Stopped smoking!

[Zero]

Way to go Minnie! Congratulations on quiting. I know how hard it is. I quit on 4/24/03 - 3 days before my birthday! I am going on 2 years this month. Oh I will say that every once in awhile I think "Hmmmm a cigarette sure would be good right now". I do not cheat though. I prayed alot to help with my cravings.

Good luck and congrats - you won't be sorry. Now you can take that extra money and put gas in the car...like I do.

We must have the same birthday, Marcia 4/27! I also have a sister who spells her name the same as you do And now we're BOTH non-smokers! You and I, I mean.....well, also my sister, because she quit last Sunday when I arrived to visit her!

I AM having fun with the money I'm saving too......so glad it's not being spent on killing myself anymore!

[Rhonnie]

Dear Dee,
YEAH YOU!!! It takes a lot to break a habit that long-standing.
Keep up the good work. Have fun with the extra cash....good time
to treat yourself.

[Zero]

Just wanted you all to know I'm still smoke free since March 1. I spent 5 days with my sister and she didn't smoke either. I'm just not sure if she'll be able to resist going back. I HOPE she will, but we all know how hard it is.....

Here's something from http://www.quitnet.com that I found interesting:
Gender differences in smoking
Not surprisingly, research shows that the smoking patterns and quitting experiences of men and women are often quite different. Women smoke fewer cigarettes per day, usually smoke lower nicotine cigarettes, and do not inhale as deeply as men. Men are more likely to attempt a cold-turkey quit. Nicotine replacement products like the patch or gum do not appear to reduce craving as effectively for women as for men, and withdrawal may be more intense for women. Weight gain is also more of an issue for women. Some interesting studies have shown that husbands may provide less effective support to women who are trying to quit than wives give to husbands.

[vjr]

Congratulations. I've tried to stop smoking about 20 times now. Think about it every week. I'm pushing the big 50 this fall and want to be in good physical health. Tell myself every week I'm going to quit. My husband smokes also. So unless I kick him out....which is a thought....
Anyway, Dee keep posting on this subject and other as well. Maybe someday I or others will get the point!.. Being pre-meno and give up cigs...no one better mess with me.

[Zero]

hahahah...that's kind of how I feel.....don't mess with me!! I can't say I've been the most pleasant person throughout this ordeal, but living alone makes it much easier.

Today is 45 days and I'm irritable (on and off) about everything from my computer equipment to Dr. Phil & Oprah reruns!!

I will keep posting on the subject as long as you all are still reading it!!

[Guest]

Hey all!

I quit on Sunday last. I originally had set a quit date for May 6th but then wondered what the heck I was waiting for! I bought the Commit lozenges and they help SO much!

Glad that you have hit 45 days Dee, pleasant or not!!! Hang in there.

Andrea

[Zero]

Good for you, Andrea!!! I just popped a sugar free cinnamon candy in my mouth.....a big help once I stopped using the lozenges. I will pray that you have an easy time of it and I'm really proud of you for not waiting!!

It's not going to be easy, but it will be a lot easier than fighting cancer or emphysema.....that's for sure!

[Zero]

Gotta tell you all......this story really helped me quit:
http://www.momscancer.com

[Guest]

just keep breathing in deeply, letting o2 fill that new lung space.

[Zero]

I just realized that I'm feeling angry about not smoking.....isn't that weird? I know I don't want to smoke (and I'm not going to!), but I seem to have more anger just bubbling under the surface.....it's not a raging kind of anger, more like severely irritated.

I HAVE been having dreams about smoking (that I cheated and hid it from everyone) like someone here suggested I would. Very strange.

Here's a copy of a tip I got from quitnet.com

H.A.L.T.

Remember the acronym: H.A.L.T. When you allow yourself to become too HUNGRY, ANGRY, LONELY and/or TIRED, odds are that the urge to smoke will appear and/or increase. If you're experiencing a sudden craving for a cigarette, ask yourself if you're HUNGRY. If you are, eat something other than cigarette smoke. ANGRY or LONELY? Call someone and vent, or talk to a coworker or your partner. If TIRED, never underestimate the therapeutic value of a nap or a good night's sleep. You're now learning how to live a smoke-free life.

[Guest]

HALT is used in 12 step, too. & for compulsive shopping. It's great. When I feel like I'm losing it, I HALT. Often it's 1 or more things on the list.

I had dreams too where cigarettes appeared. I was sosossosoSO angry about EVERYTHING when I quit. Constantly irritable at the least. I was like, why can't I smoke? I know it's bad, but WHY can't I smoke. Totally nonsensical but in my mind it was perfectly logical. Then I would feel like bargaining about it. God the whole thing is such a mind**#^. Of course, paying money to harm oneself and pollute the environment is pretty insane, too.

Smoking is like temporary insanity. However long it lasts. Are you getting exercise, where you raise heartrate so can feel the fresh, great air in your lungs? anyway, cheers, Dee! you rock

sfogrrl

[Zero]

You SO described my feelings of anger and irritation, sfogrrl....just like with menopause, it's so validating when you know someone else understands exactly how you feel and what you're going through!

Unfortunately, I haven't gotten to the exercise part yet.....I know I need to because I have to stop gaining weight! But I totally agree that I need to get out and start walking, not only for the breathing benefits, but I think it will help with the anger issue too.

Still smoke free at 52 days, but pissed off about it! LOL

[Guest]

keeping in mind I was still at least somewhat young when I quit, I left a nasty message on my answering machine for like a week. so embarrased to admit this but the message was, "Hello, this is (my name). If you don't know what it's like to quit smoking, **** you! Leave a message."

but it's kinda funny now

Anyway, I'm all about swimming. I always feel like I'm cheating on exercising when I swim (again, that weird logic!) but MAN does it keep my body thin. All i do is paddle around and in 20 minutes I feel great & sleep like a baby.

Maybe an idea. It's cheap & don't need to look good doing it!
& it builds on itself FAST. I can do laps for an hour now. When I drink a glutamine drink after it MELTS fat into my bones. It's like you can feel it.
sfogrrl

[minniepauz]

Here we are on Aug 3 and I'm still a QUITTER!!! That's 5 months without a cigarette (or even a drag on a cigarette). No one is more amazed than me! Even around other smokers I'm not giving in to it (although I wish they would quit too!

My sister was here for 4 days last week and it just reminded me how smoking controlled my life and wasted a LOT of time!

Anyway, I hope some of you have been able to hang in there with me! Let us know how you're doing...even if you haven't been able to quit, ok?

[minniepauz]

I want to thank all of you again for your support nearly 7 months ago when I quit smoking! Reading your stories and experiences helped a lot and confirmed my desire to become a quitter!

And the part about smelling the smoke on others? Oh my god!! It's awful and I'm so embarrassed that I smelled like that around my grandkids (even back to my KIDS.....like at teacher conferences!)