Stopping smoking!!

[Sandylou]

So I had no new years resolutions even though I smoke, drink, am ever so slightly over weight, I'm the wrong side of 30 & have no children yet either but still life is/was good ....until last week when I found out that my mother in law (the best MIL anyone could wish for!) has lung cancer at the age of 60
This is the biggest slap in the face I have ever had regarding the damage that smoking causes! So I have made up my mind that now is when I stop smoking. I have an appointment at the docs on Monday with the NHS stop smoking clinic but just wondered who has stopped smoking, what method you used and how successful your efforts have been? Would love to hear any tips!
Sorry it's quite long...wine & cigarett-no scrap that-....health for all that read this far!!
Thanks x

 

[Devonshire dumpling]

Good for you!! Just imagine all that ash in your lungs sitting there and making you sick if you feel tempted!!

GOOD LUCK XXXXXX ps sorry to hear your news, whats the prognosis?x

 

[nosenseofdirection]

Not much help I'm afraid, I just used cold turkey and willpower. I practised saying to myself "no, thank you, I don't smoke" lots of times because this sounds more convincing than "I've given up". The more you think of yourself as a non-smoker, the easier it gets. If you feel yourself weakening, just tell yourself you're not going to have one today, and worry about tomorrow when it comes. If you cave in and have one, it's not the end of the world, but try not to have another one. Baby steps, keep at it, best of luck! It gets easier...

 

[Welshie Squisher]

I quit just over 7 months ago with Champix, it's brilliant. It was so easy.
There is a lot of bad press about champix, some very over the top but little that is supported by scientific fact.

Something you'd have to make your own mind on.
Keep your mind occupied, take up a new healthy hobby and treat yourself

 

[minesadouble]

It is really difficult - only a smoker knows how hard it is to quit! I have tried everything, pathches, gum, lozenges, Zyban and the inhalator. I haven't smoked since 3rd January and am using the Nasal Spray.

For me it's working brilliantly as you get an 'instant hit' of nicotine. I have had far less cravings with this than with any other NRT.

It's very much what suits YOU but can thoroughly reccommend the Spray. Good Luck whatever method you choose

 

[Sandylou]

Nosenseofdirection - you are amazing! The way I feel now I have all the willpower in the world but I know there will be times when I falter. It's great to know that it can be done on willpower alone x
Devonshire dumpling - words of encouragent are greatly appreciated so thank you sooo much! Prognosis is not good. We don't know how long she has as the biopsy"'has not been fully analysed as yet". MIL is awaiting another call next wednesday to go through test results & treatment options.
I feel so selfish for not giving her grandchildren already

 

[moandben]

Me my husband and best mate all quit using champix in August. Was really easy and quite gutted I didn't do it earlier. Good luck. If you want to stop you will.

 

[Sandylou]

Thank you minesadouble & welshie squisher! The more success stories the better I say x

 

[PennyJ]

I gave up almost 2 years ago on 2.2.10 with the help of nicotine patches on prescription from the doctors, so I got a weekly supportive chat from the smoking cessation nurse. It was the first time I had tried to give up using any kind of support (always just cold turkey before) and it was pretty straightforward actually, helped along by reading the Allen Carr books, especially his one the great nicotine conspiracy, or something like that. I had been smoking for 30 years prior to this by the way, so I was definitely a hardened smoker. I can't stress how amazed I was at how simple it was, on previous attempts I had always turned into the evil bitch from hell after a day without a fag, kind of making people cry at work sort of bitch, I kid you not

Good luck with it however you decide to do it. Make sure you do something FOR YOURSELF with the money you aren't spending on fags anymore. I now go to hairdressers every 7 weeks for cut and colour which I was never able to afford before. It's still considerably cheaper than what I was spending on fags.

 

[Sandylou]

Thanks moansben!
I'm just a little worried about champix & zyban because of how mentally fragile I feel at the moment?

 

[flying solo]

5 years ago I went from 60 a day to cold turkey after a really sore throat! Started smoking again last yeear til I found out my dad had cancer was back upto 60 a day and went cold turkey again.

My FIL used the inhaler thing that looks like a cig and quitted really quickly with that. Good luck x

 

[cruzing]

The first time i gave up i lasted 8 weeks, then kept getting pneumonia so gave up again, that was just over 4 years ago Its not easy and i used the patches and gum but the thing that really helped me was changing my routine.
Also when you get a craving they do pass quite quickly!
Good luck with giving up.

 

[Sandylou]

Pennyj - wow 30 years and you did it - that's amazing! I'm swaying towards patches at the moment x

 

[Sandylou]

Flying solo - I'm so sorry about your dad x
Cruzing - thank you x

 

[Moggy in Manolos]

Good luck. i gave up new year, well gave up a few days before as i had a rotten cold. So sorry to hear about your MIL.
You can do it, try keep occupied with other things x

 

[moandben]

Sandylou, see what they suggest. I had no problems and now know of quite a few people who have used it with great success.

 

[Bosworth]

My partner gave up the day he read the Alan Carr stop smoking book. That was 7 years ago, and he never smoked another since that day, He was a heavy smoker, rollups, but always had one on the go or being made. Now he is definitely a non smoker, not an ex smoker. he never had any cravings, or even wanted to smoke when drunk.

 

[flirtygerty]

My OH and I are giving up using Champyx(SP) worth trying despite some side effects, nausea before food but nothing major, giving up is 99% mental, this is our second attempt on it in a year, did ok the first time, lasted 7 weeks, then had a nightshift from hell and gave in to stress and bought ciggies. Tried again did 3 weeks, hard for me easy for OH, visited my sister in Portugal and after 5 days bought ciggies, continued on Champix throughout our blip in Portugal, stopped again 1st Nov last year I've been fine since, my OH fancies a cgar sometimes, I have a mantra, less wrinkles and no stinking clothes or house.
Hope your MIL is ok, I had a good one as well

 

[nat_1]

I rang the nhs quit line on friday and my appt is next week.this will b my 3rd attempt in 5 years.this time its for health and money reasons.its got to the stage its ridicuously expensive(i smoke 25 rollups a day)
The other reason is when i back my youngster next year im going to need all my breath n energy lol!

Last 2 attemps i used patches and the inhalater,im swaying to the champix this time i think.

Good luck!

 

[DellaMoon]

I stopped two weeks ago and have found it really easy. My husband and I are planning on having a baby and this was all the motivation I needed. Don't even mind having tea at the yard with my best friend smoking next to me! I am now reading the Alan Carr easy way book and I think it would work with most smokers. Just ask yourself why you want a cigarette, what do you actually enjoy about it? I'm now a non-smoker and I love it!

Good luck!

 

[CeeBee]

I smoked for 35 years. Stopped for 2 years using the Nicolette gum. Stupidly started again, smoked for a year, but have not had one since beginning August, again using the gum. The gum instantly takes away your nicotine craving. My main problem is actually giving up the gum. I actually found that harder than giving up smoking. I'm thinking of swapping to patches to see if that helps as using the gum, although excellent, is still reaching for a 'crutch' to get your fix. Still better and far cheaper than smoking though.

 

[Sandylou]

Well done all of you that have stopped smoking!
Not long now and I too will able to say I DON'T SMOKE!! Although I've just about lost my voice so it won't be very loud at first

 

[luckyoldme]

I stopped 17 th october 2010. the day after my dad died. Dad had osteoperosis copd emphysemia .the osteoperosis(smoking related) caused his spine to crumble. He got blood clots from being immoblile and due to the poor state his lungs were in he couldn t recover.
I had bought inhilators during the last 12 days when dad was in a coma and begged him to come round and tell me to stop smoking, We swithched the machine off on the saturday night, My partner woke me on the sunday .. i was wheezing so much in my sleep he thought i was going with dad. Ifinished off the last few cigarettes that day and used the inhilators for the first few days.. to be honest i didnt really need them. It felt a bit ironic really i stood waiting for his coffin and all i wanted was a nail for my own.
One or two people questioned my timing... but dads death and the nature of it made me give up.. i really didnt have a choice.
I only ever really thought about the diseases smoking could cause. Watching dads death made me realise it greatly reduces your ability to fight any illness disease or accident.
On the other hand we do need loads of people to keep on smoking because they pay so much tax on fags...if they all quit they might put tax on something else i do have to buy!

 

[Equilibrium Ireland]

Gonna sound really really stupid but I went to rollies instead of packaged cigs.

The annoyance of not being able to roll, loose cigs, more frustration, little bits of tobacco everywhere and within a week I was done! LOL! I was so pissed off with the annoyance that I was able to quit.

Terri

 

[Jane_Lou]

I had been smoking the best part of 30 years and I was smoking really heavily and it was effecting my health. I was planning a business trip to Australia and couldn't consider the flight without giving up. I had tried patches numerous times but always went back on to the ciggies. In the end I went for Hypnotherapy at the beginning of August and that was that, I havn't had one since and had no cravings to deal with. I still sometimes think I would like one but this voice in my head reminds me that I am a non smoker now and don't want one. This is the longest I have given up for,I really don't think I will go back on them now as I am seeing the health benefits and loving the money I am saving

 

[Hairy Old Cob]

I gave up 13/09/1996 and if I can give it up any one can, I used to smoke Cigars and a Pipe and inhale the smoke from both. I dont have the will power to start again I dont know now how any body could contemplate smoking cigarettes at the price that they now are. I would urge everyone to give up smoking you will not regret it.

MY BIGGEST REGRET NOW IS EVER STARTING IN THE FIRST PLACE

It was once a socialy acceptable habit but it is not any longer spoken like a true reformed smoker

 

[howsthat]

I smoked for well over 35 years,30-40 a day,decided i had had enough so after deciding how, i did not want to use patches sprays or any substitute as i had no faith in them,as to my way of thinking it was using something else as i had the ciggies,so i just stopped and in all honesty it was not in any way as difficult as i was expecting,ithink because i really was positive i was going to stop? my only regret is that i did not stop years ago,i kept thinking about stopping but thought it would be too hard,if you are sure then go for it take control of your life,good luck.

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

I smoked for 35 years & was smoking around 30-40 cigarettes a day at the time I gave up.

I didn't use patches, accupuncture, doctors, hypnotherapy, quit packages etc I just did it. There is no real quick fix & it certainly isn't easy. The secret is that you genuinely want to quit & I mean genuinely. I 'tried' numerous times over the years to stop with varying success from a few weeks to 18 months but then I returned to them.

I gave up about 12 years ago now, I got my mind right & decide a was giveing up & I did it. Now 12 years later I still consider myself as a smoker who is not smoking at the moment. You should find it easier now rather than years ago as there are so many places you can't smoke now. When I gave up you could smoke in the work place, pubs, clubs, restaurants etc etc so now should be easier. Just mean what you are doing & stick to it & you'll do it. Good Luck.

 

[dogcalleddill]

Aww, well done on your decision - good on you

I gave up nearly 5 years ago after 25ish years of smoking 20 a day. I'll be honest, it was one of the hardest things I've done, but also the most worthwhile. I rarely even crave one now and just wish I'd done it sooner. I always thought I'd never be able to stop but my dentist told me it was knackering my gums and my teeth and I'd be toothless in 5 years. Don't know if that was true but it certainly gave me a kick up the backside.

I gave up using the patches, which were just a bit of a crutch to take the kick out of the cravings. They gave me outrageous dreams! It was hard for about 6 months but I just made a deal with myself that I could do whatever I liked but not smoke. The most difficult thing is that it's tough and you don't know when it'll stop being tough. But hang on in there, it does get better and one day you'll be surprised to realise you haven't thought about the fags at all!

Good luck, and keep us posted! And let us know if you need a moan x

 

[Sandylou]

Awwww you are all so kind
Thank you for your words of encouragement and again well done to everyone who has given up x