Quitting smoking

[dcbogey]

I've finally come to the conclusion that my nicotine habit may not be all that good for me. I've picked my quit date, have my support system in place and my motivation. Aside from the financial aspect, my 5 year old son asked me last night why I always went outside to smoke. I didn't really have an answer. Then the kicker came - "Daddy, I don't want you to die." (His mom moved out in March and I'm sure there is more than a little anxiety there)
I am wondering what quitting aids you may have tried and what worked/didn't work for you. Any other advice/helpful hints/etc is appreciated.

 

[svajd]

Nicorette did it for me. It tastes horrible and you have to be careful to not actually chew it like gum. That is, you bite into it, leave it in your cheek, let the nicotine get into your system, then take another bite after about a minute. If you just start chewing like it's Dentyne, it'll make you want to puke (kind of like having your first cigarette).

When it comes down to it, though, I think it's all about attitude - you have to think like a non-smoker. eg. when you see someone else smoking, you think, "That's disgusting, why would they do that?" You have to re-condition yourself and identify as a non-smoker.

 

[LateComer]

I found the Nicorette inhaler to work well. I tried the gum but I kept chewing it too much and ended up with a sore jaw. The inhaler is a close substitute for smoking and you get the same hit as when taking a drag on a cigarette.

 

[simcity]

I tried the patch when it first came out. On the second day I went to a party and my family doctor was there and asked me how I was doing on my second day. I told him that arm was feeling numb and he wanted to see where I had the patch. I showed him my left shoulder and he ripped it off.
It was too close to my heart and I was getting too much too fast. I never tried it again after that day, but now the dosages are lower to start with I think. Also tried zyban...it kept me awake for hours...too strong for me.
Finally I just stopped smoking one day. It turely took a toll on me for about 3 weeks. It still bothers me now after five years to smell smoke. Not that I hate it, I want it. I wish I never started!

 

[Twister]

I tried the nicorettes, worked a couple a days.

I found that after a couple a tries, cold turkey worked for me, its out of your system in 3-4 days.

The lingering of the nicotine with the gums and patches, made it harder.

You have to face the music, you have to stop, no matter what it takes.
It gets easier after you go cold turkey, then its psycological. But with support and motivation, you will do it if you want to.

There are groups such as smokers anonymous.

Drink lots of water the first days (if you're going cold turkey)

Its a powerful addiction, I mean powerful.........but if you're focused you'll do it.

There some books in the library.....give you advice: make a date, throw cigarettes, get rid of ashtrays etc.

If you get the oral fixation, I used real licorice sticks (health food stores)
the're pieces of the licorice tree and you can nibble and suck on them and they release a sweet flavor.

The main thing is you focus is a day at the time, or an hour at the time. You do self-talk ; say to yourself , I have to do it only for today or the next hour..........it makes it easier to cope.

My days have become months and years I feel way better (I stopped coughing the second day)
Focus on the results, the benefits of stopping...........

I don't miss smoking today, acually I avoid going with chick (sp's etc) that smokes....I hate the taste....even with mouthwash ...i can still feel it.

I was going to wish you good luck....but luck has nothing to do with it...its all in you ...if you're ready and determined.

Do it

 

[Gentle Ben]

I went cold turkey, it wasn't easy, but I wanted to quit badly so I just kept reassuring myself that I could do it.
I went a day , said to self, you've gone a day, you can go another, a week, you can go another week, a month, you can go another month, etc etc, Once you have the habbit kicked it's very easy to start again, you have to be very strong even after you feel the habbit is broken.

 

[daKoolGuy]

Go for it. There are some prescription medicines too that you may get a doctor to prescribe.

 

[Never Compromised]

Cut down as much as you can.

then go cold turkey. Statistically, the most successful way.

Change your habits. Go for walks. Drink lots of water. Have gum around. Keep celery sticks in the fridge.

 

[Moraff]

Congratulations on deciding to quit and I wish you all the best in achieving your goal! Fortunately I never got into smoking so all I can offer is some second-hand advice.

I gave a friend who was quitting an info sheet I picked up from a Zeller's pharmacy. It listed all the benefits you were getting by quitting on a timeline.

My friend said it helped as it gave him a milestone to look forward to and as time went on gave him incentive to stay the course as he could see all the milestones he would lose if he gave in and started smoking again.

I did a quick search and a timeline can be found here.....


http://www.health.ri.gov/tobacco/benefits-of-quitting.php

Everyone has different methods that worked for them it seems. You need to find whatever works for you. Should you not get it the first time don't despair. Try again with a different method until you find the right one.

 

[RogerRabbit]

Good decision, here are some advice/tips:

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/tobac-tabac/index_e.html

 

[extruder]

It's heartening to see the outpouring of advice. Personally, if you have never smoked, you can't possible have any idea of what's involved with stopping the addiction.

I smoked for 30 years – since I was a teenager. So committed that I didn't even think it was possible to quit. Then I heard about a friend even more hard core than I who'd quit after reading the Allen Carr's Easy Way To Stop Smoking (go for the thinner version of the book).

I picked it up and read it from front to back, sideways and back again. It's cool because he actually encourages you to smoke while you're reading the book. Carr really sets up the big picture without using scare tactics so you can really understand the nature of the addiction to nicotine. And he is quite opposed to patches, nicotine gum or anything that sustains the addiction (and puts money into the pockets of the drug companies). And cutting down just makes each cigarette you do smoke just that much more special. His idea is to extricate every trace of the nicotine from your system and liberate yourself from the enslavement to the drug.

For me, it's now been almost 3 years since I quit. The book deserves all the acclaim it gets and while I sware by it (amongst many others), another way may work better for someone else. But I was in the valley of the damned and fought my way back. And what's better is that not only do I not miss it, I really pity my fellow addicts and it hurts to see young people getting into something, the consequences that they, like I, had no idea what I was dealing with. What really blew my mind is that, once I made the decision – it was so much easier than I ever would have imagined.

Let us know how you make out. But before you quit, prepare your mind.

 

[bestillmehard]

Hey Bogey,

I'll suggest a book to you I suggested to another poster who is also quitting.

Allen Carr's Easy Way To Stop Smoking: New Canadian Edition

I haven't tried it myself yet, however the reviews on Chapters' website are incredible.

If you read it, let me know if it helps!

Diana
xoxo

Diana....thank you for the title of the book....it is a good read and makes sense. It helps get past the next craving.

 

[dcbogey]

I want to thank all of you that took the time to post your advice and words of encouragement. I'm going out to buy the book today. I know it won't be easy but I also know the benefits will outweigh the pain. I'll let you know how it goes.
Again - many thanks!