Stop smoking 2009 - Page 15

tempted_by_food · 09-22-2009, 04:29 AM

Ryan dont feel bad, maybe it is not the right time for you to quit but keep working on it, I caved in after 3 weeks and smoked I was near pulling my hair out, I smoked 5 cigs yesterday and I have decided that I will stick to that amount and when am closer to goal and can keep my eating in check then I will try and quit again, for now its not working I wont punish myself either its just one of them things.

lindaokc · 09-22-2009, 07:33 AM

To Ryan and Tempted: I hope you'll both be able to stick with the few cigarettes a day you are smoking now and not have to increase them. When you are feeling better, give quitting another chance. Hardly anybody quits forever with their first try but by quitting over and over, finally they get to where they need to be to put smoking behind them forever. I probably gave quitting 7 or 8 tries before lasting longer than a few months. Don't ever quit trying to quit.

I'm wishing the best for both of you

Keeping my fingers crossed you'll be back here quitting again shortly.

SugarPop · 09-29-2009, 03:20 PM

SugarPop checking in w/my peeps......Still smoking.....Still struggling.........Feeling like I'm on the verge though of doing something about it. Feeling very unhealthy these days.

B

aim in Fla*working · 09-29-2009, 03:51 PM

i really think there is no waning off...there is 'do it' or not 'do it'...the addiction plays games with our heads, hearts, and bodies....really, it is an addcition plain and simple. Once I realized that the addiction is what I wanted to maintain...not the smoking of the cig..then I kinda got it. If you don't think cigs are nasty, I feel you probably wont quit...even if you don't smoke for a long while...like a dry drunk, you will wait until that moment when you have just one...then, eventually it is 2...then you create smoking perimeters for yourself...then those will weaken ...until finally you quit because it makes you sick...or you will smoke...By making you sick. i mean a) physically ill...b) the fact you are addicted to something makes you 'sick'....c) the actual smell/taste of cigs just gross you out...(this happened to me)and even then...the addiction makes it all something you should overlook....
Get the book, Allan Carr's Simple way to quit smoking. Give it a try...event he book did not work for me the first time I read it..either did Atkins. However, eventually the Atkins way of eating set in and I did it....now...10 years on this bite won't hurt got me 20 poudns up again when I was 5 pounds from goal...I cannot get back on the wagon and fear I will just continue to gain and hate myself...same thing with the smokes...found out my mom has lung cancer last week...I bought a pack ...smoked them all with a bottle of wine...I have not had a cig for 3 years before that....have not had one since. But it is there...that is for sure...waiting.

lindaokc · 09-29-2009, 04:18 PM

It's true. It will always be out there....waiting. But you can put him to sleep and carry on with your life. He'll stir and move ever so often, but he'll go right back to sleep if you don't pick him up.

Aim, I'm so sorry about your mom. Please don't go down the same road. It's not going to help her or you. There is no doubt the addiction will "talk" to you and help you dismiss all the negatives, BUT....you know he's a liar and you don't have to believe him anymore. You KNOW the truth now!!!

SugarPop, you are only fearing the struggle w/o the cigarettes, but that is the addiction lying to you too. You know that it's a pretty smooth sail after the first few days, then comes the day you rarely ever think of it, then it only gets better from there. Nobody wants to suffer, but it's such a short time, you don't suffer 24/7, just those times the cravings come up and they go quickly. You only have to make it through the first day.....that is the beginning.

Remember, its' not as hard as you are fearing it will be. Take the leap.

NurseMonkee · 10-04-2009, 04:21 AM

I've been getting the urge to smoke lately. I've been trying to fight it off, but I have to admit, the urge is picking at me constantly and its getting stronger. I just feel like my cup is over flowing right now. I am going through a separation and all the changes, stress and emotions attached. In addition, my mom became ill and had to be rushed to the hospital. She was hospitalized, which turned out to be an emotionally draining experience. She is still recovering, so for now, I am her at home nurse and do-it-all-go-2-person. I am constantly going, hardly sleeping, hardly eating, and when I do eat, its carbs!!! In order for me to be by my mothers side through her illness, I had to drop the classes (impacted/waitlisted) that I had been trying to get into for a long time, and also took a leave at work. Legally I can't be fired, but since they are doing cuts at the hospital, this is the worse time for me to take a leave. It just feels like its raining bricks. I have not smoked yet, and do not plan to, but I just had to put it out there and acknowledge my urge to smoke. I know that eventually things will fall into place, but right now it just feels like everything is unbalanced. I feel like nothing is causing a release and I am just obsessing about wanting to smoke. I can actually feel (remember) the calming rush that I used to get with the 1st puff. It truly is a drug.

ETA: I've been getting the urge to drink as well. Since I have an addictive personality, I've been avoiding that as well.

lindaokc · 10-04-2009, 06:33 AM

Eli, my heart goes out to you. It does sound like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders and I'm not surprised the urge has come up.
I'm glad you came here and got out what all was bothering you. You've come too far to cave now and it would only add another brick to those that have rained down. You sure don't need anymore.

I wish I could help in some way, and I don't know why you are going through so much at this time but I do know you will come out on the other side and be stronger for it.

I also understand about the addictive personality. I have 14+ yrs of sobriety and I also have an addictive personality. I have to be careful, almost anything can become addictive for me. I'm still overcoming some of them.

Everything will fall into place, not all at once, but a little at a time. Hang in there, sweet pea. We are pulling for you.

BarbDe · 10-04-2009, 07:03 AM

Eli, hang in there.

You have a whole lot on your plate right now. But just think how much worse it's going to be to have to add quitting smoking again. Because you know you will have to quit again. And then go through all that misery of quitting AGAIN.

Those are the thoughts that keep me from picking up again when the chit hits the fan. And it's been hitting here pretty regularly too.
It seems like we can always find something to justify our wanting to smoke, doesn't it? Like smoking is going to somehow make everything better??
It doesn't. It makes it way worse. And I know that I, for one, cannot even afford to smoke anymore.

Hang tough. We are here pulling for you!

NurseMonkee · 10-04-2009, 12:24 PM

Thank you Barb & Linda.

I haven't smoked. Yay. I am just going to take it 1 hour at a time. Today I didn't wake up with the urge and that is always a good thing. I also made myself have a low-carb breakfast. I think the carbs i've been eating are contributing to the feelings I am having. That is the last thing I need.

So for now I am focusing on breathing exercises.....low-carb eating.....seeking support as needed....exercise...and trying to be more positive. Yes, things seem to have gone down south, but I should try to focus on the positive and not so much on the negative. This is just a life bump and I'll get through it. I have to learn to cope on my own w/out depending on cigs/alcohol/food.

sndral · 10-04-2009, 03:59 PM

NurseMonkey sounds like you're taking care of yourself as best you can. There are times when I can't focus on positive thoughts and @ those times I strive to trust that the future will take care of itself and my job @ this moment is to live in the present as compassionately and graciously as I can. The nicodemon (and his buddies - alcohol, meds/drugs, sugar) promises "I'll make you feel better NOW, you've deserve a little treat." Keep telling him NO - I don't want to pay all the interest/penalty fees when the bill comes due for this little treat.
Hang in there!

NurseMonkee · 10-06-2009, 07:36 AM

Thanks sndral.

Another day without smoking. Not doing so well on the food front though. I am not having large portions, but I am having carbs.

One day at a time.

sndral · 10-06-2009, 02:21 PM

Great NurseMonkee! Each day gets easier, the urges get further apart & that's enuff for right now! I cut myself some slack dietwise last April. I'm so optimistic and upbeat right now that I feel like excercizing - so maybe that weight I gained will start disappearing. Why not stock up on low carb foods to grab when a carb crave hits - my personal go tos:
pork cracklins (or whatever their called) w/ low carb dip & sugar free jello.

lindaokc · 10-11-2009, 12:14 PM

Thought y'all might find this interesting....I did:

Nicotine Plays Tricks on Brain: Study
Environmental cues then trigger urge to smoke, researchers say

(HealthDay News) -- Researchers have found that nicotine, the addictive component in cigarettes, "tricks" the brain into creating memory associations between environmental cues and smoking behavior. This could help explain why former smokers miss lighting up when they are in a bar or after a meal.

The findings from researchers at Baylor College of Medicine are in the Sept. 10 issue of the journal Neuron.

"Our brains normally make these associations between things that support our existence and environmental cues so that we conduct behaviors leading to successful lives. The brain sends a reward signal when we act in a way that contributes to our well being," study co-author Dr. John A. Dani, professor of neuroscience at BCM said in a college news release. "However, nicotine commandeers this subconscious learning process in the brain so we begin to behave as though smoking is a positive action."

Dani said that environmental events linked with smoking can become cues that prompt the smoking urge. Those cues could include alcohol, a meal with friends or even the drive home from work.

Dani and Dr. Jianrong Tang, instructor of neuroscience at BCM and co-author of the report, recorded the brain activity of mice as they were exposed to nicotine.

The mice were allowed to roam through an apparatus with two compartments. In one compartment, they received nicotine. In the other, they got a saline solution. The researchers recorded how long the mice spent in each compartment and brain activity within the hippocampus, an area of the brain that creates new memories.

"The brain activity change was just amazing," Dani said. "Compared to injections of saline, nicotine strengthened neuronal connections -- sometimes up to 200 percent. This strengthening of connections underlies new memory formation."

Dani said understanding mechanisms that create memory could have implications in future research and treatments for memory disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease, and for dopamine signaling disorders, such as Parkinson's disease.

More information

The National Institutes of Health has more information on nicotine here.
--Dennis Thompson

SOURCE: Baylor College of Medicine, news release, Sept. 9, 2009

slimjimb · 10-15-2009, 09:48 AM

I used the E-cigarette by NJOY to quit smoking. One month so far, smoked the e-cig for 2 weeks and after that nothing. Passed the ecig down to a friend. Also ate sunflower seeds when I was driving, thats when I would smoke. good luck to everyone.

NurseMonkee · 10-22-2009, 06:18 PM

Checking in....
I am happy to say that I did NOT smoke. I fought off the feelings and got over the bump. I can't say the same about my food choices. I've been eating carbs. Probably put on a good 10 lbs already, but I rather have 10 extra pounds instead of being addicted to cigarettes again.

Thanks for your support.

lindaokc · 10-22-2009, 08:12 PM

When you are ready to dump the carbs, you know you can do it. Good for you for NOT picking up the cigarettes.

That is indeed a reason to celebrate.

Slimjimb, good for you for quitting also. Glad you were able to help a friend and hope they will also be able to quit. Keep it up

LosinTxBee · 11-17-2009, 11:56 AM

I quit smoking 5 months ago after my DH had a stroke that the doctor blamed on his cigarette habit. Since then, I have been researching strokes/cigarettes. I think it has helped me a lot because I never really STUDIED the effects of smoking on the arteries. SCARY STUFF...

Good luck to those of you who have kicked the habit and to those trying. It CAN BE DONE!!!

BarbDe · 11-17-2009, 06:10 PM

Oh! I forgot to tell you guys!
I had my 2 YEAR non smoking anniversary on November 4th.

I seriously NEVER thought I would say that! I smoked for 35 YEARS!
If I can do it - anybody can!!

Thanks so much to you all and this forum!!

lindaokc · 11-17-2009, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BarbDe

Oh! I forgot to tell you guys!
I had my 2 YEAR non smoking anniversary on November 4th.

I seriously NEVER thought I would say that! I smoked for 35 YEARS!
If I can do it - anybody can!!

Thanks so much to you all and this forum!!

Woooot!!!! Woooot!!!

Congratulations, girl. What an anniversary!!!

lindaokc · 11-17-2009, 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LosinTxBee

I quit smoking 5 months ago after my DH had a stroke that the doctor blamed on his cigarette habit. Since then, I have been researching strokes/cigarettes. I think it has helped me a lot because I never really STUDIED the effects of smoking on the arteries. SCARY STUFF...

Good luck to those of you who have kicked the habit and to those trying. It CAN BE DONE!!!

Congratulations to you, Bee!!! Keep it up. Lots to celebrate tonight!!

Brennum · 11-19-2009, 02:36 PM

Hi everyone - it's been since Jan since I last visited this site and I wanted to let everyone know that it has been 1 year this week since I quit.

I have had a lot of cravings thru this year but what has kept me from lighting back up is the smell. My in-laws chain smoke and I cannot hardly stand to be around them. They don't open any windows in the house or car and when I leave the house and I can hardly breathe. Not to mention how bad I smell upon leaving. I think "man did I smell like this when I was a smoker" YUCK - also the cost has gone thru the roof.

Down fall I gained 40 lbs and now I am back on the weightloss wagon. I could not help the hand to mouth that was assalting me. I went from one issue to another, but my doctor said it was better to but on a few pounds than to smoke. So here I am 1 year later and 40 lbs heavier but I smell & breathe better. GOOD LUCK to everyone who is trying to stop, keep trying until it sticks and it will.

lindaokc · 11-20-2009, 07:48 AM

Congratulations, Brennum, on your one year anniversary.

That's a grand accomplishment.

I do understand about gaining the weight, but now that the worst is behind you fighting the REAL demon, you can focus on your weight loss. I also gained a lot of weight, but have slowly gotten it under control. I'm not where I'd like to be, but it's not quite as easy at my age as it used to be.

Good luck on your weight journey. We're pulling for you.

09-29-2009, 03:51 PM	#424
aim in Flaworking Way too much time on my hands! Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 10,157 Gallery: aim in Flaworking	i really think there is no waning off...there is 'do it' or not 'do it'...the addiction plays games with our heads, hearts, and bodies....really, it is an addcition plain and simple. Once I realized that the addiction is what I wanted to maintain...not the smoking of the cig..then I kinda got it. If you don't think cigs are nasty, I feel you probably wont quit...even if you don't smoke for a long while...like a dry drunk, you will wait until that moment when you have just one...then, eventually it is 2...then you create smoking perimeters for yourself...then those will weaken ...until finally you quit because it makes you sick...or you will smoke...By making you sick. i mean a) physically ill...b) the fact you are addicted to something makes you 'sick'....c) the actual smell/taste of cigs just gross you out...(this happened to me)and even then...the addiction makes it all something you should overlook.... Get the book, Allan Carr's Simple way to quit smoking. Give it a try...event he book did not work for me the first time I read it..either did Atkins. However, eventually the Atkins way of eating set in and I did it....now...10 years on this bite won't hurt got me 20 poudns up again when I was 5 pounds from goal...I cannot get back on the wagon and fear I will just continue to gain and hate myself...same thing with the smokes...found out my mom has lung cancer last week...I bought a pack ...smoked them all with a bottle of wine...I have not had a cig for 3 years before that....have not had one since. But it is there...that is for sure...waiting. __________________ 143/138/125

10-04-2009, 04:21 AM	#426
NurseMonkee MAJOR LCF POSTER! Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 2,441 Gallery: NurseMonkee WOE: Low-Carb Start Date: Summer 08	I've been getting the urge to smoke lately. I've been trying to fight it off, but I have to admit, the urge is picking at me constantly and its getting stronger. I just feel like my cup is over flowing right now. I am going through a separation and all the changes, stress and emotions attached. In addition, my mom became ill and had to be rushed to the hospital. She was hospitalized, which turned out to be an emotionally draining experience. She is still recovering, so for now, I am her at home nurse and do-it-all-go-2-person. I am constantly going, hardly sleeping, hardly eating, and when I do eat, its carbs!!! In order for me to be by my mothers side through her illness, I had to drop the classes (impacted/waitlisted) that I had been trying to get into for a long time, and also took a leave at work. Legally I can't be fired, but since they are doing cuts at the hospital, this is the worse time for me to take a leave. It just feels like its raining bricks. I have not smoked yet, and do not plan to, but I just had to put it out there and acknowledge my urge to smoke. I know that eventually things will fall into place, but right now it just feels like everything is unbalanced. I feel like nothing is causing a release and I am just obsessing about wanting to smoke. I can actually feel (remember) the calming rush that I used to get with the 1st puff. It truly is a drug. ETA: I've been getting the urge to drink as well. Since I have an addictive personality, I've been avoiding that as well. __________________ ELI "We are here to change. We are here to grow, develop and unfold. We are progressive beings that have infinite capacity." - *Michael Beckwith* "Keep it real, keep it whole, keep it clean!" - *Fawn* Last edited by NurseMonkee; 10-04-2009 at 04:24 AM..

10-04-2009, 07:03 AM	#428
BarbDe Blabbermouth!!! Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: SE Florida Posts: 5,320 Gallery: BarbDe Stats: Quit smoking 11/4/07; 16/14/10 WOE: Low carb Start Date: August 2004	Eli, hang in there. You have a whole lot on your plate right now. But just think how much worse it's going to be to have to add quitting smoking again. Because you know you will have to quit again. And then go through all that misery of quitting AGAIN. Those are the thoughts that keep me from picking up again when the chit hits the fan. And it's been hitting here pretty regularly too. It seems like we can always find something to justify our wanting to smoke, doesn't it? Like smoking is going to somehow make everything better?? It doesn't. It makes it way worse. And I know that I, for one, cannot even afford to smoke anymore. Hang tough. We are here pulling for you! __________________ Barb, 49 Team Animal - TU, TH, & SAT. Biking 584/1601 Miles to meet up with Sheshy! My Fitday

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09-22-2009, 04:29 AM	#421
tempted_by_food MAJOR LCF POSTER! Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Northern Ireland Posts: 1,577 Gallery: tempted_by_food Stats: 233/183/156 WOE: Atkins Start Date: restart: 7/13/2009	Ryan dont feel bad, maybe it is not the right time for you to quit but keep working on it, I caved in after 3 weeks and smoked I was near pulling my hair out, I smoked 5 cigs yesterday and I have decided that I will stick to that amount and when am closer to goal and can keep my eating in check then I will try and quit again, for now its not working I wont punish myself either its just one of them things.

09-22-2009, 07:33 AM	#422
lindaokc MAJOR LCF POSTER! Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: OKC, OK Posts: 2,521 Gallery: lindaokc Stats: 196/147/140? WOE: atkins/learning Start Date: Feb, 07	To Ryan and Tempted: I hope you'll both be able to stick with the few cigarettes a day you are smoking now and not have to increase them. When you are feeling better, give quitting another chance. Hardly anybody quits forever with their first try but by quitting over and over, finally they get to where they need to be to put smoking behind them forever. I probably gave quitting 7 or 8 tries before lasting longer than a few months. Don't ever quit trying to quit. I'm wishing the best for both of you Keeping my fingers crossed you'll be back here quitting again shortly.

09-29-2009, 03:20 PM	#423
SugarPop MAJOR LCF POSTER! Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 1,079 Gallery: SugarPop Stats: (225) 212/166/125 (5'2") WOE: Atkins/ LowCarb - Restart 6/1/09 Start Date: Quit Smoking 1/1/09	SugarPop checking in w/my peeps......Still smoking.....Still struggling.........Feeling like I'm on the verge though of doing something about it. Feeling very unhealthy these days. B

09-29-2009, 04:18 PM	#425
lindaokc MAJOR LCF POSTER! Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: OKC, OK Posts: 2,521 Gallery: lindaokc Stats: 196/147/140? WOE: atkins/learning Start Date: Feb, 07	It's true. It will always be out there....waiting. But you can put him to sleep and carry on with your life. He'll stir and move ever so often, but he'll go right back to sleep if you don't pick him up. Aim, I'm so sorry about your mom. Please don't go down the same road. It's not going to help her or you. There is no doubt the addiction will "talk" to you and help you dismiss all the negatives, BUT....you know he's a liar and you don't have to believe him anymore. You KNOW the truth now!!! SugarPop, you are only fearing the struggle w/o the cigarettes, but that is the addiction lying to you too. You know that it's a pretty smooth sail after the first few days, then comes the day you rarely ever think of it, then it only gets better from there. Nobody wants to suffer, but it's such a short time, you don't suffer 24/7, just those times the cravings come up and they go quickly. You only have to make it through the first day.....that is the beginning. Remember, its' not as hard as you are fearing it will be. Take the leap.

10-04-2009, 06:33 AM	#427
lindaokc MAJOR LCF POSTER! Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: OKC, OK Posts: 2,521 Gallery: lindaokc Stats: 196/147/140? WOE: atkins/learning Start Date: Feb, 07	Eli, my heart goes out to you. It does sound like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders and I'm not surprised the urge has come up. I'm glad you came here and got out what all was bothering you. You've come too far to cave now and it would only add another brick to those that have rained down. You sure don't need anymore. I wish I could help in some way, and I don't know why you are going through so much at this time but I do know you will come out on the other side and be stronger for it. I also understand about the addictive personality. I have 14+ yrs of sobriety and I also have an addictive personality. I have to be careful, almost anything can become addictive for me. I'm still overcoming some of them. Everything will fall into place, not all at once, but a little at a time. Hang in there, sweet pea. We are pulling for you.

10-04-2009, 12:24 PM	#429
NurseMonkee MAJOR LCF POSTER! Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 2,441 Gallery: NurseMonkee WOE: Low-Carb Start Date: Summer 08	Thank you Barb & Linda. I haven't smoked. Yay. I am just going to take it 1 hour at a time. Today I didn't wake up with the urge and that is always a good thing. I also made myself have a low-carb breakfast. I think the carbs i've been eating are contributing to the feelings I am having. That is the last thing I need. So for now I am focusing on breathing exercises.....low-carb eating.....seeking support as needed....exercise...and trying to be more positive. Yes, things seem to have gone down south, but I should try to focus on the positive and not so much on the negative. This is just a life bump and I'll get through it. I have to learn to cope on my own w/out depending on cigs/alcohol/food.

10-04-2009, 03:59 PM	#430
sndral Junior LCF Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: central valley CA Posts: 15 Gallery: sndral Stats: 139/139/125 WOE: Atkins Start Date: 5/17/09 - it's complicated;)	NurseMonkey sounds like you're taking care of yourself as best you can. There are times when I can't focus on positive thoughts and @ those times I strive to trust that the future will take care of itself and my job @ this moment is to live in the present as compassionately and graciously as I can. The nicodemon (and his buddies - alcohol, meds/drugs, sugar) promises "I'll make you feel better NOW, you've deserve a little treat." Keep telling him NO - I don't want to pay all the interest/penalty fees when the bill comes due for this little treat. Hang in there!

10-06-2009, 07:36 AM	#431
NurseMonkee MAJOR LCF POSTER! Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 2,441 Gallery: NurseMonkee WOE: Low-Carb Start Date: Summer 08	Thanks sndral. Another day without smoking. Not doing so well on the food front though. I am not having large portions, but I am having carbs. One day at a time.

10-06-2009, 02:21 PM	#432
sndral Junior LCF Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: central valley CA Posts: 15 Gallery: sndral Stats: 139/139/125 WOE: Atkins Start Date: 5/17/09 - it's complicated;)	Great NurseMonkee! Each day gets easier, the urges get further apart & that's enuff for right now! I cut myself some slack dietwise last April. I'm so optimistic and upbeat right now that I feel like excercizing - so maybe that weight I gained will start disappearing. Why not stock up on low carb foods to grab when a carb crave hits - my personal go tos: pork cracklins (or whatever their called) w/ low carb dip & sugar free jello.

10-11-2009, 12:14 PM	#433
lindaokc MAJOR LCF POSTER! Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: OKC, OK Posts: 2,521 Gallery: lindaokc Stats: 196/147/140? WOE: atkins/learning Start Date: Feb, 07	Thought y'all might find this interesting....I did: Nicotine Plays Tricks on Brain: Study Environmental cues then trigger urge to smoke, researchers say (HealthDay News) -- Researchers have found that nicotine, the addictive component in cigarettes, "tricks" the brain into creating memory associations between environmental cues and smoking behavior. This could help explain why former smokers miss lighting up when they are in a bar or after a meal. The findings from researchers at Baylor College of Medicine are in the Sept. 10 issue of the journal Neuron. "Our brains normally make these associations between things that support our existence and environmental cues so that we conduct behaviors leading to successful lives. The brain sends a reward signal when we act in a way that contributes to our well being," study co-author Dr. John A. Dani, professor of neuroscience at BCM said in a college news release. "However, nicotine commandeers this subconscious learning process in the brain so we begin to behave as though smoking is a positive action." Dani said that environmental events linked with smoking can become cues that prompt the smoking urge. Those cues could include alcohol, a meal with friends or even the drive home from work. Dani and Dr. Jianrong Tang, instructor of neuroscience at BCM and co-author of the report, recorded the brain activity of mice as they were exposed to nicotine. The mice were allowed to roam through an apparatus with two compartments. In one compartment, they received nicotine. In the other, they got a saline solution. The researchers recorded how long the mice spent in each compartment and brain activity within the hippocampus, an area of the brain that creates new memories. "The brain activity change was just amazing," Dani said. "Compared to injections of saline, nicotine strengthened neuronal connections -- sometimes up to 200 percent. This strengthening of connections underlies new memory formation." Dani said understanding mechanisms that create memory could have implications in future research and treatments for memory disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease, and for dopamine signaling disorders, such as Parkinson's disease. More information The National Institutes of Health has more information on nicotine here. --Dennis Thompson SOURCE: Baylor College of Medicine, news release, Sept. 9, 2009

10-15-2009, 09:48 AM	#434
slimjimb Junior LCF Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Myrtle Beach SC Posts: 1 Gallery: slimjimb	I used the E-cigarette by NJOY to quit smoking. One month so far, smoked the e-cig for 2 weeks and after that nothing. Passed the ecig down to a friend. Also ate sunflower seeds when I was driving, thats when I would smoke. good luck to everyone.

10-22-2009, 06:18 PM	#435
NurseMonkee MAJOR LCF POSTER! Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 2,441 Gallery: NurseMonkee WOE: Low-Carb Start Date: Summer 08	Checking in.... I am happy to say that I did NOT smoke. I fought off the feelings and got over the bump. I can't say the same about my food choices. I've been eating carbs. Probably put on a good 10 lbs already, but I rather have 10 extra pounds instead of being addicted to cigarettes again. Thanks for your support.

10-22-2009, 08:12 PM	#436
lindaokc MAJOR LCF POSTER! Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: OKC, OK Posts: 2,521 Gallery: lindaokc Stats: 196/147/140? WOE: atkins/learning Start Date: Feb, 07	When you are ready to dump the carbs, you know you can do it. Good for you for NOT picking up the cigarettes. That is indeed a reason to celebrate. Slimjimb, good for you for quitting also. Glad you were able to help a friend and hope they will also be able to quit. Keep it up

11-17-2009, 11:56 AM	#437
LosinTxBee Junior LCF Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Texas Posts: 20 Gallery: LosinTxBee	I quit smoking 5 months ago after my DH had a stroke that the doctor blamed on his cigarette habit. Since then, I have been researching strokes/cigarettes. I think it has helped me a lot because I never really STUDIED the effects of smoking on the arteries. SCARY STUFF... Good luck to those of you who have kicked the habit and to those trying. It CAN BE DONE!!!

11-17-2009, 06:10 PM	#438
BarbDe Blabbermouth!!! Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: SE Florida Posts: 5,320 Gallery: BarbDe Stats: Quit smoking 11/4/07; 16/14/10 WOE: Low carb Start Date: August 2004	Oh! I forgot to tell you guys! I had my 2 YEAR non smoking anniversary on November 4th. I seriously NEVER thought I would say that! I smoked for 35 YEARS! If I can do it - anybody can!! Thanks so much to you all and this forum!!

11-19-2009, 02:36 PM	#441
Brennum Senior LCF Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Las Vegas, Nevada Posts: 149 Gallery: Brennum Stats: 240/240/150 WOE: Atkins Start Date: January 2009	Hi everyone - it's been since Jan since I last visited this site and I wanted to let everyone know that it has been 1 year this week since I quit. I have had a lot of cravings thru this year but what has kept me from lighting back up is the smell. My in-laws chain smoke and I cannot hardly stand to be around them. They don't open any windows in the house or car and when I leave the house and I can hardly breathe. Not to mention how bad I smell upon leaving. I think "man did I smell like this when I was a smoker" YUCK - also the cost has gone thru the roof. Down fall I gained 40 lbs and now I am back on the weightloss wagon. I could not help the hand to mouth that was assalting me. I went from one issue to another, but my doctor said it was better to but on a few pounds than to smoke. So here I am 1 year later and 40 lbs heavier but I smell & breathe better. GOOD LUCK to everyone who is trying to stop, keep trying until it sticks and it will.

11-20-2009, 07:48 AM	#442
lindaokc MAJOR LCF POSTER! Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: OKC, OK Posts: 2,521 Gallery: lindaokc Stats: 196/147/140? WOE: atkins/learning Start Date: Feb, 07	Congratulations, Brennum, on your one year anniversary. That's a grand accomplishment. I do understand about gaining the weight, but now that the worst is behind you fighting the REAL demon, you can focus on your weight loss. I also gained a lot of weight, but have slowly gotten it under control. I'm not where I'd like to be, but it's not quite as easy at my age as it used to be. Good luck on your weight journey. We're pulling for you.