21, 2 years smoker

pistonsvox

Hey guys,

Been smoking probably almost 2 years now, mainly in the last year or so.

Its come to the point that smoking has left me feeling absolute crap every day with an aching chest and having to take inhaler every morning...(yeah im really stupid to have started smoking with mild asthma:rolleyes:).

Lungs feel sticky, and feel like they pop a bit when inhaling..
Get tired really easy from a bit of work, very unfit! Oh and cant taste anything as much :rolleyes:

So yeah, should quit and get a physical. Anybody know how much a general doc's full exam would be and what alternative would be to smoking? No way I wanna end up like my grandad with emphysema before he died:(

Cheers!

matt

Sasquatch76

Hi Matt.

Can't advise you on a doc, but as for the best alternative to smoking? I'm not being a smart arse, but it's quite simply not smoking.

I quit three weeks ago, after smoking 20 a day for 19 years. I didn't use substitutes (nicotine gum, patches etc), and I feel great. We didn't need cigarettes before we started smoking, we don't need them now!

Anyway, you're very close to making that all important decision to stop smoking. Best of luck with it.

dlofnep

I quit 6 years ago after smoking for 10 years. I haven't looked back since. I did it without any gum or anything. I think most people who succeed do so on their own will power. Quit now before you get even further addicted. You'll feel much better.

gimli2112

The most important thing is you have to really want to quit. I smoked 20+ a day for 24 years and never even tried to quit. Then 5 months ago I just did. I used Champix, which worked for me.
Thinking of all the money I wasted all those years is just about keeping me going.
Good luck with quitting.

pistonsvox

thanks guys, giving the allen carr book a go, got my da to stop smoking so should work for me hopefully! And I deffo wanna quit!

dlofnep

I don't think that anybody needs a book. If you want to quit, you'll quit. There is no secret. You just stop and don't start again. There's no easy way out. Break the quitting process down into multiple stages.

First 2 weeks --> Physical withdrawl from nicotene. This is the hardest part.
First 3 months --> Still strong mental dependancy.
3 - 9 months --> Your will power becomes stronger.
9+ months --> Smooth sailing.

In my mind, every week that I was off them - I said to myself that I had come so far, so it would be a waste to go back on them. That kept me off them. After a year off them - I never really thought about smoking. Be strong. Quit now, instead of worrying about cancer down the years. You'll have more money in your pocket too! Pick up a new hobby in place of smoking

Sasquatch76

Nobody needs a book to stop, you just stop and don't start again. This is true... this is how you become a non-smoker. However, I didn't just want to be a non-smoker, I wanted to stop wanting cigarettes. There's a world of difference between the two.

I used Allen Carr's method, and those first three weeks were pretty damned easy I'm delighted to say. As a result, I'd recommend the book to anybody who wants to quit, but doesn't necessarily want to do it the hard way.

pistonsvox

Its pretty tough since the industry I work in everybody smokes nearly, so constant smoke breaks! I'm thinking just every time I need a smoke, throw in the price of a pack of cigs or price of a cigarette into a jar and save it and see how much you end up with!:pac:

My main worry is emphysema, since ive mild asthma, so I really need to quit

scudzilla

I was on 30 a day, gave up March 20th or thereabouts and not had one since.

No pills, potions or patches, just willpower, was really hard the first 2 weeks, was snapping at everybody, now it's plain sailing.

All about willpower, one thing that did work for me was a guy i work with, he's a right plumb, he gave up a few months earlier, if he can do it, so can i