Want To Quit Smoking

[UR Groovy]

Well i have had several goes over the years but my most recent attempt has been the most successful (Easter) with the nicotine patches.

So far so good!!....but have gained 10 pounds but working on that.

I really can't ever see me smoking again - it rarely enters my head (I think I have transferred all desire to smoke to desire to eat )

Several things were different with this attempt:

My hubby gave up as well

My sons were aware of us smoking AND telling us what it was doing to our health

I was really embarressed by my habit

I must say I imagined that both hubby and I would have been at each others throats through the withdrawal but suprisingly NO MOOD swings with the patches.

We kept ourselves busy and did plenty of crosswords/suduku

Somehow - this time seems to be for keeps - hope it is for any of you out there!!

Hope you're still free of it.

The Patches. I'm amazed. I had my last cigarette Friday morning & an hour later, I put on the patch. Haven't even considered smoking at all since. It really does kill those cravings. I'm convinced that if I had tried the patches last summer (when this thread started), I would have kicked this then.

I had no idea how strong the addiction was. I really thought it was my lack of self control. I think I was ready ... I was just using the wrong tool: the gum (which reinforces the cravings & the habit, as far as I'm concerned)

We have a long list of things to do instead of smoking.

It's working & I'm thrilled. Here's another cool thing: My husband's company is paying the American Cancer Society for counselling and free nicotine replacement.

I'm happy to say that I'll be slapping those patches on for the next 10 weeks and then, I'll be free of this rediculousness.

[blueeyedmanda]

My husband quit smoking and has been smoke free for almost 3 months now. We were married in Nov. When we went on our honeymoon, he came down with a bad case of pneumonia, while sick he couldn't smoke and never did pick up the habit again. I am so proud of him

[Lisa]

Congratulations Kat....may the force be with you.

[UR Groovy]

My husband quit smoking and has been smoke free for almost 3 months now. We were married in Nov. When we went on our honeymoon, he came down with a bad case of pneumonia, while sick he couldn't smoke and never did pick up the habit again. I am so proud of him

Right On, Amanda ! Congratulations on your marriage, BTW!

Congratulations Kat....may the force be with you.

Right On, Lisa! And, may the force be with you as well. Did the Lame Advertisement work for you after all? I thought about Lame Advertisement ...

It feels so good to take a deep breath.

[nikki-uk]

Hope you're still free of it.

Oh yeah!! ....dear gawd...I think I have turned into one of those awful reformed smokers ......you know...the ones that cough when someone lights up!

So glad the patches are working for you...and it sounds as if you're in the right place mentally

When we went on our honeymoon, he came down with a bad case of pneumonia, while sick he couldn't smoke and never did pick up the habit again. I am so proud of him

Wow, cold turkey!!! ..well done John!!

Right On, Lisa! And, may the force be with you as well. Did the Lame Advertisement work for you after all? I thought about Lame Advertisement ...

I've also wondered if it worked for you Lisa??

[blueeyedmanda]

Right On, Amanda ! Congratulations on your marriage, BTW!

Thanks!

John is a cancer survivor. He smoked pre-cancer and then quit during his battle and was clean for another year or so after. Once we got together he would socially smoke. One thing led to another and he was smoking again. When he took his new job in 1/06 he started to smoke more. He has a union job now and they get 15 minute breaks, a thing we never had in the lab. Last Jan, in 07, the Medical Center went smoke free, you could not even smoke in your vehicle. They started to enforce it in July, if you were caught once you got a warning, caught twice you would lose your job. We work on a big campus so there is no where to go unless you take your car and leave completely. John would still sneak to the car and smoke.

As bad as our honeymoon was since he was sick and all, it was a blessing in disguise. To not have John smoking is a breath of fresh air (literally) At the end he was wheezing and he would have SOB after walking short distances. We are planning a second honeymoon this spring at some point. We want to go back to the Finger Lakes to where we stayed, we need to wait for winter to be over.

[confused]

I quit about an month ago and have never looked back. I was getting so light headed while i smoked that it scared the crap out of me and i knew it was time. My mom quit 3 years ago and was going to start back up cause i was smoking, that also gave me motivation to stop, i didnt want to see her smoke. I have quit many times before tho but i really hope this time is for life. I always used the excuse that i needed it to keep pounds off of me, but i have actually lost some weight since i quit and i feel so much better.

paula

[Lisa]

I've also wondered if it worked for you Lisa??

[UR Groovy]

I quit about an month ago and have never looked back.

...

paula

...

I had my last cigarette August 6, almost six months. My how time flies

...

Congratulations, Ladies. Inspiration ... yes, I like it.

Nikki, Right on !

[blueeyedmanda]

My coworker took Chantex and it worked for her. She was very pleased with it.

[moldlady]

I've heard that niacin supplements help the cravings. Maybe one can get the flushless type and still have it work.

[UR Groovy]

I'm on Day 4 of quitting smoking. I feel confident. If I can make it through this week, I think I can probably get through just about anything. I picked a very strange time to quit. My father's having risky surgery tomorrow, I apparently have been glutened sometime in the last couple days & I'm ready to go back to a therapist. I feel aweful from the glutening (not a doubt in my mind - it's gluten) - physically & mentally.

I don't think I'll be back here to the forum again. I think you're a wonderful bunch. Thank you all for getting me through this year of learning how to cope with all that comes with being gluten-free. I wish I could have returned the favor, but I don't think that has been the case.

In the interest of not hijaacking the thread, I'd like to leave it at that. I just didn't want to start a new thread. I don't think I'll be checkiing the boards again. This will probably be a harder habit to break than smoking, but I just need separation. Right now, I just need a Xanax.

You guys are really great,

take care,

k

[psawyer]

I've been lurking in this thread, not wanting to post my own story since it might be taken as bragging. I could say that I quit thousands of times, only to start again in the morning.

I quit for good in April of 1990. I say for good because I am long past the cravings and have no desire to ever smoke again. Twice before I quit but lapsed back. The first time I was off the weed for about 18 months. The second time it lasted about three years.

There were no patches and there was no gum in 1990. I made up my mind and stuck to it.

Kat, I'm pulling for you.

[Lisa]

I am hoping, when Kat has recovered from her glutening, she will join us again.

[blueeyedmanda]

Kat-your in my thoughts

[psawyer]

Kat and I have been in touch via email. It was positive. I think she is going to win this time around.

[UR Groovy]

That gluten - she's a harsh nemesis. I can't even believe what I've gone through in the last few days.

I'm not smoking. I'm not gonna smoke again.

Bad news with my Dad. I'll be back here someday. Just came in cuz I'm feeling human again - unbelievable. And I didn't smoke ???!!! That's the most unbelievable thing.

Take care

k