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[grasshopper]

It'll be two years come November since I gave up - walked out of the hospital, looking forward to my first ciggie in a week, lit up took one drag and thought 'Arrgh!! burnt cornflakes!!'

Not had one since - keep having pangs and that smell when it wafts my way and I think 'just one' - but never have.
The up-sides, food tastes so much better (I don't use quite as much spice in my cooking - and I have less hot curries)  I don't smell/stink like I must have before (kids will sit next to me on the settee now) always seem to have money in my wallet.

Down-sides, I now notice how much other people smell / stink - but I think that's more my sense of smell returning.
WEIGHT - two reasons - when I was bored I used to walk round the garden (never smoked indoors) and end up doing a little exercise, now I stroll to the pantry. and food is so much more interesting now...

I'm still convinced that it's not just the addiction to the 'drugs' in the tobacco, it's also the 'life-style and motion' that goes with it. Most quitters see to the chemical side but forget the idle finger syndrome that leads you back to smoking.

Whatever, best of luck with you stopping - it is the best option, and ignore your friends that say 'go on, one won't kill you' - it might not but it's not worth it.

[White Ensign]

Rich- you non-smoke!!!!r (applause, TUSH!)

Give us a update:
How are you buddy????


Jörg (still a ß%&§*#y smoker....)

[Martin (Admin)]

So how's it going Rich?

[Weeds]

LOWER BLOOD pressure is an immediate result of quitting smoking. Lower blood pressure means no stroke and no heart attack. 

[das boot]

I admit to failing miserably the first day....force of habit, and my on fault for not throwing all my baccie away. Got up, showered, came in the kitchen, put the kettle on and rolled a smoke...and lit it. Failed...miserably.

Today has been hard, I've had a smoker working with me, but I have resisted all temptation and not had a smoke.
To give me more incentive, I've just had a fone call from the wife of a very old friend, I worked with him for years...he was a heavy smoker, and today at 1300hrs he had a heart attack and died in minutes.

He was smoking at the time he died....


Rich

[Didge]

I like a smoke, so I don't want to give up. Then I saw these things on the market, and bought one.
Not touched a real ciggie for 4 weeks, as the 'Electronic Cigarette' gives the same 'hit', without all the tar and chemicals. Plus it can be used in pubs/clubs/offices etc etc.



From here:-
http://www.theelectroniccigarette.co.uk/shop/default.asp

More info here:-
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/

[Weeds]

I admit to failing miserably the first day....force of habit, and my on fault for not throwing all my baccie away. Got up, showered, came in the kitchen, put the kettle on and rolled a smoke...and lit it. Failed...miserably.

Today has been hard, I've had a smoker working with me, but I have resisted all temptation and not had a smoke.
To give me more incentive, I've just had a fone call from the wife of a very old friend, I worked with him for years...he was a heavy smoker, and today at 1300hrs he had a heart attack and died in minutes.

He was smoking at the time he died....


Rich

Have you tried the nicotine patch? I don't think it's possible to quit without one..Have you tried smoking cigarettes with a filter? It feels like sucking air through a straw, but it's worth it..

[White Ensign]

Rich.... and if there are dozens of moments when you fall back.... DON`T GIVE UP THE TRIES!!!!!!!!!

10 times you fall back, at the 11th time you`ll be the winner!!!!

Jörg

[Seaspray]

Hi U33
Sorry to hear you have had to have a cigarette

I see some of the members  have offered stop smoking  aids to help you stop, try them.  I said you have to really want to do it deep down in yourself.

At least you have admitted to the deed which is a good thing.  So lets see you start again.   

Alternatively you could get involved with the help on the NHS stop smoking site. Or get help the way I done it.

Good Luck   


Martin

[sheerline]

U33, you must get everything out of the house that is connected with smoking, baccy, papers lighter ash trays... the lot.. this is a must. This way you don't even cater for smokers who visit you and you declare the house a no-smoking zone. If you can learn to hate smoking you will win, it's almost a form of self hypnosis. In my experience, smoking is 5% nicotine addiction and 95% mental addiction. The nicotine addiction wears off after a week so beyond that it's all down to your mind.
So you have had a fag... forget it, that was yesterday, your'e on a new day now so one day at a time and just keep plodding.

[DickyD]

Stick at it Rich less you want a reasonable chance of ending up like me.

http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=4693.msg49580#msg49580

I am actually worse now than when I did that posting.
I haven't been able to get to my shed for the last few weeks.

[das boot]

That's how Bernie Wood went Dicky, not a pretty thing to see. He got to the point where he couldn't do anything without being on a oxygen bottle, poor old Bernie...but he still smoked his Old Holborn.

I've had a good day today...not one cigarette at all. I haven't really wanted one until dinner time, then I fancied one, but seeing as how I don't have anything to smoke that put paid to that! I cleared out the flat of everything connected to smoking, cleared the car of dog ends and even washed out the ashtrays. Then I did the same to the van at work this morning, the guys thought I'd finally flipped..

48 hours without now...three packets of chewing gum, but no ciggies!

Thanks guys, you are helping me so much without realising it...

Rich

[Martin (Admin)]

  2 days =  :) :)

[catengineman]

Hi just a smalltip

 Go easy on the chewing gum.

it can and will act as a laxative if taken in too large a quantity

first signs is a lot of       "wind"    :-\

R, keep it up man you'll beat the addiction

[rem2007]

Great for you Rich, after reading this thread over the past few days you've inspired me to pack up. I've set a date and have told the missus and will consult my gp. Seeing as how my next birthday is the big 50, I believe that packing up is the best present I can give myself, beside the PT Elco kit I already bought.
Anyway, its nearer the end of November and I'll keep you posted, besides, its hard to inspire a 9 year old to be a good footy player when you have a crafty fag at the half.
Keep it up mate.
Robert

[dreadnought72]

Two days is excellent - you're near the end of the physical addiction: the bit where your neuro-receptors are clammering for nicotine. Two more days, you'll just be facing the psychological pressures of "I can do this, so why not have one?" which'll pass in a fortnight or so. 

Don't give up!

rem2007 has made a great point. It is inspirational hearing how you're doing, and it should be a kick-start to others.

So, along with him, I shall give up (small cigars) too: it's insanely expensive, bad for me, and stinks the place out. I smoked cigarettes in my early twenties for a number of years and gave them up (complete cold turkey - which was odd, since I'm a vegetarian  ) when my mortgage shot up to about £200 a month (!). Naturally I became the traditional sanctimonious reformed smoker, stayed a smoke-free zealot for fifteen years, then met and married ... a smoker.

It's got to stop. The smoking, not the marriage! And - of this morning - I have just finished a box. So that'll be my last one.

Andy, keen to see the £1500 a year I'll be saving.

[omra85]

I found this chart helpful a few years ago when I packed up.
Print it out, fold it up and put it in your pocket.  Take it out frequently and work out where you are on it.
The money side is based on someone spending wasting £5 a day (one packet)
The "pain" line shows that, with most people, the worst days are between 3 and 7, as has beem already said, the nicotine craving wears off after a few days but the "habit" keeps on for longer.  It's like those giant cigs in the TV advert waiting in hiding to catch you unexpectedly!
The main point of the two graphs is to show that the pain WILL eventually fade but the money saved keeps increasing for the rest of your (now longer) life!!
Keep at it lads.

Oooh - I feel a "D-Day" speech coming on ....

Danny
 

[DickyD]

Just for you Danny 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEyCjN9riiY

[omra85]

Just what the ex-smokers need Dicky - that, and 2000 Mayhemmers cheering them on 

Danny

[das boot]

Another day...another smoke free day so far. Well...almost. Somebody at work gave me a cigarette earlier, so when I got home I had my shower and a cold beer (non alcoholic, I hasten to add) and lit the cig. By heck, it tasted bl**dy awful...one puff and out of the window it went. End of story...that's it. The front room now stinks again, whereas it didn't when I came home...in a way I'm  glad I did light it because it brings it home how much the things make your home smell, and I guess I must smell the same.

So, that's it boys...I can't do that again, it was horrible. I am now officially a non smoker...period.

Rich

[omra85]

Rich - in a couple of weeks, you'll be able to smell a smoker a mile off.  Its not just the breath, it's the clothes, the houses, the cars ...
By that time, you can allow yourself a small smirk of self-satisfaction cos you'll be well over the "pain barrier".
There WILL be times when you'd do anything for a cig, but it passes quickly and becomes far less intense with time.
Remember though, that with time your memory will try to filter out the "bad bits" about smoking which can fool you into thinking one is OK - at least now you know what ' just one' tastes like 

We will fight them on the beaches, in the houses and down the pub!  We will never surrender....

Danny

[Seaspray]

This is why I am glad that I stopped smoking but at the time smoking was suppose to be the in thing and good for you . Hopefully it will help others to.

Martin

[White Ensign]

Rich- hope you are still on your way to keep yourself clean.... good guy, strong mind.... and when you wanna try one and it smeels like bulls**t, good for you! Always remind that it tasted like this....
Keep it up buddy, be strong, become yourself without it.... glad that another one had made his way.

Be with you-

Jörg

[Roger in France]

In 1958 (at a very tender age!) I went on a school trip to Paris. We boys smoked "Disque Bleu"....never, ever again. It cured me for life and, at the age of 65, I have never touched a cigarette since.

Hope all goes well for you, Rich. It is great to see all the encouragement you are receiving here on the Forum.

Roger in France.

[grasshopper]

Glad to hear you've made it 'over the hump' That last ciggie thatv tasted like 'burnt cornflakes' was what did it for me too. now's the time you need the distraction from having a cigarette - the nicotine craving subsides and then it's the action of having the ciggie that you'll hve to cope with.

The chewing gum substitution needs watching as well - that can be just as addictive - and gave me mouth ulcers, I kept biting the inside of my mouth whilst chewing!