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smoking

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south711

Well-Known Member
Messages
155
Location
France
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Other
Dislikes
being a diabetic and finding restrictions.to life style. people who do not understand the problems one has. not being able to afford to come back to uk for holidays as often, quite expensive. miss some foods that the French do not do. but can live with that French drivers. who love to tail gate. and they love to drive over the white line. in rural areas they are a pain. but get use to it. does put the wind up you. But driving in the UK found that drivers want to get as close as they can. and the traffic. it took me 25 minutes to get to friends house which was less then a mile away. due to traffic.
Hi everyone. I smoke, not that I want to. Have been trying to quit with patches. Have to admit that have felt better for not smoking. I did not have a cigarette for 10 days. and then back again. only smoked a few. but am finding it hard to control. any ideas. tried spray. do not like that. have to admit the patches work but the craving. is still there.
Any ideas that would help
I need some help during the 10 days, I noticed that my bg was good. and I was eating well.
But as for the past few days. have had a few smokes.
Would appreciate your views. will power is not one of my virtues.
any advice would be welcome
 
Hi I gave up over 4 years ago, the first week was hell, ( no help at that time)but then I received patches. My 9 year old gave me so much encouragement and support, she was a star. It was just sheer will and determination that got me the though and I have not touched one cigarette. It's the receptors in your brain that are telling you to have a ciggy, because you are starving them of the addictive nicotine and your body responds to that and needs the nicotine to get rid of the craving, it seems to be a vicious circle.
Have you a family member or a good friend that would give up as well and you could be non smoking buddies?
It's one of the best things I have done and with the money I saved, I redecorated and carpeted my daughters bedroom, result
Good luck and I sincerely wish you all the best.
 
I quit nearly 5 years ago. I tried cold turkey and patches many times but always failed. I eventually went to doctors who invited me to attend smoking cessation clinic and prescribed Champix. They don't suit everyone and I used to have some very weird dreams but they worked for me. The important thing is to never give up giving up. Eventually you'll find what works for you.
 
Keep trying! Ok you had a cigarette but every hour you manage to go without one is a success! Focus on the times you don't smoke rather than when you slip off the wagon. As mo says, the doc can usually help these days. Good luck!
 
Many thanks. I have been sitting here and you can guess what is going thru my mind. All of my friends do not smoke. but when you are alone then it is easy not to stop the craving and have a cig.
The patches do work, but after the 10 days of not smoking I thought I would not want one. well, you can guess what thought did.
Thanks for encouragement.
I will keep trying. not hopeful today though.
 
Well done you for getting this far !

My sister has done very well stopping smoking by using e cigs, or "vaping ", not using the kind that are available in supermarkets etc though. The kind she used involves a vapouriser and liquid , that has a choice of flavours and strengths that go down to zero nicotine . There is a lot of information about this on the web.It's been well over a year since she had her last ciggie, and now doesn't use the vapouriser either. I'm pretty much amazed by this, as she smoked for years, since she was about 14, and had tried everything else from gum, patches, drugs to cold turkey and had never suceeded for long.

She did try with the supermarket ones, but didn't like them as she said they were made to look like cigarettes so kept that link going, but the vapouriser doesn't look at all like them. That and the gradual reduction in the strength of the liquid was what helped her succeed this time.

I hope that info helps!

Signy
 
Oh and I meant to say... I'm sure there are pros and cons for this method and any other, but anything thast stops you smoking has got to be a good thing. The benefits to your health, wealth and well being are priceless.

Good luck, and let us know how you are getting on?

Signy
 
I gave up 7 years ago, using patches.

Keep trying. Perhaps take up a hobby that involves using your hand - craft, knitting, sewing etc, you don't have to be really good at something, but it keeps your hands occupied and if you are doing something you are not as likely to smoke, as although it may be the craving it is also what you do when you would normally have a smoke too.

Good luck. You will get there, and when you do, you will like the extra money you have too!
 
Hi South, I hope you succeed. I am thinking of giving up too soon. I have patches, a spray and inhalator ready, it's just about picking a day! When I've been in hospital of course I haven't been able to smoke and have worn a patch and used the inhalator and been fine, but, as soon as I come home what is the first thing I do??? It is so addictive.
 
I stopped about ten years ago, using Allen Carr's Easy Way to Stop Smoking book, given to me my the company nurse... I had also tons of grief with trying to stop... cold turkey, patches, hypnotism, but the book did the trick.

From finishing the book and smoking my last cigarette, I've had no cravings whatsoever... don't ask me how it worked or why it worked, I'm just glad it did the trick, fo my health & my pocket as well...

good luck, how ever you do it, though...
 
I am on my 7 th day of no smoking...First time ever I have tried to give up,I stopped with the patches after 2 days because they ended up every where apart from my body,but one of the things that have helped me so much is the inhalator,I have had it where it has hung from my lip as if it was a roll up,I don't know where I would be without this tiny little gadget,it really has been my saviour,I have noticed that am not using it as much as the past days have gone by,I find it hard that we can't stuff our faces with goodies because we have Diabetes,but then I look at that as a bonus and think well,at least I don't have to worry about putting weight on...I have also signed up to My Quit,and I go in once a day to write my diary,and read a few stories,have faith in your self my dear,we are all here for you...xox
 
I moved over to eciggies 1 week and 5 days ago. The first few days were a bit odd, but all in all, the easiest method I've tried out of patches, inhalator, will-power and zyban. It's probably best to go with a tried, tested and NHS supported method if you can, but if all else fails, eciggies can be really useful.

Best of luck!
 
I quit smoking about 15 years ago. Unfortunately the sad fact is that I still miss it, even after all these years.

I found that cold turkey was the only thing that worked for me (yes the patch was available back then lol). First weeks were really bad, and at the time (being non-diabetic then) I compensated by eating ice cream and gaining a bit of weight. But after some weeks, the cravings get less and less, and now only the odd twinge now and then, especially if I am under stress.

The trick I used was to throw out something that cost quite a bit of money to cement my commitment. In my case it was a beautiful Zippo lighter I bought when I was in the Navy. I loved that lighter, but wanted to quit bad enough to toss it - so that if I ever started again, it would be like I had just thrown it away for nothing.

It worked.
 
15 years,and here's me thinking 8 days is something to sing about lol...How weird you still get cravings,good idea about the lighter,I have a very old pub ash tray I bought from a flea market,but that's kept way back of the cupboard,I never used it when I smoked,but like I said,my little white inhalator is really helping me along...I have to see the nurse again tomorrow and will have to blow into some pump thing,she said it was high last week,so it will be interesting to see if I have gone lower...xox
 
I smoked from age 11 - 39 I found it incredibly difficult to give up smoking on every occasion I tried and lost count of the number of times I gave up then restrated and the number of different methods I used
I have been a non-smoker for the last 17 years and found the fear engendered by my consultant telling me that smoking was 2-10 times more dangerous for a diabetic than for a non-diabetic to be the only effective and surprisingly easy route to non smoker status
I'm not saying this to be smug or to throw cold water on anyone's efforts to give up - rather to say that I think, for me at least, stopping smoking needed me to make a decision that I wanted to be free of smoking rather than deciding to "give something up"
I also told myself that if I really really couldn't do without fags then I'd give myself permission to start again when I'm 75 when it didn't really matter as much what damage it did!
 
I think also that knowing I am diabetic,this has helped me stop,I have never tried before,but I have also found out I have high blood pressure,another reason for me to give up,I like your way of thinking,the bit when you reach 75,...And pinker ell,I was going to try them e cigs,but I never had the money at the time,so I have just gone cold turkey,but a few people I know have not touched a ciggies since using them e cigs...xox
 
My husband and I quit smoking 5 weeks ago with the help of the stop smoking service, we were prescribed champix. I had to get mine from the gp due to being depressed as a teenager but i honestly cannot recommend them highly enough.
There is still the odd time when i fancy one, but not enough to go to the shop and buy them. Besides, being around people that smoke is the biggest deterrent because they smell disgusting!!
It's a 12 week course because thats how long it takes to shut your nicotine receptors down.
Good luck
 
Thank you...Am in my second week now and I am finding it much easier,just got my little inhalator ,this has helped me loads,I had my second test on the pump this week and my nicotine level has gone down from 47 to 2,she said next week I will be classed as a non smoker...xox Good luck to you and your husband...xox
 
Good luck to all you would be non-smoking smokers I use this phrase because I believe you never truly become a non-smoker, merley a smoker that does not smoke.Like any addiction you should take one day at a time and avoid slipping back to the addiction

I am on day 3 of giving up and am using the mouth spray. I have tried everything going in the way of nicotine replacements including ecigs and champix. I have managed to give up several times (once for about 5 years) and have always ended up going back to them following some crisis or another.

Along with the mouth spray I am practicing deep breathing and sipping water. This seems to be working quite well most of the time but when I really feel thedesperate need for a cigarette I pull up an imaginary picture of myself blind with no legs and that puts me back on track. Hopefully this graphic vision will help me get through the rough times and stop me going back to the cigs in future. Rough times for me have historically been day 3, week 3 and month 3 so am suffering a bit today.
 
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