Stop Smoking Support Thread
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Hi ladies ..... weather is warming up .... sunshine is out and that's all it takes for us Canadians to smile! MinusTwo, my sister tells me the weather in Texas as well - double whammy! But you are right when it is hot there it is HOT! Ontario has had it hot but last summer was cooler then the one before. I don't mind the heat but the humidity .... sucks big time. Red, don't worry so much about the quitting, you will do it. One day at a time even if it takes longer then you planned, at least you are doing it. Carmen, I didn't have recon so I can't comment on it but I'm with you. We are always nervous on a first ... first day of school, first date, first kiss .... me, it was slow dancing for the first time with a boy. I had to practice with a girl and to this day, I always want to lead. Just wear a big old sweater with big, old pockets and we will all jump in with you .... party time, girl! Hope everyone is having a good day .... Beckers, where the hell are you?
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Good morning ladies! I am at work so quick one but wanted to say that it was 39 this morning on the way to work and I think spring has finally sprung here in the NorthEast. We are hitting the 50's and even low 60's lately with a few cold nights thrown in for good measure. I can't wait until it is in the 50's at night and 70 during the day. After 80, I am not happy either so I have a narrow window of happiness with temperature. I love spring and fall...detest winter and tolerate summer unless the humidity is low..then I love it...lol
Carmen, we are in that pocket!
Coming up on my one year anniversary of not smoking on the 20th and tomorrow is my 59th birthday! Where in the HELL have the years gone? Anyone? Bueller? anyone??? LOL
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Aww heck April I think i show my age by not only knowing that reference but remembering exactly what happened next. Love that movie!
Thanks for the support Judi and Carmen. I am down to about 50% now, that was just a really bad day.
OK ladies, just for today...
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April, many congratulations on your upcoming anniversary .... whohooooooo! I remember when you first joined ... we are so sad when we have to give up our friend but then you are past it. Love it! Happy birthday to you today ..... 59 young years .... I'll be there in November .... thanks for making me laugh about Bueller .... have you seen him now at his age. Hard to believe that time flies by so quickly but remember we are still here so let's keeping kicking. Hope you have a great birthday. Red, congrats on 50% down ... pretty soon it will be 25% then 5% then nothing. Enjoy it while you can because it does come on fast!
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April - Happy BD and congrats in advance on your 1 year anniversary
Red - thinking of you. It surely is a royal bitch.
Lisamarie - hope you're doing OK.
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Glad at least a few of you remember that movie and the reference....was worried I was going to be perceived as a crazy person
Ya know...what in the world is this woman saying and who in the hell is Bueller? HA!Thanks for the BD wishes. One more year and then 60. SIX-OH! OMG! The times, they are a changin! xoxo
Have a great smoke free day. 50% is still AMAZING!
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Hi Bosum. Sorry you are struggling, and yes, it is fricking hard!!! It took me many tries over the years before finally kicking it to the curb. I know that one thing that helped me was I would make myself wait an hour if I wanted a smoke. Then another...and another until hours would go by. It takes an iron will, I know. I used patch and gum AND an e-cig which is what helped me the most. Best of luck to you!
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Bosum - Glad to have you. Your post doesn't say where you're located so I don't know if you still have snow - but one thing that really helped me was walking. Every time I wanted a cigarette I rushed out of the house & walked around a block (or two). Double duty - lost the immediate urge to smoke while I was striding along and kept the pounds down. I too was on Chantix and it was my savior. Quit smoking in the house, then 2 weeks later quit smoking in my car, then 2 weeks later started Chantix. I joined Curves and made sure i went once a day. Also made good use of sunflower seeds - the kind in the shells. If you put them in your mouth one at a time, then reach up again to take out the shell - voila for arm movement. And i ate a ton of radishes. Carrots just didn't cut it for me. For late at night, I read several blogs w/people trying to quit or who had quit and how they were doing. I quit going out drinking w/friends (this was when you could still smoke in bars) and cut way back on the drinking at home since that made me want to smoke.
VR should check in before too long. You can PM her for a very helpful pamphlet & tips.
WOW - can you believe we've filled 331 pages? I was thinking maybe 30.
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I am still offering my little "tip" pamphlet to anyone who asks. I've been working on expanding it. My "tip " book is just that--tips of what to do. I'm expanding it to give the psychology behind it--like with motivation--using values to come up with reasons to quit. It hasn't been edited yet, still very rough but I'm hoping it will add another dimension--I often find that if I know the "why I should do something", I'm more likely to do it. I will send either one, just specify which one.
I've also been meaning to post about something that LisaMarie had mentioned that really resonated with me. I had cancer the first time when I was 32 and dating was very hard for me. I had a very poor self-image of myself as "damaged goods"--why would anyone want me--(because of my scars etc...). In relationships I took potluck--I stayed with whatever showed up whether or not it was good for me. Fast forward 20 plus years when the cancer came back and I had the double mas. and i would have thought I would have even more issues but maybe because I'm older (and hopefully wiser), I really like my new twins but I did have issues about becoming intimate with someone new. I just turned 59 in March and I've always been single and have recently met the man I expect to marry. It took a lot of courage on my part to tell him about my fears and self-image issues and he couldn't have been any more supportive and affirming. I waited a very long time for the right guy but he is worth it. I met him after I decided to stop settling for potluck because I deserved better. We attract what we expect.
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VJ - congrats on your growing relationship. It is so hard to let down & share our fears, especially if we've been "mocked" in the past.
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Headed to Galveston in the morning for my 'moving water' get away. Going to see West Side Story at the 1894 Grand Opera House tomorrow afternoon & stay two nights. I hope the weatherman is wrong & we don't have thunderstorms Sunday & Monday since i REALLY wanted to walk on the beach. Oh well - I'll take a couple of books & a bottle of wine. Hope everyone's having a good weekend & I'll check back mid week.
Lisamarie - hope you're OK.
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I hope you have a great time minus two!!!
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Hi Bosum, I'm where you are as far as kicking it to the curb goes. In Canada Chantrix is called Champix and I tried it too. Did nothing for me except give me nightmares. Ditto Zyban and the patch. I hate the taste of the gum and the side effects of the spray mist are scary. And one of them is an increased craving for cigarettes. Who thought that up?
I'm down to willpower, to be honest I think that's probably the best for me. But that doesn't mean I'm not finding great info on this site! Sunflower seeds, cool. Stop smoking in just one place - I'm going to try my car. I drive my grandkids around a lot. Can't smoke with them in the car anyway. And the weather is getting fair enough, maybe the house next. Set a date. I've cut down by 1/2, time to set a date. Cross your fingers and pray works for me too. As does doing something else when you get the craving - my doc suggested puzzles.
Still a work in progress but I have faith.
:-)
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Wishing for the best for you RR. You can do it! Faith as small as a sunflower seed!
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Thanks Lovewins. Appreciate the support.
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Welcome Bosum .... you've come to the right place .... you can bitch, moan, cry and we are still here with you. You know what, whether you are in the throes of quitting or smoke free for a few, many, whatever, we all can still carry on. But we have your back. Don't despair .... it will work for you. I think the biggest pusher is that your PS will not touch you until you have three months behind you. It will come but it does take a little work .... take the suggestions of these ladies as we have all been there. Plus, some of us were 40+ years smoking ... hard to believe and here we are giving support where needed it. Before, I hated when someone told me there were quitting as I didn't like being left behind .... now I'm cheering everyone on. You will be find but never despair .... it will click one day for you!
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Hey Bosum, I'm working my way forward and I'm a 44 year smoker. (((hugs))) you can do this!!
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Bosum, the trite old saying "If I can do it anyone can" really applies to me. I was a DIE HARD and figured I would smoke until they planted me but...ONE YEAR AGO, this Sunday, I quit. You CAN DO IT!!!. Please feel free to come here and bitch and moan, and definitely get VJ's book. It is free and it h as great tips.
To all of you, this shit is hard but we got this! xoxoxoxoxo
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Love it April!
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"and definitely get VJ's book. It is free and it h as great tips."
Thanks! Just send me a PM and I'll email anyone on this list a PDF copy of "Tips to Win at Quitting Smoking".
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April - so what did you do to celebrate? One year is a fantastic milestone.
Red & Bosum and anyone else still trying - When you get past that first 24 hours that you've made it w/o a smoke you can start our mantra - Just for Today I Will not Smoke. One day at a time!!!
Judi - isn't it funny how we've become cheerleaders. When i was smoking I went out of my way to avoid people who talked about quitting.
LisaMarie - how are you?
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Hi MinusTwo .... how is it going? Have you finally finished all of the treatments? Sure hope so and you get to enjoy a treatment free summer. Yes, we have become the cheerleaders .... you went out of your way to avoid people who talked about quitting .... I talked them into not quitting ..... I didn't want to be alone. What a selfish "bitch", I was. Anyways, we can think all we want about smoking but at least we are not doing it. I think "I would like to go back" but I'm so past smoking. Not in the cards for me .... not if I could get this damm weight off ... the cancer meds are killing me .... have gained 30 lbs in 3 years .... med onc just looks at me but I know what she is thinking ..... I look good and I'm alive. Really, what more could a gal ask for. MinusTwo, where is LisaMarie? She not on this site anymore??????
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Judi - I'll be on Herceptin for the rest of the year, but I think otherwise I'm done. BS just released me for 6 more months. I'll see the MO on 4/28. I've had the opposite reaction - lost 60 lbs with chemo. I would have been OK losing 10 but I really wasn't overweight to start. My BS was horrified even though I was proud I've gained 5 back. Interesting trying to manage my closet with 5 or 6 different sizes. I hate to give anything away yet since I have no idea where I'll end up. The biggest question is "should I buy white pants this year & if so, what size"? Yup - I always loved the smoking groups too. Never boring!! And I qualify for the SB category too. I still join friends who smoke outside sometimes just for the conversation.
Hope we'll hear from LisaMarie soon. It looks like this is the only thread she was using so no other way to contact her. Hey LisaMarie - here's another 'shout out'. Hope you're OK.
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HI all! I just wanted to stop in and let you know that YOU CAN DO IT! This ex-smoker knows that you can! And you will be so happy when you do. Best of luck and love to you all!
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Hi MinusTwo .... glad to hear that most of this crap is behind you .... I have till February 8, 2016 to finish my meds that hear what they decided to do with me. My med on said that my cancer was "teeny" so I might now have to stay on meds .... yippee .... I hear you about the clothes ..... I go from size XS to XL .... depends on what I fit into from M to L .... I so hate this because there are clothes that I absolutely loved and wore maybe once or not at all. Yes, I hear you about LisaMarie ..... sure hope she is o.k.
To the other ladies on this site .... good morning and I hope you are all having a fabulous day!
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Just got home from Coldwater Creek. Sounds silly but I actually bought white pants that fit now and the next size up. Their pants fit me better than any others so I'm stocking up before the bankruptcy & closing.
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Hi MinusTwo, glad to hear of your successful shopping trip. I buy like that too sometimes, better to have then not have. I've heard of Coldwater Creek .... I think there is one by my house ..... they are in trouble?
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Unfortunately Coldwater Creek has filed for bankruptcy and plans to be closed by summer. Too bad. That's the only place I could always buy women's pants that fit. Before I discovered them I always wore men's jeans since i could buy them by length or had to pay to have pants tailored.
Definitely spring here today. 84 degrees & lots of sun for the easter egg hunts. Thinking of you April. A year and a week!
LisaMarie - I'm going to keep shouting out.
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Oh Lisamarie my dear....WHERE ARE YOU??????????
Thanks Minus Two...it was a year on April 20th so it is a year and a day. I celebrated by eating too much Easter candy...oooops. LOL
To all of you, hugs and gotta run...at work as usual! xoxo
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Hello ladies! Hope you all had a good Easter .... weather was picture perfect. I hear you MinusTwo about when you find something that fits you hate to loose it! But you will find another source .... bit expensive but I love Not Your Daughter's Jeans .... however I paid $150 Canadian and they are still kicking .... I wore them every week and washed every 2 days .... a little faded as they were black in colour but who cares! April, congrats on your milestone .... one year and a day .... soon it will be two years, three years and so on. You deserve the treat! Yes, I echo the same thought ...... LisaMarie, where are you as well as Beckers! This group is fading fast!
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