Need Help from Smokers That Quit

I let a pack of cigarettes get really stale, and then smoked them. It was really an accident, but it worked like a charm. I quit after 2 cigarettes out of that pack.

my mom tried every way on the the sun until she "J. quit". she said it was J. finally her mind was made up and it was hell for weeks but she knew she wasnt going back.

i cant comment on how i feel because ive never smoked

I am not a smoker. My dad was a smoker (almost 40 years) and my husband is a smoker.

When my dad quit - he went cold turkey and went on vacation. He had to totally change his routine and going on vacation was that. It was hard. He drank a LOT of water of help clean his system out. He used a pencil in his hand as well. He quit almost 25 years ago.

My husband quit in 1999 to 2002. he too went cold turkey. He kept a squeeze ball with him so that when he wanted to go smoke, he would squeeze the ball and then do something else that would occupy him until the "urge" went away.

One of my girlfriends used Chantix - made her libido SKYROCKET!!

Since I personally haven't been a smoker - I would tell you to talk with your doctor and see what he/she advises. All have said that they needed to change their routine from when they smoked...and patience from those who love them!!

GOOD LUCK!! YOU GO GIRL!!! I KNOW YOU CAN DO IT!!

I do it cold turkey. (quit several time, and went back mostly because of my MIL)

Keep your mind and hands busy. Sometimes it helps to drink caffine to help with the with drawl, sometimes it makes you crave them more. YOu have to WANT to do it, or nothing will work.

Good luck

Try an ecig and step down the nicotine in the liguid gradually. It took me a year to get down to just doing it for pleasure now with no nicotine in the liguid at all but i didnt have to go through that withdrawl of major headaches and irratibility at all by stepping down gradually. go into a ecig store dont buy one from the gas station.

I wasn't a super heavy smoker, maybe 6 or so per day, but patches worked for me. I started with step 2. They really seem to take the edge off as you work on getting rid of the habit part of it. Don't buy them and don't be around people who smoke AT ALL! Plan ahead for times that you would normally smoke - after eating etc, to do something else. Get some gum or candy - dum dum suckers or something like that instead. Think about your kids - maybe even keep a picture or note from them in your pocket to help you thru those tough moments!!!! You can do it!!!! I haven't smoked in about 1 yr and I love it!!!!!! Best Wishes!!!!!

Here is a free resource I used. http://www.smokershelpline.ca/ It is Canadian, but perhaps there is a US version. Anyway, when I quit I quit cold turkey. The first few days were awful, and the first three weeks were tough, but smooth sailing from then on. I quit over ten years ago. Whenever I craved a cigarette I either drank very cold water through a straw, snacked on baby carrots, or got up and cleaned something. I had to pee alot, I turned orange and my house was never cleaner. I am so glad I quit. I am in my forties now, and healthier than I was in my twenties! ETA: I also brushed my teeth when I craved a cigarette...

I haven't had a cigarette since Thanksgiving. I started off with the patches, and they worked great as far as managing withdrawal - no discomfort, no cravings, even though I was around smokers.
But after a few days, the adhesive started breaking my skin out - apparently a contact allergy. So I went cold turkey.
For the first week, I was one sick puppy. I had a non-stop headache that felt like a 250-lb harpy was perched on my skull. Everything I ate made me want to puke. The only thing I could keep down was Naked juice smoothies, Goodbelly probiotic drinks and kefir. Those weren't cheap but they kept me going. I had alternating explosive diarrhea and constipation that felt like I was shitting bricks. My skin was so sensitive that my clothes felt like they were made of sandpaper. My joints ached.
After the first week, I woke up one morning feeling, not normal, but better. The headache was gone, I could eat real food in small helpings, my clothes didn't feel like they were going to peel my skin off, and I could walk without shuffling.
After the second week, I felt close to normal again.
It was a week of pure hell followed by a week of general misery, but it was SO worth it.

After smoking from age 16-29, I realized when I hit 30, I need to stop. I set a goal, however, not a date. My goal was to quit smoking before my 30th Birthday.

I think setting a date makes it worse. So, I had a horrible sinus infection first week of January. When I am sick, I don't want to smoke. So, after a week of not smoking, I figured, why start now? It certainly was less pressure, and after not smoking for a week, it was easier to not smoke the second week. A month went by, and I felt so much better. It's now been 5 years and I couldn't be happier with myself.

So that's how I did it. For my brother it took Chantix, for my SIL -the electronic cigarettes, for my husband, well, he is still working on it.

I think the less pressure you put on yourself, the better off you will be. However, if you need help, I would talk to your doctor about it. I know for my Aunt, she needed to be prescribed Wellbutrin to curb her moods while she quit.

Good luck!

I quit cold turkey almost 6 years ago. You have to want to do it. And yes, you will be a monster for a few weeks. My husband supported me (since he quit cold turkey the year before), so he let me take quick naps when I was feeling lousy. Keep yourself busy and get into a new routine. Pick up a new healthy habit. Knitting, journal writing, scrapbooking, walking, etc. I still miss it, but I don't want to go back. Good luck! You can do it :)

I don't smoke, but my parents did. Dad went cold turkey. Mom took longer. I heard something on the radio about social media quitting smoking support. They send texts to help you through, etc. You might be able to find that with google. I have heard that the ROUTINE of smoking makes it harder on top of the addiction, so changing up your smoking routine can help. Like if you "always" smoke as soon as you wake up, wait and smoke after you pee. Whenever you "always" smoke, change it up in some small way so the behavior pattern gets short circuited.

I wish you the best!!

I quit smoking when I was 37 (I started everyday when I was 14). I did allow myself one week to quit when I became pregnant both times, but this time I was diagnosed with a lung infection and after a visit to a specialist, I couldn't even think of smoking. Plus my mom had passed away from pneumonia at a young age (57) and my husband was really concerned that things were about to go down a bad road. As I had quit and restarted so many times, so he kind of guilted me by telling me that my mother didn't have a choice, that at least I did. Those words stuck in my head and to be honest w/you I think of that any time I crave a cigarette and there are many times. I have also been told by my girls that if I start again, that they will start smoking so I don't think that would be a good thing, especially w/the 9 year old hanging out at the bus stop w/a smoke in her mouth! Best of luck to you and just know that it is something you have to do on your time and once you overcome it, you will realize how much control YOU have over IT.

I wish I had the link, but I did this great 30 day cognitive therapy program online. It was free. At the end of it, i quit. I found finding out a lot of information on quitting really helped me as we'll.

I used quintet.com too for support.

Cold turkey is the only way to go. You have to make the decision to quit, and then just do it.

I quit fairly easily once I wanted to get pregnant, needed Fire Jolly Ranchers to get me through cravings. I needed something oral, that was interesting and long-lasting, and those things rocked.

On another level, I also found it helpful to really explore why I smoked. It was a habit formed for many reasons, it served a purpose and had a real genuine place in my life. And I couldn't cut it out without recognizing what it signified -- freedom, defiance, building a wall, and swallowing emotions. Those became easier to replace (or modify or do away with altogether) once I could see it all objectively. I still smoke on occasion, but not for the same reasons and with no new habit formed, I can go weeks without it.

Get out a journal and recall when you first started, and what it felt like. Once you can put it into words, you have a better chance to change it for good. You can do it!!!

I got pregnant, everytime I even smelled an unlit cig, I vomitted. So for me I quit cold turkey, no problem. What I know other people have tried, when you want a smoke, brush your teeth, eat a carrot. Dont but the cig, so you wont have them easily available. Throw away all lighters, ashtrays, ect. Good luck!

I second the ecig thing from KP. You are still spending money, but no way as much as with cigarettes. I also know you are just replacing nicotine for nicotine, but the ecigs have none of that smell, ash, and carcinogens. Then just cut down on the liquid strength from there, like she said. If you go to a store, you can try it out before buying. For a lot of people, it's a "hand-to-mouth" thing, kind of an oral fixation.

I have been there girl!!!!! I tried quitting MANY times, and it is so hard. I would become physically sick, headaches, moody....

The way I quit was because I was pregnant. Luckily and thankfully for me the thought of smoking while carrying my baby was just not acceptable. Was it still hard?Yes, but no where near as hard as the other times.
My husband who smoked more then me also decided to quit. He used welbutrin and a low dose patch.
Give them a try. This is sooooooooo hard, but you CAN do it. If you fail, no big deal. Try again! A little mind over matter, a little change of routine. you CAN do it!
Try the E-cigarrette. Give yourself time, don't get discouraged. I have heard that quitting smoking is the legal equivalent of quitting heroine. Heroine and nicotine are not only mentally addictive they are also both PHYSICALLY addictive......
You CAN do it! Sending you my support, hugs, and love!!!!!!!

I quit after many Many MANY attempts but when I wanted to try for my first baby I quit and that was that. It was so freaking hard but I managed. I dont know if it was 'just' the driving force to quit so I could become pregnant but I will say that I was ready! I read somewhere once that it takes an average of 7 honest attempts before a smoker is successful at quitting and for me those numbers sound pretty good. It will be 5 yrs in Oct and never say never but I truly believe with the way I feel about smoking now that I will NEVER be a smoker again. I hate it - the smell the taste the cost the effects everything about it is nasty
I am sending you strength in this process because it really is NOT easy but it is doable and I think if this is your time to quit you will be successful
Good Luck

Try just cutting back. If you smoke a pack a day then open the pack and remove 2 leaving 18 for the day. When the pack is empty then you are done for the day. Do that for a couple days and then remove another 2 leaving you with 16 for the day. Keep it up and soon enough you'll have cut down enough so your body isn't so dependent on smoking. Then it's easier to totally quit.

If you don't totally quit then at least smoking 5 a day is better than 20.

I quit by cutting back a little each week. You didn't mention how much you smoke. Have you tried the gum? I didn't really like the gum but found if I cut back a bit every couple of days by a few weeks I was compltely not having any. I found it hard going out for drinks though so I staye away from after work drinks for a few weeks. You can do it! I am actually on my husband to quit. In Boston there is a hypnotist that is suppose to work for people who smoke a lot. Not sure if they have something like that near you. May be another possibility. Good luck.

My mom mom used the electronic cigarette and it helped her quit

I quit a couple of times, but would go back. Finally the thing that made me quit was an upper respiratory illness...some kind of awful chest cold, and I felt like I couldn't breathe. I quit cold turkey after smoking about a pack a day.

For me it was just a choice, and yeah I went through the crankiness, but after a while I couldn't stand the smell of it and it wasn't hard to resist them. You just have to get through the initial withdrawals and then you start to feel better and wonder why you ever smoked at all.
Good luck!

I was a smoker, and one day I just quit. So,...I guess I'm not much help. I enjoyed smoking, but I wanted to get pregnant and there was no way I was doing that to my unborn baby, so I just quit. I was probably a lighter smoker than you because I didn't have extreme side effects, and it was relatively easy. Good luck, and remember all the benefits - more money, less cancer, better smell, more breath. Seriously, I wish you the best.