces of people who smoke. You really can tell who they are, as their skin has a kind of greyness to it, and looks thicker. My skin has never looked better since I stopped, so that's got to be another incentive!