Advice and help needed from FReepers who've managed to quit smoking

me ^ | 4OVT11 | self

[Marie]

In January, I'm planning on having a major surgery and I cannot have this operation until I quit smoking.

I've been trying to quit for the last 17 years and I haven't been able to make it for more than a month.

I can get past the immediate horror of it all. I'm using Chantix to help me with that. (Chantix was the easiest way to quit that I've found so far.)

But what always gets me are the 'crazies that don't go away. Even after the habit is broken - after the cravings are gone - I find myself in a constant low-level anxiety. Grumpy. Pissy. Snapping.

The closest thing that I can relate it to is a state of constant PMS. Only it doesn't go away after 2 or 3 days. Noises are grating and too loud. everyone is getting on my nerves. I'm nervous and anxious all the time.

The thing that gets me, where I fall, is that I don't know how long this will last. How long I have to endure. I end up picking up a cigarette just to put an end this crap - and it's usually an act of mercy for my family. It really is a form of insanity.

I know that I'm not the only smoker that's gone through this. How long does this last? (I know that it's more than a month because I've made it for a month before.) What medications have worked for you? Are there any herbs or vitamins that I should try?

When will I be calm and happy again?

I've already had my dr put in a referral for a mental health professional, but it's going to take two months to get an appointment.

Please. ANY advice or insight would be helpful.

[albionin]

My wife has been smoking about 5 years and has tried the nicotine gum. I bought her one of those e-cigarettes and she hasn’t had a cigarette in going on 5 weeks. You put drops in there and there is an atomizer that turns them into water vapor “smoke” The drops are flavored and you can get some without nicotine and some with. You start out with nicotine drops and gradually cut back by adding non nicotine drops. My wife has been able to quit real cigarettes. Some days she really wants the real thing and she smokes more on the e-cigarette and uses the nicotine gum. I have been impressed with it. Even if she never quits completely the e-cigarette seems to be a whole lot healthier.

It comes in a little case that looks like a cigarette pack that charges it between uses. You can go to vapor.com for more information. It cost $120 with two bottles of drops and she hasn’t even used a quarter of one bottle in almost 5 weeks. She has already saved enough by not having to buy cigarettes to pay for the thing. Hope this helps you. Good luck!!

[marstegreg]

I quit cold turkey. I smoked for 25 years and tried everything to quit for 20 of those years. The only way I was able to quit was to just find the inner strength to never pick up another cigarette. You really have to commit not so much to quitting, but to NEVER picking up another cigarette. I still tell myself “If I pick up that cigarette, I am a smoker”. The thought of having to quit again keeps me from picking it up. This has worked for me for the past 13 years now. Hope this helps.

[Free America52]

I use Equate Nicotine gum, chew 3-4 pieces a day. I have now been a non-smoker for almost two years. Best thing I ever did.

[albionin]

Oops I told you wrong. It’s knockoutvapor.com.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Next time you catch a cold, smoke anyway, smoke more. Force yourself to do it until it hurts.

By the time you are over the cold you will never want to see a cigarette again.

This is how I did it, but I didn't realize I was practicin DIY cigarette aversion-therapy. I just wanted to keep smoking.

[traditional1]

Best of luck in your quest.

The bottom line, IMHO, is that if you do not want to quit, you won't. No matter which "crutch" you choose, unless you MENTALLY want to be a non-smoker, you will be a smoker. It's totally psychological, and if you make up your mind one way or the other, you will find your way to stay there.

[dubyagee]

I quit 4 years ago with the patch. Before that time, I had only ever quit for about two weeks for the same reasons you have had difficulty — just being plain ill! It is difficult, find things to take your mind off of them — crafts, reading. My husband and I both so missed the ‘release’ they gave us — but around about a year later, I was only thankful that I no longer had the ball and chain weighing me down.
I found a saying that helped me too, although I laughed my butt off thinking how corny it was, it really helped! NOPE — Not One Puff Ever. The minute you think you can just have one, the battle is lost.
I believe God played a role in my decision to put them down, and he def helped me through. I have gained about 15 pounds since, but wouldn’t pick them back up for anything —although I have them in my dreams quite often. LOL! Good luck to you!!!

[bk1000]

I used Commit lozenges. Used the 4 mg, and vowed to use them forever if needed. My body got tired of them after almost a year so I switched to the 2 mg. less than two months later I no longer wanted one. I still carry a lozenge with me, but it expired years ago. The nicotine replacement works. It is the only thing in cigarettes you are really addicted to. The weight gain is because everyone tells you that you will gain weight when you quit. BS. What you experience is the ‘need’ to satisfy the hand-to-mouth reflex. You had that constant satisfaction for years with smokes. Now all that’s left is food. You are not hungry. One of your favorite cigs was after dinner. You miss that one. You avoid it by never finishing dinner!.It can be crazy making, but if you really listen to your body during the process and think about what is happening it will be OK. Adults do not rely on the hand-to-mouth reflex. It was there as an infant. You will overcome it quicker than you think IF YOU KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING. Oh, and drink about 8 glasses of water a day, without fail.

Get one of the electronic cigs if the hand-to-mouth gets to be too much. (It can be tough). Stick with it. Quit again if you fail. It is the single best thing you can do for yourself. I smoked over a pack a day for 25 years. I haven’t had a cig in going on 8 years now.

[marstegreg]

Congrats! You have come soooooo far! I have to tell you that I thought about starting back up for at least 8 years. The cravings (mental) took me 7 years to really overcome. Like I said before, the thought of having to quit agaiin, really keeps me from picking one up. After 13 years, I finally am sure that I will never have to quit again. I wish you the best on this journey. Will pray for your continued success.

[marstegreg]

Congrats! You have come soooooo far! I have to tell you that I thought about starting back up for at least 8 years. The cravings (mental) took me 7 years to really overcome. Like I said before, the thought of having to quit agaiin, really keeps me from picking one up. After 13 years, I finally am sure that I will never have to quit again. I wish you the best on this journey. Will pray for your continued success.

[faucetman]

I smoked since age 13. I quit many times and failed just as many times. I'm really not sure how long ago I quit for good, but it has been at least 10 years now. I'm 62 now.

Here is some free advice, worth just what you are paying for it.

First of all, get over the idea that the craving will EVER go away. It only diminishes with time. I would guess that after 4 or 5 years it is easily resisted. Even after all this time, I still crave a cigarette twice a year.

Every day it gets easier to resist. The trouble comes when you think you have succeeded and WHAM a tremendous urge overtakes you. Whether that is after a week or a year, you must be prepared to resist.

Avoid alcohol. Your determination will be weakened by booze. What goes better with a few drinks than a cigarette. You don't have to avoid smokers as this is impossible. Quitting because cigarettes just aren't available isn't quitting. If you have a spouse that still smokes, you have to do this for yourself. You can help them later.

After meals, after sex, first thing in the morning, or whatever your trigger times are, you must steel yourself against these times and don't dwell on them. “Boy, I could really go for a smoke right now”. DON'T GO THERE! or at least don't stay there long.

After a couple weeks, the frequency of cravings will diminish. The strength of cravings will vary. They will diminish, but can return with a vengeance. You must be prepared for this, so you won't fall prey to them. As time goes by, the frequency of cravings will continue to become less frequent and easier to resist. Don't fall for the idea that you have conquered this and that just one cigarette won't kill you. Silly rabbit, you can't have just one.

How do you get this strength? I got it from my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I asked Him to give me the strength and to take away the craving. He helped me through the tough times. It was more important to me to not let Him down than it was for me to succeed. I had tried and failed so many times, gum, pills, the patch, cold turkey. I had even quit for two years and gone back to it. He was the difference between success and failure for me. With Him all things are possible. I hope you have success with this and your surgery goes well.

[mmichaels1970]

I used electronic cigarettes to quit and they worked well for me. They gave me a nicotine fix, but eventually I got tired of battery charging and running 15 minutes to the closest store to pay for refill cartridges, so I weaned myself off in about 6 weeks.

When will I be calm and happy again?

That sentence breaks my heart. My wife experienced the same feelings. I got through it easier, but my wife was practically unbearable for months. To top it off, she actually seemed sick more often for the first four months after she quit then when she smoked. It was an emotional roller coaster.

Gets to a point where you ask yourself why everybody tells you you'll feel better if you quit, but you don't. You feel worse. You wonder, when does the "better part" come. It's been a month, shouldn't I feel better by now?

I chose to look at it as cigarettes making their last desperate attempt to drag me back. To convince me that I would be much happier with them then without them.

Just know that you are not alone with those feelings, that others have made it through, and you can too.

[PowderMonkey]

Pack a day habit for 35 years. Also, good cigars, and a rack of fine hand carved briar pipes. Loved tobacco, but it didn't love me. I immediately quit cold turkey after my first heart attack. Decided I wanted to live. That's what you must decide as well. It's been four years. Still vertical and breathing. Never missed the smokes. Neither will you. Will you be happy and calm again? Yes. Will you gain weight? Oh yes, but better chubby than dead, eh? Do you want to live? Then fight for it.

[cubreporter]

I quit back in 1987. Began an exercise regimen of aerobics, weights and 4 mile daily walk. It was the best thing ever. Of course, you need to check in with your Dr. before you take on any kind of program to be sure you are healthy enough to do something like that. That should be your first move and then go by his/her recommendation. Good luck. :)

[Georgia Girl 2]

1. Keep taking the Chantix. I heard it works.
2. Sweet Tarts. Get a couple of rolls at the pharmacy candy counter. They actually don’t have that much sugar in them and you can use them as a substitute for smoking while watching TV, reading or any other activity. Keep the cravings and weight gain down.

I quit cold turkey 13 years ago after 30 years of smoking. I am so glad I do not smoke and I never ever have a craving to do it.

Good luck.

[tnlibertarian]

I quit over 4 years ago using the patch. It was probably my fourth or fifth attempt. My biggest problems were going places and doing things that smoking went along with. For instance, I quit going to the local watering hole for a while, because nothing went with a beer better than a cigarette. I also liked to smoke while driving. I found having something to sip on (other than a beer, obviously) was a good substitute. I gained about 25 pounds, but needed probably 10 of it. I also tried to deal with one problem at a time, so I let myself eat whatever I wanted. I have lost 10 of it in the time since. I didn't experience the prolonged irritability (don't ask my wife, though; she will disagree). That may be from the step method of the patch slowly decreasing your nicotine intake. For the time that I was irritable, my wife was very understanding, but pointed out when I was being unreasonably cranky. I had to make an effort to step back and realize what I was doing. Sometimes, I would have to leave and be alone for a while. As others have said, pray for strength and will power.

Good luck with quitting and your surgery.

[CHEE]

Never say “I am going to TRY to quit”, say “I am GOING to quit”.

[dznutz]

I used to smoke two packs a day. I tried to quit cold turkey 24 years ago and didn’t get through the first day. My wife threw a pack at me and told me to smoke up because she couldn’t take me being irritable.

April of 1994 I prayed to GOD to help me quit. I haven’t smoked since that prayer, nor have I craved one from the moment I asked GOD for help.

I weighed 160 pounds then, 17 years later I weigh 175 pounds which I attribute to metabolism slowing down.

Good luck.

[ken5050]

Congrats on your decision. I was an athlete in HS and college, never touched a cigarette. Started when I went into the Marines...everyone smoked... in 68, and quit 5 years later..cold turkey...I was up to 2 packs a day..chewed a LOT of gum for several months...continuously..most people I talk to say that's the only way to do it. It sounds like you're finally ready to go all the way, and that's a big part of being successful.

Here are a few suggestions..some of which have been discussed

1. If you can find someone close..a friend, neighbor, who wants to do it along with you..that support is invaluable.

2. Find some form of daily exercise...dependiong on your ability..a walk..a jog..a swim..freeweights..whatever, and do it religiously.

3. Get a big clear glass or plastic container, put it on your kitchen counter, and each day, or week..put the $$$ that you'd normally spend on cigarettes into it, and every time you look at it, it's a very positive reinforcement.

4. Decide before you stop on some rewards you will earn after not smoking for one week, one month, two months..six months...then treat yourself to them when you hit that goal.

5. I assume that you are the only one in your household who smokes..because it's really impossible to stop smoking if anyone else in the house is still doing it. What you don't realize is that your house, your clothes, and your car, are infused with cigarette smoke residue odor. You have to eliminate that immediately. That means completely cleaning your car...especially the upholstery and the floor carpet, and getting strong deodorizer in it. Wash all your clothes, dryclean the rest..and wash all sheets, bedlinens and towels..they suck up smoke..you may have to buy new pillows....maybe even rent a carpet cleaning machine. Find room scents, deodorizers, whatever.. that you like, and use them often..it's important, because after a week or so of withdrawal, you'll have strong reaction to a tobacco filled environment..like when a non-smoker goes into a hotel room used by smokers.

6. Change the filters in your AC and any vent fans in your place. Not only will all this cleaning and sanitizing be very helpful, but it will give you something to do ..a BIG project for the first week or so...when you'll need something to occupy your time.

7. Take ALL the ashtrays in your house, put them in a bag, and break them with a hammer..and throw it away....a clean sweep. You'll ever need them again..if you have a valuable crystal one...sell it on craigslist or ebay..or donate it to a thrift store...

8. Get a roll of blue painters tape..the kind that doesn't stick/leave a mark when your remove it, and use strips to make the word NO in big letters everywhere in your house..refrigerator door..shower stall..every mirror in the house..inside of your front door... heck..on every wall in your house if your want...it's a big visual reminder each day..several times each day...and soon you'll be able to take the tape down...

9. Examine your life, disability and medical policies...depending on what type you have, many companies offer NON-smoker discounts...you are eligible to get the lower rates after you've been tobacco-free for a period of time ( varies from company to company) and you have to take a blood/urine test to prove. it. But the savings can be BIG,a nd you can calculate that, and add it to your new piggybank..

10.I think you'll have a LOT of replies to this thread...FReepers are good people..and very supportive. So, when you do decide to take the big step, that monumental day when you stop..however you start to do it...you should post a new thread...and make a ping list of everyone who responded to this thread..and each day..post a new blog entry on the same thread...IOW..a continuous thread..just write what happened, briefly, or in detail, accoriding to how you feel.how it went..the ups and downs..and ping the list each day...it will be good for you to do, and you'll no doubt get lots of support each and every day.

[willyd]

Try the water cigarettes...they only have the nicotine and none of the chemicals from the smoke...after a few weeks on the water cigarette you can gradually taper off and you are only getting rid of one chemical ... nicotine.

Finiti is a brand that is $10 and is the equivalent of two packs. Just carry it with you and when you have a craving, take a puff from this, but don’t buy another pack of cigarettes. Learn to identify your cravings and practice going longer from the time you identify one until you give in. Try to beat your last record. You will find that you have more control than you think. You might even start getting some endorphines from the pride you feel when you start to overcome your cravings!

Good Luck!