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I have reached the one week mark as a cold turkey. phew, gotta keep this up but dayuuummm do i want one.
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Jul 12, 2010 16:37
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Sup GBS, so I never intended to join this round of quitting, but it turns out the fates had a different plan for me. I've had asthma all my life, you're probably thinking "herp a derp smoker with asthma?!", but it turns out it is considerably more severe than I first thought, which I found out last weekend when I went to Ottawa to celebrate Canada Day. So I was a regular smoker- 5-7 smokes / day for going on 3 years now. The thing about my asthma up until last weekend was that smoking only exacerbated any existing tightness- ie if Im not already wheezy I can smoke and feel no ill effects. We arrived in Ottawa Wednesday night, we partied a lot, and walked a lot of places including all the way to HULL and back for the fireworks. The two would provide a 'near fatal' combination. Saturday afternoon I was taking a dump and in the span of about 30 seconds was no longer able to breath- my bronchial tubes were so tight that I couldn't even inhale on my rescue inhaler. The last thing I remember is waiting on the balcony and listening impatiently as the ambulance sirens slowly got louder. Then this happened  Skip ahead 2 days and I awake from my 'Scale 8' coma (manually induced with ketamine). My friend, who's apartment we were staying at, and who coincidentally is also a med school intern at the hospital where I stayed tells me I had a 'near fatal' asthma attack. As the name suggests and as the doctors told me, had it taken 5 more minutes to get me to the hospital I'd have been dead. One of the first things they did once I was stabilized was slap a nicotine patch on me, I got more when I was discharged so I'm on step 2 (14 mg) for a little while longer then step 1 and rest'll be will power from there. Since being home I havent had much trouble, sometimes I think 'hey I wanna go for a smoke... oh yeah' and then a few minutes later I forget I wanted to smoke. The worst so far was Saturday when my friend had a bbq, I was sitting on a deck, drinking a beer and stuffed full of meat, not being able to smoke sucked. SO I guess I'm along for the ride with everyone else now!
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Jul 12, 2010 19:59
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Lamb-Blaster 4000, good for you. I mean honestly, it sucks that you actually fell into that small category everyone fears. Most people that smoke won't actually get a reminder at a young age what it's doing to them, and I guess you did. I had a similar experience to you, nowhere near as bad though. Near-fatal asthma attacks must be scary as gently caress. Not being able to breathe is terrifying. I had extremely bad bronchitis (from smoking) for an entire month and was on inhalers, drugs, etc...yet I was cursing myself, how come nobody else gets these things from smoking? To be honest you might look back some day and see this event as the one moment that changed your whole life. Who knows, maybe almost dying today might have prevented you from actually dying when you're 40 or 50. If you want, you should check out the e-cigarette thread if you still want to blow clouds out with no health risks.  As far as my own journey, I stopped smoking 5 days ago now. Since then I've partied pretty drat hard, and only once at a party did one of my friends (a non-smoker) bum a cigarette from someone and I had a drag off it. It was pretty good, e-cigarette was good too though. Didn't smoke the next day either or the next...hope to keep it that way. I can't tell you how nice it is to go to parties without having to worry about if I have a full pack of cigarettes. The other really nice thing is that I always held back on partying and drinking a lot because I wanted to avoid the way I felt in the morning. Now that I do it without smoking at ALL (pounded some vodka with a group of friends last night), when I wake up in the morning I don't struggle to breathe and I'm not dehydrated. Good luck everyone, it gets much easier after 3 days! If you have to replace cigarettes with another crutch, do it. Doesn't matter if it's food, coffee,  , anything to keep yourself from smoking!
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Jul 13, 2010 00:27
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Thought I'd pipe in here. Day 2 of no tobacco. Although I started 4 days ago I smoked a bunch after a night of drinking on Saturday. I have an e-cig but I feel that quitting cold turkey from nicotine is the best plan. Hope everyone is winning.
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Jul 19, 2010 19:33
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Nedsmaster posted:Good luck everyone, it gets much easier after 3 days! If you have to replace cigarettes with another crutch, do it. Doesn't matter if it's food, coffee, Sorry but I don't think pot is a great replacement for tobacco. Food and coffee, I don't know about those.
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Jul 19, 2010 19:35
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HighClassSwankyTime posted:Sorry but I don't think pot is a great replacement for tobacco. Food and coffee, I don't know about those. One time I got my cannabis recommendation to thwart my tobacco tendencies... Just ended up smoking a lot of weed and cigarettes. I'm about to go on a long bike ride, nothing else can really kill my cravings at the moment besides exercise, and reading.
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Jul 19, 2010 19:45
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HighClassSwankyTime posted:Sorry but I don't think pot is a great replacement for tobacco. Food and coffee, I don't know about those. Well, you don't smoke a gram of pot each time 10+ times a day! Regardless of whether or not people want to poo poo on others' quitting methods, I haven't had a cigarette in 2 weeks now and I'm getting by using an e-cig mostly. Pot mostly was great in the first few days when I really wanted smoke but I didn't want a cigarette.
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Jul 19, 2010 20:43
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I'm at 2 weeks now yesterday. I still get cravings to smoke for certain situations, but they pass momentarily. The constant need for caffeine and sugar has started to subside dramatically. Focus is improving. I've also found cigarettes were suppressing my sex drive.
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Jul 19, 2010 20:55
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Hooray for not smoking. I've been about 14 days since having a smoke now, using Champix to help out. I'm still getting cravings although not as many as I did when I first quit. Maybe two or three a day now. The main thing that's bothering me is mood swings; I'm not suffering too badly from cravings but I'm finding myself getting upset over stuff that normally wouldn't bother me at all. By upset, I mean, bursting into tears, which isn't like me at all. Nicotine withdrawal sucks. Is/Did anybody else have that?
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Jul 19, 2010 22:13
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Kippling posted:Hooray for not smoking. I've been about 14 days since having a smoke now, using Champix to help out. I'm still getting cravings although not as many as I did when I first quit. Maybe two or three a day now. The main thing that's bothering me is mood swings; I'm not suffering too badly from cravings but I'm finding myself getting upset over stuff that normally wouldn't bother me at all. By upset, I mean, bursting into tears, which isn't like me at all. Nicotine withdrawal sucks. Is/Did anybody else have that? I think that is common for a lot of people. It is why I used snus to cure the cravings over the first couple of days. Then I dropped those too, and its been smooth sailing since except for the occasional cravings which as far as I can tell are not tied to nicotine anymore.
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Jul 19, 2010 22:25
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Kippling posted:Hooray for not smoking. I've been about 14 days since having a smoke now, using Champix to help out. I'm still getting cravings although not as many as I did when I first quit. Maybe two or three a day now. The main thing that's bothering me is mood swings; I'm not suffering too badly from cravings but I'm finding myself getting upset over stuff that normally wouldn't bother me at all. By upset, I mean, bursting into tears, which isn't like me at all. Nicotine withdrawal sucks. Is/Did anybody else have that? Mood swings can be common with nicotine withdrawal, it's true, but keep an eye on your meds. Chantix/Champix has a controversial history of some pretty extreme side effects. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varenicline Don't use that as a self-diagnosis tool or otherwise flip out, but forewarned is forearmed and all that. On another note, I clicked this thread because I'm on Day 3 of a cold turkey attempt. We'll see if this one takes. If not, I'm gonna seek some medical assistance myself.
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Jul 19, 2010 22:27
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I stopped smoking 2 weeks ago, but in the last few days when I wake up in the morning it feels like I smoked a pack the night before. Is this like, my lungs starting to heal themselves?
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Jul 20, 2010 01:23
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Nedsmaster posted:I stopped smoking 2 weeks ago, but in the last few days when I wake up in the morning it feels like I smoked a pack the night before. Is this like, my lungs starting to heal themselves? Most likely. I never had any problems with coughing or phlegm while smoking but a couple days without a cig and I'll start coughing poo poo up.
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Jul 20, 2010 01:55
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I'm just chiming in to say that Allen Carr's book didn't work the first time I read it, either. It was 3 years ago, and I think it had more to do with my state of mind than the book not working, because the book worked for 3 or 4 of my friends. I decided to give it a shot again this past March; this time I used the audio book. I listened to it on an 8 hour plane ride but this time I wasn't so critical and just decided to succumb to the points he was making and not really question any of the logic or talking points. When I came back from vacation a week later, I smoked 3 cigarettes while drinking, but somehow I just got a bad taste in my mouth instead of enjoying them and I haven't smoked since then. I guess my point is that even if you don't feel the book worked for you the first time through, you should try reading it again. You have nothing to lose and a lot to gain. It also doesn't really work to skim the book or speed read it. You need to absorb the lessons in the book and you won't have any cravings, it's like magic.
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Jul 20, 2010 03:29
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I've been smoking for 10 years, with my intake fluctuating from 4 to 12 cigs per day, mostly on the higher end. I've never been a full pack-a-day smoker. I would say I'm a very healthy person in every way except for smoking, which of course is a terrible "only bad habit." I hate smoking and hate every single cigarette I have, but the addiction is just so crazy. I've tried to quit more times than anyone I know--I do it maybe two or three times a year, sometimes more. Often I do fairly well; other times are miserable failures. The last time I tried to quit was my most successful. I didn't smoke a cigarette for about six or seven weeks and didn't ever feel like I wanted one. The thought of me buying a pack of cigarettes ever again was absurd. But nicotine loving sneak attacked me, and I somehow ended up with a pack again. Interesting was that about a week or two into the quit attempt, I started to get horrible allergy-like symptoms, especially at night. Use of my nose would simply cease, and I would get self-conscious breathing my gross plugged-nose breath on my girlfriend all night. My eyes would itch and I was tired all the time, to the point where it was like narcolepsy and my eyes would literally be shutting against my command in the middle of the day. This never let up, even into week seven. Are those normal affects? Every time I try to quit, the first few days are a different story. Sometimes I can go three days without a thought, and other times I can barely make it past the first few hours because I'm so grumpy and terrible. I tried to quit the weekend before last again. Although I wasn't truly craving cigarettes, I only completed about 3 hours of real, honest work in those two days and figured losing my job because I was trying to quit would blow, so I bought a pack for the week and quit AGAIN last weekend. I'm two days in and feeling pretty good. But I'm scared about going through that allergy poo poo again. It sucks. I've tried the gum, and that stuff didn't help. Too many abstract chewing rules, and I didn't really feel the nicotine. I'm seriously contemplating those e-cigs this time, but I'm worried about staying on nicotine at all for heart health reasons. What helps me the most are pretty simple things: taking deep breaths, drinking cool water often, and when I start getting pissy, I warn my girlfriend, parents, friends--whoever might be around--and as hard as it is, I try not to be stubborn and admit when I'm being weird or annoying. Good luck everyone!
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Jul 20, 2010 03:33
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Well for some reason I appear to have gone from smoking 20 a day to 0. I last had a smoke 15 days ago. I don't feel any different to be honest, no cravings, no anger spikes... Confusing.
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Jul 20, 2010 03:42
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Nedsmaster posted:I have full faith in you my friend, but unless you know what nicotine withdrawals are actually like it kind of seems not worth it to toxx yourself. Nicotine is as addictive as heroin and it's not really just a game or a regimen you can accomplish if you stick with a calendar plan, like losing weight or whatever. Cigarette addiction manifests itself in so many ways and nicotine can be the sneakiest motherfucker and you'll find yourself with a cigarette in your mouth or a pack in your hand without knowing how it got to that point again. I've quit more times than I can count before this current attempt. It is sticking though. Funnily enough I almost forgot about the money pledge. The main thing that's keeping me on track is that I've learned by now that I cannot buy a pack and just have one with my coffee or something and leave it at that. In the past I've always kidded myself with that, and it's always led to me having smoked half a pack by the end of the day, completely forgetting about my quit attempt. Not this time. Thanks for the supportive post by the way. And congratulations to everyone else getting rid of this filthy habit.
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Jul 21, 2010 04:21
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For those of you who are using Chantix to help you quit smoking, this might be an interesting read: http://www.webmd.com/smoking-cessation/news/20100727/stop-smoking-aid-chantix-sparks-safety-concerns
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Jul 29, 2010 15:35
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How is everyone doing? I smoked a couple cigarettes on Bastille Day, but only then (all the pretty girls were smoking). I've gotten over Snus snobbishness and just started buying the Camel stuff, it's not too bad. I don't want to be addicted to nicotine but this is working for me now. I think about a cigarette if I don't pop a snus in, nicotine withdrawal is not worth it at the moment. unbuttonedclone fucked around with this message at 15:51 on Jul 29, 2010 |
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Jul 29, 2010 15:46
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thylacine posted:How is everyone doing? Snus works well for breaking the nicotine / smoke link. Once you get passed that you can start tapering it down. Expect to need massive amounts of sugar and caffeine during that point.
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Jul 29, 2010 15:56
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Quit date is this Sunday at 8 a.m. I'm going to try with just the patch but might switch to lozenges if I have a really hard time. This is the third time I have tried to quit. The first time I quit for 8 weeks but then had a tramatic personal experience and started smoking again that night. The second time I didn't really try - just something I wanted to do for the hubby. Now I'm ready and going to make every effort plus I want to try and get preggers this winter.
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Jul 29, 2010 16:24
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HFX posted:Snus works well for breaking the nicotine / smoke link. Once you get passed that you can start tapering it down. Expect to need massive amounts of sugar and caffeine during that point. Yeah, i know the drill. I've "quit" smoking various ways many times for 3 months max.
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Jul 29, 2010 16:38
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HighClassSwankyTime posted:For those of you who are using Chantix to help you quit smoking, this might be an interesting read: Yup, not gonna lie. I had all kinds of irrational irritability and violent fantasy while I was on that poo poo. I'd have a simple disagreement with someone, and start thinking about fun things like knives and boots to the skull. To be honest, that drug made me such a shithead that I thought I was going to be kicked out of school or monitored by security/police or something. But, hey, the drug worked like a charm, and I'd probably still be smoking, otherwise.
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Jul 29, 2010 19:11
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It's been nearly a month since I've had a smoke now. Woohoo. I have to chime in with the others complaining about champix/chatntix. For four weeks I took it, the last of which was utter hellish mind fuckery. I stopped taking it a few days ago, thank god. The cravings have come back, but they're actually a really pleasant change. Yay for not smoking!
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Aug 1, 2010 14:50
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Monthly check-in  So far so good, 2 whole months without a cigarette. I almost relapsed a few weeks ago. I was killing a 12-box at home when I got a real nasty craving. I almost went to the CVS to pick up a pack. Instead I decided to just have a couple more beers and pass out. Win-Win! I also went on another vacation filled with heavy drinking and managed to avoid smoking. I think I have it pretty much kicked, but I can't get complacent about it.My sense of smell is starting to return, well... at least I can tell when someone's been smoking because they smell loving awful from half a room away. I can't believe I used to subject everyone around me to that horrible stench. Anyway I'm real happy I've been able to do this since my life has been complete poo poo for the last year; this is the only good thing I have going for me right now and I have no desire to ruin that.
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Aug 1, 2010 16:51
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Better late than never, I suppose. My last cigarette was sometime Wednesday evening, June 30th. Between not having had a cigarette since then and hitting the gym 5-7 times a week with a focus on morning cardio, I haven't felt this good in years. It's so nice to not be coughing up lung butter all the time. Part of me still wishes I could get away with one cigarette a day or so, just the occasional nicotine buzz. But with me, it's double or nothing; either it's no smoking at all or it's a pack a day. Jows posted:I was killing a 12-box at home when I got a real nasty craving. I almost went to the CVS to pick up a pack. Instead I decided to just have a couple more beers and pass out. Win-Win! Lowered inhibitions can be a bitch, can't they? I was the same way a few months ago; I would quit for weeks or a month or two, have a bit too much to drink, and would bum one from a friend, which would turn from "just one, man" to "just buying one pack a day" or just go buy a pack like you almost did. So yeah, good job on not giving into that temptation.
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Aug 1, 2010 18:40
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Quit cold turkey two weeks ago, was smoking 3-4 cigs a day, sometimes more. I occasionally think about smoking but it's not a strong enough craving to make me actually go out and buy more.
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Aug 1, 2010 18:52
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I smoked for 3 and a 1/2 years, quit for 1, and here I am... back at it. I've only been smoking again for 2 months, but I hate myself for it. Every single cigarette is love/hate, and I need to quit again. While I was at school (when I quit), I was able to distance myself from it. I came back home and slowly fell back into it, until I was up to a pack a day (I work construction - doesn't help). I have one cigarette left, and I'm desperately trying to find the patches that I have left from the last time I quit. I'd rather not spend the $50 on a new box, if at all possible. I'd much rather buy a video game or something to help keep me occupied, for the time being. I know if I don't quit right now, while I'm on standby while the asphalt plant is being moved, it'll be a hell of a lot harder when I'm actually working. Count me in, just gotta find those goddamn patches.
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Aug 1, 2010 18:58
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You motherfuckers can do it, seriously cause I did and it was tough for like 3 months, but now that I'm a year out it's glorious. I smoked a pack a day for 4 years and didn't give a poo poo about the smell or cost either physical or monetarily. Tried quitting once three years in and lasted a month, but a year ago on July 17th I got sick as poo poo and couldn't smoke for a week so took the cold turkey route. I just challenged my self to not do it and the closest I have come was having one in my mouth holding the lighter up and then I threw it out the window but that was like three days in, I now don't give a poo poo about them. I lucked out with the sick and stuck in bed part so I missed, or they added into my sickness, the big nicotine withdrawals.
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Aug 1, 2010 18:59
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CHEF!!! posted:Part of me still wishes I could get away with one cigarette a day or so, just the occasional nicotine buzz. But with me, it's double or nothing; either it's no smoking at all or it's a pack a day. I think finally learning/accepting this was key for me quitting. Basically every attempt up till now was ruined by the fact that after I got over the withdrawal, I'd think to myself: "well now that I'm no longer craving them, I can buy a pack and just have one a day." Madness.
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Aug 1, 2010 19:28
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Cool thread. I just quit smoking 3 weeks ago, and I don't even think about it anymore! Quitting is always the right answer.
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Aug 1, 2010 22:01
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I quit smoking at the beginning of July. I've had various failed cold turkey attempts that would last at most a day in the 3 and a half years that I have been smoking. This last month has been an utter mind gently caress and a half though. My sleep schedule has gone between hosed up and jackson pollock, I didn't sleep for more then 3 hours at a time. I was on the patch a grand total of 8 non-consecutive days. I've had the most vivid dreams I can remember ( Like shaking president obama's hand while proudly proclaiming "I'm from Canada" like it meant something while standing on bleachers right outside a foggy forest.). I've had mood swings that would frighten small yapping dogs into silence. And dear GOD everything has a smell, good and bad. I know I did the patches the wrong way. But I felt like such a slave in chains having to wear one of those things. It felt worse then nic-fitting for a day. It was wear this.. or feel like complete poo poo because your brain hates you and is throwing a fit and wants nicotine. I wanted to jump in front of a train some days it sucked so bad. But the patches did help break the habit part of it. Well a combo of patches and regular mint chewing gum. I will hate mint for the rest of eternity. But for all that, for what it's worth, I'm off the patch completely and I haven't picked up a cancer stick yet. So to all you goons kicking the poo poo out of this, keep on truckin'.
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Aug 1, 2010 23:16
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I swear you people who do the patches, gum, Chantix, always sound like you have a way worse time than those of us who go cold turkey.
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Aug 1, 2010 23:31
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I've been cutting down on my dipping for weeks. Down to 3 pouches a day. Just finished my last one. Forever. Let the fun begin...  
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Aug 2, 2010 02:41
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CHEF!!! posted:Lowered inhibitions can be a bitch, can't they? I was the same way a few months ago; I would quit for weeks or a month or two, have a bit too much to drink, and would bum one from a friend, which would turn from "just one, man" to "just buying one pack a day" or just go buy a pack like you almost did. So yeah, good job on not giving into that temptation. Oh I paid for it that night with the crazy loving dreams. I of course dreamt that I smoked and felt awful about it the next morning until I realized it was just a dream. I also dreamt I was in some kind of hosed up Cardassian prison (been watching DS9). And for some reason at some point in my dreams that night I was snuggling with a girl I went to high school with that I haven't seen in 10 years and was only a friend. The dreams have started to taper off. I normally never remember my dreams, so having this many in the last couple months has been very very bizarre.
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Aug 2, 2010 03:14
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Almost nine months and i don't actually want a cigarette anymore. Freedom from 20+ years of two pack a day smoking is pretty cool. I still smoke cigars a few times a week but i don't need them, i enjoy them.
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Aug 2, 2010 03:30
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3 days into another quit. I don't really feel much of an urge to smoke anymore, and I'm using an e-cig when the cravings get too bad. I think I've finally come to terms with just how damaging and unpleasant smoking is. I couldn't bring myself to smoke more than 3 or 4 the week before I quit - they just tasted awful and made me feel sluggish and sick. drat you smoking! I will beat you this time!
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Aug 2, 2010 04:33
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I quit smoking a few months ago and took up Snusing 
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Aug 2, 2010 16:14
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I decided a couple days ago that once I ran out of cigarettes I would be done for good. Smoked the last one at around 2:30 this morning and made it to work okay without too much jonesing (I always smoke at least one on the drive to work). Right now however, my body really wants that post-lunch cigarette. Keep me honest, goons! Granted, I've only be *really* smoking for maybe 6 months, but it's time to stop.
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Aug 2, 2010 18:29
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| # ? Apr 20, 2024 15:54 |
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I'm down to one every three days or so, cold turkey otherwise. Quitting drinking really helped; I think I'm ready to stop completely.
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Aug 2, 2010 20:14
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