ragtopW wrote: On the Other hand.. If I ever ask for a Smoke??
take me drunk... I'm home..
Are you saying that when we were in Frisco I should have driven you to Boise???
I have a picture - I can post it. Or them.........
OH the Cigar from time to time is not my issue..
the last time the other Troy Wayne and I were out..
I went through 5 of those peach/vanilla/cherry flavor cigarillos
in 2 hours.. AND then I went to Cigs.. I was smoking like it
was an Olympic sport..
popcornjack wrote:I'm like Wayne's dad--after 25 years I quit cold turkey on january 1st of this year and haven't looked back.
One of the things I did was to confront the situations where I would be most likely to smoke, namely while drinking, and challenge myself, so about ten days into it, I went to the corner bar and just sat there and got plowed, and every time I wanted a cigarette, I would have another drink. When I woke up the next day and hadn't smoked, I knew I could beat it for good.
I still get cravings all the time, but they are more for the habit of it--while playing cards, golfing, wanting to kill some dumb staff member or customer--and not for the physical need itself. And the craving passes in about five seconds. It's like it shows up just long enough for me to acknowledge it, let me know it's still there, and then goes away.
Another thing that helps is the mindset and how you think of yourself. Part of the reason I can let the cravings go is because i simply tell myself: "Now, why would I want a cigarette? I don't smoke."
Good luck, and bend my ear anytime you need advice, support or just someone to vent to because you can't figure out how you're gonna handle all the assholes in your life now that you're not smoking.
fixed it for you. and Jack...
cigars and golf go together. cigarettes and golf.. not so much
Never smoked (probably the one bad habit I didn't take up!), so never had to quit. I know others who have tried, with various degrees of success and failure, so I do feel for you.
You will find yourself wanting to do something with your hands; put something in your mouth; etc. I suggest you work crossword or jigsaw puzzles, and lay in a supply of popcorn (without butter and salt). Munch on that; wash it down with diet soda or water. And every once in a while take a brisk walk around the block. You'll find you don't want the cigs after a while, and you won't turn into a blimp, either. -"BB"-
"I'd rather die while I'm living than live while I'm dead." "Some of it's magic, and some of it's tragic, but I've had a good life all the way."
I smoked a pack a day and quit several times before finally hanging it up on 1/14/2001. Three things helped me: drugs (the legal kind), the patch and mind control.
The drug was Wellbutrin. If you choose this path, go in with the realization that you will have vivid dreams. And I mean VIVID! I still remember mine.
The patch: I thought I was wearing the patch only as a deterent. The physiology of smoking is that nicotine restricts the blood vessels causing less oxygen to get to the brain. When you add carbon monoxide by smoking this reduces the blood's ability to move oxygen causing a further oxygen depletion in the brain. If you wear a patch and smoke you can actually kill yourself, so I wore the patch simply so that I couldn't smoke. Or so I thought. About a month in I forgot the patch and went to work. My brain was screaming "WE CAN HAVE A CIGARETTE TODAY". BTW, taking off the patch to have one is dangerous because of the transdermal properties. It is still soaking through your skin even after you remove it.
The mind control was the easiest part. Stop saying you are quitting. As the jerk on page 1 said quitting is for quitters. Besides that, the brain (which is now getting more oxygen than it has in a while) does not like conflict or negative reinforcement. Have you ever told child "don't go there" or "do not talk"? All they hear is "____ go there" and "do ___ talk". Tell yourself over and over "I AM a non-smoker", "I AM a non-smoker". Positive reinforcement.
A fun thing to do is find a large jar and place in it the $7 per day that you would have burned (literally). In 1 week you will have paid for a lawn seat to a JB concert. In 3 weeks you could buy a pavillion seat. In 6 months you will have over $1200.
Good luck. I wish you the best. Good luck to Don too. It would help you if he quit, but people decide at different times so don't try to force him (imagine the jar with $15 per day!). He is the one who will have to put up with you for the next couple weeks. It ain't pretty, just ask Mrs. y-no!
And it is all about support. You have a great deal of it here at BN. Rant to us, go crazy on us, start a thread and tell us how you are doing each day. But keep doing it! Being a non-smoker will be one of your greatest achievements and you will look back on it with pride. There are still times I feel like having one, but when I walk into a bar I can't stand the smell (living in NC we still bow to the golden leaf). YOU CAN DO IT!!!
{{{{{{{{{{{{{{Non-smoker Connie}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}
Last edited by Y-NO-9-O on May 1, 2009 8:00 am, edited 1 time in total.
I quit cold turkey over 20 years ago. But I was pregnant and for several months even the smell of cigarettes made me hurl. Once my daughter was born I started smoking again for around 6 months. I then realized how ridiculous it was and quit again, cold turkey. You need to keep busy. When you want a cig. find something else to do. A also had a plate of carrots and celery in the fridge that I would grab and chewed a million straws to pieces. Best thing I ever did.
Congrats. You can do this and you will be so glad.
Navy Seals are Cooler then Pirates You Can Dream Anyway, There's always next year!!!
Y-NO-9-O wrote:
The mind control was the easiest part. Stop saying you are quitting. As the jerk on page 1 said quitting is for quitters. Besides that, the brain (which is now getting more oxygen than it has in a while) does not like conflict or negative reinforcement. Ever told child "don't go there" or "do not talk"? All they hear is "____ go there" and "do ___ talk". Tell yourself over and over "I AM a non-smoker", "I AM a non-smoker". Positive reinforcement.
Excellent post, Y-NO! And I echo a lot of what's been posted earlier by lefty, jack, etc.
Staying positive helped me the most. Scare tactics don't work on me... much like the "don't do this" and "don't do that" Y-NO noted.
You ARE a non-smoker, Connie!
"She's cute when she drunk dials - odd combination of cute, sappy sweet, and curse like a sailor all in one." -Surfpirate
I have never smoked but have helped many people quit.
I have a medical background and it is the single most important thing you can do for your health.
You can do it! Believe in yourself! And always remember the reasons why you wanted to quit in the first place.
Try visiting one of those Bodies exhibits at the Science Museums. It was just in Tampa.
They show you the actual lungs from a smoker and a non-smoker and you wouldn't believe the difference!!
my husband tried several times with the patch and gum and none of them worked. What did work was cold turkey, he says that if you can muscle past the first week then you can do it!!!
You can do it, you have control over yourself, and you could always take that $$ that you would have spent every month on ciggs and put it away and then reward yourself with a nice vacation!!!
ph4ever wrote:I've talked about it since the beginning of March when I was hospitalized and now I've decided on my date to stop smoking. May 2, 2009. I'm going after work tomorrow to get my patches.
I'm quitting for several reasons however the 2 primary reasons are my health and the cost. Don came home tonight from running to get his smokes and told me that his brand is now $ 8.50 a pack and mine are $ 7.50. This week the elevator in the parking garage was broken and walking up 5 flights of stairs to my truck was a major PITA. I also noticed the smell when I was in the hospital and smokers came to visit me (they gave me the patch when I was in the hospital so I know it will help).
I've enrolled in just about everything Nicoderm has to offer however you can't have too much help quiting smoking. I was wondering if any of the reformed smokers have words of wisdom they would share?
I don't smoke so I can't give you much advice. But I can say congratulations, I know you can do it and best of luck.
Yes we are quitting together. I've had my patches for some time now and have been waiting for Connie to get hers. You can not rush someone into a decision like this and expect it to work. So after I told her what the new prices were yesterday she made the decision. I will be putting the first patch on sometime late this afternoon.
On a side note: I know that the patches work, I used them in 91 to quit smoking cigarettes. I was off of them for 15 months before I got stupid and picked up cigars.
SAVE THE EARTH
It's the only Planet that has chocolate.
You know I love you both, and I am so glad you are both quitting.
You know how much I hate people smoking because of my lungs, now smoke bothering my eyes, and burying my FIL.
We need you both healthy.
My dad is enjoying his 80th year on this earth, and a lot of it he attributes to his quitting 38 years ago.
He still hunts and fishes, and has remarkable stamina.
I'll keep tabs on this thread, but know that I'll be quietly cheering you on each day from out in SoCal!!
$#@&...only Vegas again?? Padres ...gotta start believin'!Bring on '14 Spring Training!
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And I echo a lot of what's been posted earlier by lefty, jack, etc. 
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