Anyone quitting smoking?

It's been 4 days without a cig and I feel good. I'm taking Chantix, although I've heard mixed things about it! I'm worried about weight gain, I've lost 11 lbs, and I'd hate to digress. Anyone else struggling, love to hear anything from someone who knows what I'm going through.

Oh yeah. And a great big whopping congratulations to you!Hang in there. You are very courageous and brave.I am getting coaching with the Maine Tobacco Help Line. My coach and I decided that tapering fits me best since I've been smoking for 30 years, and I'm not likely to get over it in 30 minutes. You know? I am celebrating not smoking in my car for the last two weeks, (yey me), and I have some other goals set that will eventually make me a free woman. Get some more exercise if you can and try some relaxation exercises if you know any. Stress causes you to make hormones that cause weight retention, I've read or heard somewhere. You may gain a couple of pounds, but with the increased energy you are going to get from the quit, you'll burn it right off again.Good Good Good for you. Remember, it's your life, your body, you can choose to live it to the fullest and not be a slave to nicotine.Let me know if I can support you in any way in your quit.Congrats again. Kayo 

Hey thanks kayo! Congrats to you on changing your routine. I did that a little before I quit and it does make a difference. I just miss them I guess. I can't wait for it to be all over you know? I don't want to think about it anymore! Thanks for the encouragment!!!

i quit in july by using chantix...it's great. altho, i was told i wouldnt  have to worry about weight gain---FALSE! im 56, 5ft. 4 ,and was down to about 132 after watching what i ate for a year. i quit smoking and really didnt worry about gaining. then i went to Hawaii for a week in Sept....oops!  i finally realized i had to do something in Dec. i was up to 152, so i started "being good" in Jan. im now down to 142.5 (where i started a year ago). so, bottom line is ....no problem with the smoking, just with the weight.

make sure you follow the directions for the chantix, cuz you can get very nauseas. i did exactly what i was suppoed to, and still was sick to my stomach for about a month. was well worth it tho. good luck with both problems.

Hey there successful women!

I hope ellenneckman had a great day away from the poisons and congrats moosie1985 for getting shed of the habit as well. And hey, you are "Good" already. Just try thinking that you are doing wonderful things for yourself, versus that you are bad or good. The guilt thing really gets me going off the track, I guess. I hope you both have a great day on Weds and feel motivated and proud of yourselves for all the hard work you are doing. 

I had a goal to refrain from smoking yesterday morning for the first 30 minutes after waking, because that is a big trigger for me, and waddayaknow? I did it. I did yoga instead. And then got up and did it again this morning. I'm celebrating my two days and will do it again tomorrow. My quit coach says after about 30 days things become habits, so ellenneckman in 30 days you are going to maybe feel a lot more normal about not smoking. Keep at it.

Kayo 

good job!!

i quit smoking too to gain weight but until now.. it's just the same.. haayy... 

I would love to quit! Last time I did the patch and went through a deep depression. Is the Chantix stuff by perscription or OTC? I know I can't do it on my own.

Congratulations Ellen and everybody else! I've been quit for 88 days. I'm using the nicotine lozenges and I'm on Quitnet (it's free in Colorado, whoohoo!). My first month, I allowed myself to go food crazy because the quit was more important to me, and I didn't want to stress myself even more. The second month, the gained weight stressed me out, and now with more exercise I'm losing again. Finally. The lozenges are great but I feel somewhat like I'm using chew (though in very low dosage). Next month I will start the weaning process.

Chantix is from prescription. It's kinda expensive, however most insurances will help pay for it. In the long run, if you quit, it's less expensive than smoking! I've tried to stop smoking before but I was so depressed! I only quit for a month or so, but so far so good! Eventhough it's only been 9 days I feel totally better than the last time I quit! I'm on quitnet too! Anything to help! So nice to here from you all! It's nice to know I'm not alone!

Keep going

Last week was my 7 month aniversry of not smoking. It is one of the most difficult things to do.

If you can make it to the 21 day mark it is so easy from that point on.

 

Congrats

 

KF

Go for it Elleneckman:  Last July my husband had a minor stroke and we are both heavy smokers.  The ER physician gave us both prescriptions for Chantix and my hubby quit within a week and is still smoke free and will never go back to it.  He had smoked for probably 35 years.  I, on the other hand, tried it, liked it, but didn't stick to it for various over stressing reasons.  He is on my case all the time and I'm thinking about trying again but... I also worry about weight gain.  My time on CC has been the most successful time of trying to lose weight (30 pounds since Oct) and I really don't want to mess that up.   On the other hand I'm exercising, counting calories and it just might be the right time healthwise.  Keep this thread going if you would so we can see how you are doing and maybe you can convince me to try again.  The one thing I believe truly is that you have to do it for yourself and not for anyone else, just like losing weight.  I had no side effects from Chantix but my husband got a little nauseas but not for long.    And of course, he didn't really gain weight either, the jerk.  He's tall, skinny, etc. but the stoke was caused by a blood clot, which is also associated with smoking. 

I quit with Chantix 11 months and 1 week ago.  Best decision I ever made.  I will never smoke again and have absolutely no want to do it.

Good luck and keep up the good work.  Stick with it!

I quit 8 years ago, and I know how hard it is.  I smoked for 45 years.   I didn't quit in time to avoid lung disease, but I am glad I quit.

When you crave, crave, crave... grab your exercise bands (resistance bands) and work the heck out of it, until the craving passes.  If you do 20 repetitions of one exercise each time you crave, you will have the tightest abs in the world, you won't gain any weight and you will have energy to burn... wait a minute... the resistance bands are burning energy.  ha ha...

Great decision.... one last comment... whatever you think about will dominate.  When you think about a cigarette, change your thoughts FAST. and keep doing it.  In a week or two, you will quit thinking of it so often. 

I quit just over 10 weeks ago and I am so happy. I mostly went cold turkey although I did buy nicotine gum (I rarely used it). I fell off the wagon twice, but the second time was my saviour. I bought a pack, smoked half of one and realise I didn't want to anymore. So far I think it's the best decision I've ever made! Once I had that epiphany it got a lot easier, I didn't have cravings. Strangely I had a minor craving last night but it didn't last long at all.

Fransen is right, it's all about the distraction!

i purchased 'smokers option' online. its a fake cig in which you dont light but inhale the menthol. ill try it out... i hope it works. this cig smell is aweful =[

Something helpful too - those teatree oil toothpicks. They rock! I just stopped my lozenges last week and I've moved on to these and sugar-free gum. I think I will try the exercise bands bands!

Just read/came across this post. First, I would like to congratulate you on quitting. How is that going? When I read the post it caught my attention because I used Chantix to quit smoking and after taking it for two weeks I didn't want another cig. and that was six months ago. So it works and I was a smoker for 15years.  I did gain weight because it seemed like food started to replace my cigs. now that I have a plan for my weight I can focus on that. Good Luck and you seem to be on the right track, but quitting is not easy. I think the Chantix will work great. I really didn't have any side effects except for weird dreams. lol and when I tried to smoke on the Chantix it was not pleasureable and it made me sick. Again good luck I tried everything else to quit smoking gum, patch, ect. and this really worked for me.

I quit cold turkey in late August 2005 while in the Superdome during Hurricane Katrina because I refused to buy cigarettes for $2 each. Needless to say I had other things on my mind other than smoking. :) 

THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR YOUR INPUT, AND PLEASE CONTINUE TO DO SO! I LOVE HEARING IT. JUST WANTED TO UPDATE ON THE CHANTIX. IT'S BEEN 6 WEEKS, AND I HAVEN'T HAD A SMOKE YET! NOT THAT I DIDN'T WANT TO THOUGH. I'M NOT SURE HOW I'D BE IN A BAR SITUTATION YET, WITH LOTS OF SMOKE, BUT SO FAR SO GOOD. I STOPPED TAKING CHANTIX 2 TIMES A DAY, BECAUSE FRANKLY, I HAD TO TAKE IT WITH A FULL GLASS OF DRINK, AND I FOUND THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PEE ALL MORNING....AT THE STORE, AT MY KIDS SCHOOL, IT WAS GETTING OLD, BUT 1 PILL A DAY IS GOOD TOO. I TOO HAVE CRAZY VIVID DREAMS ABOUT THE WEIRDEST STUFF! I HAVE ALSO LOST 16 POUNDS, BUT IT WASN'T EASY. THESE ARE THE HARDEST 16 POUNDS EVER! MY HUBBY HAS QUIT SMOKING TOO, HE WAS ON CHANTIX FOR ABOUT 2 WEEKS, AND HE'S BEEN OFF SINCE THEN. NOT REALLY SURE WHY, HE JUST DIDN'T WANT TO TAKE MEDICINE. THANKS FOR THE SUPPORT! HOPE TO HEAR FROM Y'ALL SOON!!!

Awesome job!!! IM so happy for you. I know what its like, and its even harder that my husband smokes everyday around me. But Its great to see other people doing so well too..congrats everyone! keep working hard. Be strong!

hi everyone! i've been trying to quit ever since i can remember but i just can't seem to do it... maybe this group can help me finally kick the butt! be my puff cop and all :)