Two weeks off the smokes and I..

Subliminal Aura · 11 Dec 2010 at 20:55

My barrier is 3 months - given up for that period of time several times, strange really as at 3 months your are almost free :/

My milestones are as follows

3 days - Hardest of all get, past this and you're on your way towards the big 14.
7 days - Moderate - you still feel as though you're a smoker but can look forward to the next milestone.
14 days - Getting easier - almost there
1 months - You're almost home ! You stop counting days, you count weeks instead.
3 months - You're at bliss point and really feel like you're not a smoker any more

.... After this point I should seek professional help. NHS smokefree is an excellent service but you can always go back and just speak to a councillor maybe once a month just to keep you on the short and narrow

* 6 months ?
* 12 months ?

*Moangroan* · 11 Dec 2010 at 21:16

I found the first week the killer.....and it got easier.

Maybe try asking why you want a ciggie rather than just trying to stop the craving.

Did you enjoy it. Did it relax you. Because it did not it was all just an addiction. And it does not relax you because your just feeding the addiction. A heroin user looks happy after a hit ???? Well yes he just fullfilled his needs. Same with a ciggie but with cigerattes we say it ''relaxes me''....lol.

Did you enjoy it. What part and why ???

Did u enjoy spending th e money to burn it away....maybe.

I was lucky i only smoked fo 13 years you may have smoked longer.

Did not have gum or e-cigs so not sure what you are replacing the high with.

Draeger · 11 Dec 2010 at 21:37

OP - There's a way of giving up smoking that helps immensely. Replace it with something.

I binned smoking back in 2008 ( I wasn't a heavy smoker and it was mostly "social" ) and replaced it with cycling. Got myself a road bike on my works cyclescheme and started off comutting back and forward to work ( 40 mile round trip ). Fitness level shot up to sky high levels with the combination of the two. I've never looked back. Since then the cycling bug has bitten me hard and I purchased a mountain bike about April this year and started riding the local trails as well as using the road bike.

Replacing smoking with cycling gave me something else to concentrate on and occupy my time with. You hear people saying this all the time but giving up smoking isn't just about giving up the cigs, its a complete change of lifestyle. Replacing it with something else you enjoy hugely and into the bargain is something that is doing you good, is a cracking way to go about it.

Do it m8. You wont regret it. Best of luck.

Wyrdo · 11 Dec 2010 at 22:09

Paul11 said:
keep going, it gets easier

get rid of the e-cigs too

cold turkey.

This, the e-cigs will not be helping at all.

~>Dg<~ · 11 Dec 2010 at 22:16

Paul11 said:
keep going, it gets easier

get rid of the e-cigs too

cold turkey.

erm three yrs for me i used to basically eat cigs

cold turkey is best .

doofer · 11 Dec 2010 at 22:22

Since quitting smoking by going cold turkey (I was a very heavy smoker) for a few Months now, I still have never felt as rough, I'm getting constant throat problems which will get worse and also affect my ears and chest, never had any problems when I was smoking, I don't miss the Cigars and Cigarettes otherwise though and the cash saved is just amazing although I did have a £14+ a Day habit. :eek:

~>Dg<~ · 11 Dec 2010 at 22:26

yeah had similar kinda of thing bit like a constant cold for a while but after few months everything was sweet and i put money saved away for one month and actually laughed at the amount i would be spending .

i used to smoke about 40 a day thats 70 to 80 quid a week on blowing smoke

. its not easy but its better than using aids to help you .

[FnG]magnolia · 11 Dec 2010 at 23:31

OP, try your utmost to get through this. I stopped smoking 6 years ago but used to be on 30 a day. The first two or three weeks were hard but it was purely mental; there is NO physical pain. Your brain - which normally does its best to look out for you - turns a little bit treacherous and takes a while to get used to not having the routine, the nicotine and 'that feeling'.

I can hand on heart say it was one of the best things I've ever done. I don't miss it, hell I don't even think about it. Don't think of your short term anxiety/anger, think of how much better you'll feel when you're free.

Maybe you could post back if you're waivering? I'm sure you'll get a lot of support to help you through. Best of luck, man.

Vonhelmet · 12 Dec 2010 at 00:08

Quitting is easy!

I do it every month!

Sidney James · 12 Dec 2010 at 03:47

must agree with most of the posters having given up several times the easiest was 'cold turkey'.More recently a 'quitting advisor' said drink lots of bottled water and freaky but it seems to work? also replace the routine by exercising more! I know but this seems to physically help.All of this talk of being out of breath and feeling better when you stop puzzles me as I feel good when I smoke and **** when I stop! but I know it's the big C that's the main thing.Also try (I know it's hard) putting exactly the same amount that you spend on fags in a jar EVERY DAY It's hard when it's not for fags but that alone should make you think!(and there are some cool graphics cards due out!).Above all good luck and if your mates smoke avoid them for a couple of weeks(harsh i know)and if they offer you a ciggie when they they know you've given up then what does that say? also avoid booze when quitting (painful!)as it weakens your will.You CAN do it.

Zairs · 12 Dec 2010 at 04:02

i gave up about 18 months ago, best to stay off the booze for as long as possible i always found it hardest when drinking, good luck

platinum87 · 12 Dec 2010 at 05:23

The only way to win is to not play the game!

i.e. do not think about smoking

and also, do not think about how to not think about it either

My point is, nicotine addiction is extremely minor, the actual problem is the psychological addiction. If you keep thinking about it you will eventually loose, because theoretically you cannot win, as its either draw/loose (on a timeline)

Hence, you ignore it, and then you win!

j.col · 12 Dec 2010 at 16:11

still struggling sometimes,
but i know the triggers, stress, tea and beer.
also my missus is still smoking so i always have the temptation there on front of me.
i have been eating a lot lately, but this doesn't bother me, as i can always lose it later.
i have been lucky health wise, i have had no throat or chest problems, i haven't even had the phlegmy chest :confused:

but i am determined to quit for good this time

Draeger · 12 Dec 2010 at 16:16

j.col said:
also my missus is still smoking so i always have the temptation there on front of me.

That's a bit of a bummer. When I stopped smoking years ago, my wife also stopped at the same time. Really helped ( her more than me, I actually found it quite easy ). Can you not persude her to try and give up too?. Although I am guessing you already have tried asking her?.

j.col said:
but i am determined to quit for good this time

Good man, keep at it and you will manage it no problem. Best of luck.

bruce · 14 Jan 2011 at 14:05

My last cigarette was in the 1st week of January last year. 24 years a smoker.

E-cigarettes is what done it for me, never been tempted by a conventional fag at all.

Got no intention of giving E-cigarettes up. Love the flavours, and love the variation it gives you with different types of atomisers and batteries and voltages. Different combos of these give you a different experience.

But stay clear of the cigarette lookalikes. They're crap. Entry level would be Tornado/Ego set. Anything less and its a waste of time.

Pestilence · 14 Jan 2011 at 14:10

bruce said:
E-cigarettes is what done it for me, never been tempted by a conventional fag at all.

Got no intention of giving E-cigarettes up. Love the flavours, and love the variation it gives you with different types of atomisers and batteries and voltages. Different combos of these give you a different experience.

Ditto. Took 3 days on the e-cigs and I was off tobacco. Approximately 5 months clear of it now, with no intention of going back, or stopping vaping. There's just way too many great flavours and different hardware out there that it becomes an actual hobby!

I've got one of Gary Dibbley's small box mods coming (hopefully) tomorrow. Looks like it'd be fantastic with an LR 510 atomiser. Can't wait!

Badgi · 14 Jan 2011 at 14:14

Just tough it out. It will get easier. If you're find it hard, best advice from me is to avoid situations and scenarios that you associate with smoking.

Keep active. Quitting smoking is the start of a new life, so you should treat as such, try new things.

I don't even feel the urge to smoke anymore, even when surrounded by all my smoking buddies.

'Wes · 14 Jan 2011 at 14:16

I was on the flavoured nicotine gum for two weeks [that's how long one packet lasted] and i was fine after that.

JAYJT29 · 14 Jan 2011 at 15:04

E cigs got me off my 20 year smoking addiction, have not touched a smoke in the last 6 months, from the moment i got my first e cig. They really work!!

Give it a try and the added bonus is i can use them at work and in pubs

Check out the titan 510 or the tornado

Jay

Jedeye · 14 Jan 2011 at 15:11

Keep going OP, it only gets better from here.

Dont use that crappy nicotine gum though, it only makes things workse. Each stick has near 6 cigs of nicotine in it!