Can anyone help me quit smoking?

[violetbloom]

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

Hi how is everyone doing? Had a terrible day yesterday, came close to smoking but resisted, I'm not going to let it beat me but, god it's really really hard. Felt very emotional and stressed yesterday but I'm feeling much more positive today. I wish I could stop thinking about it but it's on my mind constantly. Chest feels oddly tight and breathless though, don't know why and I've been coughing my guts up not a pretty sight

If only I had a bloody time machine to go back for when I had my first cig, I'd give myself such a kick up the arse

Hi all, hope you're doing ok.

I am still quite emotionally frail (!) but it's getting better. Bremusa, the difference now is that I'm not thinking about smoking, or even nicorette, all the time. 95% of the time I just get on with my life - it's only the odd five minutes here and there when I go a bit crazy, and that feeling is fading fast.

So keep it up and believe that you can do it. I honestly never thought I'd get here, but I have and like most scary things, the reality wasn't nearly as frightening as I thought it would be.

Depechemode: have emailed you
thankyou! x

How many days smoke-free are you now Bremusa and CJ?

I still had an odd insane craving now and then up to a month after quitting. But now nothing. 2 months on Friday. I'm so so so pleased I've stopped. I'm completely intending never to smoke again.

Hi CJ, Violet et al

It's only my 4th day, so a long way to go yet. Up and down again today, still resisting but it has been marginally easier and the gum is really helping. I've ditched the patches though and don't feel any the worse for it.

CJ when you say you're emotionally frail is that related to smoking or something else? (being nosey )

Violet and CJ once again well done your determination is very impressive!

Hiya, may I join please? I stopped smoking this morning, been using the inhaler which is helping with the cravings, but OMG I need a fag now... I have been ok during the day, though my mouth and my brain are not connecting well atm, and I keep losing my train of thought... It wasn't this hard last time I gave up

Hello Everyone... and how fab to see lots of new people...
I'm up to 5 weeks now and can say I'm starting to feel like a non smoker. I hardly think about fags infact this morning I didn't notice I hadn't put a patch on until after lunch.
The down side (and a very big one) I've put on half a stone
but my gums have recovered now I'm pleased to say.
Am going to do something about the weight after Easter (gazes at all the choc on the shelf)
So keep going everyone, you're all doing brilliantly...

Hi Sparkly! Come and join. Remember the first few days are the worst.

Hi Ingles, that's great to hear.

So hard as DH smokes, but he has taken all the baccy and papers and won't let me near them. This morning I rolled a fag, put it to my mouth and thought 'what I am doing??' Put it down and walked back into the house, decided there and then that today was the day The cravings are not too bad with the inhaler and I have used 3 carts. all day (so really good as it says 6 is normal) I haven't been too stressed today and thats helped

Hi all, I've been on Champix for 10 days now and today was my first smoke free day
Had no cravings, no mood swings and today has been the first day since i started taking them that i haven't had a constant headache xxx

day 2, no fags, using the inhaler as and when needed, been a bit snappy today, but am full of cold too atm. Kitchen is very clean too lol

Well done to all. No advice except to be patient. It won't happen all at once, there will be some grim moments but it's SO worth sticking at because once those moments are over you won't look back!

Sparkly, my dp smokes too. He's one of those very annoying people who smokes as and when he needs / wants to. there have been numerous occasions during my quit when he's had a pack of Camel Lights on his desk and I've picked up the pack, put one in my mouth ... then turned back! If I hadn't turned back each time I would be smoking again now. At this moment though, I haven't even looked to see if he has any fags around for a few weeks. We were out all together today and he smoked a few times and I felt, literally, NOTHING, excpet for wishing he would stop and that he stinks!

2 months 1 week, 1 day! It's almost of my radar now - get the odd twinge but not really.

3 weeks tomorrow, and I'm still finding it really really hard - a constant battle not to have a fag.

Depeche well done! You've given me fresh inspiration.

Just hope I stop feeling so awful, like I'm not enjoying life. Feel really stressed. Does anybody know how to deal with those stressy moments without reaching for the fags?

Hi all, I will be three weeks on Tuesday. Still mental (life's a bit emotional generally at the moment, but I'm convinced that 90% of it is fag withdrawal) but not bad overall.

I'm determined to stick to it. I can't go through this again. It's not impossible, it's totally do-able and sometimes even easy, but it's not something I want to have to repeat. This is it.

I'm eating WAY too much chocolate and bursting into tears left, right and centre but I reckon this is a small price to pay in the grand scheme of things.

Keep it up, everyone.

CJ and basking - you are both at the 3-week mark where so many people turn back. I think that's what happened to Depeche and to Travelling. The 3-week mark was really tough for me too. It's like you've done the big guns fight against cravings but you get a kind of sluggish depression and over-emotional feeling about needing to smoke. It's as big a hurdle as getting through those first few days I think.

The good news is that once you get through this week and get past week 4, things will definitely start to get easier and easier. By week 5 and 6, you'll genuinely not want to smoke a fag. right now, at just over 2 months, I never EVER have a desire to smoke. Not once. And I've been a serial smoker and serial quit failee!

Stick with it. Don't give up now, you're over the very worst part, just another little battle to face with this week and next week and you'll start to feel really free.

For instance, this was me at 2.5 weeks:

"Yes, 2.5 weeks gone, I'll be glad to say 3 weeks on Friday.

I am still having wobbles though. Yesterday evening I felt desperate for a smoke and today I've been thinking about it on and off since I woke up, with pangs and a feeling of needing to go and buy cigarettes!

I must look at some of the info again and see when this sort of craving will die down."

Hi all, and thanks for the words of encouragement.

I don't want to smoke - really, honestly I don't. But I do still feel mad and over-emotional, which is sending me a bit crazy. No going back now, though.

Power to all of our elbows.

Hello juts thought i'd pop in and say Hi. Well done everyone.

I hit the 9 week mark last Thursday and feel fab. I don't even think about it anymore. My skin which broke out at one point is now clear and dewy, I feel like I can breathe so much deeper and just better in every way.

It must be in my sub conscious though because I keep having dreams where I forget I've stopped, have a fag then I remember i've stopped and am mortified! I remember having the same smoking dreams when I stopped through all 3 of my pregnancies too. I wake up feeling really guilty and it takes me a few minutes to remember it wasn't true.