Reformed Smokers Please help

[jaybox_reptiles]

Hi all i have ben smoking for 5 years now and i used to be in such good shape and i could run endless now i look like a dump and cant even run around a chair without having a breathing attack...... i have not had a Smoke in three hours ( ovisouly im trying to quit lol ) but it is already getting hard i am wondering what you all did to get rid of the cravings ................. PLEASE HELP

Thanx

Jay
Box

[Classic]

I did the patch. It works.

[jaybox_reptiles]

i was gonna try the patch i might go get it tomarrow i dont no thoe mi dad wants to CEE how strong my mind is what ever that means

[Wizer69er]

I used the patch also.i have not hade a smoke in over 3 1/2 months.The patch will not make you quit just help you you still need will power with out that forget it good luck!!

[Mason]

It has been about 2 or so weeks for me. The way I did it was stop buying packs a couple of years ago. My girlfriend smoked, so I started only really smoking around her, and the odd friend that was willing to lend a smoke. After a while you only think of smokes when you see others smoking.

I know the feeling of wanting, and not having sux. I smoke weed, so that helped me a bit I guess (cause I still smoke something).

After a bit your want for quitting overrides the cravings..

Just try really hard to be in controle of your body, and not the other way around.

GOOD LUCK. Have fun with the mood swings!

[TheRedDragon]

I just got off the patch three days ago. The withdrawel from that was tough, but, I'm feeling way better today. Try the nicotine patch. Start with Step 1 if you smoked more than 10 cigs a day or start with Step 2 if you smoked less than 10 cigs a day. I haven't had a cig for almost two months now and I'm feeling great. Invictus and I quit at the same time, but, he's been smoke free longer because I did slip up a while back. It happens, so, if you slip, don't beat yourself up, just keep trying. Also, try sleeping more, I find that I get really tired when I'm going through withdrawel. Drink lots of water and have a hot bath, that should help a bit too.

[icequeen]

I quit 11 YEARS ago.
Cold turkey.
I just decided enough was enough and I wouldn't be a slave to nicotine anymore.

The only REALLY helpful suggestions I could offer is that you have to make a lifestyle change in order for it to work.
If you always have a smoke with a cup of coffee...then quit drinking coffee temporarily.
If you associate being in a club with having a smoke in your hand...stop going to the club for a bit.

Smoking is an addiction, definately, but there are many habits that go along with it, that need to be broken too.
Breaking those associated habits is part of the key to breaking the addiction.

[asphyxia]

It has been just over a year for me, after smokeing for 30 years.

I used the patch, nicotine gum, joined a support group, @ the ARF, and used the Canadian Cancer guide as a starting point.

I have never felt better.

Remember that the craving will go away soon and each craving will be further apart and less dramatic.

Good luck
Brian

P.S. Drink a lot of water and be preparred for stresfull situations

[corr]

I'll be smoke free 5 years in January. I used the patch. If you use it, make sure you do the whole program. It's easy to think "this is easy" and go off it after the first stage. If you really want to quit cold turkey, try sunflower seeds and drink lots of water like RD suggested. Also, don't tempt yourself by doing things that you associate with smoking. To stop drinking coffee and stop smoking at the same time is a hard one though. But most of all, WILLPOWER!

[jaybox_reptiles]

thank you all for your your tips i think im gonna try to stop eating and drinking water for a few days lol j/k but i am going to start drinking coffe to get my mind off of smokes cuz i no i can quit coffe lol i drank coffe for 4 years all day long and desided to uit just cuz it got boring lol but smoking is harder but think i am still open for ANY sugesstions you may have

[daver676]

I smoked for 9 years, up until about 2 months ago. I stopped doing everything that made me want to have a cigarette. Drinking coffee in the morning, drinking alcohol, being bored etc. It's been over 2 motnths since my last smoke, and the cravings arn't too bad, and become less and less every day. I've started to bring alcohol back, and the cravings are small for a smoke. And I don't miss coffee at all.

When I had really bad cravings, I would just list the pros and cons of me smoking in my head. Zero pros, a bunch of cons. This helped my alot!

Good Luck, and don't give in.

BTW, I have a friend who used Zyban to quit. I think you need a prescription for it though...

Dave

[Lisa]

I quit smoking a few times, cold turkey each time. the last time i quit was 3.5 years ago. I still get cravings though they aren't as bad.

Part of what makes smoking hard to quit is the habbit is connected to other habbits. IE sitting down and having a smoke and coffee on lunch break, having a smoke on the way to work, smoking when you get to work, smoking after meals, smoking with beer.

I chewed alot of gum, put on alot of pounds, and bit my nails alot. In all it's worth it. I used to hack up something nasty every morning, and I'm sure it was preventing me from getting a good nights sleep.

I love not smelling, being able to breath and the cancer risks have gone down.

[Classic]

3 years 4 months for me.

[Linds]

I've been smoke-free for 2 (or is it 3 years now?). If I can quit, anyone can. I smoked between 2-3 packs daily (2 if I slept, 3 if I didn't)... I didn't even need a lighter 'cause I could just keep lighting them off eachother.
I was going to attempt using Zyban, but the stuff made me so sick I had to stop taking it before I was even to the point where I was allowed to stop smoking So cold turkey it was, I didn't make myself sick for no reason, and I couldn't breathe and all I was doing was wheezing and making bad noises, so I quit. I chewed on minty toothpick things....lots of them, and kept busy, and tried to avoid things that I really need to smoke while doing. I was a horror to be around for the first couple days, but it was well worth it. It feels great to be free from that crap... I can taste stuff, I can smell, I don't smell bad, I save a buttload of $$, and its great for my health.

[snakemann87]

Jay man you 15.....so you started at 10!!!!!!!! LOL ok......I hate people who smoke no offense.....my grandpa died of lung cancer