Quitting Smoking One Day at a Time

[AgentFelix]

I took my last puff at 23.59 and I am not going to smoke for the rest of the day, or the day after that, or the day after that ...

Bit of a blow at 00.00 when I gathered up my ashtray, lighter and 4 remaining cigarettes to find I had an unopened pack of 20 hidden on my desk. DP now has the somewhat crappy job of distributing said pack somewhere in the neighbourhood. I was going to post them through a (smoking) neighbours letter box but I don't know her very well and thought it might creep her out.

Does anyone want to buddy up?

I'm going to make myself accountable to this thread. Support is very welcome.

DP has just come back and assured me he has left fags where I won't find them. I just hope that the person who comes across them hasn't just started their own quit.

[HeartsTrumpDiamonds]

Can I join?

I'm quitting smoking tomorrow and could use all the support I can get! I last quit in 2011 and did pretty well for the first weeks/months but caved in and had "only one" one night when out drinking with friends. Big mistake.

[Oopla]

Well done agent for not giving in. I know what you mean about associations too.

Hi hearts welcome along, what will you do differently this time? You did so well before too.

This is my first time ever giving up, I'm trying to think of cigarettes as though they were heroin or crack. Trying to imagine how hard it would be starting giving up again.

Have a great weekend- just say no!

[eminemmerdale]

Ok, I'm here yet again, I m giving it a go. Stopped for three years 2004 - 7, and since then have done at least 10 times of varying intervals - between a week and six months.
I HAVE to do it now - dd7 is 'disappointed' in me, says it stinks and deosn;t want me to die :( ds13 has always hated it and dh also loathes it. I can't afford it, i had a horrific bout of bronchitis over christams (when I hadn't smoked for three months) and vowed never to do it again...but started up in March.
This has to be it -I'm 50 in 364 days and can't justify anymore. Also stopped drinking today (again - another long story!!!) and have restarted C25K after a knee injury stopped me doing it. Thank you if you've managed to read this far.
Anyway, I'm in!!

[HeartsTrumpDiamonds]

Great, lots of positive vibes here! Emin my kids are all over my case too! Oopla just take it one day at a time I guess.

So far so good today. The DDs and I did the Race for Life this morning and it felt SO GOOD not to go off and skulk behind the bushes for a sneaky fag when I was running for cancer!!

[eminemmerdale]

Well I'm at the end of my first 'proper' day - had about three yesterday - and i am feeling really irritable. Could be because i'm not drinking either, have spent the day out with kids and dh and now ds is banging his football about in the garden and it is REALLY ANNOYING ME!!!! I had my run last night which helped - doing another tomorrow and going to see grown up dd on my own tomorrow morning so that may help . Anyway, hope everyone else is doing ok!

[AgentFelix]

HTD welcome. It does feel great to not have to light up, I know. I won't lie, I still miss smoking a bit, but I don't miss the inconvenience of it.

Emin happy belated birthday . I have lots of long stories about giving up booze as well. There are some really good articles on the WhyQuit website about giving up nicotine and alcohol at the same time and how it matches current advice. Best of luck.

How's everyone else doing?

I started the Harcombe Diet on Tuesday and have just finished phase 1. It has been so bloody hard and I was an idiot to start it so soon after quitting smoking. But I bought all the food and DP was up for it so I knuckled down and got through it. I'm delighted that I've lost 6.5 lbs in 5 days and can get in my jeans again. I am so relieved to be on to phase 2 of the diet.

Oh, I'm now I'm day 14 of not smoking. Good luck everyone!

[waterlego6064]

Hello people, well done on your quitting attempts, I envy you!

I need a plan. I have smoked for about 20 years (except while pregnant), I smoke about 15-20 rollies a day. I have had so many quits, none of them have stuck longer than a year. I despair of myself and feel I've reached the point where I have absolutely no confidence in my ability to do it and now it's built up in my head to be this huge thing.

I want to stop, I really really want to. Am considering different options and wondering which will be best for me:

Champix- I've never tried it but I have a history of depression and anxiety and am really scared about the potential effects on my MH.

NRT- have used it before so not very confident that it would work this time when it hasn't in the past.

Cold turkey- just too scary, I think, but am very tempted by the idea as it is the most natural and I like the idea of being free of nicotine within 3 days.

I am just musing really but any advice or opinions would be welcomed. I am keen to get the ball rolling this week, one way or another.

Hope you all have a lovely, smoke-free day!

[eminemmerdale]

waterlego it is really frightening isn't it. You have to remember you're not 'giving up' anything you're getting something back. I'm now on quit 40million day 3, and feeling confident! I always use some nrt, but that's because I have a foul temper at the best of times . Also started running again, which is a real inspriation - hacking and wheezing while trying to act cool and healthy isn't a good look! Good luck!!

[HeartsTrumpDiamonds]

Well done everyone. Welcome waterlego - for me it helped to pick a quit day and mentally prepare for it. I'm using patches and gum at the moment!

Smoke free for 35 hours now, and isn't it sad that I am counting in hours?? I don't think I've been too much of a bitch so far, but DH and the DDs might beg to differ

[eminemmerdale]

Hours are as good as days - I do days, but during the day do hours !!

[waterlego6064]

Thanks so much for the welcome and well done for your progress so far. Days, hours, minutes, it all sounds good to me!

[HeartsTrumpDiamonds]

Day 3 and counting! This is the hardest day by far so far - I'm at work and I know my old smoking buddies would give me one, so I'm hiding in my office. There's temptation everywhere. I'm NOT giving in.

[HeartsTrumpDiamonds]

52 1/2 hours!!

[Elibean]

Half hours count!

Well done

[eminemmerdale]

I'm day 4 and at work - not so much that anyone else smokes (they don;t and I'm in my own office) but I just associate work with nipping out for a cigarette!! arghh

[HeartsTrumpDiamonds]

Me too emin! It used to sort of break up the day into manageable chunks for me. I miss that.

Listen to me - used to - day 4 though! (74 hours if anyone's counting)

waterlego, have you made any planning progress?

[JRock]

Can I join? Never really posted before but I thought this thread might help me! I had my last cig at 9.30 on Sunday night. I'm using patches and they seem ok, not had any major cravings but I'm very irritable. I really hope I manage to completely stop this time.

[NoobyNoob]

So, I totally took a tumble and had one today at my friends :(

It felt good, but it made me cough and the taste was vile. I now have a patch on again and hope that it was a one off!

Keep going everyone :)

[HeartsTrumpDiamonds]

Hi JRock, well done so far! I'm only a day ahead of you, stopped Sat morning at 10am.

Nooby, how long have you been stopped for? Interesting that it tasted vile. I'm finding that even after only 3 days my sense of smell (and taste) are so much more sensitive.

[JRock]

Major cravings this evening! I seem to be fine all day and then, when it hits 6 o'clock, I really want one, or 10!

[Oopla]

Keep it up guys!

One week today....woooooooo!

[eminemmerdale]

well I'm on day five, no smoking, no alcohol and just done day three of C25K! I feel exhausted, headachy, weepy and grouchy but I know it will pass Go everyone!!

[waterlego6064]

Hearts I am stalling...procrastinating...making excuses

I think I have decided against taking Champix for the time being. I have a drawer full of patches and lozenges. I really have no excuse and I need to set a day.

[waterlego6064]

Ok. Friday will be the day.

There, I've said it now. And now I really will have to try, because I've told a whole thread load of people that I'm going to do it on Friday. Eeeeek!

[waterlego6064]

Sorry, of course I meant to say well done to you lot :)