Stop smoking support group

Okay, guys - jenniferelyse74 and I have embarked on part of our next journey in our healthy lifestyle.  We're going to quit smoking!

Anyone want to join in?  We need suggestions on a game plan for how to quit - we have a deadline of September 30th.  Anyone done this successfully and want to offer words of wisdom?  Anyone willing to be there for the rants and frustration when the cravings hit?

Thanks for your support!

yay!  glad to hear you are doing well :) that's gr8!

I made it for just over 24 hrs.   Doing the happy dance with anyone willing to join.  Hugs for everyone. 

Jennelaw.... where'd you go.  Are you still hanging in there with me??

ohhhhh ohhh ohhhhhh!!!! Me Me Me!! Im quiting. Im on my 9th day!! Good job to everyone so far!! Keep it up!!!

*bump*

I wanna know how you guys are doing!  I *almost* quit yesteday, contemplated it all day after not smoking all day (had one cig in the morning) and then.... around 8 went out and got cigs.

Hmm.  Willpower is not my strongest suit.  I am so excited for both you and thinking about you both.  Keep us updated.

It has been over 48 hrs and I have been cig free...  It hasn't been easy but it's been tolerable.  We'll just have to see how the rest of the weekend goes.

hey Jenn... 2 days!  Woo hoo!  Hang in...

I just wanna encourage you guys! Quitting is hard. I kicked the habit after 10 years last fall. I used a nicotine patch and it truly helped me get over my urges. I've quit cold turkey before and it was very hard for me. The patch sort of made me feel like I was stronger... more able to resist the urges. Unfortunately, I had a rare side effect of pains shooting down my arms when I was on it, so I cut my use short to only 10 days instead of several weeks of tapering off of it. It worked just fine. I had my physical withdrawls after I stopped feeling the strong urge to run outside and light up whenver I was upset. I guess it took me 10 days to break the habit, and after that, it was much easier to deal with the crankyness and headaches.

It is hard, and truly a life-long issue, but it gets easier every day. A lot of my family smokes, but thankfully, not my husband. I occasionally get an urge to smoke when around smokers, but it's easy to over-come because I think about how far I've come, and how much better I feel now. I truly feel 100% better than I did as a smoker, and I realise now how bad smokers smell to the rest of the population. It's a little embarassing that I smelled like that for 10 years! I get sick far less frequently, and I can get exercise without feeling like my lungs are going to collapse. PLUS! I'm not under the bondage of relying on smoking to cope emotionally anymore (and now, not food either).

I think you guys are going to do great! I wish I had gotten a hold on my eating BEFORE I quit smoking. I wouldn't have turned to food for comfort and gained all this weight. You guys will obviously have that advantage. 

My tips:
If you have a weak moment and end up smoking one or two, then come to your senses and throw the rest of them away, spray them with windex, flush em, something. Don't beat yourself up or think of yourself as a smoker again! Think of it as part of the quitting process and move on.

When I had an  incredibly strong urge to smoke, I would bum 1 cig off someone and smoke it, and then move on.  I did that about 3 times in the first several weeks of quitting, and I've been off cigs for almost a year now! YAY! You'll be soooo happy! Keep it up girls! Stay honest with your support people! It's very important, and we won't be disappointed in you if you slip a little.

I need to quit. Can I join in. I planned on quitting right after my birthday (going to the bar, don't want to be a crabby bi$#&* on my birthday, they still allow smoking in the bars here - i know some places don't). Anyway, my birthday is September 7th, going out on the 9th. So, any time after that would be good for me. I can't afford to smoke anymore, I am also training for a 5k and I am seem to be hitting a wall at 1.5 miles of straight running. I can't seem to get any further than that without collapsing into a heaving heap. I'm assuming my smoking is the problem, but I get REALLY crabby when I quit so I haven't had much luck. I have actually had non-smoking co-workers go out and buy me ciggs just to keep me from "being a crab a$$."

Jennelaw, I've set my quit date for this Oct 13th. I thought I'd make it on my 1 year anniversary of becoming Vegan :) In the meantime I am cutting down and trying to mentally prepare myself. The though of quitting is scary.

It is scary. It's hard to imagine living without it. It's like trying to imagine living without one of your arms.. it becomes such a huge part of your behavior and your life that you start to believe that it is actually a part of you. The good news is that it isn't actually part of you, and once you're done missing it, you'll feel a whole lot better. Like getting a huge tumor removed or something. At first it is really hard to figure out what to do with all the extra time you have, but I can honestly tell you that after a few months, your habits change and you forget about smoking 99% of the time. Sometimes I forget that I ever smoked and I smoked for 10 years. I have been clean for about 10 months now and I can't remember ever feeling better.

The fact is that you have the power to do this. Just decide to do it and make a plan, and do it. If you need help, ask for it. I'd be happy to be someone's "sponsor" type thing if anyone needs someone to lean on and to keep them accountable. I've been through it recently so it's still somewhat fresh in my mind. They say that having a support system significantly increases your chances of quitting and staying clean. It was one of the hardest and best things I've ever done for myself and my family.  Good luck to you all, and feel free to contact me if you would like someone to talk to.

-niki

72+ hours.  So far so good.  The urges haven't been too bad.  I did it cold turkey.  I figured if I didn't buy any, I couldn't smoke any.  It's alot easier to resist when a trip to the store is involved.  Good luck everyone.  We can do it!!!

15 years smoking..... 3 days smoke free.

Thank you Niki, I'm going to add you to my friends. I will let you know if I need some inspiration :)

It's been almost 4 full days.  For some reason the cravings kicked in this afternoon.  I'm not sure why but I haven't caved in yet.  Maybe I'll go to bed early, really early.

jennifer you are doing awesome! dont give in! 

I just wanted to wish you all luck!! It's wounderful that your doing this for your body :)

*yay*

Sorry guys -

been out of the loop since late Thursday - kids all came down with stomach virus which I promptly caught as well and husband FINALLY passed the kidney stone late last night (2am).  I made it until Sunday night and caved and had 1 at 3am while I was trying to get everyone to sleep.  It's harder since DH is still smoking and they were laying out on the counter.  I've since asked him to hide them!  I'm back on the wagon.

Congrats Jenn!  You are doing great!  Potterhoney, welcome to the club!

United, thanks for the tips and support!

And welcome to sarah_sue - I've added you as friend!