Stoped smoking this morning! Advice needed!

[The Mystery Machine]

Congratulations on quiting again!

It's been 7 years (maybe more, I don't count any more) and I STILL miss it. Like accepting that it would be hard, I have accepted that I want one, but don't need to have one. At least it's just a "want" now, and I can handle that.

I actually still enjoy second hand smoke (outside anyway), but instead of wanting one from it I just enjoy it. Sometimes I'll walk by a group of smokers and once I get in the car I still might take a "drag" of air, and it feels great.

I think for some people the yearning never goes away. It never did for my mom either. But it's okay, I can want one and not have one. I was a pretty heavy smoker, and I know that it would take only one to get me roped in again. I still love the freedom too much. Smoking is such a ball and chain now, with no smoking anywhere!

Now this I can relate with.

 

[elizke]

Now this I can relate with.

Smober soul sista!

 

[dislaney]

No advise just encouragement! You can do it!

 

[keerymom]

For all of you that have been successful, did you quit cold turkey or did you slowly wean yourself?

 

[JLiz]

Wellbutrin (off label use) worked great to remove the cravings. The medicine blocks the receptors in your brain that want the nicotine. It took about two weeks for the medicine to kick in and after that I truly did not even think about cigarettes.

Before the meds started to work, like a pp suggested, every time I wanted a cigarette I would do some exercise. The way I was gasping for air really showed me how out of shape I was and what poor cardiovascular/pulmonary health I had. It was good motivation to get healthy.

Since cigarettes have become so expensive I would set aside whatever I would have spent on cigarettes. It's amazing how much cash you can build up doing that for even just a month. Then, you can treat you and your SO to a nice dinner out to celebrate your success.

You will be so glad you quit once you become an ex-smoker. Good luck!!!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

For all of you that have been successful, did you quit cold turkey or did you slowly wean yourself?

Cold turkey. It did help that I quit this time when I was as sick as a dog. I went one day without smoking and decided to go for it. I knew it was "time".

 

[saffron1000]

Good for you!!!! I quit smoking 14 months ago. ( But who is counting????) I used the patch for 2 months then stopped the patch too. I have tried to quit several times in the past, but never made it past a month. This time I just put it in my mind I wanted to be around to watch my child become a man and that was that. I really have no desire for cigarettes at all now. My parents still smoke and when I go to their house the smell totally grosses me out. I wish you the best of luck!!!! trust me you do feel better once you quit.

 

[JoiseyMom]

No tips, just good luck. My DH quit about 2 months ago, cold turkey, out of the blue.

Just take it one day at a time.

 

[mrsdash]

Thanks for all the great advice everyone!!

 

[kirbydog48]

I quit cold turkey and never looked back 18 years ago. Lots of gum, raw crunchy vegetables, water. I also started getting lots of aerobic exercise, so as I was getting in better shape, I wanted that feeling to continue rather than have a cigarette.

 

[N&B'smom]

No tips, I've never smoked but just wanted to say keep up the good work!!!

 

[keerymom]

One more question for all of you that have successfully quit... how many days passed before weren't focused on getting through and being strong each minute? I am super proud to report that I haven't touched one in 72 hours. I truly thought the first 48 would be the hardest, but let me tell you, today really wasn't easy. I was a real closet smoker (after the kids and hubby left for school and work, before the kids got off the bus, after everyone went to bed), and those times are just so difficult. The yearning doesn't go away in just a few minutes. I guess I really thought today would be a bit easier, and I'm disappointed that it wasn't. I don't want this to be my focus anymore!!

 

[kimmyann]

One more question for all of you that have successfully quit... how many days passed before weren't focused on getting through and being strong each minute? I am super proud to report that I haven't touched one in 72 hours. I truly thought the first 48 would be the hardest, but let me tell you, today really wasn't easy. I was a real closet smoker (after the kids and hubby left for school and work, before the kids got off the bus, after everyone went to bed), and those times are just so difficult. The yearning doesn't go away in just a few minutes. I guess I really thought today would be a bit easier, and I'm disappointed that it wasn't. I don't want this to be my focus anymore!!

I know when I quit I read somewhere that around day 5 it can really bite you. Personally, it took weeks to stop thinking about it constantly and it is true that one day you will realize AFTER that you were not thinking about it. Like one day you'll be half way through the day and be like "oh, wow, this is the first time I wanted a cigarette all day", and then it will get to longer periods. Honestly though, it took me almost two years to get to the point that I never wanted one, it's just the cravings become less severe over time. Keep it up, just remember you never want to have to *quit* again and go through this all over.

 

[crz4mm2]

One more question for all of you that have successfully quit... how many days passed before weren't focused on getting through and being strong each minute? I am super proud to report that I haven't touched one in 72 hours. I truly thought the first 48 would be the hardest, but let me tell you, today really wasn't easy. I was a real closet smoker (after the kids and hubby left for school and work, before the kids got off the bus, after everyone went to bed), and those times are just so difficult. The yearning doesn't go away in just a few minutes. I guess I really thought today would be a bit easier, and I'm disappointed that it wasn't. I don't want this to be my focus anymore!!

2 weeks were really hard. the 3rd week was a "little" easier. My DH kept asking how he could help me. Course my only response was "get me a cigarette!". You are doing great. It will pass....

 

[keerymom]

I know when I quit I read somewhere that around day 5 it can really bite you. Personally, it took weeks to stop thinking about it constantly and it is true that one day you will realize AFTER that you were not thinking about it. Like one day you'll be half way through the day and be like "oh, wow, this is the first time I wanted a cigarette all day", and then it will get to longer periods. Honestly though, it took me almost two years to get to the point that I never wanted one, it's just the cravings become less severe over time. Keep it up, just remember you never want to have to *quit* again and go through this all over.

2 weeks were really hard. the 3rd week was a "little" easier. My DH kept asking how he could help me. Course my only response was "get me a cigarette!". You are doing great. It will pass....

Thanks so very much for the support. One thing I really didn't anticipate was the insomnia. I don't think I've slept more than a couple of hours a night for the last 3 nights. Of course, being tired doesn't help in being "mentally" strong. I'm absolutely determined to never pick up another cigarette though.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

One more question for all of you that have successfully quit... how many days passed before weren't focused on getting through and being strong each minute? I am super proud to report that I haven't touched one in 72 hours. I truly thought the first 48 would be the hardest, but let me tell you, today really wasn't easy. I was a real closet smoker (after the kids and hubby left for school and work, before the kids got off the bus, after everyone went to bed), and those times are just so difficult. The yearning doesn't go away in just a few minutes. I guess I really thought today would be a bit easier, and I'm disappointed that it wasn't. I don't want this to be my focus anymore!!

As a fellow former closet smoker and 4th time quitter, I can tell you that mine never "goes away".

I have to always choose not to smoke.

I hate it when people tell you that "it will get easier" or "go away". For some of us that never happens.

I treat it like a serious drug addiction meaning that I let the feeling pass over me and if it is bad enough I go and distract myself with ice water and an activity.

For me it is the 100% committment to staying quit which stops me from picking up a cigarette and that is pretty much the bottom line for me.

Keep it up!

 

[redlight]

How are you doing?

 

[cruisnfamily]

What happens after you quit smoking? The benefits of quitting smoking timeline:
20 MINUTES

* Blood pressure drops to normal
* Pulse rate drops to normal
* Body temperature of hands and feet increases to normal

8 HOURS

* Carbon monoxide level in blood drops to normal
* Oxygen level in blood increases to normal

24 HOURS

* Chance of heart attack decreases

48 HOURS

* Nerve endings start regrowing
* Ability to smell and taste is enhanced

2 WEEKS TO 3 MONTHS

* Circulation improves
* Walking becomes easier
* Lung function increases up to 30 percent

1 TO 9 MONTHS

* Coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue, and shortness of breath decrease
* Cilia regrow in lungs, increasing their ability to handle mucus, clean the lungs, and reduce infection
* Body's overall energy increases

1 YEAR

* Excess risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a smoker

5 YEARS

* Lung cancer death rate for an average former smoker (one pack a day) decreases by almost half
* Stroke risk is reduced to that of a non-smoker five to 15 years after quitting
* Risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, and esophagus is half that of a smoker's

10 YEARS

* Lung cancer death rate is similar to that of a non-smoker
* Precancerous cells are replaced
* Risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney, cervix, and pancreas decreases

15 YEARS

* Risk of coronary heart disease is that of a non-smoker

 

[cruisnfamily]

One more question for all of you that have successfully quit... how many days passed before weren't focused on getting through and being strong each minute? I am super proud to report that I haven't touched one in 72 hours. I truly thought the first 48 would be the hardest, but let me tell you, today really wasn't easy. I was a real closet smoker (after the kids and hubby left for school and work, before the kids got off the bus, after everyone went to bed), and those times are just so difficult. The yearning doesn't go away in just a few minutes. I guess I really thought today would be a bit easier, and I'm disappointed that it wasn't. I don't want this to be my focus anymore!!

What's generally going to happen the first day you quit smoking is that you won't necessarily crave a cigarette except as a habit; you may feel less focused than usual and less alert.

Within the next 24 hours after that, you cravings for nicotine are going to become very strong and you will be very tempted to begin smoking. Hang in there, because your body is ridding itself of nicotine, and this takes about three to four days altogether.

The third day may be the worst, whereby you are simply going to want to smoke and nothing else. You may have difficulty focusing on anything, including work. Constipation and excessive coughing are also symptoms of your body ridding itself of nicotine, as your body adjusts to not having it.

By day five, you should begin to feel better and your cravings should be less. You should begin to notice that you can breathe better and that your ability to smell and taste food will begin to return to you. These are things that usually disappear, largely, when you smoke, so you'll begin to enjoy the fact that you don't smoke because you've got these two senses back.

After about the fifth day, your physical withdrawal should be pretty much complete. You'll begin to notice that you "feel cleaner," that your teeth are brighter, your skin is clearer, and that you won't smell so strongly of smoke. These are all beneficial effects that will help make staying away from cigarettes easier.

Although the physical withdrawal from cigarette smoking is pretty much done by the end of the first week for most people, the psychological effects of smoking are very strong as well, and those cravings may not ever go away entirely. You may also begin to notice that your appetite will pick up significantly after you quit smoking, which is one reason why so many people gain weight after they quit smoking.

 

[TheBigBadWolf]

I quit smoking seven years ago. For five months afterwards I continued to chew nicotine gum and use nicotine lozenges. I was as addicted to nicotine as ever, but had replaced my smoking habit with nicotine from the gum and lozenges. I suffered badly wanting to smoke! I finally went to see a hypnotist and he cured my addiction with one session. Quitting was very easy, and totally pain free. My DH had gone through the same five months of suffering, as he'd quit smoking the same day I did. He also had a session with the hypnotist and stopped smoking that day, too. The hypnotist recorded a CD of each of our sessions, which we were to listen to for 21 days to instill the cessation. Any time we had an urge to smoke, we were hypnotized to take three deep breaths, then repeat out loud, "Relax, relax, relax". The urge to smoke would INSTANTLY stop. I can't stress how easy this made it to stop smoking pain free. I highly recommend it for anyone who is suffering when trying to stop smoking. Our hypnotist only charged $80 each, and we had individual sessions. My DH sat in on my session and I sat in on his. The hypnotist had a "half your money back" guarantee but he would hypnotize you as many sessions as it took to make you a non smoker. DH and I both stopped with only one session. It was truly the best money I've ever spent.