stopping smoking on the 1st of jan 2009

fleval64 · 26-01-2009 2:34pm

Hi
I am off the cigarettes 7 days today. Just wondering how long it takes for the nicotine to leave your body. I quit cold turkey - did read the Allen Carr book, and found it helpful.

mjg · 28-01-2009 9:42am

Dolly, fair play for cutting them out again.

Day 14 for me, going strong.

fleval64 · 28-01-2009 10:46am

Congrats - thats great. I hear the second week is the toughest.
Have you had any side effects?
Im on day ten and suffer from serious insomnia.

mjg · 28-01-2009 11:12am

My sleep is all over the place alright, I think I'm over the worst of it though, fingers crossed.
The enthusiasm is still going strong, I have always found it easy to get throught the first month, then after two or three months and a few pints, I start to think, no problem, I'll just smoke one or two now, be fine tomorrow.

Not this time though.

dollyk · 29-01-2009 12:04pm

yep still going stong, not trying so hard now, am trying to just get on with my life instead of counting days and mins.. looked back at what the cigs done for me when my ma was taken into hospital.NOTHING AT ALL. so ill keep that in mind...good luck to all the gang who is still smoke free..

GiftofGab · 01-02-2009 1:14pm

fleval64 wrote: »

I hear the second week is the toughest.

So true. Im just got through the whole month on january without a single cigerette. The second week is when you start doubting yourself. You start to think that smoking is not so bad after all and that you enjoy it. Believe me don't give in. The only reason you want a cigerette and that you think it taste nice is because you addicted. It feels nice to feed an addiction. You make it to week 4 and you'll feel great. Not only are the cravings gone but I DONT EVEN THINK OF CIGERETTES ANYMORE, even when im out drinking. Im even thinking why i ever smoked in the first place

dollyk · 02-02-2009 11:24am

im still here too, day whatever, not counting anymore.it does get easier.. is carebear and the rest still hanging in there...come, on post to let us know, it dont matter if you slip, just pick yourself up and start again xxxxx:o

Cherry Blossom · 03-02-2009 4:13am

fleval64 wrote: »

Im on day ten and suffer from serious insomnia.

Me too, unbelievable insomnia to the point where I sometimes cant sleep all night, don't give in to going to bed during the day and still can't sleep the next night so I've gone for periods of 36 hours at a time with out sleep :eek: I'm on day 18. Does anyone have any idea how long this lasts for?

PaulieBoy · 03-02-2009 2:15pm

adrenalinjunkie wrote: »

Me too, unbelievable insomnia to the point where I sometimes cant sleep all night, don't give in to going to bed during the day and still can't sleep the next night so I've gone for periods of 36 hours at a time with out sleep :eek: I'm on day 18. Does anyone have any idea how long this lasts for?

Wow! You got it much worse than I have.
I have not had a single full night's sleep since I quit, about 3 months now.
Usually I wake up at some stage and can't go back to sleep for what seems like forever!
But, regardless, I ain't going back, life is soooooo much better off the smokes if that is the price I have to pay, then pay it I will :-)

I do hope you all are going strong, stick with it, we will beat the feckers that conspired to hook us on their drugs. if it was heroin we would call them "drug dealers" but it's cigs, so they are called "sales and marketing" agents!!
Don't let them win :-)

dollyk · 03-02-2009 4:05pm

ok guys, im not missing any sleep at all, but i have stopped drinking tea, i never drank coffee anyway, but i read on WHYQUIT.COM great site btw, that caffine is 100% stronger in non smokers, well it must be true, check out the site in case i got it a little bit wrong, but great tips,

someone said on another thread that with the price of smokes , he would give up sex if it cost him so much, and to stand in the cold getting stiff , would be enough to put him off..LMFAO. not sure where he got stiff though :rolleyes:

TheBigGuy · 03-02-2009 4:36pm

i gave up 1month ago, basically i found the first week ok, and since then its been a mixed bag, i have suffered from very extreme mood swings both in work and at home(my oH has not appreciated it at times), in the last 2 weeks i would describe myself (not lightly ) as serverly depressed! seriously i am going off my nut! Yet its weird i seem to be craving something but definatly not a smoke! i know now that i have passed a milestone and i cannot turn my back and go through that first month again.

has anyone else suffered sever mood swings? or even the depression like i said severe depression compared to my ussual self, i am norm,ally so upbeat and together and now i am not!

Also my concentration is totaly out the window i have been making some very uncharacteristic mistakes in work primarily due to not paying attention to what i am doing!

any shared experiences?

bunnybaloo · 03-02-2009 8:54pm

dollyk wrote: »

im still here too, day whatever, not counting anymore.it does get easier.. is carebear and the rest still hanging in there...come, on post to let us know, it dont matter if you slip, just pick yourself up and start again xxxxx:o

Hi dollyk just said id let you know still goin strong nearly 5 weeks now and its gettin much easier still get the odd day when i think about them but just put something in my mouth and it goes keep up the good work

dollyk · 03-02-2009 8:57pm

TO THE BIGGUY ....hadnt got really bad mood swings as i started going for walks, and have now joined the gym, they say nicotine releases happy hormones so to speak, now you have stopped smoking your brain is looking for these, exercise and chocolate releases these , so some find it good to do this, you could look it up on google, you could get something from the doc or go to a herbal shop, one thing i know for sure is, there are big changes in your brain while you try to adjust to having no nicotine in your system, the depression is ne sign that you are healing, but i would go to the health shop, but be warned you can end up buying half the bloody shop, did you try kalms tablets, they are brilliant, you can take up to eight a day ...and remember you are feeling like this NOT BECAUSE YOU STOPPED SMOKING, but because you started in the first place...think happy thoughts:p

carebear2 · 03-02-2009 11:48pm

Hi dolly yes im still hanging in there it will be 2 wks tomorrow. This wk has been really hard i find im craving a cig much more but im not going to give in. Still on the patches and going to stick with them. Glad to hear everyone still going strong

TheBigGuy · 04-02-2009 9:38am

dollyk wrote: »

TO THE BIGGUY ....hadnt got really bad mood swings as i started going for walks, and have now joined the gym, they say nicotine releases happy hormones so to speak, now you have stopped smoking your brain is looking for these, exercise and chocolate releases these , so some find it good to do this, you could look it up on google, you could get something from the doc or go to a herbal shop, one thing i know for sure is, there are big changes in your brain while you try to adjust to having no nicotine in your system, the depression is ne sign that you are healing, but i would go to the health shop, but be warned you can end up buying half the bloody shop, did you try kalms tablets, they are brilliant, you can take up to eight a day ...and remember you are feeling like this NOT BECAUSE YOU STOPPED SMOKING, but because you started in the first place...think happy thoughts:p

cheers for the advice i think its safe to say yesterday was a rough day!!! its funny though even though i found yesterday exteremly stressful the last thing i wanted was a smoke!

one other thing, has anyone else started to get mouth ulcers ? i have been getting them for the last couple of weeks and for some reason i went for about 3 weeks biting my tongue evey day! WTF

dollyk · 04-02-2009 10:55am

TheBigGuy wrote: »

cheers for the advice i think its safe to say yesterday was a rough day!!! its funny though even though i found yesterday exteremly stressful the last thing i wanted was a smoke!

one other thing, has anyone else started to get mouth ulcers ? i have been getting them for the last couple of weeks and for some reason i went for about 3 weeks biting my tongue evey day! WTF

:rolleyes: look i think you should go to the vet and see can he put you down:D
just kidding, i know what you mean i have been using bonjella, i think my kids are wondering if im on drugs:P, its just something to do with not having something to do..does that make sense. today my happy thoughts have kicked in, i woke up smiling and chirpy, kids dashed out the door and hubby kept eyeballing me in a funny way, cant believe the calmness that takes over as soon as your brain waves or whatever starts to repair and not be dependant on being soaked in nico, its like i never knew who i was in a normal day, kinda freaky, im less tolerant now, and have a whole new personality i didnt know existed, hey maybe we will write a book and retire in the carribian,

oh and another thing ive realised, when we normally have a rough day we just smoke our way through it, it dont solve anything, but when we stop we make a huge deal about it, well i do anyway, damm cigs, hee hee we can blame them on EVERYTHING

TheBigGuy · 04-02-2009 12:34pm

yeah the cigs take a battering, but lets face it they are an easy target!

dollyk · 05-02-2009 1:20pm

ok now im fixated on ONE, just ONE ..FFS im driving myself mental, why not just one with a glass of wine, AAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH:mad::mad::mad::mad:

Sean_mac · 05-02-2009 3:37pm

Hi BigGuy,
I'm off the smokes nearly a month now. Smoked 20 a day for 16 years, and this is the first time I have ever succeeded at going more than a few hours off them.. I'm delighted, I have been out drinking on 3 different occasions and haven't given in to the smokes, and I am serious when I say I will never smoke again, horrible nasty things.
Now as for mood swings and depression, I have been up and down like a yo-yo for the first 3 weeks but this week I'm fine. It was like I was a lunatic, great mood one second then the next I was ready to kill and then small bouts of depression (which only last a short period) I think naturally I am a grumpy person but I never experienced anything like those mood swings, but hopefully there over now. Also I did read somewhere that some people do get mouth ulcers when they give up smoking and it is not known what causes it.
I haven’t had any ulcers but I do have a horrible taste in my mouth and TBH I don’t feel any better physically, but I’m sure with Time I will.
How long did you smoke for? and did you ever give them up before?

the GALL · 05-02-2009 3:51pm

dollyk wrote: »

ok now im fixated on ONE, just ONE ..FFS im driving myself mental, why not just one with a glass of wine, AAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH:mad::mad::mad::mad:

I'd be surprised if you did have one to tell you the truth
Back to the start all over again
nnnooooooo
tell me you didn't and after all your hard work:):)

TheBigGuy · 05-02-2009 4:23pm

@ dolly K,
go stand beside a smoker and ask yourself if you really want to smell like that! i find it helps put things into perspective!

@ Sean Mc
I have been off the smokes for 1 month and 2 days, i have not smoked 598 cigs and i have saved €244, i have added 2.08 days to my life

smoked for about 10 years, i was on anywher between 15 and 20 a day, this is the longest i have ever lasted and the first serious attempt.
TBH i think the day i wrote that post was my lowest point. since then i have improved and i feel a bit better.i truely felt f**ked up for a while there though.

Today was good, tomorrow might not be, but right now i am a non smoker and f**king delighted about it! Viva LA REVOLUTION!

dollyk · 05-02-2009 11:49pm

no i didnt have one believe it or not, somehow i feel like all you fookers are watching me, omg im losing my mind:eek:, aw well tomorrow is another day, ill make it tonite, and every other night...mad thoughts eh

carebear2 · 07-02-2009 10:26pm

Hey guys glad to hear you's are all doing well. Well I had the worst day ever today (I wont go into it) but I lifted my boyf fags this morning and had one abd then ended up having another 5!! Im so disappointed in myself so have decided to forget its happened and just start again in the morning. Funny thing is I didnt even enjoy them I just smoked them because they were there. Great to have this to log onto and give me all the good reasons to quit for a 2nd a d hopefully final time.

dollyk · 08-02-2009 12:06am

aw carebear, it doesnt matter, just keep trying, ill kill myself in the process:D
today was ok, but who knows about tomorrow, wish there was a magic wand that i could wave to stop thinking about them , but who knows maybe this time will be for good, maybe not

:P

mjg · 08-02-2009 1:33am

Carebear, it was just a pothole, not a dead end. No problem to you girl.

Dolly, the fags are sneaky b***ards, fair play for ignoring them.

Bigguy, standing next to a smoker is good advice, stale smoke is really rotten. Three weeks for me today and all alright. Even going into the small staff room at work there's a horrible smell of stale smoke from the smokers' jackets. The smell from a smoker is probably the biggest thing keeping me from dwelling on them.

Crystal cahunas to all who are off the f***ers. We might live long enough to see the end of the recession.;)

Gremlin · 08-02-2009 9:02pm

Late comer to this thread. Gave them up Jan 1st and I know I will look on Jan 1st 2009 as the best day of my life. The day I finally said, 'I've had enough'.

For years I tortured myself and at one point last year I decided that I could never give them up, but now here I am nearing 6 weeks later and if my world falls around me tomorrow I know I'll never fall into the trap of smoking again. I'm sorry I know I sound cocky but thats the way I feel.

I'm using the patches alright and they certainly help a LOT.

I'm convinced that mental state is everything. I read Alan Carr's book a few times and to be honest I pooh-poohed it a bit. I now realise that this was because I didn't really want to give up at that time. Now that I *really* want to stop, I can see sense in everything he says.

I have my little mantra. 'The cravings will go away all you have to do is not smoke again'. I enjoyed Paulie's post (#4) thats exactly my thoughts. I love not having to go out in the freezing cold to poison myself and pay through the nose for it. I love not smelling like an ashtray and being afraid to sit too close to someone. I love looking at my pink hands and face instead of the old gray ones. I love having all that money in my pocket. So many things I love about not smoking and I'm damn well not gonna give those things up just for some smelly cancer stick. I also keep telling myself anytime I even get the slightest doubt. 'There is no such thiong as just one. One = where I was before and as I already mentioned, there is no way in hell I'm going back there.

Its funny how the right mentality makes the cravings a LOT less and easier to deal with. My advice to anyone giving up is 'get yer head straight' there is NOTHING nice avbout smoking, and there is LOADS nice about not doing so.

A-Trak · 12-02-2009 6:04pm

adrenalinjunkie wrote: »

Me too, unbelievable insomnia to the point where I sometimes cant sleep all night, don't give in to going to bed during the day and still can't sleep the next night so I've gone for periods of 36 hours at a time with out sleep :eek: I'm on day 18. Does anyone have any idea how long this lasts for?

Am off the smokes 6 months now but was in the exact same place as you - literally didn't sleep for days at a time!
Lasted about 30 - 40 days tapering off at the end.

I found exercising (running, weights,) helped immensely. Also feeling how much you can breath again is a huge boost to staying off them as well.

I literally was running on adrenalin (Shouldn't be a problem for you!;)) but remember that having a smoke won't cure that insomnia!
It WILL get better and you'll find a normal sleep pattern again. And it IS definitely worth it.

Cherry Blossom · 13-02-2009 4:14am

A-Trak wrote: »

Am off the smokes 6 months now but was in the exact same place as you - literally didn't sleep for days at a time!
Lasted about 30 - 40 days tapering off at the end.

I found exercising (running, weights,) helped immensely. Also feeling how much you can breath again is a huge boost to staying off them as well.

I literally was running on adrenalin (Shouldn't be a problem for you!;)) but remember that having a smoke won't cure that insomnia!
It WILL get better and you'll find a normal sleep pattern again. And it IS definitely worth it.

Thanks! Almost a month now and starting to find it a bit easier, I go to kickboxing twice a week and horse-riding and general running about after horses in between and haven't found that much help in exhausting me. I'm not working at the minute though so it's not a huge problem (the insomnia) but I'd probably be finding it easier to sleep if I was as i'd be more worn out:rolleyes: Even with all the exercise I'm still relatively inactive for most of the day!

dr.bollocko · 14-02-2009 3:03pm

2 weeks down now. I am so glad I made it until valentines day. The ole mood has suffered a huge amount because of it. Losing the rag left and right but even that is on the wane. Since quitting I have smoked two cigarettes and no thought of going back on them. I still get the moments of weakness but just know I do not want to be a smoker anymore. Reasons I was able to keep going when it was really crap:

Gamucci electronic cigarette thingy. My love for gizmos helps me no end.

The fact that when I wake up in the morning I no longer have a coughing fit.

The sense of smell has returned. I can smell cigarettes from a 100 yards.:)

rescue26 · 18-02-2009 10:30am

Hi Guys, gave up the fags 2 days ago and finding it tough. On the patches but one minute I think its a great idea and the next I think Ill just have one, Not sleeping great, had nightmares all monday night which im presuming is linked as I never have nightmares. Moods are all over the place. Not really feeling any benefits, when do you start to feel them. At least if I felt abit better I would think it was worthwhile. HELP!!!!!!:(

stopping smoking on the 1st of jan 2009

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