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(Message started by: alienspacebabe on Feb 29th, 2008, 1:06pm)
Title: I need help
Post by alienspacebabe on Feb 29th, 2008, 1:06pm
Y'all know I'm quitting smoking.  Quit date it March 31st, but I had decided to quit March 2nd instead.

I was relying on Chantix to help and have taken it for 7 days.  The stuff works!  Unfortunately, I've had a very severe side effect from it and have to stop taking it.

I don't know what to do!!  I HAVE to quit smoking!  I'm not going to die like Dad if I can help it.

Absolute last day I will smoke is March 31, 2008.  But I don't know how to do it.....


Any ideas appreciated.

One thing - gum isn't an option for me, nor is anything truly hard (minds outta da gutter, folks!).
Title: Re: I need help
Post by Ghost on Feb 29th, 2008, 1:12pm
OMG Lady if you find a easy way PLEASE let me know too. I am showing signs of a long time smoker.

Mike

I wish I could help.
Title: Re: I need help
Post by thomas on Feb 29th, 2008, 1:13pm
Have you thought about a nicotine inhaler, or the patch?
Title: Re: I need help
Post by DennisM1045 on Feb 29th, 2008, 1:13pm
Hi Lizzie!

I happy to hear you're joining the ranks of non-smokers.  I know first hand how tough that battle is.  It took me two tries to get it right.  

My best advice is to change your routine!  Most smokers have scheduled smoke breaks in the day.  Driving to work, eating, morning coffee, ... You get the idea.

I found that if I avoided these automatic triggers it really helped me stay focused.  Those are the hardest times to stay strong.

I did it back when there were no gums or pills to help.  So I know it can be done.

Good luck hun.  I'm looking forward to seeing you around here for a long time to come.

-Dennis-
Title: Re: I need help
Post by Paul98 on Feb 29th, 2008, 1:20pm
Change your habits and routine.  KEEP BUSY!  Hard candy or other carrot/celery sticks.  Avoid situations where you would normally light up.  (Morning coffee, drinking alcohol...etc)  

-P.
Title: Re: I need help
Post by outofcommission on Feb 29th, 2008, 1:21pm
hi lizzy. my wife is taking chantix, i have an uncle that smoked for like 50 some years and he's been smoke free for 2 years now. my wifes trying to quit but i don't want to. i love to smoke. i am crappy supporter.

                                                                   johnny
Title: Re: I need help
Post by BMoneeTheMoneeMan on Feb 29th, 2008, 1:22pm
Im not sure what Chantix is, but some people take Wellbutrin to help.  The other name for it (I think) is Zyban.  The ingredient is bupropion.
Title: Re: I need help
Post by Redd on Feb 29th, 2008, 1:43pm
Carol, our HR director, was having side effects of sever nausea on the higher dose, so she backed off to taking that once a day instead of twice.  The nausea stopped, and she is still not smoking.

Might be worth a try going to a lower dose of the meds and see if that helps at all.
Title: Re: I need help
Post by Linda_Howell on Feb 29th, 2008, 1:50pm

 Mastiff sent me this a while back and said this site really helped her.

 http://whyquit.com/
Title: Re: I need help
Post by alienspacebabe on Feb 29th, 2008, 1:54pm
Thanks for all the ideas on the nausea - that was obnoxious, but not too awful.

Besides the constant, irritating headache, the huge side effect is a really severe, very deep depression that hit yesterday.  Can't think straight, which is why I'm asking for help.
Title: Re: I need help
Post by Jimi on Feb 29th, 2008, 2:11pm
Did you drink a lot of coffee or colas when you smoked? Maybe the headaches are due to caffeine withdrawal?  :-/
Title: Re: I need help
Post by LeLimey on Feb 29th, 2008, 2:21pm
Have you thought of hypnotism Lizzie? Brid and Barney's dad gave up using just that and nothing else. he never smoked again either, it was really successful for him.

Good luck with it, it's not easy. The only other thing i can think of is to calculate how much money you'll save and actuallyput that in a jar daily so you can see it mount up and plan to spend it on something totally frivolous, something you really do not need, cannot justify in any way but would love to have! Goodness knows you'll deserve it!
Title: Re: I need help
Post by imnotbub on Feb 29th, 2008, 2:42pm
I found that when I smoked that every once in a while I would reach for a cigarette very shortly after I had already had one. I was able to not light it up by telling myself that "Hey, I just had one." and was able to wait. When it came time to quit I actually used the same "power", that is to tell my self just to wait a little while longer, giving the craving a chance to pass. This got me through many a tough time. 14 years smoke free and counting. Cold turkey kid, it's the only way. everything else is a crutch.

Steve
Title: Re: I need help
Post by artonio7 on Feb 29th, 2008, 2:47pm
Before you stop • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

  • Don't be afraid to ask for help.


  • Ask family and friends not to smoke around you.


  • Wash your clothes to get rid of the smell of smoke.


  • Decide you'll only smoke during odd or even hours of the day.


  • Write down the reasons you want to become a non-smoker.


  • Each day, postpone lighting your first cigarette by one hour.


  • Ask your partner or a friend to stop with you - make a contract with each other.


  • Make a date and stick to it.


  • Draw up a plan of action and consider all the methods available.


  • Smoke in circumstances that aren't especially pleasurable.


  • Decide how many cigarettes you'll smoke on a daily basis, and for each additional cigarette give a dollar to charity.


  • Smoke only those cigarettes you really want and catch yourself before you light up out of pure habit.


  • Don't empty your ashtrays. This will remind you how many you smoke, and the sight and smell of stale cigarettes butts will be very unpleasant.


  • Don't think of never smoking again. Think of stopping in terms of one day at a time.


  • Keep busy on the day you plan to stop - go to the cinema, take some exercise, or do something you've been putting off.


  • Make an appointment to see your GP or practice nurse, and see what help they can offer you to quit.



Positive steps • • • •

  • Get more active - walk instead of driving or taking the bus and use the stairs instead of the lift. Exercise helps you relax and boosts morale.


  • Change your routine to break the association of smoking with certain times of day or places.


  • Change your surroundings when the urge to smoke seizes you. Research has shown that even a short walk can quash nicotine cravings.


  • Put something other than a cigarette into your mouth. Try carrots, apples, celery, raisins, or sugarless gum.


  • Tell all your friends and family that you've already quit - you'll be embarrassed if they catch you smoking.


  • Stop carrying or hoarding cigarettes - at home, in your bag or at work. Don't 'borrow' any.


  • Throw away all your cigarettes and matches. Hide or give away your lighters and ashtrays.


  • Visit your dental hygienist and have your teeth cleaned to get rid of tobacco stains. Resolve to keep them that way. Enjoy having a clean taste in your mouth and maintain it by brushing your teeth frequently and using a mouthwash.


  • Avoid a heavy intake of alcohol, caffeine, or other stimulants or mood-altering substances. Pay a family member or friend $5 (if they catch you smoking) as a deterrent.


  • If your partner smokes, try to encourage him or her to quit, or at the very least not to smoke around you.


  • Think positively - withdrawal can be unpleasant, but it's a sign your body is recovering from the effects of tobacco.


  • In times of temptation • Ease withdrawal symptoms with nicotine replacement therapy (NRT).


  • Keep busy - go for a walk, visit a friend or start a new project.


  • Change your routine - avoid the shops where you usually buy cigarettes.


  • End meals or snacks with something that won't lead to a cigarette.


  • Avoid people who smoke - spend more time with non-smoking friends.


  • Keep your hands busy - doodle, knit, send an email to someone you've lost touch with, or do the crossword.


  • Drink plenty of fluids - keep a glass of water or pure fruit juice by you and sip it steadily. When your desire for a cigarette is intense, clean your teeth or wash your hands to reinforce how pleasant it is not to smell of smoke.


  • If you miss having something in your mouth, try toothpicks, or carrot or celery sticks. If you always smoke while driving, sing along to your favourite music instead, or use public transport.


  • Never allow yourself to think that 'one won't hurt' - it will. It's a slippery slope.


Tackling mealtimes • • • • • •

  • Be careful what you eat - try not to snack on fatty or salty foods.


  • Help your body to get rid of nicotine - drink plenty of water, eat fresh fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and fibre-rich foods.

    • Change your eating habits to help you cut down - for example, drink milk, which many people consider incompatible with smoking.


    • Change your daily schedule - eat at different times, or eat frequent small meals instead of three large ones, sit in a different chair.


    • Find other ways to close a meal. Play a tape or CD, get up and make a phone call, or get into the habit of going for a short walk. Instead of smoking after meals, get up from the table and brush your teeth.


    • Try to avoid alcohol, coffee and other drinks that you associate with smoking.


    It's a mind game • • • •

    • Light incense or candles instead of a cigarette.


    • Cut a drinking straw into cigarette-sized pieces. Inhale air.


    • Collect all your cigarette butts in a large glass container to remind you how much you smoked.


    • Take ten deep breaths and hold the last one while lighting a match.
      Exhale slowly and blow out the match. Pretend it's a cigarette and crush it out in an ashtray. Repeat.


    • Decide positively that you want to stop. Try to avoid negative thoughts about how difficult it might be.


    • When your cravings become overwhelming, have a warm bath or shower, go for a walk or meditate.


    • If you miss the sensation of having a cigarette in your hand, hold a pencil, pen or toothpick.


    • Identify the trigger - exactly what was it that prompted you to smoke? Decide now how you'll cope with it next time.


    • Understand that withdrawal symptoms are temporary - they're healthy signs that your body is repairing itself from its long exposure to nicotine.


    Think of the savings - and the treats • • •

    • Make a calendar for the first 90 days and and fill in how much you saved each day by not smoking.


    • one day at a time - each day without a cigarette is good news for your health, family and bank balance.


    Here (http://www.scribd.com/doc/122687/Advice-to-help-you-quit-smoking) is the source for the above content.

    Hope it helps.

    with warm regards,
    Tony
Title: Re: I need help
Post by Ghost on Feb 29th, 2008, 3:01pm
Those are GREAT Tony!
I will try them too and maybe we will have a group quitting 10 tries so far for me. Patch, Gum, Hypnotism(no brain so it didnt work) welbutrin, Chantix, cold turkey, wild turkey ;;D ;), you name it I have tried it ... been puffing for over 32 years.
Lizzie dont give up some how you will do it.

Mike
Title: Re: I need help
Post by Langa on Feb 29th, 2008, 4:17pm

on 02/29/08 at 13:20:55, Paul98 wrote:
Change your habits and routine.  KEEP BUSY!  Hard candy or other carrot/celery sticks.  Avoid situations where you would normally light up.  (Morning coffee, drinking alcohol...etc)  

-P.


Ditto do that...and I don't know if you live with anyone Lizzie, but if you do, make sure they smoke outside, away from you.  Avoid any situation where you'll be tempted.  It's been 12 years since I smoked.  I did it cold turkey- but then they didn't have all the stuff they have now.  (I even used to pretend I was smoking with coffee stirers-  :P)

You are one tough cookie and if you can deal with CH, stopping smoking is a given!

Good luck and stick it out, you can do it!

Love,
Langa
Title: Re: I need help
Post by Grandma_Sweet_Boy on Feb 29th, 2008, 5:14pm
Lizzie - a good friend of mine swore by oranges.  She used to take orange sections everywhere she went and when she felt that craving - she ate one section.

The Vitamin C surely won't hurt you and who knows - maybe it will work for you.

Good Luck

Carol
Title: Re: I need help
Post by mummymac on Feb 29th, 2008, 7:14pm
The main thing is you have to really want to give up. If you do you will.

It is not as hard or as painful as you head will imagine it to be, it does takes will power,  some of the times will be a bit harder than others. But most  will be  easier than you think . ( if that makes any sense at all)

They days just before giving up are much harder than the actually giving up  as you go into a kind of mourning for what you think you will be losing from your life.

Take each day, each hour one at a time .  Patches are really good and for the difficult times the inhaler really helps.

It does get much easier and very soon you willsuprise yourself bcause you have  stopped  thinking about ciggies all the time .

I wish you the best of luck.

PS
you must must must stay away from anyone who smokes in the first few weeks . If you cannot see anyone smoking it will be much easier
Title: Re: I need help
Post by Karla on Feb 29th, 2008, 7:34pm
Ted quit over 20 years ago using hipnotism.  I have a friend who quit smoking a year ago using nic control.  It is a wonderful product.
Title: Re: I need help
Post by cash5542 on Feb 29th, 2008, 7:51pm
As a non smoker, I can't really help you. There has been lots of good advice posted all ready.I have lived with my mom smoking all my life, then watched her die from emphesema, same thing with my Grandmother. You said something earlier, that you never want to die like your Dad did if you can help it. Hold that thought and maybe it will give you strenghth. I am really proud of you for wanting to improving the quality of your life. Good luck!!! You can do it!!!

Charlotte
Title: Re: I need help
Post by seasonalboomer on Feb 29th, 2008, 8:01pm
Okay, I’ll share what I figured out…

-You can’t quit without a plan.

-You won’t stay quit without having spent some time preparing for life after smoking. I say smoking, because the nicotine is easy to get over. But the self-image you’ve reinforced of yourself is that of a person with a cigarette in their hands.

Think of pictures you have of yourself on trips or vacations, at parties. How often, if you close your eyes, do you imagine you with a cigarette? When you imagine yourself in a “tight spot” how often can you visualize yourself taking that moment to grab a puff to get things “evened out”? For me, I found that smoking and self-image were intricately tied to together. And without cigarettes it was like I lost a friend.

-I read a book called “Quit and Stay Quit”

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1568381093/002-4866236-0608812?v=glance&n=283155

Everytime I wanted to say, “aw come on, this is a bunch of psychological mumbo jumbo” I would shut myself up and accept that if I’m going to do this I had to take a course of action.  I recommend the book – read it prior to quitting. It’ll help you build your arsenal (kind of like fighting the beast).

-I realized that smoking addiction was deeper than “needin a smoke” and had to get into some real “shit” about myself – not exactly everyone’s top goal when it comes to quitting smoking. I did and it paid off. One of my top realizations was that I used cigarettes as a tool. It became, for me a way to escape socially. If I was interested in engaging in a social situation, well, time for a smoke, catch ya’ later. It was great – an easy exit. WRONG! I also realized how “smoking-centric” my world was. I spent previously unimaginable time smoking, but more importantly, planning smoking. The money is great, but the thing I got most pissed about myself after I quit was I realized how much time I wasted smoking and planning to smoke. Every meal revolved around it, every social event, every meeting, you get my drift. Working through some of this wasn’t very “fun” but was critical and far more effective than nicotine gum.

Good luck!

Scott
Title: Re: I need help
Post by deltadarlin on Feb 29th, 2008, 8:19pm
I used Wellbutrin/Zyban.  Started on it a few weeks before my quit date.  I also tapered down, going from 3 packs to a half a pack (I started that  before I started the Wellbutrin).  SInce it's used for depression, it could give you an added benefit.  Another *plus* with Wellbutrin, is that it can act as an appetite suppresant (that's why this drug isn't for people with eating disorders).

If you haven't tried it, do.  damn, it was 3 years ago yesterday that I became a *non-smoking* person.  Still haven't picked them back up.
Title: Re: I need help
Post by Charlie on Feb 29th, 2008, 8:29pm
Wow Cuddlepumpkin. You'll make it!

It's a bitsch of course. The main reason I was successful was that my dentist said to me while he had a drill in his hand: "Charlie, you stink!" It worked.

I have a suggestion: Every day find something that reminds you of what a shitty mess tobacco creaates. I found sticky book jackets and gooey stuff all over the place. Having to clean up after myself gave me some incentive. Of course now, you won't have to stand outside in a blizzard.

I ate a lot of vegetables and drank a lot of diet Pepsi.
The thing is that one of these days, you'll realize that you missed one of your automatic lightups. I knew I had it beat when that happened.

No drinking until you're sure, either. It worked for me.

It's hard but it's so much easier not having to deal with it now. Cheaper too.

Hang on Cuddles.

Charlie
Title: Re: I need help
Post by barry_sword on Feb 29th, 2008, 8:33pm
Good Luck on quitting Lizzie.  [smiley=sayyes.gif] You can do this. I will support you all the way, just ask ok? [smiley=hug.gif]
Title: Re: I need help
Post by chewy on Feb 29th, 2008, 8:40pm
I started the Chantix today. I'm hearing about a lot of side effects but they all seem to beat the side effect of continuing to smoke.
Title: Re: I need help
Post by Linda_Howell on Feb 29th, 2008, 9:32pm

One thing that I read in a book on quitting,  really hit home with me...(the rest was too simplistic and  kind of made me say to myself,  well DUH?)

  Anyway, that one thing was about the fear of the Nicotine cravings being too hard to handle and the answer was"If those cravings were SOOOOO  intense, why don't they wake you out of a sound sleep?"  Most smokers sleep all night and don't want a cigarette til they wake up in the morning.

Just one more thing to think about Lizzie.  :-/
Title: Re: I need help
Post by Annette on Feb 29th, 2008, 9:37pm

Just want to offer my support Lizzie, its a great thing that you are so determined to stop and that will help, but I know its very hard too.

Keep thinking of your father, maybe put up pictures of him where you use to sit to smoke like the veranda, the car, etc and remind yourself that you are doing it for him as well as for yourself.

Us human beings tend to try harder for the ones we love than for ourselves.
Title: Re: I need help
Post by deltadarlin on Feb 29th, 2008, 9:47pm
Another thing to keep in mind, is that after 72 hours, there is NO physical addiction left.  The nicotine itself is completely out of your system by then, the cravings at that point, will be in your *head*, it won't be your body.
Title: Re: I need help
Post by Mastifflvr28 on Mar 1st, 2008, 1:45am
Congrats Lizzie on your decision to quit.  It has been 5 years for me, 2 days ago was my anniversary.

Linda showed you my favoritist site I used.  I really liked this site cause it helped me so much with education.  It really helped me to educate myself about the smokes and what they were doing to me.  Not only the cancer causing factors but the physical and psychological ones too.  

I DO know that you won't quit unless you are ready.  I was ready, super duper ready.  My hubby still chain smokes in front of me...I was so ready I quit through that.  I was just sick of seeing myself with a smoke in my hand at all times and my main motivation is I'm totally grossed out by the thought of esophogeal cancer...not lung cancer but esophogeal cancer, I think because I'm scared of possibly having a trachostomy some day, yuck!

I changed some habits a couple weeks before my quit date, smoked outside and not in front of the puter (cause I could chain smoke in front of the computer easily and always), did something different first thing in the morning THEN smoked.  Didn't smoke in the car or on the phone.  Just avoided triggers basically.  My mom has quit smoking maybe 40 times (no lie or exageration) and she DID wake up in the middle of the nite to smoke she had such an addiction...she and my dad finally quit for forever after he had a heart attack...guess they were ready, lol.

I did use wellbutrin but only for a short time, I think I could have done it without it, it just gave me extra confidence and a boost.  I was just REALLY done.
I rarely think about smoking now, NEVER have a craving...can't even remember what it was like to BE a smoker, even though I'm constantly around 1 now.  Only thing I really miss are breaks at work...which was one of my excuses for YEARS on why I didn't want to quit...cause I'd never get a break again, lol.
 
One thing to watch, and this is important for you since you've lost all that weight...I easily gained a TON of weight in the month after I quit...then I joined the gym and just LOVED working out cause I could finally do it without getting winded and tired.  I had so much more motivation!!  Didn't lose any weight, but I now love walking and going to the gym.  Just don't eat bags and bags of hershey's kisses to keep from smoking, use veggies instead, lol.

So anyways, I wish you the best of luck, if you need ANYTHING just ask!!
Take care!
Mast
Title: Re: I need help
Post by sandie99 on Mar 1st, 2008, 4:52am
When my dad quit smoking, he used nicotine gum called Nicorette. He also begun to eat lots of chocolate during that time - smoking become history, but the chocolate habit remained for the rest of his life.

Sanna
Title: Re: I need help
Post by superhawk2300 on Mar 1st, 2008, 1:42pm
How about pretending that for every cigarette you smoke you will get hit by the beast?

My friend quit with hypnotism as well.
Another with meds.
Another just quit one day out of the blue after he did some deep purposeful soul searching. He didn't hanmg out where people smoked for a long time too -that seemed to help alot.

Good luck to you. If you can handle the beast you surely can handle this I think.
Title: Re: I need help
Post by alienspacebabe on Mar 1st, 2008, 3:41pm
Holy cow!!  There are some really fantastic ideas here.

I'll keep reading this, over and over.... Some are things I can just *do* - things that will work for me. (Like putting a pic of Dad in the car - probably the one taken 6 days before he died).  Others are springboards to things that will help me in the long run.

THANK YOU!!!
Title: Re: I need help
Post by Emily on Mar 1st, 2008, 5:30pm
Hello,

Congrats on taking the decision to quit!

I'm not a smoker, but I have quite a few friends who've read Allen Carr's book on stopping smoking and have found it really effectively (even one who read it to prove that it was all bull and ended up stopping smoking without even realising!).

Here's the link to it on Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/Easy-Way-Stop-Smoking-Nonsmokers/dp/1402718616/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1204410432&sr=8-1

Em
Title: Re: I need help
Post by Charlie on Mar 1st, 2008, 7:17pm
Linda is right. When I was trying to quit, I never woke up with any desire for a smoke in the night; and with all my coffee drinking, that was several times a night.

Something else to think about. At least one of the tobacco companies makes a ton-o-cash selling those ridiculously expensive nicotine pills and gum.

You'll do find cuddles.

Charlie


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