Quit Smoking - so far so good...

[cstreit]

60 hours and counting....

18 years of this crap and it's time I gave it the college try. I went on Zyban for 2 weeks, but after the upped the dosage to the "proper" amount I got the shakes and sweats and was a total vegetable.. I banned it. Went on the patch instead after cutting down to less than 10 per day so I could start on the lower dosage.

The local guys have been keeping me busy... As long as I'm doing something it's okay... It's those "triggers" that really make the cravings come on, Coffee, meals, driving, boredom, hunger. Had a few really overwhelming ones that got me mumblingto myself.

It's amazing the stuff your nicotine junkie brain tries to pull over on you. "Oh just ONE won't kill you, cause this craving is probably because the patch is "defective". or "You can cheat this weekend, it's no different than the patch anyway", etc... JUNKIE BRAIN!

Wish me luck!

[Jim Richards]

Good luck, Otto! I quit a long, long time ago. One of the best things I ever did.

[bivenator]

hang in there dude, it is rough in the beginning, gets worse in the middle and then it strarts to level off into hell. you will feel sooo much better though when you do beat the demon.

[livi]

Yep, good luck!

Although luck has nothing to do with it. And as you know the health gains long term are priceless. My best friend quit this year after 25 years of smoking 60 cigs / day. "Nothing to it", he said..

I quit 20 years ago.

...although I replaced it with Swedish wet snuff admittedly..

[cstreit]

Thanks guys,

Unfortunately I know it'll get harder before it gets easier... Once the initial adrenaline rush of "I'm quitting!" wears off, the cravings will be tough.

The good news is the few weeks leading up to this I cut out my "favorite" ones to ease the transition. The morning coffee smoke, the after dinner smoke, and the Beer smoke. By cutting out the big ones, I managed to cut my consumption IN HALF. I don't miss those nearly as much now... ...but I still think about them every 20 minutes or so.. The cravings are already fewer, but stronger.

[stomachmonkey]

Piece of cake. Have done it many times myself, nothing to it. In fact I don't even smoke between cigarettes anymore.

Seriously, I'm going to tackle that project again in a week or so.

Started buying mediums instead of my regular smoke. Trying to break routine which makes it easier.

I'm determined to do it once and for all.

I'm pulling for you.

Scott

[arcsine]

Chris,
You owe it to yourself and more importantly your family to stick with it. Think of yourself as a strong enough person that does not need a crutch to get by.
All good karma to you to do it.

[m21sniper]

I quit last year cold turkey after 20+ years. Easiest thing i've ever done. Havn't had so much as a puff since.

Watch out for weight gain though. Keeping the lbs off WAS(and is) hard.

[gaijindabe]

Good luck Chris.

[Cornpanzer]

Dude, way to go. I cant even stop eating ice cream without having the DT's , so I cant imagine how hard it would be to stop smoking.

Keep telling everyone you know that you are quitting, that way you have some pride on the line when you get those urges.

You can do this!

[nostatic]

don't go to a bar...

[syncroid]

Good luck Chris!
I never smoked, but I chewed tobaco for 20+ years. Kodiak was my thing. One day I just said that enough was enough. I threw a brand new can in the garbage and never looked back. That was six years ago. Believe it or not, I still crave a dip now and again. I know though that if I take a dip now, I would probably start all over again.
Hang in there. You can do it.

[TerryH]

We know you can do it, Chris! I was a two pack a day smoker for over 30 years and enjoyed every minute of it. What I didn't enjoy was the stink, the morning cough, and toward the end just the cost of buying cigarettes. Decided I had enough and quit cold turkey. No patch, no gum, nothing. I haven't had a cigarette for almost 4 years now.

The real key for me was convincing myself that I wanted to quit. I know that sounds easy, but you can't fool yourself. I tried to quit before, but always relapsed. YOU HAVE TO REALLY WANT TO QUIT!! Once you get past that hurdle, not lighting up is not so difficult. Even being around other smokers isn't tempting if you decide that you are not going to let those cigs control your life.

Best of luck!

[ben parrish]

I'm with you brother; it has been 58 hours for me. I am using the losengers and so far, so good. Don't break! I am doing it because I don't want my daughter to know I smoked. She is 3 and I have another child due in May. I am 39 and want to be able to keep up with them when they are teens.
Tired of coughing and having my wife ask me to quit. She has been very understanding and rarely nags about it but I know it drives her crazy.
It's time!

Ben

[fingpilot]

Chris! Congrats!

When you get the worst urge... think of the little one. Do it for him and your better half.

We are all pulling for you.

Michael.

[lendaddy]

Originally posted by nostatic
don't go to a bar...

I disagree, I quit cold turkey two years ago and I went to a bar right away on purpose. Slay the dragon, make it personal, look it in the eye and beat it. Don't allow yourself to feel weak by avoiding such things, make it your b1tch.

It's all about your state of mind, so make up your mind and be done with it.

FWIW I was 2-3 packs a day for 10 years+

[m21sniper]

LENDADDY: "It's all about your state of mind, "

The best advice anyone will ever give on any subject.

[DonDavis]

Very cool!! I wish you the best and hope you are successful.


BTW, your lungs are already healing. Breathe, my friend, BREATHE!!!

[sammyg2]

It's easy to quit. I do it all the time ....................

[Noah930]

Best of luck. It'll be one of the best things you've ever done--for yourself and your family--in your entire life.