Ever quit smoking?

hotsauce · Post by **hotsauce** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 10:22 am

Hi everyone, my name is hotsauce, and I'm a former smoker. *group in unison*..."hi, hotsauce!"

This is day two. Yesterday was miserable! I'm feeling much better today. I know I will never smoke another ciggy again. NEVER!

I know it is gross. I know I am a terrible human for smoking for so long. I don't want to hear it. However, I would LOVE to hear your stories of kicking the habit. Anyone care to share?

I read A LOT of information before quitting. Excessive exercise seems to help too. Did you find anything helpful?

Sheryl · Post by **Sheryl** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 10:25 am

Please answer her post, because I want to quit tooo.

Hotsauce do you have any links with some good information for quitting?

hotsauce · Post by **hotsauce** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 10:30 am

oh boy! do i have a book for you! it totally inspired me...kid time...will get back to you!

minks · Post by **minks** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 10:49 am

Hey Hot good to see ya back.

I divorced my smoking habit ahahaha the ex was a smoker, nothing seemed to work for him. Apparently now he is trying again, sadly my children are suffereing the wrath of that as he can't even be civil to them and blames it on quitting smoking.

But seriously.....

Hot I hope your spouse is supporting you as well. I know I blew it as the non smoking spouse as I always pointed out the failures and didn't do well encouraging the little tiny successes. Bad me really cause that was no help, it actually drove him to smoke in secret.

hotsauce · Post by **hotsauce** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 11:09 am

minks, no, hubby sucks! he still smokes. nobody wants to be the last one on the ship going down. know what i mean? he was saying last night...just one more...just one more with me. ugh! it was very much a social thing. we would go outside and gaze at the stars and fire up. so dumb! lol oh well. gosh today is so much better!

sheryl...i had two ppl tell me to read this book. they both quit smoking. it is one of the best books i have ever read. i didn't put it down once i started...

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/bookse ... 8616&itm=1 GET THIS BOOK! even if you THINK you might want to stop...get it.

my husband said..."those books are for weak minded ppl...i said...oh yea, smoking i guess is for strong ppl! :p

koochikoo....SOOOO GOOD TO HEAR! i think the worst day is out of the way. i'm so determined. i can be really hard headed and determined when i wanna!

minks · Post by **minks** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 11:22 am

Well Hot we here will offer up all the support we can, good for you, go for it, and keep up the good work.

SweetDarlin · Post by **SweetDarlin** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 11:26 am

i have quit.

The advice I found the most helpful overall (searches for link) was one that said to know your triggers...

for instance i always lit up when i got into the car after work... so I anticipated that and put something else there, like a soda

have nuts beside your chair,

little candies wherever you go to lite up. Thing like that really helped get over the hump.

The best thing to know in addition to that is that you will feel like absolute crap, (big bawling baby, if you are me) for 72 hours while the nicotine leaves your system. After that, it's all downhill. The rest is mental, in your head, your resolve, your willpower. And you aren't weak, are ya!?

Good luck sistah!

8. Know Your TriggersYour next step toward self-knowledge and quitting is learning what triggers your smoking. A trigger is anything that instantly engenders within you a desire to smoke. For example, the end of a meal may be a signal (trigger) to your mind and body that it's time for a cigarette. In part "d" of Step 2 above you wrote down what triggers your desire to smoke. After reading the following, go back to your written plan and add to it if necessary.

Common triggers include people, places, events and stress.

People: when you are with other smokers you are more likely to light up. Also, certain people may put you under stress, encouraging you to reach for a cigarette.

Places: certain places are synonymous with smoking, such as bars or restaurants. Your smoking may also be triggered when you are in a place where you have smoked before or a place where you smoke regularly, such as a designated smoking area at your office.

Events: stressful or extraordinary events such as a family memberÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s illness or death can trigger stress, which consequently triggers your smoking. You may also tend to light up at sporting events, parties, or as mentioned earlier, the end of a meal.

Stress: As mentioned above, stress can be a trigger, causing you to reach for a cigarette. Cigarettes do have a legitimate calming effect on many smokers, encouraging the use of cigarettes as tranquilizers.

Stress is caused by numerous things in our lives and is most likely a daily influence in your life. Part of your job when giving up cigarettes is learning how to deal with your stress in some way other than smoking. Step 9 below discusses exercise as a stress reliever and quit-smoking method. Meditation and visualization (Step 7 above) are also good stress relievers. Plan how you will reduce stress in your life.

abbey · Post by **abbey** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 1:06 pm

Hiya Hotsauce, i smoke but like you have decided enough is enough!

I had chest pains last week and the hospital called me in and gave me a good going over, treadmill etc,

thankfully there's life in the old ticker yet, but its made me take stock of my life.

Today i booked an appt at the smoking cessation clinic at my docs, i've decided to give Zyban a go.

I dont like the thought of relying on drugs to quit but i have no willpower whatsoever and the 1st sign of a crisis i reach for the ciggies!

Good luck, i'm sure you wont need it as you've already been brave enough to take the first step x.

Saffron · Post by **Saffron** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 2:51 pm

I smoke off and on. I don't like the smell of them. And I hate the way my tongue and mouth taste after I smoke even one . So I seem to only smoke when I am very very upset or angry.

Strange thing is.....lately I have stopped. Even though I am going thru hard times.

A male friend of mine quit after smoking cigars for a long long time. And he has seemed to stay with it, even though his mother is dying of cancer. He is very strong-willed. In more ways than one.

Post by **Bryn Mawr** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 3:10 pm

I found that the first month after I gave up (20 years ago) I suffered badly from a cough and sore throat - though I'd be better off smoking than feeling that bad.

Aparently it's the self cleaning mechanism coming back to life after being suppressed by the nicotine.

When the cravings were the worst, exercise helped - even only a couple of minutes and the need had gone.

For the fist 6 months I complained that I was feeling no better for having stopped - until I had to run for a bus and realised that I would *never* have made it whilst I was smoking.

It might feel hard at times but it's sooo good when you have

BTW if you weaken and have a cigarette, don't think "I've failed, I've started again" - it's just a blip to ignore and carry on.

The very best of luck to you both.

embers · Post by **embers** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 4:32 pm

*currently in the process of giving up*

*currently using niquitin patches*

*currently smoking a cigarette*

>< arghhh

SweetDarlin · Post by **SweetDarlin** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 9:54 am

embers wrote: *currently in the process of giving up*

*currently using niquitin patches*

*currently smoking a cigarette*

>that's potentially fatal.

You absolutely CAN NOT smoke while using a patch! The amount of nicotine could kill you. STOP! :-4

hotsauce · Post by **hotsauce** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 11:04 am

thanks for all of the comments. today has been a very, VERY bad day. i'm glad there wasn't a loaded shotgun around. :-5 however, smoking is NOT an option. it will get better.

booradley · Post by **booradley** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 1:05 pm

well done and keep it up. I stopped after Christmas and thought I was over the worst of it but it hit me all over again at the weekend...didn't have one though. You can do it.

Bez · Post by **Bez** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 1:13 pm

This time last year I started on the path of giving up through the cessation clinic at the Drs Surgery. I used patches. i didn't smoke a cigarette fo 5 months....I found it easy. Something happened one day that rocked my resolve and I've been smoking again ever since. That was the 3rd time I had attempted to stop. Not a day goes by when i don't 'beat myself up' about starting again....of course I will try again...

Good luck...be a success story :-6

sunny104 · Post by **sunny104** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 1:14 pm

hotsauce wrote: minks, no, hubby sucks! he still smokes. nobody wants to be the last one on the ship going down. know what i mean? he was saying last night...just one more...just one more with me. ugh! it was very much a social thing. we would go outside and gaze at the stars and fire up. so dumb! lol oh well. gosh today is so much better!

sheryl...i had two ppl tell me to read this book. they both quit smoking. it is one of the best books i have ever read. i didn't put it down once i started...

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/bookse ... 8616&itm=1 GET THIS BOOK! even if you THINK you might want to stop...get it.

my husband said..."those books are for weak minded ppl...i said...oh yea, smoking i guess is for strong ppl! :p

koochikoo....SOOOO GOOD TO HEAR! i think the worst day is out of the way. i'm so determined. i can be really hard headed and determined when i wanna!

I just ordered this book (thanks Hotsauce!)

I've been smoking since my teens, I'm ready to quit if I can!:)

hotsauce · Post by **hotsauce** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 2:19 pm

Bez wrote: This time last year I started on the path of giving up through the cessation clinic at the Drs Surgery. I used patches. i didn't smoke a cigarette fo 5 months....I found it easy. Something happened one day that rocked my resolve and I've been smoking again ever since. That was the 3rd time I had attempted to stop. Not a day goes by when i don't 'beat myself up' about starting again....of course I will try again...

Good luck...be a success story :-6

wow. i needed to read that. i'm so sorry though! i will do this. please PM me when you get ready to do this again. i would love to talk with you about it! stop beating yourself up. those first three were practice runs. you can do this!

hotsauce · Post by **hotsauce** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 2:20 pm

sunny104 wrote: I just ordered this book (thanks Hotsauce!)

I've been smoking since my teens, I'm ready to quit if I can!:)

PLEASE PM me when you read this! i can't wait to hear what you think! i couldn't put it down! it made soooo much sense! have a very open mind when you read it.

this afternoon has been easy. i find my hardest times are paperwork times. i need to keep myself busy!

pantsonfire321@aol.com · Thu Apr 13, 2006 1:55 am

My dad was a 60/80 a day man for donkey's years he gave up the day he was told he had lung cancer ..and with the help of patch's and the gum he never smoked another ciggy ..you can give up ...you will give up ...good luck all

sunny104 · Post by **sunny104** » Thu Apr 13, 2006 7:36 am

hotsauce wrote: PLEASE PM me when you read this! i can't wait to hear what you think! i couldn't put it down! it made soooo much sense! have a very open mind when you read it.

this afternoon has been easy. i find my hardest times are paperwork times. i need to keep myself busy!

I'll let you know!

I've cut down a lot in the last few days so it was great to see this thread!

chrisb84uk · Post by **chrisb84uk** » Fri Apr 14, 2006 4:20 am

Well thankfully I can honestly say that I have never touched a cigarette, and have no intention on doing so. But to all of u out there who are trying to give up, then I wish the best of luck to you all. Just keep staying positive and believe that there is light at the end of the tunnel!!

Uncle Kram · Post by **Uncle Kram** » Fri Apr 14, 2006 6:51 am

I was a heavy smoker as a teenager. At my peak, I was getting through 2 lighters a day.

DayDreamer · Post by **DayDreamer** » Fri Apr 14, 2006 12:42 pm

I gave up smoking on New years eve, and I have to admit I found it really hard to begin with, but now It does not even bother me.

Now all I have to do is get the hubby to give up