76 replies to this topic

[V70Ben]

Tim Williams, on 31 January 2012 - 13:30 , said:

If you want to stop for your children and to save money why don't you man up and make a fucking effort?

Says the non smoker

Trying to give up fags, is probably about the same as if you tried to get Chuiman to give up her Chinese BBQ Pork habit - both are fooking expensive too

<PS... Before you say it... nobody knows what chemicals they put in the BBQ pork either >

Sorry

[Rufe]

I can answer in here as someone who smoked for almost 10 years, then quit coming up to 5 years ago, and never looked back. (10 - 20 a day weekdays, more on weekends). Reason I chose to give up was down to price, it seemed like a stupid expense that was just getting worse all the time. Health reasons aside expense is a major reason to quit.

Hardest thing I've ever done - went cold turkey but it worked for me. No patches, chewing gums or fake cigarettes or anything, and not a person with any willpower as a rule.

First off we set a day (both me and lottie went through this together, though I will only talk about my own experience here) - which was to be the next Monday. Smoked as normal up until the Sunday night. Last thing at night I literally binned everything I could find to do with smoking, the half a pack or so of cigarettes, all ashtrays, all lighters, anything I could find related to smoking. All in the bin. We lived in a flat with a communal bin area so I literally took the bin bag out to there too, so it was all out of the flat.

In the morning I then simply ignored the fact that I used to smoke. Extremely difficult thing to do. You are VERY aware that you need a cigarette. I ignored this. Went to work, ignored it as best as I could. Was driving the van at the time and I bought a big bag of lolly's just to have while driving around which did help me a lot I suppose.

That night I came home from work very anxious about not having smoked, after an hour or so I decided to go to bed and sleep through it as I was really struggling to think of anything other than smoking. I am a great sleeper but this was admitedly the worst nights sleep I have ever had. I was awake in the middle of the night with cold sweats and half awake still dreaming, almost felt like halucinating, or a fever or something. It really was horrible. The next morning I felt like shit. Went to work again and kept ignoring the fact I wanted to smoke. I decided I could only take ONE day at a time. Literally get to the end of that day and think of it as a real accomplishment, and the next day doing the same. I had heard the first three weeks were the hardest and could not wait for that time to come. It did get easier after this in all honesty, but those first few weeks were a major challenge every day.

The hardest thing is all the reminders you have that asssociate with smoking. If when you get in the car you light up then every time you get in the car you think of smoiking, and the same is said for all other 'triggers' too. These took me months to completely get over but did gradually get easier as those 'triggers' fade away. A long time after the actaul addiction passes these triggers will annoy the hell out of you and will make you think you need to smoke, when in reality you have to KNOW that you do not need to smoke at all, your body will be long over the actaul addiction by then, but none the less they will not help.

In my opinion you have to have very short goal lines basically, every single day at the start is a challenge in itself. Plan ahead and give up on that set day from the time you wake up. Push yourself to get through the difficult first and second and third days, and then the first week, and daily for the first few weeks. It really does get a lot easier as time go's on and if you can get through 3 full weeks with absolutely NO cheating at all you have done it in my eyes, and there is never any need to put yourself through that again. (the fear of having to give up has stopped me ever starting again).

If anyone says its easy they have never done it.

All the best mate, good luck with it, how ever you tackle it.

Edited by Rufe, 01 February 2012 - 12:42 .

[JezF]

You have to want to give up Irf - pointless waste reading Allen Carr if you don't want to.

Having spent years as a social hash/cigarette smoker, I finally decided to can it for the children and for my general health.

It helps if spouse and mates stop too. The Enlightening moment for a friend was when he had a spell in hospital with pneumonia and a 40 year old man across the ward from him died of lung cancer and it was enough to make him stop.

[irf]

thanks everyone, i think everyone has to do it the way that suits them as mentioned already.

at the moment i'm keeping down to 3-4 a day and apart from a headache after 5-6 hours without a fag its not that bad. i'm clucking like a heroin addict but i'm managing. i also need to know there's a packet nearby, bought a packet of 10 yesterday or the day before, cant remember and there's still 5 in there! for me thats fucking amazing!

went to the chemist yesterday to register and for the price of a prescription i can get all the inhalators and mouth spray and shit that i want so gonna go pick up that stuff in a little while. if that helps me to below 3 a day, fine, if not i'll stay at 3-4 a day and when i think the times right cut that down as well.

will have to see how it goes but if all the above fails then i'll go to my doctors and get me some of that champix stuff.

tbh i'm actually pretty confident which i've never been before. lets see how it goes.

edit. went out in mo's car yesterday, got the adrenalin going, that really fucked me up! heroin addicts would have looked at me and said man the fuck up! got through it though.

Edited by irf, 01 February 2012 - 12:56 .

[Gregs T5R]

Irf Make an appointment to see your Doc and go on the Champix and you will not even think about it!
It will make you stop eating doors and going bonkers about it!

My mate was on them offshore and he could not even go a helicopter ride with out wanting one! or to rip the first persons head off that spoke to him!
It was amazing? this 6' 4" Ex Para who liked to kill most people just for looking at him the wrong way? was calm the hole 3 weeks and after another 3 weeks when he came back he said he just felt like he had never smoked in the first place and it was the drugs that gave him the chance to stop for good!

Get on them Irf!

[Gregs T5R]

Irf I am Giving up with you!

Its been 27 hours since i last had had one! So we can get fat together!!!!!

Hang on? we are fat!!!!!

Cheers Greg

[Lottie]

So hows it going Irfy?

[irf]

I'm still pegged at 4-5 a day and using the inhalators in between. Not brilliant I know but pretty good for me. Gonna give it till the 20th and then cos I'm off for a week will try and completely give up as I find it easier to refrain when I'm at home.

[Engineer]

irf, on 09 February 2012 - 17:20 , said:

I'm still pegged at 4-5 a day and using the inhalators in between. Not brilliant I know but pretty good for me. Gonna give it till the 20th and then cos I'm off for a week will try and completely give up as I find it easier to refrain when I'm at home.

Next Thursdays gonna be a bitch..............

[irf]

tell me about it!

[Redbrick]

You tried patches Irfmeister?  I may have a load to give away to a good cause.  Don't know how I'm doing it but I'm cold turkey without even realising it, that's what having a week off work does.  No work, no stress, no association with smoking!

[irf]

nice one andy, nah i'm fine, tried the patches once before, didnt do anything for me.

[GazT4R]

Redbrick, on 09 February 2012 - 18:25 , said:

You tried patches Irfmeister?  I may have a load to give away to a good cause.  Don't know how I'm doing it but I'm cold turkey without even realising it, that's what having a week off work does.  No work, no stress, no association with smoking!

Was the association a lot with yours I think Andy, same with me and driving the truck.
Dentist will love me though as with all the gum my teeth will be gleeming like a Hollywood starlet .

[Gregs T5R]

I have still not had one since the 1st, must admit have been quite sick with lots of lurgy so that has helped a bit! and my chest is so full of crap i can hardly breath anyway lol

Come on guys get on the no smoking club with me?

Must admit as well my patience is rather short as well, A guy from over the road who is the local drunk was chatting to me earlier on whilst I was fitting my MAF and he would not go away, after 3-4 minuets of his his drivel I asked him? " Can i hear some one calling you?" to which he replied Nope! So unfortunately I Just turned round and said "I Can So Fcuk off!" he promptly left but i did feel bad after?

I am not normally like that either, So i will put it down to feeling shitty and maybe wanting a cigi!

Cheers Greg

[Underpeak]

Hi Irf,
first time I've got to use the computer for ages, Jeff is hogging the dongle if you will excuse the expression!! Roll on Tues and the new router!
Glad to hear that you are still sticking with it as far as giving up is concerned. NICE guidelines actually recommend using two Nicotine Replacement products - I would usually prescribe patches plus another product such as inhalator or gum etc. The patches are often not enough on their own, but do work really well in combination. The idea is that the patch gives you a basic level of nicotine and then you use the inhalator when you get a craving.
You have done well to cut down to 4-5 but the risk is that you then smoke those more 'thoroughly' than you would normally, so that you get more nicotine from those few than you did before. - Has the pharmacist tested your carbon monoxide levels? They can give a good indication.
Good idea to try to quit completely when you are off for a week, but I would recommend using the patches as well. Nicorette Invisi patch would be my choice - 25 mg release in 16 hours to start with.
My other tip would be to make sure that you are changing the cartridge in the inhalator frequently enough. I have clients that tell me that the inhalator isn't working for  them and then it turns out they are only using one cartridge a day!

Hope this helps, keep at it - you can do it! Give me a call if you want any help, stats show that you are much more likely to quit if you have help from an advisor. - you may already be getting this from your pharmacist?

As for Champix - it is true that if it suits you it does get really good results. You can usually only get it from your GP on prescription, but in Hillingdon now there are 25 pharmacists trained to prescribe under a protocol, so if you want to go down that route you may be able to find a pharmacist not too far from you.

As usual have rattled on, but good luck - it is not easy, but definitely worthwhile!

Susie

[Gregs T5R]

I have still not had a cigaret! But now i am loosing my cold I am waking up hungry at nigh and having snack attacks at 2-4 am! got to knock that habit on the head, Mind you i am hoping to be well enough to return to the gym by Wednesday! so i can loose some weight!!!!!

[irf]

right, thought i'd give this an update, bit of a mixed one actually.

cant remember the timing exactly but at about the time of this thread i went from 20 a day every day to 3-5 a day. it was a bit of a struggle for someone as weak willed as me but with the help of the inhalator i managed.

managed that for a few days but then went back to work and really struggled, was back on 6-8 a day

that gradually got worse until last thursday when i went to garys and smoked as much as i could

now, as mentioned before i've taken a week off work so thought it'd be a good time to try again. sunday, smoked as many as i wanted with the thought that from monday morning, no more!

monday morning, get up at 0630 to get the kids up and ready for school, chewed the shit out of the inhalator but didnt have a cigarette. monday night, with mo, went to my cousins and about 11pm succumbed to one. cursed  myself that the previous 17 odd hours struggle was for nothing and resolved not to have another one.

tuesday, at home alone bored, have the odd moment but i'm okay. tuesday afternoon, kids get home from school and i'm getting a bit tetchy. not bad but i can feel it within me that i've not got a lot of patience.

go to the chemist and get some patches to go along with the inhalator. stck it on and honestly, within about 10 minutes i was practically zoned out

struggled to sleep, its as if i have that feeling of waiting for something about to happen.

anyway, long story short, since monday morning, i've had one but otherwise i'm clean. got an on and off headache and actually sometimes question myself why i want to give up and actually justify to myself why smoking isnt actually that bad   and that just having one wont be so bad

then i just say to myself that i've had 26 years of "enjoyin" cigs, enough is enough!

hopeful that i stay off, after all, if i can stay off them one day why can't i stay off two days? then three etc etc and its now i realise what they mean when people say just take it one day at a time.

anyway, back to work on sunday so again, hoping that by that time i'll have kicked the habit enough that i can easily fight any urges i get. (not sexual urges steds, calm down)

sorry, at home, bored, thought it might be therapeutic to write some bolox down.

[maxtherotti]

this is my topic all over
been fighting with giving up smokes for prob 10 years now
best i ever managed was stopping for 4 years as needed a heart op and surgeon said while im on smokes no op and dead in 3 months (after all ready being in hospital for 3 months with various issues) so that was the easy way to give up lol
but got laid off and things got ruff so started again
my new method is i wanted a motor bike again and wife said ok if i stop smoking to pay for it and if i keep smoking she will put my bike on ebay (and she means it !!!)
have tried patches (gave me wicked nightmares tho so soon binned them) plastic inhalator (seems ok to be fair) hypno (didnt work for long tho)

Any way good luck to all heres to clean air again!!!!

Rob

[PEAKUNDER]

Susie is still up for a chat and support.

[irf]

cheers jeff, i think i'm good at the moment, what would be ideal is a track day, drive the shit out of the car