Quitting Smoking?

steevo d · 21-09-2007, 09:14 PM

ok everyone, i am 5 weeks into quitting smoking,
i am 32 & have been smoking since i was 15.
id like to hear some other members experiences
good or bad & any tips from the healthy side of life.

Casper · 21-09-2007, 09:18 PM

I'm now 8 weeks into quitting and going well. Its damn hard.
Stick with it.. I'm going to try too. Been smoking for 20 years and the best I've done is 3 months.. but this time its a little easier for whatever reason.

Van D · 21-09-2007, 09:19 PM

You should quit the VB whilst you're at it :P

steevo d · 21-09-2007, 09:19 PM

thats what i like to hear.

i forgot to mention what method was used?
i am on zyban & it seems to work for me.

Casper · 21-09-2007, 09:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steevo d

thats what i like to hear.

i forgot to mention what method was used?
i am on zyban & it seems to work for me.

Yep, the 3 months was due to zyban... its brilliant stuff. I was stupid enough to start again though so this time I'm going cold turkey and just dealing with it. I'm over the really bad cravings now but its still hard.
Amazing though, just 2 months has left me feeling far better than I have in the last 10 years. No more breaking into uncontrollable coughing fits when ever I do something as simple as laugh.

Bosman · 21-09-2007, 09:20 PM

Mate , gave up 16 months ago. After 20 years feel fantastic. The real place you feel it is in the morning when you realise you dont need to cough! Plus the other health effect is the wallet! But you just blow more on the car! So be it!

:

GT0132 · 21-09-2007, 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steevo d

ok everyone, i am 5 weeks into quitting smoking,
i am 32 & have been smoking since i was 15.
id like to hear some other members experiences
good or bad & any tips from the healthy side of life.

Good luck Steve....I'm 44 and have been smoking off and on since 17.

I do about 12 a day unless on the turps on a Friday or Sat night in which case it can be a packet in a night. When I want to stop (or cut down) I use the Nicorette Microtabs. They're like a small mint tab you stick under your tounge. They seem to work OK.

The times I've started again after quitting has always been when i'm out on the beers. If I could quit the grog giving up would be fairly easy. (I think)

The longest I've quit was 12 months in 89 and felt great. Although for 7 years between 93 and 2000 I smoked only when drinking (about a packet and a half a week) . Now doing 4 packs a week.

It's hard to believe that, despite my smoking, I still run the city to surf in a good time and do the annual Sydney to Gong bike ride and gym it 4 times a week. Although being fit that won't reverse the diseases caused by smoking which we all know too well about.

Good luck Steve

GT0132 · 21-09-2007, 09:33 PM

Another incentive to quit was being the only one out of my circle of friends who still smoke...I'd be the only one heading outside at a party for a puff...Looks silly on a cold winters night , not to mention unsociable...ha ha.

Jeeepers · 21-09-2007, 09:36 PM

Started smoking at 13, and quit at age 36. 23 years, and went cold turkey.. I lasted 4 days and lit one up... Only to have the foul taste make me throw it away before finishing it. There is no real secret to it. It comes down to whether you actually want to or not. I did. It's been 10 years now, and I don't miss it.

Reasons to stick with it. Food tastes great, wallet is happier, and most importantly health and that great breath of fresh air....

Hang in there man, it's all worth it.

GT0132 · 21-09-2007, 09:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ORSMT

Started smoking at 13, and quit at age 36. 23 years, and went cold turkey.. I lasted 4 days and lit one up... Only to have the foul taste make me throw it away before finishing it. There is no real secret to it. It comes down to whether you actually want to or not. I did. It's been 10 years now, and I don't miss it..

Mate the best tasting cig is the first one you light up after quitting I reckon.

Jeeepers · 21-09-2007, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ozmale42

Mate the best tasting cig is the first one you light up after quitting I reckon.

Bro, that's a true oxymoron... "Best tasting ciggy" Bit like "Fresh Frozen" Hahahahaha...

Kryton · 21-09-2007, 09:46 PM

i quit a few months ago myself. got up one morning and decided that i hadnt had a smoke for 12 hours, why have another.
just went cold turkey. found it pretty easy to do actually. quit drinking as well.
didnt stack on the weight wither.
i was led to believe that after 14 years of smoking, it would be hard. it wasnt hard at all.
good luck with it. stop and you wont look back.
remember, if you fail, your failing yourself.

steevo d · 21-09-2007, 09:46 PM

thanks for all the encouragement, it wasn't as bad as i thought it
would be. it seems the side effects of the zyban are worse than
the cravings most of the time.
the workmates were more surprised that i didn't turn into
a raving lunatic!
next thing is getting the missus to quit......i still have to smell
smoke at home & in the car when she lights up.......

Jeeepers · 21-09-2007, 09:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steevo d

i still have to smell
smoke at home & in the car when she lights up.......

*shudder* Know where your coming from man.... It seems that you are in the right mind to quit. You might find the drugs aren't needed... And even better for you if so.

Good luck with it all mate.

**killerjoolz** · 21-09-2007, 10:08 PM

I haven't had a durrie since I was 4 months pregnant with my last baby,she will be 17 in a few months.........I just quit cold turkey when i found i was having a baby,and haven't smoked a ciggie since....bit harder for you to do it that way though I spose.....lol

Bosman · 21-09-2007, 11:37 PM

No need for ANYONE to smoke inside! Was a smoker for 25 years and no way id smoke around the kids , inside house or car! Just lay down the rules , they will respect the fact your doin the right thing. If not , ....... Seeeeee Yaaaaaaa !

Redrum · 21-09-2007, 11:42 PM

All the best to those who have given up this habit!!!

Zed7fiddy · 22-09-2007, 01:27 AM

I quit once for health reasons, used Zyban, was good for three months, but started again :(

You need to be quitting for the right reasons though

so this time i quit for money ;)

I Worked out that every pack of cigarrtetes costed me roughly 20 bucks (minumum), 20 bucks a day for a week is 140.... coz every time id buy a pack of BnH id get in the car, drive to the shops, get a pack of ciggies, pack of chips, coke, newspaper, magazine, whatever else cought my fancy.... needless to say ive quit most of them too lol, Save soooo much money now!

Im now Nicotine free after 1.5 years! and there is no turning back!

Riksta · 22-09-2007, 01:46 AM

I personally feel that quitting anything is a sign of weakness.

Then again, I have no willpower. I want to quit for health reasons, but just love it wayyy too much unfortunately :(

To those quitting I wish you all the best, I wish I could bring myself to do it as well.

thek · 22-09-2007, 01:59 AM

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Allen-Carrs-.../dp/0140277633

buy this book. it will change your life. it did for me.....

Riksta · 22-09-2007, 02:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thek

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Allen-Carrs-.../dp/0140277633

buy this book. it will change your life. it did for me.....

So to save us smokers the money on the book, what is the so called "easy way" summed up in short?

TruBlu351 · 22-09-2007, 05:46 AM

Just cover yourself in patches!!!

Here's a few light hearted vids for motivation ;) Hang in there Fellas!

If you're havin' a hard time quiting.......this will fix it for sure

:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VUEtu33Tgc

http://youtube.com/watch?v=ky8fCSI-kgA

Carrot stick?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0aslMIOerc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxsjhREHH3M

TruBlu351 · 22-09-2007, 06:04 AM

An old fav.

Background is the dad quit 20 years ago....and catches his kid smoking!!

Fast forward to 5min 28sec

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHcVi1oszog

farmernz · 22-09-2007, 07:35 AM

i started at 15, now 32 and gave up may last year, i had the flu and felt crap i hadnt smoked all day and went out for 1 about 3pm and it made me spew so i threw them in a cupboard and havent had one since. what helped me was having a tictac (mint) every time i felt like a smoke. i always lite up when i got in the car so i started taking a thermos and travel mug full of tea and had that instead to occupy my smoking hand. i thought cold turkey was best because it got the nicotine out of your system quicker and after that it is only mental. i also stopped drinking coffee cause for me it went hand in hand with smoking. the longer you resist it the shorter the cravings get until you get to the piont where you forget you ever smoked. the second you cave in all that time and agony stopping is lost. i know lots of people who have quite and any method that works is good- patches,gum, hipmotism,books, etc. a 53 year old came in to work the other day stinking of smoke and told us he had a stroke and clots on the brain, he said 5 dr's had told him to stop-all i could think was im glad ive lessened my chances of being like that in 20 yrs. other things that helped was making myself eat breakfast in stead of coffe and smokes, anything that changes your smoking routine. knowing they were in the cupboard was a good thing for me because i knew i could beat the temptation-about 6 months ago i gave them to a mate and said i dont them anymore, he has since quite as well, if you get throught it in time you wake up feeling better, and food tastes better, and you can spend the money on other things you want. give it ago what have you got to lose?

GT-E · 22-09-2007, 08:11 AM

I have been off the smokes for 9 months after 20 years.
I stopped by Cold Turkey, but using the tips in the Allan Carr book. It will eaither give you the mental tools to quit or bore you into quitting, but a worthwhile read. I know several people who quit using AC's techniques.
One thing it will teach you is that it is not hard to quit. Nobody has ever died from quitting smoking. the withdrawals are only as bad as your mind makes them. The book will teach you ways to overcome the physical and mental effects of quitting.
As for the drugs and replacement therapy, they are a waste of money and will fail for most people.
The first step is you must want to quit, then plan the quit day and stay away from smokers and booze for a couple of weeks.
It was the best thing I ever did and just hope that the 20 years of smoking has not caused peremant damage to my body.
I also read the other day that Australia has one of the lowest smoking rate in the world, only 14%.

Laminge · 22-09-2007, 08:27 AM

Everytime I see this thread I light up another one...

Jeeepers · 22-09-2007, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Laminge

Everytime I see this thread I light up another one...

Hahahaha... Non conformist.

Bucknaked · 22-09-2007, 08:35 AM

I quit New Years Eve 2000. Mrs was pregnant with our first, and I figured we owed it to our child to bring him into a smoke free environment. Before and after birth. So we both went cold turkey and neither of have taken it back up. Nrarly 7 years

If you have children, this should be your incentive. Deal with those cravings and don't cave in. A don't use it as an excuse if you fail. Everytime I had considered another ciggy, I think about that.

GK351 · 22-09-2007, 03:37 PM

I have quit quiting!!
I love them too much.

My old man took zyban for a month whilst still having craves for cigs.
In the end he threw the zyban out in favour for the cigs. Everyones different i guess.

Good luck with it anyway steve.

sarrge2001 · 22-09-2007, 03:56 PM

12 weeks tomorrow cold turkey

For some reason it's been easier this time - even at the pub.

You definately have to want to do it for yourself and not be coerced into it....

Keep it up guys.....