Quitting Smoking - Oak Harbor, WA

I quit cold turkey about 2yrs ago and the best advice I can give you is just do it. You've conditioned yourself to believe that it's hard, so no wonder it is. Throw out all ash trays and cigarette lighters and anything else that reminds you of smoking. Usually people have a ritual with smoking, like after a meal, when they first wake up, etc. Just replace that ritual with a healthy one. Like after dinner, pop a piece of gum or hard candy and go for a walk. Anytime your craving a cigarette, find something to take your mind off of it. Take a hot bath. Start a hobby like drawing or scrapbooking. Don't think of yourself as quiting, think of yourself as a non smoker. Soon you'll start to feel and smell so much better you won't even miss it. And no amount of nicotine is ok. GOODLUCK!!

hi J....here's my quit story. 5 years ago I went to my gyno for my annual, after asking me about smoking, she said she could prescribe something to help me quit. At this point I was a light smoker,and I had no real desire to quit, I had been smoking for 20 years, and someday was my quit date. I had heard about Zyban, and knowing it was an antidepressent(Welbutrin) I figured, i'll try it, it could help my pms. Anyway, 2 weeks later, I realized I hadn't had a cigerette all day! So, I thought, if I have to remind myself to smoke, maybe I CAN quit. By the end of the month I stopped completly and I haven't smoked since. I'm not sure exactly how it works, but it worked amazingly well for me and quite a few other people I have told about it. Good Luck!!!

I finally quit one day when I got very sick and smoking hurt more than it helped. So a week of pain and illness and I didn't smoke again. Nicotine leaves the system fairly rapidly, what people have a hard time quitting is the hand-mouth stimulation and the social/time-passing aspects. I found reading novels and sipping tea fills these habit voids - they occupy the mouth, hand, and, in the case of the book, pass time and stimulate the mind. Some people use suckers for the hand-mouth stimulation. I did quit, quite successfully, so please keep trying! The more times you try to quit the more chance you have of success. Also, it does no good to quit with a half a pack lying around the house tempting you. A good visual reminder to how well you are doing quitting is every time you think about a cigarette, put the money you'd spend on the pack in a jar to see all the money you're saving. Honestly, as soon as I quit I couldn't imagine how I could afford to buy them anymore!

Good luck!

J.,

I totally agree with taking Welbutrin for quitting smoking. I smoked for 7 years and had tried the patch, gum, and cold turkey and nothing worked. Finally, my doctor gave me Welbutrin and I took it for about 3 weeks straight and I had no more cravings. The best thing about it is that you don't have to force yourself to quit. You continue to do what you normally do (smoke) and eventually the cravings go away. For me, I was on my way to work one day and out of cigarettes and didn't even have the urge to stop. I would really consider it. The cool thing about Welbutrin is that because it is an antidepressent insurance companies will cover the cost of it. I even think that there is a generic. Good Luck!

Quitting is one of the hardest things I've done. I quit several times before, but you have to be willing to let it all go. Even today, if I were to have "just one" I would start back up. I"ve only quit for 7 onths now, but it's the longest I've quit. The cravings still come up, but you have to do something else, or think about other things. I sometimes use a straw to get the feel of smoking without the nicotine. Especially if I'm in a situation of real stress or a place I use to smoke alot (clubs, car etc.) I just cut a straw the size of a cigarette and have it handy. It seems to do the trick. I quit cold turkey one day I just decided I was done, but there are lots of ways to go about quitting. Also not being around people you know that smoke, at least for a while until you've got the first few weeks under your belt. Good luck.

I really wanted to do it. I had my teeth whitened and I just concentrated on how good my smile and my skin was going to look for NOT smoking and that kept me going. Its been 4 years since I quit and now, I try not to hang out with people when they are smoking because I cant stand the smell. Ex-smokers are the worst about how bad it smells! My husband also quit with me and he battles back and forth with it, he had to go to Iraq so he started again and then he quit when he came home and so on. I know how hard it is.
I just quit cold turkey, and it has worked really well with me.
I also think of the health of my family for not getting the second hand smoke and how much healthier they are going to be for not getting it from me!
Good luck, just keep that date in your mind and just think of things to do instead, like when you would usually go for a smoke you should think of something else that you like to do.
You could also put the money you would usually spend on cigarettes into a jar and see how much you are saving!
Again, good luck and keep us posted!

I smoked for 8 years before my husband (then boyfriend) convinced me to seriously try quitting. I went to my doctor and ask to be put on Welbutrin. It's an antidepressent that doctors prescribe for people who are trying to quit smoking. It helps to keep your mood level while going through the withdrawals. It really helped me because I didn't go through the emotional ups and downs as badly, (not to mention my husband was much happier to be around me). You'll be a lot less tempted to have "just one" when you're in a good mood.

That was a huge help for me because I would smoke when I was stressed, mad, upset, etc. I had tried quiting half a dozen times before this but the wellbutrin was what really helped me.

Another thing I had to do was temporarily seperate myself from all my smoking friends. I told all of them that I was more then happy to hang out with them, but that they please don't smoke around me. They were all understanding and willing to help out. I also avoided the smoking area at work. I did whatever I could to stay away from smokers simply because it was too easy to have just one if I was around them.

It was hard but I've now been smoke free for almost 3 years. I hope this helps.

Good Luck!!!

Hi J., my husband was a 3 pack a day guy. when we met i didn't smoke so he would smoke outside so it would not affect me how sweet. but any ways a friend of his smoked since he was 10yr and he went and got hypnotized, so he has not smoked now for 10yrs. and he can be around people that smokes and he has no craving to want to smoke. and so my husband has done the same thing and now he has not smoked for 1yr now and he to can be around others that do and it does not bother him ,or makes him want to start. now he complains on how they stink,its funny to hear that from him since he was a 3 packer a day. but maybe that might be something you might want to look into.he was told that smoking is more addictive than drugs and you will fail time after time trying to do it own your own.its like at least 10 times or more before you can maybe quit. he swears it was the best thing for him that he went and got hypnotized.but sweety I wish you the best of luck as well as for your daughter its very hard.

Hello there J.,

I just quit smoking on 12/8/06. I'm doing quite well with it. I have also tried quitting and failed many times. There is a great website.... www.way2quit.com. It helped me a lot. Good luck!

~C.

I have 4 kids. I tried for years to quit and failed at each attempt.
So on friday of 2001 I quit. I slept and slept till sunday while the hubby watched kids over the weekend. I smoked for over 15 years. Just a suggestion. Hope you succeed.

The best thing I've tried is the nicotine nose spray. A lot of people dont know about it and if you get a perscription for it, you probably will have to wait a day for the pharmacy to order it. My insurance actually paid for it, and it works pretty good. The first week, it has quite a kick, but after that it evens out. You get straight nicotine delivered to the blood vessels in your nose resulting in instant satisfaction. Good luck!

I quit smoking FINALLY 2 years ago, and it was the hardest thing ever! I actually used the patch. It really did work. You have to follow the dosing schedule to the letter though, or it won't work. It really calms the cravings, not saying it's not hard, but it takes care of the physical addiction part. Now the actual will power, mentally, is the hardest. But you know, every time I started to freak, I'd drink a glass of water and breathe. Just keep telling myself, " I'm just not going to smoke today." Setting dates is not all together very realistic, because, at least for me, I'd always find a way out of it. You just have to do it. Yes easier said than done, but that's how you have to do it. One day at a time. Especially don't think of the future "non-smoker" you, because it's too much to deal with. One day at a time, YOU CAN DO IT SISTER!! GOOD LUCK!

I quit smoking 8 years ago and all I knew at the time is it was too expensive of a habit for me to have........One has to internally as well as externally want to quit and then to stay quit. There are suppose to be websites and help. I got help from the Washington Stop Smoking department that helps with patches and help teach you and others around you how they can best assist you in quitting. I would suggest finding something like that or even see if you can find a quit smoking support group cause it is the support that is gonna make you successful. Good Luck cause it will be one of the hardest things you will ever do just make sure it is really what you want instead of shooting at it half way.

Hi Jackie. My name is A.. This March will be 4 years since I have smoked. I smoked for 10 years. I have tried numerous times to stop smoking, but time and time again I would start again. I have tried all the fads(patch,gum ect). But none worked. What really made me stop was I wanted to stop. I did not have any body harping on me, I was not in compation with anyone to stop. You want to know how I did it? I quit COLD TURKEY! I knew it would be hard. I had a few test, and I got through them. I used to smoke like a chimmney especially when I went out drinking and socializing. When I went out and had a good time with out smoking that was the first test. The next test was I lost a child and four days later grandma past a way. One of the big reasons why I smoked was because I felt it was a stress realeiver. But when I went through that and did not pick up a cigerette I officaly knew that I was a non smoker. Did I tell you that I work in a really smokey casino. You will have success when you stop for you and no buddy else. You are in control. And you will be amazed on the inprovement in your health. I use to get sick all the time. Now I hardly ever. Good Luck and let me know how you do.

Take a look around the next time you are out or in your own mirror, depending on the elasticity of your skin, and notice how the women you see smoking have more wrinkles and they just plain start to look older faster than non-smokers. If your vanity isn't enough, haha, then think of dying a slow painful death. I have had two aunts die from lung cancer. It isn't pretty and although I have never personally been through it myself I can't imagine it is any fun. Next think of grandchildren. If you do not have any yet think of the future, when your life is cut short because of cigarettes, how stupid will you feel. How much of a hindsight is 20/20 feeling will you have then. How many if only feelings. Write all the negatives down and the positives and keep this list close by. When you get that craving go on a quick walk and clean out your lungs. I have noticed, and yes from experience, that it takes 10-20 minutes for a craving to pass and if I can keep myself occupied it will go away and each time I succeed I am happy and give myself a fat old pat on the back. I have been smoke free now for over 15 months and am currently training to run a marathon this summer. I smoked for 16 years. Best of luck to you.

D.

I personally have not had to quit that habit, but I have helped a lot of friends. I agree with Kimberly, that you need to rethink your motivation. Your reasons can help in the tough times. A friend of mine just quit after 40 years of smoking. She quit to get baptized. The biggest help for her, other than fasting, prayer, and a priesthood blessing, was juice. I've been told that the vitamin C in orange juice and the anti-oxidants in blueberry juice, pomegranate juice, and mangosteen can help your body heal faster.
I also agree with the advice of replacing the habit with good habits (other than with other nicotine products). It's a lot easier to put light into a room than take the dark out. With my eating habits, it was easier to put good foods into my diet than to take bad foods out.

Oh boy do I understand! I started smoking at about 17yrs old and I am 37 now. I have tried repeatedly to stop smoking nothing worked. Then last September my best-friend of 20 yrs called me that a mutual friends dad was dieing of lung cancer. This guy was so close to his dad that to imagine that he had to see him die in a matter of a couple of weeks was terrifying for me. I had just lit up my usual cigarette because of course the phone rang, I smoke for every all occasions, and I took one puff and turned it off. I got the kids (7 & 8) and went to the park for a walk and tried to do things that were out of my ordinary routine. It's gotta be the hardest thing to do in the world but be strong I PROMISE time will cure all cravings. Stick to it! YOU CAN DO IT!!!!

Hey Jackie:

My husband and I quit together by using the patch about 15 year ago. The first week was hard but it got easier every day after that. Try to keep busy and do something to distract yourself every time a craving hits hard. I used to stick a piece of sugar free gum in my mouth to substitute a cigarette. You will find that the cravings eventually lessen and get easier to handle over time. Quitting smoking was the best thing we ever did so don't give up! M.

Hi J.,

I quit 2 years ago after 23 years of smoking. I did not want to, but my best friend did and I knew it was time. Here is what we did. We did not set a date we just quit. There is no time like now. It is best to have a buddy that you can lean on. You and your daughter need to lean on each other. Do not tell a sole that you are quitting. That stops the questions of how are you doing every five minutes. Then you need to get the nicotine out of your system as soon as possible. I did a lot of water and aloe. This is a good quick way to detox. The first 48 hours stay busy and be in a place that you know you can't smoke. If you feel like you going to pull your hair out then there are some herbs that can help settle you. I am a nutritionist; fell free to call me if you need more suggestions. ###-###-####. You can also get the aloe from me as well.

Hope this helps