"Don't Say You Weren't Warned" - also known as "DD & I Will Probably End Up Killi

[C.Ann]

ng Each Other"..........

Barring any unforseen circumstances, Thursday is "the" day.. DD & I are coming up here to the lake - just the two of us - and we are going to make a valiant attempt to quit smoking!!!!!

We have already warned DD's DH that when he arrives on Friday he might want to give us a VERY wide berth - LOL.. However, he is a smoker too and has said that maybe he will attempt to jump on our bandwagon as well.. We would ALL like to be non-smokers by Memorial Day weekend at the latest..

I've been gathering things to occupy my hands and bringing them up here for the past few weeks.. I also have the nicotine gum, lollipops, Life Savors and a HUGE bottle of Aleeve - LOL..

Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated..

I know I am going to be SUCH a witch, so if you never hear from me again, it wasn't YAGE - my DD & I simply killed each other..

 

[Dan Murphy]

You can do it, C.Ann, a day at a time. You'll do it. And be with us and your family so much longer. If it gets tough, some by and vent, but don't give in, a week or two and the worst is behind you. My best.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

My suggestion now that I am coming up on my 1st year anniversary date on June 3rd......

I call myself a cig-a-holic, I will always want a cig. I know that I cannot take 1 drag or I will start again.

That is what helps me stay quit (everyday)!

Good Luck!

 

[DoeWDW]

C. Ann, what a wonderful thing for you and your daughter to do together! I know it will be tough but you can do it!!

 

[browneyes]

No advice, but good luck.

 

[cinmell]

Good luck C.Ann!

You can do it!

 

[DSNY FN]

Good luck C.Anne my mom quit over 20 years ago and it wasn't easy for the first few weeks but just keep at it and it will get easier every day.

 

[Amy]

Good luck C.Ann!!! I think it's great that you and your daughter are doing it together to support each other. You can do it!

 

[tidoublegger]

C. Ann~ Congratulations on the first step!!!!! Dh and I quit 6 years ago. First of all, I suggest starting by trying to cut down by say 4 cigs/day between now and then. If you're going to have one...tell yourself to wait 30 min or so. Then by Thursday, you'll be down at least 1/2 pack! Maybe you won't need as much of the nicotine gum. You'll also be starting to get used to less cigs/day.

Now comes the hard part....not only is there physical withdrawal, but there is the habit/emotional withdrawal.

The hard candy (sugar free is better) is good as are carrot and celery sticks! Buy sport top water bottles and keep them very cold...even partially frozen. That way if you have the urge, you can sip on one of these!!

I also remember having night sweats and strange dreams the 1st 3 or 4 days while my body was going through withdrawal. I've heard this is common.

Change your routine if necessary...if a morning cup of coffee always goes with a cigarette, then try to find a distraction.

It can be done....YOU ARE TAKING A BRAVE FIRST STEP!!!!!!!!!!!! Stick with it....you won't regret it!!!!!!!!! Let us know how you're doing!!

 

[TheOtherVillainess]

I call myself a cig-a-holic, I will always want a cig. I know that I cannot take 1 drag or I will start again.

Me too and I haven't had one in almost 7 years. Good luck C.Ann...one thing I might suggest is taking lots and LOTS of pencils to put in your mouth to chew on/hold/mouth/whatever. It's been almost 7 years since I smoked a cigarette but I still have this obession with putting small,cylindrical objects like pencils/pens in my mouth. It's almost like I NEED to feel something in there after having smoked for so long (I'm 25, started smoking when I was 12 and stopped smoking when I was bout 19).

TOV

 

[sorcerormickey]

Good luck!

 

[Pembo]

2 things - my grandfather kept an unopened pack of cigarettes in the kitchen until the day he died. He always said as long as he knew they were there he would be ok. He quit smoking after many years.

And on the budget board, someone figured out that if they quit smoking they could pay for their resort stay with the money saved. That's some good motivation.

Good luck to you and dd!

 

[stinkerbelle]

going along with what tidoublegger said - I suggest looking into this.

www.lifesign.com

my mom used it and quit smoking 15 years ago

 

[bentley483]

Good Luck! I quit 2 1/2 years ago and I'm so glad I did. My DD says "Mom I loved you just as much then as I do now, but you stunk!" You will feel so much better. I know it is hard but concentrate on getting through the first few hours. If you can get through even one day, it gets easier. (Don't you just hate reformed smokers!)

 

[kimber79]

You and your DD can do it!! What a great thing for the two of you to tackle together!! It will be tough, but something the two of you will be so proud of accomplishing! My brother quit about 3 months ago now, and he feels so much better.........and is so proud that he chose to do this and stuck to it! My 3 y.o. niece is very proud of her daddy, and lets him know how proud she is of him a few times a week ~ that means the world to know how proud his little princess is of him!!

You go girls!!

 

[KimRaye]

C.Ann, I'm proud of you and, jealous, too. I'm not ready yet to quit smoking, I figure losing weight is the first mountain I'll climb.

I wish you & your DD the best in your journey.

Not that I've quit before but, I would suggest drinking lots of water. For some reason, water and cigs do NOT combine.

Congrats to you & DD on making this choice!

 

[Planogirl]

C.Ann, this is so wonderful! DH suggests getting the lozenges too just in case. He said that the gum was nasty and he couldn't have kept using it but maybe that's not the case for everyone.

DH hasn't smoked now for going on six weeks so it can definitely be done. Hang tough and check in if you can!

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

Wishing you tons of good luck! Good for you deciding to quit!

I quit smoking Jan 5th of this year.... and it wasn't that hard- not near as hard as I thought it would be. I guess because once your mind is really set on doing something- it's not hard. I thought it would be really difficult seeing as how I'd smoked for many years and never even had the desire to quit smoking except for pregnancies.
But once I decided- that was it.
I'll try to find this website online that I went to the first month or two that helped. I think finding somewhere (even if it's not quit smoking related- like this board) to be held accountable is a big help. It helped keep me on track when I lost weight last year to be on a board related to that and kept me accountable for any and all cheats/weightgain/etc. It helped the same way to know there was a place for me to go and talk if I felt like having a cig or going to buy some- and that those people were feeling the exact same as I was!
(I think it was called iquit or something like that.... I'll try to find it for you if you'd like)
Anyway, I personally found the support like that and also knowing I'd be accountable (have to tell them I messed up my days of my "quit" and start all over on my day count since the last cig) very helpful. I did not use any nicotine patches or gum- from my research it's not that helpful to try to break an addiction with the addictive item itself... ie: trying to break nicotine addiction with nicotine. That's not much different at all than just cutting back slowly on how many cigs you smoke until you're down to 1 and then just quit. That would never work for me- so neither would patches or gum.
First week was hard... it got easier and easier since then. I did gain some weight because I went totally crazy and ate lots of total crap food (oreos, cheetos, candy, you name it LOL) I kept justifying it by telling myself atleast I wasn't smoking! But hopefully you won't go that route- atleast not to the degree that I did!
Now I have no desire to smoke at all... so when you read some people a year or two later having feelings of wanting to smoke or ending up smoking again- not everyone feels that way. Hopefully once you break the addiction you won't have the cravings anymore.
Wishing you TONS of luck.

 

[AZKathy]

You can do it! DH and I did it and it was tough, but so well worth it in the end. I cannot even fathom paying over $3.00/pack right now! What a waste of money!

I did it with lots of sugarless gum! I mean LOTS of gum! DH used those cinnamon toothpicks.

Start with positive thoughts of making it through one hour at a time and then one day at a time. Your physical withdrawls will be done within 48-72 hours, then it is just the psychological needs.

You will feel and smell so much better one you quit! Good luck!!!!!!1

 

[C.Ann]

Well I just spent the last couple of hours dragging out things to take to the lake to keep my hands and mind occupied.. So far I have:

2 afghans I need to finish crocheting

numerous objects to paint that I am going to decorate the landscaping with up there

logic puzzle books

and my DD is bringing me up two Gameboys and all of the games she has

-----------------

So far I also have lollipops, Life Savors, nicotine gum, Junior Mints, Certs, and VERY hot cinnamon mints..

Before I head to the lake I will go and buy some flavored water and will check on those lozenges as well.. Will also stock up on fruit..

I never heard of "cinnamon flavored toothpicks" though - where can I get them?

The one thing that I don't have to worry too much about (at least not YET) is weight gain.. I'm only around 95 lbs. right now and could actually USE a few pounds!!