I'm going to smoke, and I'd like to see some answers upon my return!

[arialmt]

I want to quit smoking. Sort of.

You have to really want to, then choose a nicotine replacement therapy. Obviously for you Chantix is out, which is too bad since nicotine itself is out of your system within 48 hours. I smoked for 20-25 years and spent many of those sort of wanting to quit. I say sort of because I always went back after a year of so, always when I was drunk. The problem there is I would smoke for 3 or 4 years then quit for a few months/year and a new pattern started.

This time I'm confident I got it right. I don't even want to smoke. It's about control or rather being controlled by a death stick. It's also about NOT buying a tobacco executive a BMW in the next 5 years. I know if I have just one, ever the pattern will start again and I am absolutely not willing to begin the roller coaster of shame again. Chantix was key and because I had experience in quitting I was able to take the 1st month starter and stretch it an extra week and a half, lowering the dose to taper not only my temper but the shock of discontinuation. Didn't have the dreams just the crabby attitude and a couple stomach issues.

I've used the patch in the past with pretty good results and really preferred the patch. It's a good idea to use a little cortisone cream underneath and have several different places to apply one, arms/shoulders, a different place every day. It's like: 20 mins after you put one on your brain feels like you're smoking and you stay calm all day long. Just don't sleep with a patch or the weird dreams find they're way back.

The gum is ok but gave me the hiccups.

Hope you muster up the strength to take that step.

[skript]

E-cigs worked for me, it's not the same but it will at least help with the cravings and withdrawal symptoms.

[Tfpets]

I was the victim of smoking when I was young. My mom quit while she was pregnant with me. Started up again after I was born. I grew up with constant sinus infections, ear infections, allergies to everything! She quit when I was around 12. At 35 I still have adverse effects from it . I am allergic to everything still. Always have sinus infections. Just the smell of cigarettes gives me a sore throat, headache and bad attitude! I hear smokers talk about being sick or having a cold and I think "DUH!" all I have to do is smell that crap and it does that to me! I can't even imagine what it would feel like to suck it into my body! Paybacks a.....! In the back of my mind, no matter who it is, if I know you smoke, your IQ dropped by 50%!

[olstyn]

I'm spending an average of $8 a day on cigarettes. That could add up pretty quickly, if I could keep from trying to roll it into a dried-leaf-smoke!

If you're spending that much on it, how is the financial motivation alone not enough to make you quit? $8/day is almost $3000/year. I wish I had a spare $3K/year to just dump - I'd have a GTP, I'd get some cool stuff for my wife, *and* my car would get some fun upgrades. Quit and you can instantly afford a car payment you couldn't previously justify, or you can buy 50 new full-price new release video games every year, or you can go out to dinner way more often, or you could put it all away in a college fund for your kid, or whatever trips your trigger, but that's a LOT of money to be spending on something that has no benefit and only serves to up your cancer risk and make you smell bad.

[BrandiR]

In the back of my mind, no matter who it is, if I know you smoke, your IQ dropped by 50%!

Well I guess I'm fortunate my IQ is pretty high to begin with

Thank you all so much for your input. It helps to know that I'm not the only one who has such a hard time with this! My primary issue is that I don't want to be a slave to it anymore. After reading what some of you have said, I started thinking about it and I literally plan my life around smoking!

I've heard the e-cigarettes are helpful, but I have concerns that mimicking the habit like that could just prolong the quitting process. I think I'm going to shoot for cold turkey. If I find that it's just too tough, I'll throw in some Nicorette.

January 1, that's the day. With any luck, I'll be a nonsmoker before I turn 35 (later in January), and with even more luck I won't look like I'm 62 when I'm 35!

[BrandiR]

If you're spending that much on it, how is the financial motivation alone not enough to make you quit? $8/day is almost $3000/year. I wish I had a spare $3K/year to just dump - I'd have a GTP, I'd get some cool stuff for my wife, *and* my car would get some fun upgrades. Quit and you can instantly afford a car payment you couldn't previously justify, or you can buy 50 new full-price new release video games every year, or you can go out to dinner way more often, or you could put it all away in a college fund for your kid, or whatever trips your trigger, but that's a LOT of money to be spending on something that has no benefit and only serves to up your cancer risk and make you smell bad.

I agree completely! Sometimes I will see a $5000 pair of earrings I want and think, "Yeah, right!" But really, I get a pretty awesome discount and if I were to go to work every morning and hand my boss $8, I'd have them in six months (that was a guess, it's too early for math). It's funny how I don't even bother to justify giving 7-11 $8 a day, but when I see an expensive something that I want, I think, "You couldn't possibly spend that much money on yourself, you selfish woman!" Ha HA!

A big part of it is changing my perspective. Baby steps....

[MrLang]

You have to focus on all of the negatives and weigh it against the positives (hint, there are literally none).

That's how your perspective changes.

[Punkymom]

Every year I celebrate (in my head) my yearly "smoke free" anniversary! I quit cold turkey July 3, 2008. It took me from February or March of that year to get the gumption to do it. Here's my advice: write down ALL of the benefits of quitting. Read them every day. Set a date (looks like you already have). Change up your routine; drive a different way to work, sit in a different chair, go out the back door instead of the front, etc. Try to avoid places where you usually smoke. This is easier if you don't smoke indoors. The hardest for me was after meals. I didn't know what to do with myself because I was so used to going outside after eating and smoking. I did EVERYTHING I could think of! Puzzles, watch tv, color, sew, bake, blah, blah, blah. For me the first 2 weeks were the hardest. Getting through the really BAD cravings SUCKS! I've been 100% smoke free for 4.5 years now. I even survived living with a friend of mine for the summer with smokers IN THE HOUSE and I STILL didn't smoke one! I don't tell you this to brag because believe me I was tempted. I tell you to encourage you to make that list, memorize it, and stick to your guns about why you're quitting! I liked smoking, too. That was my number 1 reason for NOT quitting. But I realized that if I wanted to better my health, smell better, and save money that I needed to DO something! You can do this! Finally, I leave you with my favorite quote of all time:

"Excuses are for losers, winners find a way."

[Kodieh]

Ha Ha! I'm not nearly as hooked as most of you! One time, I gave ALL of my access to money to my boyfriend and told him that he is NOT to return it, no matter what I do, until I have gone a month without a cigarette. By the second day I was like a crack head tearing my car apart in search of quarters. By the second day, I was literally screaming at him that he's a controlling psycho who has NO right to withhold money from me, as I am an adult and I work full time! Ha Ha. It's funny now, but it wasn't at the time. He says he never made any phone calls to see about having me committed, but I'm not sure. He held out for as long as he could, but he finally caved and told me I'd have to try a different method. Preferably one that didn't involve screaming like a banshee and wild eyes

I do like the idea of the reward system. I'm spending an average of $8 a day on cigarettes. That could add up pretty quickly, if I could keep from trying to roll it into a dried-leaf-smoke! I don't think I'd buy a snake though. I'd probably try to smoke that too. I'll have to think of something 100% flame retardant.

Really, I'm thinking about trying the gum or the patch. Has anyone had any success with either of these?

Well, since I like math. 8 x 30 = 240 a month, and in five months that's 1200.

Sent from my SAMSUNG Galaxy SIII using Tapatalk 2

[jbean7916]

I was the victim of smoking when I was young. My mom quit while she was pregnant with me. Started up again after I was born. I grew up with constant sinus infections, ear infections, allergies to everything! She quit when I was around 12. At 35 I still have adverse effects from it . I am allergic to everything still. Always have sinus infections. Just the smell of cigarettes gives me a sore throat, headache and bad attitude! I hear smokers talk about being sick or having a cold and I think "DUH!" all I have to do is smell that crap and it does that to me! I can't even imagine what it would feel like to suck it into my body! Paybacks a.....! In the back of my mind, no matter who it is, if I know you smoke, your IQ dropped by 50%!

I am also allergic to everything and have frequent sinus infections but neither of my parents smoked. I smoke now but started loooong after the allergies and sinus trouble.

To the OP, you have to want it. That's the bottom line, if you aren't ready, you are just setting yourself up to fail.

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2