Anyone else want to give up smoking? Moral support needed!

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I gave up last year for 3 months and thought I had it cracked...Have also stopped at various other points, found it easy when pregnant. Did it last year by reading Allen Carr's Easy Way to Stop Smoking, but sadly replapsed a month ago. I really want to stop again, what has worked for people? I kind of go with Carr's theory that you shouldn't use nicotine replacement since you will still be taking the drug you are trying to kick. Apart from getting pregnant again (bit drastic!), any ideas?

Well, today is the day I stop smoking! I have read Allen Carr's book and THINK I am prepared! I have one cigarette left, and am going to smoke that after the gym at lunchtime (I know, I know, gym and smoking dont go together) and then that's it. I am worried about the cravings etc, but keep repeating Allen Carr's words to myself. I am actually excited about stopping and am going to put the money I save away and treat myself if I succeed. Oops, not if, WHEN! How's everyone else doing. Anyone want to join me for mutual lmoral support?

Oops, I meant MORAL!!

Thumper, well done, am about to re-read Allen Carr and stop! Glad you clarified, that typo changed the meaning completely !!!

Will let you know when I do it and we should talk here about how we're getting on. Didn't smoke til 11am yesterday, but hadn't re-read book and am pre-menstrual so have decided to leave it until my period starts...

none for me since Saturday now - mainly due to cracking sore throat must admit.

Hmmm, Thumper "im"moral support sure sounded like lots more fun ...

My friend and I were laughing last week about one time when we decided to get in shape - roughly five years ago - and started running every day. She would come to my house, we'd have a smoke, go for a run, come back and have a smoke...so I understand the gym/smoking phenomena, as twisted as it sounds! (of course, she quit smoking several years ago - I am only just jumping on the bandwagon...)

Good luck all...

Well, one day done and I must say that so far it is a lot easier than I expected (ok, so it is only one day, I know), but I think the Allen Carr approach might just be working. He says to call yourself a non-smoker from the minute you have smoked your last cigarette, and I think that helps. I just keep repeating things he says in my mind (maybe I'm taking it a bit far, but so far, no cravings). WWW, let me know when you are going to join me, not that I'm putting pressure on!!

Well Done!
Just think how much nicer you will smell, how much better you will feel (no fag breath when you wake up!), how much extra money you will have etc.etc.etc.

WELL DONE to the new non-smokers who have joined us. I've not smoked since December now (main incentive is pregnancy which is keeping me off them!)

I genuinely found the 1st 2 weeks the worse...once I got past that time I found it was more the habit I found harder to break...My routine used to be...go to work, arrive have a fag. up to work. fag break 2 hours later. work lunch & fag 2 hours later etc etc so I found I needed to set myself a new routine...hope that makes sense and helps you new ones. I replaced my fag times with....CROSSWORDS. Each time I felt the urge to have a fag I'd pick up my crossword book & try and solve a few of the clues etc until the craving passed.

I also found that when other smokers came up to me I could really really smell that horrid stench (weird how you don't realised it when you actually smoke!) That smell was also a constant help to keeping me off.

Keep going you lot!!

Ditched the patches a few days ago and am still hanging in there. Have been a bit snappy since stopped patches, but haven't actually had "cravings" as such - although could happily eat my way through the Galaxy factory if given the chance. Fortunately, have no idea where it is based. Am determined not to start up again - or replace fags with food. (And if I repeat that enough times I might stay clear of the biscuit barrel). Anyway, well done to everyone else - and as Allen Carr would say "yippee I'm free".

I want to give up! I read the Alan Carr book and literally stood at the bus stop with his book in one hand and a fag in the other. Does ZYBAN work?Has anyone else tried it? I know I shouldn't resort to drugs but I am weak.. weak... and have 3 kids! I wanna be a granny c'mon help me out!

Zoe 1960, People have died taking zyban, but I think it depends whether you had an existing heart condition or something similar, which I suppose you would get checked out at your consultation with doctor. I remember seeing last week that it has finally been passed as a NHS drug, so I would imagine they have done extensive research to have passed it. It is supposed to be extremely successful. Why dont you go and have a chat with your doctor about it.

I personally wanted to give up without using any sort of drug, thought I'd had enough of one of them! That's why I really want the Allen Carr method to work, but I think you have to go with what suits you and gives you the best chance.

Have smoked on & off for nearly fifteen years but recently gave up permanently (this time I mean it!). What worked for me was firstly about a weeks' worth of intensive 'self-talk', to unprogramme all the (false) positive associations I had developed about smoking and replacing them with the truth (eg disease, smell, no money etc); secondly, a severe cold appeared just at the right time and the thought of having a cigarette during that week made me feel sick. I get the occasional pang when in a cafe or pub, but remind myself it was a behavioural association I created and I can damn well unlearn it!

Ok everyone, I'm finally going to do it TODAY.
Feel like crap due to night out last night and smoking my head off. Have just looked at Allen Carr's website and am going to re-read the book over the next few days WITHOUT smoking. I have a pack here which I am about to rip to pieces and put in the bin.
My dad died of lung cancer a year ago this week so I have to do this. Well done to everyone who's already done it. Feel tearful writing this but know I have to do it Now.

Hope everyone who posted here previously has stayed stopped.

Well I gave up for 9 months while carrying dd, had a couple after 2 months of her being born and then smoked 3 or 4 an evening until about a month ago. Gave up for 2 weeks, had slight relapse one night when dh was pissing me off and then gave up again for 10 days and smoked again a few last night. Feel weak and crap for doing it but enjoyed it at the time, especially felt I deserved it after a crap week with poorly dd.

Why do I deserve poisoning myself ??!! I just can't get the positive association of alcohol + fag = good time out of my mind. Anyone able to help me ?

WWW well done ! Good luck.

Have just joined in for 1st time - it is really good to here other people in the same boat as me. I gave up ciggs when I was preg and totally hated them. When my dd was born I started having a few if I had a drink. Now I don't smoke during the day but once dd has gone to bed I sit down in the gardin have a glass of wine and some lovely fags!. Really want to kick it as would love to have another baby. Also no-one knows I smoke now as only smoke in gardin at home - I feel so ashamed of it but love it at the same time, dreading the thoughts of giving it up.

dizzymummy same here ! I never smoke in the house only in garden and never smoke during the day - LOVE my glass of wine and fag in the evening and really have missed it but everytime I look at darling dd I feel horrendously guilty. So that is my reason for stopping. Plus I know when I get pregnant again, although not for a while, I'll have to stop again anyway.

Tillysmummy - hope you crack it this time. Your smoking sounds v similar to mine. I often go for a couple of days with out a fag (if the weather is too crap to have one outside or have people round) so I know I can do it, but at the back of my mind I look forward to my illicit fag. When I do smoke I think of dd's little face and leaving her without her mummy and I feel the horrors of guilt. I am now trying to decide on at date to quit once and for all...

Perhaps we should do it at the same time for moral support ? After Saturday ?? (I have a party on Sat !!)

Ok then that will give me some time to get used to the idea. Good luck - will check in early next week to see how you are getting on - fingers and toes crossed

Tillysmummy +Dizzymummy i've just decided to hoin yyou both in giving up the evil weed. I also stopped smoking for 9 months but started again when Ds was 3 weeks old i had the notion that because i stopped breastfeeding him i couldn't do him any harm. I only smoke in the garage and its bloody freezing in the evening.Dh also smokes so when i do try to give up i dont get any support from him.Im going to a wedding on saturday so Sunday will be a great time to stop. So come on we can all do this together.

Stopped 10 days ago, used the Nicotine patches for 4 days and sonce then haven't had anything at all. Husband gave up last June, so there is hope for me yet. My final decision was, I had a really nasty cold/throat infection/ ear ache, I really wanted to go to bed, but DH decided to make me suffer and work with sheep in the rain for 2 days. It has done the trick!, went out on saturday night and did have a craving for one after a good amount of gin, but it soon left me. About putting on weight, when eating, if you can imagine yourself like a balloon, it has worked for me, I've lost 4 pounds since stopping smoking!
Good luck to all those who want to stop, it is not easy, and this come from someone who smoked nearly 40 B&H a day.

Congrats Tigger2 going from 40 to 0 must have been really tough - I am definitely going to try to quit this w/e (need to build my self up for this) - good luck Leander and Tillysmummy hopefully we'll officially be non-smokers next week!

ooh the shame of it. Have just got back from fantastic holiday in Zakynthos where I fell off the wagon. Maybe it's the bargain hunter in me, but all that lovely cheap wine and even cheaper ciggies (plus a dh who was still puffing and feeling guilty about it) just tipped me over the edge. Am about to whack a patch on and start again. Will let you know how I get on.