So, 23/06/2009, 15:00 and I've decided to give up smoking.

L-M

3 years later, having tried a few times before and not lasting very long, I've decided to finally give them up once and for all.

This time three years ago, I was playing soccer recreationally for about 2 hours per day. Now, I can't run for 20 seconds without feeling tired, and I've decided to bring a bit of fitness back into my life. Gym, swimming etc. etc. and I really see no point in doing all this with the cigs still hanging about.

Another factor is the money, I love my car and I'd much rather have the money each week "wasted", as such, on my car rather than something I won't ever see again.

It's the health effects that worry me the most, and for the most part most of the people I hang out with don't smoke, so that can be of help to me.

I don't mind if people aren't reading this, but I need to jot some where or else I'll have no hope.

Wish me luck

L-M

3 hours in and it's starting to hurt. My mind is playing tricks on me, "Ah what are you giving up for" etc., tempting me to go to the shop and all that.

I'll keep going though. Tonight could be tough...

xp90

Stick at it like a good man, I know its tough trust me, but theres so much help out there (books, nicorette etc.) that whill help you along! Hang in there!

Broad

Good luck

Think:

Lung cancer
Osophageal and throat and oral cancer
actually increased risk of all cancer......

Emphysema - driving around in little cart with oxygen pod in tow until you eventually suffocate to death

Arteries stuffed with sticky fatty gunk - smoking doesn't make cholesterol rise but makes it stick together into lumps. Closing up the arteries leading to - joy of joys - heart attack! And paralysing and disabling - strokes! Fantastic.

I know this sounds terrible but this is how I stopped smoking after years and years, concentrating on the potentially appalling results of it. It made me quite depressed for a few months but eventually worked for me and am now over three and a half years off them.

Really good luck with it.

xp90

Also think about the other benefits, more cash (at 20 a day your spendin €60 p/week, spend it on something else you enjoy, i used to put the price of fags in a jar, at the end of the week I bought something nice ),plus youll be more attractive to non-smokers!!

L-M

Thanking ye.

I still haven't had one. Normally by this time I would of had one, but I haven't. Although, I'm going out tonight and I don't think I'll last. I'll see...

Pal

So far so good.

You are nicotine free for 20 hours now.

52 more to go then you are over the withdrawal line.

Get a piece of paper. tick them off.
You won't regret it.

Just get yourself thru the next 52 hours whatever it takes.

L-M

Having one cigarette will start the whole process over again, won't it?

Just curious...

Thanks also

ronanos

well how are you doing now. Nothing since 8.30am monday mornin for me. So anytime I get the urge now I tell myself I can have one. Sure no problem. I can have it in an hours time though. Ha. And then the cravin goes away fast and in an hour I dont want it anyway. Best of luck at it.

L-M

In the past three days I've smoked half a fag. I'm very happy, although it's getting harder and I can honestly say I miss them

ronanos

Dont go there. Go to the PC World and buy the 20 euro is all it costs ( 3 days of fags ) the DVD for Allen Carr. It takes 1 hour to watch it on your PC. So if you hate reading like me this is the business.

Dont waste your time messing around with half cigarettes, if your off them your off them simple as that.

Get that CD. Good day bad day but you will be so depressed with yourself if you put in all this effort and end up smoking again.

Allen Carr if I could only bring you on the magic carpet to the mysterious day 3 weeks from now where you have not smoked ANY (not even 1/2) a cigarette.

Well you wont know that good feeling day unless you do it. Give it a shot. Sure **** it. If its not worth it you can go back smoking then. So why not figure out if he really is talkin rubbish. Give it 3 weeks with no smokes and see if what he says is right. If it is great. If its not you can go back smoking then....

L-M

I only smoked the one due to having drink in me, and I took a puff off one because 20 people around me were.

Saying that, I don't really have a longing for one any more. I would normally smoke when I went in the car for a drive, or after a meal etc. but now all that is gone.

Dido1

Best of luck, i know how difficult it is. I gave up a few months ago and lasted almost 5 weeks, was really proud of myself but then got made redundant, I tried to tell myself that it would be ridiculously stupid to go back smoking, especially while not working and money being tight but the stress got to me and i'm back to my 15-20 a day, even though i am back working again so no excuses such as stress!

I am contemplating giving up again and I think a tread like this would be really helpfull so us "addicts" could give eachother some encouragement along the way.

Again, wishing you the best of luck!

L-M

Thank you!

I was just at a party, and I didn't smoke so I'm fairly proud of myself:D

Didn't think I would last this long, and I'm happy to be rid of the addiction

Beruthiel

Limerick man wrote: »

I was just at a party, and I didn't smoke so I'm fairly proud of myself:D

That's fantastic.
If you can do that at a party, then you've licked it and you now have no excuse if you ever take another puff!
With each week that passes, it gets so much easier.
I hardly ever think of them anymore. (Off them since Easter)

Lisnagry

Limerick man

I smoked 60 a day for 20 odd years tried many many times to give up using all the crap patches ,inhalers etc,etc nothing worked until I changed the way i taught about somking and cravings.Go to www.whyquit.com website it saved my life .Read all joel has to say about smoking it will put you thinking straight and i found it was not hard to give up at all.I have no taughts or longings at all anymore for smoking and know i never will again.I have not smoked for over 2.5 years and never will.

You can do it

Mike

IrishSerf

Good site but won't help me much 'cos I can't find the "I've been off cigs for two weeks now, but I really need help! or I'm gonna kill someone" section.

They are lovely aren't they? NO NO NO NO NO iwillwiniwillwiniwillwiniwillwiniwillwiniwillwin

Spurs101!

Congrats .......Trying to quit myself.
Went out Fri and smoked loads as my last nite on them, really annoys me that they could have that much of a hold on me - kept having reasons for the last few years like weddings, holidays, exams etc to smoke for another few weeks .......anyway havent had one yesterday or today so will keep an eye on this thread.

Is this a Limerick thing with Lisnagry trying to help you out ?

Who can stay off them longer ??

karasu

Lisnagry wrote: »

Limerick man

I smoked 60 a day for 20 odd years tried many many times to give up using all the crap patches ,inhalers etc,etc nothing worked until I changed the way i taught about somking and cravings.Go to www.whyquit.com website it saved my life .Read all joel has to say about smoking it will put you thinking straight and i found it was not hard to give up at all.I have no taughts or longings at all anymore for smoking and know i never will again.I have not smoked for over 2.5 years and never will.

You can do it

Mike

I praise you for showing me this page

cruizer22b

That is some website, Im off them 3 weeks now myself.

Lisnagry

Hope it helps ye

Mike

L-M

Thanks all.

Again, I was at another party last night and I didn't smoke.

I've actually completely blocked them out of my life, it's strange. Ok I get the odd craving, but nothing major. Something turned me completely against them (maybe it was the shame of coming back here to say I've began smoking again), but I just don't even feel the need for them.

I'm fairly routine based, and I smoked in a routine. Ie. when i was going to work, at my break, coming home, going here etc. etc. so once I've a week down, and the habit broken, I think I'll have it cracked.

Thanks to all again.

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

I've decided to quit smoking today. I don't really know why though, I've known all about the health benefits to quitting and the general badness of smoking since I started but they've never really fazed me. The only thing I can think of that's changed recently is that I read this thread a few days ago when i saw it on the boards mainpage.

so thanks for that.

jesus, am I really that impressionable

L-M

The main reason I gave up smoking is I want to become healthier, and I started jogging. It didn't make sense for me to jog and smoke at the same time, so giving up was the only option.

It's strange, the only time I even think about smoking is when I read this. It's also strange the amount of people that have shook my hand and congratulated me on giving up.

I feel much healthier, and my breath doesn't smell like fags and also my pocket is that bit heavier

Best of luck to you in giving up.

My advice is if you have any routine where you smoked, as I said going home in the car, lunch breaks etc. try and get out of those first.

L-M

Spurs101! wrote: »

Congrats .......Trying to quit myself.
Went out Fri and smoked loads as my last nite on them, really annoys me that they could have that much of a hold on me - kept having reasons for the last few years like weddings, holidays, exams etc to smoke for another few weeks .......anyway havent had one yesterday or today so will keep an eye on this thread.

Is this a Limerick thing with Lisnagry trying to help you out ?

Who can stay off them longer ??

Sorry, didn't even see your post.

I was in the same situation as you. I always had something on that made me smoke for another few weeks. As you say, parties, exams, etc. etc.

I don't know if this a Limerick thing, but it could well be a Spurs thing too :P(Going by your user name and assuming to support Spurs:D)

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

I generally smoked one every hour so mysmoking routine was pretty hard wired in at this stage Ive been planning on getting on my bike for some exercise the last week or two, but every time I think about doing it I just had a cigarette and thought 'nah'. Hopefully now I'll actually get out and do it.

Spurs101!

Hope everyone's getting on ok .........

I'm still off them, only 4 days I know but find my head/sinuses getting freer already !..........I spend an awful lot of time thinking about them though, even dreamt about them last night - weird dreams and cold sweats also.

L-M

I've gotten very bad cravings last night and today, it's strange. Very, very tempted.

Spurs101!

Same here bigtime.
I think you convince yourself that during the week will be easier ..... seeing as you got over Sat/Sun - you expect Mon/Tue to be very easy in comparison and it isn't.

Thinks sites like this keep me hanging in though, I've come here and read threads,messages, forums etc and think I would have fallen if I hadnt - read through previous threads on sites like this and gives you some extra resolve, reason to continue.

IrishSerf

Hope you spurs fans haven't given in! I've been off them about 17 days now and you 2 won't want to be bettered by a Gooner, will ya?

Smoker for 25 years and REALLY trying this time for my daughter (only child) - want to be around to see her grow up. Anytime I'm tempted I think of her and THAT website picture, jeez. Wishin yall strength!

Spurs101!

Cheeers,
Best we could have hoped for against the Gooners over the past few years is a draw - so heres hoping we all stay off them. (Oh, besides that 5-1 hammering we gave ye in the semi final of the Carling Cup last year
;-)):D;)

L-M

I took a long drag off a friends cig yesterday, due to desperation, and I nearly got sick... Funny how things change so quick.

IrishSerf

ok long pause................Im still clean, update when you're ready

L-M

Clean. With the exception of one or two puffs to remind myself I don't want them.

I've starting jogging now and I'm addicted to that instead. I don't see a point in smoking and jogging as it will just balance eachother out. Also jogging has alot of upsides compared to smoking :P

I bought a very good pair of running shoes with my non smoking money too:D

Spurs101!

Smoked first 1 in 2 weeks last night after a night on the beer

I was really craving for 1 all week (hated the smell from someone coming in after a smoke but found myself loving the waft of smoke when passing someone on the street)

After two weeks without a single 1 but gave in last night around 2am. It didnt do for me what I was expecting - really didnt get anything from it, I was expecting a real buzz but it didnt do anything for me. Pretty disgusted at the time but I dont think it will big effect going forward - kinda glad I got to experience how little smoking one does for me.

Hope everyone is getting on ok.

Spurs101!

BTW - constantly eating or looking for something to eat.

L-M

I find myself eating a good bit too, but I'm eating lots of fruit and the likes which I never normally eat:D

alphamale 1

well done but its so hard but the important thing about stoping from my experiences of trying to give up, is that NEVER, NEVER go back to buying packs again as even if you only have 1 if you are out on the beer then at least next day you won't be tempted to smoke the remiader of the pack. That is another down side to the abolition of the 10 pack. I have tried to give up a few times but i think i like them too much when im out even though I mite only have one cigarette on a nite out. I usually would not smoke during the week.

sahs1

Hey there! Sounds similar to my reasons for stopping. Feel kind of lonely about the decision, my friends are smokers, so I chose to quit while they were away on hols! Luckily no one in work smokes! I usually tell everyone I have quit (on the many prior attempts!). This time is different. I have started to run in races and have hired a personal trainer (can afford one with fag cash!). Once I can stay focused and see the cig for what it is and what it has reduced me to, I will never smoke again.

So I quit on the 4th of July! Its been tough, I'm cranky, on edge and talk like a loon! (non stop) Waking up at 4am! Instead of stuffing myself I am drinking copious amounts of tea, decaff coffee and a calming tea, that I can't spell! I take 1000mg of vitC and some other herbal stuff for calming, which I forgot to take for two days...maybe thats why I am climbing the walls!!!!

My running has improved, so I am hanging on to that bonus. I love that I don't stink anymore of cigarettes. I love filling my lungs with clean fresh air!!!!

Oh boy though at the mo, I just feel like screaming and kicking the crap out of an inanimate object.....will do a hundred sit ups instead!!!:(:):mad:

Masses of luck to you and weldone for leaving the sinking ship! Now wouldn't we both be dopey to get back on!!!!!!:)

sahs1

I also bought a pair of super duper runners!!!!!!!!

sahs1

IrishSerf wrote: »

Good site but won't help me much 'cos I can't find the "I've been off cigs for two weeks now, but I really need help! or I'm gonna kill someone" section.

They are lovely aren't they? NO NO NO NO NO iwillwiniwillwiniwillwiniwillwiniwillwiniwillwin

Lol!!! I am in that particular section... bashing the be jaysus out of a log will do...would love to go to screaming rock in Kilarney, and scream my loaf off!

Spurs101!

Hi all,
how is it going ? ..... still off them anyway and its nearly 3 weeks - still do spend alot of time thinking about them.

how is everyone else getting on?, havent really noticed any real difference - dont feel much better, easier to breath /run etc ........

When do you forget about them ? (if ever)

Got this on stopsmoking.ie where you just enter your details and it gives you the following
Hi ***! You quit 2 weeks, 6 days, 8 hours, 7 minutes & 42 seconds ago. You have *not* smoked 203 cigs, saved EUR 85 and added 16.92 hours to your life.

L-M

I've smoked the odd one or two, not a whole lot. I haven't bought twenty yet, although I feel it coming on very very soon

Temptations are killing me!

IrishSerf

Hi You! You quit 1 month, 1 week, 2 days, 2 minutes & 3 seconds ago. You have *not* smoked 468 cigs, saved EUR 198 and added 1.63 days to your life.


Still off them but getting the odd pang. Looking at everyone that I see smoking and wonder can they really be enjoying that?... just to encourage myself. Gotta give them up sometime, this could be it.

Chuckchuck

keep it up I`m a smoker and need to do the same....thoughts of it is a real killer

Miss Fluff

Hi there all,

On my 8th day, nearly climbed up the walls this morning wanting one.
The gym has been my saving grace though and the cravings DO lessen as the hours pass.

Hi MissFluff! You quit 1 week, 1 day, 9 hours, 47 minutes & 8 seconds ago. You have *not* smoked 210 cigs, saved EUR 89 and added 17.50 hours to your life.

One side effect I am curious about, a couple of ex-smoker friends agree that it happens. I've become a lighweight when it comes to the booze!!:oDon't have the capacity I normally would have at all, and I am finding the vino is going straight to my head!!! Any ideas why this would be the case?

Well done to all who are fighting the good fight by the way, there are some really great people on this forum, nice to have the support. Please remember to keep checking on www.whyquit.com as I find it a great thing to read when reaffirming why I quit in the first place!

toiletduck

Miss Fluff wrote: »

One side effect I am curious about, a couple of ex-smoker friends agree that it happens. I've become a lighweight when it comes to the booze!!:oDon't have the capacity I normally would have at all, and I am finding the vino is going straight to my head!!! Any ideas why this would be the case?

I would wager that you have not become a lightweight but rather (imo) are drinking faster than usual and are missing the regular 5-10 minute break for a fag and the fresh air. Whenever I was drinking at an occasion where I couldn't or wouldn't smoke (like a family wedding) I was the same as what you describe above.


I've been meaning to give up for ages. Yesterday I ran outta fags but just didn't bother buying a new pack and think I'm going to go for it. I had my last one at 9pm yesterday. The first 72hours are the worst I hear?

Mind is starting to tempt me, 'just one', 'earned one'...