ourplace_Tn
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It's much easier when Doctor has to remove a kidney. I quit smoking and drinking. Now after six sessions of chemotherapy I am now cancer free. Hang in there it's not easy but it is worth the effort.
My hardest assignment ever
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BB_TX
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As others mentioned, I think you have to be serious in your own mind or it just will not happen. Half hearted attempts are going to fail.
I quit 30 yrs ago. The dangers of smoking were just beginning to be widely publicized. Decided I did not want to die young if I could help it. So I just quit, cold turkey. I bought bags of lemon drops and everytime I wanted a smoke, I popped a lemon drop. That gave me something to have in my mouth to substitute for the cigarette. By the time the lemon drop was gone, I had forgotten about the smoke (for a while).
Have a good friend who was a 2-3 pack a day smoker for 25 years. He quit several times for various lengths of time trying different methods, usually not very long. Then one day he finally decided it was for real. Threw them away and never touched another.
I think I would have had a hard time just tapering off. Seems you are just prolonging the agony. Stop and get it over with. Don't drag it out. You don't have to worry about counting daily smokes, putting on patches, etc. The first few days are the hardest. But it quickly begins to get easier. And soon cigarette smoke will begin to smell awful and you wonder why you ever did that.
And yes, you will soon begin to feel better, breathe easier, have more energy, food taste better, and you will smell a heck of a lot better.
I quit 30 yrs ago. The dangers of smoking were just beginning to be widely publicized. Decided I did not want to die young if I could help it. So I just quit, cold turkey. I bought bags of lemon drops and everytime I wanted a smoke, I popped a lemon drop. That gave me something to have in my mouth to substitute for the cigarette. By the time the lemon drop was gone, I had forgotten about the smoke (for a while).
Have a good friend who was a 2-3 pack a day smoker for 25 years. He quit several times for various lengths of time trying different methods, usually not very long. Then one day he finally decided it was for real. Threw them away and never touched another.
I think I would have had a hard time just tapering off. Seems you are just prolonging the agony. Stop and get it over with. Don't drag it out. You don't have to worry about counting daily smokes, putting on patches, etc. The first few days are the hardest. But it quickly begins to get easier. And soon cigarette smoke will begin to smell awful and you wonder why you ever did that.
And yes, you will soon begin to feel better, breathe easier, have more energy, food taste better, and you will smell a heck of a lot better.
Egon
Epic Contributor
It ain't easy. You have to "Want" very badly.
If you want to stop just quit. No if, and or butts. Just quit.
There was a time I went through two to four packs a day. Cold turkey on May 6. 1986 @ 01:30 PM.
If you want to stop just quit. No if, and or butts. Just quit.
There was a time I went through two to four packs a day. Cold turkey on May 6. 1986 @ 01:30 PM.
Two things you need to succeed
1. You have to want to quit.
2. You must want to not start again.
To do this my wife offered to buy me my dream wood turning lathe ($4500) IF I stopped smoking and stayed clean for 3 months.
Also if I ever light up again she will sell the lathe.
This gave me both a very strong force to make me quit and a reason to stay off.
I still (after 4 years) have times when I would like a smoke but there is a strong reason not to.
Good luck. Find a strong reason and go cold turkey.
My worst was over in 6 days but the habit takes years.
It took me 40 years to get into the habit, it will take quite a few to get out of the habit.
1. You have to want to quit.
2. You must want to not start again.
To do this my wife offered to buy me my dream wood turning lathe ($4500) IF I stopped smoking and stayed clean for 3 months.
Also if I ever light up again she will sell the lathe.
This gave me both a very strong force to make me quit and a reason to stay off.
I still (after 4 years) have times when I would like a smoke but there is a strong reason not to.
Good luck. Find a strong reason and go cold turkey.
My worst was over in 6 days but the habit takes years.
It took me 40 years to get into the habit, it will take quite a few to get out of the habit.
Nasty135
Veteran Member
Bones , My Father lives in St. Marys and he just quit after 60+ yrs. I was floored ... All these years and now he quit Praise the Lord!! he's 72 now
He is or was using the patch... You can DO IT!!! If My Dad can , You surely can...Keep yourself BUSY!!! Get your wifes Honey Doo list and take your time with it...Wax your tractor etc... It takes 21 days to break a habit(pyschological) But the desire may take longer , Just keep positive about it ...You will Love the change it makes not too mention the $$$ you will save (part of Dads motivation on his fixed income)
Best Wishes!! Git-er-done
I was floored ... All these years and now he quit Praise the Lord!! he's 72 nowHe is or was using the patch... You can DO IT!!! If My Dad can , You surely can...Keep yourself BUSY!!! Get your wifes Honey Doo list and take your time with it...Wax your tractor etc... It takes 21 days to break a habit(pyschological) But the desire may take longer , Just keep positive about it ...You will Love the change it makes not too mention the $$$ you will save (part of Dads motivation on his fixed income)
Best Wishes!! Git-er-done
scott_vt
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Mornin Bones,
Well, the only thing I ever smoked was an occasional cigar, which I still do. But my youngest son started when he was a kid and had a heck of a job to quit. He has been smoke free for the past year and a half.
Like Bob Skurka stated earlier, you have to want to quit yourself !!! That is the big one IMHO ! Dont do it because someone else is telling you to do it !
If you want it bad enough you can do it!!!
I wish you the best of luck
I also hope you post back here in a few months that you were succesful !!!
Well, the only thing I ever smoked was an occasional cigar, which I still do. But my youngest son started when he was a kid and had a heck of a job to quit. He has been smoke free for the past year and a half.
Like Bob Skurka stated earlier, you have to want to quit yourself !!! That is the big one IMHO ! Dont do it because someone else is telling you to do it !
If you want it bad enough you can do it!!!
I wish you the best of luck
I also hope you post back here in a few months that you were succesful !!!
Richard
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Seems you've gotten a ton of good advice.
I've never been a smoker, my wife (then girlfriend) had smoked for probably 25 years and that included watching her mother die from lung cancer AND her aunt acquire emphazima.
Long story made longer , she (wife) was in bed one night and evidently awoke with some kind of chest pain. It REALLY spooked her and she quit "that day", however, she had to use the nicotine gum as a crutch as she replaced her habits (cig when get up, cig when get in car, cig after eating...)
she munched on the gum for I'd guess a year? and then weaned herself off the gum.
To the best of my knowledge, she has never backslid from day 1 of this chest pain. She had tried before but as others have said, until YOU are really ready to make the change, it ain't gonna happen.
I've always told a restauraunt I'll sit in first available, smoking or non smoking.
Now that my wife is a non smoker, she like some others here, has a real distaste for sitting in a smoking section. She also now thinks that the clothes of smokers stink...(funny how she never "got that" when I tried to tell her).
Point being, she is FAR more intolerant about second hand smoke than I ever was (and I was fairly intolerant).
Good luck to you in your challange... don't give up, you don't want to fail yourself or just as importantly, your loved ones.
I've never been a smoker, my wife (then girlfriend) had smoked for probably 25 years and that included watching her mother die from lung cancer AND her aunt acquire emphazima.
Long story made longer
, she (wife) was in bed one night and evidently awoke with some kind of chest pain. It REALLY spooked her and she quit "that day", however, she had to use the nicotine gum as a crutch as she replaced her habits (cig when get up, cig when get in car, cig after eating...)she munched on the gum for I'd guess a year? and then weaned herself off the gum.
To the best of my knowledge, she has never backslid from day 1 of this chest pain. She had tried before but as others have said, until YOU are really ready to make the change, it ain't gonna happen.
I've always told a restauraunt I'll sit in first available, smoking or non smoking.
Now that my wife is a non smoker, she like some others here, has a real distaste for sitting in a smoking section. She also now thinks that the clothes of smokers stink...(funny how she never "got that" when I tried to tell her).
Point being, she is FAR more intolerant about second hand smoke than I ever was (and I was fairly intolerant).
Good luck to you in your challange... don't give up, you don't want to fail yourself or just as importantly, your loved ones.
Haoleguy
Platinum Member
Bones1 - Right off the bat I will tell you that I'm not a smoker but I have been surrounded by smokers most of my life and I do work for a pharmaceutical company. I'm not an MD but in my scientific role I worked directly on finding new therapies for nicotine addiction. It is clear that no one strategy is the end all for all folks but what is clear that a life style/ behavioral change and commitment are foundations to success. For those who have the foundation to start on the path to quiting smoking addiction nicotine gum importantly works for some but it has limited success as it is nicotine replacement therapy. Getting back to my professional life we have this year successfully launched a completely new oral therapy called "Chantix" that does not act by nicotine replacement. The clinical results are impressive but it too is not a magic bullet without the right commitment and foundation. As always when considering therapies first and foremost talk to your personal physician. Their knowledge of you and the commitment to followup is key. I wish you the best.
dullpain
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Yeah - It's TUFF. I'm 57 - smoked since 16 years old - 1 1/2 pack per day.
Decided in early April 06 to quit after scare with chest pains, trip to doctor, stress tests, other tests , etc. All OK , no blockages or problems found.
I used the patch, all 3 steps, for about 8weeks. Last month just on my own will power. Have not cheated once. Could easily smoke a cig. as big as a telephone pole right now, but still resisting. My father had been quit 35 years and said he would not smoke a cig. for anything, but that he did still get the urge... Hope that goes away for me , soon.
As others have said here , I think you have to be ready to quit for YOU, not someone else, and be committed.
So - 3 months and counting, really tuff some days, not so bad others??? Don't really fell much better overall, smell is little better, taste is about same. Think it will take 8 months to a year for benefits as health,smell,taste to kick in??? Don't miss the mess, smell in the house, Cost$$, inconvenience, etc.
Decided in early April 06 to quit after scare with chest pains, trip to doctor, stress tests, other tests , etc. All OK , no blockages or problems found.
I used the patch, all 3 steps, for about 8weeks. Last month just on my own will power. Have not cheated once. Could easily smoke a cig. as big as a telephone pole right now, but still resisting. My father had been quit 35 years and said he would not smoke a cig. for anything, but that he did still get the urge... Hope that goes away for me , soon.
As others have said here , I think you have to be ready to quit for YOU, not someone else, and be committed.
So - 3 months and counting, really tuff some days, not so bad others??? Don't really fell much better overall, smell is little better, taste is about same. Think it will take 8 months to a year for benefits as health,smell,taste to kick in??? Don't miss the mess, smell in the house, Cost$$, inconvenience, etc.
turnkey4099
Elite Member
At age 21 I went from a non-smoker to chain smoking in 6 months (military at a very remote location. Quite cold turkey from a 3-4 pack a day habit about 10 years ago at age about 62 (how memory fades).
I was on the way to the base to buy cigarettes, mind this was back when I could get them about $12 carton, I was half way there when I told myself that I had a lot better use for the $200 I would be spending. Made a U-turn there and came back with the resolve to smoke up what I had and quit. I didn't try to taper off.
Helping with the quiting was my job as dispatcher, they had gone to non-smoking and smoke breaks were few and far between. I figured if I could go for an hour or two without, I could quit.
A few warnings. Do NOT give in to the "just one cig". One sig will put you right back on the things. I had quit several times in the past and every time it was the "just one" that did it.
The -habits- thing is also hard. Even after all this time I still get the urge...well, not an urge, just find my fingers wandering into my shirt pocket after finishing a task, or sometimes while reading or watching TV my fingers get fidgety. Nothing major but it does call it to my attention.
As others have said: WANT TO QUIT, Reward yourself with something - you will be saving major money, put it to something you have always wanted but only after you have been clean for about 6 months.
Harry K
I was on the way to the base to buy cigarettes, mind this was back when I could get them about $12 carton, I was half way there when I told myself that I had a lot better use for the $200 I would be spending. Made a U-turn there and came back with the resolve to smoke up what I had and quit. I didn't try to taper off.
Helping with the quiting was my job as dispatcher, they had gone to non-smoking and smoke breaks were few and far between. I figured if I could go for an hour or two without, I could quit.
A few warnings. Do NOT give in to the "just one cig". One sig will put you right back on the things. I had quit several times in the past and every time it was the "just one" that did it.
The -habits- thing is also hard. Even after all this time I still get the urge...well, not an urge, just find my fingers wandering into my shirt pocket after finishing a task, or sometimes while reading or watching TV my fingers get fidgety. Nothing major but it does call it to my attention.
As others have said: WANT TO QUIT, Reward yourself with something - you will be saving major money, put it to something you have always wanted but only after you have been clean for about 6 months.
Harry K
