I need help quitting!

[lizmolik]

I am going to try to quit smoking....I have been smoking since I was 15 years old (9 years). I can't afford to pay $6/pack and my health can't take it anymore. Does anyone have any suggestions or advice? I HAVE to quit!

[VanillaBean]

First of all- Congrats- this is a huge step...I am a smoker to and do not want to pay that much nor do I want my health to deteriorate..but quitting has been really hard for me..so hats off to you for making this first step.

Secondly- do NOT- under any circumstances- be hard on yourself if you have to light up every now and again in this process- you are not a failure, quitter, weak...etc

Some people go to the Dr and get a script for Chantr ex(sp?) or something like that to help them- and other use toothpicks, Twizzlers, etc to help with the needing something in their mouth...

Thirdly- surround yourself with people who will support you in this process of quitting....try to find support groups through local churches, hospitals, etc.....

Finally- there are many helpful sites online- just do a search

Also- I am here if ya need a friend to talk to while you are trying to quit!!!! And Good Luck!!!!!

[whiteheadsr]

Congrates on trying to quit, that is the first step. I have been smoking for 15 years. I quit in Jan then started back Well started back a couple of weeks ago. But I am now on the patch, it works good with the gum to. I have a quit smoking coach given to us by the sheriff dept. And haveing someone there is one of the best ways to quit. But if you can afford the chanix( i couldnt) I suggest the patch and the gum together. I am now smoke free again for 3 days.So if you have a slip up it is ok as long as you have made your mind up to quit just try it again and dont give up. If you ever need to talk just PM me.

[Cpogie]

I quit cold turkey, I found it to be the best way for me. YOU CAN DO IT Liz! If you put your mind to it you can do anything. You have already proven that to yourself with school. So get going, your young, don't wait.....and look at all the money you will save by not smoking. It is the best investment you can make for yourself and your son.

[SSIAnkie]

I am going to try to quit smoking....I have been smoking since I was 15 years old (9 years). I can't afford to pay $6/pack and my health can't take it anymore. Does anyone have any suggestions or advice? I HAVE to quit!

Liz, I don't smoke and never have. I really don't have any suggestions for you, but I did want to say I know you can do it. You can do anything you put your mind to! I commend you for kicking the habit! Good Luck! :)

[mom363546]

I spent $50 eight yrs ago to get hypnotized. I was three pack a day smoker who coughed between every breath but absolutely loved my habit.the night i got hypnotized i really didn't think it worked but did as I was told the rest of the night. For me it worked great.I can't even stand the smell of a cig burning in the car in front of me who has there window down. I will also go out of my way to put one out laying in a parking lot because the smell is so offensive to me.It was the best thing I could have done nothing else had worked! Good luck! :)

[laf76]

I too want to quit, I tried Chantix and even with phenergan, stayed sick on my stomach the whole time. That was about a year ago. I have another Rx for that I got filled a few weeks ago. I am going to try it again sometime. I have cut back over the past few months by only smoking outside and not inside the house. It is very hard.

I have 4 friends that recently quit with Chantix. They did not have nausea. That is the bad thing about the meds for me. The information given to you in the kit states that 30% of users have nausea. If there is a chance of nausea, I am always the one to get it. lol

[imalittletoenail]

one thing that my dad told me really helped him to quit was a change in routine...

he started doing things like taking a different route to work or to the market or gas station, places like that...and to change your routine at home around as much as you can too...for instance if you get up in the morning and have a smoke and a cup of coffee then do something else...do that something else first before you even get your morning coffee...

our daily routine that includes cigarettes tends to trigger something in our brain throughout the day that we need a cigarette at a certain point or after doing a certain thing...and it's soooo true...i'm a smoker and i catch myself doing it :)

anywho, just a little something maybe to try...keep with it...you can do it!!!

[Cpogie]

I spent $50 eight yrs ago to get hypnotized. I was three pack a day smoker who coughed between every breath but absolutely loved my habit.the night i got hypnotized i really didn't think it worked but did as I was told the rest of the night. For me it worked great.I can't even stand the smell of a cig burning in the car in front of me who has there window down. I will also go out of my way to put one out laying in a parking lot because the smell is so offensive to me.It was the best thing I could have done nothing else had worked! Good luck! :)

I'm the same way with the smell of it now....it is AWFUL! and just think of how we use to smell from it....
Not to mention how unhealthy it is.
I quit almost 5 years ago....my only regret is that I didn't do it many years before that.

[NancyBJ]

Liz,
Congrats! :D You have taken tthe first biggest step! :D And that is wanting to quit...I have never smoked (tried it but never got hooked thank God!) but I have helped ALOT of people quit from my husband, to friends, to pts. One thing I learned is everyone is different and what works for one person won't work for another.

You didn't start your habit in one or two days and you won't quit it in that either (some- very few do) So if you mess up, know you did and get back on track. One thing you have to do is tell EVERYONE you are quitting- so there are no excuses- hiding cigs,etc. Believe me I know almost every trick there is. When a friend of mine started smoking again- she kept thinking she was 'sneaking' out Finally, after a month I said, "Jill I know you have been smoking over a month now you can stop making up the excuses." She didn't want to "let me down" because I was so supportive when she was quitting. I told her I could smell it on you Day one. So don't think you will be fooling the non-smokers- we are coy. ;)

I agree with a support group- alot of groups can be found a your local hosptials and try the American Lung Assocication...they will have information on how to stop smoking (It helps to be a RN) Sometimes going to the doctor might help as help- they have alot of new information to help you NOT gain weight as you quit smoking and you'll get your annual checkup too! You can use patch or gum...our OB's used to order something for pregnant women who were bedridden- I don't know if it was any stronger than the 'regular' patch but you can check with you local doctor. They are coming out with new things all the time.

I wish you much health and happiness and hope you use your saving for a great vacation!

Hugs,
Nancy :)

[SSIAnkie]

I hate the smell too! My Dad always smoked. Even in the car with the windows rolled up! I hated his smoking then, and I hate smelling the yucky smell now! I was glad when the restaurants finally decided to have NO smoking. I'm sorry to those of you that smoke. I don't mean to offend you. I just like to breathe. ;):)

[bugspost]

Get the book:

THE EASY WAY TO STOP SMOKING
BY ALLEN CARR.
Look on ebay or amazon.........shouldn't be much.

You will not need willpower.
You will not gain weight.
You will not feel deprived.
You'll need no gimmicks or substitutes.
You'll lose your fear of withdrawal pangs.

You read the entire book with an open mind, and smoke as usual while you read.

It is about choosing to NOT smoke...........not about QUITTING. As soon as you put the equation of QUITTING into the picture, you feel like you are giving up something you enjoy and that is where the deprived feelings come in to play and you start substituted food or gum or candy or whatever.

This book is really good and it is definitely worth a shot.
I had tried the patch, gum, mints, hypnotherapy,cold turkey, cutting down slowly, etc. and nothing worked. This book does!!

Good luck and if you can't find it,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,pm me..........I will gladly send you my copy as I don't need it anymore. :)

[LadyPyro]

Good luck to you! This is a tough thing, but you're strong and intelligent, & you have this wild pack of prayer warriors backing you up. My hubby quit with the help of Chantix a few years ago. He used Commit lozenges for awhile before that because his employer reimbursed for them. Do your best. Forgive yourself if you slip in your determination, and love yourself anyway because God loved you first and He loves all His children even though we make mistakes. Find some support, call your Dr. or even a local cancer center - they may have a smoking cessation program. Chantix has on-line support, which my DH used as needed.

Again I say: Good luck to you! You're on my prayer list.
Beth

[lizmolik]

Thank you guys so much for the advice and support! :) I appreciate it! I hope I can do this. :)

[Jess0587]

You can do it!!!! Mind over matter!!

[Cpogie]

There isn't anything you can't do!! Get busy and just do it....it is mind over matter. You will be amazed at how much better you will feel and how much better food tastes too!! I am a poster child for the food thing...lol

[bvanpeltsw]

Does your state have a "quit line?" They offer free gum, patches and smoking cessation counseling. That might be something to check into.:)

[lizmolik]

Does your state have a "quit line?" They offer free gum, patches and smoking cessation counseling. That might be something to check into.:)

I have never heard of it, but it is something I should check into! Thanks for the info! :)

I tried to not smoke today, and I couldn't do it, I gave in already. This is harder than what I thought it would be. I think it is because I am under a lot of pressure or maybe it is something else, I have tried keeping myself busy (lol, which isn't hard) but it is not keeping my mind off of it. I did however cut down today, I have only had 5 compared to about the 15 I would have had, so I guess that is still okay. I am going to try to pick up crocheting to keep my mind off of it, but I am getting more frustrated with that making me want a cig. lol! Thank you everyone for your support, I do appreciate it! :) (HUGE HUG)

[bvanpeltsw]

I have never heard of it, but it is something I should check into! Thanks for the info! :)

I tried to not smoke today, and I couldn't do it, I gave in already. This is harder than what I thought it would be. I think it is because I am under a lot of pressure or maybe it is something else, I have tried keeping myself busy (lol, which isn't hard) but it is not keeping my mind off of it. I did however cut down today, I have only had 5 compared to about the 15 I would have had, so I guess that is still okay. I am going to try to pick up crocheting to keep my mind off of it, but I am getting more frustrated with that making me want a cig. lol! Thank you everyone for your support, I do appreciate it! :) (HUGE HUG)

You can definitely do it! Sometimes people just do it out of boredom. You are right about the crocheting.;)

[lizmolik]

You can definitely do it! Sometimes people just do it out of boredom. You are right about the crocheting.;)

lol, I thought it was just me with the crocheting. I can do the first step, but I can't seem to go any further than that, so I have this long rope looking threads of yarn, lol, it is hilarious though. I will get it one day, I need to find someone who knows how to do it to help me, it is something I have always wanted to do, but my grandma's are gone and my mom don't know how to do it, so.....

[bvanpeltsw]

lol, I thought it was just me with the crocheting. I can do the first step, but I can't seem to go any further than that, so I have this long rope looking threads of yarn, lol, it is hilarious though. I will get it one day, I need to find someone who knows how to do it to help me, it is something I have always wanted to do, but my grandma's are gone and my mom don't know how to do it, so.....

Do you have a Michael's around you? They offer classes on how to crochet and it is like 10 bucks. Might be something to look for.:)

[lizmolik]

Do you have a Michael's around you? They offer classes on how to crochet and it is like 10 bucks. Might be something to look for.:)

I haven't seen one, but I will check out the "bigger areas" and see if there are any. That would be something I might have to do. Thanks for the heads up :)

[momsangel]

My mom also quit cold turkey and she smoked 3 packs a day for over 30 years, so Liz you can do it as well, just have faith in yourself and know that you can get through it and you'll feel much better !!

[twowhit]

Thank you guys so much for the advice and support! :) I appreciate it! I hope I can do this. :)

Liz, no more "hoping" you can do it.... hope implies doubt in yourself. Believe you can! Know you can! Remember those other hard things that you've accomplished in your life? This is going to be one more success for you! No more doubts, no more wishing, no more hoping....just have faith in yourself, be proud of yourself each step of the way. You can do this!!!

[mkrebecca]

Liz...how are you doing with not smoking???? I quit 13 years ago!!!! Cold Turkey! If I can do it, any one can!! and look at the extra money you will have!! I took walks, and eat a bunch!!! I did gain a few extra pounds, but they came back off later and went back on again, but who cares about the extra pounds, as long as I am not smoking!!
Be strong! you can do it!! good luck to you and I am proud of you for trying!!

[Cpogie]

I just came upon this old thread, how are you doing Liz? I sure hope you quit!!