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I have been smoking a pack a day for the last 4 years. I haven't tried to stop yet, but I'd like to. I am in the Military, I see people who smoke a carton a week and pass their PFA yet I am out of breath walking up a flight of stairs. I have a program available to me, I am signing up for it tomorrow. However if anyone here has some suggestions or anecdotal type tips, Id love it. A friend has started on Chantix, Ive read the wiki. I just hope it helps me stop and not flip out and kill people. My biggest concern is my "triggers", smoking when I am stressed or having a few beers. I want to quit. Thanks in advance, I have duty in 10 hours and I have a half a pack left.
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| # ? Nov 05, 2009 23:18 |
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| # ? Nov 22, 2009 00:22 |
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Angry Caucasian posted:I have been smoking a pack a day for the last 4 years. I haven't tried to stop yet, but I'd like to. In other news, i recommend quitting slowly rather than all at once, and keeping track of it just like its a diet, so you don't cheat yourself.
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| # ? Nov 05, 2009 23:23 |
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| # ? Nov 05, 2009 23:26 |
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The only side affect I am really concerned about is the "sluggishness". I can deal with the irritability, the increased appetite and the overall misery. My duty days are around 15 hours. I can shotgun a redbull and be fine, I just dont want to be a zombie on duty. As soon as I talk to my duty corpsman, I will hopefully be on a program. I honestly think I need some drug that makes me not want to smoke. EDIT: I know it causes cancer, that's one reason I want to stop. I don't want to end up like my dad. But as a current smoker I know it causes all types of badness, I just choose to continue.... however I want to quit
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| # ? Nov 05, 2009 23:29 |
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I meant the withdrawal. You'll be more than irritable. You'll be anxious, paranoid and nasty all at the same time. It's really quite a lovely feeling, and its not so easy to brush off with just caffeine. If you're doing duty of some sort, at least advise your superior officer that you're doing this so he doesn't rip off one of your limbs when you start down this long path.
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| # ? Nov 05, 2009 23:44 |
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Chantix will help with the withdrawl. As far as your triggers go, you have to recognize them and then consciously fight them. Before you start your program to stop smoking, try to keep a log throughout the day of the times you feel you need to smoke. Write down what it is you're currently doing or feeling. Do this for a couple days to see if you can establish a pattern of when you feel the urge to smoke. Then when you decide to quit, you can either avoid your triggers, or consciously recognize yourself being in a situation that triggers your want to smoke and thereby be able to control your addiction easier at that time. Also be careful not to transfer the addiction. Substituting smoking with eating (snacking), chewing on something, etc, isn't actually getting rid of your addiction it is just transferring it. Of course some addictions are more detrimental to your health than others, but I'm sure you would like to end the addiction entirely.
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| # ? Nov 05, 2009 23:52 |
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Arri posted:Chantix will help with the withdrawl. I highly recommend getting in on this, It works magic. But find out what the side effects are and be on the look out for them cause they can be pretty severe.
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| # ? Nov 06, 2009 00:04 |
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Yeah, if you go for Chantix, just be really aware of your mental state. I've known people who loved it and it really helped them out, and I've known people who ended up in the depths of self destructive depression with horrible nightmares that kept them from sleeping much. It's great if it works for you, and horrible if it doesn't. Don't be afraid to just stop taking it if it starts going downhill. I also suggest quitting drinking while you're trying to stop smoking, that'll help take away one of your triggers until you're good on the not smoking to the point where a couple drinks don't make you want to kill for nicotine.
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| # ? Nov 06, 2009 00:14 |
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Another Chantix story if you needed one. My father smoked 3 packs a day for 44 years, knowing he'd die smoking. Took chantix, said he had awesome dreams, 33 days later he put out his last cigarette ever. I'd say give it a shot, but keep your friends close by just incase.
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| # ? Nov 06, 2009 01:03 |
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[video type="youtube"]/watch?gl=AU&hl=en-GB&v=o042A3VMblE[/video] just think of this song every time you think about smoking Hmmm, embed isn't working for some reason, here is the link http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=AU&...B&v=o042A3VMblE Amethyst fucked around with this message at Nov 06, 2009 around 02:06 |
| # ? Nov 06, 2009 02:04 |
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Chew one of these everytime you want to smoke: http://www.amazon.com/Thursday-Plan...s/dp/B0001U1YB8. Also, you really have to want to quit. I've tried everything and this worked the best. I know it sounds too good to be true, but one box of these did the trick for me.
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| # ? Nov 06, 2009 02:46 |
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Don't think of it as quitting smoking! Smoking is not the problem. The problem is nicotine addiction. You are seriously addicted to a dangerous drug and that's basically that. Once you go from thinking of yourself as having a bad habit to being a drug addict it kind of changes your perspective on the whole thing. I've been (mostly) not smoking for the last year and I feel great! Good luck man, I'm rootin' for ya! I did it cold turkey but I don't know if that's the best way to do it.
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| # ? Nov 06, 2009 02:47 |
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I'd say that the whole "risk of cancer" thing is just a lil' more dangerous than the nicotine is.
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| # ? Nov 06, 2009 02:54 |
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Nicoderm has helped me considerably. I'm 25, and I smoked a little over a pack a day for five years. The patch, after the first week or so, made cravings much, much easier. The first week will be hell no matter what you do. I also got a sidebar gadget to help me see what I've accomplished so far: 48 Days, 13 hours, Six Minutes, 58 Seconds since I smoked my last cigarette. 1456 cigarettes not smoked. $371.28 saved.  Anti-Smoking Gadget for Windows
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| # ? Nov 06, 2009 03:13 |
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It's willpower, nothing is going to take your cravings away. Chantix may help how you think about cravings, but you're still going to get them. Don't let the guy who said it's a month of hell scare you. It's a few days to get over the physical addiction. The tough part is the habitual addiction, but it gets exponentially better with each week. Try not to drink alcohol for as long as you can, that lowers willpower and judgement and you'll convince yourself to have a smoke. You'll probably try to convince yourself even sober the first few days. Having one cigarette won't restart the addiction all over, however it sets a horrible precedent for convincing yourself later down the road. It's good that you want to quit though, that's most important.
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| # ? Nov 06, 2009 04:27 |
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Efexeye posted:I'd say that the whole "risk of cancer" thing is just a lil' more dangerous than the nicotine is. Actually Nicotine is really, really loving bad for your heart, and heart disease can kill you just as dead as cancer. Nicoderm worked the best for me, except I had problems keeping the patches on, Nicorette's really good poo poo too, and helps a lot with the oral fixation. The only other advice I can give is to keep active as much as possible, keeping distracted is a great way to manage cravings. Also whatever you do, no matter how lovely you feel, DO NOT have "just one" it only prolongs the bullshit. Things that helped... On my two failed attempts to quit :-(
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| # ? Nov 06, 2009 05:34 |
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Also exercise has been proven to lower cravings to smoke for short periods of time. Exercise causes the release of the same neurotransmitters as nicotine. This can be especially helpful if you are having a very intense craving. If you're in a location where it's feasible to exercise, you can do that instead.
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| # ? Nov 06, 2009 05:40 |
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Check out Allen Carr's "Easy Way to Quit Smoking". It's what helped me quit.
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| # ? Nov 06, 2009 07:00 |
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I tried unsuccessfully to quit a few times and finally decided to try these: http://nicotinefreecigarettes.com/ They seemed like a lame gimmick so I didn't really have high expectations. Like you, I had a real problem where I would be fine quitting until certain trigger situations came up. Drinking was a big one but there were others. I found these cigarettes really helped me - the withdrawal feelings from being physically addicted to nicotine didn't last long despite the fact I'd been smoking over a pack a day for almost 10 years, and my mind was comforted by the fact that I could still smoke with my friends and have a cigarette with my beer. A lot of people target the psychological addiction before the physical addiction with things like gum and patches but I found it was the psychological addiction that was the toughest part. I smoked those things for about 6 months, which certainly wasn't good for me, but eventually I was able to see that it was a just really nasty habit and nothing more. These fake cigarettes don't taste anywhere near as good as real cigarettes, they smell herbally so you can actually smell that your clothes stink vs. cigarette smoke which I was immune to, and they didn't leave me with any satisfied feeling. At that point, quitting the habit was a no brainer for me.
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| # ? Nov 06, 2009 07:16 |
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What I did is I bought a sampler pack of Snus, and transitioned from smoking to snus for about a week ago or so. Then I tried one of the extra large portions - it was so strong it me gag a bit but I forced myself to absorb all the nicotine, felt like absolute poo poo for about an hour or so, and now the smell of nicotine makes me feel gross - went from half a pack a day to zero in a month, no cravings at all anymore.
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| # ? Nov 06, 2009 14:05 |
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You're not just quitting cigarettes for your health, you're doing it to prove to yourself that you can and that you're stronger than Philip Morris thinks you are. Try cold turkey; you can't rationalize "just one more" like you can when you taper off. I found that intensely strong mint gum helped tremendously - I had one piece on either side of my mouth and just chomped on them all day long. Stop drinking until the cravings die, or just drink white wine (I think cigarettes + white wine taste horrible together, you might too). When the craving becomes just too much, get up and go for a run or do some push-ups until it passes - the exercise will give you a mini-runner's high and it might satisfy the urge to smoke. Good luck, you can do it!
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| # ? Nov 06, 2009 14:40 |
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Give yourself one more carton. It's like banging your slut of a ex-girlfriend for the last time.
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| # ? Nov 06, 2009 14:56 |
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http://forums.somethingawful.com/sh...hreadid=2966904 If you're ok with swapping one addiction for a cheaper and much less harmful one, have at it. I haven't smoked in almost a year. Many of the peer-reviewed independent medical journal studies have shown that snus users have no higher risk of cancer (including mouth cancer) than that of the normal, non-tobacco using population. Something to do with how the tobacco is cured. Check out the studies in the linked OP and decide for yourself. Nicotine itself, contrary to what some people in this thread have said, although addicting has not been proven to have any serious adverse effects on health. I'm not definitively saying that snus has no harmful effects; the jury is still out. But your risk of developing some sort of fatal or horrifying disease from using it is orders of magnitude smaller than it is with cigarettes. If docs from the University of Michigan seem to be on board with snus as a harm-reducing alternative to flat out quitting tobacco, it's worth looking into. For what it is worth I went from a pack of smokes every day to a can of snus per week. I can say with confidence that I will never smoke again, other than the occasional one off at a party or bar. Defleshed fucked around with this message at Nov 06, 2009 around 15:17 |
| # ? Nov 06, 2009 15:13 |
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When my mom made the conscious decision to quit smoking, she decided to go the patch route. My family never had a lot of money, so she could really only afford to buy either all of the patches she would need for a month or all the cigarettes she would need for a month. Once she got the patches, she was pretty financially committed. Her biggest problem was what to do with her mouth and hands. She'd been smoking for nearly 40 years at that point and was really twitchy about that. She tried gum, but just can't stand it. Eventually, she got a pack of filters and that really did the trick. She was able to move and breathe like she was smoking, but with no actual smoke and her nicotine was handled by the patch. It still wasn't easy, but since she started, she hasn't touched a cigarette in something like 13 years. I think that your triggers might make it harder for her, as well. My mom's biggest trigger was my sister and once she was moved out, mom was able to quit much more easily than if she'd still lived at home. Putting a hold on your drinking will probably help at least a little with that, and perhaps forcing yourself to learn new ways to relax from stressful situations that don't include lighting up. As I recall, mom would clean every dish in the kitchen and suck on her filter until the craving left, but your mileage will certainly vary on that one. But drat, we had the cleanest kitchen EVER.
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| # ? Nov 06, 2009 15:19 |
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Smoked for 20 years. The patch did it for me. April of 2010 will be 3 years non-smoking. I used the generic knock off brand (i.e. CVS, or Walgreens). One difference though is that I extended the use of the 21mg, and 7mg patches by an extra week. I felt that the prescribed 2 weeks wasn't quite enough. I gained a little weight, about 10 pounds over the past 2 years. My eating habits really have not changed, and as I understand it, nicotine does have an effect on metabolism so maybe that's what happened. It's wonderful to get up in the morning and not hack up a lung, and then sprint to get that first smoke of the day. The only time that I really crave a smoke, oddly enough, is when I smell the smoke from a good cigar. Pipe, or cigarette smoke don't seem to have the same effect.
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| # ? Nov 06, 2009 15:32 |
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Quitting slowly or reducing the number of cigarettes does not work. The most important part is, you really have to want to quit. When you do, it helps to tell a lot of people about it, that makes it harder to start again. Avoid drinking altogether for a few weeks, drinking for me is a very strong trigger. Nicotine gum helped me. I bought one pack and still have about two thirds of them, I'd just chew one vigorously when I felt I couldn't stand not smoking. That made me feel bad, kind of how I would feel after a day when I'd smoked particularly much and I certainly didn't want to smoke a cigarette anymore. The actual addiction is the easiest thing to handle, it's the habit that's so hard to break. Pretty much everything is a trigger. Be careful not to replace smoking with drinking, which is what I did the first time. Then I started smoking again 2 1/2 years later and for a while I did both. I've since stopped drinking (not completely but to a level that's certainly below average, 3 beers a week or so) and now I've stopped smoking. It's been 8 weeks and I haven't even gained weight yet. Anyway, good luck.
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| # ? Nov 06, 2009 15:35 |
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zamin posted:Check out Allen Carr's "Easy Way to Quit Smoking". It's what helped me quit. Read this book. The fundamental thing you have to understand going into any quitting attempt is that you have to fully believe that you want to and can quit. You can't go into it thinking that taking this pill will magically not make you smoke, it will just help a little bit with some of the symptoms. The mindset you have is really the most important key to a successful quitting attempt.
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| # ? Nov 06, 2009 15:38 |
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I just slapped on a few too many nicotine patchs, smoked a few cigs, threw up violently and slept for 10 hours. Woke up and havent touched a cigarette in going on 2 years.
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| # ? Nov 06, 2009 17:07 |
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I quit smoking a week ago, using Chantix. The only side effects I have had are nausea if I take my pills without a FULL meal (not just a few crackers or something). I gave my boyfriend the patient information sheet and had him read up on the possible mental side effects so he can help me keep an eye out for severe mood changes in me. Quitting has been a breeze with the Chantix. I still get the occasional craving, but it only lasts a minute or two at the most and is totally manageable. Even my triggers (driving, having a drink, etc) don't bother me a bit, it really is crazy how well it works. I took it for 8 days before quitting, so I was only one day over the target, but I know people who took it for 2 weeks to a month before they felt ready.
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| # ? Nov 06, 2009 17:49 |
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I got addicted to nicotine lozenges instead. They taste like ash trays but after a while you get to like them
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| # ? Nov 06, 2009 18:11 |
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Just chiming in to say that cold turkey is really the only way. You're going to feel like poo poo and there's no way around it. Don't wait to finish your pack, don't taper off, just throw it away and don't buy another one. It's like diving into a pool; if you take it one step at a time it's going to end up feeling a lot worse and take longer than if you just take the plunge and let your whole body get used to it quickly. It gets a lot easier after the first month. Drink plenty of water and GO JOGGING EVERY DAY. I can't stress the importance of exercise enough. If you can't run then walk. Melatonin supplements will help you get to sleep at night. Good luck. Being able to breathe again is an amazing feeling.
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| # ? Nov 06, 2009 19:58 |
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Hey, I'm a pharmacy student and we've done a big smoking cessation module. So the big benefit of using gum is that you lower the side effects of nicotine withdrawal, which include irritability, headaches, weight gain, etc. However, they're not a great substitute, in that you won't get that rush you get after a cigarette. Also, if you choose to go this route, be sure to read the instructions, since it's not like chewing regular gum. The downside of this method is that it's still pretty expensive, and the gum is sort of an acquired taste. Lozenges work basically the same way as gum, although they're a little more discreet and a little easier to use. However, if you're prone to accidentally swallowing hard candy, you'll just feel stupid. The patch is similar in efficacy, but I probably wouldn't recommend it for you since you're in the military. It might rub off and sweat will just increase that risk. You could still wear them before and after you're required to exercise, but it'll take more conscious thought. Chantix works pretty well, but it's not a wonder drug. People will very often come in to the pharmacy and renew a pack after going off of it for a few months. So once again, you really need to want to quit. Also, it does cause suicidal thoughts and crazy hallucinations in some people, but this doesn't happen to everyone. So I'd probably recommend the gum for you. A few other tidbits, though: Most people gain weight after they quit, and the average is something like 10 lbs in a year. It's not permanent or anything, but you probably shouldn't try to alter your diet or exercise regimen to counter this, as you'll already be having a hard time quitting. Using gum or other nicotine replacement programs will lessen this effect, though. Also, lung function starts to return to after only a week! I'm a light smoker, like 4-8 a day, and even I experience a noticeable difference after a week when I quit. It's almost ridiculous. You should return to almost full lung function in about 2 months, but it's a gradient, so you'll actually feel better and better as the weeks go on. Finally, studies show that people are much more likely to quit and remain cigarette free after 6 months if they include a healthcare professional in their plan. So this means starting up a relationship with your pharmacist or a setting up a plan with your doctor or anything like this. I see you're starting a program, so that's great. Good luck dealing with withdrawal! I hope this works out for you, man.
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| # ? Nov 06, 2009 20:16 |
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All you have to do is make it 2 weeks, bro. After (about) 14 days, your body is no longer chemically addicted to nicotine and it's all in your head. I would suggest that you tell a lot of people that are important to you that you're quitting. That way, you're not just responsible to yourself, you have to worry about letting them down. Maybe Chantix has gotten better, but when I was a pharmacy tech a couple years ago, people would almost unanimously say that the side effects were worse than regular withdrawal.
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| # ? Nov 06, 2009 20:31 |
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OP you should check out the electronic cigarette thread located here: http://forums.somethingawful.com/sh...hreadid=3171692 I was a pack a day smoker before these, I take a few puffs on mine every couple of hours and I am golden. Also as time goes by I'm using it less and less every day. I hope to be completely nicotine free in the next two months. Electronic cigarettes are cheaper than tobacco and won't clog up your lungs, I've noticed a significant differnce in my cardio; I am almost to the 4 month mark without a cigarette now. Hope this helps and you are making a wise decision quitting now.
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| # ? Nov 06, 2009 20:41 |
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I quit cold turkey and the first three days were literally lovely beyond lovely. I got through it with A. ASSBUTTTONS OF EXERCISE. I mean 20 miles plus a day of bikeriding - really helps keep the mind off it B. Someone to kick your rear end into shape - in my case it was my gf. Been over a year and I'm still a non smoker.
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| # ? Nov 06, 2009 20:59 |
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Stop smoking. There, you did it!
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| # ? Nov 06, 2009 21:00 |
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I haven't read that E-cigarette thread yet, but I'd be wary. Admittedly they're cool as poo poo, but they're too new; nobody really knows how safe or dangerous they are. The vaporizer should make it safer than traditional smoke, but it's still shifty product manufactured in China that you're putting into your lungs. It's unregulated in the US, too, so there's probably no quality of standard in those things. But anyways, the FDA put out a warning: http://www.fda.gov/forconsumers/con...s/ucm173401.htm TLDR: Basically, we don't know what they do, so don't think you have a free ticket. Also, they mention that they found diethylene glycol, used in antifreeze, and carcinogens. However, these weren't in the same sample, so they might not be in all the canisters or anything, but that's the kind of quality control you're dealing with.
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| # ? Nov 06, 2009 21:50 |
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Try chewing big red gum, I've heard that because its got kind of a sharp bitter taste from the cinnamon it is like a cigarette or something. Work out a bunch too
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| # ? Nov 06, 2009 22:45 |
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I'm about a week into quitting smoking myself and I'm doing alright. I'm hardly craving cigarettes at all, but when I do it's mild. The patch is working out pretty well for me. I had to quit now as I'm seeing immediate effects on my health. Before it was all, "Man, smoking is so *puff puff* cool and awesome and *puff puff* sweet. I may get *puff puff* lung cancer one day but *puff puff* who cares?" And now I'm hacking, coughing and I can't breathe at 27. I'd been smoking for 10 years, sometime nearly two packs of unfiltered Lucky Strikes a day. Oh, I also drink a lot of coffee now. Try not going to the places that you usually smoke at or hang around people you usually smoke with for about two weeks, that's what I've been told.
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| # ? Nov 06, 2009 23:08 |
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Thanks for the input everyone, today I only smoked half a pack. My biggest "trigger" is the military. The whole smoke deck is just, if anything, a ten minute escape from the stresses of work. Ill try the laying off the beer, I don't drink that much, but I have noticed a big increase in smoking when Ive had a few beers. Take tonight for instance, I just got off duty and I have to be back around 4am. I come home, have a few beers, play some xbox, shower then bed. I usually have a cigarette or two and sit on my front porch as well. Im recognizing my triggers, its just the comfortableness of the habit I guess. I signed up for the smoking cessation program. It gets me off the ship for a few days and a counselor. The Navy is big about stopping smoking, so hopefully itll help. And working out does help a little, I did 10 miles on the bike this morning and aside from the huffing and puffing, I felt like a million bucks. Thanks again though for the input.
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| # ? Nov 06, 2009 23:57 |
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