Who's Quit Smoking?(Vent)

[alite]

I recently found out that my employer is banning smoking. I work in a union shop with two 15 minute breaks(which are closely monitered) and we can't smoke in the building. Now, we won't be able to leave the building on breaks and if we do, it's considred walking off the job. Basically, they are telling us to quit smoking, or find another job. I started smoking in my teens, yet I have 14 years with this company(and four weeks vacation, most of it for Disney). I'm worried I won't be able to quit to save my job. Any tips?

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Going on 3 years here! I smoked from 14-37, so 24 years. I did quit when I was pregnant with my first, then my second kid I quit for 3 years. So I knew what was in store for me.

With me, it finally admitted I am a cig-a-holic and drug addict with nicotine. I cannot smoke 1 cig.
Also it is a matter of choice. You choose not to smoke. I did it cold turkey, cause I knew I would want a cig forever, so it didn't matter how. I took up exercising in it's place so I would not gain a ton of weight. I only gained 10lbs, which I just lost.

My dh quit 9 months ago, I thought he would NEVER quit.
He used the Wellbutrin method and chewed alot of gum and ate. He gained 30lbs. He has lost 10 right now.

I just wanted to say if you cannot smoke at work, can you still smoke at home???
If you can still smoke at home, just do that. That could be your first step, rather than giving it up all at once.

 

[PixieDust32]

I used to, Thank God not any more, I quit about 4 years ago and since the day a said no more, I haven't touch a cigarrete.

It was a big issue at work (don't work there now) because the smokers took more breaks than the non smokers, and they used that excuse to go out to the smoking area and hang out for about 15 or 20 minutes every 1 or 2 hours, and the non smokers just took their lunch and bathroom breaks.

So, the said no more smoking breaks.

 

[luckywife]

I quit almost 17 months ago and used the patch. It was hard for me a few times but for the most part I didn't have much of an issue with it. I did gain about 5-10 pounds but for me, it was worth it.

I'm not sure if you are saying you're ready to quit but if you are, I would definitely suggest trying the patch because it worked wonders for me. A good website to check out is www.quitnet.com

Good luck no matter what you decide

 

[Marseeya]

You can do it! You just need to figure out the best way for yourself. I quit cold turkey and it was SO HARD. Fortunately, nobody around me smokes, so that made it a lot better.

However, you might be someone who needs some stop-smoking aids, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. Wellbutrin is wonderful. I started taking it for depression, but the best thing that happened with it is that I totally lost my cravings for a smoke. I have to say, though, that I hadn't smoked in a year, but I still had strong cravings.

Or try the patch, gum, or lozenges.

Or just try cutting down and getting through your day until you get home.

 

[ILUVMYBRIT]

I quit 6 years ago cold turkey and it was hard but so worth it and when I see my ex pay $5+ for a pack of cigarettes I am so glad I dont smoke.

My suggestion is see your doctor for help and see if they have any support groups in the area or..if you have friends there that also need to quit start your own. It really does help to have others going through the same thing near by.There are or used to be, several online support groups out there. Try to avoid triggers. Mine was that first smoke in the morning with my coffee. So I switched to tea for quite awhile.

Anyways, good luck...you can do it!!

 

[winniedapooh]

I quit after almost dying on the operating table in 1992...October 6th. I carried around 1 cigarette with me for a month after---just in case. I had smoked for about 13-14 years, can't remember what year I began, lol. It was tough and still is. But being awake as they are jamming stuff into you and the air is being sucked out of you and your chest was caving in was worse... Good luck to you.

 

[lowie]

I recently found out that my employer is banning smoking. I work in a union shop with two 15 minute breaks(which are closely monitered) and we can't smoke in the building. Now, we won't be able to leave the building on breaks and if we do, it's considred walking off the job. Basically, they are telling us to quit smoking, or find another job. I started smoking in my teens, yet I have 14 years with this company(and four weeks vacation, most of it for Disney). I'm worried I won't be able to quit to save my job. Any tips?

well, although i'd love to believe that your employer is using this tactict to help the smokers quit, what i really think is that they're tired of the smokers taking advantage of policy.

i smoked for about 17 years, quit when i got pregnant the first time, started after my dd was born then quit for good with my sons pregnancy, he'll be 6 next week!

i hope that this can give you the push you need to quit, for your health and your family's health.. but my liberal side says that your boss can't confine you to the inside of the building, the premises maybe, and you may want to contact whatever agency deals with labor issues in your state to find out the legality of what they're doing.

 

[froglady]

I quit cold turkey in 1981 after smoking for 14 years.

The fact that your workplace has banned smoking will make it easier for you, as you won't be using your habit to socialize. Now you just have to quit at home, too. I found that I couldn't really quit until I moved to a new city where no one knew me as a smoker; my former co-workers would just make snide remarks like "Oh, you're quitting...again. Then they would light up." (This was back in the day when you could smoke in the workplace...even in a hospital!)

Once I moved away, I had an easier time of it. I told myself that I didn't want to stink up my new home with smoke, pay the astronomical prices for cigarettes (we were in Canada at the time) and come across as less intelligent or having less self esteem to those I met.

I became pregnant two years later, and that clinched the deal. There was no way I was going to expose my child to second hand smoke!

Believe it or not, I still have dreams where I'm smoking, and when I wake up I have to remind myself that it was just a dream.

 

[pumba]

my husband and I quit one January first about 20 years ago. I was a heavy smoker and losing that "friend" was the most difficult thing I had ever done. Now I am a smokeaholic on the wagon. I doubt if I would ever pick one up again but sometimes that yearning is still there. SO do it and ask for help. The doctors out there want to help everyone kick the habit.
My sister had lung cancer and she was a heavy smoker right up until they removed her lung.....I am now watching her get sicker and sicker from another type of cancer. SO I yell and plead and beg anyone I know to please quit while your lungs can still recoup ......

 

[tevagirl]

I quit seven years ago. I was sick as a dog with the flu and hadn't smoked in three days so I figured it was the perfect time to quit. I'm one of the unique ones that didn't have a hard time quitting and I believe that's because the fear of what it was doing to me was greater than the desire for it.

 

[HeatherFeather]

Quitting smoking sucks...not sure if I would have been able to do it if it was something someone else told me I HAD to do. I did it because I was tired of paying someone ridiculous amounts of money to slowly kill me.

I used the nicotine patches and it worked very well for me. I coudn't have done it cold turkey. My body was too addicted to nicotine. Only bad part was I got to REALLY like the buzz I got when I put on a patch first thing in the morning.

It's been 5 1/2 years but I haven't started again. I had to lay off my beloved margaritas for the first year or so because I knew after a couple, I'd pick up the ciggies. I do still have an urge now and then to pick one up, but I just remember how hard it was to quit and that is enough to keep me away from them. Quitting smoking is not something I want to have to do again.

Wishing you much success....you can do it!

 

[Viking]

DW and I quit on 01/04/98. We did the 'cold turkey', too. We substituted smoking with sports and work out five to six times a weeks. My employer prohibited smoking inside the company building too and having to go down from the sixth floor to the back yard each time I wanted a smoke gave me a big incentive to quit. With the price of smokes nearly twice as high nowadays than it was when I still smoked, that is more than enough deterrence to prevent my taking it up again. I also was fully addicted and went through some hard times when I quit. I smoked from age 16 til 34, but had like 4 or 5 'clean' years in between.
Nevertheless I consider your employer's way as an infringement of individual rights.

 

[Kitty 34]

Try acupuncture. Worked like a charm for me. Two visits (one evening and then next morning) was all it took to become a "nonsmoker". I didn't have any cravings after that. I honestly felt like I had never smoked........will be celebrating my 10th year smoke free this June at Disney!!!

Good luck.

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

I also agree that even though your breaks you say are closely monitored, being an ex-smoker myself, alot of smokers take advantage of breaks and lunches.

I smoked for 16 years a pack a day. I quit 3 years ago. It was the hardest thing I've ever done and still crave cigarettes every once in a while. You have to set your mind to it and really want to do it. It takes alot of will power no matter what method you choose to quit.

 

[SillyMe]

How long until they put this new rule into effect? Even if you don't want to quit, try to put your mindset into not smoking at work...now. Smoking is addictive, no doubt, but a big part of quitting is your mindset. If you can talk yourself into wanting to, you can do it. If you prepare yourself before it goes into effect, it may be easier for you.

I smoked 1 1/2 packs/day for 15 years. I started when I was only 15 years old. I quit almost 7 years ago cold turkey when I had my 2nd daughter. It was very hard, but I convinced myself it was time to do it (even though I really didn't want to. I enjoyed smoking).

It's so worth it. Best of luck to you!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I also agree that even though your breaks you say are closely monitored, being an ex-smoker myself, alot of smokers take advantage of breaks and lunches.

Not only that...dh and I used our smoking outside rule as a means to get nothing done at HOME!
When he quit, he was amazed that he could finish projects now.

 

[rajak73]

Going on 9 yrs here, DW and I both quit at the same time, it was either quit smoking and buy a nice camper or keep smoking and stay broke! Glad we decieded to quit, one of the best things we ever did! Had a half carton of cigs when we deceided to quit, just put them up and haven't smoked since, biggest thing is, you WANT to quit. Good luck to you

 

[eclectics]

I know everyone says it, but if I can quit, anyone can! Any nicotine product (patch, gum, etc.) always led me back to cigarettes eventually. What finally worked for me was the Quest nicotine free cigarettes. You still go through withdrawal but you're still smoking while you do it. After a while your body doesn't crave the smoke because it's not having any affect. It made total quitting a lot easier. I still gained around 20 pounds though! After 32 years of smoking I never thought I could do it, but I'm at the 9 month mark and hanging in there. My sister died a long painful death from emphysema so I know the consequences of not sticking to it. Good luck to you and I hope you join us in the quitters club!

 

[ericamanda01]

I quit 6 days ago. I have been smoking 18 years. I still can't believe I smoked that long. I was reading a book about personal finance and I ran the numbers and found out how much my DH and I have spent combined on smoking just in the past 7 years we have been together and realized that we could have had enough money for a down payment on a house. I decided then and there that I would stop. And I did. Yes it has been hard and I have tried a thousand times, but I have money motivating me. I even opened a savings account the same day I quit and everyday I transfer the $8 we would have spent on cigerettes into it. So far we have $48 in there. We have been fighting on and off and we both know why, but we also know that this will pass. The more I want a smoke that more pissed I get at the cigrettes. They suck! I can't wait to run around WDW and not get out of breath! I think the only thing that will truly work is cold turkey, everything else for me at least was just a crutch. But I know I will miss the one after a big meal! Oh man will I miss that one!