Stop Smoking (91)
jono7: thanks Dan. I had a stroke last month. All is well now, but I am still falling off the quit smoking wagon. I manage to stay smoke free throughout the day but it's that last smoke of the evening...end up awake most of the night...anyone in your class talk about that, or have suggestions.
Im sorry to hear that.....hope you are feeling better, but do try really hard to quit....
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I've been told I was very lucky. I have to keep taking aspirin, but all else is fine. I go back to work monday (smoking a lot less while not at work...lol) I will try a lower nicotine smoke, and keep track. I've also been trying to substitute drinking water for each time I want to smoke. Works well during the day...not so good at night...lol
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DON'T STOP SMOKING!!!
Winners never quit and quitters never win!!
Winners never quit and quitters never win!!
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whitesoul: i smoke roll up because i cant smoke ready made cigarets.... do you know any that were in my same situation? thanks for the advise
I smoke RYO's (roll your own) as well, so my questions to you... Do you roll them to fill the pack or roll them individually when you need a smoke? Do you use filter tubes or standard paper to roll your ciggies?Here's some suggestions and something to ponder on;
Every smoker quits smoking every day. Think about it. When you go to sleep for 5-10 hours, you don't smoke, you don't even have any craving to smoke. So given that thought, you can quit.
If you roll up a pack of filterless cigarette's, try switching to full flavor filter tubes. It will cut down on tar and nicotine. Then try to do the method Dan has suggested.
After that first week, switch your full flavor tubes to light filter. Following that, for the next week switch your full flavor tobacco (if that is what you're using) to light tobacco.
Another thing to consider; If you carry a pack of smokes with you wherever you go, stop doing that. Instead, set them down somewhere in another room (or in your car) so that when you need a smoke, you'll have to go get one and it will help curb that repulsive smoking urge.
I've gone from smoking on average 2 packs a day down to less than a pack a day by doing that method. I've smoked for a little over 30 years and I know it's not easy to quit, but I will. Don't give up the fight.
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Dan0340: I'm certainly no expert but I did take a stop-smoking course that worked. Because I've talked with several people here who said they're trying to quit I thought a thread on how some of us quit might be of some interest.
In this course the first question they asked was why did we smoke? Answers ranged for "I like it" to "It tasts good". The instructor said "No, you smoke because you're addicted to nicotine and when the nicotine level in your body drops you feel uncomfortable and smoke to feel comfortable again." That kind of hit home for me!
The process was pretty simple - the first week we could smoke as much as we wanted of what we normally smoked. We just had to keep a little card with us that had times of day on it and put a mark by the time each time we lit up. She explained that we were going to learn when we were most vulnerable.
The next week we could smoke as much as we wanted except we had to switch brands to one with less nicotine and continue monotoring the times.
We also learned about "Triggers", things that happen to cause us to light up. For example, when the phone rings its often an unconscious trigger to smoke. When we're upset we think smoking will calm us down and make things better. Even getting to a certain intersection on the way to work.. etc.
The third week we were told to pick a "cut off date", a date after which we would be non smokers. As I recall it was about a month and a half later.
We continued using lower nicotine brands each week until the last week it was almost like smoking air. I was actually able to quit 2 days ahead of my cut off date. Another thing that was important was making myself see myself as a non smoker. I had smoked most of my life and went through 3 packs a day.
I like to say that if I can do it anybody can.
Good luck to you. I hope this helps and that others will add their experience to this thread.. all in all quitting cold turkey is the worse thing people can do as it puts your body in shock. So its better to quit gradually ..
Dan
In this course the first question they asked was why did we smoke? Answers ranged for "I like it" to "It tasts good". The instructor said "No, you smoke because you're addicted to nicotine and when the nicotine level in your body drops you feel uncomfortable and smoke to feel comfortable again." That kind of hit home for me!
The process was pretty simple - the first week we could smoke as much as we wanted of what we normally smoked. We just had to keep a little card with us that had times of day on it and put a mark by the time each time we lit up. She explained that we were going to learn when we were most vulnerable.
The next week we could smoke as much as we wanted except we had to switch brands to one with less nicotine and continue monotoring the times.
We also learned about "Triggers", things that happen to cause us to light up. For example, when the phone rings its often an unconscious trigger to smoke. When we're upset we think smoking will calm us down and make things better. Even getting to a certain intersection on the way to work.. etc.
The third week we were told to pick a "cut off date", a date after which we would be non smokers. As I recall it was about a month and a half later.
We continued using lower nicotine brands each week until the last week it was almost like smoking air. I was actually able to quit 2 days ahead of my cut off date. Another thing that was important was making myself see myself as a non smoker. I had smoked most of my life and went through 3 packs a day.
I like to say that if I can do it anybody can.
Good luck to you. I hope this helps and that others will add their experience to this thread.. all in all quitting cold turkey is the worse thing people can do as it puts your body in shock. So its better to quit gradually ..
Dan
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all in all quitting cold turkey is the worse thing people can do as it puts your body in shock. so its better to quit gradually..
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jono7: I've been told I was very lucky. I have to keep taking aspirin, but all else is fine. I go back to work monday (smoking a lot less while not at work...lol) I will try a lower nicotine smoke, and keep track. I've also been trying to substitute drinking water for each time I want to smoke. Works well during the day...not so good at night...lol
Hello jono7. I have quit for years at a time then for some reason I would bum one cigarette at work. It became easier to justify smoking because of stress...(my own justification-no good reason-internal temper tantrum IMO).
Even when I wasn't stressed I would have an occassional cigarette for the comraderie of socializing with the other smokers. Soon, I would be back to smoking 1/2 pack a day. It is so odd because I really dislike the smell of cigarettes on my hands, hair and clothes. I am fastidious and always want to feel and smell, fresh and clean. The amount of money I spend on good perfume, skin cleansers, lotions and hair products, is not insignificant, so smoking for me is even less understandable and more disgusting.
I was trying to think of any thing else that may help you quit and reward you in a very real way. Just a thought...Divide the cost of a pack of your favorite cigarettes by 20 (# of cigs in a pack). Each time you want a cigarette, sip our water then inhale/exhale 2 or 3 times, just as you would breathe when dragging on a cigarette and slowly exhaling the smoke...this trick still helps me. Now for the reward part...drop the cost of ONE cigarette in a jar and buy yourself something special when the jar is full.
Or, open a separate bank account...call it a vacation fund or Christmas club to get family involved and supportive. If you smoke a carton of cigarettes a week, deposit the cost of the carton on payday every week. It won't be long before you can invest the money, take a great vacaton or purchase something you have been wanting for a long time. I know it will not be easy but it is worth it. Good luck!!! We will all be rooting for you!
Wishing you all the best with your continuing recovery and congratulations upon your return to work!
CM
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ChanceMeeting: Hello jono7. I have quit for years at a time then for some reason I would bum one cigarette at work. It became easier to justify smoking because of stress...(my own justification-no good reason-internal temper tantrum IMO).
Even when I wasn't stressed I would have an occassional cigarette for the comraderie of socializing with the other smokers. Soon, I would be back to smoking 1/2 pack a day. It is so odd because I really dislike the smell of cigarettes on my hands, hair and clothes. I am fastidious and always want to feel and smell, fresh and clean. The amount of money I spend on good perfume, skin cleansers, lotions and hair products, is not insignificant, so smoking for me is even less understandable and more disgusting.
I was trying to think of any thing else that may help you quit and reward you in a very real way. Just a thought...Divide the cost of a pack of your favorite cigarettes by 20 (# of cigs in a pack). Each time you want a cigarette, sip our water then inhale/exhale 2 or 3 times, just as you would breathe when dragging on a cigarette and slowly exhaling the smoke...this trick still helps me. Now for the reward part...drop the cost of ONE cigarette in a jar and buy yourself something special when the jar is full.
Or, open a separate bank account...call it a vacation fund or Christmas club to get family involved and supportive. If you smoke a carton of cigarettes a week, deposit the cost of the carton on payday every week. It won't be long before you can invest the money, take a great vacaton or purchase something you have been wanting for a long time. I know it will not be easy but it is worth it. Good luck!!! We will all be rooting for you!
Wishing you all the best with your continuing recovery and congratulations upon your return to work!
CM
Even when I wasn't stressed I would have an occassional cigarette for the comraderie of socializing with the other smokers. Soon, I would be back to smoking 1/2 pack a day. It is so odd because I really dislike the smell of cigarettes on my hands, hair and clothes. I am fastidious and always want to feel and smell, fresh and clean. The amount of money I spend on good perfume, skin cleansers, lotions and hair products, is not insignificant, so smoking for me is even less understandable and more disgusting.
I was trying to think of any thing else that may help you quit and reward you in a very real way. Just a thought...Divide the cost of a pack of your favorite cigarettes by 20 (# of cigs in a pack). Each time you want a cigarette, sip our water then inhale/exhale 2 or 3 times, just as you would breathe when dragging on a cigarette and slowly exhaling the smoke...this trick still helps me. Now for the reward part...drop the cost of ONE cigarette in a jar and buy yourself something special when the jar is full.
Or, open a separate bank account...call it a vacation fund or Christmas club to get family involved and supportive. If you smoke a carton of cigarettes a week, deposit the cost of the carton on payday every week. It won't be long before you can invest the money, take a great vacaton or purchase something you have been wanting for a long time. I know it will not be easy but it is worth it. Good luck!!! We will all be rooting for you!
Wishing you all the best with your continuing recovery and congratulations upon your return to work!
CM
How much does a pack of smokes cost these days?
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YouMeUs: I smoke RYO's (roll your own) as well, so my questions to you... Do you roll them to fill the pack or roll them individually when you need a smoke? Do you use filter tubes or standard paper to roll your ciggies?
Here's some suggestions and something to ponder on;
Every smoker quits smoking every day. Think about it. When you go to sleep for 5-10 hours, you don't smoke, you don't even have any craving to smoke. So given that thought, you can quit.
If you roll up a pack of filterless cigarette's, try switching to full flavor filter tubes. It will cut down on tar and nicotine. Then try to do the method Dan has suggested.
After that first week, switch your full flavor tubes to light filter. Following that, for the next week switch your full flavor tobacco (if that is what you're using) to light tobacco.
Another thing to consider; If you carry a pack of smokes with you wherever you go, stop doing that. Instead, set them down somewhere in another room (or in your car) so that when you need a smoke, you'll have to go get one and it will help curb that repulsive smoking urge.
I've gone from smoking on average 2 packs a day down to less than a pack a day by doing that method. I've smoked for a little over 30 years and I know it's not easy to quit, but I will. Don't give up the fight.
Here's some suggestions and something to ponder on;
Every smoker quits smoking every day. Think about it. When you go to sleep for 5-10 hours, you don't smoke, you don't even have any craving to smoke. So given that thought, you can quit.
If you roll up a pack of filterless cigarette's, try switching to full flavor filter tubes. It will cut down on tar and nicotine. Then try to do the method Dan has suggested.
After that first week, switch your full flavor tubes to light filter. Following that, for the next week switch your full flavor tobacco (if that is what you're using) to light tobacco.
Another thing to consider; If you carry a pack of smokes with you wherever you go, stop doing that. Instead, set them down somewhere in another room (or in your car) so that when you need a smoke, you'll have to go get one and it will help curb that repulsive smoking urge.
I've gone from smoking on average 2 packs a day down to less than a pack a day by doing that method. I've smoked for a little over 30 years and I know it's not easy to quit, but I will. Don't give up the fight.
i do roll my own when i feel like one, avverage 1 every 2 to 4 hours, i use double filteres anf papers with virgin tobacco...i try putting at less tobacco as possible just to stop the craving.... in this way i went from a pack of dunhill magnum down to avverage 6 sigarets very very light roll up....but just cant stop...
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When I finally quit over 9 years ago this month I actually had an easy time of it that one final time.
And I know how bad that sounds.
I was a 2 pack a day smoker and had been unable to quit, although I tried often, for 25 years.
I asked my doctor for help, see whenever I tried to quit in the past I became so irritable and depressed that it was just not worth the suffering and so I again started each time to feel better. I also love the smell of second hand smoke whether cigarettes, leaves, grass (real not pot).
The doctor agreed to treat me for the depression and irritability while I quit. She prescribed Wellbutrin (don’t remember if it was XL or SR nor do I remember the dosages). The story roughly goes that ingredients of this drug were developed to tread mental patients and one of the side effects was a significant decrease of patient smoking without the patients even noticing.
My instructions were to don’t even concern myself with quitting smoking for the first few days of taking the daily pill, after a few days when the craving occurred just to ask myself if I really wanted the smoke and if so, have it. I started the med Friday morning, and by Sunday evening when I reached for a smoke I also realized I was nearing the final quarter of the pack I started on Friday morning. Wow, remember I was a 2 pack a day guy until this. On Tuesday I had my final cigarette and didn’t really want it but wasn’t going to waste my last one (of Friday mornings pack).
I made a few major conscious changes in my lifestyle as well to help me along. I refused to associate with, talk to in person, hang around etc smokers so I would not be tempted. That meant no bars, bingo, going outside during breaks etc. I do remember the odd ‘minor’ cravings but they passed after about 5 minutes.
The other meds kept my depression in control and by May I was off Wellbutrin and have not gone back since. Other people tell me that they had side affects when trying this drug. It is a prescription med so work with your doctor and it might work for you as well.
I’m not suggesting this will be your answer, but it worked for me. I felt nothing and it was as if I actually forgot to smoke. Maybe I was just ready; maybe it was the med at this point I don’t care because I’m smoke free.
Best wishes to your success.
And I know how bad that sounds.
I was a 2 pack a day smoker and had been unable to quit, although I tried often, for 25 years.
I asked my doctor for help, see whenever I tried to quit in the past I became so irritable and depressed that it was just not worth the suffering and so I again started each time to feel better. I also love the smell of second hand smoke whether cigarettes, leaves, grass (real not pot).
The doctor agreed to treat me for the depression and irritability while I quit. She prescribed Wellbutrin (don’t remember if it was XL or SR nor do I remember the dosages). The story roughly goes that ingredients of this drug were developed to tread mental patients and one of the side effects was a significant decrease of patient smoking without the patients even noticing.
My instructions were to don’t even concern myself with quitting smoking for the first few days of taking the daily pill, after a few days when the craving occurred just to ask myself if I really wanted the smoke and if so, have it. I started the med Friday morning, and by Sunday evening when I reached for a smoke I also realized I was nearing the final quarter of the pack I started on Friday morning. Wow, remember I was a 2 pack a day guy until this. On Tuesday I had my final cigarette and didn’t really want it but wasn’t going to waste my last one (of Friday mornings pack).
I made a few major conscious changes in my lifestyle as well to help me along. I refused to associate with, talk to in person, hang around etc smokers so I would not be tempted. That meant no bars, bingo, going outside during breaks etc. I do remember the odd ‘minor’ cravings but they passed after about 5 minutes.
The other meds kept my depression in control and by May I was off Wellbutrin and have not gone back since. Other people tell me that they had side affects when trying this drug. It is a prescription med so work with your doctor and it might work for you as well.
I’m not suggesting this will be your answer, but it worked for me. I felt nothing and it was as if I actually forgot to smoke. Maybe I was just ready; maybe it was the med at this point I don’t care because I’m smoke free.
Best wishes to your success.
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Cold turkey at three packs a day. You are stronger then cigs! Prove it to yourself. throw them away now and forever!
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My question is what cigs have less nicotine? I smoke Marlboro reds.
I made it most of the day so far with only a few but it wasn't easy. Honestly wish they would just outlaw them all-together or regulate them through the FDA.
I made it most of the day so far with only a few but it wasn't easy. Honestly wish they would just outlaw them all-together or regulate them through the FDA.
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whitesoul: i do roll my own when i feel like one, avverage 1 every 2 to 4 hours, i use double filteres anf papers with virgin tobacco...i try putting at less tobacco as possible just to stop the craving.... in this way i went from a pack of dunhill magnum down to avverage 6 sigarets very very light roll up....but just cant stop...
Yours sounds like a unique habit and easy to handle if you put your mind to it.Try doing as Dan suggested by writing down the time you have a smoke and keep a record of them each day.
On the following day, look at your previous note BEFORE you light up a cigarette and then compare the time differences. Then, try to hold off from lighting up for as long as possible until the urge completely overwhelms you. Then have your smoke. Repeat this process and continue to gradually add more time between smokes.
Do you like to have a cigarette when you first wake up each day? Try resisting the urge as mentioned above until you can no longer hold out. At least start the method with your first smoke of the day and see what happens. Then continue to do so with the following urges to smoke.
Your body (and mind) will suffer from withdrawals and is natural, but as long as you continue to broaden the time between smokes, you'll reduce the amount of nicotine your body will crave, to a point where eventually you can quit.
If you want to quit, you will. Don't give up the fight.
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Dan0340: How much does a pack of smokes cost these days?
LOL
Over $10 for most brands.
Some are at 12.25
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Deserteagle: My question is what cigs have less nicotine? I smoke Marlboro reds.
I made it most of the day so far with only a few but it wasn't easy. Honestly wish they would just outlaw them all-together or regulate them through the FDA.
Anything light or ultra-light will have less nicotine. Marlboro has them as well as Mediums. Also, 100's have more filter and does reduce the nicotine a bit.I made it most of the day so far with only a few but it wasn't easy. Honestly wish they would just outlaw them all-together or regulate them through the FDA.
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Dan0340:
Good luck to you. I hope this helps and that others will add their experience to this thread..
Dan
Good luck to you. I hope this helps and that others will add their experience to this thread..
Dan
That's an excellent post Dan, I have never tried to quite yet but it has been entering my mind more, certainly cutting down radically and having more control would be a good I thing for me.
Cheers
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arcticpenguin: The doctor agreed to treat me for the depression and irritability while I quit. She prescribed Wellbutrin (don’t remember if it was XL or SR nor do I remember the dosages). The story roughly goes that ingredients of this drug were developed to tread mental patients and one of the side effects was a significant decrease of patient smoking without the patients even noticing.
I will ask my doctor about this and see if she'll prescribe it. Thanks for the tip, AP!------ This thread is Archived ------
I've heard that the drug champex works really well.
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i am never going to quit