My hardest assignment ever

[RedRocker]

Both folks smoked, both folks are dead, two good friends smoked, two good friends are dead. MIL smokes, she's 79 and has lots of freedom, she can go anywhere she wants as long as it's no farther than her oxygen hose will stretch. My last smoking friend that's alive is 60 and looks 75, has emphysema and working towards COPD if he doesn't die before then. I'm not a big fan of the habit.

 

[capt_met]

i am 44 and 3 1/2 months ago had a heart attack. landed me in the hospital for angioplasty. the dr made it pretty clear that if i wanted to go through it again to keep smoking. the only problem was there were no guarantees i would make it to the hospital. after getting out of the hospital the first thing i did when i got to my truck was smoke a couple cigs. the second thing was throw the pack away and i haven't had one since. i had to play a mind game that cigs had no power over me and so far it has worked. didn't quit because i had to quit because i was sick and tired of them. i have always joked as i get older about what years are going to be good ones by the age. 41, great year, charlie waters number, 44 is going to end great bill bates was a great player as well. looking forward to 51, 64, and maybe too tall jones as well. not smoking may make that happen.
good luck

 

[bones1]

Wow.Some great information and stories here.Well I haven't quit yet, but I am down from 2 packs+ a day to 1/2 pack a day.Ever since I started this thread. Even this is difficult to mantain.Pretty soon I will go to 5 cigs a day but I have to do this my way. Thanks for all the encouragement here, you folks are truly top shelf.

 

[Bird]

Wow.Some great information and stories here.Well I haven't quit yet, but I am down from 2 packs+ a day to 1/2 pack a day.Ever since I started this thread. Even this is difficult to mantain.Pretty soon I will go to 5 cigs a day but I have to do this my way. Thanks for all the encouragement here, you folks are truly top shelf.

Yep, bones, I agree that everyone has to do it their own way. And maybe you (and my wife) can do it by tapering off gradually. That would never work for me; it's all or nothing. So I quit the 11th and my wife quit smoking in the house. She now spends a lot of time out on the patio. She may be down to a half or three-quarter pack a day, and I understand about even that being difficult to maintain. Good luck with your efforts.

 

[bones1]

Four years later.... cold turkey..........All done. I no smokie no more. Better late than never I suppose.

 

[LMTC]

Started stealing my dad's cigarettes around 14, was buying packs at 15, smoking a pack+ per day by 17. Somewhere over the next 35 years it went to two packs+, and was probably at that level for at least 2 decades before my final quit on 11/7/01 at age 52. Like most I had "quit" several times before, but never went more than a day or two completely without smokes. The last time was so relatively easy that it scared me for a while (as in, this can't be really happening, it's just going too smoothly). I still have occasional dreams that I smoke a cigarette and trash all this smoke-free time, but when I awake I know instantly it's just a trick. My sincere best wishes to anyone making a serious effort to quit. I still believe I enjoyed it, but I know it is unhealthy and I got really tired of hacking and coughing to start each day. I have had perhaps two colds and no respiratory infections since quitting. Before that I was good for at least 2-3 colds a year and at least one respiratory infection/inflammation that would require treatment each year.

 

[Cat_Driver]

Take a look at this and tack this to your refrigerator. I guarantee you will never light up again.

http://www.blog.adelgabot.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/smoking_1a1.jpg

 

[keegs]

Four years later.... cold turkey..........All done. I no smokie no more. Better late than never I suppose.

Congrats....

It's been about thirty years for me. I can still remember having those urges for several years after I quit. The urges got weaker and less frequent as time went on but it took a while for them to go away.

 

[polo1665]

Four years later.... cold turkey..........All done. I no smokie no more. Better late than never I suppose.

That's great. I also quit, about a month after you did. Best thing I ever did. Watched my dad go downhill fast from COPD. I figured I'd be darned if I worked all my life and then had to be hooked up to an oxygen bottle when I can finally retire.
Now that you got four years under your belt, you should be done with them forever.

Mark

 

[LBrown59]

Four years later.... cold turkey..........All done. I no smokie no more. Better late than never I suppose.

Back in march 2009 after 50 years I quit smoking .
Dec 7 2009 i had a small stroke .
I told all the doctors who treated me I quit smoking and look what happened to me.
And asked them did I quit smoking for nothing ?
Every one of them said no and stated the results of the stroke would probably have been far more damaging than it was had i not quit smoking .
As it turned out the stroke left no visible signs ,but i still had to have surgery on my left carotid artery on 1/11/10.
One even said if I had still been smoking I might not have been sitting there talking to him at the moment .
I quit cold turkey but it don't matter how you do it just get er done.
You have everything to gain and nothing to loose .
Do it now .Quit while you're ahead .

 

[jinman]

Four years later.... cold turkey..........All done. I no smokie no more. Better late than never I suppose.

It seems many of us have similar stories. I started smoking when I was 21 years old and bored out of my gourd while attending US Navy technical schools. In those days, you could smoke in the classroom. I didn't quit until 30 years later right before I turned 51 in 1998. I was angry at the cigarettes and angry at myself and the constant hacking cough. I too quit cold turkey with no help or crutches; just a strong will. It was very hard, but today I'm so glad I did it. Congratulations on becoming totally unhooked.

 

[polo1665]

Back in march 2009 after 50 years I quit smoking .
Dec 7 2009 i had a small stroke .
I told all the doctors who treated me I quit smoking and look what happened to me.
And asked them did I quit smoking for nothing ?
Every one of them said no and stated the results of the stroke would probably have been far more damaging than it was had i not quit smoking .
As it turned out the stroke left no visible signs ,but i still had to have surgery on my left carotid artery on 1/11/10.
One even said if I had still been smoking I might not have been sitting there talking to him at the moment .
I quit cold turkey but it don't matter how you do it just get er done.
You have everything to gain and nothing to loose .
Do it now .Quit while you're ahead .

LBrown, this is the first I've heard about your stroke. Glad you made it through O.K.. Hopefully you are fully recovered and doing well.

Mark

 

[LBrown59]

It seems many of us have similar stories. I started smoking when I was 21 years old and bored out of my gourd while attending US Navy technical schools. In those days, you could smoke in the classroom. I didn't quit until 30 years later right before I turned 51 in 1998. I was angry at the cigarettes and angry at myself and the constant hacking cough. I too quit cold turkey with no help or crutches; just a strong will. It was very hard, but today I'm so glad I did it. Congratulations on becoming totally unhooked.

But worth it.

LBrown, this is the first I've heard about your stroke. *Glad you made it through O.K..
**Hopefully you are fully recovered and doing well.
Mark

*Thanks .
** I'm doing fine .
I need the weather to warm up so i can get out there and get some tractor therpy.

 

[polo1665]

But worth it.

*Thanks .
** I'm doing fine .
I need the weather to warm up so i can get out there and get some tractor therpy.

I got about three hours of "therapy" tonight........moving snow Very cold, but still alot of fun.

Mark

 

[LRTX1]

I smoked from age 15-16 to around 27. From the age of 23 I smoked three packs a day, ilbeit I stayed awake for 20hrs a day quite frequently, that was some something else I needed to quit.

Long story short, I quit smoking, drinking alcohol, coffee, and elimanated a few aqauntinces that prompted me to drink, which prompted me to smoke, all the same day! I just stopped it all one day. It took me getting mad over it.

My approach was, I told myself to wait five more minutes for a smoke. When that five was up I forced myself to wait another five before I took that smoke. Pretty soon that turned to hours and then days. I never had another cigarette.

I say it took me about 3 weeks to get over the imediate "I need a cigarette right now" feeling. Another 6 months to lose almost all cravings. Every now and then I smell one and have an urge.

That has been 8 years ago now and still haven't smoke nor drank, I do drink a cup of coffee once a month or so in the winter.

I wish anyone luck on trying to quit.

 

[IH3444]

There is postives with coffee. People who drink coffee have less incidences of diabetes. It is also a mood elavator, hence, it makes you feel better. The other vices mentioned are bad for you. If coffee keeps you awake, only have it early in the morning, or drink decaf.

Baltasar Gracian stated that your whole life will be about what company you keep.

The Oracle - Baltasar Graci?

http://www.sacred-texts.com/eso/aww/index.htm

You have choosed a good path, not an easy path. I commend you, and wish you well on your journey. Congradulations for being tobacco free for 8 years, and to all those who have quit.

 

[LRTX1]

There is postives with coffee. People who drink coffee have less incidences of diabetes. It is also a mood elavator, hence, it makes you feel better. The other vices mentioned are bad for you. If coffee keeps you awake, only have it early in the morning, or drink decaf.

Baltasar Gracian stated that your whole life will be about what company you keep.

The Oracle - Baltasar Graci?

The Art of Worldly Wisdom Index

You have choosed a good path, not an easy path. I commend you, and wish you well on your journey. Congradulations for being tobacco free for 8 years, and to all those who have quit.

The only reason I quit drinking coffee at the time was it made me want to smoke. It actually makes me a little sleepy when I drink a hot cup at night. After not having it for a few years, I really lost the urge to drink it frequently. Now I only have a cup every now and then.

I just felt like sharing my story.

 

[LBrown59]

Long story short, I quit smoking, drinking alcohol, coffee, and elimanated a few aqauntinces that prompted me to drink, which prompted me to smoke, all the same day! I just stopped it all one day. It took me getting mad over it.

1*My approach was, I told myself to wait five more minutes for a smoke. When that five was up I forced myself to wait another five before I took that smoke. Pretty soon that turned to hours and then days. I never had another cigarette.
2* I wish anyone luck on trying to quit.

1*I took a simlar approach by telling myself I could smoke a cig when ever i decided I wanted one .
It's been over 10 months since i told my self that .
Guess that I just never wanted one.
2*Same here .

Them cigs . can tell some of the biggest lies .

 

[CinderSchnauzer]

I smoked for 20 years - serious smoking - approx 1 1/2 packs non filter plain cigs per day. As many others have said you have to decide you want to stop.

Went to a MD who did hypnosis. Stopped that day - smoke free now for 30 years.