Giving up smoking - it's hard, innit...
Discussion
Keep it going, its a difficult thing to do but worth it in the end..
When i first started to quit i found that using the patches along with either gum or lozengers worked for me(this was because it helped the craving and i got the "hit" of nicotine).
I found that i only needed both for a week and then just the patches.
I know it says only use one method, but the nurse at my quacks suggetsed doing both and it made it easier for me. ( i have tried several times to quit) and im up to 6 months now.
When i first started to quit i found that using the patches along with either gum or lozengers worked for me(this was because it helped the craving and i got the "hit" of nicotine).
I found that i only needed both for a week and then just the patches.
I know it says only use one method, but the nurse at my quacks suggetsed doing both and it made it easier for me. ( i have tried several times to quit) and im up to 6 months now.
Sorry.
My Mrs gave up years back (when she got pregnant with our first) and she was a f
king misery for the first couple of weeks but it got better and better. That was 3 years ago and still, occasionally, fancies a smoke. To my knowledge she's never given in!
Well done for trying though - you'll live longer, be healthier, smell not-quite-so-bad, won't look like you belong in a council house and be richer.
My Mrs gave up years back (when she got pregnant with our first) and she was a f
king misery for the first couple of weeks but it got better and better. That was 3 years ago and still, occasionally, fancies a smoke. To my knowledge she's never given in!Well done for trying though - you'll live longer, be healthier, smell not-quite-so-bad, won't look like you belong in a council house and be richer.
I used to do 25 a day for over 20 years & stopped about 3 years ago. Tried the patches once but didn't like them.
I used the lozenges but only ever two a day at most for about 2 weeks, then nothing. Packet said take 6-8 a day for several weeks - no way I could have done that! I found the lozenges better because I could decide when I wanted one vs a constant drip feed of nicotine - which you need to get off at some point. I figured the sooner I got rid of the nicotine the better. In some ways the patches just prolong the agony IMO.
Key thing to remember is that when you get a "craving" it lasts for only about a minute - what breaks people is the thought/idea that you are going to feel that way forever - and you won't.
You just need to get your head round that, breathe deep, think of something else & let it pass - and then "chalk another one up to me" when its gone.
One of those silly quit meter things on the PC is useful as well - it won't show much to start with but building the totals of ciggies not smoked & money saved is somethin to focus on when you need to.
I just reloaded it for a lark & it now says:
Quit for Three years, three months, four weeks, one day, 22 hours, 35 minutes and 55 seconds.
30,373 cigarettes not smoked
Saving £8,732.09.
Life saved: 15 weeks, 11 hours, 5 minutes.
I can't even imagine what a pile of 30,000 cigarette butts would look like !!
(let alone the 200,000 plus I probably actually smoked in the preceding 20 years or so).
I used the lozenges but only ever two a day at most for about 2 weeks, then nothing. Packet said take 6-8 a day for several weeks - no way I could have done that! I found the lozenges better because I could decide when I wanted one vs a constant drip feed of nicotine - which you need to get off at some point. I figured the sooner I got rid of the nicotine the better. In some ways the patches just prolong the agony IMO.
Key thing to remember is that when you get a "craving" it lasts for only about a minute - what breaks people is the thought/idea that you are going to feel that way forever - and you won't.
You just need to get your head round that, breathe deep, think of something else & let it pass - and then "chalk another one up to me" when its gone.
One of those silly quit meter things on the PC is useful as well - it won't show much to start with but building the totals of ciggies not smoked & money saved is somethin to focus on when you need to.
I just reloaded it for a lark & it now says:
Quit for Three years, three months, four weeks, one day, 22 hours, 35 minutes and 55 seconds.
30,373 cigarettes not smoked
Saving £8,732.09.
Life saved: 15 weeks, 11 hours, 5 minutes.
I can't even imagine what a pile of 30,000 cigarette butts would look like !!
(let alone the 200,000 plus I probably actually smoked in the preceding 20 years or so).Do you mind me asking why you started smoking? (I'm genuinely interested, have only smoked one cig in my whole life and it was rancid 
)
A lot of people I know started because they just liked to smoke as part of the crowd while they were out drinking. To help them stop, they either went out with non-smokers instead or stoppped going out so much which helped a lot...
)A lot of people I know started because they just liked to smoke as part of the crowd while they were out drinking. To help them stop, they either went out with non-smokers instead or stoppped going out so much which helped a lot...
Maybe I should get some lozenges too. I smoke(d) about 5-6 packs a week, and started up again about 7 years ago having stopped for about 8. But this time I'm determined to give up for good. And when you see how much money you save it really puts into perspective what an expensive habit it is. And that's not even taking into consideration how bad it is for you.
I bought this.
http://www.play.com/Books/Books/4-/6518520/Allen-C...
It was the best thing I EVER did. Never, ever looked back for 5 1/2 years.
Give it a go, for the price of 1 packet of lozengers.
http://www.play.com/Books/Books/4-/6518520/Allen-C...
It was the best thing I EVER did. Never, ever looked back for 5 1/2 years.
Give it a go, for the price of 1 packet of lozengers.
Fezant Pluckah said:
Maybe I should get some lozenges too. I smoke(d) about 5-6 packs a week, and started up again about 7 years ago having stopped for about 8. But this time I'm determined to give up for good. And when you see how much money you save it really puts into perspective what an expensive habit it is. And that's not even taking into consideration how bad it is for you.
More than half the battle is actually wanting to do it. Most of the people I know who tried to give up because they thought they should rather than actually wanting to, didn't succeed.The lozenges don't taste good (which is just as well really otherwise you'd just end up munching those by the packetfull) and they do produce some comedy "gaseous moments"
. You'll be able to clear entire rooms, shopping centres even! Lefty Guns said:
Do you mind me asking why you started smoking? (I'm genuinely interested, have only smoked one cig in my whole life and it was rancid )
A lot of people I know started because they just liked to smoke as part of the crowd while they were out drinking. To help them stop, they either went out with non-smokers instead or stoppped going out so much which helped a lot...
Started earlier than that - started as a teenager for all the wrong reasons that usually apply to teenagers doing stupid things! My parents were both smokers so it was also easy to get away with it. Had friends who's parents were both non smokers & of course they could smell it on them straight away. As a result they gave up because it was just too difficult! )A lot of people I know started because they just liked to smoke as part of the crowd while they were out drinking. To help them stop, they either went out with non-smokers instead or stoppped going out so much which helped a lot...
Neil.D said:
I bought this.
http://www.play.com/Books/Books/4-/6518520/Allen-C...
It was the best thing I EVER did. Never, ever looked back for 5 1/2 years.
Give it a go, for the price of 1 packet of lozengers.
Another vote for the book - I stopped cold turkey 3.5 years ago, and have no cravings at all http://www.play.com/Books/Books/4-/6518520/Allen-C...
It was the best thing I EVER did. Never, ever looked back for 5 1/2 years.
Give it a go, for the price of 1 packet of lozengers.
^Slider^ said:
I know it says only use one method, but the nurse at my quacks suggetsed doing both and it made it easier for me. ( i have tried several times to quit) and im up to 6 months now.
The course I went on they suggested using two NRT's at the same time.Fezant Pluckah said:
I was thinking of getting one of those little plastic cigarette thingies I've seen advertised on the telly. It's what to do with my hands that's the problem (steady now!).
I doubled up with the inhalator 
Its gives you an extra hit of nicotine and gives you something to do with your hands.
Yes, it is very hard. That said...Stick with it Fezant, I stopped on Tuesday this week. I had one last night at the pub I will admit but I am not going to beat myself up about it.
I managed to give up for three months after passing my driving test in 1991. Of course with hindsight I wish that I had tried harder at that age (17).
I gave up for six months last year and then I made the stupid mistake of having a cigar while pissed on a business trip which started me off again a few weeks later.
Still, I am determined to not give up on giving up. I know I can do it and I am sure that you can too. I will try and stay away from drinking more than a couple of units for a good while as that seems to be my downfall. Will probably lose a few lbs as a bonus too.
If you want to post back up and let me know how you are doing it would be great, I think positive support can do no harm in the quest!
I get on best with the lozenges, don't chew them by the way, just kind of roll them around the mouth and treat them as you would a boiled sweet.
Last time 'round I called the NHS line http://smokefree.nhs.uk/what-suits-me/local-nhs-se... and went to the local session once a week. You get your choice of NRT for the cost of a prescription and the support that comes with going to talk to these folk.
I'm going to put the £5.00 a day into a separate bank account. That's £150 a month roughly although the main reason for me to give up is for better health.
Good luck, and the best thing of course is that we are not giving £4 a day to the government in tax.
I might not care about £400 a year road tax next April if I keep this up!
I managed to give up for three months after passing my driving test in 1991. Of course with hindsight I wish that I had tried harder at that age (17).
I gave up for six months last year and then I made the stupid mistake of having a cigar while pissed on a business trip which started me off again a few weeks later.
Still, I am determined to not give up on giving up. I know I can do it and I am sure that you can too. I will try and stay away from drinking more than a couple of units for a good while as that seems to be my downfall. Will probably lose a few lbs as a bonus too.
If you want to post back up and let me know how you are doing it would be great, I think positive support can do no harm in the quest!
I get on best with the lozenges, don't chew them by the way, just kind of roll them around the mouth and treat them as you would a boiled sweet.
Last time 'round I called the NHS line http://smokefree.nhs.uk/what-suits-me/local-nhs-se... and went to the local session once a week. You get your choice of NRT for the cost of a prescription and the support that comes with going to talk to these folk.
I'm going to put the £5.00 a day into a separate bank account. That's £150 a month roughly although the main reason for me to give up is for better health.
Good luck, and the best thing of course is that we are not giving £4 a day to the government in tax.
I might not care about £400 a year road tax next April if I keep this up!
yes.
yes it is hard.
I've given up 5 times now
I used to smoke 20+ a day, but now down to about 4-5 a day, and now I'm going for the one a day, and when Im on to that I might as well not smoke.
going to try and use the money I will save towards something useful (or not so useful), like a flamingo, or a canoo, orrr mabye a new exshaust.
yes it is hard.
I've given up 5 times now
I used to smoke 20+ a day, but now down to about 4-5 a day, and now I'm going for the one a day, and when Im on to that I might as well not smoke.
going to try and use the money I will save towards something useful (or not so useful), like a flamingo, or a canoo, orrr mabye a new exshaust.
http://www.e-cigs.co.uk/store/
Haven't had a cig since January after getting one of these.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Haven't had a cig since January after getting one of these.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
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