Smoking

[Judyin Philly]

Hi Everyone.

Patti......Jersery angel told me abou this site.

I really need your help to keep FIGHTING THIS BATTLE.

i stopped on Dec 23 .......about 4 months ago ...........and still crave them.

I know all the tricks of things to keep my mind and body active to keep from not smoking.

i just need some notes of encouragement.

Jennifer has moved from Temecula where we are moving and I'm so proud of her and that she is a non smoker

i am really but in my heart feel i could go back to it at any second.

Packing and fixing the house for the move isn't helping the nerves.

I haven't felt good ...except for the breathing....since i stopped smoking.

I espt miss the nick..kick after working in the garden or finishing a big task .

i guess i miss the reward and also the 'kick' of engegy i'd get from it

thanks for letting me vent and Jennifer I'm so proud of you

I wish you were still in Temecula but glad your happy at your new home.

I could so relate to this post.

it's what i smoked.

As an ex-smoker (15 years and counting) I encourage you to fight the battle. No one loved their "Viriginia Slim Light Menthol's" better than me. You will find many advantages to a smoke free life.

I quit smoking with the aid of patches and recommend it. It takes away the cravings and even helps years down the road. I even carried a patch around with me for months "just in case." I can laugh about it now!!!

Jennifer

[Lisa]

Judy,

It's a tough thing to take on. Best advise I can give you is to change your routine. When the phone rings and your usually want a cigarette, go somewhere where you never smoked. Go to your bedroom or a bathroom and talk.

When you're done with a task, start a new one immediatly. When you have a drink or a glass of wine in the evening and want to smoke, go for a walk instead or do something in the house. Keep your hands and your mind busy.

Many times picking up a cigarette is not for the cigarette itself, but it's out of routine. Change your routine.

After a while, when I would still have a craving, I would imagine that after two puffs, I would have this icky taste in my mouth and told myself it just wan't what I wanted to do anymore.

Anyway, best of luck to you and be strong my friend.

xxoo

[msmini14]

Judy you are so sweet!

I know its hard, I crave them too and like others said it is all out of routine and that is what I have changed. It was hard because I am the type who lives by a schedule/routine in my mind, I have a certain way of doing everything, what time it is done, etc. Not smoking was the hardest thing I have ever done.

Just remember that smoking wont fix anything, you have gone 4 months dont give up now. When you stopped eating gluten was it tough on you? It was for me and I am comparing cigs to gluten, I know I am going to miss it but smoking is so bad just like gluten.

I tell this to myself when I have a bad crave - I only feel this way because I smoked, not because I quit. Which is true, you wouldnt ever have this feeling if you never lit up.

There is a website called quitnet.com and it has a lot of good advice and also a support site. You can enter in the date and time of your quit, it will show you the hours saved on your life, how many cigs you didnt smoke and how much money you have saved. Kind of motivates you =)

I know you can do this, if you can move to a new place just like I have you can do this quit =)

hehehe you will like Temecula once you get to know the area.

[ranger]

I can't believe finding this!I just got on quitnet and have a quit date if May 1. I HAVE to quit smoking - am 63 with COPD that is getting worse. Between that and celiac, the quality of my life is getting very bad. HELP! Can I get support here? Susan

[Mtndog]

I am sending strength to all of you- it's a hard habit to quit. I've cut down a lot but I need to quit. I want to hear everyone's quit stories- triumphs and stumbles. I need inspiration and encouragement. I quit once for a year and a half but went back when I got stressed out!!!!!!!!!

Go girls (and boys!) GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[mushroom]

I know all about the habits associated with *the* habit. Whenever the telephone rang at work, it was automatic to reach for a cigarette. Two weeks into my quit, my boss who was in trial out of town called in, and after a couple of minutes he said, "Lee, are you all right???" NO, I AM NOT, said I crossly, desperately wanting that cigarette and trying to function without it. Cups of coffee and glasses of wine or a scotch were not much fun for a while either. I nibbled on celery and carrot sticks constantly, and kept a pencil or something in my hand, because the biggest, hardest part was knowing what to do with my hands now that they had no ciggy to hold.

I went away on an R&R weekend on my own, something I often did, not long after I quit smoking, and had to go home again right away because I could no longer sit in a restaurant by myself, even with a book, without that cigarette to give me something to do and the confidence to sit there on my own. (Besides, the waiter was really snotty that night when I put my tail between my legs and retreated, stuck me in a corner and tried to ignore me.)

The good news is that after six months, it was over!! I don't know if it will be the same for others, but that's how long it took me to stop missing them desperately and feel recovered.

Good luck to all you winners who are quitting. You CAN do it. Just stick with it, day by day.

By the way, I just kept telling myself that I could never start smoking again, because I knew I would only have to quit again, and I couldn't go through that suffering twice!!

[msmini14]

To everyone that has posted here wanting or trying to quit you can do it! It is a struggle for me everyday but like mushroom said take it day by day. Sometimes I have to take it hour by hour lol.

Susan I will support you through your quit! My dad had COPD too and worse he never knew he had celiac disease, it was awful watching him. I will share this, maybe this might help.

As I said my dad had COPD, that and celiac took a huge roll in his death. In October of 2004 I had to move back in with the parents, ugh. BUT I am glad I did because I got to spend time with my dad before he died.

I was asleep one night and I woke up to my mom screaming my dads name. I jumped out of bed (I was very close to my dad) ran into the living room and there he was on the ground not breathing or moving. I asked my mom if she called 911 and she said yes. It felt like forever and no one showed up so I called again watching my dad dying. I wish I knew how to perform cpr I might have been able to save him. Anyway to make a long story short my dad died in my arms that night. It still haunts me to this day watching the life leave his eyes and body. I will never forget it.

All I can tell myself now is at least he can breathe, he is in a better place now. It is going to be 5 years this October and it has taken me this long to stop smoking. You would think I would stop right? no, but I did it.

If any of you want to live a good healthy life stop smoking. I know it is hard, but you can do it. You have to want it. Not for anyone or anything but yourself.

I am glad you found quitnet, it is a very helpful site. Motivates you, did for me anyway. And use something to help you. I thought the patch wouldnt work but it saved me. I couldnt stop cold turkey. I am off the patch now and doing good.

I am here for everyone! This site is here for support even for us non-smokers or people trying to quit.

[debmidge]

Please, please stop smoking. I am non-smoker and I have seen the pain smoking

brings in the way of disease so I have nothing but sad stories.

1) My aunt smoked since she was a teen. When she was 57 she lost a lung to cancer. Dr. removed

the cancer - got it out all the way - it even inflitrated the heart sack and he said had he known he would not have done the surgery. While she was open in OR lung surgeon had to get a heart surgeon to do the heart part. It was grueling surgery for her. She survived without chemo or radiation - lived with one lung until

2) she was about 65 she needed oxygen at home because the remaining lung had emphysema and COPD.

3) she was just turning 68 last year and her remaining lung gave out - she could not get enough oxygen to keep her brain running. Right now she is in a nursing home for ventilator patients as she is permanently on a ventilator for however long she has now. So happy retirement years for her

4) my 63 year-old uncle (her brother) now has inoperable lung cancer with adrenal gland cancer and is terminal.

[Judyin Philly]

So happy retirement years for her

4) my 63 year-old uncle (her brother) now has inoperable lung cancer with adrenal gland cancer and is terminal.

Thanks to all of you

I made it another day.

It was a 'day from Hell' with all of those.....if it can happen and go wrong it will...........

didn't smoke............

question..........have 2 packs sitting here since Dec 23 and i can't throw them out.

Not sure why.............I don't even consider myself a 'ex smoker' just a person who doesn't have a cig in her hand right now.

thanks to all of you b/c each person sharing has added strength to get me through

course scraping and power washing the porch rails wasn't the most fun in the world today but alot accomplished. I know i used cigs to help me relax and it did help me get my mind off bone pain but.......

will have to find a replacement.

i'm glad were here for each other.

thanks for letting me vent.

[mushroom]

.......

question..........have 2 packs sitting here since Dec 23 and i can't throw them out.

Not sure why.............I don't even consider myself a 'ex smoker' just a person who doesn't have a cig in her hand right now.

i'm glad were here for each other.

thanks for letting me vent.

Vent away, scream if you want, just don't puff.

I always left a pack of cigarettes sitting on the coffee table in the living room from the day I quit. I knew that I would have to resist them wherever I went, so I thought, might as well start doing it at home. Nothing would have made me open that pack.

You go girl!!

[Judyin Philly]

Vent away, scream if you want, just don't puff.

I always left a pack of cigarettes sitting on the coffee table in the living room from the day I quit. I knew that I would have to resist them wherever I went, so I thought, might as well start doing it at home. Nothing would have made me open that pack.

You go girl!!

THANKS did you go cold turkey too?

you wrote this and I keep re reading...........

""

By the way, I just kept telling myself that I could never start smoking again, because I knew I would only have to quit again, and I couldn't go through that suffering twice!!""

[mushroom]

Yep, VERY cold turkey. There was no other way back then

[psawyer]

Yep, VERY cold turkey. There was no other way back then

Me too. It was 19 years ago. You just made up your mind and persevered. Judy, you can do it.

[Judyin Philly]

PETER

Your so kind.

Thanks for the support.

Finally gave up and went on zanax as the stress from moving/packing/sorting/gardening ............ was just getting to be too much.

so i may have to 'fog' my way to CA but I'll be 'smoke' free I'm praying

thanks all

[msmini14]

I have noticed my anxiety has gone through the roof since I stopped smoking too. I get in the car to drive an hour in horrible traffic to get to a job that I dont like, then all of a sudden I am getting very light headed and frustrated lol.

Wish I could see the dr to get some pills for this transition.

Judy I struggle too and we can do this.

[mushroom]

I have noticed my anxiety has gone through the roof since I stopped smoking too. I get in the car to drive an hour in horrible traffic to get to a job that I dont like, then all of a sudden I am getting very light headed and frustrated lol.

Wish I could see the dr to get some pills for this transition.

Judy I struggle too and we can do this.

I have to add that I had to get help from my doc to get some sleep because every muscle would be totally rigid and tight. He gave me Valium and it got me through (only took it at nights).

[sbj]

I quit August 2008 after smoking a pack of 'clove' cigarettes everyday for 28 years. I finally quit because I was diagnosed with a genetic condition that predisposes me to a variety of cancers, including colon cancer. Smoking has been shown to increase your chances of developing colon cancer so I made up my mind to quit.

I got help through my HMO (another reason I am one of the few who seem to like their medical care). They offered a stop smoking program that provided once a week group education, Welbutrin, and patches. I had tried to quit cold turkey many times previous but always failed. I think the patches are what made the difference for me. I think the Welbutrin helped a lot, too. You actually begin to take the Welbutrin before your quit day as it takes a couple of weeks to come to full effect. If you are having trouble quitting cold turkey then I really recommend the patches and some pharmaceutical assistance. Also, give yourself a 'job well done' present for your success. And please, everyone, don't forget Nicotine Anonymous.

I also began to exercise much more frequently. Deep breathing helps and lots of water, too. It often helped me to remember that the urge for a cigarette - when you get those awful urges - goes away in just a few minutes. So if you can resist for three minutes you're gonna be okay. When the next urge comes along you just need to stay strong for another three minutes.

[Judyin Philly]

I have noticed my anxiety has gone through the roof since I stopped smoking too. I get in the car to drive an hour in horrible traffic to get to a job that I dont like, then all of a sudden I am getting very light headed and frustrated lol.

Wish I could see the dr to get some pills for this transition.

Judy I struggle too and we can do this.

Jennifer thanks so much for sharing about this

i just want to sleep and am sure part is the new med kicking in too.

I have a short fuse too.

I have to add that I had to get help from my doc to get some sleep because every muscle would be totally rigid and tight. He gave me Valium and it got me through (only took it at nights).

I never had trouble sleeping but do now so i'm taking 1/2 the lowest dose of something in that family right before i go to bed. oye.........

They offered a stop smoking program that provided once a week group education, Welbutrin, and patches.

HA i used to teach those classes at the hospital where i worked before i started smoking again.

\ when you get those awful urges - goes away in just a few minutes. So if you can resist for three minutes you're gonna be okay. When the next urge comes along you just need to stay strong for another three minutes.

must remember to put my rubber band on my wrist to snap when i get the urge.

It helps me also sucking on Altoids as it's like the peppermint from my Virginia Slims menthol

wish i was getting the alerts for this thread i signed up for.

nite all

[sbj]

I popped a couple of sugar free mini Altoids on the way home from work today and then decided to read the tin -- wheat maltodextrin. Oye.

[Judyin Philly]

I popped a couple of sugar free mini Altoids on the way home from work today and then decided to read the tin -- wheat maltodextrin. Oye.

Just went and got my container of Altoids.

I knew there were problems with some of them.

MINE IS GLUTEN FREE. I KNEW I'D CKECKED IT OUT

So glad you brought this us tho

i don't use anything sugar free and mine are not the mini.

They said ALTOIDS. peppermint 100% natural

Sugar, gum arabic,natural flavor (oil of peppermint) gelatin

[Judyin Philly]

woops thought I'd lost it

[msmini14]

So glad to hear that we are both running on short fuses Judy! lol. I just want this awful feeling to go away. How are you dealing with the craves? Using the altoids? I need to find something. I was chewing on toothpicks for awhile and gum.

Has anyone here felt really light headed after you stopped smoking? I used the patch all the way to step 3 then decided to stop using it 3 days into the last step. I was always feeling light headed and thought it was the ups and downs of nicotine. Well, it has been over a week since my body has had it and I am still light headed. It can be so bad that I shouldnt be driving. I sometimes feel angry too and I dont know why.

It is hard to talk about this because these are not normal feelings that I have. I feel so out of whack, I am not myself right now.

[Judyin Philly]

So glad to hear that we are both running on short fuses Judy! lol. I just want this awful feeling to go away. How are you dealing with the craves? Using the altoids? I need to find something. I was chewing on toothpicks for awhile and gum.

Has anyone here felt really light headed after you stopped smoking? I used the patch all the way to step 3 then decided to stop using it 3 days into the last step. I was always feeling light headed and thought it was the ups and downs of nicotine. Well, it has been over a week since my body has had it and I am still light headed. It can be so bad that I shouldn't be driving. I sometimes feel angry too and I don't know why.

It is hard to talk about this because these are not normal feelings that I have. I feel so out of whack, I am not myself right now.

oh Jennifer,,,,,,,,,,i can't tell you how much I needed to read this post at this EXACT SECOND.

yes the Altoids are helping.

what you wrote earlier today about 'the patterns' and when we smoke is what's killing me.

i used to work in my garden and take a break and smoke

now i go into my gardens and see all the flowers, shrubs and trees in bloom that i have to leave.

sure i can focus on the 'big prize at the end' but i can't see it for the

shakiness, anxiety and just plain grieving over stopping and giving up one more thing in my life.

whining i know but it's just a way to cope i guess instead of smoking.

I'm not myself either Jen, or I'd never be writing all this and being so vulnerable

yes, I'm very light headed and dizzy too

course I'm blaming it on the 1/2 of 25 mg of xanax and i hate to admit i have to take that too

Computer locked up so had to come back on.

have you tried the rubber band snap on the wrist? It helps some

i Just want some energy back and not to feel so DOWN.

I WISH you hadn't moved from Temecula

course at the rate i'm going i'll never get moved.

stopping the 'pitty party ' right now.

wish i could eat some chocolate or something good.

damn gluten-free, sf, df, cf diet on top of it all

[mushroom]

Yeah, I know what you mean about all this "free" stuff. Not only is it very expensive, but it takes a great toll on our willpower. But smoking and its effects is even more expensive. You can't afford to smoke and live gluten free at the same time!! Ha ha.

Hang in there, both of you. You are not losing it. You are regaining your health. Do think of it that way. I would be dead by now if I had continued to smoke. Never did get all my lung function back, but at least I'm not on a respirator and disconnecting it every 20 minutes so I can have a smoke Seriously, I have known two people in my life who were so weak-willed that they did this, even though they knew they were sliding toward the grave.

So suck on those altoids, use the crutches (don't you dare be ashamed of taking some Xanax), do whatever it takes, but DO it. I'm really pulling for you both.

[jerseyangel]

I'm also pulling for both of you ladies, and everyone else in this fight. I smoked years ago, stopped only because I was pregnant and the constant nausea made quitting a lot easier than it might have been. For years after quitting, I got cravings; and to this day if someone lights up close enough to me so that I can get a whiff of that first puff, I get a familiar twinge.

It's tough, no two ways about it. You can do this! I too know of a dear man who, while being hospitalized for the last time with emphysema, still had to have his pack of cigarettes right there next to him, and go for a smoke when he could.

Judy and Jennifer--stay strong!! You will show those smokes who's boss! Don't let all the work you've put into this up until now go for naught. Each day forward is a giant step and a victory in itself