FAO: Those that have given up smoking

[J-WS6]

Today's the day, i've decided to give up for good.

Which method worked best for you?

Im sure I could do it just by stopping, but I think i'll be less tempted if I use a patch/gum etc.

[Bill R]

J-WS6, congratulations. If you can give it up just by deciding, you're better than me. Then again I smoked for about 30 years before quitting. I used Welbutrin (Zyban). I only took it for about 10 days, not the recommended period because I didn't like the way it made me feel. For a couple of days comeing off the Welbutrin wasn't so good but it was much easier than getting off nicotine cold turkey. Good Luck!

[Lictalon]

I ate a great deal...no, wait, I did that before.

Actually, I got very lucky. My girlfriend (and then fiance, and then wife) made it very clear that smoking was a no no and would result in a lack of her. Apparently, the desire to procreate is stronger than the desire to smoke.

Seriously, change as many of your "smoking" habits as possible. I would always light up while driving home from work...I started going for a walk after work, because then I would have something different, and wouldn't have the habit reinforcing the craving.

Some of the medications really seem to help, but I haven't tried any.

P.S. Hey mods...500th post.

[Chaplain Wolf]

When I quit I just made up my mind to quit.

everytime i got a craving, I did some push up's or went running or some sort of excersize.
, when I could.

otherwise I chewed a whole lot of gum.

best of luck to you!

[retired]

I simply took my last puff, and threw the cigarette away, and never smoked again. I use to smoke two to three packs a day, and now I can't even stand the smell of tobacco smoke.

[156]

I don't smoke and never have but I just wanted to say good for you!!!! Your heart and lungs will thank you.

I know you're still young and don't think about these things, soooo many people I carry in every day have breathing problems, heart problems and diseases directly related to smoking. I think if every person who smokes were made to suction that green nasty gunk from a patient's airway just once in their life, they'd never want to smoke again. I'm serious. It's stomach-turning.

Please stick with this. It could be one of the very best decisions you'll ever make in your life. Best of luck to you!

[J-WS6]

Thanks all for the kind words..

I just went to the Pharmacy and almost passed out when I saw the prices of the nicotine replacement thingies!

I had never before in my life paid $35 for a pack of gum !

[Mongo]

A good exercise program can help. I finally kicked the habit when I got serious about running. Something just clicked inside me, and the thought of putting that smoke into my lungs after all the work I've put into getting in shape was enough to get me to stop.

The hardest time for me was the morning drive to work with a hot cup of coffee.

[Mike Tx]

I quit cold turkey 11 years, 6 months, 2 weeks, 5 days, 6 hours, and 22 minutes ago.

[Mike Tx]

When I quit, I was told food would taste a lot better. They were right, and I just kept tasting it and tasting it and tasting it.

[AutumnAngel]

I'm not bashing any of you smokers but I'm just wondering why some of you started. Did your parents smoke? I tried it once when I was 17 and I'm sorry but that is the grossest thing I have ever done. I tried to be cool with my friends and get used to the taste but I couldn't get over the fact that it tasted like smoke and my lungs burned like fire when I tried to breathe it in! I just figured since so many people do it that it must taste good or something. I was just flabbergasted at my personal experience with it.

[Dave Cohen]

I woke up one morning, looked at the pack of cigarettes on the night table, gagged, and quit on the spot. Every time I even remotely considered a cigarette, I recalled the gag reflex and never smoked again. That was in November 1979. For those of you too young to remember, those were the days of leisure suits...which, I can attest, burned quickly at the drop of a hot cigarette ash!

[J-WS6]

Im a trend setter, I started smoking and the rest of my grade at school followed !

Seriously I dunno why i started smoking. I know the first times i smoked it wasnt cause of my friends or anything, was just that my mother and her boyfriend smoked, and they would leave their cigarettes lying around, So i would sneak one every now and again (I was about 11-12yrs old). Didnt really start smoking (inhailing) till I was about 14, and I think that was because i hung around with a lot of older people.

Also, in the UK, a teenager that doesnt smoke isnt a teenager!

[Bill R]

It kept the gnats and skeeters out of my face. Besides, the girls were grossed out by chew.

[Blue23]

quote:

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Which method worked best for you?

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Cancer

Nothing like that feeling of your heart sinking down to your stones when the doc utters that word. Keep the nicotine gum, that one word helped me quit.

Good luck

[ 05-19-2003, 11:18 PM: Message edited by: Blue23 ]