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.

-I smoked for about 11 years
-started as a social smoker, ended up as 20 day
-only the 1 true attempt to stop
-approx. 8 years since I stopped
-gave up with will power alone. I had to have knee surgery so set that as the date to give up, knowing I would be in hospital a while and on heavy duty painkillers!
-I found giving up easier than I found cutting down to 5 a day!! I took every day as it came and just thought to myself "I've gone x days without, I'd be stupid to start again now after all that hard work. I am NOT going to fail". Often tempted, even now, but know that one puff would lead to 20 a day in no time and i do not want to smoke again.

• how long you smoked - 15 years
• how many a day - up to 40
• how many attempts to stop - stopped once before for nearly a year
• how long since you stopped - nearly 4 years
• did you use gum, patches, or similar, or willpower alone or Allen Carr or what? - 1st time, willpower and support of partner and friends who were also giving up. This time, willpower and support of partner who was also giving up, and children I nannied for who were a great help and even made me a star chart and gave me treats for each week I succeeded! One child gave a talk at school about me as a person she admired because of it. We also saved the money we would have spent, and treated ourselves to luxuries and treats with it. I wanted to stop so I could conceive and have a healthy pregnancy - a great motivator.

• how was it for you, then and now - it was very tough, there is no point lying about it, it's bloody awful. But at the end of it you will be a non-smoker and never have to feel ashamed of your hideous habit again. Every cold does not turn into a chest infection, you can go to the cinema and sit happily through a film without getting twitchy, you smell like a human being instead of an ashtray, and everything that enters your home for 5 mins does not reek of stale smoke. Bliss :)

Smoked aged 15 years total with a 6 year break in the middle
Anything from 5 -40 per day (those 2 packet nights out at Uni!!)
Tried 5 or 6 times to stop and lied to dh that I had when I hadn't
Stopped 18 months ago
Tried hypnosis (but smoked in the car on the way home and was too embarrased to go back for the refund of my £200)
Allen Carr worked first time only.
This time just decided that didn't want to smoke anymore, luckily cos got preg about 3 weeks later!
No cravings as right mindset this time. Never thought I would smoke after teh 6 year gap, but Allen Carr is right in that you must never smoke again, because otherwise you'll try half a fag, it's revolting and you think you'll never get hooked again....but then you do. I'd like to think that I'll never smoke again, but I wouldn't guarantee it.

• how long you smoked - 12 years
• how many a day - 5-10
• how many attempts to stop - 3
• how long since you stopped - 3 years
• did you use gum, patches, or similar, or willpower alone or Allen Carr or what? - willpower alone, just gave up one day, the thing that seemed to work best was deciding that everytime I felt like one I had to wait half an hour - by then I was always distracted by something else. But I was always more psychologically addicted than anything. This is why being a smoker is like being an alcoholic - once a smoker always a smoker, just a smoker who doesn't smoke! Never give in and have just the one or you're doomed, find something else to do with your hands! Like typing.
• how was it for you, then and now - occasional wistful pangs, but I love that I don't stink anymore and can breath, and I keep in mind that if I smoke my kids are much more likely to!

how long- 12 yrs then started again after 4 yr break (thought it would help me lose weight duuuh!) and smoked for another 5 yrs.

how many 15-20/day

attempts- one attemp then stopped when I found I was pregnant ,so two

Stopped for 4.5 yrs now ,can't imagine ever smoking again.

Allen carr didn't work for me ,being pregnant did.

Found it easy going cold turkey but I was pregnant so had big incentive.

used allen ca

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 - 12 years all in
• how many a day - from 5 to 20
• how many attempts to stop - 3
• how long since you stopped - 18 months
• did you use gum, patches, or similar, or willpower alone or Allen Carr or what? Cold turkey but more my ds saying how proud he was
• how was it for you, then and now - was hard at first felt like crying for first couple of nights without one but got through. Never want to smoke again as dont want ds to.

Thank you!

My DH has smoke between 10 and 40 every day since he was 14 years old (now 30) he has tried to stop several times but never managed to go more than half a day. He decided finally to give up and read Alan Carr's 'Stop Smoking'. He's not a big book reader but read this book and was amazed by it. He hasn't smoked for almost two months!

He also says all the 'Stopping Smoking' websites are full of equally glowing praise for this book.

Good luck!

Hey Leonsmum, Im a Leons mum too! Great name.

I smoked for 5 years, stopped for 1 year and then smoked for another 4 years. Went back to it after a split from ex- non-smoker who had encouraged me to stop. Some sort of rebellion me-thinks! Then stopped for the duration of my pregnancy and managed to hold out until 3 weeks after the birth.

20 a day

A good few attempts. This is the 3rd that has been longer than a few days.

Stopped 3 months ago.

I had a throat and chest infection and I couldn't smoke for about 2 1/2 weeks. Then there didn't seem much point. It wasn't planned.

I was fine as I was sick, but then I started to crave - especially when i had a drink. Avoided the pub and when I eventually went back, told everyone not to give me any of theirs and stressed how awful i would feel in the morning etc. The speech (which I seem to make everytime I go out drinking) is quite self-affirmative, because I have never yet asked anyone for a cigerette.

Now the smell is foul and I couldn't stand to have a cigerette.

Hi stopees!

how long you smoked - can't believe it was nearing 16 years with a couple of breaks of 18months or so during attempted stops

• how many a day - from 5 to 20 - really depended on how happy I was, when I worked behind a bar I'm sure i could even get through 20 of a night
• how many attempts to stop - 3 - two for pregnancies including this latest stop
• how long since you stopped - 18 months
• did you use gum, patches, or similar, or willpower alone or Allen Carr or what? - Just willpower - dating a doctor triggered one attempted stop (the one where I wasn't pg!) Splitting up definitely triggered re-starting
• how was it for you, then and now - Oh I'm at the 18 month watershed now and if I break this barrier I think I'm through for good

I do get late night cravings but make a china tea and do some exercising to ward off the demons!

Good luck to all of you giving up - It's well worth it, even if just for the re-emergence of your senses of taste and smell