Does anyone wanna create a peer support thread for giving up smoking this month?!

[ruthietoothie]

Just a thought! We could use it to share experiences and keep each other going! Think my plan is to start on champix tonoeeow

Bumping for you, I quit last May after 25 years and it was the best thing I ever did, so wishing you the best of luck 🍀

I had my last cig at around midnight on 31st December. I’ve quit a couple of times before, once for a few years, always cold turkey. I tried cold turkey this time too but was a raging murderous bitch for the first couple days so DH bought me a vape with 5mg juice. Feeling a bit better on that! Will fuck that off in a week or two.

Just to give a bit of encouragement, I was a 30 a day smoker when I quit cold turkey. I powered through and once the mental addiction was gone I did not miss it one bit. I never have cravings. It's just totally gone from my life and good riddance I say!

can I recommend the book by Allen Carr (not the comedian) it’s bloody incredible. I read it and stopped there and then.

Thanks everyone! Inspired by those who have done it and by those who are doing it right now - shout out to @FieldOfBeans i quit smoking about 18 years ago but took it up again last summer as a crutch for chronic stresss connected with parenting children with send. Know it’s not the answer but also terrified of trying to stop and failing. Torn between going down the vape route, trying cold turkey or giving champix a go….

hello everyone! I have currently just passed my third day 72 hours of quitting! Supposed to be the hardest craving day but who knows? I was on Champix for three weeks using a cut down method from 35 a day to 9 to abruptly 1 for 1 day and finally 0 for the lasy 3 days? There was no method to this at all? I just made it up as i went along. The champix made me feel so nauseous- however i would sometimes forget to take it with food so probably my own fault? I decided in my own wisdom to also today just quit the Champix as I really do hate the effects it has on me - leaves a tinny taste in my mouth and I just dont love the thought of it. This was probably the worst thing I could do - and I seemed to have totally decided to use my own method of giving up? But to be fair

Just to continue - to be fair to myself i have been smoking for nearly 30 years! OMG so hard to actually believe - like how did that happen? Never intentional to be so permanent, and I only gave up once in that entire time for 8 months and again this was through my own strange way of using Champix! So Im actually feeling pretty proud and think im doing pretty well. Fingers crossed - whatever works for everyone - super good luck everyone!! ;0)

You can do this! I am currently 30 days smoke free and really hope this is the one that sticks. I am the most determined I have been in years that I want to quit. I used my local stop smoking service with patches and inhalator. But I am completely off nicotine at the moment (over a week in fact!). I plan on keeping the spare patches and inhalator cartridges just in case I get any really strong cravings. But the worst seems to be over. I sometimes find myself wanting a cigarette or thinking 'I would be smoking right now' in certain situations but remind myself why I am quitting. I wish you and anybody else quitting the very best of luck!

Keep going you can do this. I stopping last summer and you just need to get through this first week and then it gets easier as you start to think about it less.

My biggest advice is keep busy and try and break the connections of your old smoking habits. So for me it was habit by association - first cig with my coffee, a couple during lunch hour, one on the walk back to the train etc. I had to charge my routine tas I could feel myself craving. So i started eating an apple on the walk to work instead of smoking/drinking coffee, Id ring someone on the walk home (Double bonus of being a really nice way to connect with some old friends and family I haven’t spoken to in awhile!), lunchtime I either asked colleagues if they wanted a walk or stayed in and watched a film on my iPad. Evenings I made sure I had less spare time (cooking, did an exercise class, invited girlfriends over for drink etc) and avoided the pub! Just keep away from smokers Everyone will be different, but for so many smokers it’s the habits you have that you’ll need to break to be successful. I honestly thought I loved smoking but I can see now how tied I was to it and how my day revolved around fitting in smoking breaks! Don’t get me wrong, I do still feel tempted from time to time that I can shake off the thought very quickly now so it’s not intrusive.

keep it up and here to help if I can.

I spoke to myself like I was a toddler

I don't care how much you scream and kick and cry, you're not having one!

😂

The smoke free app is really useful.

I’m on day 6. I read Easyway which I recommend. It’s annoying but effective.

My issue seems to be that I find it too easy to quit so stop for a year and then restart. My addiction brain convinces me that I am justified in having one.

How’s everyone getting on? I’m on my first day of trying not to smoke so about (13 hours in). I can’t remember who on the thread said it but I’m finding the surfing metaphor for cravings helpful and just trying to ride each one out. I’m also trying to get my head around the weight I’ll inevitably put on but think that’s a price worth paying for healthier lungs and for quitting this habit.

think I need to find things to do with the 5 mins head space / break I’d usually get from a fag. Any suggestions? Also what do ppl chew / suck on instead of fags?

im on champix which seems to be doing its job so tempted to just stock up on regular chewing gum and sugar free mints… and maybe try and up my water intake. Any other suggestions?

big kudos to all of you not smoking! Any thoughts on how many weeks in you have to be before it gets easier? X

A friend gave me a tip ... tell yourself you will have a cigarette tomorrow, not today, but tomorrow.
Sounds crazy, but it worked for me.

Currently on 14 days of quitting. I’ve quit before having children and during pregnancy and until the toddler stage but losing a family member teamed with children with sen, I resorted to smoking 20 a day. The last time I made it to three weeks and stress got the better of me. I’m also full of cold with the worst sore throat so I’m hoping this helps me for another week. If I can get past the month I’m hoping I can quit for good. Has anyone got any advice for the snacking. I’m trying to lose weight and I’m gaining it

@Crazyhousewife23 total solidarity! I was an ex smoker for almost 20 years but the stresss of parenting children with Sen pushed me to the edge and back onto cigs. On the weight I would try and be kind to yourself? I think putting on a bit is inevitable given that it changes your metabolism?!

I’m on day four and I’m pretty sure the champix is helping me a lot but really struggling with insomnia. Has anyone found that with giving up and found anything they found helpful?

Well done @ruthietoothie 4 days is great. You're in the hardest part so I would advise make yourself VERY BUSY. If sleep is an issue evening exercise might be useful followed by a long soak in the bath (both helpful as you can't smoke doing either!) . It will pass but just keep going one day at a time.

Thank you @PhoebeMcPeePee appreciate your advice! Having a glass of wine to mark four days and hoping it’ll help me sleep too.

can I check when you’d say the longest part ends!!!???

I think by about day 5 or 6 I realised I was gradually thinking about it less and then it just gets easier day by day. I won’t lie there will still be times you really crave a cig but you have to dig deep and find a distraction, give yourself a pep talk and quickly move on. It gets easier I promise and I can go days and days without even giving it a thought now.

I think by about day 5 or 6 I realised I was gradually thinking about it less and then it just gets easier day by day. I won’t lie there will still be times you really crave a cig but you have to dig deep and find a distraction, give yourself a pep talk and quickly move on. It gets easier I promise and I can go days and days without even giving it a thought now.

I need to quit too. This thread has motivated me so will try day 1 tomorrow. Thank you!

Aw @Wishitsnows good luck! Let us know how you’re getting on!

I’ve done a week now and actually feel like it’s getting harder not easier! At the beginning I was so focused on it but now I’m just missing the treat that a fag was and feel like I’m leaning on other unhealthy habits - gin and ice cream last night - to get me through.

someone on here recommended the smoke free app and I’d also recommend it too as it gives you a visual reminder of how many days / hours you’ve been smoke free and how much you’re saving!! Think I might buy myself something with the £35 I’ve saved so far!!

my insomnia is still really bad too so I feel like I’ve barely slept for a week! But I keep telling myself that I’ve done the hardest bit and that I need to do this for my kids and for my health! Feels a long road though

solidarity and strength to all those also doing it c

Well done all, keep going! I did pile the weight on when I quit but I figured it was better to be a bit chubby than still be smoking! Now that I'm confident I've kicked the smoking habit I'm kicking the snacking one, lost 10lb this year so far!