i'm a quitter...again.

[limeyangler]

Hi all,

 

1st 24 hours in the bag! I keep stopping what i'm doing every half hour or so and find myself heading to the door for a smoke...makes me giggle at myself. gave up for 5 years from 2011 and have been smoking for just over a year now. I smoked twice as much the second time round, guess in the back of my mind I knew i had to quit again soon so was hitting it hard before that inevitability.....lol. Gonna be a bumpy week, but feeling good about myself already, hate hugging the kid or wife after I have had a smoke, they do too! No standing outside in -30c either this winter with the mass cigarette butt clean up in the spring, just dog poop to clean up again...lol.

 

I have gone the nicorette patches way again, worked for me last time. A lot of this is mental but there is the physical dependancy also, so I'll take all the help I can get, no point trying to tough it out...be kind to yourself is my motto.

 

As for the cravings...well they are simply a feeling...feelings pass, as as time goes by the feeling of cravings get fewer and further between.

 

The last time I quit I thought the hardest part would be not smoking while fishing, in fact that is the easiest part, and a good place to be because if you don't take smokes with you there is nowhere to get any for 100 miles....lol...and once i'm fishing i tend not to think about smoking to much. Even having smokers in the boat did not bother me last time, maybe won't invite them for the first week or so though, getting cocky is a warning sign of relapse.

 

wish me luck!

Edited September 13, 2017 by limeyangler

[quickme]

keep it up!! Going on 2 and half years right now.. Its all mental, the physical part I found wasn't difficult, its just breaking the routine.

[limeyangler]

keep it up!! Going on 2 and half years right now.. Its all mental, the physical part I found wasn't difficult, its just breaking the routine.

 

 

 

Good on you! I agree that a large part of the addiction is mental, however, I am loathe to ignore the physical part as that can be the trigger. I know there is a physical dependancy because of something that happened last time I quit. We went out in the boat with some friends for a day in the sun , fishing and a shore lunch on an island. Picture perfect day doing stuff we all enjoy with good friends. I was about 3 weeks into quitting at that point. Going across the lake I felt extremely edgy and agitated, this stayed with me all day, but I was just mindful of it and did not let it manifest itself and bring people down. When I got home i went to get in the shower and realized that I had forgotten to put my patch on that morning.....lol. So the idea that patches are just a placebo effect is not right in my opinion, because if they were I totally believed I had the patch on all day and therefore would not have been agitated at all.

[crappieperchhunter]

Simon my brother had to quit 3 times before it stuck...been over 25 years now so I think he has it beat.

 

My old man had a 3 pack a day habit. Quit 5 years ago or so...when he was diagnosed with COPD....which means he quit too late. Hooked up to oxygen all the time now. Has a small tank he can travel with and calls it his girlfriend. Hard to see someone so capable reduced to what he can do now.

 

Dirty senseless habit. Best of luck kicking it to the curb.

[the spirit of fishing]

Good decision.

It's only slightly more than 6 months since I quit.

My wife and daughter are my biggest supporters and I've not run into anyone, smokers included ,who aren't happy with my decision.

Something I found helpful to me was to look ahead at activities or places that might be

triggers to smoke and plan how to handle the situation before I encountered it.

There are a number of aids out there to help you quit.

The best one is the one that works for you.

I like your attitude about the cravings-keep it up!

[huzzsaba]

I wonder which one is harder. Quitting smoking or losing weight? Anyway, I wish you the best Simon!

[limeyangler]

I wonder which one is harder. Quitting smoking or losing weight? Anyway, I wish you the best Simon!

 

 

LOL...the last time I quit i put on 30lbs in a matter of months, only problem is it did not go away when I started smoking again, so I can't afford to put another 30lbs on this time around....lol.

[ketchenany]

I quit when we had our first child, she will be 40 this week!

Good luck Simon all you'll save money and your health.

[buick14]

I had bad withdrawal and mood swings, even suffered headaches, foggy disconnected feelings and etc . I was so surprised that something could do that to me . I had quit off and on but would always start again after half a year - year. Those were always cold turkey quits, and I always self consciously clinged on to the hope that I could eventually have a smoke here and there once I wasn't addicted anymore type crap.

 

When I decided to quit for the final time, it was very difficult because I told myself never again.

I used the gum and walked around with a spit cup so as not to swallow the saliva which caused bad heartburn for me. I started with like 20 pieces of gum day one (anytime I even thought about a smoke), then it slowly reduced. When I knew I would be in a social setting where I would be tempted, I always had a lot of nicotine gum and used it.

I think I went through 5 or 6 packs of thrive , and I will never start again. I Used a lot of gum up front, then just didn't need it. One a week, one/two maybe 5 months in

then everntually she was gone.

 

Now after about 4 years of being smoke free, I sometime find myself wanting a smoke, but it's so minor and never leaves me dead in my tracks (ie no withdrawal feelings, no thinking about it and dwelling in it for more than a few seconds), but then I remind myself of the control it had on me.

 

I'm done, never again.

 

Good luck u got this

Edited September 14, 2017 by buick14

[lookinforwalleye]

coming up on 3 years for me and it took me 3 times on Champix....I always enjoyed smoking but it was starting to affect my breathing in a big way and I figured if I didn`t stop now I'd be one of those guys dragging an oxygen tank around and as extra motivation I witnessed 3 co-workers and a family member diagnosed with lung cancer...and if that was not motivation enough I have had the very unfortunate personal circumstance that has me at Princess Margaret Hospital frequently and if that place does not give you a dose of scared straight then I don't know what will....

 

Good Luck and remember there is no upside to smoking it is a filthy habit that will kill you!

[J Roelofsen]

Been two years for me after smoking for 20+. Vaping was my saviour, it was so easy! I had quit before a few times for up to a year and always had cravings. Weaning myself off the nicotine using a vape has left me with zero cravings and for the first time I can say without the slightest doubt I will never smoke again. It took about 8 months to get to zero nicotine and about another 3 months to get to the point where I didn't have the urge to even use the vape.

 

Josh

Edited September 14, 2017 by J Roelofsen

[spincast]

If you can do the job you do and keep your cool, loosing this monkey from your back is just a matter of focus. Almost 30 years for me. Was a 2 pack a day person (watch this now).... always said I would quit when they cost a $1.00 a pack - quit when they went to $1.10 for a small pack at the Macs milk. Was driving taxi at the time. Get a call - light up. Fare smokes? Light up. Drop the fare? Light up. Park for the next fare? LIght up; waiting - light up.

 

Someone here once said, all you have to do is say. that was my last smoke.

 

Yup, its physical.

Yup its mental (my desires lasted for 10 years - especially when someone opened a fresh pack after I'd had a beer or two)

 

But if you quit already you know - after 10 days its easy to say no. you just wanted to know if you could have just one...

rooting for ya dood.

[limeyangler]

If you can do the job you do and keep your cool, loosing this monkey from your back is just a matter of focus. Almost 30 years for me. Was a 2 pack a day person (watch this now).... always said I would quit when they cost a $1.00 a pack - quit when they went to $1.10 for a small pack at the Macs milk. Was driving taxi at the time. Get a call - light up. Fare smokes? Light up. Drop the fare? Light up. Park for the next fare? LIght up; waiting - light up.

 

Someone here once said, all you have to do is say. that was my last smoke.

 

Yup, its physical.

Yup its mental (my desires lasted for 10 years - especially when someone opened a fresh pack after I'd had a beer or two)

 

But if you quit already you know - after 10 days its easy to say no. you just wanted to know if you could have just one...

rooting for ya dood.

 

 

 

Thanks Rick, actually just got in from cleaning the boat out for a trip tomorrow, found a pack in there with 3 in it, boy oh boy.....tempted, but I scrunched therm up and threw them out, not before soaking them with the hose just in case I changed my mind and tried to salvage them....lol.

[misfish]

Smoked, vaped,got sick from vape,stopped for 3 months. Hung with smokers at work,never bothered me. One day stupid me said, ah, just a cigar cant hurt while fishing the cold rivers. ( was always something I loved ) Well, It did. Smoking cigars still. Stupid I. Oh well, maybe one day again I will try.

 

Good luck Simon.

[npt1]

Started smoking when I was 15 years old, peer pressure from my crowd of friends.

Smoked a pack and a half for 35 years, smokes were 45 cents for a large pack

when I started.

When I quit, A carton of smokes was over $40.00

 

When my first grand child was born and I held her in my arms,

I knew it was time to quit smoking, so this little girl could have

a Grampa and I could enjoy her life with me to the limit.

 

Went on the nicotine patch and NEVER looked back-- I was done smoking..

Over 20 years since I smoked, Grand daughter is now in University

and I will be alive to see her graduate..)))

 

There is nothing POSITIVE about smoking. It is disgusting and robs

children of grand parents, parents, aunts and uncles- etc.

 

If you smoke now, please stop and think about the future of your health.

 

SORRY if I rant, smoking kills...

[gordy28]

Smoked, vaped,got sick from vape,stopped for 3 months. Hung with smokers at work,never bothered me. One day stupid me said, ah, just a cigar cant hurt while fishing the cold rivers. ( was always something I loved ) Well, It did. Smoking cigars still. Stupid I. Oh well, maybe one day again I will try.

 

Good luck Simon.

Brian you sound like me. Quit cigarettes for years and then one weekend out golfing smoked a colt. Years later still a pack a day of Old Ports. Quit date is next Saturday

Good luck Simon. Stay strong

Gordy

[quickme]

Smoked, vaped,got sick from vape,stopped for 3 months. Hung with smokers at work,never bothered me. One day stupid me said, ah, just a cigar cant hurt while fishing the cold rivers. ( was always something I loved ) Well, It did. Smoking cigars still. Stupid I. Oh well, maybe one day again I will try.

 

Good luck Simon.

one of the biggest reasons i stopped smoking cigarettes was cigars.. I love my cigars but I smoke 1 or 2 a week. It was much better than 2 packs of cigarettes a day even though each cigar is worth about the same as a pack of smokes

[SirCranksalot]

I quit about 35 years ago--best thing I ever did. For the first while I rewarded myself by buying 'stuff' with the $$ I saved by quitting.

 

I don't know if the craving(maybe more like an impulse) ever goes away completely but after a while such impulses become easier to ignore and let past!!

 

Think of the rewards--better health ( e.g. lung cap'y), more money(Fishing gear?? )

 

Hang in there.

[blaque]

Quit about 15 years ago, and thinking back it was pretty easy after the first few weeks or maybe it was the first few months lol

 

I did have a smoke a couple years back on a fishing trip while sittin around the fire gabbin with the guys.......Dumbest thing i ever let a beer decide for me lol. Luckily , i actually didnt enjoy it at all and i dodged a big bullet there

 

Bad part is i still have a chew habit, quit for 6 months last year and bought a bag for a fishing weekend that i thought i could just enjoy for a few days and drop again. Nope........back on it. Us tobacco addicts aint always the smartest fellows

 

Ive also tried the cigar thing to get me thru the early stages temporarily.........all that turned into was a cigar habit lol

[Musky Plug]

I quit about 4.5 years ago. It's been one of the hardest things I've done. Smoked for years, and still to this day have relapses now and then.

 

Have a bunch of friends that tried the vape things for a while, one of them actually quit and all the others right back on the death darts.

[J Roelofsen]

Getting the right setup, settings and juice that will work for you is the key to quitting with a vape. Most of my friends have cheaped out, gotten frustrated and given up quickly. I'll admit I spent a fair amount of $$$ on mods, tanks, juices finding what I liked but in the long run the $20 a day I'm saving not smoking was well worth it, not only for my wallet but my health

 

Josh