This worked for me.

[Notty]

I gave up the dreaded cigs a couple of weeks ago.

I found with me the following was the way to do it:

I used my weight loss as the trigger, not picking a date.

I decided that when I got down to 215 pounds, I decided that I would continue smoking, however I would never, NEVER, have a ready made cigarette again. If I wanted to smoke, I would have to use tobacco and rollie papers and filters, and make one every time I wanted a smoke. The theory was to make smoking less convenient. I also downloaded and printed out some graphic photos of people in the advanced stages of such things as jaw and throat cancer. I made myself look at those pictures (and maybe my future) for 30 seconds before every cigarette.

Part 2 was to be at 200 pounds when I was going to give them up for good.

Anyway, I found these rollies so disgusting, uncomfortable, and embarrassing (sitting at my desk like some junkie rolling these little cigarettes), that after a couple of weeks I simply said "enough is enough". I threw the tobacco away, went to the chemist, bought the patches, and took the advice of the ex-smoker chemist who advised me to also use the gum for bad craving emergencies. (I know that using both is not officially recommended, but over a short period, considering the amount of nicotine in both, to me it was effective and less dangerous than continuing to smoke.

Now the pictures are part of my arsenal against cravings. Every time I get anything like the urge to pick up a smoke, I go straight to the picture folder. Craving gone. It used to be: cup of coffee, smoke. Have dinner, smoke. Now it is stay in the office and talk to my colleagues during morning tea, and dont excuse myself from the table to go ouside to wreck my dinner with a filthy, tastebud killing cigarette as soon as I have finished my meal. After the first 5 days I hardly even turned my mind to smoking at all.

I have tried to give up in the past, but there is something inside me which says that my time has come.

They will be gone forever.

Two advantages of my diet (Atkins) are that if any hunger pangs strike as a result of giving up (only happened for the first week) I know what I can eat. A square of cheese along with a glass of water usually does the trick. Better than a chocolate bar anyway.

Secondly, unlike a lot of quitters, I have continued to lose weight on the program.

Hope this provides some clues.

And dont be shy to do an internet search for the graphic pictures. Your slow, painful, ugly death may pop up on the screen in front of you.......

Go on, the sooner you devise your own plan, the better your body and your self esteem will be.

[allatonce]

Hey use any tools you can.I too did the patch and gum.Had to ! I smoked for 30 years.And am a weak fool.No smoking for over 90 days.For me a miricle....(sp) I,m just glad we live at a time where we have all this wonderful help. Yes I gained a few pounds,but the same few I fought with for 10 years anyway...One I started LC,boom blood sugar stabalized and off started to come the weight..My dad just lost his leg and this has been a great motivator.You will be happily suprised,just follow lc and it will work..email if you need support..Allatonce

[rainne]

I also used both the patch and the gum. I had been smoking for 30 years and was up to two packs a day. What's more, I found official advice to do so at www.quitnet.com, the Expert Advice section.



I used both for a while, then used just the gum for a while, but switched to just the patch when I wasn't having any success cutting back on the gum.

I very very very slowly cut the patches. I used 3/4ths for a while, then 1/2, and am still, I confess, using a quarter patch.

As strange as my patch-attachment might seem, I have been smoke-free for one year and 5 days... and I'm the last person I would have thought would succeed.

Everyone using NRT should know that 4 mg gums can be cut in half with scissors to make twice as many 2 mg gums with half the jaw crushing gum -- and that the Nicoderm brand patches can be cut to whatever strength you are stepping down to -- also saving money. Nicoderm is the only brand, though, that doesn'e seep out the edges when cut.

[Notty]

Excellent idea about cutting gum and patches.

I am just going down the patch strengths over 6 weeks and then I will just use the gum until I no longer need it. And I dont care how long that is......

The quitnet.com link is slightly off.

A stray comma slipped in. Great site, thanks.

www.quitnet.com

[rainne]

Sorry about that bad link. I'm glad you could find it anyway.

All the best to you. Quitting is tough but so very, very worth it. And I promise, if I can do it, you can.

[tbaker]

I had wondered abt useing both the patch & gum at the same time but everyone said Nooooooooooo you can't do that. Now that i know i can i will ! I have been trying to quit this nasty habit for over a yr now. With very little luck, i have been smoking for well over 28yr's. That 28yrs to long & i don't even want to think abt how much $ i have spent on the stupid thing's. I'm going to give this a try.

[lawoman]

I came to post in case I can help even one person to kick this dreadful habit. I smoked for 14 yrs. and had never quit even for a day.I wanted my mom to quit so in '91 my Mom,my DH and I all went cold turkey.DH and I started again 10 yrs. later(I started it by picking up one lousy cigarette...NEVER do this) I quit again and then started up this past spring when our move started and I found myself alone for months.It was just a vice.Luckily my DH was understanding but I was kind of wishing he would get p*ssed about it. :rolleyes:

I have gotten preumonia almost each Aug. that I smoked.I was starting to sound wheezy and started to cough again.I decided enough was enough or I would end up on an inhaler or worse,have to pull an oxygen tank. :nono: No WAY! I exercise at the gym each day and it was scary how high my heart rate would go beyond the suggested rate.Ok,now that I was disgusted with myself,what should I do?

I saw an ad in SELF magazine for a new lozenger by Nicorette called COMMIT.I smoked my last one Fri. night,was not feeling real confident but I must say they really worked.I figured that I was just buying a box of "psychological" :) I am pleasantly surprised that it has been pretty easy.I'm hoping because I exercise the weight gain will be minimal.My sweet,understanding DH is coming home on Wed. evening and I'm sure he will be pleased but not as much as I am.Today at the gym my heart rate was down 20BPM already.I am no longer wheezing and feel better.Cravings are not bad at all and if I get them I suck on a commit for 20-30 min. and it helps.Since you can't eat while having them,it helps with the cravings for food,too!Double Bonus! :thup:

Sorry this got a bit lengthy but if I helped one person it will be worth it! I am NOT going to ever pick up a cigarette again and I wish the same for you if you are reading this!

Linda

[Bon]

WTG Linda... and everyone here who has either quit smoking or continues to try to quit!

I had my last cigarette January 30, 1995 after smoking for 20 years. Quit cold turkey... no patches... nothing. I really think that is the only way to successfully quit. It's like this WOE... it's a life change.

I applaud you all!! :clap:

Keep reminding yourself of your reasons for quitting. Make a list of all those reasons and keep that list handy all the time... especially for times when you are tempted by stress or boredom. Take a walk instead.

One of my strategies was eating Hall's cough drops when I was really tempted to scavenge the ashtrays for a butt. When that metholyptus kicked in, I inhaled it like I would have inhaled that nasty cigarette, and felt that cool, clean refreshing air hit my lungs instead, reminding myself of that delightful fresh air and how good it felt.

You can do this! It won't be easy... One day at a time!

[sharann]

I also recommend the Commit lozenge for those who need a more "active" role in our quits. I have never felt so normal without a cigarette since using these. I find I only need a 2mg one every couple hours and one close to bed to keep myself feeling good. I know it's nicotine, but it sure as heck beats tar and inhaling fumes!
Keep up the great work!!!!

[lawoman]

Ok,this was a biggie so I had to share! Today was day four for me.Here I was,having no problems with quitting,keeping busy because DH comes home tomorrow,minding my own business and what should I see? A full pack! :rolleyes: Geez,I thought Fri. night was the last of them.I kept doing what I was and then next time I thought about them I sucked on a Commit and drowned the suckers! :lol: I felt like such a winner when I was able to do that.I still believe in cold turkey as it worked for me before,but with COMMIT I have had none of the anxiety and irritableness.I know I will have to gradually quit using them but I doubt it will be too long.

Hugs to all,
Linda

[sharann]

Doesn't that make you feel powerful to be able to do that!

[lawoman]

Yes,Shar,it did make me feel powerful to drown those ciggies.I find that I am becoming more and more aware of consequences for my choices.I am trying so much harder to also use this newfound awareness with food choices as well. After reading Anne Gittleman's books and going on Fat Flush WOE I somehow found this new knowledge that we need to listen to our bodies on what we need or don't need.One listen to my breathing and I could tell I was not likely to be able to smoke without some part of my body suffering life altering damage. :rolleyes:

At the gym,my heart rate was 25 beats above where it should be in the fat burning zone until I had quit smoking for just 3 days.Now it only goes way out of whack when I do 1 min. sprints at a much faster speed on the treadmill.Recovery rate is much healthier,too.If anyone thinks that because they feel good smoking it is not effecting them I hope they are listening to their bodies and being aware of the effects.

Have a great day...
Linda

[andyzxc]

hey

i was thinking bout quitting smoking reciently, but never did it, then the other night i had a really long sleep, woke up and decided that i didnt feel too bad considering i hadnt had a cig for ages. Anyways i decided that i just wouldnt smoke. Anyways i couldnt hack that at all, but i had run out of cigs and only had some old tabbacoo. So i smoked a few rolies that day to kick the cravings. And now its the day after, and its really not bothering me too much, not smoking, but on occasions it does help to have a rollie. Im really enjoying not spending the cash and having to mission it to the shop for 20 cigs each day, but its wierd at the times when ure meant to have a fag, like after dinner or after you sit down with a drink. I guess thats the habbit bit, cant wait for that to go away. The tabbacco is all dry and running out now, so when that goes, thats it, not buying anymore. Anyway thats my 2 cents on the whole thing.