What was your lightbulb moment?

[ginmakesitallok]

I used to love smoking. I smoked 30 a day for over 20 years. One day I just decided I'd had enough. I was sick of having to shell out for fags every day. I was fed up with having to go outside to smoke. I had a wheezy chest. I was walking past an ecig stall and just thought, "that's it. I'm going to stop" and I did. Had one more cig on my way home and never had one since. It's been 10 months.

What made you stop?

Good luck Oneflue!

Today was my first day not smoking . I'd picked a Monday as my pack of 20 was finishing. My light bulb was my friend saying that she's stopped and had decided to 'grow up'. Fed up of spending ally money on fags. Smelling like an ashtray and the car smelling. One day down and all of that....

Couple of little tips to help keep the motivation going. Firstly try saving up the money you would have spent on the stinkies and putting it towards something nice for yourself e.g. I have a friend who funds her shoe habit with the money she saved. Secondly, if you DO slip then don't despair - the thing to keep in mind is the number of fags you haven't smoked rather than those you have.

Good luck!

Fantastic Oneflue, well done!

Wishing you lots of strength for today x

I gave up smoking when my mum was diagnosed with lung cancer, I was taking champix, and although it made me feel constantly sick it was working. Then mum's cancer became terminal and she started smoking again, she didn't have anything to lose. I waz caring for her, my champix ran out, I couldn't get to my doctors do I started again too - how stupid is that? I watched cigarettes kill her and I carried on smoking.

A year and a half after she died I got my BFP and that was my real lightbulb moment. I went from 30 a day to nothing, and it was easy. I didn't want my kids to go through what my sisters and I did.

Thank you so much .. First day I managed and I was at work as well!!! I've replaced fags with mints and very time I know that I would have one I have a mint instead . I feel better, haven't thought about them a lot but was very hungry!! Here's to the second day!!

I was in a coma in ICU due to a kidney stone, which lead to sepsis multiple organ failure, respiratory failure full ventilation and life support , had a trachiostomy ( and yes I've seen people smoking through the hole in their neck) and a nephrostomy bag, I still have the stone and the bag.
When I became conscious I decided that as I hadn't had a cigarette for two weeks then I wasn't going to start smoking again.
The risks are too high, my luck was wearing out, my three teens need me, my DH died from cancer,six years ago, he had never smoked.
So I've not had a cigarette since 23rd January, I've spent a small fortune at the local vape shop, it's nothing next to the money spent over the last 40 years.
If I can do it I'm sure anyone can. My DP quit at the same time. I've managed to convert 4 people, so far!

Well done onlyjoking, that's brilliant!

Onefluover, how's day 3 going?

Day 3 was ok.didnt think about it so much.today is day 5. I'm not very aware of feeling any better etc but I know it's got to be doing me some good. I've noticed that my clothes don't smell which is nice

Oneflue it can take weeks or even months for health to noticeably improve, you have a lot of crap in your body that takes it's time to disperse. Short term side effects you may notice are coughing up gunk as the lungs start to clear, bleeding gums as smoking can mask this, slight changes to skin & hair oiliness as smoking can dry these out.

I stopped about 3 months ago. I had bleeding gums for quite a long time, very low mood and very bad skin. I went from the odd spot now and then to clusters of them often.

Will be worth it in the long run though.

Blimey onlyjoking, you've really been through the mill - hope you've made a full recovery now and well done on stopping smoking

Re: effects of giving up smoking, I'm just over seven weeks in and my skin has totally changed (much oilier - I always had dry skin before). Also have sensitive gums, I've been on the Corsodyl for that. Mood has been all over the place too.

The fact I was extremely breathless moving around, the foul ciggy stench, health and the cost. Had enough. On line friends were vaping and i was very curios to try. Glad i have :)

Lightbulb moment was when I read the book by Alan Carr 'The easy way to stop smoking.' Hubby stopped with the book too. I can't recommend it highly enough.

Only joking omg what a time you have had, good for you for kicking it.

Whomever said they felt jealous when they saw others go out for a cigarette, I was the same! Felt I was denying myself something. I read and reread the Alan Carr book, dh nagged and nagged me, I stank, ALL my spare cash went on cigarettes, and I was SO embarrassed- most people at my work didn't know I smoked- I'd have three fags, then shower, then work, not smoking till I got home at 2pm when I'd chain smoke ten or so, with cups of coffee. I'm still loving the coffee.

The funny thing was when I bought my first vape kit, I was cross cos I'd shelled out £25 or something! Drop in the ocean. I still like the whiff of fresh cigarette smoke, but OMG hand on heart, I PITY people who smoke now, and you don't realise how bad you smell till someone comes in after a cigarette, it's horrible. I'm still washing things from my wardrobe as there are still things that smell a bit of smoke. I can honestly say, I PREFER vaping. I held an unlit cigarette the other day and had no desire to light it, even when I have a drink the thought of it makes me feel sick. I will never smoke again, and I'd say its you lovely people that have had such an effect on me- advice, sympathy, recommendations, daft questions. Sorry I'm writing novels this morning! Xxx

Another light bulb moment I would like to add - there was a recent thread on MN - what would you really like to do if it wasn't bad for you or disgusting - something like that. So many people said they'd like to smoke I wondered if I was on the right site For the first time ever I thought no, I wouldn't like to smoke even if it didn't have the consequences it does. I feel properly relapse-proof for the first time since age 12. Thank you MN vapers for all the support, I wouldn't have done it without you

DP saying yes to TTC baby #3. I'm ashamed to say I smoked with both of my daughters during pregnancy, in the room with them once they turned one etc. I am addicted and it disgusts me. I realised I'm in my twenties, I want to look nice, smell nice, have less bursts of coughing and spluttering, want to give my daughters all I can and not take a very risky chance with another baby. I just need a whole overhaul of my life and to do the best I can on my life choices.

Day one is almost over. It's a really long road.

My children (4 & 2.5) asking me if they could come with me for a fag in the garden :(

Never felt so ashamed. Decided there and then and have been smoke free since.

Well done Meh

My mum has COPD and is still making excuses to smoke. She got back from a trip to the doctors recently and told me that he advised her not to stop smoking. I knew, obviously, that this was total bullshit, but the fact that she'd openly lie so she could carry on making herself ill made me stop there and then.

I was a 10 a day smoker for 16 years (apart from pregnancies) and I packed in the same day she said that. I just thought, I don't want to be in the same situation myself.

It's only been 3 weeks, but I can't see me going back to it.

Thanks Plenty :) x