just smoked my last I hope

cordangan

just smoked my last and bought the Nicorette. it's always easy to say I am quitting when the nicotine level is full but I am going to try. I will let ye know day by day whether I pass or fail

cordangan

Day 1 : I reset the snooze button 3 times. I normally get up on 2 snoozes . My mind knows that it will be getting no smoke this morning and already the depression pangs are hitting me. I always have my first puff at 7 so the craving has not really kicked in yet. I best get up now and face the day. I would lve to try without Nicorette but I know I would fail by lunch.

luckyfrank

why do people smoke ?there horrible

An0n

Good luck. I hope you get past this.

Stay strong and remember that it's all psychological cravings, you don't need it! :}

cordangan

End of day 1:
Ok first Nicorette at 7am when I normally have a smoke. Not too bad to be honest. I was still chewing at 8 so that was not good and rather sore jaws and tasteless. Craving around 11 but I did not take gum and felt dizzy by midday. went for dinner and ate all around me and still felt hungry! had 4 chews in total and dropped one in a rush to get it out of pack. Do I feel better No but I filled up with petrol and took cash for the smokes that I would normally buy. In bed now and writing this all down. This is not my first effort to quit and I know I have a long way yet and if I give in I will post same in honesty. very tired and thirsty tonight so the demons are up to their tricks. I will dream like mad tonight so I hope they will be sweet dreams:)

cordangan

luckyfrank wrote: »

why do people smoke ?there horrible

They smoke initially for curiosity/coolness/one of the gang.....then addiction takes over. it's not logical I know but that is how one gets caught up in it

cordangan

An0n wrote: »

Good luck. I hope you get past this.

Stay strong and remember that it's all psychological cravings, you don't need it! :}

Thanks for the support.....I felt like Joan Colin's today. The DIVA

cordangan

3 nicorettes today but I know that I should have 4. Suffering a bit now and putting on weight. Eating like a horse. This is day 2 and am losing the strong determination as the demons take a hold.

Vizzy

Don't give up at this stage !
You have only another 24 hours and the nicotine will have cleared your system.
Don't be worrying about stuff like putting on weight or being cranky,that will pass and the urges will get less intense and more infrequent.
I went from 20- 25 a day,every day for nearly 30 years to "Nil" overnight!
Believe me if I can give them up,you certainly will.
You have to want to though( I mean really want to).

Hang tough

cordangan

Vizzy wrote: »

Don't give up at this stage !
You have only another 24 hours and the nicotine will have cleared your system.
Don't be worrying about stuff like putting on weight or being cranky,that will pass and the urges will get less intense and more infrequent.
I went from 20- 25 a day,every day for nearly 30 years to "Nil" overnight!
Believe me if I can give them up,you certainly will.
You have to want to though( I mean really want to).

Hang tough

I wanted to Vizzy at the start but now the trickery starts. I actually have 2 way conversations with myself. One says hey you can have one anytime and give up some other time.....why torture yourself.......the other was calling all the shots at the start but is getting much quieter now. very tired but cannot sleep. I have tried loads of times and I know that the third day is the hardest......I hope nothing triggers me off tomorrow. I pushed a little harder today by dropping to just 3 chews. hers hoping and thanks for support.

downwithpeace

I tried the patches and gum many times and it never worked, for me it was cold turkey and after a few days I began to notice I thought less and less of needing a smoke, takes some will power but it's a worthy goal so hang in there.

Each day is a push but remember this, once your quit you'll have a heavier wallet and you can really smell those roses.

Cocolettey

Me and my husband smoked our last cigarette on sunday night (29th april) before bed so we are in the same boat. My husband is using gum and I am trying other methods like distraction etc as i dont want to prolong the nicotine in my system. Its hard though...today is day 3 but the cravings are getting less and less and i can already feel the difference in me. I dont know but my husband asked me this morning if i feel cleaner and i actually do! (I smoked about 10 and himself 20) My weak point is in the evening watching telly and driving. for him its the coffee in the morning. We are going to a function on friday night which im sort of dreading because there will be alot of smokers. But I know we can do it!! best of luck to you and i hope we can stay away from those dirty fags!

username123

cordangan wrote: »

I actually have 2 way conversations with myself. One says hey you can have one anytime and give up some other time.....why torture yourself.......the other was calling all the shots at the start but is getting much quieter now. very tired but cannot sleep. I have tried loads of times and I know that

My head voice used to say:

Off you go for a smoke
Oh Im not smoking anymore
Grand, Ill get back to not smoking after I have a smoke
Oh but Im not smoking anymore
Oh yeah, well just go and have a smoke
Ill have a fishermans friend
Ugh - ill need a smoke after this
Oh Im not smoking anymore.......

After a few days you start getting periods of time where the head stops focusing on it. Then those periods get longer and longer, eventually it all goes quiet. The brain gets bored wasting energy on the endless circular conversation I think!

campo

After 20 years of smoking 20 a day I am now on day 3 of not smoking using the nicorette inhaler which is taking the edge of cravings, not doing so bad today after a couple of tough days but I am determined never to smoke again

( cant wait for craving to totally go )

cordangan

Day 4:
Someone earlier said go cold turkey. I thought I was weak with the gum but I am worse now. Constantly thinking about them. Moody and no concentration. Biting the nails now and have to re-focus to stop. I bought petrol and got some cash back equivalent to my spend on smokes. Not sure what I will do and whether it was too soon or not to go cold turkey. Not many mad dreams this time while taking the gum. Clean for 4 days and cannot say I am finished for good.......that is not good. Thanks for all the continuous support and feel free to post you own experiences......even when you fail. Writing this helps and I will be devastated to say I gave up.....but I will be honest.

cordangan

Cocolettey wrote: »

Me and my husband smoked our last cigarette on sunday night (29th april) before bed so we are in the same boat. My husband is using gum and I am trying other methods like distraction etc as i dont want to prolong the nicotine in my system. Its hard though...today is day 3 but the cravings are getting less and less and i can already feel the difference in me. I dont know but my husband asked me this morning if i feel cleaner and i actually do! (I smoked about 10 and himself 20) My weak point is in the evening watching telly and driving. for him its the coffee in the morning. We are going to a function on friday night which im sort of dreading because there will be alot of smokers. But I know we can do it!! best of luck to you and i hope we can stay away from those dirty fags!

Let me know how ye are progressing.....for better or worse

Bombay Allee

i just want to say well done, whether it be an hour or six days or six months, every second counts,

wishing you well:)

Cocolettey

cordangan wrote: »

Let me know how ye are progressing.....for better or worse

we are doing good....still off them anyways. its very hard though. today is day 5 and we already have saved almost €100!! my husband is a chef and its hard for him because the cig was kind of a release after service. but he is doing good. im still cold turkey (so i have no nicotine whatsoever left in my system which helps with the cravings i think) he is still on the gum. but chewing less. while im writing this i would eat a cigarette tbh but are we really going to let these dirty little white sticks control us....nope....i think we are mentally stronger than that cordangan dont you?
its 3% addiction and 97% habit after all

secman

Best of luck and reaslly hope that ye stick to it. Never smoked myself so don't know how difficult it is TBH. But lost my 2 parents to lung cancer and will always remember my Dad catching a glimse of his ravaged image in a mirror only weeks before he died, shook his head and said "if i only knew then what i know now, i would never have touched the bastard cigarettes"


Sincere best of luck to all those trying to kick the habit, you have my respect.


Secman

cordangan

Day5:
Honestly I do not feel better or smell better or taste better. I am day 5 off them but day 2 cold turkey. I slapped the phone down 3 or 4 times today and my heart might like less smoke but boy am I agitated so more blood pressure. Slept very badly last night and woke up sweating at 3 and went back to sleep at 5. Not feeling the rewards yet but I must take up a hobby or something. I would still love a smoke but I know I would regret it. Saving money should mean more but it doesn't. In bed now do I can write some more and keep my mind occupied.

Vizzy

You're getting it rough are'nt you ?
It will take a bit longer for the effects to be felt.
What you have to remember is that you body is telling( in your case screaming at) you that the fags are great.
Your body will try any and all tricks to get you to smoke,thats the nature of addiction I'm afraid.:)
You sound as if you have great willpower.If it was me and I was having it as rough as you I probably would have folded by now.
There is still nicotine in the system if you are only off them fully for 2 days and the mood swings,insomnia,dizzy spells will be wih you for another while but it will pass and you will start to feel better fairly soon.
My trick for what it worth is that when I get a craving I get up and walk around the chair.Simple,about 5 seconds but it breaks the "craving thought" and then I conciously think "I better off by €X since I gave up the weed"
Lastly I feel you pain but stick with it,its all worth it in the end.:D

bladebrew

cordangan wrote: »

Day5:
Honestly I do not feel better or smell better or taste better. I am day 5 off them but day 2 cold turkey. I slapped the phone down 3 or 4 times today and my heart might like less smoke but boy am I agitated so more blood pressure. Slept very badly last night and woke up sweating at 3 and went back to sleep at 5. Not feeling the rewards yet but I must take up a hobby or something. I would still love a smoke but I know I would regret it. Saving money should mean more but it doesn't. In bed now do I can write some more and keep my mind occupied.

I know how you feel, i seemed to go downhill after day 3, i didnt really feel better, felt like i had a cold for a few days, but it does get easier,
it is important to keep busy though, i found in work when we had a quiet time straight away i would be thinking of cigarettes,
the sleep will settle down aswell just takes a few days, i kept waking up at 3-4am for no apparent reason,

the further you get away from quitting the less sense it would make to smoke again, im at home having a few beers, and to be honest a small part of me wants a cigarette but i dont want to go back to square one after 13 days!
take it one day at a time there will be moments everyday where you think my god its being x amount of days, they keep me going!

cordangan

Day 8:
Had a beer last night. Normally drink drops the will power and you have a few smokes. One usually over smokes and you feel worse from oversmoking than beer hangover. Keeping busy and no cough which is strange. No stress day today so it should be easier. is it safe to say I have nailed it?

cordangan

cordangan wrote: »

Cocolettey wrote: »

Me and my husband smoked our last cigarette on sunday night (29th april) before bed so we are in the same boat. My husband is using gum and I am trying other methods like distraction etc as i dont want to prolong the nicotine in my system. Its hard though...today is day 3 but the cravings are getting less and less and i can already feel the difference in me. I dont know but my husband asked me this morning if i feel cleaner and i actually do! (I smoked about 10 and himself 20) My weak point is in the evening watching telly and driving. for him its the coffee in the morning. We are going to a function on friday night which im sort of dreading because there will be alot of smokers. But I know we can do it!! best of luck to you and i hope we can stay away from those dirty fags!

Let me know how ye are progressing.....for better or worse

Are ye both still smoke free?

username123

cordangan wrote: »

Day 8:
Had a beer last night. Normally drink drops the will power and you have a few smokes. One usually over smokes and you feel worse from oversmoking than beer hangover. Keeping busy and no cough which is strange. No stress day today so it should be easier. is it safe to say I have nailed it?

Well done.

I dont think its ever safe to say youve nailed it. For me certainly, Im only ever one cigarette away from right back where I started.

You hear of people off them years who go back. Its a frightening addiction.

However, in practical terms. Im now just over 4 months off them. It was awful for 3 days, very difficult for 3 weeks, hard for 2 months, but then it started to ease off. I would think that every month that passes it gets easier. I dont notice it as an issue anymore, but even 2 weeks ago I was out and it was my first time drinking this year (more than 2 or 3 drinks) and I was worried about it.

I think I need to go through all the myriad of situations where I used to reach for the ciggies before I can say I really feel safe at all. I still havent been on holidays, had a very bad shock or suffered any personal crisis etc...

Maybe Im over paranoid but I feel its better to be badly frightened of those smelly cancer sticks than not - an extra incentive to stay away.

Vizzy

cordangan,firstly well done.
I would agree 100% with username though.You are probably only one smoke away from being back on them( I was off them for 18 months and then one night I tried one cigarette,was back to 20 the following day:mad:)
This time around I actually want to give them up and I promised myself that if I gave up that I wouldn't put any other pressure on myself by staying away from the pub,or worrying about weight etc.
I had my first night out after 3 days off the fags with no problems.However I would never suggest that approach to anyone else cos I know the pressure that people are under when they have a few drinks and "the guard is down".
But whatever works,eh?
I'm glad to hear that you are beginning to feel a bit more positive about yourself and that will also increase your chances of staying off them.

Keep with it.

cordangan

Day 10:
Feeling less tired now. I did give up smoking when I was younger for 12 years and stupidly thought that when I gave them up before I could do it again no problem. Big mistake that was and it was/is way harder now. Still my brain says hey you would like a smoke. Hope my memory does not fade on how hard this was/is.

sheekst38

I came on to boards tonight looking for a place to get a lawn strimmer fixed in limerick and saw this forum, wish I knew about it when I quit, might have tried something similar to what you are doing Cordangan.

Congrats on going 10 days Cordangan, I was a smoker from around the time I did the junior cert up until a few months ago, I'm 27 now. When I became a non smoker I did it with the aid of Alan Carr's Book "easy ways to stop smoking". I found it really good and it helped dispel a lot of the myths about "quitting" smoking. Even tough you have gone the 10 days, you should give it a read and really drum home what a hugely positive thing you are doing. I am sure you can pick up a copy in most book stores, eBay,amazone or your local library.

To really catch the bull by the horns, perhaps start jogging or walking. The more you exercise the better your energy levels will be. Exercise is addictive imo and I love that feeling after a good workout, when I know that I have done my body good. That feeling is so much better than struggling to catch by breath while chocking myself on the toxic fumes of a cigaret trying to replenish the levels of a highly addictive/dangerous drug that the body doesn't need.

Fwiw, I have no clue how long I am a non-smoker now, other than it was around the start of the year, I'm telling you I don't know how long I am a non smoker to show you that its not something that I think about. It doest matter how long both of us are non smokers, be it 10 days or 5 month, all that's important is that we both stay non smokers. I really cant say enough about that book, It really is imo a powerful aid in becoming free of nicotine addiction.

I really wish you the best with the will power method, and hope you continue living a healthier happier non smoking live.

downwithpeace

cordangan wrote: »

Day 10:
Feeling less tired now. I did give up smoking when I was younger for 12 years and stupidly thought that when I gave them up before I could do it again no problem. Big mistake that was and it was/is way harder now. Still my brain says hey you would like a smoke. Hope my memory does not fade on how hard this was/is.

Your brain will say that from time to time until it gets the message, listen to you nose, lungs, taste buds and skin. Well done and keep it up, have you noticed your wallet getting heavier

cordangan

day 14:
Went to a holy communion function yesterday. Had a few beers early on and kept away from from the smoking fraternity. I downloaded Alan Carr book yesterday but got no chance to read it. See the hospitals are going to ban on the ground smoking. going to hospital will be like going also to a smoking rehab now.

Cocolettey

Hi sorry have been awol!! we are still off them though, we are on day 16 woohoo! but unfortunately divorce is on the cards! only joking. but there are times where we are really narky! AND we are going to be two roly polys we cannot stop snacking! biscuit here, chocolate bar there!!

Himself is still on the nicorette but has moved from the 4mg gums to the 2mg. It was always the fear or the unknown i suppose. We have a fear of failure the Irish and i think we need to use that to our advantage!

I am thrilled for you @cordangan that you went out to the communion and stayed away! well done you!

yesterday was a disaster! I started crying at one stage, the hydraulic (? is that what its called?) on my boot broke and i couldnt close it, I was standing outside lidl for about 20 min crying and trying to close it. I ended up just pulling it off.
what would you do if you saw a girl crying trying to fix her boot? would you go and help or walk past? I was like fffffff you all!! all i wanted was a cigarette!!
Im so glad you are doing well, keep it up:)