Quitting Smoking Thread

[vegster]

This is day number 6. Yesterday was the first day that i actually felt some remnance of 'normality' (i.e not a moody little git). But i can definetly feel the benefits already, my breathing feels much clearer for one. And best thing really ive probably saved around £30-40.
Though i dont know if this happened to anyone else, people say you gain more of an appetite when quitting, ive found the opposite, just not in the mood to eat at all. Is this normal?

I think once you start regaining more of your taste buds and start smelling food you will be like Pavlov's dog ! Keep at it, every day you go without makes it a little easier. Be aware not to weaken, if you have even one fag you are effectively back to square one. but put some of your saved money aside and buy yourself a treat of some kind as a reward. If you really feel you are weakening have a sniff of a full ashtray of butts.

 

[Russconha]

Have I dereamed more? Hell yeah. It is like having two lives; a waking life and a sleeping life. Haven't been too many nightmares thankfully, usually they are about scoring some weed somewhere without ever smoking any!!

I never saw it as a problem, just that I smoked when I was awake and didn't when I was asleep. I managed to achieve a whole lot so I thought it was manageable and I know people who smoke more. Now I can see that although it was managable, I would've managed a lot more and a lot better without the stuff. Even so, almost 2 monmths in, I'm tempted to go for a Friday night one-skin with herbal tobacco....

 

[rouseytastic]

Started today. Was meant to be on New Year's Day but I just found excuse after excuse not to so today is the day.
I'll be 36 in a few weeks and been smoking since I was 13. 23 years on the fags is far too long. It's odd thinking I've smoked the majority of my life and I genuinely struggle to remember what life was like before them. Very nervous but determined to do it!

 

[Tricky Dicky]

Have I dereamed more? Hell yeah. It is like having two lives; a waking life and a sleeping life. Haven't been too many nightmares thankfully, usually they are about scoring some weed somewhere without ever smoking any!!

I never saw it as a problem, just that I smoked when I was awake and didn't when I was asleep. I managed to achieve a whole lot so I thought it was manageable and I know people who smoke more. Now I can see that although it was managable, I would've managed a lot more and a lot better without the stuff. Even so, almost 2 monmths in, I'm tempted to go for a Friday night one-skin with herbal tobacco....

Everyone's different and I never realised it at the time, but it seriously messed my head up permanently, though, as I said, I have recovered somewhat.

 

[n1 gull]

One week done! Not easy but really pleased to have got this far. Not sleeping brilliantly and feel like I'm getting a cold but still very happy

 

[Fourteenth Eye]

Stopped on sat after having a collapsed lung last week.

Hopefully i will last longer than my usual attempts.

 

[c0lz]

good luck to you all.

Has the latest quitting add convinced any one to give up ?
http://www.theguardian.com/media/2013/dec/30/new-year-ad-campaign-targets-smokers-health

 

[pauli cee]

good luck to you all.

Has the latest quitting add convinced any one to give up ?
http://www.theguardian.com/media/2013/dec/30/new-year-ad-campaign-targets-smokers-health

It wasn't the turning point, but it definitely helps!!

 

[cjd]

Off to see my 'smoking cessation' nurse in a few minutes and hopefully receive my pat on the head.

Like many, I respond well to praise and encouragement, just a shame that I only have to go once a fortnight. Money and budgets dictate, but I feel the success rate would be far higher if appointments with a 'smoking cessation' nurse were everyday for the first week and then tapering off over the next few weeks.

Oh...and day 46...or might even be 47 now.

 

[Monsieur Le Plonk]

So I've been on these electric ciggy thingymejiggs since the New Year.
Previously been 10-15 a day smoker for 30 years but decided had to get serious about stopping.
All been going great until I have a drink and then it seems to go wrong and I cave in and have a single cigarette and I'm done. Had 3 cigarettes since New Year.
Those of you who have given up or cut right down - is this a workable solution?
I reckon I would be happy if I can stick to having 1 or 2 cigarettes per drinking session and therefore cut down my cigarette intake take from 90
to 5 a week. Or is this all going to end in tears and in a months time I am going to be back to being a heavyish smoker again?
I am genuinely committed to this but was wondering about others' experience.

 

[vegster]

good luck to you all.

Has the latest quitting add convinced any one to give up ?
http://www.theguardian.com/media/2013/dec/30/new-year-ad-campaign-targets-smokers-health

Mrs. V's mother has smoked 60 a day for ages and has the ongoing health problems you would associate with that habit. Christmas 2012 she had her lap top out and interrupted our various conversations to say " Pay attention everyone, I have just seen an amazing e-mail, I never knew this but it seems that drinking water from a plastic bottle that has been sat in your car for a while can cause cancer..... something to do with the plastic bottle " however she delivered this message from behind a cloud of her blue smoke while drinking her 3rd large glass of Red wine for the day.

Some people just won't think that it applies to them, they just bury their heads in the sand. The advert is the latest in a long line that might make a few think, but, they will still be outside the pub tonight in the wind and rain smoking.

 

[spongy]

Tomorrow is my day. I'm 36 this year, I just had a cigarette and coughed my lungs up so badly I thought I was going to die. I used an ecig for 9 months last year but god only knows why I started up again.

Really angry and disappointed with myself for starting again.

My only problem is that Being a machine setter/operator I can have plenty of time on my hands at work and the fire escape is only 25ft away to go out for a smoke. My willpower is shockingly shit. I managed to stop using Charlie as a weekend recreational drug last year with no problem. This is a lot harder :-(

 

[vegster]

So I've been on these electric ciggy thingymejiggs since the New Year.
Previously been 10-15 a day smoker for 30 years but decided had to get serious about stopping.
All been going great until I have a drink and then it seems to go wrong and I cave in and have a single cigarette and I'm done. Had 3 cigarettes since New Year.
Those of you who have given up or cut right down - is this a workable solution?
I reckon I would be happy if I can stick to having 1 or 2 cigarettes per drinking session and therefore cut down my cigarette intake take from 90
to 5 a week. Or is this all going to end in tears and in a months time I am going to be back to being a heavyish smoker again?
I am genuinely committed to this but was wondering about others' experience.

I tried to quit at one point but thought that having the odd cigar while having a few drinks would not count as smoking..... then it got to the stage where I would inhale the cigar smoke... then it got to the stage where I would make an excuse to go out " For a beer " so I could have a few cigars. Eventually I realised I was now spending more cash on pub cigars that I was on roll ups. plus I was choking my lungs. more. So, made the decision I had to quit totally about 8 years ago, read and re-read the Allen Carr book and it worked.
You have almost cracked it, you need to give up in total as you will be like me, creep back in to it.

 

[Petunia]

So I've been on these electric ciggy thingymejiggs since the New Year.
Previously been 10-15 a day smoker for 30 years but decided had to get serious about stopping.
All been going great until I have a drink and then it seems to go wrong and I cave in and have a single cigarette and I'm done. Had 3 cigarettes since New Year.
Those of you who have given up or cut right down - is this a workable solution?
I reckon I would be happy if I can stick to having 1 or 2 cigarettes per drinking session and therefore cut down my cigarette intake take from 90
to 5 a week. Or is this all going to end in tears and in a months time I am going to be back to being a heavyish smoker again?
I am genuinely committed to this but was wondering about others' experience.

I've tried in the past to be a 'social smoker' and just have a couple with a drink. I cannot do that. I know some can, but I know that if I have one I will be back to 20 a day in no time. Also you end up drinking more so you can have that smoke!! Good luck if you can do it

 

[wellquickwoody]

I've tried in the past to be a 'social smoker' and just have a couple with a drink. I cannot do that. I know some can, but I know that if I have one I will be back to 20 a day in no time. Also you end up drinking more so you can have that smoke!! Good luck if you can do it

So true. If you are one of those lucky, lucky people who really can take it or leave it then I am solo jealous. In reality you would be 1 in a 100, just stop, easy to say I know. I am 21 months in, after 30 years of smoking, cannot say that I never fancy one but it is very rare now, and it will not happen. I now look at colleagues who smoke and have a moment of jealousy, and then a reality check of a moment of sadness for them - I feel so much better, I am more productive at work, I am told I look better, I partake in sport again in my mid forties, one day I will notice the extra cash,for now I am just enjoying life.

 

[Russconha]

So I've been on these electric ciggy thingymejiggs since the New Year.
Previously been 10-15 a day smoker for 30 years but decided had to get serious about stopping.
All been going great until I have a drink and then it seems to go wrong and I cave in and have a single cigarette and I'm done. Had 3 cigarettes since New Year.
Those of you who have given up or cut right down - is this a workable solution?
I reckon I would be happy if I can stick to having 1 or 2 cigarettes per drinking session and therefore cut down my cigarette intake take from 90
to 5 a week. Or is this all going to end in tears and in a months time I am going to be back to being a heavyish smoker again?
I am genuinely committed to this but was wondering about others' experience.

Having the odd one simply doesn't work. Once the nicotine is in the system it remains there for approx 3 weeks. For the duration of those 3 weeks you will get the pangs of needing a smoke. So if you went two weeks without having a smoke you'd only be a week away from freeing yourself of the physical addiction. A crafty fag here or there would just set you back to square one again.
I don't even recommend the e-cigs. A majority of people that use those end up using them more and more heavily until they don't do the job anymore and they go back onto ciggies.

The best way to do it is to completely kick nicotine. Easier said than done mind. Good luck and stay strong

 

[Monsieur Le Plonk]

You have almost cracked it, you need to give up in total as you will be like me, creep back in to it.

have one I will be back to 20 a day in no time. Also you end up drinking more so you can have that smoke!! Good luck if you can do it

So true. In reality you would be 1 in a 100, just stop.

. A crafty fag here or there would just set you back to square one again.
I don't even recommend the e-cigs. A majority of people that use those end up using them more and more heavily until they don't do the job anymore and they go back onto ciggies.

The best way to do it is to completely kick nicotine. Easier said than done mind. Good luck and stay strong

Thanks for taking the time to reply guys.
All saying a very similar thing I guess. Social smoking doesn't work long term.
I confess to having a large and nagging doubt about this whole electric cigarette thing. I'm just replacing nicotine with nicotine. At the end of the day I am not curing my addiction, I am just altering my source. The will and dependency to smoke is still there and not really getting cured I suppose.
I dont know, for the time being I am just pleased to have been able to have cut down so dramatically. I guess I'm not looking too much further down the road than that.

 

[WhingForPresident]

Managed two weeks before losing my e-cig and everything that went with it last time I posted in this thread, but I'm starting again as me and the missus have our first child on the way in September.

24 hours down and I'm feeling alright, bit tetchy but nothing major. Any ongoing success stories from this thread?

Also thought I'd mention, the e-cig brand I'm using, SkyCig, are doing 50% off all orders, presumably as they're having a rebrand or something. Just bagged myself an extra battery and two packs of 5 cartridges for £16 delivered (sod's law they decided to do this sale three days after I'd bought all the essential equipment again )

 

[Petunia]

Managed two weeks before losing my e-cig and everything that went with it last time I posted in this thread, but I'm starting again as me and the missus have our first child on the way in September.

24 hours down and I'm feeling alright, bit tetchy but nothing major. Any ongoing success stories from this thread?

Also thought I'd mention, the e-cig brand I'm using, SkyCig, are doing 50% off all orders, presumably as they're having a rebrand or something. Just bagged myself an extra battery and two packs of 5 cartridges for £16 delivered (sod's law they decided to do this sale three days after I'd bought all the essential equipment again )

I'll be 2 years off them in July. Could still murder one sometimes, but I'm not going to give in. Oh, and Congratulations

 

[madinthehead]

Managed two weeks before losing my e-cig and everything that went with it last time I posted in this thread, but I'm starting again as me and the missus have our first child on the way in September.

24 hours down and I'm feeling alright, bit tetchy but nothing major. Any ongoing success stories from this thread?

Also thought I'd mention, the e-cig brand I'm using, SkyCig, are doing 50% off all orders, presumably as they're having a rebrand or something. Just bagged myself an extra battery and two packs of 5 cartridges for £16 delivered (sod's law they decided to do this sale three days after I'd bought all the essential equipment again )

Smoked my last cig on 5th January for the same reason as you. First born due in a month. I used patches. Good luck to you.