Quitting Smoking

[stevea1210]

6/24/07 was my quit date. So almost at 15 months for me. Couldn't be happier. Chantix is a miracle drug IMHO

 

[Homercidal]

Hang in there you guys. My dad never quit even after his brother literally died do to heart attack and his dad died from complications. It's tough, I know.

My in-laws quit cold turkey together and although they were pretty hard to be around for a while, they are still off the cigs and I don't think they even think about it now. They both say they enjoy more food, and can now smell how bad smokers smell.

Find something, anything to occupy your mind when you have cravings. Grab a bite of food, get some exercise, sex, whatever, just don't light up again!

I tried smoking in high school, but fortunately for me I never got hooked. I got my smoke from my dad's cigs and the woodstove anyway.

 

[Milhouse]

I'm 227 days without a smoke after smoking a pack a day for 22 years. I do owe alot to Chantix helping me to kick this nasty habit.

 

[shecky]

Good job all. Any tips for quitting a nasty dip habit?

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

I have tried it all except the hypnojoke (sorry it just doesn't work on me) and I might as well just bought cigarettes and threw them inthe garbage as I walked out. Cause all I did was spend money needlessly.

Gums, pills, patches, lozenges, sprays, etc.... Even tried a Marlboro suppository once and the hospital congratulated me saying I was pregnant [/sarcasm]

I really do have the want to quit. It's having the desire to quit that I lack. But that desire is creeping up on me more an more as I see my boy taking notice. He's 2 years old now. I figure that if I am still smoking by time he is 5 both he and I will be screwed. By then his memory will be strong enough that he will remember that I smoked and his chances of taking it up in his teens will be greater, that is my experience at least even if it is just a theory.

 

[Rezilynt]

Good job all. Any tips for quitting a nasty dip habit?

That is a little more difficult. I quit smoking cold turkey. I was probably able to do that because I also chewed. I finally quit chewing this January after 32 years. I think the big thing that helped me was the fact that I was in a state of a semi-"coma" in the hospital for 5 days. Those 5 days helped but it was still hard. Here are some tips that helped:
Sanitize a penny and put it in your lip. I also used many Jolly Ranchers.
I found that I would grab for my can whenever I sat in my recliner - put a pocket book on your end table and do a quick read of a page or two.
If you carried your can in your shirt front pocket, keep something else in there.

I still grab for my can but not as much as I used to. Good luck! If you need to talk, you know where to find me...

 

[shecky]

That is a little more difficult. I quit smoking cold turkey. I was probably able to do that because I also chewed. I finally quit chewing this January after 32 years. I think the big thing that helped me was the fact that I was in a state of a semi-"coma" in the hospital for 5 days. Those 5 days helped but it was still hard. Here are some tips that helped:
Sanitize a penny and put it in your lip. I also used many Jolly Ranchers.
I found that I would grab for my can whenever I sat in my recliner - put a pocket book on your end table and do a quick read of a page or two.
If you carried your can in your shirt front pocket, keep something else in there.

I still grab for my can but not as much as I used to. Good luck! If you need to talk, you know where to find me...

Good advice. My problem is when I sit down to write (for work) I instantly grab a dip. When I'm with my family or doing other things, I don't even think about it. I tried grabbing a run every time I wanted a dip but quickly found that doing that meant I would be running 30 miles a day.

I'm working on it, but it's a b****.

 

[cubbies]

I have decided that I am going to "cut down", whatever that really means. I have never been a heavy smoker. For a while I was smoking a little over a pack a week. Since then I have cut out my morning cigarette and I was basically right at a pack a week. Recently I started thinking that I can cut down more, so I decided to cut out all smoking except when I drink. So far I have not had a smoke since Saturday night and it has been a piece of cake. I don't even think about it. It is just when I drink that I even think about it. Ultimately the goal is to quit outright, but I will be at about a half pack a week, which isnt that bad.

 

[Revvy]

I'm at 3 months and 3 weeks. I did the Chantix route...having quit for various lengths of time, using various methods (cold turkey, patches, gum, weening off) I have to say this has for the most part been the easiest quit I have done...even now that I'm done taking pills...still no interest or desire...

Plus there was none of the headaches, crabbyness, dizzyness that usually happens initially when you try to quit...

If anyone's considering it..seriously Chantix was the bomb for me...

I did have a little dizzyness/nausea on occasion...just a little bit (I didn't hurl, just felt a little woozy on occasion)... and that was it.


(and this is coming from a pack to pack and a half a day.)

 

[Rezilynt]

Good advice. My problem is when I sit down to write (for work) I instantly grab a dip. When I'm with my family or doing other things, I don't even think about it. I tried grabbing a run every time I wanted a dip but quickly found that doing that meant I would be running 30 miles a day.

I'm working on it, but it's a b****.

I hear ya! That's when I would put the penny in. I had a chew in from 6:00 am til whenever I went to sleep. I sometimes would skip eating because I just put in a fresh one. I'm not gonna lie to you, it's freakin' hard but it is doable! The time for grabbing a run is when you want to take it out on your family I'm not one of those "ex-smokers/chewers" that start preaching to everyone I see (I hate those people). I'll only speak up if someone asks. I'm also not much for the support group thing, but it does help some people...
The biggest thing IMO is that you have to decide that you really want to quit. I never really wanted to quit because I enjoyed everything about chewing. I don't know what it was, but, I just decided one day to want to quit.

 

[Rezilynt]

I have decided that I am going to "cut down", whatever that really means. I have never been a heavy smoker. For a while I was smoking a little over a pack a week. Since then I have cut out my morning cigarette and I was basically right at a pack a week. Recently I started thinking that I can cut down more, so I decided to cut out all smoking except when I drink. So far I have not had a smoke since Saturday night and it has been a piece of cake. I don't even think about it. It is just when I drink that I even think about it. Ultimately the goal is to quit outright, but I will be at about a half pack a week, which isnt that bad.

First, (Ive been wanting to say this for a while) shame on you! Did you get dropped on your head or something? Cub fan in St. Louis????? That's alright though - I was a Cards fan in Peoria
Second, keep it up and congrats!!!!

 

[Chriso]

I'm still failing to perform adequately.

I started smoking at 14, by 17 was up to 1 Pack/day. By 19, closer to 2 Pack/day, always Pall Mall Filter, or Marlboro Menthol Full-Flavor. Skip forward a couple years, right after I bought my house (Age 21) I started cutting down, partially for $ reasons, and partially because I wasn't smoking indoors anymore.

I quit last August... made it a week. Then I quit for New Years... made it a week and a half. Then, I quit in April... but wedding was stressing me out, and started within a week. Then, I agreed to quit for our wedding, and tried going cold-turkey after that (June 08)... made it as far as July 4th, and cheated once. Made it another 3 weeks, then snuck another one. Then, more frequently. I've been able to keep to less than 5 cigarettes / week, but SWMBO isn't happy about that.

SWMBO is Very Pissed I'm So Weak, and wants me to Quit For Good, Dammit. I'm less happy about that, because honestly, I never envisioned quitting, and enjoy smoking occasionally/socially. It's especially hard when I'm a bit druck, on football weekends for example.

Latest revision is that I've got to quit by New Years - I've got between now and then to Shape Up. I'm a bit sad though. I miss it, each and every day. I had long since gotten over smoking at work - that was no biggie at all, I quit that over 18 months ago. But it's evenings and weekends that kill me.

*sigh*

Damned addictions. And damned lack of discipline. And damned lack of desire.

Chantix might be my next attempt. >_>

 

[shecky]

I hear ya! That's when I would put the penny in. I had a chew in from 6:00 am til whenever I went to sleep. I sometimes would skip eating because I just put in a fresh one. I'm not gonna lie to you, it's freakin' hard but it is doable! The time for grabbing a run is when you want to take it out on your family I'm not one of those "ex-smokers/chewers" that start preaching to everyone I see (I hate those people). I'll only speak up if someone asks. I'm also not much for the support group thing, but it does help some people...
The biggest thing IMO is that you have to decide that you really want to quit. I never really wanted to quit because I enjoyed everything about chewing. I don't know what it was, but, I just decided one day to want to quit.

The frustrating part is that in all other facets of my life I have discipline. I'm a workout freak, so I run a lot, play basketball, golf, light weights. Anything athletic, I'm there. But I can't seem to quit, nor have I ever found the time when I say, I want to quit.

It's sort of disgusting, spitting into a cup/can/bottle everywhere. When I'm working, pecking away at my laptop on deadline, I'm an odd sight with tie, sport coat and dip cup.

Fortunately, I don't do it near my kids or my wife.

 

[Rezilynt]

Fortunately, I don't do it near my kids or my wife.

You are more than half-way there, then! Just a thought - try chewing while working out or playing ball one day. Not fun, but may just push you over the edge.

 

[shecky]

You are more than half-way there, then! Just a thought - try chewing while working out or playing ball one day. Not fun, but may just push you over the edge.

Not a bad idea. Of course, I started dipping when I played baseball, which I did until a couple years ago. That was back when you weren't a true baseball player unless you had a pinch of Skoal or a wad of Red Man in your cheek

 

[pjj2ba]

My wife quit about 3 yrs ago. She used (still uses actually) an online forum support group dedicated to helping people quit smoking. I believe it is subsidized by the tobacco settlement. It also has a whole bunch of non-smoking realted sub-topics like cooking and gardening so it is not all talk about quiting smoking. This helps my wife because she would feel very guilty to have to tell her online community that she fell off the wagon.

Quit Smoking All Together with QuitNet.com - Stop Smoking Help and Cessation Support

 

[Rezilynt]

Not a bad idea. Of course, I started dipping when I played baseball, which I did until a couple years ago. That was back when you weren't a true baseball player unless you had a pinch of Skoal or a wad of Red Man in your cheek

Ahhh the good old days....I wonder how many of us started for that reason?

 

[Chriso]

I have to wonder how many teens start smoking because they work fast-food for their first job. That's what did it for me. The shift manager took 5 cigarette breaks a night, so to be cool, so did I.

 

[Chris_Dog]

I never envisioned quitting, and enjoy smoking occasionally/socially. It's especially hard when I'm a bit druck, on football weekends for example.

Maybe you are wired differently than I am. I would never have made it this long without an absolute resolve to quit. I am sure 1 or 2 and it would be like I had never quit. (At least that is how it was before).

 

[gwood]

Just fell off the wagon this weekend at a wedding in Vegas and now I'm struggling to avoid picking up a pack.

I've smoked for 18 years, quit four times - just recently for several months, and still to this day I think about it all the time. Man I really hate them.

 

[Milhouse]

Chantix helped me with the physical withdral of nicotine, but this website http://whyquit.com/helped educate me on mentally quitting.

 

[Chris_Dog]

In the best Hulk Hogan voice I can muster.(I don't know why)


Be strong Brother!

 

[Chriso]

Maybe you are wired differently than I am. I would never have made it this long without an absolute resolve to quit. I am sure 1 or 2 and it would be like I had never quit. (At least that is how it was before).

That's exactly my problem. I have no real resolve to quit. I'm perfectly happy if I can do two things: 1) Avoid smoking on most work evenings and 2) Not smoke at work. #2 was easy to execute. #1 is a little harder, but isn't that bad unless I get significantly druck. (Easy to do when drinking daily.) It's SWMBO'S resolve that means I have to quit. ._.

And it is just like you said. If I have 1, I'm going to want 3 more that evening. SWMBO likes going out to the bars now, we never used to when I smoked, we just stayed at home all the time. So now I have to go be social (don't like doing that), have fun while still staying sober enough to drive us home even if everyone else is getting trashed (hate doing that) AND not smoke, to boot. (While all her work friends chain smoke, and ultimately leave me and her and our roommate sitting inside the bar, waiting for them to return.

About the only reason I want to quit smoking is so that I can become a BJCP judge (an accurate one). But even then... I'm overwhelmed keeping up with my brewing schedule, why do I want to keep piling things on? anywho. I'm not about "planning for the future" or anything. I hope to die fairly young, before retirement. In the meantime, I just want to enjoy the party. And friggin' smoke a cigarette, and get tanked. >_>

 

[staggerleon]

just think of the size of conical fermenter you could buy saving that kind of $ thats what I would do, start a saving jar and put the $4 a day into it and have a nice fermenter in a couple of months

 

[rfiller]

i'm quit 2 years. It was brutal at first. Really had to re-learn drinking. Try reading Quit Smoking Online dot com. I did the chantix which helped but I just read the 7 pages/ lessons on the Quit Smoking Online course. It's a totally different way at looking at the habit. I would have folded the 3rd week without reading this. It can't hurt.

Disclaimer: I'm not affiliated and it's free anyway.

Best of Luck,
Rich

 

[scrambledegg81]

x239847593 for Chantix. About a month & a half into it so far, and I completely lost the urge to smoke.