If you're trying to quit smoking, come in here...

[LadyG]

Day 7 for me.

 

[warrior queen]

sorry for the break in between reports....

well, i am doing, but not as well as i would like.
the nicotine replacement microtabs make my mouth sting like all hell but apparently this is normal, and will go away in the next few days.

i've also had a lot of trouble with two times of the day - first thing in the morning with my coffee, and last thing at night, again with my coffee.

i know, i know, lay off the coffee as it's obviously a trigger! but no can do - tried that, and i'm such a crabby bitch without ciggies AND caffeine, that i really can't see myself quitting the coffe as well!

so i have been sneaking about 4 ciggies , 2 in the morning and 2 at night, but my days are now completely smoke free (which is a HUGE improvement, so i'm not beating myself up about that yet.)

i figure i'll keep going with the microtabs, and put the first one under my tongue as soon as i open my eyes, and then delay having my cuppa till after my shower...... i'll let you know how that goes.
(might replace the evening cuppa with a glass of wine *grin*)

the smell of someone else having a ciggie makes me want to rip everything up and just go buy a pack, but i am finding that so long as i concentrate on getting past the first 5 mins of craving, then it goes away anyway.

so there you have it - not perfect, but definately doing much better than even i expected!
and still working the issue

 

[Wizard]

Started smoking when I was 13, with a few stops of anywhere between a few weeks to a couple of stints of a 2 year hiatus, somehow always came back to the cigarettes. Approximately 5 years ago after a rather heavy holiday season and smoking like a chimney I decided that I need to try again. I have tried using gum, hypnosis, the patch, lobotomy…lol… to no avail.

So on day x around 10pm, I had 2 or 3 cigarette left in my pack. Normally, even if there were 12 feet of snow outside, an avalanche thundering, Grizzly bears rummaging in my garbage cans outside, I would be off to the local 7-11 to get my pack of smokes.

Not this time, I told myself, you will be going to sleep soon so go buy the pack in the morning. In the morning, I told myself, well you didn’t have a smoke for 8 hours while asleep, so wait till noon and then go buy the cigarettes.

After that 12 hours had expired, I promised myself to go buy cigarettes at 3pm. After surviving 48 hours, I just told myself that maybe I can wait another 6 to 8 hours before buying the pack.

No, it wasn’t easy, but somehow the human will can be very strong and I really feel great. It may work for some, I think each person has to try a few methods. It is said that if you keep trying you will succeed eventually. Bonne Chance … good luck

I'm watching this thread thinking my plan of attack now....25 years and I need to work on how I can do this....
Keep posting, I'm learning here...

 

[nostress]

Hang in there WQ, you have done so well to cut back as you have, just working out a way to get past that first 5 minutes of craving is a huge step, the need for a ciggy with coffee will be the next hurdle but you will get there

 

[kimlyn5806]

Wellbutrin

After smoking for 18 years I was able to quit for I hope the last time. I was able to do it with the help of wellbutrin. I had tried the patches, gum, and just saying no!! I just couldn't do it!!
I decided to try Zyban. My husband is in the military and they make you attend smoking cessation classes in order for the Zyban to be covered and paid for by tricare. We were told that nicotine affects the same part of the brain that is affected and becomes addicted to heroin which is exactly why it is soooooooooo hard to quit and also why some of us actually go through some pretty serious withdrawal symptoms and thinking back to some of the things I have done/ was willing to do for a cigarette I can believe it. The first time I took the Zyban I was on it for about a 10 days when the cigarettes began to taste just nasty awful and I would light one up take a couple of drags and think, man this is horrible I don't really want this nasty thing.....I was smoke free for about a month then I got slack and would forget to take my Zyban more and more often until about a month later I had a lapse and one cigarette was all it took and I was right back where I started. This time I got a script for Wellbutrin from a civilian Doc. which is exactly the same thing as Zyban except that I got it without having to go through the 2 week class again.......anyway......this Doc told me that I should continue the meds for atleast 6 months after totally quitting up to a year if necessary....He told me that after a 20 year habit quitting was the hardest thing that he had ever done and some days still had to fight the urge to light one up. I quit last January and so far so good....I was the only smoker in my house so that helped me alot. It is an extremely hard thing to give up and I wish you the best of luck.......

 

[Wizard]

Re: Wellbutrin

After smoking for 18 years I was able to quit for I hope the last time. I was able to do it with the help of wellbutrin. I had tried the patches, gum, and just saying no!! I just couldn't do it!!
I decided to try Zyban. My husband is in the military and they make you attend smoking cessation classes in order for the Zyban to be covered and paid for by tricare. We were told that nicotine affects the same part of the brain that is affected and becomes addicted to heroin which is exactly why it is soooooooooo hard to quit and also why some of us actually go through some pretty serious withdrawal symptoms and thinking back to some of the things I have done/ was willing to do for a cigarette I can believe it. The first time I took the Zyban I was on it for about a 10 days when the cigarettes began to taste just nasty awful and I would light one up take a couple of drags and think, man this is horrible I don't really want this nasty thing.....I was smoke free for about a month then I got slack and would forget to take my Zyban more and more often until about a month later I had a lapse and one cigarette was all it took and I was right back where I started. This time I got a script for Wellbutrin from a civilian Doc. which is exactly the same thing as Zyban except that I got it without having to go through the 2 week class again.......anyway......this Doc told me that I should continue the meds for atleast 6 months after totally quitting up to a year if necessary....He told me that after a 20 year habit quitting was the hardest thing that he had ever done and some days still had to fight the urge to light one up. I quit last January and so far so good....I was the only smoker in my house so that helped me alot. It is an extremely hard thing to give up and I wish you the best of luck.......

I need to have a lifestlye change...... Man I need to work on this....

 

[monkeybabe]

good luck!!!

I started smoking when I was 16 or 17. I didn't quit until I was 21. What helped me was thinking about my dd and her being w/o a mother. I guess you can say I scared myself into quitting. Thinking about cancer and lung/heart disease put a scare in me.

But here I am 6 years later and smoking again Don't know what happened, guess I started to miss them like a old friend. It's been two long years of guilt, and I'm hoping that I can quit again. Hopefully by the New Year or shortly there after. So I know what your going through, it's hard. Stick in there you can get through it. Just take it one day at a time.

 

[Gil_T2]

Started smoking when I was 13, with a few stops of anywhere between a few weeks to a couple of stints of a 2 year hiatus, somehow always came back to the cigarettes. Approximately 5 years ago after a rather heavy holiday season and smoking like a chimney I decided that I need to try again. I have tried using gum, hypnosis, the patch, lobotomy…lol… to no avail.

So on day x around 10pm, I had 2 or 3 cigarette left in my pack. Normally, even if there were 12 feet of snow outside, an avalanche thundering, Grizzly bears rummaging in my garbage cans outside, I would be off to the local 7-11 to get my pack of smokes.

Not this time, I told myself, you will be going to sleep soon so go buy the pack in the morning. In the morning, I told myself, well you didn’t have a smoke for 8 hours while asleep, so wait till noon and then go buy the cigarettes.

After that 12 hours had expired, I promised myself to go buy cigarettes at 3pm. After surviving 48 hours, I just told myself that maybe I can wait another 6 to 8 hours before buying the pack.

No, it wasn’t easy, but somehow the human will can be very strong and I really feel great. It may work for some, I think each person has to try a few methods. It is said that if you keep trying you will succeed eventually. Bonne Chance … good luck

It's great to hear you have quit & laughed at the ONLY 3 SMOKES LEFT.......shit I'd be in total panic mode if I got to only 3 smokes left,normally race of to get the new pack at about half pack sad to say, I have tried every known quit program & quit method with all failing, the worst part is I don't even enjoy smoking & haven't for around 20 years now.

 

[Gil_T2]

Re: quitting

Thanks for the thread, I am a lifetime non smoker and I am very sensititive to the smell of cigarettes. The smell is offensive to me as an unflushed toilet, but lots of members of my immediate family smoke. Aside from being a nasty, foul smelling habit, it is very dangerous, I have had many older members of my family and my wife's family die due to smoking, 2 aunts, 3 uncles and a cousin, I couldn't make them stop either. The smokers that really piss me off are the ones that smoke around their children and other non smokers, its one thing to ruin your own health, but you have no right to ruin anyone else's.

thanks, I will put my soapbox back now

blar,blar,blar,blar,blar........I'm sick to death of NON SMOKERS rubbing our noses in our choice to smoke, these moronic fools have no damn idea of the addiction or the suffering of trying to quit so all I can say to you & others like you is go fuck yourself & just try to understand life in the other persons shoes.

 

[Gil_T2]

After my previous out burst at the NON SMOKER I wish to say how glad I am of those able to quit this addiction as I keep failing.

 

[Gil_T2]

sorry for the break in between reports....

well, i am doing, but not as well as i would like.
the nicotine replacement microtabs make my mouth sting like all hell but apparently this is normal, and will go away in the next few days.

i've also had a lot of trouble with two times of the day - first thing in the morning with my coffee, and last thing at night, again with my coffee.

i know, i know, lay off the coffee as it's obviously a trigger! but no can do - tried that, and i'm such a crabby bitch without ciggies AND caffeine, that i really can't see myself quitting the coffe as well!

so i have been sneaking about 4 ciggies , 2 in the morning and 2 at night, but my days are now completely smoke free (which is a HUGE improvement, so i'm not beating myself up about that yet.)

i figure i'll keep going with the microtabs, and put the first one under my tongue as soon as i open my eyes, and then delay having my cuppa till after my shower...... i'll let you know how that goes.
(might replace the evening cuppa with a glass of wine *grin*)

the smell of someone else having a ciggie makes me want to rip everything up and just go buy a pack, but i am finding that so long as i concentrate on getting past the first 5 mins of craving, then it goes away anyway.

so there you have it - not perfect, but definately doing much better than even i expected!
and still working the issue

Believe it or not I was the instigator of a QUIT program being set up at my last job because smoking was being stoped in the work place (Ah those public minded do gooders telling us how to act & what to do. ) & a point that they made in the QUIT program is you MUST cut out NICOTINE & CAFFINE together !!!! yes it is a trigger for the smokes as most ppl smoke with their coffee.

 

[warrior queen]

Re: Re: quitting

blar,blar,blar,blar,blar........I'm sick to death of NON SMOKERS rubbing our noses in our choice to smoke, these moronic fools have no damn idea of the addiction or the suffering of trying to quit so all I can say to you & others like you is go fuck yourself & just try to understand life in the other persons shoes.

*holds right hand up....*
i solemly swear, that upon cessation of the addiction and habit of smoking, i will NOT become a rabid, interfering non-smoker, telling other people how to live their lives my way ie. bitching about smokers.
*puts hand down*

 

[Gil_T2]

Re: Re: Re: quitting

*holds right hand up....*
i solemly swear, that upon cessation of the addiction and habit of smoking, i will NOT become a rabid, interfering non-smoker, telling other people how to live their lives my way ie. bitching about smokers.
*puts hand down*

Oh I do get it from EX SMOKERS too but it's the unknowing NON as in never tried SMOKERS who get my shitty mode fired up, if you know nothing about what your preaching SHUT THE FUCK UP.

*Gil takes a sedative & settles down.*












puff,puff,puff......

 

[Gil_T2]

Day 7 for me.

LADY you are to be commended for you efforts, keep going.

 

[MagicFingers]

Become a non smoker

I smoked over a pack a day for 25 years, and smoked "other stuff" too. I could quit any time I wanted to, and did a hundred times. Then, I couldn't quit any more, even though I was so sick I couldn't breathe. I was living in high country and trying to learn to ski too - no breath or energy at all.

I, too, managed to quit every Monday and started every Friday night when I went out. Couldn't get over that hurdle. I read every article and help thing I could find. All of them helped. They talk about changing your behaviour and mindset, like noting WHEN you have a cigarette, when and why you NEED one, what foods triger a craving, like coffee and nuts (I think balls are OK though ). Avoid other smokers, and the drinks and foods that make you crave it.

The final thing that got me over it was seeing a seminar by the American Lung Assn, one class for about 2 hours on a Saturday, where they gave us pamplets, discussed the social and mental aspects, then hypnotized the group 3 times. They gave us a self-hypnosis tape to take with us to learn and enforce the relaxation steps necessary to resist the urges. I didn't think I "Went under", however, being a Saturday, I had a pack of Marlboro Lights on the seat of my car, and was planning to light one up when I got there. HOWEVER, when I go it, I had no desire to pick one up and light it! I did the tape many times, and even to this day, can use the words and techniques to relieve stress when I need to.

I still had strong urges and even smoked a few in bars, etc. One of the things taught in the tape was to tell yourself that you aren't a smoker again from having ONE. Tell yourself you are a non-smoker who has had a cigarette! Simple.

Call your Lung Assn, or any similar place and see if they have any program like this near you.
Try the Gum, Patch, Wellbutrin, and any help you can get.
In the end, you MUST really WANT to quit, and see all the advantages to being a non-smoker, and the disadvantages to being a smoker, like the smell, coughing, sickness, clothes smell, house smells, car smells, nice people don't want to be around you, supermodels don't want to kiss you, etc. Write them down and make lists to remind you!

And, the COST. Plan what you can buy with the money you will save from not smoking. It will be a substantial item! Make it a goal.

So, Warrior, Lady G, Gil, my very best wishes to you all and keep up the struggle. It DOES get easier to refuse them after 5 or 10 years. I figure if I smoked for 25 years, I might take 25 years to reverse the damage that was done, but I'm well on my way!

 

[happymac]

You know you can do it !!

Warrior Queen and Lady you have my COMPLETE sympathy, understanding and support.

After smoking for 25 years and being up to 40 a day for the last 10 years my bank balance and lack of breath told me it was time to stop. Cigarettes here are about £5 per pack of 20 which is $8.50 US or $12.50 Canadian. So at 40 a day ................... do the maths yourself.

Had tried once before but that was an unmitigated disaster! Don't think CSI have found the bodies yet.
This time round I read up on bulletin boards, talked to other people to understand their experiences and went for it.

I finally stopped May 31st at midnight. Last one lit at 11.55.
Then spent 4 days going through cold turkey hell and decided to go get hypnotised. I was sceptical about hypnosis but was living in red fog kill mode so I had to do something or someone was gonna wind up dead.
My SO quit at the same time I got to say so we were supporting (threatening to kill) each other but there was no way one of us could have stopped with the other still smoking.
Hypnotist worked for me. For 2 weeks I had NO cravings but they started to build up after that. However he told me that one thing you MUST do is change habits.
That one you want in the morning with coffee - drink orange juice instead - cigarettes adn orange juice don't go.
That one you want in the car on the way to work, recite poetry or sing to yourself. Better still, take the bus!
And in th e2 weeks I changed a lot of habits.

If you do follow the change habits route it seems to work. Herself was not winning using Nicorette and / or patches until I persuaded her into the change habits path and then she found it easier.

However you still are going to find that suddenly, out of nowhere, comes this idea you want one and you have to learn to deal with it. How you deal with it is key to your success. Normally though, it's happened because you have done something that you've not done for a while and the habit was to have a cigarette afterwards. Answer - change the habit, do something differently.

It is very much a case of a day at a time though and that's the way to go forward. Don't know if I'm going to survive without - yes I enjoyed smoking - but just have to tell myself I dont smoke now. Saving a blooming fortune though.

GOOD LUCK AND YOU KNOW YOU CAN DO IT!!

And Gil, don't let the holier than thou's get to you.
Just wonder what vice they've got that they dare not own up to because they would become an outcast too!!
Just let them have opinions and don't rise to the bait.

Smokers have become a persecuted minority and it's no easy thing to be a smoker in today's society.
You have my support as well but some people who stop become totally painful about the smell of cigarette smoke but they have to learn to adjust or change their habits to avoid being in contact with smokers and learn to be a little more undersanding.

As for non-smokers, nobody shouts at them cos they don't smoke so why do they shout at someone who does??

Wow. Long one for me but I hope it helps someone. It actually helped me!!

It's a funny old world.

 

[Bandit58]

happymac, as an ex smoker I have no problem with the smell of cigarette smoke. Which is lucky because I live with Gil The only thing we both hate is the smell of stale smoke which even though we air the place out still lingers everywhere. I have plug in air fresheners in the bedroom and lounge room which is helping and though I noticed it more when I first moved in it's not so much now

 

[au_man]

Just like the rest!!!

I was ready to quit untill the Anti-Smoking brigade began attacking us all for enjoying a legal substance...

I am such rebel!

When the smoking ban in buildings began, I gave up bowling...

When the tobacco companies were sued and the settlement monies were supposed to go to healthcare, another boondoggle, I then justified my addiction with, "Hey, I'm just helping the Children"....

Then after a back injury and the associated physical therapy, I decided that it was time to get back into shape, so I joined a gym and hired a personal trainer.

At 48, a year ago, I found that I was being held back due to my lack of lung capacity. I was a two pack per day man.

I was loosing weight and beginning to feel much better, so I started a smoking log so I could record when I smoked, where I smoked, what I was doing, not doing when I smoked.

I recorded the exact time I would light up and at the end of the day I would total up the number of smokes.

I began modifing my behaviors so I could break the triggers, like smoking and driving. I would eat breakfast so my first smoke was after my meal, cig. with then had my coffee.

I am not a coffee hound and only drink two cups in the morning and this is when it was hardest not to have a "cheat smoke"... Except for when I had my favorite adult beverages....

I went from two packs per day to less than a whole pack each day. I was progressing very well and would often challenge myself to see how long i could go without a smoke.

There were times I could go for eight hours without smoking.

Then we went on vacation.... Too much drinking, too many hours behind the wheel, and without my log, I son returned to my two packs per day...

It has been a couple months now and I am remotivating myself.

Another tip that was somewhat addressed was the self hypnosis tape mentioned previously.

My twist on this is a CD produced by Steven Halpern. It isn't actually a self hypnosis CD, but is words under a music track. New Age type music. I turn on the CD at bed time in our alarm clock and it plays through without repeating, then it goes off with the alarm.

It does work subconsciously... and is inexpensive.

I wish all others the best success and share my support....

 

[Gil_T2]

found an old thread which might give so hope for quitters.

https://forum.literotica.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=165068

 

[StevenWill]

Stuck in the middle

I am in a weird place with this. I am not a heavy smoker, but I love it. When I bought my new car I decided not to smoke and drive. I leave my house about 6 AM and often don't get home until after 5. I never smoke during those hours but I have a couple of pieces of nicotine gum during the day. Then I smoke at night, until I go to bed around 10. I have cigarettes with my coffee in the AM.

I feel good about not smoking out in public or in my car but I look forward to one with my wine at night. I want to complete the deal and quit completely but I haven't made that step.

So, for me, smoking has become like masturbation---something you only do when home and alone.

 

[warrior queen]

fallen off the wagon, so to speak.

this is so much harder than i ever expected, and i'm afraid i have been terribly naughty and had more than a few ciggies in the last 24 hours.

not exactly sure what triggered this, and i'm trying to keep a diary of when i smoke, but nothing's jumping out at me apart from the obvious caffeine trigger.

so, caffeine is out.

god, i am going to be an insufferable cow! my poor kids

and as for there being a possibility of overdose while using the nicotine replacement microtabs..... well, i can absolutely report that that does not appear to be the case for me!

*sigh* i'll keep trying though.

i feel lousy for giving in.

 

[LadyG]

Day 9 and I'm twitchy.

Bitchy.

Emotional.

But other than that....Good GOD the smell of cigarettes is disgusting to me now.

 

[Kissophile]

It's hard for me to imagine what you all are going through as i've never smoked more than an occasional cigar.

However, a few years ago I went from drinking 15 to 20 cups of regular coffee a day to drinking decaf only. It hurt like hell for about a week and I was even more of a pain in the ass to live with than usual.

For anyone who is trying to quit smoking and is giving up caffeine at the same time, I salute you for handling the pain you are putting yourselves through.

 

[bobsgirl]

I hear ya, Kiss. My preferred method of caffeine delivery is Pepsi. Unfortunately that's not only caffeine but a boatload of sugar. I have tried to eliminate it from my diet, but failed every single time. The best I've done is cut back from 3 or 4 a day to 1 or 2.

I've watched my son try to quit smoking repeatedly. I've seen how hard it is. He works as a mechanic and all his co-workers smoke so it makes it doubly hard.

 

[au_man]

Please don't be so hard on yourself!

fallen off the wagon, so to speak.

this is so much harder than i ever expected, and i'm afraid i have been terribly naughty and had more than a few ciggies in the last 24 hours.

not exactly sure what triggered this, and i'm trying to keep a diary of when i smoke, but nothing's jumping out at me apart from the obvious caffeine trigger.

so, caffeine is out.

god, i am going to be an insufferable cow! my poor kids

and as for there being a possibility of overdose while using the nicotine replacement microtabs..... well, i can absolutely report that that does not appear to be the case for me!

*sigh* i'll keep trying though.

i feel lousy for giving in.

If you are still trying, you have NOT givin in....

You may need to adjust the microtabs dosage a bit more, or if it is the oral thing, try a sucker, or carrot sticks until the craving passes...

Ending a habit that you have been doing for years takes time and patience... As long as you are still smoking less, you are doing better.

A little progress is all it takes... Celebrate the positive, but don't beat yourself for slipping a little....