I Quit Smoking

[Qhrumphf]

Hang in there. You're just about done with the hardest part.

Monday will make 2 years for me.

 

[CliffMongoloid]

Hang in there. You're just about done with the hardest part.

Monday will make 2 years for me.

thanks man and congrats.

people say wow you must feel so much better... and i just say "eh, i guess"

 

[McKnuckle]

In August it will be 14 years for me. Best decision I ever made, cold turkey, right before 9/11 no less. Haven't had a single one since. You can't expect to feel better within weeks. You burned up your lungs for a long time. That needs to heal on the inside, in addition to all of the cravings and associations.

Replace the Evil Habit with something overwhelmingly healthy and opposite on the behavior spectrum, like physical exercise. You could turn into a cyclist or runner (like me on both counts).

Most importantly, CONGRATS and good luck.

 

[TheCADJockey]

I wish I could... I tried the e-cig/vape thing and it just exacerbated the situation. I will not take prescription drugs. My habit only consists of 1 on the way home from work each day during the week. The problem is really on the weekends. On the one day a week I kick back and drink heavily, it can get out of hand. Sometimes one pack on that day. I want to be done with it.

 

[Psylocide]

I've been smoke free for 4 years on the 18th of this month.

Smoked a cigarette the morning after St. Patrick's day and it was the most terrible thing I had ever had.

However, I smoked for about 7 years and every time I get a whiff of one it just smells like heaven. Don't think that will ever go away.

 

[FiddlersGreen87]

Good for you man. I used to dip very regularly, and now I'm so glad I quit. I found something that helped at this stage was to avoid anything that led to a habitual dip afterwards. Sometimes it was as easy as changing my physical location to avoid it, other times I had to actively tell someone not to share with me.

Anyways, keep going strong, eventually it'll fade. I actually went back a few months after and had a dip, and found my tolerance was so weak that I almost threw up, which I'd never done from dipping even once.

Either way, do the math on what you've saved money wise since then and buy yourself a reward.

 

[Alpotun]

The 20th of March will make 5 months for me. It's still a bit of a struggle sometimes, but worth it I believe. It's nice not to be a slave to constantly thinking about my next one, and I was just that.
You can do it.

 

[okiepc]

Smoked 30+ years, they were 25 cents a pack when I started, 22 years ago I laid them down & never touched another. Still don't miss them, the toughest thing I ever did was quitting. :rockin:

 

[BrianMac]

Quit butts and started vaping this last Dec. vaping helped me quit.

 

[passedpawn]

Quit butts and started vaping this last Dec. vaping helped me quit.

Keep it up Brian. My brother quit the sticks about a year ago and started doing the vape thing. It's weird for sure, but I love that he's doing that than the tobacco.

Keep it up. We are all here pulling for you. Please post again in a month.

Any odd dreams?

 

[JonM]

I may have mentioned this in an earlier post, but it's been something like 14 years since I quit and it has finally gotten to the point where I can smoke the occasional cigar.

Here's what I mean: After smoking cigarettes for years, and after having quit for a year or two, I went to a poker game at a buddy's place in late '01 or '02. There were cigars. The muscle memory from smoking cigarettes made it so that I couldn't NOT inhale the cigar smoke. I got sick as a dog.

Fast forward a decade or so. That muscle memory is long gone and I can enjoy a cigar.

 

[Mikethepoolguy]

Ten years smoke free for me. The best present I ever gave myself.

 

[eatmorefrogs]

It's a comfort smell for me. I was never exposed to much cigarette smoke until college. College was awesome. I didn't smoke, but a lot of people smoked...especially at parties. Haven't really been around smokers since.

So when I catch a whiff of someone smoking, it takes me back to the glory days of keg stands and beer pong.

 

[DrunkleJon]

It's a comfort smell for me. I was never exposed to much cigarette smoke until college. College was awesome. I didn't smoke, but a lot of people smoked...especially at parties. Haven't really been around smokers since.

So when I catch a whiff of someone smoking, it takes me back to the glory days of keg stands and beer pong.

I know the feeling. I get the comfort from the quick whiff of a fresh cigarette on a windy day. More than that and I start disliking it. To me it is much like the smell of burning leaves in the fall.

 

[Homercidal]

Grandpa's Swisher Sweets. Reminds me of fishing and playing in or near his garage when he putzed around in there.

 

[marvinsjunk]

Last smoke was exactly 72 hours ago. Been smoking for 20 years. I've quit a few times before using NRT, once with chantix, but this time I'm going cold turkey. I just want to rip off the band aid this time and get it over with.

First 2 days weren't bad but holy s^*t balls today has been tough. Getting intense cravings every 2 hours or so. My poor wife has been a saint. Between this and a very stressful work week, I'm in super-a$$hole mode.

Hoping tomorrow is a little better...

 

[Rockn_M]

Last smoke was exactly 72 hours ago. Been smoking for 20 years. I've quit a few times before using NRT, once with chantix, but this time I'm going cold turkey. I just want to rip off the band aid this time and get it over with.

First 2 days weren't bad but holy s^*t balls today has been tough. Getting intense cravings every 2 hours or so. My poor wife has been a saint. Between this and a very stressful work week, I'm in super-a$$hole mode.

Hoping tomorrow is a little better...

Good luck. After the first 3 days it gets easier. I quit about 10 years ago and haven't looked back. I remember taking a shower around day 4 and was like what is that smell, it smells really nice. Then I realized it was my shampoo.

 

[passedpawn]

Good luck. After the first 3 days it gets easier. I quit about 10 years ago and haven't looked back. I remember taking a shower around day 4 and was like what is that smell, it smells really nice. Then I realized it was my shampoo.

You hadn't washed your hair for 10 years?

 

[Mikethepoolguy]

Last smoke was exactly 72 hours ago. Been smoking for 20 years. I've quit a few times before using NRT, once with chantix, but this time I'm going cold turkey. I just want to rip off the band aid this time and get it over with.

First 2 days weren't bad but holy s^*t balls today has been tough. Getting intense cravings every 2 hours or so. My poor wife has been a saint. Between this and a very stressful work week, I'm in super-a$$hole mode.

Hoping tomorrow is a little better...

Hang in there. The rewards are great. Remember Yoda: "Try? Do, or fail. There is no try."

 

[Kharnynb]

I quit about 5 years ago, tried to use gum and those fake smoke-sticks, but they are worse than going cold turkey for me.
The wife tried to quit, sadly she only managed half a year before starting again..

I can't stand cigaret smoke any more, tried smoking once or twice, but it just tastes bad now. strange as hell, i guess we all are different that way.
I do try NOT to be the holier than thou ex-smoker, I just consider myself lucky that i didn't have more trouble.

 

[passedpawn]

I still have the smoking dreams, very regularly. A night or two ago I had a strong one about smoking.

 

[TheCADJockey]

Saw an anti-smoking commercial last night that really got to me. The first one I've seen that hit home.

I'm down to one a day, just can't seem to make the final jump no matter how much I want to.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Can't remember the last time I posted.

Have had maybe 3 cigarettes and 2 pipe bowls in the last 6 or more months.

 

[Rockn_M]

You hadn't washed your hair for 10 years?

It was time.

 

[bowserm]

It will be 3 years for me in July. With the aid of the vaporizer (they used to call them e-cigarettes) It made my quitting a lot easier. I suggest anyone quitting to turn to the vaporizer first, then get the non-nicotine juice after a bit. You will feel a lot better, but in the 3 years that I have quit, I have put on 30 pounds so you need to watch your snacking

 

[marvinsjunk]

Good luck. After the first 3 days it gets easier. I quit about 10 years ago and haven't looked back. I remember taking a shower around day 4 and was like what is that smell, it smells really nice. Then I realized it was my shampoo.

Hang in there. The rewards are great. Remember Yoda: "Try? Do, or fail. There is no try."

Thank you both for the well wishes. The eternal wisdom of Master Yoda never ceases to be applicable, even in this galaxy. Today was indeed much better than yesterday. It helped that I was out of town for a project site visit and not sitting in front of a computer for 10 hours straight. I actually enjoyed the smoke free car trip to and from. Every gas station I passed was a serious temptation. I did successfully fill up without going inside to buy a pack. It's the little victories I suppose. Almost done with day 4....

 

[hunter_le five]

I still relapse every now and then. I had a few cigarettes last weekend. First time since last November. I've felt pretty good since, with zero cravings since I threw away the rest of the pack. I usually only get the urge if I'm drinking heavily, or worse, drinking heavily around a bunch of smokers (what got me this time).

 

[Psylocide]

Cig cravings are weird... haven't smoked for ~4 years, jumped on the interstate the other day to head out of town and reached for my smokes.

I've made that drive a hundred times, and actually thought they'd be there when I grabbed for them.

 

[marvinsjunk]

Surprisingly, I've done okay when drinking or around other smokers. Every time I've relapsed, it's been because of stress. Some s**t hit the fan at work or home and I didn't have any healthy coping mechanisms in my playbook, so I made a beeline to the nearest drug store or gas station. I want to really work on that part of it this time.

 

[passedpawn]

Surprisingly, I've done okay when drinking or around other smokers. Every time I've relapsed, it's been because of stress. Some s**t hit the fan at work or home and I didn't have any healthy coping mechanisms in my playbook, so I made a beeline to the nearest drug store or gas station. I want to really work on that part of it this time.

Like I've said in other places in this thread, lace up the running shoes and hit the road. Worked for me. I got so thin after I quit smoking my wife asked me to stop running (!).

If you're not a runner, lace up anyway and walk hard; work in some short intervals of jogging. If you get the pulse rate up, you'll forget about your problems, clear your head, and you won't be smoking.