Put the cigarettes DOWN

Lungs like oxygen, period.

I support whatever path anyone takes to quit nicotine, no matter how long it takes.

Today is my first completely cigarette free day. Cutting back doesn't really work for me, so I've decided to try just quitting. Well, that and I was supposed to be cutting back but didn't/couldn't and I can't buy another pack until tomorrow morning. Help me!

I do have lozenges though. Not sure how well they're going to work, but I won't end up destroying everyone at least. Hopefully. Help me!

Nevermind, my husband bought me a pack. I have to make them last until thursday. I can do it!

I used to use blu. I was successful with them for about three months. I picked up again around the holidays last year. When I tried to quit a month ago I was using a pen style vape but I don't like it. I just ordered green smoke, which is like blu, but the menthol is a lot tastier. Today is my first day using it and so far so good. I felt like I was about to rip someone's head off for a cigarette but I vaped instead and it took away my he craving much more effectively than the pen style vape. I hope it works.

Eventually I want to be completely nicotine free but I need to go in baby steps here. My sister in law is my inspiration. She was smoking almost three packs a day and quit using green smoke. Six months ago she quit the vape and switched to gum, and three months ago she quit the gum and now is nicotine free. If she can do it I know my half a pack a day habit can be kicked!

I only smoked 1 all day Saturday. I smoked 3 or 4 on Sunday. Here it is Monday, and right back to 6-7 before I went to work. Not sure how I'm going to break needing them in the mornings.

If you go from smoking cigarettes to vaping with the intention of maybe after a time going to a nicotine patch or gum, then that's a plan.

The verdict is out on vaping. No one yet knows the long term effects. It would be great if people used vaping as a step to quit nicotine altogether.

On the day you quit drink fruit juice. This is because when you quit smoking cigarettes your sugar levels go down. So if you feel faint or dizzy it is because of that. Drink lots of water, tea, and fruit juice. Real fruit juice. Take aspirin for aches and pains because sometimes you can get sore muscles from tensing up.

Please support one another. You have to be stealth to beat the nicotine devil. You have to plan ahead. Good luck, all.

I'm so failing at cutting back. I can't stop smoking! I have a serious problem.

I wish I had an ecig. I used to have one but it broke and started leaking. Maybe I could find it and tape it up or something, so it won't leak. Actually, I don't think I can do that because I'm pretty sure I threw it out. And all of my **** is in a storage unit right and it would be impossible to find, if it wasn't thrown out. Sigh.

I've been trying unsuccessfully for a month to cut down. And my quit date has come and gone and I'm still smoking .....

You will do it if you want to quit smoking more than you want to smoke. You will find the way. Don't be too hard on yourself because it truly is a serious addiction. The year before I quit for good I kept trying over and over and failing so I know how you feel. When you quit drink a lot of fruit juice because your blood sugar levels go down. I drank apple juice. I diluted it with water. Also, take something for aches and pains. Go to bed a bit earlier. There's nothing wrong with you except that quitting nicotine will be one of the hardest things you will ever do. Good Luck. Keep trying. I didn't vape but I did patches and gum and when I quit them I went through withdrawal. Yuk. So hard. So, so hard. But not impossible.

I'm sorry. It is so hard. I would quit but couldn't go beyond three days. When I finally quit for good I felt really bad like I had the flu and it went on for weeks until I had a complete meltdown and cried and cried. Because nicotine and the other chemicals make smoking highly, highly, highly addictive. You will finally quit when you really deeply want to quit more than you want to smoke. It is a fine line. I didn't want to poison myself any more so I quit and stayed quit, but it is so incredibly hard. But not impossible. It feels impossible but more long-time smokers continue to quit and stay quit. In a few months I will have reached two years. I would never ever smoke again because I never want to go through the final quit. Drink a lot of water and fruit juice when you quit, go to bed earlier, and have activities ready to do when you want to smoke. When I wanted a smoke badly I would get up and go to the grocery store, even if just to buy a quart of milk. Just to keep moving. Good Luck. I also cleaned out closet and my place got pretty clean and organized when I was quitting.

I've been five days smoke free with the help of my e cig. It can be done. I would never be able to quit without the vape though.

I'm doing fairly well with it. Hanging out at 1 or 2 cigarettes a day for the most part.

Vaping should only be a step to fully quitting or else one is still a nicotine addict. As well, vaping damages the lungs in ways medical establishment knows although not the same as smoking cigarettes. The AMA has made a public statement that the long range effects of vaping are not known but that vaping is not 100% safe.

I don't think it matters because if people are taking ADs and benzodiazepines they already know about side effects and such, and also addiction. No different with vaping.

As a step towards a full quit, maybe, but over half of people who quit cigarettes for vaping go back to smoking cigarettes which is sad.

You have to be stealth and strong to fully beat back the nicotine demon.

I won't be back on this thread cuz sure I am irritating peeps. Sorry.

I don't think you're annoying anyone. Just giving room and reason for extra thought. Information is never a bad thing when it's given in the spirit of helping.

Thanks but as you know I am in retreat mode. I only checked back to Psych Central to see if I got any PMs and then got hooked into this thread!

When I quit I didn't consider vaping because I didn't like the idea of it. My lungs were already damaged and I was coughing up a storm. I know that some people cough with vaping. My lungs were really damaged. I had to breathe in moist hot air from a vaporizor every single night for about six weeks because I actually felt WORSE after I quit smoking. I really thought there was something seriously wrong with me.

Now, two years later, I am training for a half-marathon, and have no pain that is associated with having been a smoker. I don't cough and in fact I am a lot healthier and no longer have allergies, and never catch a cold or flu.

I used the nicotine patch and nicotine gum for three months after quitting. One poster here said a relative went from smoking cigarettes, to vaping, and then to nicotine products, and finally nicotine free. This person had a plan and followed it. It is really difficult to quit, but not impossible.

Do I miss smoking? I never think about it. I have no idea why I ended up on this thread. I do apologize. I don't much like talking about quitting because it brings back memories of a difficult time. I guess I just wanted to encourage others and tell them it is hard but not impossible to quit all of it.

I guess I just wanted to tell those who are trying to quit to keep trying. For those who don't smoke they don't understand it. They say, "Just quit, already," but it isn't that easy. However, it can be done.

No matter how many times you fall off the horse, dust yourself off and get back on, and one day you will be free.

Farewell, and best of luck to all.

I like hearing the experience of anyone who has been through it and came out a success. Congratulations on quitting the nicotine demon and good luck with the Marathon....I hope you will keep us updated on how it goes for you.

My bf and I started rolling our own and we save $100 a week doing this! I also only smoke half a cig at a time.

I'm going to go have a cigarette right now. I'm freaking out. lol!

I used an ecig to quit last time. Eventually I weaned off the ecig and was completely nicotine free. I don't have an ecig anymore though. Mine cracked and was seeping liquid everywhere, and I didn't bother to get a new one because vaping sort of sucks. For me anyway.

If only I wouldn't have started smoking again!