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!

jennelaw,

It's EITHER nicotine gum/patches OR cold turkey... you can't do BOTH! 

One of the reasons for failure is not having ALL the info you need in order to quit!

The idea of cold turkey is that the body in 3-4 days is "completely" depleted of any nicotine and its bi-products and thus forcing the body to get used to functioning without nicotine... that's what causes physical withdrawal symptoms. The idea of nicotine gum is providing help for many who cannot handle the nicotine physical withdrawal symptoms...

So when you go cold turkey for one day, you have already forced your body to get rid of part of the nicotine in it and partially getting used to living without it and then when you use the gum you spoil much of your progress... the gum helps rid your body's need of nicotine slowly... to me it's like a slow mild torture.

My advice is take a one week break, go cold turkey, stay away from all smokers, add aerobic exercise to your routine (brisk walking for example) and you'll be in a far much better shape to stay the course. Little by little you'll notice that walking will replace cigarettes. Make sure it's a pleasant walk with a walkman in a nice neighborhood, believe me you'll get addicted to it.  

I had intended to use the gum, but I agree with you that at this point it serves no purpose to go back and add in the nicotine that I've already gotten rid of - cold turkey it is!

Any suggestions instead of walking?  I currently have an ankle with torn ligaments on both sides and also an injured knee on same leg so my activities are currently VERY limited.  I need something else to do that will help.

That's a GREAT idea.  I know our Y downtown has an indoor pool and some classes - I'll have to find out when they are offered...I can always take an odd lunch hour during the day to give that a try.

I decided to try a day without the ankle brace - of course, I picked a day when I was in court for four hours - and it is killing me right now!  Even worse, I left my non-narcotic but stronger than motrin pain pills on the counter this morning.  I usually only take one a day or every couple of days b/c it's bearable with the brace.  Of course, when the Dr. told me to wear it for three months he didn't add that I could take it off if I was feeling stupid.......

I'll be starting over this week.  The weekend was a total bust. 

Good luck Jennelaw I originally set my quit date for Oct 13th but I am getting antsy to quit so I am going to quit as soon as my pack is gone. I have about 4 or 5 cigarettes left so after that I'm done. Things are a little tight for me financially right now so I actually can't really afford to smoke anyway. I don't know about where you all live but where I live, cigarettes are heavily taxed and are costing me about $6 a pack.  That is like $90 a month for me. Now I'm having fun thinking about all the things I can do with an extra $90 a month.

I meant good luck Jennelaw AND Jenniferelyse :) Thank you guys for starting this post and inspiring me to quit. I have been wanting to for so long and I just needed a little push.

you guys are quite motivating and we are all rooting for you!  come on do it and see how many of us follow in your wake, you will start the CC anti smoking revolution......

(drea looks at her empty pack and contemplates joining the jens on their move to a nicotineless world and healthy lungs.... the saga continues....)

Drea you should give quitting a shot with us! We can all be miserable together.

Amazing thing - I made it over the 24 hour mark last night and while I was sitting on the porch I grabbed a cigarette out of DH's pack and lit it up - sheer habit.  It was SOOO nasty tasting and I could feel myself feeling lightheaded and nauseous.  Threw it out, took a shower, brushed my teeth and went to bed.  DH came to bed much later in the evening and within 30 minutes my sinuses were clogged and my throat was itching/ coughing from the smoke on DH's skin.

I was really dreading day 2, but it hasn't been anywhere near as bad.  I keep balancing the feeling from last night with the thought of having the cigarette and somehow it has lost some of its appeal (cravings still hit regularly however!).  Made DH promise to keep his cigarettes in another location so I won't be tempted and won't act out of habit (I was really out of it last night, my journal talks about current status of meds...plus I had to take a painkiller for the injuries last night due to my own stupidity!)

Hang in there, all of us!  Those of us who are actively quitting and those of us who are making the mental steps toward quitting are going to succeed!  And thanks to all of you who are being so supportive!!!!!

P.S.  Email from one of my friends since kindergarten late yesterday.  His father has been a lifelong smoker.  He was diagnosed with lung cancer last week and started chemo.  As of yesterday they have discontinued treatment since it is not helping.  The spot on his lung is inoperable.  They have given him 2 to 6 MONTHS to live.

Our prayers for him and his family and a long, hard look about why we are doing this for ourselves!

So yesterday I was going to finish my pack and be done with them forever. I had 2 cigaretts left and I decided there will be no way I will ever buy another pack again.  Well I didn't realize that my husband smoked my last 2 cigarettes without telling me. I spent the rest the night feeling my last one had been robbed from me, I was furiously cleaning for hours and actually considered eating until I was sick, but I thought what would that help? Finally I decided to go find a half smoked cigaretee in our ash tray and finish it off. It was so gross. So today is actually my first smoke free day. So far so good. It is very hard and if I let myself really think about it too much I mourn cigarettes like a loved one who has died.

United2gether THANK YOU for the tips and great info. I am going to try everything on the list.

I have quit about 5 times in the past and really hinders me is the cheating every now and them. I would start out by taking drags off friends cigarettes, then I was bumming one here and there. The next thing I knew I was smoking half a pack a day. My rule is absolutely NO cheating.

Woo Hoo!!!!!!  Go, sarah-sue!!!!!!!

It really is hard the first couple of days, isn't it?  I have followed the same pattern as you the five thousand times I have quit before.  Last year I actually quit for almost two months!

My hardest battle will be that hubby is still smoking.  He is very supportive of my quitting, but not ready to commit himself.

Jennelaw, that would make it hard. My husband actually wants to quit too but I am afraid that he might give in and buy a pack, then they will be in my house and will be so tempting.

Yes the first couple days are tough. Your lucky that your over the  24 mark. I think its gets a little easier at that point. Hang in there!!

A realization....

another reason quitting has been so hard is that hubby and I use that time in the evening to sit on the porch and talk.  I told him that we have to make a distinct time every night to sit on the couch or anywhere else in the house and catch up on the day.  We use those four minute cigarette breaks as "excuses" to spend time together.  In fact, we developed a shorthand - one of us would say to the other, "I'm going outside" and that meant we wanted to have a cigarette and talk....

That is the same exact situation with my husband and I. We even say "I'm going outside" just like you guys.  It is also a social/bonding thing with my sisters and friends.

I took the advice that said to rearrange your furniture. It's supposed to help with quitting. I didn't want to rearrange my house so I rearranged my smoking area on the back porch. I moved the table and chairs out into the yard and removed all trace of smoking. Last night I was missing the ritual of "going outside" so my sister and I just went out there and drank ice water and played cards.  I have also pulled the blinds to my sliding glass door completely shut so I won't look out there and have memories of smoking.  I think there will be a point where you feel like you'll be OK going outside with your husband while he smokes so you are still spending time together(I'd recommend bringing out a drink or snack so you don't feel left out while he's smoking). My sister who smokes is coming over tomorrow and I am really nervous about being around her but I am determined not to give in.

One thing I noticed that helps me is if I drink A LOT of water through a straw. I can fiddle with the straw and chew on it so my hands and mouth don't get bored. I am at 43.5 hours smoke free!!!