Accountability thread.. yesterday I had my last cigarette

[WigglesWaggles]

Just started this thread for accountability, maybe some support too.
I'd love to hear success stories and the good things people have noticed since quitting.
I've attempted quitting smoking multiple times in the last year but I've always done it when I'm away from home and find it easy.
I'm a single mum with 2 children and when I get home I always start smoking again.
I've decided this time to bite the bullet and start at home.
My birthday is a week today and the aim was always to be smoke free by my birthday.
I smoked my last cigarette at 1.30pm yesterday and am using a vape to quit.

I felt kind of pushed into it, I caught a cough and cold and the cough is still going more than 3 weeks later, enough is enough. So here goes. I feel like if I document it somewhere I'll have a place to rant!

Hello I had my last cigarette at 11am on the 12th so about the same as you. How are you doing so far? Are you using anything to help? I have a vape that I am using. I've managed to give up for over a year using the vape before but restarted. Hoping this is the quit that lasts!

Hi! Well done you that's amazing. I am also using a vape to help me. It's the only way I find manageable if I'm honest. My smoke free app is saying 1 month and 2 days cig free. How are you finding it?
I'm actually finding this attempt so easy (might be something to do with the fact my smoker ex now doesn't live with me).

If you find yourself thinking about one, try consciously choosing to change the subject

I was the 12th April so I am only on day 2! Well done you for over a month!! Smoke free here again today! Which vape are you using?

I have to do this. Have decided that tonight is my last night of smoking. I stopped for 12 years! I then became single, met my boyfriend who smokes and gradually started again, it's been a year at least. I secretly smoke, I nip out to the garden, brush my teeth about a million times a day, it's ridiculous. I hate smelling, I get coughs, I snore. I have nearly a full pack of tobacco but I'm throwing it away tonight, I must have done this about 5 times now. I need to stop for my kids and for myself. My boyfriend will help me, he uses a icos heated tobacco thing mostly but also smoke roll ups, I'm sure he'd smoke less, or not at all around me if I asked him to. It's so bloody addictive. I've got my daughter's birthday tomorrow, friends staying who don't smoke and don't know I do, then a night with my boyfriend at a friend's for dinner so I'll manage that and just won't buy more. I can't afford to buy the packs I do, about one a week. I drink more when I do too, as I can't have a fag without a drink or a cuppa, because I hate the taste, it's crazy! I used hypnosis the first time, this time I'm going to try that again and the Alan Carr book. I'd love to do a month, I used to run lots, my skin is awful now, I've put on weight, I'm 45 and I do not want to be an old smoker, bad skin, smelly clothes and hair, not to mention fear of getting I'll from it. I'll keep posting!

Please feel free to keep posting here. I'd love to support others and also remain accountable myself. I am using the aspire pockex vape. I enjoy it much more than smoking tbh. 2 days is great! Two whole days of smelling better and I promise you'll start to feel better soon too.

May I make a suggestion, we are all different but I kept my pouch of tobacco for a couple of weeks. I'm one of those people that struggles more if something isn't there. It kind of helped knowing I had it if I 'needed' it. I did throw away the filters and rizla though but baccy isn't cheap.

If it helps here's some positives I've noticed so far, I have more energy, I have a lot more time (don't know how I spent so much time smoking). I have more money. My skin is starting to look pink rather than grey. I smell so much nicer than I did. No more stained fingers. My teeth seem whiter (possibly in my head). I was getting VERY frequent coughs and colds. The last one is part of the reason I quit I had two that were literally weeks apart and I couldn't shift them. I don't cough up a lung in the morning. AND, I can run up the stairs now..probably not any further though.

@Theghostofchristmasarse also it will be so helpful having people around that don't smoke. I spent the first week of my quit away with family who don't smoke and judge people that do.
Also what a gift to give your daughter. My eldest HATED me smoking and really likes seeing the numbers go up on my stop smoking app. Good luck you've got this. Here to support :)
I hope your daughter enjoys her day!

I've done well, last night I made myself 3 Rollie's, was going to keep them for this morning and one tonight once everyone was in bed, but last minute decided not to, chucked it all and haven't had one now in 24 hrs. Bit twitchy but ok. Test will be tomorrow night, with boyfriend who will hopefully stick to his heated icos thingy which doesn't hold any interest for me at all weirdly and I might get through another night 🤞

@Theghostofchristmasarse wow! That's amazing. How are you getting on?

Are you going cold turkey?

How are you all doing?

The picture is my current stats, smoked for over 20 years and finally feel like I’ll never touch one again.

I used nicotine patches for the first 8 weeks alongside a vape, the patches gave a steady stream of nicotine and the vape helped on top of those when a big craving hit.

Stopped the patches, now on zero mg vape liquid and aim to give it up completely by summer hopefully.

Wishing you the very best of luck and you can do it! I gave up last October. I was a smoker since I was 19 and I’m 58 now. If I can, anyone can. No props, no vaping either. I had covid and they tasted foul. Really really foul. I had listened to Allen Carr’s audio book on giving up smoking a week earlier and I guess it must have stuck with me. I didn’t think it had. I had no cravings, no nothing. I had tried many other methods and nothing worked for long and used lots of willpower. I felt like I had failed. But here I am as a non smoker and feeling very pleased with myself. You can do it! 👏👏👏 And I don’t miss it one bit and I never think about it. I am loving the state of my bank account too!

Well done and good luck! I stopped about 6 years ago and use a vape. I think with a lot of people it’s the hand to mouth/nicotine habit that’s hard to get past.
You will find after a few weeks you’ll be sitting somewhere or walk past someone in a supermarket who’s been smoking and the smell is so strong. I often thought to myself I can’t believe I smelled like that it’s awful.
Vaping helps a lot of people. Much cheaper as well!!
Your skin will be brighter and for some reason your hair and nails will be nicer. And I used to hate flying, hours knowing I couldn’t have a cigarette drove me mad but now I don’t mind at all.

It's so nice to get so many success stories to read through. Thank you all and well done to every one of you. It is tough.
I tried the Allen Carr book but it didn't work for me, I know it has for so many people.
I think for me a lot of it was the hand to mouth habit. I'd gotten to the point where I longer enjoyed the taste so the vape has been the perfect way for me.

I tried cold turkey once and the anxiety was horrific I only lasted 24 hours because I couldn't even sleep. Crazy how smoking or lack of it affects you.

Well I was rubbish on Saturday night, smoked loads of Rollies. But had a serious word with the boyfriend now, he's not going to offer me any at all and he's sticking to his heated tobacco thing. We've planned a swim on the midweek night I see him, so we can get out of the habit of just having a few drinks, food, then smoking. Now done over 24 hours again, cold turkey, but because there aren't any in the house I've no temptation so I'm not bothered! Mental!

Well done!! I'm rooting for you!

I'm on day 36 cold turkey!

I had really bad flu and literally couldn't inhale without coughing. I was so unwell I couldn't face smoking so gave up "accidentally".

I was ready to give up though and sick and tired of it. I just needed pushing over the edge, so to speak.

I didn't notice cravings or feel irritable because I was so unwell anyway. In the past I've struggled to get past those awful cravings.

People have said I look "well" lately and a couple of people have even said I look pretty, which doesn't usually happen.

I think I look healthier and brighter in some way if that makes sense.

I don't worry about smelling of smoke anymore which is lovely.

I'm not missing standing out in the rain smoking, and saving so much money.

It's early days though and I am a bit fearful of a relapse... so will have out here for support if that's OK.

@Thornrose you should be so proud of yourself. Cold turkey is tough and you've done amazingly! Feel free to hang out here.

Really nice to read all the positive changes you've experienced since quitting. I was talking to a lady recently and she said you still notice changes years on especially health wise so I try to cling on to that.

Hello I am a bit late to the party here but have not had a cigarette since I went to bed on Sunday - now Thursday . Cold Turkey. All best to those still doing it - I know 4th day doesn't seem much - but I have done it 💐 to all

Hey! Well done! Any amount of days is amazing it's super tough to stop smoking. Especially at the beginning. Happy to update that I am still cigarette free. I do vape but I don't smoke :) it's been 131 days since my last cig.

Here to support if you need :)

@WigglesWaggles Thank you & all the best to you - am in first week of giving up Not nearly as good as you are - but thank you for encouragement - very much appreciated - not vaping just getting through one day at a time 😊Let us see how it may be OK or indeed not - Ha ha. But 131 days is fantastic - All the very very best to you and very best to you an any hints appreciated Thank you - I appreciate your post - I am taking it one day at a time at the moment - but I am appreciative of your posts

Ach Twit -- have had 1 cigarette - in a week - I shall not have another I wish I had not done it - but there you go - will make sure not another - But am pleased I have had 1 in a week rather than 20 x 7 . Will make sure it isn't the slippery slope

That is my story I am determined to give up - wish me well

Thank you @WigglesWaggles - tomorrow is another day & I shall not have another one - Thank you for support It was just one - any support welcome .

So well done. It's the habit that you're breaking now, as the nicotine is out of your system. I stopped a decade ago and I'm glad every day.

Ooh I forgot I posted on here...I'm on day 133! I cannot believe I've done it!