Stop Smoking Support Thread
Comments
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Congratulations to you akeefe, isn't it thrilling to write down non-smoker. Karen
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Congrats, akeefe! One month is fabulous!
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Bama, here is something cool to celebrate your one year quit!
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Akeefe - Congrats on one month.
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Tomorrow is one month for me - will not be on the computer for several days. DH and I are going to San Antonio in the morning for a 4 day convention. Been laying out clothes to take on the trip and all my darn clothes are too tight now. Have put on some weight since I have quit - I am sooooo pissed - I have to get this weight off even if it means starving myself - either that or I go back to smoking. I feel like a beached whale right now.
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((JO)) Congrats on one month!! WOO HOO!! You can lose the weight, no worries.
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Wowza!!! That's some "hot" cool stuff!!
Mr. Clooney and I thank you for the anniversary wishes.
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akeefe and Jo, Congrats to both of you for reaching the 1 MONTH mark!!!! That is fabulous!!
Hopefully things are starting to become a bit easier for you both as time goes by! I found for me, that the 3 week mark was a big milestone (where I actually had to stop and think how long it had been rather than being painfully aware of how long it had been) and then between there and 3 months things just kept getting better and better!!!
Jo,
Hope all goes well for you at the convention in San Antonio this week-end!!! Be on your guard and you will do just fine!!! Don't worry too much about the weight just now! You can tackle that once the not smoking is in the 'bag'!!0 -
SeaSide - The convention should not be a problem. The hotel we are staying at it all non smoking and the location of the convention is non smoking as well. The majority of the people there are non smokers - do I have a theme going here or what? Since it is going to be just as hot in San Antonio as it is here - I will be staying inside the building most of the time. I know I can work on the weight issue later but my problem now is a lot of my clothes are too tight and I can't afford another wardrobe. It will all work out somehow.
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Jo and Seaside, thanks to you both for the warm welcome! Even though I haven't smoked in many years, I well remember what it's like to quit cold turkey. Not fun. Jo, I think you must be made of iron. Hang in there!
I have thought about starting an NRT thread, but not sure how to do it . . . It would be interesting to hear about other people's experieces. However, I must say I'm finding it a lot easier to slack off NRT gradually than it was to quit smoking all at once. I think (hope) before long I won't even be thinking about it any more. Meanwhile, any suggestions for sugar-free/aspartame-free substitutes would be appreciated!
Aza
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Aza - I did not quit cold turkey. I used a gradual cut down and a homeopathic method. It wasn't that hard. What is hard though is that DH is still smoking and in the house. That is what's hard. Plus, we made a 4 hour trip in his truck to San Antonio and he smoked on the trip. We still have the drive back. So far so good though. I did not want to use NRT but sometimes I think that maybe that would have been a good way to go. I did not want to get hooked on that and then have another battle getting off it.
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Jo,
How did your weekend at the convention go? I'm hoping all is well!!!
I see you changed your avatar!! I am assuming that is a picture of you! SO nice to put a face witht the name!
I thought the same way on the NRT... Figured I would try without first and keep that as my plan 'B' if I needed to! I know for many it has been a god-send and has meant the difference between getting off tobacco and not!
My philosophy tends to be (and this is only my opinion), that tobacco addiction doesn't play fair and neither should we!! Use whatever method works for YOU and then sort out the rest later!0 -
Aza,
I have not been in the position of having to get off of the NRT but, I would guess that many of the issues/feelings are the same, although, I would guess there are some unique ones, too! My sister-in-laws Mom did the gum thing forever and Just weaned off roughly six months ago!
I will ask her what worked for her next time I see her and let you know!
Some ideas for substitutes....
Eat frequent small meals and drink lots of fluids! When smoking and I assume with any nicotine, our bodies rely on the nicotine to regulate our blood sugar... takes a bit for our brains to kind of re-learn
how to do it on our own! Plus, I'm hungry or thirsty is easily confused with 'I need nicotine'!
Munch on veggies with a little bit of dip..... Lots of bang for very little calories! I also bought some Jolly Rancher hard candies... Yes, they have sugar but, if you don't chew them, they take a really long time to finish so, in the end really don't amount to much in the way of calories...
Other techniques not involving food.... Stay busy.... Blow bubbles, either real bubbles or with gum till the urge to smoke (or use your NRT) passes!!
Hope some of this helps! If you think a separate thread would be more helpful, we can certainly help you to do that but, you are more than welcome to stick around!! Whatever, you think will help the most for you!0 -
Seaside - Thanks for checking in on me. Yes, that is a picture of me. DH took that this weekend when I was getting dressed for an event on Saturday. I was amazed at the number of smokers that attended. I'm sure I knew all these people smoked, I just did not see it since I was one of them. It was kinda hard but I did manage to get through it. I had my trusty spray and lots of hard candies. I also like the Jolly Ranchers - the sugar ones and the sugar free. I also had some Crystal Light candies. Kinda rough on the drive up and back. DH would light up and I would pop a candy and work on my crochet project I took just for that purpose. I managed to get quite a bit done - that is a bonus by itself.
I ran into a friend of mine at the convention - hubby quit 8 years ago and she is still smoking. She told me she is gradually cutting down and using the e cigs. She says it really helps especially when she is flying or driving a company car. She had tried numerous times - even used Chantix. What happens with her is when she starts gaining weight, she goes back to smoking. I told her to eat frequent small meals and drink lots of water. It is like any addiction, she has to be ready and committed to quit.
Hope everyone had a great weekend.
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Forgot to mention - I will not have to wait until Christmas to get an e-reader. At the convention, there is always a silent auction. I am one of those who will bid just to get the price of an item up. All the proceeds go to a Government Relations Fund. Well, I bid on a black & white Nook and ended up winning it - $120.00 was the winning bid!!! I was absolutely amazed. There was a color Nook but it was more than I wanted to spend and besides I don't really need color.
DH does not have to get me a Kindle - will have to come up with something else for Christmas.
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Jo,
Oh what a GREAT prize to win!!
We bought a Kindle for our daughter for Christmas last year and she just loves it!! She has been a bookworm forever and it was, according to her, the best gift EVER!!
I am making a real effort to get back into reading.... Something I always have enjoyed but, for some reason, have let fall by the wayside! Have to remedy that!0 -
Jo,
Also wanted to add how proud I am of your success this week-end! I know, from my own experience, how hard those first few road trips can be!!
My first one was to take my daughter back to school... I did just fine on the way up with her in the car BUT, holy cow, on the way back alone it was rough.... I turned the radio UP and just SANG and SANG every song that came on! I'm sure to everyone I passed it looked like I had just lost my mind BUT, it got me through the trip...LOL! Whatever it takes!
AND.... a huge YAY for taking things that helped you and passing them on to someone, who when the time is right for them, may take it and follow your lead!!
You are doing so well!!! Keep up your good work!!!0 -
Seaside - I know about the drive in the car. I made sure I had something to work on to keep my hands busy. That is one of the keys to this - keeping busy. I am really good about keeping my spray and candy with me all the time. So far so good. Thank you so much for all the support. I am so grateful to have met you.
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Seaside, that is an eye-opener, about nicotine regulating blood sugar. I never would have thought it. . .but it does explain the occasional urges to put something in my mouth! I'm going to try what you suggested, the low calorie snacks and dip. I am not familiar with Jolly Rogers candies, but I will look for them. Thanks for the tips!
Aza
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Just dropped by to give Jo an 'atta girl'!! Keep up the good work.
Aza, the jolly ranchers helped me.
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Got a bag of Jolly Ranchers at my desk and at home. They are working for me too.
Thanks Barbara!!
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I'm sort of worried about getting cavities with the Jolly Ranchers, but maybe if I brush my teeth a lot, I won't?
I haven't bought any yet, but I did spend some time looking through the candy selection at the grocery store, and found them. I was actually hoping to find some old-fashioned hard candies that have soft filled centers . . .like the ones shaped like a peanut, that has peanut butter inside, and a raspberry one with a berry-filled center. I guess they don't make those any more.
Probably just as well. I'm afraid I might gain weight!
Aza
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Aza - My favorite hard candies are the Crystal Light sugar free ones. They taste really good and seem to do the trick. I have the Jolly Rancher ones now only because the store was out of the Crystal Lights.
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Happy to report that I am 5 weeks smoke free today. I have to focus on getting the weight off. Stepped on the scales today and have gained 10 lbs - Yikes.
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Hi Jo, doing the happy dance for you, 5 weeks!!!!!!!!!!!! woohoo, great job. Karen
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Way to go Jo!! Keep it up. You can worry about the weight later. I read something once that said you'd have to gain something like 70 pounds to be near the health damage you do by smoking.
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LadyinBama - I sure hope I don't gain 70 lbs. I am freaking out about 8 lbs. I really can feel it and have to get it off. Some of my clothes no longer fit and I can't afford to buy new ones. So what am I doing with the money I am saving since I am not buy cigs? I am paying off bills.
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I didn't see the Crystal Light candy ..there were so many candies to choose from, I probably over looked it. What does the package look like?
Congratulations on your 5-week anniversary! Good job!
Aza
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Aza - Look where your store sells sugar free candies. It was in a white & clear package with Crystal Light on it. There are two kinds - one that has 4 different flavors and one that has 2 different flavors. I am telling you these hard candies are working for me that is why I am doing the sugar free. You can also get the Jolly Ranchers in sugar free. Werther's has a new sugar free one out - it is caramal & apple - they are super good.
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Hello Ladies:
I'm so sorry I have been lax about coming and checking on everyone and welcoming the newbies!
Congratulations to all the new quitters and those that have been quit for quite some time.
Whoo Hoo...BAMA...I hope you are doing well and congratulations on a year.
Seaside:
I;ve been missing you too...
It's just that I have been so so busy and once the summer is over in a couple of weeks I'm hoping things will calm down and I will be able to be back on here.
BTW...today is 11 months for me...can't believe it!!!
Jo: Just watch what you eat. I gained 12 lbs but I'm also attributing some of that to taking Tamoxifen.
I still go to my personal trainer 3 times a week but I'm finding if I walk on the off days and take Sunday as a day of rest I feel like I'm doing better and don't feel so bloated.
"THE GIRLS" are doing well and the nips are healing..who would have thought it would take 8-12 weeks for nips to heal also...UGH...I'm waiting until March 2012 for tattoos because I have 2 trips planned out of the country and don't want to not be able to go swimming, etc. because of more healing issues..
Well, take care all, love you guys and I'll be back as soon as I can.
Keep up the good work y'all
Traveling next week...
Jan
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