Quitting Smoking

Ok so has anyone quit smoking and how did you do it?

I don't want pills or anything in my body as we are TTC soooo I have just cut back big style. I had 4 total yesterday - I ration them out.

How do you handle the addiction to the act not so much the nicotine.

I always go sit outside, play WWF and have a smoke now what ;-)

Ideas?

E-lites?

I've been smoke free for almost exactly 3 years now!  Feels longer!

For me, I chewed a lot of gum and used a lot of will power.  I know it's cliche and it doesn't work for a lot of people, but that really helped me.  I took it, sometimes, one second or one minute at a time.  If you don't do that, those are the times when you start rationalising.  You know, something along the lines of "Well, I've gone 2 weeks without, I should be able to have a couple of drags at least!".  NO! 

I also let myself have "breaks".  Everyone at my job back then smoked, and they'd all go out after we finished a big task. So when they did that, I'd run next door to the convenience store and buy myself a York peppermint patty and sit outside and eat it.  One of the things you miss the most is the excuse to have a break.

For me, the worst was when I was out with friends, usually at a bar.  My god do booze and cigarettes go well together! Those were the times that I really struggled, more so than if I was just at home by myself. If my friends went outside to smoke, I would stay inside with the one friend who didn't smoke and I'd shoot pool or something.

I hope some of that helps! I know it's kind of not much to offer, but I think when you're doing cold turkey, you have to find what works for you.  Good luck CW! 

It took me years to quit.  I also quit for long periods turning back to smoke.  I think what finally cracked it was I never gave up quitting.  I did return to smoking a couple of times for years long periods. However, I never thought I was an incurable case, and I never stopped wanting to eventually be a non-smoker.  When I talk to other people who still smoke, even those who've tried to quit a few times, many sort of feel like they can't quit or that the aids wouldn't work for them.

I quit using NRT in the form of gum.  I chewed it for much longer than recommended.  The result was that it was hard for me to come off the gum (although not that hard), but when I get a nic fit (and I still do, much more rare than in the first year or so off the gum, but every couple of months), I want gum not cigarettes.  And 99.9% of the time cigarettes smell awful to me.  Horrible.  But, once in a while, they smell lovely.  Somehow though, and I think it has to do with the gum, I can smell the smoke, think about the memories and stuff that it brings back, but not want a cigarette.

There's nothing wrong with using NRT.  Yes, you are still taking in the physically addictive part of smoking and postponing it until later, but that gives you time to separate out the behaviour and sensory stuff you get from actually smoking a cigarette and the physically addictive aspect.  I chose gum over something like the patch because 1)I needed something to distract me from smoking and overeating whilst quitting and the gum fit the bill 2) different people receive the nicotine in different areas of the path that smoke goes in, and apparently most women do better with gum over patches, the inhaler, etc.  

I can see avoiding things like Wellbutrin or Chantix (or whatever it's called), but unless you actually succeed at quitting, you're still taking in chemicals.  NRT tends to be milder doses of nicotine than a smoker gets, so you are "cutting down".  People who choose cold turkey over NRT earn my respect if they succeed, but if they end up giving in, I can't see how that is better than trying NRT.  Also, if one method doesn't work for you, there are like 4 or 5 more.

I've not had a cigarette in almost 3 years (and that was a couple on a night out which tasted so foul, I flushed the rest of the pack), and I've not been a regular smoker in almost 4.  I was an extremely heavy smoker before quitting, probably smoking the equivalent of 2.5 packs a day (I rolled my own).  It was the second hardest thing I've done, with the first being losing weight.  If I can do it, everyone can.  It took me 6 years of quitting to finally pack it in.  I am not saying that would take everyone that long, but I do think everyone has to get to the point where they refuse to give up on giving them up.

You go LA and NOT - I know it isnt easy obviously or everyone would do it.

I have smoked for 22 years and quit maybe 2x's for a few months each but I always went back because I didn't WANT to quit.

See I have a bit more will power now since there is a goal (TTC) honestly I am trying to go at it with regular gum and not over eat to death. It doesnt help my monthly friend came today so all I want is salt ;-)

Smoking right now is kinda make me feel sick (insert gag) and maybe this is because I have been trying to wrap my brain around you MUST quit.  The 4 I had yesterday I rationed one and had a few drags, put out and revisited it later.

I do like the e-lites because going out is going to suck because as NOT says beer and smokes go together as they have my whole life.

I appreciate all the feedback and if I need to turn to the gum I certainly will as you are right, it is still helping me quit.

Chillywilly, I wish you all the luck in the world with quitting, it is soooooooo hard and frustrating, but when you "crack it" it is soooooo worth it! If that makes sense! Legs and Tail I give you so much credit for being able to do it, I have not giving up quitting either! I have been trying to quit for the past year and I go a few weeks and then the evil side of my brain creates some flimsy excuse that I need and deserve a cigarette, its awful! The thought that "oh I can have just the one, just one will be okay" then the next thing I am running to the store to buy a pack and making excuses again. I have not been using NRT, but what will work for me and has worked for me is Allen Carr the Easyway to Quit. The book is great, it really makes you think so differently about cigarettes and quitting, not that you are giving up something good, a good friend I guess, but something that is bad for you and quitting shouldn't be difficult it should be a pleasure. DF and I went to an Allen Carr seminar in New York, it was amazing, walked out of there not wanting to smoke, not craving a smoke, nothing, it was like I was never a smoker! Unfortunately, about a month later, had a fairly serious personal crisis and the "a cigarette will make it better" thought crept into my head, wouldn't go away and I just gave into it and I slid right back into the trap again, I think it was also because it was so easy to quit, that it was quite easy to smoke,  thinking that I could quit easily again. I really recommend reading one of his books, if you can, get to one of his seminars, they are all over the UK, with you TTC, its probably not a good idea to use the gum or patches or those electronic cigarettes, you really have to rid your body of all nicotine, sorry to be preaching all this advice when I am still a smoker, even though I haven't made it yet, I really hope you do! Good Luck!

I am going to order that book right now! I knew I had read somewhere about a book people swore by and you reminded me the name!

You can do it! You are in the right frame of mind to kick them and the book will help! Good luck!

Allen Carr the Easyway to Quit. The book is great, it really makes you think so differently about cigarettes and quitting, not that you are giving up something good, a good friend I guess, but something that is bad for you and quitting shouldn't be difficult it should be a pleasure.

I agree totally, I smoked for 14 years, and smoked while reading the book, I had it playing in the car as well on an audio book.  Listened to it while I was on the road selling for a newspaper, one day the book was over it was June 28th 2006, and I was done.  Have not even craved on since, what I really got out of the book is that it is hard because they tell you it is hard.  The tobacco companies tell you it is the hardest thing in the world. 
I still have the book and look at the cover from time to time just to remind me that I am so much happier and the extra lung capacity helps a bit too.
 

Good luck with the book, CW. And three cheers on your decision to quit!

I wouldn't recommend it but my mother quit by going cold turkey. She had a very bad case of flu and was in bed for over a week -- too sick to even think about smoking. When she started to feel better she lit up and found it tasted terrible. So she threw out the cigs and became one of those obnoxious people who stick up signs saying "Thank you for not smoking"!! It worked for her but not something you'd want to do 

I was a very heavy smoker for many years (up to 3 packs a day since my early teens) and I quit cold turkey when I was 37. I did it before I met my now husband in person for the first time. He'd just quit, and I knew he'd slip for sure if I smoked around him. Plus, I didn't think I could handle the 6-hour plane ride to the UK as a smoker.

Think about that. It was easier for me to quit completely than pause for six hours. Wow, what an addiction!

So many of the things people told me about quitting just weren't true for me. Tapering was impossible. Nicotine patches and gums were useless.

It wasn't as painful as I expected, but it was painful for far, far longer. I had it in my head once I'd made it through the first week...or month...or year, I'd be done with the craving. Ha!

I thought with food and alcohol I'd have the toughest times not smoking. Wrong. Food and alcohol will actually neatly substitute for cigarettes and make you feel all better. Yeah, you can see the bad places THAT could go.

I gained a BUNCH of weight. I lost fifty IQ points (seriously, I can't sit and study for long periods of time any more. I used to code 12 hours with just bathroom breaks; that woman no longer exists).

BUT...I did it. On the first try. With no relapses. It's been over 14 years and no cheating, though I do still sidle up to smokers and savor that sweet, sweet second-hand smoke.

Well done Stoatula!! I can go 16 hours of flying with no smoking and it isnt bad for me...I think it will be worse being home.

I guess just carrying on and getting over it will be the best ;-)

I started quitting 10 years ago, after smoking for 10 years, and now I can't actually remember how long it's been since I actually stopped. I think it was about 5 years ago. I'll be honest, the occasional "emergency party cigarette," or even pack of, occurred during this time because too much alcohol really put me back in the craving frame of mind.

I found one of the keys for me was changing my habits. Not only is smoking a habit, there are things we do that lead to smoking that are habits: morning coffee, after work glass of wine, too many pints Friday down the pub. And there are even certain people that would trigger smoking as well.

I literally had to change my habits. I stopped the morning coffee and instead went for a run, I went to non-smoking establishments (which is no longer an issue), and actually stopped hanging out in places that I associated with smoking. I started drinking less. I focused my efforts on finding new things, changing it up.

It helps I had a partner in crime with my DH, and it doesn't even occur to me anymore to have one. So think about what habits you have that you can change to help you quit! That's my advice.

No idea as I've never been a smoker of cigarettes,  but good luck!!!

Hubby and I quit together. After a few false starts over a couple years, we just did it. He's been smoke free three years now, but I had a relapse one weekend so it will be three years in November for me.

I won't say it was easy, because we had the foggy brain, wanting to scream at people and thow things moments. We were either overly polite to each other or snippy with each other but worked through it.

Gum helped, regular chewing gum. For him it was Spearmint and for me it was Cinnamon. I also did a LOT of hiding in my office. I was manager of a Subway and I'd go hide in my office if the general public was getting on my nerves. My crew were all capable of doing their jobs without constant supervision, which helped.

We both gave up alcohol for a few months because alcohol and cigarettes seemed to go together. Same with coffee. I just COULDN'T give up my coffee. Losing my coffee was too much to bear, so I dealt with it.

Best of luck to you! It all comes down to what works for you. Some people suffer through cold turkey to get it over with quickly, some have better success with the e-cigs, gums and other aides. Looking back at it, I might have used the gum instead of cold turkey.