Giving Up Smoking

[fluffymoat4]

Just wanted to say that I managed to give up smoking 40 a day back in February of this year! I was determined to celebrate my 50th as a non-smoker. I am amazed even now that I was able to do it. I admit there are times, even now, when I'd love a cig but I know only too well it will lead me back to being a smoker.
I used patches AND gum this time - in the past I've only ever tried one or the other. I did give it up prior to this, 11 years ago -I slept in the hospital ward where my 5 year old was staying after his tonsils op. I knew I'd have three days whereby I wouldn't be able to smoke much so I wore nicotine patches. After 3 days of not smoking at all I decided to wait and see if I could still battle the urge at home - sure enough I went TWO years without a ciggie! One day though I was out having a drink with a friend and I pinched one of her cigs - that was it, I was a smoker again!
I am sincerely hoping I will never make the same mistake and that this time I have finished for good.
I'd love to hear your stories regards stopping smoking. I found the hardest times were when I did things that I associated smoking with. Like the first time I used my pc to edit photographs without smoking - I kept having to have breaks because I was so stressed out. I've now got all my "firsts" out of the way - first time going in a pub without smoking, first meal out without lighting up after it, etc. I sometimes "forget" I don't smoke anymore and reach into my handbag for my packet LOL. I also made sure I didn't leave any cigarettes lying round the house - it helps to resist temptation. In the past I'd always "just have one" then another etc.

[Lisa]

Hi Mo, I think you could be an inspiration to Chris, Julie and Babs on site. When they read your posting, lets hope it inspires them to give up and lead a clean life - oh yeah

[BABS]

Hi Lisa

What do you mean about Chris Julie and myself leading a good clean life,we are pure as the driven snow on the outside ,its only our lungs that a bit off.
I have my deadline and I am going to keep to it, thats if this mess can be sorted before that date or I will be chain smoking and will have to set another date think I will take to drink instead

You lot on here cant half talk a lot ;D ;D
its taking me forever to read the postings that I have missed
I never talked that much I am sure ::)did I ;D

BABS

[Lisa]

Hi Babs, OOOOooooo you lickle liar............ Talk - talk? you invented it Babs. Remember when you first came on, I think you did 100 postings in one day !!!!! you went from Junior to God in one go !!!! Come on Babs, October is the deadline. There's no extending it - not on MM. Otherwise we post it on the front page of M.E.N. 'Babs reneges on promise to friends'. I can just see it now.

[fluffymoat4]

Lisa - I've just realised that you actually typed the word "God" on purpose - I thought it was a typing error and you'd meant to type the word "goLd"! I feel really silly now!!

[joetaylor]

Hi Little Mo
best way to give up smoking, is don't start clean living boy like me
Joe

[lin]

DON'T BELIEVE HIM LITTLE MO, HE HAS SMOKED HIMSELF, NOT A LOT BUT HE WAS ONE OF THE FORTUNATE ONES WHO DIDN'T GET ADDICTED TO IT....LOL!

LIN

[fluffymoat4]

I'm coming up to my FIRST anniversary as a NON-smoker. I had actually given up once before - many years ago - and so knew it would eventually be okay and the cravings would pass. This time round though has been even better! I think it's because I wanted to be a non-smoker this time whereas the last time I had given it up for financial reasons. I am not going to start preaching to any smokers out there because I know first hand how easy it was to become a smoker and I also know how hard it is to give up. All I will say is that I am pounds richer, miles happier and feel much healthier. Good Luck to anyone trying to kick the habit.

[fluffymoat4]

It's like being given a new lease of life Tommy. It was hard in the beginning though and there were times when I thought it'd be easier just to buy a packet of cigarettes. Luckily my husband gave up smoking about 15 years ago (no patches, gum or anything) so it wasn't as though I had to go through it with someone in the house smoking. Lord knows how he gave it up with me continuing to smoke around him all these years! I have become very aware of smell and taste now and enjoy my food more and I can't help but fill the house with fresh flowers each week.

[bodzy3]

I used to smoke 40 -50 a day and one day I was on my way down to the Fox Pub in Clayton Lane and I had a bad chest,so I thought I would buy some menthol f*gs from the Chinamans shop on Clayton Lane He was closed so I carried on to the pub,put my f*gs on the bar ,ordered a pint and noticed my shoelace was undone bending down to retye it I coudn't breath pickedup my f*gs and threw them accross the room never to smoke again 10years ago

[BABS]

HI BODZY,
I WILL HAVE TO STOP SMOKING SOON ,BUT HAVE TO PASS ONE MORE HURDLE ,THEN I HAVE PROMISED MY SONS I WILL STOP.
SHOULD HAVE STOPPED BEFORE XMAS BUT ,SOMETHING PUT A STOP TO IT.
I CARNT GET MY BREATH ,I AM SMOKING DOUBLE WHAT I WAS BEFORE XMAS.

ALRIGHT TOMMY MURPHY,I CAN HEAR YOU TUTTING IN THE BACKGROUND ,I DO PROMISE YOU I WILL STOP,IT WAS THAT OR DRINK MYSELF STUPID ,BUT I CARNT DO THAT AS I LIKE TO BE IN CONTROL OF MYSELF.

BABSXX

[bodzy3]

Hi babs every time I wanted a ciggy I just kept saying to my self "later I will have it when I finished what I'm doin ,and I never had one

[lin]

HI BABS...I GAVE UP FOR THREE MONTHS, AND I WAS ON A HOSPITAL DIET AT THE TIME, AND I KEPT TO IT COS MY BLOOD PRESSURE WAS SO HIGH THAT IF I VERY LIGHTLY TOUCH A PART OF MY BODY I WAS BREAKING THE BLOOD CELLS UNDER THE SKIN...I STILL PUT ON 3 STONE IN 6 WEEKS...SO I STARTED SMOKING AGAIN....FLITHY HABIT I KNOW, TRIED ALL TEH NEW PATCHES, CHEWING GUM, INHALOR THING ETC BUT HERE I AM STILL SMOKING...I DID HEAR THEY NOW HAVE A NEW PILL OUT, MAY SEE THE DR ABOUT THAT...ALTHOUGH MY BP IS OK NOW.

LIN

[BABS]

HI BODZY,

I WILL HAVE TO TRY THAT WHEN I STOP,BUT I THINK I MIGHT HAVE TO HAVE SOME HELP,THOSE PATCHES ARE SUPPOSED TO BE GOOD.
IF I DO WHAT YOU SAID ,I DONT THINK I WOULD BE ABLE TO STOP DOING THINGS ALLDAY FROM MORNING TO NIGHT,BECAUSE IF I SAT DOWN I WOULD WANT I CIGGIE.

BABSXC

[fluffymoat4]

Tommy, I never meant to imply that giving up smoking was easy - it wasn't. I do think though that this time round I prepared myself better. I began to stop having a ciggie after a meal. I also missed out the first one of a morning and the last one at night. I had to stop doing things I associated with smoking for a while too. I used to smoke as I weeded the garden and I did find it hard last spring and summer, weeding without smoking. The worse ones to give up were the ones that I'd smoke while working on my computer. I spend a lot of time on my computer and I found it easier to just stop what I was doing (whenever I got the urge for a ciggie) and take a walk into another room. Mostly I went into the kitchen and had a long, cool drink of water.
Another bonus for me was that, when I returned to smoking some years ago I actually forbid myself to smoke in certain rooms of the house. This time round I was able to take myself into those rooms (bedroom or bathroom) and read a book while laying on the bed or soaking in the bath (and I didn't associate them with having a ciggie because of the former ban).
This time round I was "determined" to be a non-smoker by the time I was 50 so perhaps it does help to have a goal.
Babs I really wouldn't try giving up at the moment - I had to put it off for 6-9 months when I lost my dear old dad. I think the stress would've proved too much. There will be a "right" time and you will know when that "time" comes.
This time round I made it easier on myself and used both GUM and PATCHES (the gum is so much better than it used to be years ago - years ago it used to burn your gums, now it doesn't). I have a few packs of gum and patches left over because I threw the crutch away sooner than I expected.
One thing I did do was to tell myself constantly that if ever I felt really bad and wanted a cigarette then I could have one. I never did though as I kept thinking "I will wait until the urge gets REALLY bad" and, of course, the urge would then go away. That's not to say it was easy. I could be in the middle of a row with either hubby or son and I'd think "I NEED a ciggie!" I only broke once and actually did it.
As of today's date I can honestly say that I don't give ciggies a second thought anymore. I used to get urges whenever someone smoked in my vicinity - not anymore!
I've just treated myself to a laser facial toning machine as smoking gave me premature lines - I could not have afforded this machine had I still been smoking! (I shall keep MM members informed as to whether or not it does my facial muscles and skin tone any good!! Watch this space!)

Another note for BABS, I have put hubby's photos of his trip to Romania and Hungary last year on another site that Alan recommended. It's called Flickr.com but I have to INVITE you to join. If you really want to view them send me a PM with your email address.

MARJORIE - We don't hear from you in ages and then you go and talk the hind legs off a donkey!! Loved seeing your posts - more please!

[fluffymoat4]

TOMMY AND BODZY3 - Congratulations on becoming non-smokers - Tommy you've done really well three years on eh?

LIN - I too put on weight first time around and this time around - both times I put on TWO STONE... BUT I have just started exercising again - following about 3-4 different DVDs that I bought cheaply recently. I work out now about one hour TO one and a half hours per day AND I am eating healthily (along with making healthy meals for my "Boys" too). I am determined to lose the weight I put on and will keep you posted as to how I do.

[lin]

clancy said:

Lin and Babs ;D i thought you were a tough pair of woman and you cant stop smoking your not as stubborn as i thought just quit just say to yourself i don't smoke anymore and that Tommy Murphy wont stop nagging do it for yourself and you friends and family Tommy oxox

WELL TOMMY I THOUGHT YOU COULD JUDGE PPL BETTER THAN THAT...LOL! I AM STUBBORN AND THAT IS ONE OF MY PROBLEMS, THE MORE PPL TELL ME NOT TO DO SOMETHING, THE MORE I WILL CONTINUE TO DO IT, ROGER FOUND THAT IS NO WAY OF GOING ABOUT THINGS WITH ME...LOL!
AS DAFT AS IT MAY SEEM EVERYONE WHO KNOWS ME SAYS I HAVE HELL OF A WILL POWER, AND I DO FOR EVERYTHING...I HAD NO PROBLEM IN STOPPING SMOKING APART FROM MY WEIGHT, EVEN THE DR'S AT THE HOSPITAL SAID I WAS PUTTING MY BODY THROUGH TOO MUCH BY STOPPING SMOKING WHEN I WAS ON A HOSPITAL DIET...SOMETHING HAD TO GO AND IT WASN'T THE DIET...SO I HAVE TRIED JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING, THE MORE I TRY THE MORE I SMOKE...THE THING IS ALTHOUGH IT'S BAD FOR YOU, SO IS BEING OVERWEIGHT, YOU'RE d**nED IF YOU DO AND d**nED IF YOU DON'T.

LIN

[lin]

fluffymoat4 said:

TOMMY AND BODZY3 - Congratulations on becoming non-smokers - Tommy you've done really well three years on eh?

LIN - I too put on weight first time around and this time around - both times I put on TWO STONE... BUT I have just started exercising again - following about 3-4 different DVDs that I bought cheaply recently. I work out now about one hour TO one and a half hours per day AND I am eating healthily (along with making healthy meals for my "Boys" too). I am determined to lose the weight I put on and will keep you posted as to how I do.

I AM DIETING MOST OF MY TIME, I DO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH WEIGHT, I THINK THE PROBLEM IS GOING AWAY SO MUCH THAT I CAN'T KEEP THE WEIGHT OFF...SO I JUST USE THE CAMEBRIDGE DIET, NO FOOD ONLY DRINKS AND PLENTY OF WATER, I DON'T FEEL HUNGRY ON IT AT ALL, SO THE WILL POWER IS THERE...HOPE YOU LOSE YOUR WEIGHT, WHICH I AM SURE YOU WILL....THE HOSPITAL KNOW I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH WEIGHT, AND THE DR AS WELL AS THE HOSPITAL KNOW I AM ON THE CAMEBRIDGE DIET, IT'S FULL OF ALL THE VITIMINS AND MINERALS YOU NEED AND IN FACT THEY SAY BY USING IT YOU GET MORE THAN YOU DO BY EATING NORMALLY...I CAN'T EAT FRESH FRUIT AND SALADS ETC BECAUSE I BALLOON UP ON THOSE SORTS OF FOODS......I'M A WEIRD ONE....LOL!

LIN

[fluffymoat4]

I checked my last year's diary today to see when I should celebrate my first year's anniversary as a non-smoker and it seems that the last ciggie I ever smoked was on the 18th of February last year - so it was my anniversary yesterday!! Boy I feel cheated LOL.

[Casso]

I'm like the bloke who said, "It's easy to stop smoking, I've done it hundreds of times!" And I have, but I seem to have managed this time. Quit on 27 November 2003, won't bore you with the exact time to the second ...

Never have used any artificial aids, but there was usually something that kicked me off again. One time I'd been stopped getting on for a year, visited a mate I'd not seen in ages and we went to his local. Pints in, "Cheers mate" "Cheers," and he pulls his f*gs out and offers me one. Without thinking I took it - and was away again no trouble.

Usually when I stopped, I'd be successful if I didn't drink, but as soon as the pints were in, I just HAD to have a smoke to complete the picture. Used to think there was some sort of chemical association between beer and tobacco ...

Anyhow this last time, I decided to quit just as I had done many times previously, and it's worked. Can't think of any particular reason why, unless it's something to do with persistence. An old Jock mate used to be fond of reciting, "If at first yer don't succeed - pull yer foreskin oer yer heed!" Doesn't make much sense, but it's easy to remember.

[BABS]

HI TOMMY,

SMOKING IS VERY BAD FOR YOU,I KNOW THAT,

BUT YOU WILL HAVE TO PUT UP WITH ME STILL SMOKING FOR A

FEW MONTHS YET,IT IS SMOKING OR TURNING TO DRINK,I WOULD

END UP AN LUSH ,IF I DRANK AS MUCH AS I SMOKE AT THE

MOMENT.

BUT MADE A PROMISE TO JOE ,AND THE LADS THAT I WOULD STOP

BUT I THINK THE LADS UNDERSTAND AT THE MOMENT ITS A NO

TO STOPPING AT THE MOMENT.

BUT I WILL STOP.

BABSXX

[BABS]

HI TOMMY,

DONT WORRY ABOUT TALKING ABOUT STOPPING SMOKING,

KEEP SAYING IT ,AS I SAID I WILL STOP ,AND I KNOW IF YOU AND

LISA ARE WATCHING ME ,I AM MORE LIKELY TO STOP.


BABSXX

[Lisa]

Hi Babs, You'd better believe it......we ARE watching you. You'll do it Babs when you're ready. At the moment its not a good time to give up, considering what you've been through, but when you are ready you know we'll all be routing for you.

babs said:

HI TOMMY,

DONT WORRY ABOUT TALKING ABOUT STOPPING SMOKING,

KEEP SAYING IT ,AS I SAID I WILL STOP ,AND I KNOW IF YOU AND

LISA ARE WATCHING ME ,I AM MORE LIKELY TO STOP.


BABSXX

[marjorie]

HIYA BAB'S I STOPPED SMOKING FIVE YEARS AGO,WHAT A RELIEF, HONEST, I WAS FURIOUS WITH MYSELFBECAUSE I FOUND IT WASN'T AS HARD AS I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE I SMOKED 4O A DAY AND LIT UP FOR FUN, I WOULD LIGHT UP AND SEE ONE STILL SMOKING IN THE ASHTRAY, RIDICULOUS.I USED PATCHES THE MINUTE I WOKE UP I CHANGED A PATCH, I USED TO WALK NEAR PEOPLE THAT WERE SMOKING SO I COULD SNIFF IT,AHHHHHHHHHHHH LOVELY NOW 5 YEARS ON I CANNOT STAND THE SMELL OF SMOKE, MY SISTER GO'S MAD SHE SAYS ANYONE WOULD THINK YOU NEVER SMOKED, I AM SURE SHE LETS IT GO IN MY FACE ON PURPOSE.I ALSO PUT 2 STONE ON IN WEIGHT BUUT IT WAS BETTER THAN THE COUGHING AND WHEEZING IWAS THAT BAD AT COUGHING THAT THE GIRL NEXT DOOR USED TO COME IN TO SEE IF I WAS ALRIGHT I DON'T FEEL MILES BETTER IN MYSELF BUT I DON'T COUGH TILL MY EYES WERE ALMOST BULGING OUT OF MY HEAD, AND STILL I HAD A LIT f*g IN MY HAND,IDIOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AND I AM SURE BAB'S YOU ARE NOT GOING TO LET A GORTON GIRL BEAT YOU , ARE YOU? THE REASON I DIDN'T STOP SMOKING SOONER WAS BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS TOO HARD, HARD YES, BUT NOT AS HARD AS I THOUGHTIT WOULD BE. MARJORIE

[fluffymoat4]

Marjorie - loved reading your post on giving up the dreaded weed. I too used to have a hacking cough most of the time and, like you, usually had a cigarette lit at the time. I can't believe I've met someone like me that used to love other peoples smoke - I used to deliberately stand next to smokers in the clubs/pubs we go in. After around 6-9 months though I began to dislike the smell. It is hard giving up but it's easy staying off them eh?
Mind you, like Tommy, I do sometimes get an urge even now but it's so much easier to shrug it off these days. Bet even Tommy would agree with that?
Sorry to Babs if it sounds as though this is all we are talking about - there's no way we are trying to railroad you into doing anything. In fact you yourself will know when you are ready and at least you'll have lots of support from us lot on here when that time comes eh?

[fluffymoat4]

I don't like the new Anti-smoking TV ad one little bit....... ! It makes me cringe each time they show it. Some person has a hook in his mouth and is pulled through office after office, floor after floor and then taken outside the building to ...................... have a smoke. I don't like the magazine/newspaper ads either with a picture of a person with a hook in the side of their mouth!
When will the government and the advertisers realise that NO AMOUNT OF ADVERTISING makes a person STOP smoking....! Or even WANT to stop smoking!! If the government REALLY want to HELP people then provide FREE patches, FREE gum, FREE whatever it takes..... but please..... no more BAD ADVERTISEMENTS?

[BABS]

HI MARJORIE,

HOPE YOU ARE KEEPING WELL.

SORRY ITS TAKEN A WHILE TO GET BACK TO YOU ON YOUR POST ABOUT ME GIVING UP SMOKING,
I WILL GET THERE AS I SAY,BUT NOT JUST YET.
I KNOW IT WILL BE HARD BUT I WILL GIVE IT A GO,MAYBE I WILL TURN TO DRINK INSTEAD

AS FOR THE ADVERT THAT MO HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT,I HATE IT IT MAKES ME FEEL SICK TO LOOK AT IT ,SO MAYBE IF IT GETS ON MY NERVES ENOUGH TO MAKE ME TAKE NOTICE AND TRY TO STOP,IT IS A GOOD ADVERT.


BABSXX

[Lisa]

Showing smokers photos of smokers' lungs after they've died shocks them into doing something about it. Also giving them a list of the hundreds of chemicals in cigarettes, such as arsenic, formaldehyde etc.). Its one of the biggest cons in the modern world and the only winners are the tobacco industry. Smokers need more help to give up but why would any government do that when they make billions from the taxes from cigarettes?What else can you think of where you pay to kill yourself........

[lin]

LISA....INSTEAD OF ALL THESE CAMPAIGNS ABOUT GIVING UP SMOKING IF THEY STOPPED SELLING THEM ALTOGETHER IT WOULD HELP MORE...I KNOW THERE ARE THOSE WHO WOULD STILL GET THEM, BUT DON'T YOU THINK THE GOVERNMENT ARE THE WORSE? THEY'RE TELLING YOU TO STOP BUT THEY WON'T STOP SELLING THEM BECAUSE THEY GET THE BIGGEST REVINUE FOR THEM.
I SEEN MY DAD HAVE HIS LUNG OUT FOR CANCER, HE ALSO HAD THE HOLE IN THE THROAT..SORRY CAN'T SPELL THE PROPER NAME...THEN HE DIED WITH CANCER IN THE STOMACH WHICH SPREAD TO THE LIVER...IT'S NOT STOPPED ME SMOKING...SO YOU ARE RIGHT ABOUT IT ALL BEING A CON.

LIN

[Lisa]

Hi Lin, When you've watched a loved-one die of throat cancer because of smoking, it puts you off forever. The Government ought to be ashamed of themselves - putting ads on tv but not backing it up with more help for the addiction, and it IS addiction, just as bad as drugs or alcohol. Putting the price up is NOT the answer. Educating people on what it does to your body and opening clinics to help people stop smoking is the only answer. If cigarettes were £10 a packet, people would still buy them. The thing that upsets me is that very young people are being conned into taking up smoking because its seen as 'fashionable'. "Get them young and they're hooked for life......." seems to be the message of the tobacco mafia.

lin said:

LISA....INSTEAD OF ALL THESE CAMPAIGNS ABOUT GIVING UP SMOKING IF THEY STOPPED SELLING THEM ALTOGETHER IT WOULD HELP MORE...I KNOW THERE ARE THOSE WHO WOULD STILL GET THEM, BUT DON'T YOU THINK THE GOVERNMENT ARE THE WORSE? THEY'RE TELLING YOU TO STOP BUT THEY WON'T STOP SELLING THEM BECAUSE THEY GET THE BIGGEST REVINUE FOR THEM.
I SEEN MY DAD HAVE HIS LUNG OUT FOR CANCER, HE ALSO HAD THE HOLE IN THE THROAT..SORRY CAN'T SPELL THE PROPER NAME...THEN HE DIED WITH CANCER IN THE STOMACH WHICH SPREAD TO THE LIVER...IT'S NOT STOPPED ME SMOKING...SO YOU ARE RIGHT ABOUT IT ALL BEING A CON.

LIN