Off Topic attn ex smokers:How did you finally quit?

[gtrman66]

I am gearing up to make another attempt at quitting smoking and was curious to see if others here on the forum are ex-smokers and how they managed to finally kick the habit.
I've tried:nicorette gum(gave me indigestion something fierce),patches(broke me out..and didn't work very well for me),cold turkey(that was an ugly experience).Things I haven't tried include:the smokeless cigarette(expensive),hypnosis(also expensive),and the medication Chantix(which several of my friends have tried and had success with......and I could probably afford thanks to health insurance).
I've made dietary changes and lost over 50 lbs to prepare for this but I can use all the help I can get.Any suggestions?

 

[Dante]

i got some heavy duty pills and stopped after one month or so. just talk to your doctor.

 

[meanMRmustard]

I smoked a pack a day for 18 years roughly and tried it all. Been smoke free for just over 2 years now and what worked for me strangle enough was Hypnosis. I attended a stop smoking seminar with roughly 20 or so other people and I stopped that day.

You still need to use some willpower and research who is good at in in your area but as funny as it sounds it worked for me period. Also I heard the lazer works well too but thats the only one I didnt try. It'll be a tough road ahead but its worth it trust me.

Lemme know if you need anything else or just support I'll try my best to help ya out. Good luck.

 

[Stratty316]

send the Black Silo to me and Ill "look after it" till you can go a year with out a smoke

 

[ScoobySteve]

I quit cold turkey and tons of will power to change. Support and supplemental methods always help, and they help a ton, but you can't let products and methods be your crutch to success. You have to want it. Willpower is the most important thing.

Or you can do what my med-school friends do. A friend literally passed out after working on a cadaver will tar filled lungs. The stench was too unbearable.

There's also the, "QUIT NOW OR YOUR SILO GETS IT!" method.

Good luck man, its a tough road.

 

[browndog]

Chest pains.

Although I still enjoy a ciggy once and a while.

 

[andynpeters]

Can't offer any advice since I've never smoked anything ever.......but the fact that you've dropped 50lbs shows you have the will power to succeed.....think of the new guitar related stuff you can buy with the money you save.
Good luck

 

[metalmarty]

Cold turkey, felt sh*tty for three days, after that it was actually pretty good.

 

[Sweat]

Cant offer you any great advice, but can relate, I too am a smoker, one of those who actualy enjoys it but it still sucks and i am in the same boat promised myself to be smokeless by my 50th bday coming soon, I have cut way back recently, and as Scobby said will power.

Why do you say e-cigs are expensive, my Doctor recommended it to me and really not that much, my only problem is she recommended a specific brand and cant find it local and I live in a Big Azz City. Just going to have to order online.

Anyways my adivice is to try e-cigs, cut back now, stop the habit/routine cigs, you know the one after eating, with the first cupof coffe after sex etc.

And make lifestyle changes, eat better excercise more and for me a new job, hope this helps you and i wish us both good luck

 

[colinboy]

One book that changed my life helped me quit smoking cold turkey "Alan Carrs EASY way to stop smoking".
It is a world renowned method that works so check it out.i use to smoke 20 a day easily but i stoped cold turkey 7 and a half yrs ago!

Stop Smoking with Allen Carr?s Easyway Worldwide

 

[straycat113]

gtrman I also am making another run at trying to quit. I have tried the gum some years back and it flaired up my ulcer so that was a no go. I succeeded for 2 years by doing it with the patch but after going back to smoking and trying again with the patch, for some reason it bothered my stomach. Chantix was working but I started having some really strange dreams and just did not feel right on that stuff. I have the E-Cigarette now and find it to be very useful, and to be honest it was not that expensive. If you go on there web page there are promo packages which is what I got and the Cigarette, charger and 1 box of cartridges with each cartridge being equal to a pack of smokes was like $70. I have the one that is flavored like a cigarette and to be honest it is really a great help and you can still smoke regular cigarettes with no effects..

But just as everyone has stated the biggest and most important tool is our own will power and wanting to quit which has not been my strong suite the last decade. I started smoking at 16 but was very athletic and boxed for quite a few years, so I could turn it on and off at will. But once I blew my back out at 35 and did not go to the gym much the last 13 years I have been smoking a pack and a half a day. To be honest when I play guitar or fish I can really light them up, but I just had a check up and at 48 have been seeing signs of medical problems for the first time in my life so I think it is time to STOP.Good luck and lets get rid of these things before something really bad happens.

 

[Dante]

yeah, stopping is the easy bit. not falling back is the hard part. for me, it was the addiction. i'm too arrogant to be addicted. it was too humiliating to be in the hands of a chemical.

 

[crywolf71]

Here is my advice,
You have got to aks yourselfe the question: If is stop now, what is the change wil bee an non-smoker after a year
If the answer is less than 80%. Dont try to stop at this moment.
For instance if it is 50%, what does it make 50%. Try to find the answer and choose a stratergy what to to if you find yourself in a situation when you are tmepted toe smoke.
If you tought of thes situation in advance, you wil recognice that moment and do an onther thing you thought up before.
Starting an attempt to stop smoking with a low succes rate is bound to fale en frustate the next attempt.

Is you are going on a polar expedition you wont leave without prepiration, you have to plan al your moves.

tablest are only needed if you smoke more than 20 a day, otherwise you can use nicotine gum. This wil onley helpt you in de first 3 months of your attempt.

 

[Lindseyp]

I am gearing up to make another attempt at quitting smoking ... I can use all the help I can get.Any suggestions?

1987, after six weeks of heavy (military) training, I said a prayer of thanks and passed out my last carton of cigarettes to celebrate. I said "no more" when I stubbed out my last one, not realizing until my wife asked a week later that it really was the last one. I never noticed. Haven't been able to stand the smell since. I was a pack-a-day smoker for years up to that point. My wife never stopped, so we had to have a "smoking area" in the house.

 

[CHill]

Why I quit 15 years ago?...desire to live to see my kid's kids grow up. 15 years ago I didn't have any kids. Best method...exercise and learning to appreciate a healthier lifestyle. Steps: 1) buy some decent trail running shoes, 2) find an easy trail, 3) take it easy and work up a little cardio and mix in some easy push ups or stretches, and 4) enjoy the ride because life is too short as we all know. 3 to 4 days is all the body needs to be chemically free but the habit is the tough part. When do you start? After you read this. Best of luck on quitting smoking.

 

[meanMRmustard]

Chill brought up some good points. I'm in the same boat and didn't want to sit down with my kids and try to explain to them I was going to die because of that stupid habit. Or just as bad lugging an oxygen tank around with you everywhere.

Dont worry about about costs man its your life here were talking about. Trust me its so worth it in the end. Good luck bro.

 

[mojomkr]

Hope this helps....Cold Turkey, withdrawls for about a week and then

it was not so bad. I watched the movie "Constantine" 2005 with Keanu

Reeves. In the movie the Dr. tells him he has Lung Cancer from smoking

and shows him the Xrays of his lungs. I think that woke me up and I

have never smoked since. I have smoked in my dreams and when I

woke up felt guilty for smoking and realized it was only a dream. I cant

stand walking into a smokers house. Crazy disgusting. Smokers dont

realize their clothes and home reeks. It's odd though because I can

be outside talking to someone smoking and it does not bother me.

Reward yourself, When you feel like smoking, Go play your guitar. Have

a goal. You will save a ton of cash and reward yourself with a new BFR,

or another favourite Music man guitar. Stay focused...After 5 years of

being smoke free, it has made a difference in how i feel. Cigarettes have

a chemical in them that releases endorphins that after smoking make you

feel like you did something good. Thats one reason it's very addictive.

good luck to you....hope this helps...

 

[jamminjim]

In Jan 99 I smoked my last one. Used one week of decreasing strength patches, then chewed on nico gum every once in a while when the urge became overbearing. After about a month and a half I was over them and have never looked back.

 

[Astrofreq]

Never smoked, but you guys definitely look cool.

 

[Spudmurphy]

I'm gonna have to quit again.

I gave up for 7 years. I initially gave up after a 6 week course of the medication Zyban.

I started again after 7 years and still smoking now for 2 years. I intend to give up again, go cold turkey and put £4 every day into a jar - save up for some gear. The first 48 hours are terrible on cold turkey!!

Good luck.