Stop Smoking Support Thread
Comments
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I like your numbers! Sure you can do it, don't know what mg you are at, just reduce that to next lower mg and continue to 0mg. Then pick it up only at full craving, till you are using it far less than you are now, and don't take a full pull. You will gradually be weaning yourself off. Jo may have some more suggestions as she uses the 0mg only occasionally now. You'll be on your way to being a non-smoker in no time. I chew gum alot now, started pairing it with the lower mg. - 4 I believe, then had gum as a back-up when I went down to 0. Check in a lot for support and encouragement, 3's are fearsome critters, you can do it too.
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Go for it Wilson33 - we all need to get over the hump but here there are some pretty amazing women who were "hard core" smokers and now nonsmokers or almost there to being nonsmokers. I'm sure many of us have said it "if I can quit then anyone can" but you know we are all different and use different supports to get there. I know I tried a few years prior to my quitting and it was a "quit challenge" through the Canadian Cancer Society (pre breast cancer), The prize for not smoking for one month was a really nice car. Car was quite nice enough for me and I couldn't do it. All the e-mails I got from them were getting annoying. Yet here I am - just left 2 people were are heavy smokers and it didn't occur to me to have one. Yet, on my own, I think of them!
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Hi ladies, I've got to pop in more often, it's hard to catch up if you miss a few days. Just wanted you all to know I'm thinking of you and hope everybody is staying smoke free. If you aren't, then just try, try again!
Lisamarie: Great news about the negative nodes!
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Bama, I know what you mean!! This thread is just hopping! Makes my heart so glad!
How'd the tattoos turn out? Great, I hope!!0 -
I don't count the hours or months anymore, But you can bet when I hit July 7th and the actual 5 year mark there will be a huge party. I quit shortly after my Dad died at 96 so that will be another milestone at the same time. He was the last relative or friend of his generation to go.0
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Party on MinusTwo .... your dad will be with you in spirit as well. I will be one year ahead of you partying .... it will be Christmas time so I no work to go to ... probably be retired by then and it will be one BIG PARTY! Can't wait!
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Hello everyone - I have been hesitant to jump in here when I am not a regular reader or contributor. Just wanted to pop in and wish all soon-to-be-non-smokers well. I had a quit cold turkey-no-relapses-or-apologies-approach. I went solo and only communicated with those who were stopped. I treated it as though I were in a rehab center and there was NO choice That worked for me. It may work for some people. If you are interested, I created a thread to celebrate my 5 year smoker-versary with tips that helped me. I thougtht I owed it to myself and others to put everything together - but didn't want to hijack an existing thread (this one) in doing so. If anyone is curious or wants to share tips of milestones as they do here, please visit my thread.
Thank you karen and minustwo for your kind invitations to visit here. I think I do have some posts here in early pages - but they were ages ago.
Best of luck to all of you. After surgery, I think smoking was the next best BC treatment I did. I KNOW I would have mets today if I still smoked. Stopping smoking, as some say of chemo, was definitely "doable."
If you have just stopped and are suffering greatly, here is one of my favorite tips, which I got from a book: Aren't you glad you won't have to go throuh this hell again??? Don't fall of the wagon - otherwise you will have to endure the unendurable twice.
Hugs to all.
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Hi Athena, thanks for popping in, your name is still on our list of people who quit, I knew I recognized your name when I saw you on other posts. I bet our newest members will take a look at you post, they are thrilled when they "see" someone who is celebrating such a milestone. You did good, as you say, I'd never want to do it again and use the phrase "Stay Strong", not so much now but those first times when it seemed impossible to resist a craving. Am enjoying your thread, again thanks for posting, the invite stays open, you are not barging in, you are celebrating and dear lord, you have a right to. Karen
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Hi ladies , I am 10 weeks 18 hours and 53 minutes free of cigs according to my app and I did not smoke 1415.75 cigaretters (wow thats a lot) and i saved $707.88 .. amazing .. anyway Lots of Love Hugs and Support to everyone . I am going on day 2 withput pain meds today trying to be normal again ..still very sore and it sucks .. Hugs my fellow non smokers and quitters
Just for today I will not smoke
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Wow I just realized my 3 yr quit-a-versary was yesterday!! There are days I have to remind myself to "stay strong" and in the famous words of Dora the fish "just keep swimming..." but I am so happy to report I am still smoke free!
Hugs all you you quitters and wanna be quitters!
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Yes..."just keep swimming"!
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Hi o2b, Happy 3 year Anniversary, everytime I see or say "stay strong" I think of Sweet, and it always gets me through. So good to see your smiling face on the thread, love the pop-ins to encourage and support. hugs, Karen
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Congrats Michelle!!! Love the big quit-aversary numbers!!!
Ok Ladies, It's a dreary, rainy day here and I'm sitting here waiting for the dryer to finish up and was thinking about what has been the best part of quitting other than the obvious health thing and I'm thinking it's being a part of it with all of you! A few cool moments along the way....
Cool Moment #1 - That moment way back in the beginning when you realize you're ACTUALLY going to make it! How amazingly strong you feel!
Cool Moment #2 - When you reach the point of being far enough along to offer help and encouragement to others just starting out and can say it gets easier and MEAN it!
Cool Moment # 3 - When you realize that those who you helped get through are now helping OTHERS do the same!! Doesn't get any better than that!!!
So proud of us ALL!!!
Okay.... Refective moment over!! Have to go fold towels!
Love you all and hope your day is going well!!0 -
Seaside, great reflective moment!!!
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Hi lisamarie 68! Wow .... right down to the minutes you are counting .... amazing ... love you for it. I didn't count that far and I'm so proud of you. I was just saying to my dh that I could have a "smoke". Being feeling the need the last few days. Oh crap! But, I love your post and will find strength in it. Athena, will definitely check out your thread! Ladies, happy Monday if we are counting!
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Well, I've survived almost 22 hours being smoke free :-) Was a tough day - but I did it! The weird part was the things that set me off ... waking up in the morning (knew that was gonna be hard) ... getting out of the shower (man, that was tough!!!) ... after lunch ... then 5:30 pm! But, I've done it! I ran 5 miles today doing a 8.34 pace - and when I finished I wasn't winded. These are the things I have to remember! Thank you all for your encouraging words - I promise, I too will give back to others facing this battle. You guys are amazing!
Seaside Memories ... I love your 'cool moments' - can't wait to get there!
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wonderful news from all of you! my3sunz42....you ROCK!!!!
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An overdue welcome to you, my3sunz!!! I have has some stuff going on and haven't been nearly as good as I should be with posting!
Congrats on getting through the first day! Today is as hard as it gets! It will get better if you hang in there!
In the beginning you will have some activities/times of day that are going to feel soooo strange when you try to do them without smoking... Kind of like writing with the hand that you don't normally use! Those moments, I call them 'the firsts', as in first times without smoking can kick off a powerful craving but, the more you do it without smoking, the more natural it becomes and that association
with smoking is broken!
So awesome on running 5 miles!! Exercise did help me a lot when I first quit... When a craving would hit, I hit the treadmill and walked until it passed! Been doing 40 minutes every day since January and have even managed to shed a few pounds!!
Glad to have you aboard!!! The ladies here are just the best!!!0 -
my3sunz, that first day is a toughie, as Seaside said, but you made it!!!! I too used exercise and cleaning the house to keep myself busy, lost weight and the house was clean, clean, clean. Are you doing it cold turkey or using a nicotine replacement. I paired my NR with gum chewing, as Igradually weaned myself off the NR I continued using gum until that became the craving replacement. Also used straws cut to cigarette size to chew on, some people use swizzle sticks. Whatever it takes for you to keep on keeping on is a good thing. You are doing so good, welcome to the world of non-smokers, Karen
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Day 2 almost done ... one minor 'slip' off the wagon ... came out of the shower, couldn't take it, drove to the closest store, bought a pack, opened it, smoked 1, got home, called DH, he was still proud of me, he walked me through ripping all 19 remaining cigs to shreads, slapped the patch back on and got back on the wagon. Thank you all ... Seaside, Karen333, GalSal ... your supporting words of encouragement help so much! I promise, I will give back once I'm stronger!!BTW, maybe I should skip my shower after my run tomorrow?! NOT!!!!
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Don't beat yourself up my3sunz42 over the "minor slip". If it was only 1 that you had, I'd say that was pretty amazing. Imagine how you would have felt if you smoked the whole pack .... then you could beat yourself up. Good going on shredding all the cigs ... must have made you feel good! You are on your way!
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my3sunz, I slipped once too, way back in the beginning, felt terible about it. Good for you getting rid of the other 19, try chewing a really strong flavored gum, like Trident Cinnamon, when you get a craving, it satisfies that oral need. The cravings will gradually subside, in the meantime you become a gum chewer, I keep a variety of flavors around so I have a choice, do have to hide them from the grandkids! Your second day YAY for you and for DH also!!!
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My3sunz,
Maybe don't skip the shower but, once you're out of the shower get dressed right away and go do something that is not part of your normal routine.... Then come back and finish getting ready.... Have to mix it up a bit to confuse the 'situational smoking' part of the quitting process!!
I used to smoke right when I got up and also between my shower and finishing getting ready and those can be some tough ones.... Switching my routine helped alot.....
I do applaud you for having the guts to rip up the rest of the pack!! Not sure if I could have done that!!!
Treat a simple slip as just that... A moment in time that happened that you weren't prepared for.... Take what you learned and use it to better handle the situation next time... One by one, as you get through each new thing a few times without smoking those cravings will pass for that situation! Until, eventually, there's very few situations that will trigger a craving!
We're rooting for you! Post when you need to!0 -
Jo,
Where ARE you??? Hope all is OK!0 -
Seaside, I got a PM from her about 6 hrs. ago, I had PM'd my displeasure over the new boards to her.
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Thanks Karen.... She's OK, right?
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Seaside - I'm here. I have been reading but not feeling like posting. I still have the one drain from my recon surgery and it is really irritating me. It hurts to sit for long periods of time and I have not slept well the past couple of nights because of it. From the looks of it, the damn thing is not going to come out this Friday AGAIN and I am so bummed out. I know I can come here and whine and you ladies would understand but I am so down I did not even feel like it. Thanks for checking on me.
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(((((( Jo )))))).... Sorry to hear that the stupid drain is still, literally, a thorn in your side! Hope it comes out soon and you are feeling better! No worries on the not being up to posting at times. We've all been there.... Just get a bit worried one we haven't heard from one of our 'regulars'!!! Take your time and get better!!!
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Seaside - Thanks!
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Jo, I'm so sorry you are hurting and the not sleeping due to it is not helping at all. This turning the boards upside down is making me cranky, used to be able to go to our thread and see at a glance who was here and what was going on with everyone, did not hear from lisamarie, that just occurred to me, she is usually on each day. Lisamarie check in tonight or tomorrow, we get worried, us old mother hens. Maybe by Friday the draining will subside and the PS will remove that #*&^@& drain. hugs, Karen
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