Quitting Smoking

I quit three years ago and the one thing that finally did it for me was the lightbulb going off to the realization that I am unable to be a recreational smoker. I cannot have "just one" because if I do, all I can think about it my next one. You have to recognize that when it comes to cigarettes, you are an addict and therefore cannot be an occassional smoker like some people can. Once you really get that, you simply have to make the decision to be a non-smoker and stick with it. There are ups and downs but it really does get easier and easier over time. Good luck!

I used the 2 mg Commit. I loved them!!! I did not want to quit but my little boy kept getting onto me. Everytime I went outside he busted me. I have not smoked in my house in 11 years. My kids are 9,5,10weeks. I also home school. I have not had a cig 16 months. I was a on and off again for years. But that Commit took away those feelings!! You know the ones it over takes you. When the kids stress me out I had one,after I ate you know the drill. I have not had I one in a year,(I quit before I got pg in April) but when I am through breast feeding I am going to get me some more. They really take the egde off!!!!!

Dear T.,
I've been there. I smoked for 40 years and when I learned I would be a grandmother for the 1st time, I had an extra incentive to stop. I didn't want my grandchild to smell nasty smoke on his gramma. I used patches at first and had a wonderful support from 1-800-QUITNOW. Just call them & tell them what you are doing. I got CDs to listen to and a phone call every so often to check on how I was doing - and to encourage me. I even got a phone call at my one year quit date! My advice is to set a date and STOP using that 1 cig a day as a crutch - that's what's really holding you back from totally quitting. I'm 62 and just celebrated my 3rd year cigarette free! I now have 2 beautiful grandsons and am expecting a granddaughter in May. It's a joy when you finally get through it. I just treated myself to some 'goodies' I had always wanted with the savings from not spending $$ on cigarettes!

I am a mother and grandmother trying to also quit. My husband smokes and makes it hard! I try not to eat "big" meals during the day. I eat several small meals a day. But after dinner i do have such a craving for a cigarette. I have after dinner candies to help with the cravings. I wish there were a "magic bullet" to help us to quit smoking! I wish you luck! R.

Oh T., How difficult! How helpless it feels.

My suggestions -- busy your hands with needlework, reading or SOMETHING. Learn to knit or cross stitch.

EXERCISE is your best friend. Walk. Run. Join the YMCA with the money you are saving.

Don't forget to eat well. Avoid sugar. Take a good vitamin with a probiotic.

YOU CAN DO IT!!!

Thinking of you,

An addiction to nicotine is like any other addiction, the pill helps but it has to be combined with a program of support as well. I also take chantix, and I have taken it more than once..the first time it worked great, I didn't have the physical symptoms, but I tried to quit at the wrong time there was too much stress in my life (holidays, birthdays, massive certification test and emotional cause of missing my mom) and I started smoking again. This time it doesn't seem to work as well, I obesses on it and want one.

Keep in mind that the chantix is a 12 week program and you can stay on it after that, people react to it differently. I know some that has been on it the full 12 weeks and has cut down to a half a pack, they are still taking it and are doing well considering they used to smoke over 2 packs a day.

Try to find an online support group, use the resources on the chantix website. Find a support person that you can talk to.
What I did other than having a real good support person, was take a good look at my bank account, count up all the money we spent on cig's, wrote the amount on a sticky note and stuck it to the computer I stare at everyday...that was big incentive for us. When you start having the phsyical symptoms and reconize them, get up and do something else, go out side when you feel your temper going up, when your jittery do something physcial to work that nervous energy off. What ever you do, don't stop and obsess on how bad it is, or you will get fixated and it will be over.
If you have time do a search on the disease process of addiction, that will explain a lot about what your feeling
your welcome to contact me anytime you need to be talked off that fence...the nicotine is the toughest addiction I have ever tried to beat and I'm an Alcohol and Drug Counselor..LOL

I too used Chantix to stop smoking 14 months ago. I only took it for about 6 weeks because it made me sick. I am sorry to say it gets better but so far it hasn't gone away totally. I LOVED smoking and quit for my health,my son and my father in law.I wasn't a habit smoker- needed something to do with my hands- I craved the taste so I couldn't allow myself to smoke at all. I had a co-worker who told me that she just kept repeating to herself that she doesn't smoke anymore and that is what I tell myself daily. I remind myself that I have worked to hard to quit to start again. I AM STRONGER than this.This will pass. Yell at my husband for no good reason and go on! HAHA! Seriuosly, it comes and goes.At times I think and dream about smoking, other times the thought never enters my mind. You need to rearrange your normal routine, like wash the dishes right after eating instead of smoking and doing them later. Don't let me nag but you need to cut out that last one also. Have faith in yourself, you can beat this.

I am a smoker too. I should quit but have not commmitted to it yet. My husband does also. I really feel that when he decides to quit we can both get to stop. I congratulate you for your efforts. Don't have any suggestions. Just make sure you discuss your status with your doctor. Perhaps he/she could offer some good advice. Good for you.

Hi T.,
You are 34 with 4 children; 13, twins 11, and stepson 8 and you are bored out of your head? ??!! This alone should be enough therapy to take the urge out of your addiction. Your kiddies are also inhaling all the smoke. Think of it that way, unless you step outside when you do it.

T. note each cigarette as another nail in your coffin. If you want to be a grandmother someday, STOP NOW.! 34 is not too late yet. Once you reach 40 the chance lessens. That thought scared me. Plus, I didn't want to look and sound like a smoker by 50. It ages you. Just look around and see what smokers in their 40's look like already; yellow skin, haggered, stained teeth, hoarse voice, the cough. You can spot them a mile away. Then comes the oxygen tank. So I quit at 38. It took two wks. for the craving to disappear. All I did was ask God to help me. He did, and quite quickly I might add. I made sure I didn't resort to food either, so never gained an ounce because of it.

Eat healthy, and to continue on the road to good health, do your skin another favor and stay out of the sun.

As for employment, you should hang on to the good job you already have caring for your home and loved ones. If you must get out of the house, secure a part time position close by or jog/exercise with a friend. I'm not much of a gardener, but they say this helps. My very best to you. YOU WILL GET THROUGH IT!!

Hi, T..

There are several mental and physical factors at work when you are overcoming a nicotene addiction. One is the nicotene withdrawal, and the other is habits. Everytime your nicotene level gets lower than your body wants it to be, it's like a bell going off in your head telling you to get the level back up. To get over the nicotene, you need to give up on it completely and get it out of your system. Smoking one cigarette a day may make you feel a little better for a little while, but it will only prolong the addiction.

There are a few things you can do to help you overcome the physical and mental side of the nicotene addiction.

1. Pray and ask God for help every morning when you wake up, everytime you have a craving, or anytime you just need help. Your body is a temple, and He wants you to be happy and healthy. He wants you to succeed at this.

2. Stock up on graperfruit juice. There are two reasons for this. A. The strong taste will get your mind off the craving. B. High doses of vitamin C help wash the nicotene out of your system. Drink it wehn you wake up, after every meal, whenever you have a craving, and before bed.

3. Exercise your mind and body. Most strong cravings last about 2-3 minutes. If you can divert your mind by doing something physical or mental, it will get you through that craving. Start a new hobby. Also, on the physical exercise, better circulation helps you get rid of nicotene and speeds up your lungs clearing.

4. Avoid all areas where people are smoking.

5. Reward yourself for your successes.

6. Find a support buddy to report to twice a day. It can be a friend or family member, as long as they don't live in the same house with you. If you don't remember to call them at the appointed times, they need to call you to support you. Ask them to pray for you at least twice a day.

There are a few more steps to this program, but I've forgotten them. It's from a Stop Smoking Workshop our church has offered in the past. If you are interested in taking it, I can see when they are having another one, or they can do one just for you. There's no cost or any other obligation. Let me know if you are interested. This worked very well for my husband and for other people I've known who have used it.

Best wishes, and I KNOW you'll succeed!

(((((HUGS))))

listen to mary T. there are people had bad problems with that med. and it does not give you the nicotine your body is craving. try the gum or patches and those are free form 1-800-quit-now and they offer support. i used them and stopped smoking, although i do now smoke again. they worked i just did not stay a non-smoker. everyone around me smokes and i did not replace the smoking with something that was a stress reliever.

First of all, congrats to you!! This is a very important decision! And I, being a smoker myself ,know how hard it is to quit. I'm 12 weeks prego and am struggling to quit myself. Even knowing that it's vital that I quit for my baby, doesn't help the physical side effects. I don't know a whole lot about Chantix...I've heard of it...and heard that it works...but have you asked your dr about using a very low MG patch or gum with the prescription? I know that the patch (I use the lowest MG) helps me a lot with the "angry, jittery, anxious" feelings. The gum also helps...but to me, it tastes nasty, so I prefer the patch. But I would def ask my Dr to see if this would be okay.
Aside from that, take it one second at a time. Usually, I find that my bad cravings only stay with me for 2 or 3 min. so, find something to do..(I have taken up crocheting) with your hands to keep you busy until the need passes. And by all means PRAY A LOT!! LOL...that is the only thing keeping me sane...unfortunatly, there is not an "easy" way to quit. It's about making the decision and just sticking to it...even when it gets hard!! Don't give up!!! It will get easier!!!

You're SOOO close!!! One cigarette a day is I'm sure a huge difference from what you had been smoking. I'm so proud of people who quit, and the fact that you know you should and genuinely want to is GREAT! I used to smoke and was able to quit.

Motivation is probably the key to a successful quitting. My movitation at the time (this was before I had kids) was my fiance. He had already quit and was so forgiving of my smoking. He never made it seem like it bothered him, but I know no one wants to sit in a room with a smoker if they don't smoke. I loved him, so it was worth it.

And I'm sure for you, you have loved ones in your life that you would absolutely do this for. Plus, since your kids are getting older, you don't want them to see you continually smoking, because whether they realize it or not, their subconscious is telling them that smoking is okay because their mother is still doing it. And if they're still around when you quit, they are going to see you as this super strong woman who can do anything she sets her mind to, and who would do anything to protect herself and her kids. So, you just have to remember them during those urges and be strong. Don't let the addiction control you. You can Do This! Kick that habit, girl! J.

Hey T.,

Congrats on doing as well as you have. Have you tried exercising? I think that it would help a lot with your stress and being anxious. At the same time you would be helping your body get rid on the toxins that are still in your body from smoking. If you have the time...give 20 to 30 minutes of your time to do some form of exercise at least 3 days a week. Good luck!!

Dear T.,
I too am on the Chantix and have mixed reviews. I have done it two or three times previously and been sucessful for about 10 days then back slid and finally gave up with the intention of trying again later. I found just like you that the mental desire is still strong to want to have a smoke, but when I do it makes me sick to my stomach and i don't get any enjoyment from it. I don't really have the answer to your question, but I can totally empathize with your struggle. I just try and not beat myself up for having a cig or a puff off one and each time it is nasty I just am that much closer to being completely done. I am on my 8th day this time around and already I am getting anxious about weight gain. I struggle with my weight constantly and I hate to be in a position where I have to let go and be okay with putting weight back on. That alone has been my biggest hurdle to quitting in the past. Not even when my 9 yr old said please mommy quit it is bad for you did I feel ready. I am just so tired of being overweight that I hate the idea or working it off even when I know it is better to be done smoking.
Anyway, maybe this will at least let you know that others share your struggle!
Sincerely,
J.

T., I recently did the Chantix deal. It took me more than
7 weeks, it took me about 12 weeks. It was hard to do, but that Chantix was the the best thing I had ever found to stop smoking. I had tried EVERYTHING! I am 53 yrs. old and started
smoking when I was 15 yrs. old, so I smoked for a long time. I
hve been on this roller coaster of trying to quit ever since my Mother died of cancer several years ago. I did not want to quit, I liked to smoke, but I needed to quit for my health. I
have 1 son, 2 stepsons and 6 step grandkids(they still call me
grandma), and If I did not want to quit for me, I needed to quit for them. You have 4 children, please,PLEASE, quit for
them, but most of all for you. Good luck and God Bless.

I smoked "socially" for only about 6 weeks, so I never got "hooked" on them, thank the Lord! However, my husband & parents were smokers. My dad & husband decided to quit about the same time. They just made the conscience decision that they no longer wanted to be enslaved by that addiction. It was much harder for my mom. She ended up with a very serious nose bleed, that she was hospitalized for. During that time, she couldn't have smoked if she'd of wanted to. After her release from the hospital, she prayed that the Lord would take her "want" for the cigs. away, and she said that He did!

You will quit completely too T.! Just keep focusing on all that you'll be saving when you do. Your quality of life, your children's lives, others that you love & care about & are often around, the money that you'll save, etc. Pray & talk to God each time you have a craving! He already knows how you're feeling, so voice your feelings to Him. After all, He is our Heavenly Father! Prayer works T.! Just have faith & believe that you can do this, and you'll succeed!

I don't know if this would be a match for what you're looking for, but here's a way that you can work from home, make from $1000-$9705 per transaction, have a lifetime of up to 75% off of your recreational activities, and have fun helping others do the same. If this sounds like something you'd be interested in, go to: www.time4youvacations.com Watch the brief video presentation, then click on the testimonies & products links. If you would like more detailed info. after you review those 3 things, I'd be happy to take you to your next step! Either way, I sincerely hope that you find something that you are extremely happy & satisfied with, and I wish you much success in both of your endeavors!

May God Bless You!
S.

Smoking is one of the hardest to things to conqueor. It is possible. I quit cold turkey in January. I had a hard time dealing with the anxiety and anger. The one thing that helped me the most was and still is Prayer!!! I also had a great support system. My husband and all my friends knew I was quitting. They all prayed for me and were there for me when I needed them. I still crave a cigarette occasionally but it doesn't last long. Just pray and know that God can take this from you if you give it to Him.

I smoked for years I started when I caught the kid down the street smoking so he made my smoke so I couldn't tell on him I think I was 15 so I started to smoke too. I tried to quit about 30 years ago cold turkey I did quit for 5 years but I suffered the whole 5 years every one I knew begged me to get me a smoke so after 5 years I gave up and went back to smoking well a few years later I was having trouble with my breathing so I went to the doctors they told me I had copd and emphzuam so I decided to quit smoking again so friend of mine told me how cause cold turkey don't work so I got a calendar and I marked how many cigaretts I would take out of each pack each week I started with 0ne the first week I put them in zip lock bag and put them in the regfrizater till I got 20 of them and that was my next pack you don;t change the way you smoke but as you keep going you are redusing the nicatine in your body and when you get it down to 1 1/2 to 2 a days you can put them down with no craving them no replacing them with gum or life savers or food it took me about 4 month to do it but it has been 18 years and people smoke around me but it doesn't brother me and I don't crave them but it only works if you really want to quit cause I have heard some bad thing about the drug that you are taking good luck

I don't want to scare you, but I have heard of several people who had serious side effects while on the drug Chantix. It's none of my business, but I thought I would let you know. Please check with your doctor. And anyway, if it's not helping, maybe you should be on something else that might help you more. Can you tell I am not a smoker? : ) I'll say a prayer for you! I hope you succeed.

honey if you are only smoking one cig a day dont beat yourself up i have been addicted to the gum for five yrs seventy dollars a week i could smoke for less i am thinking of trying chantix to get off the gum you are doing great CONGRATS

Hi T., Having smoked on and off since High School, I made the desision to quit once and for all when I decided to get pregnant. 6 months before trying I had my last smoke (I made my hubby quit too, poor guy). I still miss them, even though the smell and taste is disgusting. I did it cold turkey and all I can say is tht you make the descision each time you want one, you say no. After 4 years I still have to make that descison, although it is less frequent for sure. There is no magic bullet to make the cravings go away, you just have to decide that not smoking is more important than that next coffin nail. It is a process and recognizing the bad stuff (attitude and side effects) is the first step to getting over them. You can fake a good attitude and eventually, it will come around, same with the cravings. Good luck, the decision is yours to make, and you can do it! You will be thankful later. (Also, stick the cash you would spend on smokes into a jar and in 6 months, buy yourself something fun with the cash...My Husband was a pack a day and we took a mini vacation!)

Good Job Teresa!
Making the decision to quit is the hardest part I promise. I did not take the medicine you are taking but I did quit last month. You need a new hobby to release the dopamine for your body. As cheesy as it sounds meditation and house cleaning are working for me along with gum chewing. You are now a non-smoker and that is the healthiest thing for you! Again, Good Job!

T.~ Congratulations on getting down to one cigarette a day....that right there is a huge accomplishment!! I do not smoke but I watched my mother die a horrifying death from smoking related illnesses,(COPD, emphysema, etc.) and I know how hard it is. She did not quit until it was too late but it wasn't because she didn't want to quit or that she did not have willpower. It is just such a gripping addiction. It helped my mother to get on some prescription meds like an anti depressant and Xanax for anxiety. I know these meds have their own problems and side effects but taken for short amount of time and under a doctor's supervision they can be safe and extremely helpful. I have heard great things about Chantix so you are getting the very best there is in a smoking cessation aid. Be proud of yourself for how far you have come with this and just take it day by day and don't beat yourself up if you slip up and have an extra cigarette....just get back up and pick up where you left off. Maybe in time that one cigarette won't look so attractive but for some reason you are still needing it right now so maybe just give it a little more time. Good luck!!