ok everyone as I am sure some of you have seen on another post I have recently quit smoking and since I did not want o hijack that thread I thought I would atempt at making a some what coherent post.

I stoped smoking almost two weeks ago, This is after smoking for the past 23 years. I have tried on several occasions to stop and to no avail. I ahve tried all kinds of different methods to quit smoking,.... ie, the patch five or ten times, nicoret 5-10 time, inhalers 1 time they were way to harsh, Lozenges 2 times. Oh and I almost forgot A 1600.00 hypnosis treatment. And of course I only bought a pack a day since I might quit any day.

Well finally and I am not sure what trigered it, and it was not a new years resolution, I decided I was not going to smoke one day. I got a few of the cherry flavored lozenges just to take the edge off. And after 3 days of just litely using those, I finally just stopped and have not had one since.

I crave cigarettes all the time. I have even dreamed that I was smoking. I woke up and was like did I just have a cigarett??? Well of course it was the middle of the night I did not have any in the house and I would have been killed if I had gotten up to smoke in the middle of the night even if I hadn't quit. So the cravings go on and I keep fighting them. Who knows it may be a fight that I may not win but so far am doing just fine. This is a strugle and a hard one at that. Some dotors claim that it is more difficult that quiting herorin. I think that is a little far fetched, but not that far. I know the hardest part will not be stoping smoking, the hardest part wil bee keeping from lighting up even one. Because like with alcohol once you put it down you cannot pick it up again. Usually you smoke more if you get back on them.

This time for myself and me alone I want to quit and am trying very hard to do just that. So here is my little soap box. If you are young and just started smoking. Put the cigarettes down and stop smoking now befor you have done it half of your lives and find out how much you really missed out on by smoking.

I have so much more time in my day now, and I can actually breath when I hit the top of the stairs. Yes there are people around me right now that would rather jsut stay away from me, and Ican understand that. I am not overly _____y, just a little cranky, and really ..........hmmmmmm hyper, I think I talk a lot faster now, but maybe that is jsut me. Just if you smoke please stop and this is not be a smoking **** or anything. It is just me pleading with you to stop early and while it is much easier for you to do it. The longer you smoke the harder it is to quit.

God Bless Everyone and good luck if you are trying to quit smoking, my only advice is to keep trying one day you will do it.

 

Congrats on the 2weeks.. hope it lasts...

if i catch you lighting up... i want free parts or something..

 

Congrats on almost 2 weeks! Would you say those cherry lozenges work?

 

they definatly helped and they are better than the standard ones, try em and see waht happens they are a little nasty but I also found out that I was using them wrong. Read the directions and follow them you will probably have better results.

 

what a quitter.

seriously, congrats and best of luck. i've been smoking since i was 13 and can barely go an hour without lighting up. anyone who can just up and quit like that gets a thumbs up in my book.

 

with the small hiccup in Miami, I quit in June (1/2 pack a day for 5 years) and I've not looked back! Good luck on keeping it up Victor!

 

I've beeen there, Victor. I and the others who have gone through this understand. It is NOT easy, and just may be psychologically more difficult than quitting heroin.

One thing you will alway have to watch out for is 'habit.' Some things you have done in the past may have been done in connection with a smoke - like sitting in a lounge/bar/friends house with a drink of some sort. The desire/need to match the old pattern (drink+smoke) can become incredibly strong, and may be the most difficult part of quitting.

(For myself, I smoked for over 30 years, peaking at up to three packs/day in Viet Nam. I quit once in the middle of that 30 years for about a year, but let myself get drawn back into it. This time I'm about seven years down the road from my last smoke.)

Hang in there. It may not seem like it, but it eventually does get easier.

Good luck,
Tom

 

Congrats topdog ! But you are not alone i am also trying to stop myself. I smoke a pack a day, and i really want to stop. I've been smoking sence 14 and i'll be 31 saturday and now i feel its deffinatly time to stop. So those cherry flavored lozenges you talked about, what brand name are they? I have tried candy, gum, hard candy, lolly pops, ext. I stopped for 2 days and then me and my buddy went to a bar one night and had a few and that started it all back up again. I am so ____ed at myself for that but now i smoke about a half a pack a day. Any advise would be very appriciated.. Thanks and good luck..

 

I have smoked sinee I was 15, I want to quit but I am putting it off till after my Deployment in May. so remind me in Aug when I get back

 

Matt hey are the commit lozenge made by it looks like POPPAC and they are cherry flavored distributed by glaxosmithkline. Hope that helps. I think alot of it is more mental than anything. the only thing that I cannot stay away from that trigers cravings is work. You know in the car business alot of the guys smoke. So it can make things difficult, but I am trying to avoid those things and the big thing I am told is to drink alot of water.

Thanks for the support everyone. I really appriciate it, I think this time it may just stick. I have never been able to make it past three days.

 

good job dude, keep it up!

 

nice! cigs are evil...

 

Way to go!! Buy yourself something fun like Scion accessory parts with all that money you'll be saving from cigarettes. My hubby quit a year ago or so after like smoking since he was 11 and he's hung in there just fine. Isn't too crabby anymore either!! Health is better also.

So stick with it and you'll do fine!!

 

Keep up the good work!! Your bosy will love you for it your nightvision too. I saw those COMMITT things on tv just now

 

Yeah, me too.

 

thanks for your support everyone

 

How have you been doing Topdog ?

 

Good question... you sticking to it still?

 

Here's hoping...

It is hard, though - and remember, every time you try to quit, you learn something more about how to quit.

And as far as the heroin vs smoking goes, I do know one former junkie who absolutely agrees with that. No two ways about it, it's hard. And worth it.

 

I always tell my patients "If there's 1 thing that you can do to DRAMATICALLY improve your overall health, quit smoking."

Good for you, TopDog. I think you've got the right mindset, and you're going to do well.

-Derek