Post for everyone who QUIT evil fags

yosser hughes · 12-03-2012 06:03PM

quaalude wrote: »

Just popping in to say I'm still off 'em, a little over 2 months now.

I rarely think about them now, and, much to my partner's relief, I've pretty much stopped talking about it. At the start of giving up, I had to verbalize a lot of my thoughts ("oh I didn't want one today", "I really want one right now", "yuk, don't fags smell terrible" etc. etc), but I started to bore even myself! I didn't mention smoking (or not smoking) for like a week just passed.

I think I'm in that phase right now but it is wearing off .It's like I have to keep re-affirming myself. It helps, I have to say but I am conscious of it now so I'll give it a rest as it does get irritating for those close to you. I'm off since Februray 14th, so that's 27 days! Yipee! I think I've cracked it this time.:)

username123 · 12-03-2012 08:36PM

quaalude wrote: »

I rarely think about them now, and, much to my partner's relief, I've pretty much stopped talking about it. At the start of giving up, I had to verbalize a lot of my thoughts ("oh I didn't want one today", "I really want one right now", "yuk, don't fags smell terrible" etc. etc), but I started to bore even myself! I didn't mention smoking (or not smoking) for like a week just passed.

Many congrats quaalude. I went through the talky phase myself, I just had to express my thoughts on how I was feeling, how well was I doing, how easy/hard a day was etc... Id say its normal enough to verbalise a lot over such a big lifestyle change.

I,unthinkingly, said something on Saturday that gave an insight into my mental state on it now. I was telling someone about something that happened earlier in the year and I stated it as 'when I was giving up smoking' - I noticed afterwards that the reference was very 'its a done deal, Im finished giving up' as it were!

All good!

Vizzy · 12-03-2012 11:58PM

Ok,here's my story so far.
Been smoking for 30ish years and putting away 20+ per day.Should say that about 20 years ago I was extremely fit despite the fags( or i thought I was anyway)
Had been away on hols and brought back 400 cigs with me.Smoked them in about 3 weeks but had promised myself that when they were gone then I'd give up.
I had intended to use the Niquitin lozenges as a crutch if needed.So,last Monday(5th) the fags ran out and I tried the 4mg lozenges.Had 3 of them and then went to bed(found them very strong even in comparison to the smokes I was on)
Now nicotine free for 7 days as of 11 pm tonight.
Have had a few cravings since and suffered a bit of dizziness for the first few mornings.Coughing has started now.But no urge to smoke at all.
Well i better explain that last bit-Of course I wanted to smoke but once I think about it I realise that it it is just the habit that I want and not the actual nicotine ( does that make sense?)
The real weird bit is that I keep saying to myself "I'll just finish this sentence,go out for a smoke and then finish the reply"( Just after doing it again just now)
Don't get me wrong,I'm no superman here.
I'm getting worried that because I've had no real withdrawal symptoms to speak of so far that at some stage I'm going to come crashing down with a major bang (hope not)
The reason ( I think) that I am finding it so easy is that I got myself into a situation that I really wanted to give up.There was no pressure on me to do so(hell I haven't told the wife yet cos I don't want to be in a situation where I might disappoint her if I go back on the fags) and I am only doing it for myself.
BTW I am carrying the Niquitin lozenges everywhere so that if I do crack it will be with a lozenge and not a cigarette.
Sorry for the disjointed post.:)

Harpy · 15-03-2012 11:48PM

21 st day today!!!!!!!!!!!
I have hit the 3 week mark!:D

celticcrash · 16-03-2012 01:20AM

Harpy wrote: »

21 st day today!!!!!!!!!!!
I have hit the 3 week mark!:D

Well done Harpy. It gets easier everyday.

Shazanne · 16-03-2012 01:59AM

Seven weeks today!!! OMG :eek:
Am leaving for a two week trip to Canada on St. Patrick's morning. First holiday I can ever remember that I haven't smoked!!!! Will be tough to walk through Duty Free and not pick up my Silk Cut supply - maybe strange rather than tough actually. Just hope I stay strong - I find it more tempting to smoke when I happy rather than stressed or down

Is that really weird???
Hopefully I'll be nine weeks cigarette free when I get back

;)

Marty McFly · 16-03-2012 02:05AM

Congrats to everyone whos giving up

. When it hits midnight tonight ill be off the smokes 5 months

:D:D absolutely delighted smoking since I was 14 and had only given up once before and lasted two months. I can safely say now I will never smoke again still get the very odd craving but day to day life the thought doesnt even cross my mind its a crutch I no longer need to function. Keep going everyone it gets easier.

Eoin · 16-03-2012 02:25AM

Shazanne wrote: »

Will be tough to walk through Duty Free and not pick up my Silk Cut supply - maybe strange rather than tough actually.

Stay strong! As I said earlier, it makes a long flight much easier when you're not counting the minutes before you can spark up.

Harpy · 17-03-2012 04:21AM

Well done,
I love coming in here reading peoples post who are like ye.
It makes me want to stay off them even more, i read shazannes post and i was like i want to hit the 7 week mark and then i read luvbulmers and was like i want to get to five months..

I don't know it might sound ridiculous it just gives me an extra boost when i come in here and see those posts im like i can't wait till im able to turn around and say im off them 7 weeks..

Shazanne · 19-03-2012 08:25PM

Just a quick update. I am in Canada and got through Duty Free without freaking out about not buying cigs and then had a four hour layover in Heathrow when I didn't have to hunt out the nearest exit so I could get out for a puff!
Mightn't sound much to the ordinary person but everyone here will know how proud I am of myself:D:D - it's like I'm a different person!! The OH thinks he has a brand new wife as he didn't have to run around looking for smoking areas everywhere we were:eek::eek:
Think I have overcome my biggests milestone yet - onwards and upwards now I hope!!!!

Newuser12345 · 21-03-2012 02:39PM

Day 52

Could easily smoke, spent the Bank holiday weekend wanting a cigarette.

The only reason I didn't was the thought of what I had gone through in the first few weeks.

More positively, for years I would experience an almost automatic and involuntary fit of loud coughing after a shower.
My wife mentioned that she hasn't heard me coughing recently and this morning I also noticed it was gone

iamthe43 · 22-03-2012 05:44PM

Today is day 73 for me….And I feel better than I have in years.

Going to the pub is no longer a problem, although I am still very cautious on this one
I am not coughing in the morning’s in the shower
I am no longer constantly out of breath
My sense of smell has returned

My desk at work is on the ground floor and the smoking area is right outside my window. It was torture for a long time. Now it doesn’t bother me at all.

And, as I’m living in the UK, and they had their budget here yesterday, for the first time in years I have not been affected by it. Its fantastic.

Keep the heads up people and “onwards and upwards” as they say.

largepants · 22-03-2012 08:59PM

Day 82 and still hanging in there. Haven't given up my pints night at the weekend and its going great. No blips at all. Its only in the last week or two I'm thinking of myself as a non smoker.

As Ronald McDonald might say..I'm lovin it!!

Harpy · 23-03-2012 02:51AM

Day 28!!
Four weeks off them yipee!!
I'll hit the one month mark on Saturday

Love2love · 23-03-2012 12:43PM

Harpy wrote: »

Day 28!!
Four weeks off them yipee!!
I'll hit the one month mark on Saturday

Well done Harpy! After Saturday you'll have trouble keeping count! I am off the 52 days but I had to go back and add it up to get that number!

Had a major day/night out last Sunday but my second night out since quitting. Found it harder than the first because I was out with smokers but nothing that I couldnt handle, in fact it was only when I would realise that I wasn't smoking that I wanted one if that make sense! I had my e-cig with me but hardly used it and because my hang-over was so bad I haven't used that since either so I quit the e-cig too!

I still have negative thoughts to quitting that I find very difficult to explain. If I think to the future, I get depressed thinking about holidays that I won't be smoking on or that I will be struggling to enjoy myself because I don't smoke anymore but in reality I enjoy my life day to day without smoking. Its very strange!! Anyone else get this?

largepants · 23-03-2012 03:59PM

Yea thats happens to me too. It used to happen on a regular basis but I finding the last 2/3 weeks that I'm hardly thinking about smoking at all so I don't consider it an issue any more. Give it another few weeks and you'll find you think about it less. I'm not saying I don't miss them the odd time but I find it a lot easier to put that out of my mind nowadays.I'm looking forward to the long summer evenings kicking ball with the young lads at home and not giving up after about 10 mins. You should look forward to a holiday where you aren't a slave to the fags. You can enjoy as long a journey as you want without worrying about them.

username123 · 24-03-2012 10:26AM

HI all,
largepants, great to see you holding steady!!!

Harpy - congrats on 1 months today!!

Love2love - I know what you mean, I used to think like that for the first while as well. There is still an emotional connection for a while, it does stop. I dont mind anymore that Ill never have another one - Im happy about it!

Its 84 days today for me. Im still looking forward to my 3 month milestone

I need a new milestone to look forward to after that - I think I will then look forward to 9 months.

Cart · 24-03-2012 09:20PM

Hello all great to read all the success story's on here my wife and I are quitting the cigs tomorrow hope we are as strong willed as you guys will keep ye updated cart

yosser hughes · 24-03-2012 09:25PM

Cart wrote: »

Hello all great to read all the success story's on here my wife and I are quitting the cigs tomorrow hope we are as strong willed as you guys will keep ye updated cart

Well best of luck Cart. Remember to focus on the reasons you are quitting and remind yourself of that every time you feel a craving.
I won't pretend it's easy but all I can say is,face the challenge and see it as that. It's you against an addiction, why should anything control you!
All the best to you and your missus! Support each other.

MintyDoris · 24-03-2012 09:33PM

63 days or 2 months and 3 days!!!! (had to actually count it up - had stopped counting at about 30 days)

Still get the odd craving but nothing I can't deal with

I can finally tell everyone I gave up because I found out I was pregnant. I couldnt live with myself if I had made my child smoke just cuz I 'couldn't' quit. It turns out I can be selfless!

Cart · 24-03-2012 11:12PM

Thanks yosser. Will keep that in mind.

Cheeky_gal · 25-03-2012 01:37AM

Hi all

I'm two days off the smokes. I didn't smoke many. Some days I would smoke 1 or 2. However if I was in the company of another smoker it would be 5 or 6. Nights out it would be a full packet. I know it's not a lot in comparison to most of you but I also have asthma so it doesn't go down well.

I have had a constant cough for as long as I can remember and I've been smoking for the past 3 or 4 years. I am now 21.

I bought the "My Last Cigarette" ap on the iPhone and I find it brilliant.

I'm dreading seeing my friends. They're all smokers and I don't know what I will do. I really don't want to have one but in the moment I might say "f*ck it" and have one

It's become an activity with them. They'd phone me and ask if I want to meet for "tea and smokes"... if I say yes, what will I do when I'm just sitting there with my cup of tea and they're all smoking? I'm terrified I'll find it really boring and end up leaving in which my social life will deteriorate

Any advice?

username123 · 25-03-2012 12:11PM

Cheeky_gal wrote: »

I'm dreading seeing my friends. They're all smokers and I don't know what I will do. I really don't want to have one but in the moment I might say "f*ck it" and have one

It's become an activity with them. They'd phone me and ask if I want to meet for "tea and smokes"... if I say yes, what will I do when I'm just sitting there with my cup of tea and they're all smoking? I'm terrified I'll find it really boring and end up leaving in which my social life will deteriorate

Any advice?

This is a very difficult one. On the one hand Id say avoid them for a week or two to give yourself a fighting chance at quitting. On the other hand, youre 21, hanging out with your friends is important.

What I do think is that sitting in a smokey atmosphere is not going to be good for your asthma, regardless of if you actually smoke or not.

I dont think you'll find it really boring, its not like smoking is an exciting mind altering activity, but I do think itll be hard to not indulge when its all around you.

Maybe bring a packet of mints and have a mint instead of a smoke? Or ask them to go for a walk or do something other than just sitting there smoking?

dory · 25-03-2012 12:21PM

Cheeky_gal wrote: »

Hi all

I'm two days off the smokes. I didn't smoke many. Some days I would smoke 1 or 2. However if I was in the company of another smoker it would be 5 or 6. Nights out it would be a full packet. I know it's not a lot in comparison to most of you but I also have asthma so it doesn't go down well.

I have had a constant cough for as long as I can remember and I've been smoking for the past 3 or 4 years. I am now 21.

I bought the "My Last Cigarette" ap on the iPhone and I find it brilliant.

I'm dreading seeing my friends. They're all smokers and I don't know what I will do. I really don't want to have one but in the moment I might say "f*ck it" and have one

It's become an activity with them. They'd phone me and ask if I want to meet for "tea and smokes"... if I say yes, what will I do when I'm just sitting there with my cup of tea and they're all smoking? I'm terrified I'll find it really boring and end up leaving in which my social life will deteriorate

Any advice?

It's a toughie, but really, if they're friends they should understand. How about making sure the tea is outside somewhere when the weather allows? At least that way you won't be totally smothered by it. I quit over two years ago. My lungs still aren't what they were pre-smoking but I've had to make the decision to stay away from smoky places. Best of luck to you!

HybridHumour · 26-03-2012 06:14PM

Yesterday, I was off cigarettes for 6 months - I cannot believe that I've made it this far and I'm absolutely delighted!

Cravings have gotten few and far between but when they do happen they're still pretty intense - I know that if I ever give in, I'll be back on them 100%. That in itself is a major motivator to never have one. Being honest, I feel very confident that I'm no longer an active smoker but I know that I'll be a recovering smoker for the rest of my days!!

So, good luck to everyone - it's so very worth it and it's very doable!!

Vizzy · 27-03-2012 11:33PM

22 days off the fags now.
Was dreading 3 days,then 7 days,then 21 days.
Had a few shaky moments at the beginning but hung in there.
Weird thing is that the actual cravings are probably a bit more intense now( I can actually taste the cigarettes as I type this) but I don't get them as often.
Generally people have been great and very supportive and I haven't got any "sure you'll be back on them in a week" comments yet.
Apart from the cravings that only last a minute or two,I have no urge to smoke.

Absolute key to it(and sorry if this sounds negative) is actually wanting to give them up.
I fooled myself for years that I wanted to give them up and was back on them within hours-sure one will do no harm- etc.
Sound familiar ?
If you don't genuinely want to quit I reckon that you will not be successful.
Crack that one and you will improve your chances tenfold.:)

Love2love · 28-03-2012 10:23AM

8 weeks today! Yayness!

I went to my niece's school play last night and I was pleased to discover that at the interval I did not automatically stand up to go outside! Although my cravings now are minimal, I always felt like I should be doing something - like something was missing.

Feeling very positive this week. Really coming to terms with not smoking. Not constantly talking about it / checking the app to see how long since my last ect. The last 8 weeks have absolutely flew in. I honestly never thought this far ahead as I assumed I would fail.

What worked for me was that I didnt over-think it. I just decided and the done it whereas before I would give myself the chance to talk myself out of it.

28-03-2012 09:34PM

I gave up on February 28th at 8:30am. No patches, gum or fake ciggies etc - just plain stopped. The hardest thing was making the decision to actually stop and then doing it. I have been convincing myself to do it for many years.
What really spurs me on is the money saving. I actually got through the month with €100 left - which is just over what the fags cost me each month. As a reward am going to save up the fag money and head off to a new city for a long weekend.

Am still thinking about smoking and just today I was taking a break from work and having a flashback to going out and taking a nice long pull on a fag!!!! Dont do it - ever again!

Vizzy · 28-03-2012 09:55PM

Deleted User wrote: »

I gave up on February 28th at 8:30am. No patches, gum or fake ciggies etc - just plain stopped. The hardest thing was making the decision to actually stop and then doing it. I have been convincing myself to do it for many years.
What really spurs me on is the money saving. I actually got through the month with €100 left - which is just over what the fags cost me each month. As a reward am going to save up the fag money and head off to a new city for a long weekend.

Am still thinking about smoking and just today I was taking a break from work and having a flashback to going out and taking a nice long pull on a fag!!!! Dont do it - ever again!

One week behind you !
Doing it the same way myself -just gave them up.
Had wanted to do it this way but I didn't think I would be able to so I bought the lozenges in case of a weak moment.
Tried them but I found that they gave an even bigger nicotine rush than the fags( TBH I thought I was goin to get a heart attack when I tried the first one) so I only used 3 in the first few hours and no more since.
Like you the money saving is great but the fact that I can now walk a very active dog without getting out of breath after only 3 weeks is the inspiration for me to stay off them.

username123 · 30-03-2012 01:54PM

Im almost there, only 2 more days (including today) and Im 3 months off them.

Really looking forward to my 3 month landmark. Am doing a couch to 5k now, and although I have to stretch it out a bit due to old joint injury, Im galloping along 3 times weekly and really really enjoying it - I never ever thought I could. Although Ive always exercised I see now that i chose things where youd not get too far out of breath before - anaerobic as opposed to aerobic stuff.

Long may it last. I see people smoking or smell it off them when they come in from having one and tbh I just feel a bit perplexed that I was that person for so long.

The closest I came to even thoughts of having one or thinking Id like one was last saturday night driving through dublin city centre and a drunk guy walked out in front of my car and then tried to grab at the drivers door and sort of tried to climb on the car. I got a terrible fright. I drove off and 10 minutes down the road when the reaction had set in I thought 'I could go to a garage for ciggies now'. Followed by 'itd taste disgusting and Id have a swimmy head and feel sick on top of my fright'.

So I just opened the window and had fresh air instead

Hope everyone is doing well.

Post for everyone who QUIT evil fags

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