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If applicable, how did you quit smoking?

I'm ready to quit smoking but have found it more difficult than the first go-around. How did you quit and did it stick?

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  • 14 votes
ashortbeauty 8 Mar 7
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59 comments

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0

You're probably not going to believe me, but I read a book. And it only took a couple of hours, it was a quick read. And I quit for over two years. And I didn't struggle. And it didn't suck.

And when I fell off the wagon, I read it again. And I quit, and I didn't struggle, and it didn't suck. Three weeks in, as of today. And doing fine.

Allen Carr's Easy Way to Quit Smoking. That $17 book saved me thousands of dollars. I recommend it to anyone who wants to quit.

Beautiful! Keep it up!I too quit easily..... after a single one-on-one hypnosis session. Beautiful!

Read it several times, and it didn't work.

@Pmabz Sorry to hear that. You're the first I've heard of.

@Nottheonlyone the book was given to me by someone at work, for whom it also didn't work. It's a good read, though.

3

The first time -- a program called SmokEnders. Great program. Eight years later, I willfully and consciously CHOSE to start smoking again as a "fuck it all" method of coping with a difficult life event.

The next time, I used vaping with gradual nicotine withdrawal.

I vape occasionally with next to no nicotine.

I went back to smoking after 3 years because of the death of 2 close family members. The second death was the person who kept me from smoking after the first one. Had my then husband been a wee bit less of an asshole, I may not have smoked and may have even stay married to him.

Thanks for the input. I quit for eight years at one time too. Just walked away from them. This time oye vey!

@SherryMartin I'm sorry for your loss. 😟

6

I was determined. First two or three days were difficult. After getting over the withdrawal hump I kept myself busy. When I felt the urge to smoke I took deep breaths until the urge passed. It always does.

I still want a cigarette on occasion. I even dream I started smoking again and I quit seven years ago!

I quit 25 years ago and also have dreams in which I am still a smoker. I wake up in a panic.
I want to add though that when I am awake I have no desire to smoke.

When I quit the first time, I had those dreams too! I remember crying in them because I was so disappointed in myself. It hasn't happened since I stopped the second time about four years ago.

I occasionally want one at random times.

1

Started with the gum to get away from the habits of smoking, then switched to the patch to diminish the nicotine craving and quite completely.

@WizardBill sorry for the type. Should have been gum.

3

I was 40+ a day for 18 years then I tried a Vape unit and I haven't touched a cigarette since

AdieG Level 4 Mar 7, 2018

I was 40-50 per day. Ugh......

Wow! I'm glad you were able to quit.

1

I worked up to it. I knew an elderly couple who still smoked and the woman had had a stroke, she would bring the cigarette to her mouth shaking. Everytime I wanted a cigarette I would picture here and think that will be me if I don't quit. It worked, I smoke for 30 years and haven't had a cigarette for 17 years.

Congrats on staying smoke free B-)

Yeah some of us are more motivated by the avoidance of negatives than by what we "should" do. I'm that way too. I used to weigh 80 lbs more than I do now, and I would picture myself like a beached whale, with tubes running out of me, in a permanent care facility, with my retinas fallen off and my feet amputated (diabetes) and it worked. Even for someone who rather dislikes physical activity / exercise. I now walk 10,000 steps per day, and eat better, too.

1

I quit at around 28 yrs old. I'd smoked since 15, and had just had enough, at 28, of feeling like my chest was always being squeezed, and shortness of breath.

Tapering off was the easiest way for me. At first I smoked fewer (unfiltered) cigarettes, then went to filtered cigarettes, then went to that brand that poked holes in the filters so you didn't draw as much smoke. Once I got down to 3 or 4 of those/day, it wasn't too difficult to quit altogether.

For a few short years after that, I could smoke a cigarette every now and then and not be tempted to start up again. Once my daughter was born, that was it, no more cigarettes.

I am assuming here that you are referring to regular tobacco, not wacky tobaccy.

Lol @ wacky tobaccy!
Yeah my eight years clean was while I was having and raising up my kids. Then one fine stressful section I threw it all away.

@ashortbeauty aaahh, no one's perfect. I've indulged in the devil weed for over 50 yrs now, off and on (mostly off, to be honest).

1

Wellbutrin/Bupropion. Worked brilliantly and I wasn't even trying to quit, but it took both the pleasure of smoking and the cravings away. Worth a try. It has worked for a lot of people.

Unfortunately I'm already on that, but thank you for your input. It may help someone else 🙂

You're welcome. Wish you the best with quitting! You can do it!

2

Cut back by time of day, not number of cigs. So no cigs before work, none until lunch, none until 2 PM, etc. I finally replaced my bedtime cigarette with an ecig, which I don't even use every day.

I might try that technique with my e-cig. I'm not particularly concerned about using it as the evidence so far suggests they're relatively safe (at least compared to real cigs), but it'd be good to crack my nicotine addiction after all these years.

I suggest trying to find an ecig that's similar to what you enjoy smoking. Find out how many mg of nicotine are in your current brand. Most of what's sold in stores is very low in nicotine content, so if you feel like you're sucking air, and it's not working, look online. I use Fling ecigs. They come in a variety of strengths and flavors, but do what works for you. I won't say that vaping is good for you because I honestly don't know, but it has to be better than inhaling tar. Also, you won't want it as often.

1

A vaporizer worked for me. I tried quitting a few times, twice for two years, and during all those times, if you were to ask me, "if the world was going to end tomorrow, would you start smoking again?", my answer was always, "Yes". The Ego brand vaporizer is what I finally arrived at, after getting ripped off a few times with those e-cigarettes that look like the real thing. I came at it with the attitude that I am doing perhaps the hardest thing I've ever done so I did it this way: there were places I did not smoke, like at the office and in my bedroom, so, I continued to smoke, and, on top of that, I vaped where I would not normally smoke, so, in the beginning, I was taking in even More nicotine. Over time, it took a few months, I naturally backed off the cigarettes. I also cut back on the amount of nicotine in my vape liquid, not consciously, I would be vaping and realize it didn't taste good so I went down on the amount of nicotine. After about 3 years, I was down to Zero nicotine, another year and I'm not even using my vaporizer anymore .. it's been 6 years now. I recommend you start at 36mg. nicotine (the higher the number the more nicotine) and try to stay away from alcohol and caffeine, I noticed they enhanced my craving.

Thank you for the details. 🙂

0

I tried everything except the gum and the nasal spray. Nothing worked while I was living with a smoker or under stress.

First quit attempt after the stress was significantly reduced was with Nicotrol inhalers. It actually workd for a good amount of time, but the stress wasn't really gone and there were smokers in the house who were willing to give me just one.

When the stress really was basically gone, the second attempt living here succeded for 3 and a half weeks with cold turkey. I was an emotional trainwreck, and I encounteered a withdrawal effect no one wants to hear about at 3 and a half weeks - so I got a pack and left a message for my psychiatrist. She and another of my providers agreed that picking up a pack was a good idea at that point, and worked with me to get to where I could try again. My antidepressants were increased, I went cold turkey again - no cravings for over a week, and just 3 on my second week - then my psychiatrist insisted I go back on the Nicotrol inhalers to prevent the bad withdrawal effect.

Most people are done with withdrawals after 2 weeks. That wasn't me. I read that some take 3-6 months, and a very few up to a year. I've heard of people wanting a cig even years later - but I'm not having a real issue with cravings. When around a smoker for a few hours, I hit the inhaler. I seem to be doing fine now I'm one day short of 3 week. Wish me luck.

Thanks for sharing and good luck!

1

I quit smoking about 15 years ago. I always say that I was lucky as I had cancer!

I was lucky. It wasnt a malignant tumor but I didnt know that till they cut it out, My kids were 7 and 8 at the time and I just thought this is NOT going to happen. I was determined that my children would remember me as the crazy old bloke that played tunes, climbed cliffs and fell off surfboards not the old codger that sat in the corner for years fighting for breath from an oxygen mask.

The mad thing was that after only 3 or 4 days, despite countless previous attempts, I knew I'd cracked it. And Ive never smoked since. TBH I don't really like the smell

Another one whose determination broth them through. I'm starting to see a pattern here. Glad that you're here with us.

2

A cancer diagnosis cured me..and nicorette..

I'm sorry to hear that you had to fight cancer. It's harsh. I'm glad you're here with us to share. Hugs

0

After smoking for decades and several unsuccessful runs with gum and patches, I went the vape route. The problem with patches and gum is they don't satisfy my craving. Like, at ALL.

So I dropped about $60 on a vaporizer and juice. You can decide on how much nicotine you want, not some silly amount like is in the gum/patches. I started with 18mg, and decided to try out 24mg, but it made me feel queezy, like my very first cigarette. I had to cut it with 12mg in order to use it. I eventually cut down to 12mg, then 6, then 3, then "one drop," the weakest they could make it. I hardly ever even think about it, might hit it once a month. It was totally pain free for me to quit this way.

2

"I don't want a cigarette; I want to change my state."

"I don't want to want to change my state all the time; I want to be present in the present."

I saw what was really going on, and my priorities changed.

I love that! Saving to my pics

1

Am currently halfway through a course of champix not had a ciggarete for over a month but the crazy dreams and headaches every morning are taking their toll

5

I quit for good on my 3rd attempt. First time I quit , I lasted 3 years. I quit this last time for going on 10 I think so I considerr it permanant.

I had some patches left from a previous attempt that were years out of date. My doctor had also prescribed Chantax.

I used half a patch and the chantax at the same time which is NOT safe, so I do not reccomend it. The chantax did not give me nightmares or change my behavior but they did give me dreams so vivid that I thought they were memories. When I got into arguments at work about shit that never happened, I quit using it. That was about 2 weeks in.

After that I white knuckled it with my expired patches

4

A young doctor, new at the clinic, took me aside when I came in for some lung problems and showed me my xray. He said,: if tyou keep smoking, this and this and this (pointing to white spots on my lungs) will be cancer."
I threw my cigarettes away and never smoked tobacco again. That was a very long time ago.I guess I was a major bitch for about three days while withdrawing . Don't remember, but my family does.

2

I tried to give it up for years and years, but I was never successful - I'd go as long as two weeks, then one day I'd just ask for cigarettes in the shop without even realising I'd done it and go straight back to smoking again. Patches didn't work, nor did gum.

Vaping, meanwhile, made it possible for me to give up immediately - I bought an e-cig five years ago and, save for the occasional puff in the first couple of months, I haven't smoked since. Obviously we can't be sure yet how risky vaping is, but since we know how bad smoking is I'm willing to take my chances. I haven't been quite as successful as @BlueWave in cutting down on the nicotine though - I use the strong liquid and I vape more than I ever smoked!

Jnei Level 8 Mar 7, 2018
0

I was 24 with children of four and five y.o and my husband left me, ending our marriage , to go work with his mates in Germany - I had to pay the mortgage on the house we had bought so got people in to take rooms - it was the hippie era and lots of people came to the house - I was pretty weird then because I didnt know if I could cope and someone handed me a cigarette - It worked- I smoked for nearly a year and hten stopped - just like that - I didnt need it any more I had no after effects no yearnings, no nothing. I havent had one since.

2

Four years quit almost.

I switched from Camel Wides to Natural American Spirits because they are free of the ADDED addictive chemicals. So I got off those chemicals first. Then, I dropped down from full-flavor to medium, then lights, then done.

I had tried gum, pot, patches, food, herbal cigarettes, but none of it worked.

1

I was successful using Chantix.

JK666 Level 7 Mar 7, 2018
1

One day at a time....

0

The oncologist told me to be smokeless for two days prior to the surgery....and I decided that if I could be two days smoke free I also could be smoke free the rest of my life. I stop smoking 2/11/01 (after 40 years) and I have not smoked since...

1

I had to get to the point where I really wanted to quit. I quit a couple of times before, but after a couple of years I started up again. I quit cold turkey all three times the last one took. It's been 17 yrs.

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