Update Page 5! anybody else smoke or have quit smoking?

[Chickens14]

It has been 10 years now after 10 years of smoking..
My DH & I quit the same year, we were miserable, we wanted to
wring the others neck, it took us a good year to actually not be so miserable
We both didn't gain much wait & trust me I made sweets!!
My DH did it cold turkey I used a low dose of the patch which help me, after about
8 weeks I would forget to put it on... I do wish though I used something to relax me alittle
ease the anxiety like zoloft but i made it...
I recommend now to try while the weather is nice not during the winter.

Good luck & great job all

 

[suzettex5]

I TOTALLY identify with the OP, I am embarrassed that I still smoke. There is ALOT of social stigmatism associated with it, and in the day of everyone being so innudated with information about the risks and dangers of smoking, I feel like an idiot for smoking. I hide it from EVERYONE. Only my close family knows, I dont even do it in public. I have 'quit' lots of times, for each pregnancy and breastfeeding, but I pick right back up for some stupid reason. I always break my ciggy off about 3/4 of the way to the filter- I smoke way less of the ciggy that way, but still get my craving satisfied. I am gonna try to quit again this week, we'll see though. Its like a mini, 3 minute break from the kids and the stresses of life, if you know what I mean. I hate that I do it, and I want to quit, I want to live for my kids and be a healthy role model. I blame no one for my addiction, just myself.
An earlier poster said the cravings last only a few minutes, and they're right. When I crave one, I MAKE myself do a chore to 'earn' a smoke, then I do it again and again till an hour has passed before getting one. I slowly wean off. It has worked 5 x's so far, just not permenantly, but hopefully, this time will be forever. Do it for YOU, you are worth it and important enough to deserve to be healthy and happy!

Good luck and dont stop trying to quit- We sooo can do it!!!!

 

[Mrs. Green Thumbs]

I smoke in the evening's maybe 2 or 3 cig's a day... My DH on the other hand could polish off a pack a day if I wasn't around. EASY. He quit for a while after Christmas but picked it back up when he ran out of patches. He had a slight skin rash where he put the patches for the first week but after that there was no side effect's. He felt way better, had much more energy, and just was happier in general. The only other side effect he suffered from was night mears if he forgot to take off the patch.

 

[herefordlovinglady]

chanix worked great for me. the only side effect i suffered was i had very vivid dreams, not nightmares, but very colorful dreams. I also took welburtrin, which helped with the cravings

good luck, do it for yourself, do not try and quick for any other reason than yourself...you'll be set up for failure...

 

[domino7]

I quit using the patch. It gave me a rash, but it also kept me from lighting up. I figured the rash would go away eventually, and it did.

To be honest, it was the peer pressure that kept me smoking for so long. I CAN'T stand people pressuring me to do anything lol. I didn't tell anyone I was quitting. It even irked me when my mother noticed, and had to tell me how proud of me she was. My wife was mad because I didn't tell her either. I just felt like that was even more pressure. My biggest motivator was the ever increasing price to smoke. Then they started the fire safe cigarettes, and that was it for me.

I have two friends that quit using accupuncture. Although I had no faith in it at all, they haven't smoked for over a year. I think you need to pick the method that works for you and go with it. My wife quit cold turkey. She was a bummer to be around for about 2 weeks. With all the options out there, I just don't see the point in suffering through it.

Good luck!

 

[jerseygirl1]

Funny thing, the doctor told me all the side effects, dreams, nightmares, everything - was not Chantix

It's nicotine withdrawal

 

[Imp]

Gonzo...,

I was embarrassed as well. Growing up with a smoking mother, we used to locate her by listening for her smokers hack. After years of hacking myself I had enough. It wasn't easy took a long time, I used the patch off & on for a few years and eventually one day was able to stop. It got easier as time passed. Now about 8 years later no desire to go back.

Good luck,

Imp

 

[TipsyDog]

Quit cold turkey after 20+ years. Hardest thing I ever did. ALL cravings went away after the 5th year. I'm on year 7 now and I would NEVER go back. Good luck!

Personally I wouldn't take the Chantix. I believe its a very dangerous drug.

 

[yotetrapper]

ranchhand, was trying to point out that to quit anything, cigarettes, beer, drugs, over-eating........you have to do it for the right reasons, and I wasn't sure society was one of them. Quitting anything takes a lot of will power. When someone truly WANTS to quit something for themselves, it's much easier.

 

[backdoorchicken]

gave them up 3 years ago cold turkey after 15 years with no problem. i smoked a pack a day.


i still smoke on occasion, just not cigarettes.