Topic : Trying to Quit Smoking?

Hey Shelly, 

What's happening? Just checking in to see if you are doing o.K. I bet your boys are keeping you hopping from one sport to another.  

It's little league season here and just getting good in to it. Everybody loves it, so we really look forward to the games. I kinda forgot how old your boys are. Mine is 12. Well let us know how's it coming. 

  

Linda  

  

One year, one month, 15 hours, 16 minutes and 24 seconds. 11899 cigarettes not smoked, saving $2,302.23. Life saved: 5 weeks, 6 days, 7 hours, 35 minutes.
 

Hi Aggie, 

Well how is everything? Being smoke free is what you and I thought a year ago probably  wouldn't happen. We were just a struggling. You had that break-in and that was nerve shattering, but you came to the board and relieve your fears, and we were all so concerned for you. But you being such a strong person you were able to handle that situation for sure and not let it handle you. Good for you. For some reason that just came to mind.  

Is the new person in your life a smoker or not, just curious?  

I bet Canada is just beautiful now being spring. All the snow melted and the fresh spring flowers just a blooming. How cool are your days now? Ours this week up in the 90's, in the night around 65. 

  

Linda  

One year, one month, 15 hours, 31 minutes and 31 seconds. 11899 cigarettes not smoked, saving $2,302.29. Life saved: 5 weeks, 6 days, 7 hours, 35 minutes. 

  

Over 11,000 cigarettes for me, can you imagine how many it was before we started counting!!!!!!!
 

Something tells me, I bet someone is smoking again? Come on and post, we can only be as strong as we want to be. Alot of things in life a person just needs someone to lean on. And quitting smoking, a person needs support.  Let me know how all are doing . 

  

Linda One year, one month, one day, 14 hours, 19 minutes and 43 seconds. 11927 cigarettes not smoked, saving $2,307.81. Life saved: 5 weeks, 6 days, 9 hours, 55 minutes.
 

Well still smoke free after all this time and going strong.  No I never thought that I would be able to keep on with the program at first.  It was everyone on this board that kept me going.  I am so grateful to everyone here and to those who are not....Ann, Mario, etc;.  I found those days and the struggles not so difficult with you guys there with me......but those were the days, I can tell you!!  No my man does not smoke (he never did) but we are dieting together.  Ours is a long distance romance, we see each other about twice a month.  Yes the weather is very nice here, I live right on the Ottawa River.  We had a very nice Winter, not too cold but it was nice to see Spring arriving.  Maple sugar season is over for  this year now and the trees are budding very nicely.  Last month I took delivery of my new car (2006 Mazda 6) and getting ready to take the long trip to the other side of Toronto to visit with Paul this week-end....leaving early tomorrow morning.  Well I have to get going here and go to the optometrist to see about my new contact lenses.  Hope that all is well with you and always great to read your posts.    Aggie One year, two months, one week, three days, 23 hours, 48 minutes and 34 seconds. 10874 cigarettes not smoked, saving $4,344.06. Life saved: 5 weeks, 2 days, 18 hours, 10 minutes.

Good for you Shelly!  Glad you are trying to quit again.  I wish you all the sucess!  Hello to everyone else.  Hey, has anyone heard from Mario?  I wonder how he is doing?  Sorry, I am still smoking.  Cut down but not ready yet.  Thought I would stop in and say hi though!  Take care.

   

   I have a 25 year old niece with whom I have been very close with.  The past three years we have not really seen each other except for family get - togethers which is ok.  She is a smoker, and I am an ex-smoker as of 2 and a half years.  Here is a little history:  

   

  My niece got involved with a co-worker in November of last year who was currently engaged to another girl that also is a co-worker.  The other girl found out about my niece (let's call her Amanda) and her fiance, (we will call him Bill).  Of course the other girl (let's call her Cassandra) was very hurt and angry, which I do not blame her for feeling that way at all.  Amanda gets pregnant in December of last year, and it turns out to be a tubal so it had to be terminated.   The week before they discovered it was a tubal, Amanda and Bill get married at the courthouse.  Keep in mind they are both smokers.  Amanda is not discouraged by the tubal and tells me she wants to get pregnant again because Bill's parents are both of ill health and she and Bill want them to be grandparents before they die.    

  After two months, Cassandra gets promoted and begins to "harrass" Bill and Amanda.  They decide to both quit their jobs without having new jobs already lined up.  One week after quitting their jobs they both got temp jobs which was very lucky.  However, after working 2 days at her new job, she calls in sick 2 days in a row, and they called her and told her they did not want her to come in.  Right after that Amanda finds out she is pregnant again.  About two weeks after that Bill passes away from congestive heart failure.  He was 28 years old.  Amanda is still lighting up.  I am very worried about her health because she is overweight, she does not exercise and she is pregnant and smoking.  So I offer to her that if she quits cold turkey and within 30 days, I would take her shopping for new maternity clothes.  I told her that only on the condition that she quit for good, because her baby will thank her later and she will feel so much better.  

  Three weeks later she sends me an email saying how I hurt her feelings by bribing her to quit smoking.  She did not want to take the money for clothes if it was a bribe.  I told her it is more like a reward which she disagreed with and said again how it was bribery.  I apologized to her several times, and told her to disregard my offer since I would now feel very uncomfortable giving it to her.  

   

  My intention was to encourage, to offer an incentive, plus listing off a ton of benefits for quitting smoking, especially since she is pregnant.  What could I have done differently, and for that matter, should I have not even opened my mouth?  Help!  

Hey hope someone can support a girl in Canada.  I've quite so many times in the past year atleast 10!  It feels like I have to reinvent myself in order to stay quit!  Anyone have any tips on that?  It 's like I don't know who I am without a cigarette, everything I do is around smoking...ei: wash the floor have a smoke for a break, put the kids to bed have a smoke for a break.  My weakness are in the morning with a cup of tea or 4 cups, and the odd time I have a cooler beverage.  None of my friends smoke though except for my husband so it should be easier than what it is.  I've smoked now for 24 years since I was 15 and I really don't want it anymore.  I smoke like crazy in the morning that's my time for myself before the kids get up and I have about 4 to 6.  Then I don't smoke for the rest of the day, not on purpose just don't think about it or crave it, until the kids go to bed. The longest I've quite is for 3 weeks but guess what I had a cooler and it all went down from there.  I sure could use some encouragement my husband is good but I think I need regular pats on the back for my daily successes, needy people might say? yah probally but it helps.   

Thanks for listening 

darcey in canada 

Hi Linda, 

How are you doing? Well I hope. It was I guess a blood circulatory problem that the patch had set off. Will be going for other tests soon. I quit the patch. But am still doing good and going strong. Sorry to hear about your bump, bump, bumps. I know all about that pain after. Had a big huge bruise on my bottom.  

The last couple of days I have been wanting to smoke badly. I don't know why I am trying to figure out what is triggering it. But a few deep breaths and packs of gum I am getting threw it. You know what I like is when I smell how awful someone who smokes smells. Because didn't really notice that smell before. I know that smell isn't coming from me. I tell my friend all the time she stinks. Trying to get her to stop smoking. She lost her mom at a young age. But no so many of my friends say they don't smoke that much so they are in no hurry to quit. That was the same story I told myself. I don't push. I know how hard it is.  

I have started doing my Winsor Pilates tapes. Just a little sore but I tell you I feel great not just physically but mentally.  

Congratulations to your daughter. That is great! You must be one proud momma. I can't wait till mine go off to college. Wink wink.. Take Care. I will try to watch my footing too. 

  

Beverly 

Three weeks, four days, 6 hours, 47 minutes and 47 seconds. 353 cigarettes not smoked, saving $127.42. Life saved: 1 day, 5 hours, 25 minutes.
 

Hi Darcey, 

I am also in Canada. I can say I definitely know how you feel. I would have a cigarette too after doing the things that you mention too. My husband is also a smoker and he smokes a lot the only pat on the back I get is when I mess with him and tell him to give me a cigarette just so I can hear him say your doing so good and he tells me no. I on the other hand know nothing but smokers everybody smokes. That is hard especially with friends when you hang out or have a little drink. What i do there which is a little gross just because mint or cinnamon gum and any kind of alcohol beverage is gross. I just have a piece of gum after and it kind of gets rid of that urge. It's only been just about 4weeks for me. But I too have been trying for so long. But I definitely feel that I am done no more. It took a little health problems for me to say that's it. The only tips I have this time for me is. I take lots of deep breaths of air. And because I can't use the patch which gave me my start. I chew a lot of gum. I carry it around now like I would my cigarettes. I know what you mean about needing that pat. I don't get that pat and want it so bad. I want someone to tell me daily good job Bev another day and you haven't smoke. But nobody gives it to me. So I talk to my self honestly I am not crazy or anything. I stand in the mirror and talk to myself and tell myself how proud I am and what a good job I am doing. Take a deep breath and fill my lungs with air. Laugh and walk away. Good luck to you.  

Beverly 

Three weeks, four days, 7 hours, 4 minutes and 26 seconds. 354 cigarettes not smoked, saving $127.48. Life saved: 1 day, 5 hours, 30 minutes.
 

  

  

  Do people not realize how destructive it is to smoke?  Think back to WHY you started in the first place.  I started because I hated myself, I had incredibly low self-esteem, I had a husband who emotionally and verbally abused me, and I was weak.  I wanted to decompress, and not hurt so much.  I took all my rage and frustration and fear out on myself.  That was four years ago.   

  

  I am a totally different person, and I have not had a cigarette for two and a half years. I am in a healthy relationship, and I care very much about myself, my health, and my life.  I know now that smoking is a self-destructive behavior, and there is always an underlying thing or issue that feeds that destructive behavior.   

  

  I have a secret to share with all of you smokers out there.  Welbutrin and therapy, plus exercise and a balanced diet will help take that edge off!!  Not only do I feel good physically, I don't feel like a slave to the cigarette, and I now invest my money that I would have spent on Marlboro Menthols in my Roth IRA and my 401k.   

  

  So, how much do you guys REALLY want to quit?