• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Stopping smoking

Dudette1

Well-Known Member
Messages
259
Location
England
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Bad attitude
Hi guys, so on my journey getting diagnosed with diabetes in October in 2018, I started with changes of needing to lose weight and getting my sugars in check. I have gone from 17stone 7lb to 10stone 11lb, my sugars are in check and I will be coming off metformin in may.
The only struggle I have is the stopping smoking and I hate I have all the Will power doing the weight and eating then I struggle so much with this. I haven’t had a cigarette for 32 hours now and I can already feel the anger, wanting to eat and just wanting to have fag
any motivation talk, hints and tips it would much appreciated at this time
️
 
32 hours sounds pretty awesome to me. Anything else you love doing that might distract you would be my tip - going for a walk in my case.
 
That weight loss is amazing!

if you can do that, what can’t you do? The sky is your limit.
A cigarette? Pah! You can beat that craving.
 
I haven’t had the experience of giving up smoking, but a friend succeeded by putting away the cost of a packet of fags, whenever she would have bought them.
She treated herself to some fantastic presents as the cash mounted up.
Sure you can smash this, @Dudette1
 
Thanks guys it means a lot to hear your kind words and tips
️ I really want to do this and I’m so determined yet so weak and always fail. I will keep you posted how I get on.. I can do this (I hope) thank you again x
 
Dudette1 said:
Thanks guys it means a lot to hear your kind words and tips
️ I really want to do this and I’m so determined yet so weak and always fail. I will keep you posted how I get on.. I can do this (I hope) thank you again x
Click to expand...

Hi there, it's an entirely different challenge I know but nobody who has lost 7 stone, got their levels in check & is coming off meds can ever call themselves 'weak and a failure'! You are inspirational and although I don't know if you'll get there ciggie wise I DO know if anyone can give it a blooming good try, YOU can. xx
 
Well done on The weight loss , I’ve packed in smoking numerous times , but I can now class myself as a n9n smoker ! I put the money away and within 2and a half montHs I had a grand , and grays are more expensive now, I think smoking although it’s an addictive thing it’s all about routine . I think to have success you have to change the routine , eg , get up in morning have a coffee have a fag have food have a fag , etc etc , so change tHe routine so for example get up go for a walk , etc etc .
I used an e cigarette which really helped there are pros and cons for these but they did stop me . Hope you do succeed your history of determination with the weight loss shows you have what it takes to succeed.
 
Yep, change the habits, no matter how small. And check out what aids there are . I gave up years ago with the nicotine chewing gum which tasted so awful I had to be really desperate to put it in my mouth. I think patches and things are better now and there's a lot more help available.
Mind you, back then if anyone had told me I could give up eating chocolate I wouldn't have believed them. Its amazing what we can do, that whe think we can't, and you've already cracked the food one!
 
I shall do the routine change definitely, I feel loads better reading your kind words, it really does show what a difference it can make to someone. I don’t want to smell like an ashtray, I will be honest, I love smoking but it’s been a 25yr habit so it’s bound to be tough, but I do love my health more. I’m transferring £10 a day into my savings account, £70 a week ‍ I might as well have rolled £70 up and burnt it, that’s a lot of money. A bad habit I definitely don’t want anymore.
I can do this, I did the others and got through so surely I can go for the win. Means a lot to me so thank you
️ xx
 
Antje77 said:
I hope I will some day follow your example, @Dudette1 and all the others chipping in here!
Click to expand...

You will do whatever it is you want to do when you are ready, you will have full support of us all
it’s never easy to change a lifestyle you have become accustomed too, always get support and words of encouragement, it really helps a lot.
 

FYI I did not stop smoking,smoking stopped me, ie ended up in the emergency room. That was 32 years ago and after many attempts. The first 10 days to 2 weeks are the hardest, then the iron clad rule is never again ,not even one. The rewards are great and it gets easier as time goes by. Eventually you dont even miss it at all. Go for it with all your resolve, its a one day at a time thing .I wish you all the very best in beating the hell out of this terrible addiction.
 
Feeling very lethargic today, so come out on a walk, again
how can a tiny stick make you want it so bad
 
Dudette, you can do this! Hang on in there and keep distracting yourself.
 
See , you are encouraging others already.
 
Dudette1 said:
Feeling very lethargic today, so come out on a walk, again
how can a tiny stick make you want it so bad
Click to expand...
Aah as others have said, it’s more than just a cigarette. It’s an addictive drug, a familiar routine, an ingrained muscle memory and a whole load of emotional attachment all rolled into one. I have never smoked (hah one sensible thing I did, then!) but I can see how hard it is for others to quit. And I do understand carb addiction, which has a lot of the same baggage.

I think the advice is sound, change the routine, make some new traditions and stick to those. Given the delicate nature of our relationship with food, I don’t think I would want to replace a ciggie with something that goes into your mouth, even if it’s just gum, feels like a slippery slope to me. Distract your mind and occupy your hands, maybe some kind of puzzle game on your phone might be helpful, if you like that sort of thing. Or sudoku, or a crossword, word search, jigsaw.... something you can mess around with for the 5 mins you used to take to have a fag!
 
I have ordered loads of jigsaw puzzles, walked,done a bit on garden..although looks like rain so had to come in.. all food tastes weird today, got an e cigarette so that’s taking the edge off when the urge to smoke kicks in.. guess I might as well clean house, do all the things that I usually would put off by having a fag.. wish me luck, I’m going behind the fridge
 
Dudette1 said:
wish me luck, I’m going behind the fridge
Click to expand...

I am reading your threading and wishing you lots of virtual will power.

I never smoked because my T1 mum became addicted at 20 and all through my life I watched her try and fail to give up. (It was easy for my dad to stop but suspect there is a genetic element to how easy it is to beat the addiction.) She finally stopped when she was 70 and it gave her 8 more years of life (heart bypass at 70 wouldn't have happened if she hadn't given up 6 months before) but I think she might still be with me if she had given up at your age.

Everyone knows that smoking is bad, but unfortunately it is worse if you have diabetes. Your story is inspirational. You've beaten the diabetes, please beat the nicotine too.

Lots of virtual hugs.
 
Giving up smoking was so hard for me. However, it gets easier and quickly. These 32 hours are done and behind you, moving forward it will get easier.

Just keep reminding yourself that the anger and issues you are having now are BECAUSE you smoked, not because you have given up. Very shortly they will become easier and easier to manage until you wonder what the issue was I. The first place.

I make it sound simple, trust me it isn’t, it was the hardest month of my life the first four weeks, but ever since life is a a million times better and I have wayyy more money not wasted on damaging my own body.

I wish you luck and send my support your way. I know how hard it is. I downloaded an app called smoke free and found that very useful as it shows you our progress is benefiting your health and how much money you save.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn More.…