Stoptober -are you quitting smoking?

[mhoggarth]

Hi all,

Thought i would give a 2 week update.

The E-cigarettes could not come quick enough for me, as i was going crazy with no nicotine. Once the E-cigarettes came, they have been an amazing help. Whenever i feel like i need 'a fix' ill have a quick puff on them and it keeps me sane for a while.
Ive noticed that i feel better in myself, and my levels have actually been better as well.

All in all i think i could really quit this habit once and for all!!!!!!

 

[mrawfell]

I successfully quit smoking about 3 years ago. I had been smoking for about 50 years, and was on 40 a day. I have retired to the Philippines and a pack of 20 costs about 30 p. So the inducement wasn't financial. I had had a gastroscopy and the doctor found Barretts esophagus. It carries a 20% cancer risk.The doctor recommended life style changes. That was enough. I looked at my smoking lifestyle, and made a few changes. I would have 4 cigarettes in the morning before my first cup of tea. So I started there. Tea first, then 2nd tea before a cigarette, before long it was 1-00 before I lit up. Gradually the number in the afternoon just diminished and one day my wife said, "Have you had a cigarette today" the answer was no. That was it. No withdrawal symptoms no pills or patches. I had tried many years previously, but although I didn't smoke, I didn't quit. I also tried the other pill but it gave me a rash. I never tried patches.
I am still surprised I did it, and have to admit I still fancy one sometimes. I know after this time if I tried one, I would have a serious coughing problem.
I wish you all well in quitting.

 

[AlanC]

"Giving up smoking is easy - I've done it hundreds of times." - Mark Twain

 

[GraceK]

I successfully quit smoking about 3 years ago. I had been smoking for about 50 years, and was on 40 a day. I have retired to the Philippines and a pack of 20 costs about 30 p. So the inducement wasn't financial. I had had a gastroscopy and the doctor found Barretts esophagus. It carries a 20% cancer risk.The doctor recommended life style changes. That was enough. I looked at my smoking lifestyle, and made a few changes. I would have 4 cigarettes in the morning before my first cup of tea. So I started there. Tea first, then 2nd tea before a cigarette, before long it was 1-00 before I lit up. Gradually the number in the afternoon just diminished and one day my wife said, "Have you had a cigarette today" the answer was no. That was it. No withdrawal symptoms no pills or patches. I had tried many years previously, but although I didn't smoke, I didn't quit. I also tried the other pill but it gave me a rash. I never tried patches.
I am still surprised I did it, and have to admit I still fancy one sometimes. I know after this time if I tried one, I would have a serious coughing problem.
I wish you all well in quitting.

Well done mrawfell!!! What an inspiring story. It's all about making up your mind to quit, first. Many people try to quit because of the money, or because of fear but in their heart they don't really want to quit. But I believe once you've made that psychological decision, the rest follows.

You made your mind up to quit and then went about changing your habit of lighting up and it was easy. It's when we're trying to stop whilst at the same time feeling DEPRIVED that it doesn't work.

You did great.

 

[Tower01]

Missed this post. Packed in the fags 14 days ago using Cahmpix, only side effects being very vivid dreams. Must say the first few days after stopping were not much fun but I am feeling normalish now and am so glad I have stopped. This is the first time, after numerous attempts, that I have lasted more than a few days. Was on 30 a day and was forking out £360 a month on fags....MADNESS. I was diagnosed 18 months ago as T2 , have lost over 3 stone but still felt ill due to the fags but now feel so much better. I would take issue with the original posters view that smoking is a choice though. I was 12 when I started and an addict by 14 so a bit young to be making such a choice. Personally I would ban their sale and production and in a few weeks everyone would be smoke free. I am saving the money in a jar and am going to buy a luxury holiday next Summer with all tyhat loverly cash this is saving me. Good luck everyone that is stopping

 

[GraceK]

Missed this post. Packed in the fags 14 days ago using Cahmpix, only side effects being very vivid dreams. Must say the first few days after stopping were not much fun but I am feeling normalish now and am so glad I have stopped. This is the first time, after numerous attempts, that I have lasted more than a few days. Was on 30 a day and was forking out £360 a month on fags....MADNESS. I was diagnosed 18 months ago as T2 , have lost over 3 stone but still felt ill due to the fags but now feel so much better. I would take issue with the original posters view that smoking is a choice though. I was 12 when I started and an addict by 14 so a bit young to be making such a choice. Personally I would ban their sale and production and in a few weeks everyone would be smoke free. I am saving the money in a jar and am going to buy a luxury holiday next Summer with all tyhat loverly cash this is saving me. Good luck everyone that is stopping

Well done YOU!!! You're now a NON-SMOKER. And by the sound of your post, you've always been a non-smoker at heart. I totally agree with you - smoking is not a choice - perhaps with the exception of the VERY FIRST CIGARETTE which we do choose to accept. After that - it's pure addiction, not choice. And that addiction is spurred on by the advertising, by other smokers who refuse to accept it's an addiction etc. And it's awful to hear about 12 year olds starting to smoke because at that age, who the heck understands what a choice IS and what making the wrong choice can lead to? I know I didn't. Heck, I was 39 when I started smoking, old enough to know better, old enough to turn it down but having just got my decree absolute, I was in bits and accepted a cigarette from a 'friend'. It took me 10 years to stop smoking and the whole 10 years I absolute hated, loathed and despised everything about cigarettes - but I could not stop.

Just look at that £360 a MONTH you've been spending and think about who's pockets you've been lining while you've been compromising your own health and welfare. They've been enjoying the holidays you've done without.

Chuffed to bits for you. :thumbup:

 

[dawnmc]

Clean your teeth too, fresh breath makes you not want to smoke. Mind I'm a fine one to talk, I've tried everything, Champix didn't work or the other one. Hypnotherapy and the e-cig. Patches I'm allergic to, think its going to have to be a case of mind over matter.

 

[GraceK]

Clean your teeth too, fresh breath makes you not want to smoke. Mind I'm a fine one to talk, I've tried everything, Champix didn't work or the other one. Hypnotherapy and the e-cig. Patches I'm allergic to, think its going to have to be a case of mind over matter.

Well the fact that you've tried already means you WANT to stop smoking and become a NON-SMOKER. The the most important thing is the WANTING to stop. Ask yourself how much you want to stop and give yourself a scale of 1-10 to measure by. You'll see that over time you're wanting will increase and that's when whatever method you choose will work.

Good luck!

 

[Ardbeg]

Sorry, I haven't been on this forum since July and just noticed this post.

If any forum member does want to try electronic cigarettes I am happy to give you a discount code which will give you 25% off a starter pack - only £12 instead of £16 plus free UK delivery

 

[derya]

WISH I HAD THE POWER TO QUIT(

 

[Vampix]

I stopped on the 28th of October, i used the stage 1 patches, and a few days of the stage 2 before i kept forgetting to put them on, and just didn't bother in the end. I have the occasional go on an e-cig especially at night when the boredom hits, but i've not been tempted to start again.

My son was in hospital, newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes during the first week of October and i decided while i was in there with him, that as soon as we had him home, i would set a date and quit. Seeing him go through, and cope amazingly well with all the lifestyle changes his Diabetes presented him with, it put it into perspective for me and made it pretty easy for me to quit.

You just have to really want to quit, and you have to see it for what it is... A pointless habit that you can easily do without. Look at all the struggles you guys have had with Diabetes. If you've been strong enough to deal with that, i take my hat off to you, and i'm sure you can give up the ciggies.

 

[Sid Bonkers]

You just have to really want to quit,

that is the key to quitting smoking or anything else for that matter, I will be nicotine free for 6 years come January and can not even imagine smoking again now. I did crave cigs at first of course but it does get easier the longer you are cig free.


The very best of luck to everyone trying and to anyone thinking of quitting too :thumbup:

 

[GraceK]

I stopped on the 28th of October, i used the stage 1 patches, and a few days of the stage 2 before i kept forgetting to put them on, and just didn't bother in the end. I have the occasional go on an e-cig especially at night when the boredom hits, but i've not been tempted to start again.

My son was in hospital, newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes during the first week of October and i decided while i was in there with him, that as soon as we had him home, i would set a date and quit. Seeing him go through, and cope amazingly well with all the lifestyle changes his Diabetes presented him with, it put it into perspective for me and made it pretty easy for me to quit.

You just have to really want to quit, and you have to see it for what it is... A pointless habit that you can easily do without. Look at all the struggles you guys have had with Diabetes. If you've been strong enough to deal with that, i take my hat off to you, and i'm sure you can give up the ciggies.

Well done Vampix! I'm chuffed you've succeeded in becoming a non smoker. It is a pointless habit and a destructive one healthwise and financially and it puts lots of money in the Government coffers at YOUR expense too! Smokers might as well be rolling up £10 notes and setting them on fire really. It took a couple of attempts with different patches for me before I found the right ones, and when I did I was a non smoker in 3 weeks, and have NEVER once missed cigarettes or fancied one. I didn't actually like or enjoy the damned things I was just addicted to whatever **** was in them and found it very scary to be addicted to something I didn't even LIKE. I love hearing peoples success stories where smoking is concerned. You can be proud of yourself and your son now for both coping with some life changes together. :thumbup:

 

[Vampix]

Thanks very much, we all have it in us to give up but it sure feels better to be smoke free

 

[jimmyholand88]

I am currently taking a stop smoking drug that came out in 2006 called Champix and it really works. An avenue really worth investigating if you want to give up smoking and like me had tried everything without success, Deb

that good..smoking is really very bad for health..keep it up. :clap:

 

[jamby41]

I wanted to to the stopoctober but wasn't ready. However I did finally quit on Sunday 22/10/22 it as been just over nine weeks and very successful. Both Hubby and I quit together. Our success is down to the electronic cigarette. We started on 18mg nicotine, we are now using 9mg until zero. It's been the easiest quit ever for both of us.
www.vapehit.com I highly reccomend it's helped me lower my blood glugose levels.

 

[twinkle1980]

Good luck to you all, wherever you are in the quitting process. I quit 2 yrs ago and manage my nicotine addiction with an ecig.

 

[alex621]

I managed to stop in September... I had a few cigs in November mind. but since then I have had none at all