Stop smoking 2009

[SugarPop]

Okay peeps.............How we doin?

B

[Mogget]

Since quitting in April I have ahd a total of 6 smokes over 3 different occassions (all of them very stressful, the worst - found out we may need to go bankrupt very soon - was most recent and I had 4 in a row!) But then I STOPPED and said no more have not taken up smoking again, and did not enjoy the nasty smokey things and had to go shower etc afterwards.

[NurseMonkee]

I am still holding on!

I made it passed my 1 year mark this past April.

This is the longest I have ever been smoke free.

I can't believe it. I was so addicted to cigarettes. I honestly thought I would never be able to quit. I would literally go into panic mode if my pack was running low. Sneaking out of bed at 3 am was common for me. Off to the gas station to get another pack.

Not anymore.
I feel liberated.

Yay! for not smoking.

I've been having some cravings lately, but I won't give in. I am going to fight it off. For now I am just practicing my breathing exercises. I breathe in deeply and exhale slowly. That helps so much.

[BarbDe]

Still hanging in!!

I have been quit for 1 Year, 8 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days, 3 minutes and 9 seconds (631 days). I have saved $2,524.00 by not smoking 25,240 cigarettes. I have saved 2 Months, 3 Weeks, 5 Days, 15 hours and 20 minutes of my life. My Quit Date: 11/4/2007 8:34 AM

It's been a rough few months here, and there were definitely some strong cravings STILL! But I did not give in

AND I have started JOGGING! ha! Who would have ever thought I would even be attempting THAT?
It's not pretty but I can do a mile non stop now!

Hang in there everybody. You CAN do this!!!

[fenella]

Trying to quit...yet again.
I have smoked since I was 13. I'm now 31. I am starting a diet plan, and feel like quitting smoking at the same time may be too much (how's that for rationalizing???). I did quit for a while on Chantix, and I'm starting that again. I hope to be completely smoke-free by the end of my South Beach 2-week induction period.
I do have the huge motivation of going on a work trip with someone completely allergic to smoke. We're driving out of state together and sharing a hotel room...that's on Aug 12th.
I'll keep you posted!

[SugarPop]

Confession.............

I've smoked a few cigarettes....

It started last Sunday when I went to see my gf's band perform at an outdoor venue. My other gf showed up, we had dinner and drinks and then I just wanted a drag - it tasted terrible, but later I had another and then a whole one and she gave me one for the road...........I forgot about it but then when I remembered i smoked it.

Then 5 days later drove to Philly w/my ex and 2 sons to deliver one of them on an expedition hiking the Appalachian Trail - and got through the whole trip (sightseeing included) smoke free..........Got back and was hanging w/him and smoked 2 of his???

Today hung out w/my childhood friend Tony and went fishing/swimming............Had 2 of his menthols (gack- I don't do menthol)

I feel stupid - I haven't bought any cuz i know that would be my death sentence.

B

[lindaokc]

Originally Posted by SugarPop

Confession.............

I've smoked a few cigarettes....

It started last Sunday when I went to see my gf's band perform at an outdoor venue. My other gf showed up, we had dinner and drinks and then I just wanted a drag - it tasted terrible, but later I had another and then a whole one and she gave me one for the road...........I forgot about it but then when I remembered i smoked it.

Then 5 days later drove to Philly w/my ex and 2 sons to deliver one of them on an expedition hiking the Appalachian Trail - and got through the whole trip (sightseeing included) smoke free..........Got back and was hanging w/him and smoked 2 of his???

Today hung out w/my childhood friend Tony and went fishing/swimming............Had 2 of his menthols (gack- I don't do menthol)

I feel stupid - I haven't bought any cuz i know that would be my death sentence.

B

Yep, you're human, SugarPop. Not fun, I know, but time to move on. You will have to redouble your resolve now and make more of an effort to not cave next time. Are you on welbutrin or anything? I STILL take Welbutrin "just in case". The welbutrin locks on to the area of the brain where the nicotine goes so the nicotine can't get in there. If the welbutrin is in my body I can't get the "rush" from the cigarette I would get normally from being away from them for so long....make sense? I just decided I'd stay on it for as long as I can....it's humiliating to say that I don't trust myself. I don't crave, but never know when the "want to" (its not a craving anymore, but more of a memory)will hit, KWIM? Enough about me.

Hang in there, girlfriend, you will make it, but you have awakened the demon and it will take more effort to fight him off now. I know you're up for the challenge.
BTW, Atta girl for not buying any.

WTG, Barb De, on not giving in. And JOGGING for a mile?? Wow, what an accomplishment. Your smoke meter just keeps on ticking. You go, girl. I am so impressed that in the face of stress/adversity, you continued to walk away from the cigarettes.

NurseMonkee, how awesome that you've gone over a year smoke free. KUTGW!! You and Barb are an example to us all that it can be done.

fenella, Mogget, Dixie & tempted. You can all do this. My advice would be to get on welbutrin or some other method of weaning yourself off of the cigarettes. Crutches can be a great help taking the edge off just enough to help you through. Like NurseMonkee said, it's SO liberating not to have to jump through the hoops the nicodemon tells you to jump through....smoking on a hot, humid day outside and feeling your make up start running when you sweat...ewww...standing out in the bitter cold just to have your "fix"....being embarrassed about the way we smell (or our cars or our homes ) when we are close to others.....you all know the list by heart, the daily, even hourly irritants that nicotine causes and that doesn't even encompass the health fears we all carry around. Take it one day, one hour, at a time at first. You CAN do this. I'm pulling for all of you.

Yes, you can probably plan on some weight gain when you quit, I wouldn't let that stop me. The weight can be lost, but emphysema or can NOT. The weight is temporary, the health lost is NOT. Once you get a firm quit under your belt you can begin to address the weight gain. I also gained a lot of weight but didn't let it stop me and now the weight is (SLOWLY) coming off again.

Mogget, I just went back and reread what you said about not smoking. You have some experience in this then and you know you can do it. It might bring back some stronger "want to's) now that you have slipped, but with stronger resolve you will get through them.

I'm sorry I wasn't here sooner, we just got back from vacation w/ our grandchildren. We had fun, then we had exhaustion hit when we got home. Just up and moving again the past couple of days. Still hangin' in there, smoke free. It's truly the ONLY way to live.

[Pam40]

Just thought I'd come in and offer my support to everyone. I smoked my last cigarette on July 15th! Keep up the good work everyone.

[BarbDe]

SugarPop it's a battle. I've had quite a few close calls myself. It really sucks. Bad.
I hope you are back on the quitting wagon! You can do it, come on back and post and let us know how it's going!

Pam40 and you are over the 2 week mark! That's awesome!! Keep hanging in there! You can do it!!

[SugarPop]

Hi .......thanks for the words for me and the support.
I went to Philly yesterday to pick up my son....his adventure is now over. I'm not sure what that had to do w/my smoking, but apparently it did.......Hanging out w/his Dad (who smokes like a chimney) was just so hard - and the stress of driving there together on top of all my other stressors just made it a rough time for me. I actually surprised myself by caving - I thought my resolve was stronger than that.

Oh well.....I'm back in control now. I'm gonna still keep my 1/1/09 start date - and just consider this a bump in the road. I'm justifying it because I never bought my own pack and didn't even smoke a whole pack with all those days combined. Whatever works.

B

[SugarPop]

Hey....

Got through yesterday smoke free.......It helped that I wasn't around anyone who smoked......coulda gone differently....Pretty amazing how fast the nicotine gets in and starts doing it's best to make you need more....I definitely had cravings, but not enough to make me go buy a pack. Whew-good thing.

B

[BarbDe]

Good job Sugar!!! ne day at a time, you know the drill!!

[sndral]

I am still free! Woohoo.
It amazes me how sneaky and patient the nicodemon is. Thx. for posting sugarpop - it reminded me that after my several year quit over a decade ago, what started me smoking again was hanging around friends in europe who smoked, one cig here, one cig there and soon, whoosh - back in the clutches of marlborough.
Personally I wouldn't drink while hanging out with smoking friends because alcohol lowers inhibitions/control - sort of - that guy who looked hot after a few drinks, not so good sober - under the influence a lot of things that seem like a good idea aren't so great the next day - but that's just me. Nobody around me smokes these days, so it's not the problem it might be.
Lindaok, glad you had a great vacation. I don't use a pharmaceutical, but I do take sam-ee, it really seems to make me happier all around, not sure if that helps with the non smoking or not.
Weightwise I am barely holding on to my start weight after 3&1/2 months and I've been pretty strict about low carb - it just is not coming off and that is so frustrating, I lost 5 lbs. - but it's back. I need to exercize, but my crazy schedule (14-16 hour days, plus a volunteer day) I can't seem to motivate.
Keep up the good work everyone!

[lindaokc]

UGH!!! Just lost a big post because I hit the close button instead of submit. Sometimes I worry about me

Basically I said congrats to Sugarpop and sndral. SugarPop, please tell me that you're still smoke free. Congrats for making it through the first smoke free day.

Sndral, congrats on your 3 & 1/2 mo. smoke free and congrats for staying at your starting weight. That's a big accomplishment.

Ok, let me post this now before I lose another one.

[NurseMonkee]

Yay! Way to go everyone!

Today I had a moment where I flashback to how it felt to take that first puff after a stressful day. The urge to light up just came rushing back. I didn't give in though. I did some relaxation exercises instead. I never thought I would be doing relaxation anything! LOL. But hey, whatever it takes, right?

[SugarPop]

SugarPop checking in...........

Went to a BBQ on Sunday.......Got all revved up to meet some guy and it didn't turn out the way I'd planned.....bummed 2 cigarettes from my gf while walking to my car when leaving/smoked them. ALMOST went out at midnight and bought a pack, but talked myself into going to sleep instead.

Got through all of today then spoke at a memorial for my friend's MOM - went back to the house afterwards - drank wine. Nobody smoked.........ALMOST stopped at 7-Eleven while driving on the way home, but talked myself out of it.

Too afraid to buy a pack.......It will be over if I do that.

B

[lindaokc]

SugarPop, would you check in and let us know how you're doing? Good or bad, either way.

[SugarPop]

Hey there.......

Sad seeing this thread near the bottom..........guess it's symbolic.

Thank you, linda, for being concerned about me. Yes, I've slid......but I don't feel good about it.......Don't feel good physically and I can't afford to do this anymore. I've alread made up my mind to get back on track after tonight......I'm going to a concert - I bought my last pack yesterday telling myself this would be the last. It's almost a relief.

I'll check in tomorrow.

B

[lindaokc]

You know, SugarPop, I was just thinking about you last night and had decided to come to this thread and post again. I was afraid you were struggling. You should post whether you are smoking or not, I think, so you can get the support that would help you stop if you restart.

The gov't has made it easier for us to stop smoking because it's so expensive now only the wealthy can afford it. That's in our favor.

I do know how you feel about backsliding. I've been there and it's not an easy place to be. That nicodemon wants you to forget how good you had it when you didn't smoke, but the reminders are everywhere.

Hoping for the best for you, SugarPop. You WILL do this!!

Everybody else check in and let us know how you're doing, please.

[BarbDe]

Come On SugarPop! Back on this wagon! We'll give ya a hand!! This is a hard bugger to beat, for sure!

[sndral]

{hugs} sugarpop, sigh, so glad you're back. Since you're dating (or will be) have you read He's just not that into you ? It's awesome, I give it to all my single girlfriends - and read it whenever I need a good laugh. And it so far really works in sorting the cads from the definite maybe men. Not that I'm tripping over men (well, except for the cads - and there seems to be a plague of them.)
I was a tad anxious this week, I took a quickie week off from work (too much accumulated vacation time, so had to use some) and was worried that lack of structure would cause me to smoke out of boredom. No smoking, but I WAS eating out of boredom. So, I've been nowhere near the scale - why bring myself down? First couple of days all I did was veg.. Energy finally turned and splurged on makeup w/ unspent cig $ and got out last night.
Looking forward to heading to the coast this weekend, we have a new great white shark where I volunteer - woohoo!

[SugarPop]

I'm here........

I have 4 Marlboro's in a pack and am not smoking them.....I'll have to give them away.

I had a tooth pulled a few hours ago and was warned NO SMOKING - apparently you can get a thing called "Dry Socket"......So, I guess it's a blessing in disguise.

No, I've never read that book.......but I'm happy to say I am dating a really nice man- (The one I was revved up about that never showed for that mini-reunion/the night I bought pack number 1)......Well, we got it together.....He's so sweet to me - He apparently had a crush on me back in HS......about 35 years ago.....hahah.........I never knew. And he had a good reason for not showing up that night.

Last night we went to a Jimmy Buffet concert together and hooked up w/some of my friends- We had a great time....We drank wine and I did smoke (so did he) but I told him and everyone there that I would quit after the concert.

I want to get my new man to quit too - He's a 2 pack a dayer....He did quit once for 6 years - Gonna try.

((((((((allofyou))))))))

B

[NurseMonkee]

How is it going, Sugarpop?

[tempted_by_food]

Hi fellow non smokers! a brief introduction I have smoked from the age of 14 so pretty much I was a smoker for 18 years, I was off the cancer sticks for one year and I gained 40lbs in 6 of those months and some things happened at home and I reached for the cigarettes and was hooked again, I carried on smoking for another 10 months and have more or less lost them 40lbs again, then the last few weeks I decided it is time to recommit to stopping smoking this time for good! So the last 3 weeks I have been taking a stop smoking aid and have been cigarette free from monday, so 4 whole days so far!!! On monday, though I slipped of the low carb wagon and ate sometimes of plan and felt awful, I was as sick as a dog and on tuesday morning I got back on plan, now am back on plan and smoke free and am happy! I really hope I can manage to stay of the cigarettes and also lose weight at the same time! Did any of you guys gain weight while low carbing? I am here in the tread to hold myself accountable and make sure I suceed with both stopping smoking and making my woe a way of life!

[lindaokc]

Hi Tempted and welcome. Good idea to get back off the cigs. Yes, I gained weight when I stopped smoking but had to decide what was most important. I always thought it was the weight, but I never got thin when I smoked. I finally commited to quitting about 3 yrs ago and I'd love to say I've been smoke free since then but I've had a few slips. I always decided it wasn't what I really wanted and got away from them again, but there is always that danger that one time I might not be able to get away. I gained quite a bit, but once I was comfortable not smoking (took over a year) I decided to start on my weight. It's not been an easy journey but I"m doing it, slowly for sure, but a lot of that has to do with my age. Congratulations to you for quitting. You are way ahead of the game when you make that your main focus.

SugarPop, sure would like to hear from you.

[Doug K]

I quit smoking about 20 years ago. I'd smoked regularly from when I was 15 until I was 30. What motivated me was concern for my cat's health. I decided I wasn't going to worry about my weight, and I did gain around 30 pounds, but it was worth it.

I also moved to another city, in part because it had a smoke-free workplace law. I got away from all my old smoking buddies.

I did have slips, and I started again for about a year, but I realized that cigarette smoke is a trigger for migraines to me.

[tempted_by_food]

linda...thankyou for the reply, 3 years is awesome well done!

Doug...way to go 20 years thats incredible!!!

I have so far gone 5 days without a cig, so far so good, as for gaining weight that cant be a option I know what your saying about working on the weight after sorting out the not smoking part but I had that in mind last time and gained 40lbs in 6 short months and it took me a lot of hard work to get them off, so I cant have me gain them back again, I would go crazy lol thats why am low carbing I decided to quit after starting this woe as to not gain or gain very little am sure it can be done, I just got watch what am sticking in my mouth and keep my eating in check.

[lindaokc]

Congratulations on making it 5 days, tempted, now 6 days. The worst is behind you on the craving, the nicotine is out of your body but the mental struggle can be tough too. You will make it, I'm sure of it. Keep it up, friend.

[SugarPop]

Hi peeps,

Smoking like a chimney..........but I know I will quit soon-Just trying to get through some stuff.

I'm thinking 9/9/09 sounds like a good day......Gonna shoot for that.

B

[tempted_by_food]

Just over a week now and so far so good, have cravings now and then throughout the day but nothing I cant handle! not over eating either which helps!

sugarpop...I feel you, thats the 1st thing I wanted during stressful times, you just got to replace it with something else, I need to find a replacement too, cause thats my downfall!