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Can anyone help me quit smoking?

558 replies

violetbloom · 03/02/2010 13:17

I'm so keen to stop. All advice and tips very gratefully received.

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Ledodgy · 19/03/2010 20:44

CJ it makes total sense. I have been on a bit of a high too and people have noticed the change in my mood. I was really happy and talkative when at my friends the other week when we were all having a drink. It ws my first time round there sicne I have stopped. I was chatting to them all whilst in the kitchen and they were all smoking with the door open as usual. I didn't have one and didn't want one. They commented on how happy I seemed. The reason for this was that was my big test the one place where I go and have a drink where everyone I know there smokes. It felt such a relief not to be bothered by it and it was then that I realised I will never smoke again not even just one cig when I have a drink. There's no such thing as just one cig. I think alot of the high is just a complete relief to have finally stopped.

Ledodgy · 19/03/2010 20:47

basking Seals another thing that helped me early on was to create an amazon wish list of small things I could now spend money on that I spent on cigs and each month I buy a couple.

Going through making the list takes your mind off the cravings.

I also get nice bath stuff from lush online ((could never afford it before) and love having a long soak with a new book. All these little things that I can now buy with the cash I used to spend on cigs.

baskingseals · 19/03/2010 21:14

thank you

i really hope i can do it

please god

violetbloom · 20/03/2010 22:47

Basking - stick with it. I was a hardened smoker too, it was, and still is in some ways, part of my identity. I even sometimes mourn my lighter!

You're in the most intense period of not smoking. That first week was really tough for me. The second week was definitely better although there were still moments of insane cravings and disbelief. Now I'm over 6 weeks 'clean' and I really truthfully hardly think about it during the day. Only when it comes up in conversation or something triggers my memory. It's hard to believe that my favourite smoking triggers can have passed but I honestly think they have.

I can only say, ride it out. Think how much less painful this process is than an extended course of chemotherapy where you're wishing you could go back in time to now and do everything differently.

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Ledodgy · 20/03/2010 23:08

Good Point about the Chemo Violet. My stopping trigger was getting pleurisy, it was horrible, painful and hard to breathe. I stopped smoking then and obviously at the time I had no desire to smoke anyway but it was also a wake up call.I hated the pain and the breathlessness and this time I knew it could be cured by antibiotics. If I got lung cancer in the future the pain and breathlessness was likely to be until I died I haven't had a fag since.

violetbloom · 22/03/2010 11:59

Yes, I sometimes think it takes a shock to make one really stick to quitting. I have to say, I had pneumonia twice in the last 2 years and although I quit for a while when I literally couldn't smoke, I always started again afterwards. I must have been crazy! But I've been smoking, since after dd was born, with such a guilty conscience and feeling of fear that I'd die because of it and that would be dreadful for dd. It's a relief to have stopped now but I still feel afraid about what damage I might have done to myself.

I wish some of the other guys would come on and give an update? Even if it's to say they're struggling? Come on dudes, I miss you!

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violetbloom · 22/03/2010 21:49

Travelling? Depeche? Where are you ... ?

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DEPECHEMODEFANISBACK · 23/03/2010 08:12

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CJCregg · 23/03/2010 09:16

Hi all, I'm still here, one week today!

I feel much calmer now. Not nearly so crazy, although I find myself getting really, really irritable with the kids and DP, most unfairly. And today I have a cold and a screaming headache.

BUT but but - it's so worth it because I don't have the guilt, fear and self-loathing that were triggered every time I lit a fag.

Now I just have to deal with the food issues!! Got to stop eating sweets as compensation ...

Keep going, everyone. This thread is so inspiring.

violetbloom · 23/03/2010 10:59

Well done, CJ! That's fantastic. The first week is by far the worst in terms of the craziness and the mood swings. You'll definitely find that each day gets easier from now and that you think about it less and less even though that's hard to believe. I never thought I would feel like that but now, over 6 weeks in, I honestly hardly ever think about smoking and I know it would taste utterly awful if I did give in.

One thing to look out for CJ, and I think this gets a lot of people, maybe it's what happened to travelling who was doing well on here, about 2 weeks in when you feel like you've done the big battle bit of fighting cravings, you just get these weird kind of psychological urges to just have one. It's hard to explain. There's no real cravings but it's like your brain takes over. I think that's a point where a lot of people slip.

Depeche, keep posting. I've failed more times than I've succeeded and I still daren't feel I've succeeded this time!

Travelling, whereever you are - come back! Tell us what's happening? No need to be ashamed if it's gone wrong.

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DEPECHEMODEFANISBACK · 23/03/2010 11:05

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violetbloom · 23/03/2010 11:19

You can, too, Depeche. I think you should go for it without the patches. Just do it. Take each day as it comes, ride through them and really in the scheme of things it's only a horrible period of time for a short time.

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DEPECHEMODEFANISBACK · 23/03/2010 11:28

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CJCregg · 23/03/2010 11:52

Thanks Violet for the encouragement. I have also given up several times in the past and I think that helps, because I know its do-able.

Depeche, I know exactly how you feel. It's just frightening. All I can say is that somehow it helped to 'give in' to that fear, and decide to go with it. Sometimes I was actually able to laugh at how mad/stupid/cross/horrible I was being, and I got through it because I knew it wouldn't last. And really, truly, it was only really crazy for a few days.

I honestly feel much better now. The eating is a bit out of control, but I know from doing it before that that will probably last for a couple of weeks and then everything calms down.

Off to have lunch now

violetbloom · 23/03/2010 12:55

Depeche, I read some statistics somewhere that said that people trying to quit using NRT of whatever variety were far less likely to succeed because they can become addicted to the NRT itself and because psychologically it's a crutch, you're never actually facing up to the actual quit.

On a more cynical note, it's worth remembering that most NRT products are made by ... cigarette companies! So they're working on making you addicted.

It seems scary to quit cold turkey and it is unpleasant in places. I told everyone I was doing it - even dd. So I explained to her that I would be a bit crazy for a week or so and I invented a sort of scream / cry that I did to show her that I was having a crazy moment. She was so pleased that I was stopping that she found all that quite amusing.

I'm 6 weeks fagless now and I could sum it up like this:

1st 3 days awful.
1st week pretty grim.
Week 2 getting much better, feeling of relief, forgetting all about fags for longer periods of time.
Week 3 big psychological addictions to face.
Week 4 loads better.
From week 4 onwards it's got easier and easier and now I don't want to smoke at all. Really seriously, not at all.

give it a go. Set a date. We'll be behind you all teh way.

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IntoTheGroove · 23/03/2010 13:09

This thread looks very supportive
and I hope you can help me too.
I'm really struggling to get past the 3
day mark, I just lose it and end up giving in, up til then though it's fine,
I must be a binge smoker

violetbloom · 23/03/2010 13:22

Welcome ITG. Think it all through. Make a list of all the reasons you want to stop and keep it with you all the time. Pick a day and say from that day on that you are no longer a smoker. Any time you feel tempted get the list out or look at photos of your kids and imagine them watching you go through a horrible illness. Look at whyquit.com lots. Quash sugar lows with anything you fance and remember that it gets easier every single day.

Post on here and we'll help!

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violetbloom · 23/03/2010 15:52

I've sent out calls to Travelling and Ingles to find out how they're doing.

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Ingles2 · 23/03/2010 16:50

hello hello.....
really sorry not to have reported back
and Violet you are such a sweetie to have been concerned..
well I'm pleased to report it's 3 weeks for me!!!!!
WAYHAY!
I actually said to a friend I hadn't seen in a while, I don't smoke!!!
and tbh it's been ok (but my DH might say otherwise),.I 'm still on the patches
Problems have been my mood,....I feel quite close to edge a lot,...ready to burst..but then work has been crazy as well.
Also, my concentration is nowhere near as good as it was.
and my gums have been sore.
on the positives... I took the boys shopping on Sat with the £120 (OMG) I have saved. We had a lovely day, bought some treats and I was thrilled to spending the fag money.
Have absolutely no intention of going back now...
Depechemode... you can do it! don't beat yourself up about relapsing, it is scary.... Have another go, how about trying the Champix?
Get the NHS quit smoking pack, I did and have found it a help. It has a little hand twister in it that works and info about Champix
Welcome CJCregg and ITG...you're doing great
and Violet, you're doing brilliantly, an inspiration...
Finally,(sorry mammoth post)...You know the best thing about being a non smoker is not worrying if you stink!

violetbloom · 23/03/2010 16:56

Hi Ingles, thanks for popping back. Keep in touch now, you hear? We need all the support we can get around here you know. Got some people to get back on the wagon ...

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Ledodgy · 23/03/2010 17:31

Ingles well done on getting to 3 weeks. Ouch at the sore gums. I got ulcers on my gums on and off from about week 3 but they went by the end of week 6. Apparently it's your mouth tissue rejuvenating after being killed by the fags for so long!

wahwahwah · 23/03/2010 17:33

I have 3 words guaranteed to make to never ever have another fag.....

"Cat's bum mouth"

travellingwilbury · 23/03/2010 17:51

I am here

I am failing miserably , I was doing so well then it all went wrong . I have no idea what triggered it , I think the euphoria of the whole thing wore off .

I was too to come back here

DEPECHEMODEFANISBACK · 23/03/2010 20:20

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Ingles2 · 23/03/2010 21:52

Thanks everyone,. it's nice to get support here as dh has been really meh about it.
Don't be embarrassed Wilbury. You'll get there. I think it has to be the right time and that might involve a failed attempt or 2 first.
I actually decided to give up for NY...didn't actually start till 1st March.
A friend of mine is using the Champix...she's doing really well and you need to be smoking when you start I think.
The patches I've been using are great as well, Nicotinell.
There's loads of options open to you,...you don't need to do it alone