Has anyone tried given up smoking here? If so, how successful were you?

XRchic · 21-06-2005, 05:01 PM

Hi everyone

I was just wondering who on here has attempted giving up the smokes? If you have attempted, is this your first attempt or have there been a few? Has anyone actually been successful and stayed off them for good? If so, how did you do it? Cold turkey, patches and gum or just a gradual cut back?

I ask because I have recently begun a new attempt to give up. I have gone cold turkey. I have not had a cigarette in two weeks and two days. Not a single puff. No patches, no gum. Just cut them out and that was that.

I have smoked since I was about 15 and I am now nearly 34. I gave up when I became pregnant with both of my kids and did not have a single cigarette during their pregnancies. I also did not smoke when I was breastfeeding them. I did take it up again when they were around 6 months old as my now ex, smoked too and it was so hard to resist.

I have not had any other attempts, other than those two. This is the longest I have gone without cigarettes since very early 1998.

The first few days were bad as the nicotine withdrawls hit. Once that went, then it has just been a matter of breaking the habit. I have had a few tests: a long driving trip (to Melbourne and back) and a good few hours in a pub last weekend with lots of people smoking. I resisted both, with difficulty.

I am sick of the cost, the smell on my clothes, my kids hated it that I smoked and my fella hated it with a passion. So I had a few reasons and now that I decided I was ready to do it, I have decided to go ahead and try.

So far so good. I honestly do not know if this will be a permanent thing and I am taking it day by day. I dont know if I am going to give in one day and just start up. But my Dad has given up with me and that is great because he is a diabetic asthmatic!

Anyway, does anyone have their "giving up story" to tell?

Cheers

Jac

EA2BA · 21-06-2005, 05:03 PM

Well all i can say is that from experience with my wife, the cravings will haunt you till the day you die, but on the bright side, good luck, be strong and hope you succeed.

smciner1 · 21-06-2005, 05:42 PM

Good luck with it Jac.

Bucknaked · 21-06-2005, 05:53 PM

I was a smoker since about 18. Quit at 31. 30 smokes a day. I quit on News Years Day 2001. My myself and Julie and gave up the habit at the same time. We went cold turkey. Did it plenty of times before, but after 2 months we were back on again. But in 2001, she was 3 months pregnant. So we made it a joint effort to kick the habit. Our reasons were simple. Smoke free environment for our child, before and after birth. Plus I'd like to be able to kick a footy, play cricket with him without running short on breathe. Generally, I wanted to be around longer to enjoy my children.

We have been smoke free ever since.

Cravings yes, still. Not as bad as the first few months. And I figured once I stop dreaming I was a big cigarette, then I was almost through the difficulties.

If you can quit, thats excellent. You will get support in everyone you know. We want you to suceed. So good luck. Hope you have the will power and drive to do it.

Perana · 21-06-2005, 06:03 PM

Good luck with it Jac !

Feathers · 21-06-2005, 06:05 PM

My Dad quit for 9 months last year.
He had a really bad cold and just said he couldn't be bothered smoking. He never craved them, he said it wasn't hard at all.
The only reason he went back, was bacause he had 2 cartons sitting in his office and didn't want to throw them out.
I guilt trip him now since we're pretty close, that obviously he doesn't love me as much as he says he does if he won't quit for me.
When I was a kid I used to get up early, before he went to work, and hide his cigarettes under a cushion on the lounge.

As it is now I made a sign that sits in front of his desk saying:
"For every cigarette you smoke it is 5 minutes off your life. Please quit"

Jamie XR6 · 21-06-2005, 06:08 PM

I started smoking quite young and only gave up 4 years ago. It's the best thing I ever did and will never have a smoke again. I even have dreams where I've dreamt I've started smoking again and wake up in a panic thinking what have I done?

I went on the patches, I think they were 12 hour patches. The dreams you have as you go through withdrawal are great. They are so vivid and real that you will remember most of them when you wake.

When you go on patches, you wont feel like a smoke for about a week. During the first 3-4 days you will still reach for a smoke out of habit. Get rid of all your smokes, lighters and ash trays from the house. The cravings will start after a week. Get over them (it will take a few weeks) and you won't look back. The most important thing to remember is DONT smoke while on patches, you can get nicotine posioning.

It takes a lot of willpower but it's worth it. Save the money that you would normally spend on smokes and reward yourself by spending it every now and then on yourself.

While I don't get cravings anymore, I have to admit there is sometimes when I think that I could do with a smoke right now, but don't give in.

I'm healthier and feel better than I ever did while I smoked.

Good luck, trust me, the end result is worth it.

Feathers · 21-06-2005, 06:15 PM

MY 2IC at work quit cold-turkey last NYE, still hasn't touched one. Has no desire to.
Considering she smoked Winnie Reds, thats pretty good.

My 87 year old grandfather smoked from about 18 until he was 50. He quit after he had his first heart attack, and now his doctor says he has the lungs of a 30yr old non smoker.

Danny · 21-06-2005, 06:23 PM

Wow! Some good stories there

I've been smoking since I was 17. I'm now 20 and have no real plan to quit however I will give it a go in the next year or so.

Mum smoked from about 15 to 21 years and gave up cold turkey, shes never had one since so hopefully wit ha bit of luck i can do the same ;)

-Danny

Whitey-AMG · 21-06-2005, 06:38 PM

First puff at 8.......Full time gaffer at 16.......by 19 I was a packadayer.
Went cold turkey heaps of times but always went back on em was a smoker until 28.........when my wife fell pregnant. This was the deciding moment. like others here have said, I wanted a smoke free environment at home for my kids. I went cold turkey again, but this time the will was so much stronger that it was almost easy. Haven't touched the death sticks for 9 years now.

Feel heaps better and have spent all the cash that would have gone up in smoke on the ESP..............WIN WIN all around.

Anyone can do it, you just need the right motivation.

Jamie XR6 · 21-06-2005, 06:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Feathers

My 87 year old grandfather smoked from about 18 until he was 50. He quit after he had his first heart attack, and now his doctor says he has the lungs of a 30yr old non smoker.

It takes around 10 years for your lungs to heal themselves to somewhere how they were before you started smoking.

Jase · 21-06-2005, 07:14 PM

I got the flu bad one day about a few years ago, stopped smoking nd havent taklen it up since

When Im a bit tipsy Im known to have a few

, but thats about it. No desire to smoke a pack a day

Paris Hilton · 21-06-2005, 07:22 PM

Never taken it up, tyres are too expensive for a poor student like me :(

PULLY6 · 21-06-2005, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jase

I got the flu bad one day about a few years ago, stopped smoking nd havent taklen it up since

When Im a bit tipsy Im known to have a few

, but thats about it. No desire to smoke a pack a day

I'm the same.

Racecraft · 21-06-2005, 07:56 PM

Im a pack-a-day meathead. Tried to quit only the once, lasted for 9 months and am ready to have another shot at it simply because you can't smoke in peace anymore. The laws about where you can smoke take the enjoyment out of it for me.

**Captain Stubing** · 21-06-2005, 08:02 PM

I gave up almost 5 months ago. I try to stay scared at the thought of having just one... that will undo all the crap I had to go through to get this far! After 20 years of smokin' I feel good now!

NAK302 · 21-06-2005, 08:02 PM

it's been about 6 weeks for me now. cold turkey, with cravings real bad for about a week. my wife still smokes and the smell annoys me. how hypocritical is that

good luck with it, be strong in your mind and try not to hang around people or places that could influence you :monkes:

T_Terror · 21-06-2005, 08:06 PM

I quit this year after 8 years of smoking although i was on and off hardly smoking for last year.

My experience is that the social aspect pulls you in the hardest. Try to avoid going out with workmates for those smoko breaks and just fight hte urge whenever others light up.
Eventually itll start tasting like crap anyway.

Damo · 21-06-2005, 08:12 PM

i gave up smoking dope, that was hard enough. I think i'd be better off giving up grog rather than quitting smoking. I don't think i'll be around for too long anyway.. soo.

GTP 320 · 21-06-2005, 08:22 PM

I gave up back in 1990,went Cold Turkey(one day i just through the packet of smokes and lighter out the car window) and have never had a smoke since.You just have to have a strong desire to give up ,it's the best thing that i have done,the food taste better and feel better for it, no more inhaling the poison.
Good luck Jac,i wish you all the best and think of all the money that you will save. lol
Cheers John

Jamie XR6 · 21-06-2005, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nak351

it's been about 6 weeks for me now. cold turkey, with cravings real bad for about a week. my wife still smokes and the smell annoys me. how hypocritical is that

Not really hypocritical.

I gave up cold turkey in the early 90s for two years. My wife wouldn't give up but that didn't worry me too much. The hardest part was going to a pub. I didn't feel like a smoke but those smoking around me would cause my eyes to water, I couldn't handle it, or the smell. I really started to feel crook and had to leave. I just couldn't stay in a pub at all. In the end it was just easier to start smoking again.

When I gave up using patches I found that the smell or being around smokers didn't worry me at all. I had none of the problems I had after giving up cold turkey. I will not let people with a smoke anywhere near my car but being in a pub or club etc is fine.

MO · 21-06-2005, 08:46 PM

Good Luck Jac....been on them since 12....gave up giving up..be strong hope you make it.

The Mighty Red · 21-06-2005, 09:03 PM

I gave up 6 weeks ago yesterday 35-40 a day for a long time , started when i was 15 now 39, along with giving up drinking it is without doubt the hardest thing I have ever done,
I was on patches for 3 weeks and then i decided to have a go without them , so far so good , i am getting really cranky really quickly over nothing, I am eating a packet of butter scotch lollies a day , i have put on a 1.5 stone since i stopped which for me is a good thing,
Gave up for 6months about 8 years ago but going to the pub everday soon got the better of me and I folded ,
This time i really want to stop and I dont go to the pub so fingers crossed i've had my last smoke!

XRchic · 21-06-2005, 09:23 PM

Seems to be the common hurdle is going to the pub! I agree though, the pub is hard, but I did it on Saturday night!

Another trigger for me is driving, especially long drives. Also after dinner, and first thing in the morning and at morning tea with a coffee. Talking on the phone and being on the internet are other triggers for me. Hmmmm.

Seems a fair few on here have been successful too, which is great. And yes, I am saving money - I went from smoking a pack a day (4mg smokes) of 40 down to zero - that's around $15 a day!

And Im not paying for patches etc either, so I am really saving the cash.

I am also very lucky that my partner doesnt smoke at all - so not only do I have the support, but I also dont have to smell it around me at home, or see a nice half empty pack lying around in a tempting manner...

I have to say, I am not feeling as bad as I thought I would, re cravings. And I dont think I have been as grumpy as I thought I would be either.

Good luck to all of you who are giving up as well!

Jac

LuvinmyEB · 21-06-2005, 09:37 PM

I stopped two weeks ago but didn't make it past the three day mark (the same day I saw what had happened to my car), I should have thrown out the rest of my smokes, lighters, ash trays etc.

I've signed up with Nicabate now and I have to set another date to give up, I get phone calls and newsletters from them. I've tried so many times to give up cold turkey and gone back to them because there was always someone else in the house that smoked.

So it looks like I'll be trying out the patches.

Good on you Jac for having such strong will power, stick with it.

The Mighty Red · 21-06-2005, 10:00 PM

lol Jac , its not until you give up that you realise how everything you do revolves around smoking, Good luck with it .

conordec · 21-06-2005, 10:07 PM

I just threw mine in the bin after reading this thread.... $15 a day, X 365 days a year, = over 5.5k!!!

Now that made me sick!!

Go Jac, I'm with ya all the way.

max^power · 21-06-2005, 10:22 PM

I quit a while ago, patches helped me. Its not that hard if you plan it, but you've also got to want to quit for yourself. Doing it because someone else suggests or wants you to is a waste of time in my opinion.

gtfpv · 21-06-2005, 10:56 PM

look guys just give up . i dont smoke . was given a few everytime i went out from 15 to 22 never bought a pac one day when i realised i was smoking every time i drank i thought i should buy a pac went to the cig machine . and thought if i do this this is it. did not buy never smoked. again . mind you i never smoked enough to get addicted . im 36 years old now. figure ive saved about 15 years of smoking . besides being alive and lung healthy i've probably saved $ 75,000 net thats about $120,000 gross at say 6.5% interest as i 've always paid at least $100 extra per week off motgage . which comes to $75000 x 1.06 15times equates to $169,600 net . thats not including how much the house went up .
so it is crazy to smoke . would you stick your head down someones chimney and inhale for 5 minutes 40 times a day and pay for the honour. if you think about it a person who burns a 100 dollar note everyweek whith a match who doesn't smoke would be a wiser person than a smoker ( fact ).
saying that i feel sorry for smokers they stink they grow old quicker they crave smoke. they put themselves at risk of a long painfull death with air hunger.
if this isn't enough to make a person quit then nothing will . my advice would be what ever you are spending on cigarettes now . put elsewher. ie into your mortgage . invest it . buy a gt on a 100% loan .give it to charity . put it into a savings account for your children. or flush it down the loo . or just give it to a stranger in the street every week . anything but buy a death sentence.

XRchic · 21-06-2005, 11:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by au^ute

I quit a while ago, patches helped me. Its not that hard if you plan it, but you've also got to want to quit for yourself. Doing it because someone else suggests or wants you to is a waste of time in my opinion.

That is sooo true! You have to really want it yourself to be successful I think. If you do it for someone or something else, solely, then you are trying to give up almost against your will, which will never work. You have to use other factors as reasons why YOU want to give up, and really decide that because of your own health and also the impact on others, and money, etc, that you really want to give up.

There is no point trying to give up, if you dont really want to, and if you are just not ready. But I finally got to the point where I really wanted to, where I really hated smoking and also taking into account things like money, and other people just finished off my decision.

I also think that other factors like money and other people can also be perhaps the reason why you dont go back on them, rather than the reason to decide to give up in the first place. Use those factors as motivation to keep persisting with it, and resisting the cravings! I just keep thinking of my kids, my fella and the money when I feel like I want one - it works!

Thanks guys