Quitting Smoking

[Tarheel]

The silence is deafening.....come on smokers......gonna quit? EH!!!!!!!

[meagain]

I quit for TEN years. Started up again 3-4 years ago. I'm smoking more than I ever have. I work from home and hence lost the 'cant' smoke' factor that comes along with a real job. I fear lung cancer to the point I'm now dreaming about it. I fear emphasema and worry that I already have it. I'm pretty disgusted with myself to say the least. I mean - no one smokes anymore. I bought Carr's book and it's a good light read and it makes sense to me. It's a matter of truely wanting to quit and I've felt I really didn't want to. Starting tomorrow, I'm going to cut down. I've also been smoking in my home office with the window open. There's something about working tediously behind a computer that makes me smoke. I'm going to create a rule where I can only smoke outside. Hence - I'll have to don shoes, jacket, and be someone uncomfortable standing outside like an idiot or sitting in a cold patio chair.

Last week, after working outside, I came in and found a tick on my shoulder sleeve. I have not owned a hand held mirror for years for whatever reason. Husband came home and I asked him to check my back for ticks. He told me I have some "spots". Next day I get a mirror and boom - I have spots on my upper back. Like big freckles. My skin has always been pristine. Today I go to the doc for annual exam and tell her about it. She doesn't like what she sees and tells me to get to a dermatologist. Great. So yea, I can blame the sun, but I have to wonder what the cigs have done to my general health & immune system.

Anyway, I just bought 2 cartons today at Costco to put in the fridge. Maybe they'll let me return one, and I can cut down, finish off this carton - then do a cold turkey. I've found the patches make it worse for me. Like, here & there, makeing me 'feel' like I'm smoking or had a cig but there's no inhale. Basically I figured this phenomenon makes me want one more. For me, I think it's best to suffer for the 3 days or so and get it over with. Now that it's nice out, I can go for walks and be more active. I found I have to replace a bad habit with good or I'll get screwed up again.

Do we have an official list for the quitters club? We should make one. It's a fricking stupid thing to do.

[Tarheel]

Miss the Penguins....hope they are enjoying their vacation.

I don't think anyone signed up to join the club unless they are doing it through private messages. Woodsman came up with the idea and I thought Travis was in but maybe the timing wasn't right....who knows.

As a non smoker I am certainly not the person to be the ring leader....I just hoped that Woodsman's idea would take wings.

Best of luck Lisa......

Chuck

[mungkiman]

I chew tobacco. Have since 5th or 6th grade. Never had a problem
buying it until legislation caught up, but at that point I was 18 and
being carded. At the end of high school, and through college, I both
chewed and smoked. Often at the same time. Inhale,drink and swallow,
spit, and exhale. And repeat.

I haven't smoked a
cigarette since college graduation. I chew a can of Skoal a day, which
is a 50% reduction from 2 years of 2 cans a day, 7 years ago.

The
only times I really feel ready or able to quit seem to be when I
am on a scheduled vacation. Sucks for any loved ones involved at the
time, and even worse in the long run; still addicted, but a
demonstrable addict for the duration of the "effort".

Gum and patches have never "helped" with my
cravings, but Commit lozenges have worked for me. I can't say they
"work" well, as the lozenges are just another form of nicotine, but I
don't currently use them as an avenue towards quitting. I use them to
stem the cravings during client meetings, and times when it is not
appropriate to spit. A tool, but not a cure. The longest I've ver been
able to stop was for 6 months, and that was cold turkey.

I hope to have the strength to try again. What I need now is a vacation...

[Travis In Austin]

I'm in, I just didn't want to take over organizing anything since it was not my idea and I was not sure what the plan is. I was assuming there were several people who wanted to quit smoking and they were talking about picking a date. Then there was a flood, well not really a flood, several posts of people saying they quit, how bad it was, etc. I didn't see anything about any action, I hope we get at list three people on here, we all pick a mutually agreeable quit date, build it up, and stay quit.

I'm still in if anyone wants to do it. Memorial day seems perfect, three days, away from work, stress, etc. The physical symptoms end after three days, and from there it is just the psychological habits you have to overcome, lighting up on the phone, in the car, etc.

SO LET ME KNOW WHO IS DOING THIS AND WHEN.

Travis

[oldbuckster]

Nice try Travis..............stop setting dates, making excuses, just STOP for yourself and your loved ones........Don't depend on others to quit smoking, STOP SMOKING FOR YOU......................I rest my case.........................EH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You can do it, YES you can....................

[Tarheel]

Well lets attack this from a different angle...since your health isn't enough of an incentive. How much less do you get for that audio equipment because its covered in a fine yellow haze and smells like a week in the pool hall? You are fastidious in keeping those vinyl records clean and then a smoke cloud appears and settles in for the duration. That delicate stylus wades through a sea of yellow brown as Diana Krall hits a high note. Find yourself having to clean those power tubes in your amp more often than you like? Yikes!!!!look how bright they glow now. Oh no you say.....I don't smoke in my music room. So the smoke is okay for your lungs but not for your Prima Lunas.

Preaching? Badgering? Making you mad? Damn right I am. Enough for you to stop making excuses? Only you can decide that.

Chuck

[Audio Flynn]

As a rather assertive non smoker who has seen

the long term consequences of using tobacco I applaud the efforts you

are all making. I sincerely wish you luck in your

attempts. I could talk for days on this subject but you all have

heard it before...so I will just say.....The best time to stop

was the day you started...the next best time is today.

Best of luck....let me know if I can help.

Chuck

I have tried to avoid being a radical non smoker but it is tough when people you know well do not even try.

A

co worker of mine still smokes after his Dad died of mouth cancer.

Scary part was Dad had to have his tongue removed 9 months before he

died, so they could not carry on a conversation. Another friend had to

have 9 teeth removed due to nicotine getting under the gum line.

Good

luck to all trying to quit from a fat guy trying to stop being fat. 5'

10" 270 lbs down 15 pounds in the past 2 months.

[oldbuckster]

TARHEEL.............Tell us what you think !!!!!!!! .....NO.[bs].there .....

[oscarsear]

Nicotine leaves the body really quite fast, and that's the problem with nicotine addiction. It requires frequent recharges to sustain a blood level and that psychochemical response the body craves.  Thus the habit of intake becomes frequent.  Cigarette, chewing, snuff or cigars get taken frequently to sustain that comfort levle of nicotine.  And when one ceases nicotine intake iit is not very long but what the mind goes on a rampage.  Continue withholding it and the mind punishes you.  

Tobacco is a business dream product because of nicotine addiction.  Manufacturers learned long ago the properties of nicotine and have engineered their products to deliver specific dosages,  Cigars, for example, did not deliver enough nicotine into the blood because they were not inhaled.  (BTW that's why people chew cigar butts as chewing releases more nicotine.)   Manufacturers then bred and engineered cigar tobaccos so that their particular form of nicotine would more easly transfer directly across the mucous membranes which line the naso-orpharyngeal areas so that cigars would become more addictive.  They've spent as much attention to all of their lethal product lines.

Do not punish yourselves for using tobacco.  Be mad at your government for allowing tobacco to remain legal.  Feel outrage at tobacco companies who induced you into the habits by making them look cool, sexy or manly.  And that's one excellent reason to quit.  You are a junkie to tobacco's legal pushing.  You're being used and abused.  Your money is being stolen at the cost of your health and appearance.  Get mad enough to tell them "no more".  Demand your mind to tell tobacco to "shove it" and that you alone controls what goes into your body.  Quitting tobacco is taking back control of your life.

[Tarheel]

Audio Flynn....Wow! How much more would it take? Great examples. Good luck with the diet....though we know its not luck but determination, focus, and will power. I am in reasonable proportions at 6'2" and 190 pounds but I have lost from 200 to 190 numerous times. Usually with the low carb method.

Bucky.....you and I need to go on the road or lecture circuit. I can be the smart one and you the good looking one....or vice versa[]

Chuck

[Tarheel]

Oscar....I would guess you are in the medical field or substance abuse profession. Close?

Anyway.....your post have all been excellent.

Chuck

[Travis In Austin]

Lisa,

We are quiting Friday, Midnight, before Memorial Day weekend, ARE YOU IN?

I have to get a copy of that book, some friends of mine said it was a big help when they quit last year. The author is French correct?

Hopefully his advice is to replace nicotine with mass quantaties of fine red bordeaux, conganc, and port.

Travis

[meagain]

Gosh, I can't think of a worse time to quit. Friday and right before a picnic/outdoor/bbq/beer/party type holiday? Gosh - you guys are hard core. Worse than going on a shake only diet the day before Thanksgiving. I might want to enjoy that weekend and I don't think being around people (perhaps other smokers), alcohol, etc. is going to be good for me. I know myself and it'll intensify the any h*ll/discomfort 10-fold. I'll want a few drinks too and as you know, that's a bad thing to do for some cuz it's a trigger like coffee, etc. I have to ponder this but if this is the day you all pick, I might have to get my last hurrah/ya-ya's out that weekend and play catch up with you later.

[Travis In Austin]

We can do it earlier if you want, I just always heard to be sucsessful you have to want to quit, pick a quit date, tell as many people as possible you are quiting, and then do it. I figure that it gives me three days to be able to relax and get away for 3 days. I agree, if you are going to be around ETOH or other smokers it is not going to be a good idea. I plan to hang alone with my wife and try and give updates on how I am doing, and hopefuly see that others are doing well.

Travis

[BobRiff]

I quit 6 months and 21 days ago.

Chantix worked for me. $100 / month (for three months) for the pills, but at $50 per carton for cigarettes here in Michigan, I recouped that money fairly quickly.

I still love the smell of fresh smoke, but the smokers clothes, breath, etc. stink like hell. []

I've smoked (and inhaled) seven filtered mini-cigars since I quit, and even took one drag of someones cigarette.Nothing for over a month as of today though

It still tastes great! .I envy those who have quit and say they can't stand the smell of smoke anymore.

Other than that, I've replaced the cigarettes with nicotine gum. First cup of coffee = first piece of gum for the day. First beer at night = more gum. I'm chewing about 6 pieces a day, and will eventually try to quit the gum too.

I figure my lungs are at least getting a break.

This is my first attempt at quitting, and I hope I"ll make it. When I want a cigarette, I tell myself I've gone this far, and it would be a shame to start up again.

Hour by hour day by day...

[Tarheel]

Bob....I've got a feeling you are going to make it. Something about your post...I believe you have made the committment....the first big step. Congrats on your anniversary. Will be looking forward to your 1 year post though my bet is on you.

Chuck

[oldbuckster]

Audio Flynn....Wow! How much more would it take? Great examples. Good luck with the diet....though we know its not luck but determination, focus, and will power. I am in reasonable proportions at 6'2" and 190 pounds but I have lost from 200 to 190 numerous times. Usually with the low carb method.

Bucky.....you and I need to go on the road or lecture circuit. I can be the smart one and you the good looking one....or vice versa[]

Chuck

Gee, I wouldn't qualify for either smart one or good looking.........but, I will never smoke a cigarette again.....STUBBORN, now your talkin'..............

[BobRiff]

Thanks for the encouraging words, Chuck.

I hope you're right. I'll do the best that I can. []

[oscarsear]

Oscar....I would guess you are in the medical field or substance abuse profession.  Close? 

Anyway.....your post have all been excellent.

Chuck

 

I carry degrees in physiology and respiratory therapy.  I am a Registered Respiratory Therapist and a Respiratory Care Practitioner.  I worked in clinical research, acute and long term medical care and in the biomedical industry.  I am a published medical researcher.  I have witnesed 1st hand the ungodly misery tobacco wreaks upon the human body.  I have known the most wonderful people and watched them die haplessly gasping for life givng air.  I cannot convey the number of tobacco patients I've personally worked with but you can be certain that those numbers were huge.  I know of what I speak.  Each day 1,250 Americans expire from tobacco related diseases and there are millions suffering lingering deaths awaiting in the wings.  If the war in Iraq took that many lives the outcries would be deafening.  Alas I digress but the subject makes by blood boil.  Do not allow yourselves or any you know to become part of these ghastly statistics.  I do not know how to help people quit tobacco.  All I can do is pray that they do.