Where are all my ex-smokers?

Avatar for schitz
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-06-2004
Where are all my ex-smokers?
8
Thu, 06-02-2005 - 10:20am

Hey everyone, how's it going?

I think there are about 3 people here who have quit or are quitting smoking. I'd love to hear how things are going. What problems are you facing? Remember I've BTDT. I can help but I really don't know what to post if you don't tell me what obstacles you are facing.

I know this is not directly bp related, but it sure does affect our moods.

So let's hear it!

How long have you been quit? Obstacles you are facing? Words of wisdom to the others?

Love,
Amanda
136 days quit

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iVillage Member
Registered: 01-06-2005
Thu, 06-02-2005 - 12:19pm

Hey Amanda. it's going on 3 weeks without a smoke and i think the worse is over. still get twinges every now and then, but i can overpower them. the only time when its hard not to smoke is when im upset, (with is every other day) but its a fleeting thing. i quit for my surgery but now i know i've quit for myself too. i plan on not looking back!

how are you doing?

valerie

Avatar for schitz
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-06-2004
Fri, 06-03-2005 - 3:30am

AAAhhh I lost my post darnit.

Congratulations on your upcoming 3 weeks Keep it strong.

You are likely past the hardest part, but don't let your guard down. keep telling yourself that you don't smoke anymore. Every morning and night if you have to.

They say the threes are the hardest: 3 days, 3 weeks, 3 months...

I sailed by and didn't realize I had reached three months. At three weeks I was having smoking dreams. Nobody told me about this, but I had remembered being told about having drinking dreams in AA. You wake up and smell it taste it and panic that you have broken your quit. Hang in there. These too pass.

I'm glad that you quit for more that *just* your surgery, because if you didn't want to quit you'd start again. I sincerely hope that you want this with all of you. Sometimes you have to remind your brain or the hand that absentmindedly reaches into the purse as you drive, that you don't smoke anymore.

One of my milestones and revelations was when someone asked me for a smoke and I said "I don't smoke". Up to that point i had thought of myself as "quitting" and/or an ex-smoker but not a non-smoker. At that point I *knew* I was a non-smoker. Never again. Not one puff ever (aka NOPE) :)

@>~~}~~~~ A rose for you.

Congrats. Keep it up!

Hugs and love,
Amanda

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iVillage Member
Registered: 04-02-2003
Fri, 06-03-2005 - 2:46pm
Hi gang, I'm phoning tonight for the patches (through State of WV), it is a free service. I used it once before and didn't quit. WV has a high rate of smokers and I'm one of them who wants to quit. You are only allowed to use this service twice in a lifetime and this is my second and last shot at free help (patches, phone support, etc...)
How did you two quit? I will be using the patches, and possibly some of the gum. I doubt my ability today. When I get angry or raged I NEED one...how do I get past that?
HUGS & HOPE
BB
Carla
iVillage Member
Registered: 09-01-2004
Sat, 06-04-2005 - 3:18pm

Amanda,


Hang in there, it IS possible to quit and stay there--you just have to learn not to give into those evil little tempting moments-LOL!


It's been a LONG time for me, so long that I'm not sure exactly how long, but 25+ years.

Avatar for schitz
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-06-2004
Sun, 06-05-2005 - 7:58am

Carla,

I did not use the patches or the gum, so I don't know much about that. The biggest thing that I did was prepare myself mentally before quitting to know what I was going to do in situations that I would want to smoke.

In angry situations my solutions were: go for a walk, chew the heck out of a straw, blast the music and sing at the top of my lungs (or just scream), and most imporantly BREATHE. Meditation is also good if you can, but I needed to calm down some before I was able to do it.

Hope this helps.

Love,
Amanda

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Avatar for schitz
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-06-2004
Sun, 06-05-2005 - 8:02am

Thanks Marci, but it is the others who need the support more than I do. I had a very easy quit and have never looked back. I don't say "I'm quitting", or "I quit" I say "I don't smoke." No question. Even in the very beginning there was no thought of having one.

Good luck to everyone. I'm always here for you.

Love,
Amanda

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iVillage Member
Registered: 05-23-2004
Sun, 06-05-2005 - 6:26pm

It has been almost a month for me! I just cold-turkeyed it...but I also take Wellbutrin for depression, which is supposed to help, but it didn't feel like it did! Luckily, no one else in my house smokes and I had a REALLY GOOD friend at work who would keep me busy over breaks and lunch so I would not go out and smoke. I also increased my work outs (every day now from 3-4 days a week before) That really helped initially, because I sweated out the toxins left by the nicotine.

I still don't consider myself a non-smoker, because it has not been that long and I am still having cravings, but I am liking NOT smoking enough that that is a reward in itself. I do not have to get frantic when I am out of cigarettes, or wake up and go smoke, or expose my kids to it in the car (I always smoked outside at home) Also, the $4 a pack is not that much at one time, but I DO notice that my weekly cash lasts a little longer now as well. Overall, I am very glad to have that monkey off my back.

Steph

"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle."--Philo


Mom to Kaitlin and Benjamin!



Please visit my website!

http://www.stephworld.net

"Those who can make you believ

Avatar for schitz
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-06-2004
Mon, 06-06-2005 - 12:42pm

It's above $8 CDN a pack!

Congrats on you quit (((steph)))

Amanda

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