[seeker1950]

Last night, while in chat (which I rarely visit), the suggestion was made to start a "stop smoking" thread in the Health section of PC.
Hey...I'm an addict to nicotine! I desperately want to free myself from this addiction. I've tried everything....from cold turkey, to patches, to gum, to Chantix. I've had reactions to each of these remedies, which I"ll discuss later, but, for now, I just want to open up this thread to others, like myself, who wish to stop smoking.
Patty

[bebop]

I would love to stop!!! how are you doing on the chantix? I am considering that. I had really good luck with wellbutrin and patch combo. but alas my new ins will not pay for wellbutrin only generic and it just does not work for me.

[seeker1950]

Hi, Be...
Chantix gave me severe anxiety and also I could not sleep....I went 36 hours without sleeping and so I gave it up. I wore a patch today, and am doing pretty well. I take the patches off at night, since they also interrupt my sleep. I have Xanax right now, and so I'm taking it in the evening to get better rest while using the patches. I actually don't want to smoke at all right now...a breakthrough of sorts, since the evening is when I usually want to smoke.

Let's kick this habit!
Love
Patty

patty and be....i quit on october 16 ..i used patches for the first month....i have tried to quit a hundred times before .......for me the key to quitting was to have a good reason.......and i have the best one.....my son's house caught on fire bcause of a friend carelessly throwing a cigarette over the porch into the mulch.......i could have lost a daughter in law and 2 precious babies who slept while the fire was burning......i'll never smoke again......

[wickedwings]

i quit smoking with chantix on nov. 16. it helped, but it was still very, very hard. now, after almost 3 weeks, i feel a bit better. and the best news is that i have no desire or cravings to smoke at all. the toughest part of it was the depression. but, don't let that scare you, as you can get your meds tweaked in advance (i have treatment-resistant depression, and that's why the meds or tweaking them didn't help me). chantix is really making a difference for me; otherwise, i'd be crawling on the walls for another 6 months or more. not to worry, you can get chantix for 6 months, or even a year.

[radio_flyer]

Years ago I quit smoking cold turkey. I kept myself busy painting mother's garage and wall papering her kitchen. I seemed to "NOT" have had any problems with quiting and I felt sooooooooo good.. Food even tasted good again. I swore I would never smoke again. I was smoke free for a good three years...

Had a giant fight with my then hubby and lit up a cigarette out of pure anger. Well, that one time got me hooked again.. I've tried off and on quitting again, but have not been successful.

I hate/love smoking. I hate the smell, the messy ashes that fall when I miss the ash tray and I hate that cigarettes have such a control over my life...

This is a great idea "a stop smoking" thread. Maybe we ALL can be smoke free.

[jbug]

I hate the fact that these cigarettes have such a hold on my life...I tried the chantix route but omg it about did me in. My mood swings were violent mood swings and my nightmares were scary. I was scared to sleep at night because I knew what I was in for. But that may not be the case for everyone. I decided to go off the chantix and am going to try researching some natural ways to quit. I know there's always cold turkey but I've done that route and it gets ugly and I want to be pleasant around others.

If any one hears of a good natural thing let me know.

Jbug

[altonwoodsdrphil]

Hello everyone! I'm a 47 yr old man who started smoking at age 11, I loved smoking...other kids did it to be cool and yeah I did too but I did enjoy the taste as well. I tried to quit so many times that I could'nt tell you, I've used patches,pills, cold turkey.in recent years I began to experience chest pains, shortness of breath, and I knew that I was on the fast track to death. I felt powerless against it, I had failed over and over again! long story short, I simply went forward at my church and had the pastor pray over me and lay hands on me...I walked outside afterward (to smoke) and I just could'nt do it, I really felt something just ministering to me and saying "you don't have to do this, I'll help you to quit" I know how it sounds, but when I saw your thread I had to come here and give my testimony. you wanna know the "coolest" part? It was a deliverance, I did'nt go thru withdrawls...boom! it was gone...I sometimes think of smoking, (for about 2 seconds) but then its gone. for me it comes down to where we place our faith, in man and medicine? or in the source of healing and deliverance that has unlimited power available to us...okay,I'm done,lol thanks for reading

[bebop]

I ask God everyday to take them away from me! I know I need to really really bad. I see the dr next week so maybe he will give me something to help. I also heard there is some kind of shot that will make you stop. anyone heard of it?
I too quit on patches one time but I wore them to bed too. that is how I quit though because I always woke up just to smoke so that allowed me to sleep thru that. one day I forgot to put one on and I never even thought about lighting up that day or the next.

[Sabrina]

I've given up 3 times - the last time just over 2 years ago. That was easier because I wanted to give up. The second time I gave up, I didn't really want to but did because I was getting married and my husband had stopped smoking. I literally felt as though my life had come to an end. I realized that I had to mourn my faithful friends that never let me down but that I hated so much. I hated the taste, the smell - I never smoked indoors - I never had dirty ashtrays - yet I still grieved for my cigarettes.

Giving up smoking must be one of the hardest things to do. The nicotine addiction was gone in 2 to 3 days but the psychological addiction has never left me.

Good luck to you all who are trying to give up!

[altonwoodsdrphil]

mr. bebop, I too had asked God to help me quit,and I always felt as though he did...but that it was me who "let go of his hand" and smoked again. I can't handle living with withdrawls from nicotine, and I knew that, I saw that the only way "I" could quit was with a miracle of deliverance. I can't explain the how or why, but I can sure testify as to the result. would you consider a deeper commitment/relationship with God if it would save your life or deliver you from this? I respect and honour the present relationship you have but simply wonder if what worked for me would work for you. I dunno?

[seeker1950]

I am so glad to see others posting her about their own experiences. Altonwoods, thank you for sharing. I, too, have thought a miracle intervention may be the only way I can manage to kick this habit.
My lifestyle, right now, is to go to work and deal with many groups of middle school "hellions," feeling my neck ache and knot up in a corkscrew all day long. I go out during my lunch break and drive around the block for a cigarette in the car, and then light up again while driving home, just to relieve the stress!
I've tried to quit so many times, it's countless. More later.
Patty

[bebop]

that would be mrs bebop lol. yes I ask for the deliverance. I am a very spiritual person and I know too that God answers our prayers in His time. I know I will quit soon! I am claiming it!

i'm sure that all of you know this but just a reminder.......set a quit date..it helps

[wickedwings]

((((alton)))) thanks for sharing your experience. *putting this in my 'favorite threads.'*

[therealme]

i quit in june 2007....... i was on a 10 week course of patches........i havent had a smoke since......... im not saying its easy, because its truely not.... still up untill this moment i still think "just one wont hurt me" but then that one would tuen to 2 and as on...........
this is my thrid time trying , but this time im not going to start again.............
anyone who wants to stop smoking .............. is a brave person and i take my hat out to them .................... just keep a packet of mints handy just in case !!!!!

dec x0x

[jbug]

I will be trying cold turkey again. We will see how long this works. I am determined this be part of my parents Christmas present. I want to be around for a few more years to bug the heck out of them LOL.

Jbug

[therealme]

(((((((((((jbug))))))))))

[(JD)]

I think this is a great thing to do here at PC!

Why not, if you can't stop right now, begin thinking that you will try after the first of the year?

Lots of ppl try to improve their own lives once the new year begins, so they'll be plenty of support, even in your
"real" life, work, home etc, right?

TC!

[I_WMD]

Just something I learned>>>>>>>>>. The cost per day for Nic patches was same to smokes.

.And I was always able to get there but other trigs reoccure,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Find that one is my way to go.>> << I am still doing the quit world and sometimes stress factors will make stopping for another day. <<<<,,,,,,,,,, Best way to make it happen is <<< as I will choose <<<<<<<<<<<,It WILL HAPPPEN !!

.It is cool the little things that you gain from this addiction quitting pain ........ sux......... But There are some 1 week wows'.....Best one is flavors and smells. Not Me LOL Too Hot LOL hehe

[seeker1950]

Good to see someone here....on the stop smoking thread.
I am struggling, and though I went all day without one, here at home alone this evening, I caved.
I am thinking of counseling or a support group, maybe at the local hospital.

[bebop]

I am going to try the patches and wellbutrin again. good luck hon.

today.........i have made it to the 2 month mark clean and smober!!!!!!!!!!!!lol............its still not easy and there are moments that i would club a stranger in the street for a cig but those thoughts are lessening! how is everyone doing???

I missed this thread totally.

I would like to announce that I have only smoked one cigarette in the last two days! That is a great improvement and I am going to continue to try, since it is very important to me where I am pregnant right now. I went from smoking about a half a pack a day, to a few a day, to one or two a day, and now just one in a couple of days when the severe cravings hit. Its been harder for me, because i tend to fall on cigarettes to help my anxiety, because i had to come off all of my medications when I got pregnant. So getting off these last couple of smokes has been ultra hard but I am making progress.

Damn dirty smoking, I wish i never fell into the smoking makes you cool trap.

[seeker1950]

Yeah, as you say, Rainbowzz!
"Damn dirty smoking..."
I applaude your for decreasing majorly during your pregnancy! I did continue to smoke while I was pregnant many years ago, but I did like you, and decreased to nothing by the end. Baby was born big and healthy, happily!
I wish the same for you, hunny!
LOve
Patty