Hi Everyone I'm new here. I've recently been diagnosed with copd. I've quit smoking, I'm in my 3rd week and have gone cold turkey woohoo

[laines]

I'm so proud I've quit smoking after trying so many times. One of the side effects I'm having is hunger. I just can't stop eating! Help what can I do?

[nannyb]

Evening laines. Welcome to the group. I have copd too. My quit day is Monday, I don't know how you are doing it (cold Turkey) Wish I was as brave as you. I'm probably going to have the hunger, as well.

Iv'e stocked up on sugar free sweets and mints, hopeing that they will work. We will have to compare notes, to find best options. I'm sure you will get lots of replys from other members, with great ideas. Nannyb xx

[Hidden in reply to nannyb]

Nannyb - me again. So Monday is your quit day. You will have thought it out and planned your action. I know you can do it but it takes determination and will power. PM me if you get cravings. Love Annieseedx

[nannyb in reply to Hidden]

I will Annie, Take care Nannyb xx

[laines in reply to nannyb]

Thanks nannyb and good luck on your quit date. I can't figure out what is working for me this time. I have tried to quit many times but never cold turkey. I've used patches and Gum in the past. I'll go the shops tomorrow and get some sugar free sweets like you maybe that will help me stop snacking as much

[laines in reply to nannyb]

Hi nannyb how did it go today? Lots of people on here recommended drinking water to help stop the urges for cigarettes or food. I've tried this today and it really works. I've felt like a cig a lot less than other days and also the constant feeling of being hunger wasn't as bad. It does make you go the loo more tho bit this all helps in taking your mind off smoking haha x

[nannyb in reply to laines]

Hi Iaines, thanks for asking. Thought I had it all worked out, and that nothing was going to stop me. But no my will power failed me in the end. But I am going to keep trying every day, hopefully I will get there in the end. Nannyb xxx

[laines in reply to nannyb]

Keep trying you will do it. It's easy planning to quit while you're still smoking. Good luck for your next attempt xx

[nannyb in reply to laines]

Thanks Nannyb xxx

[Hidden]

Welcome to a friendly forum - you will get help and some laughter if you feel like it. You will probably have questions to ask, and you will get answers. Click on the red balloon above and you will get the tel. phone of the BLF nurse who also is helpful.

Good for you giving up smoking. Dont think of starting again now you have come this far. There are people in this forum who have successfully given up smoking. Hunger bit is healthy nibbles and, if you can, exercise. Do other things to occupy your mind like coming on here to talk about what is in your mind. BUT dont waste the effort of giving up smoking. Cravings will come but they can disappear just as quickly. Good luck, Annieseed xx

[laines in reply to Hidden]

Thanks annieseed i do feel positive this time. It's good to know everyone's here to talk to

[Hidden]

Welcome! I have IPF not COPD but I do remember 30 years ago when I stopped smoking. Whenever I felt hungry I drank a pint of water. Not only did it stop me feeling hungry it made my skin look better too! Stick with it - eventually you will feel so much better. Good luck.

[andymb]

Welcome Iaines. A pal of mine has been using those Ricola herbal lozenges, just leaves it in his mouth by his gum and sucks on it occasionally, like you would a nicotine lozenge. And they're sugar free! He says it's helping a lot. AndyMB

[laines in reply to andymb]

Hi Andy I've not heard of ricola lozenges. Do you know where your friend gets them from?

[andymb in reply to laines]

Just at the local shops I think, but I've seen them in Tesco. and Holland and Barrett..

Link to them at Tesco here

tesco.com/groceries/Product...

Andy

[laines in reply to andymb]

Thanks I'll get some

[Hidden]

Hi Andy I've just been dxd as well I have used an e cig to stop smoking 4 months now

[Hidden]

Sorry laines got name wrong bit confused at moment

[laines in reply to Hidden]

Wow 4 months well done. I can understand the confusion lol

[Hidden]

If u start to struggle laines then e cigs r a good idea better than smoking good luck with it allan7755

[laines in reply to Hidden]

Thanks and I will try e cigs rather that than start smoking again

[pixydust51 in reply to laines]

Hi iv given up many times and crumbled but have used the patches and ecig and I'm now 10 wks smoke free

[laines in reply to pixydust51]

Well done and keep up the good work. Has your breathing improved? In the first couple of weeks I felt my breathing had got worse but last week I felt it was starting to improve. This makes me more determined to never smoke again. It's 4 weeks and 4 days since I last smoked

[Hidden]

It's great you are going to stop smoking Iainses. I still smoke and must stop very soon as I have copd too. Most smokers try many times before they succeed and you will too. Hope I do as well. You will get lots of support here to help you. Well done and go for it. x

[laines in reply to Hidden]

Thanks hypercat I hope you do well it is hard to stop smoking especially when you've smoked for a long time. I'm already noticing the extra money I'm saving so I'm going to treat myself once a month

[mattcass]

Hi laines, Welcome to you, stopping smoking is the best thing ever health wise and when you do it you wonder what all the fuss was about, you hear stories about people getting coughs infections wheezing like a 90 year old you put on weight you end up like Mr Blobby, don't listen everyone's body reacts differently i know I smoked 40/60 plain cigarettes a day for 30+ years stopped 10 years ago and never got any off the above, Good Luck Mattcass

[laines in reply to mattcass]

Hi mattcass wow you've done really well. You're right a lot have said you feel worse when you first quit so its good to hear you didn't. So how is your health now? How was your breathing while you smoked and how has it improved? Sorry for the questions the reason why I ask is it's 3 weeks since I last smoked and I haven't noticed any improvement in my breathing. Am I expecting too much too soon? lol

[mattcass in reply to laines]

Hi Iaines, I was very lucky i never had any smokers symptoms honest even when i was smoking i was playing football at forty running up and downstairs with pianos ect i worked in the removals business, even when i stopped no difference in breathing, a lot of my family and friends have stopped and everyone has a different outcome but they are all feeling better for it now believe me.Good Luck

my health now i put down to smoking you could say I'm in a wee bit of trouble with my IPF and active RA which in fact has just ventured into my hips after causing major problem with my lungs hands and wrists, keep in touch Matt/Fran

[peege]

Good for you Laines, the bestest thing thing you could ever do for yourself (and your loved ones)!

Get some healthy snacks in. Nuts, raw carrot sticks to nibble on and like Mapal says, have a big drink of water - it may even cleanse your system even faster too. Good luck, you can do it, you're in control. xx

[richardcrossroads]

well done you have done really well the hunger goes away quite quickly,

Richard

[silversurfer]

Welcome Laines I also have copd well done for giving up smoking come on here if you need help and support you will find a lot of friendly and helpful people.

silversurfer x

[rick1]

Try polo mints, and a bowl of celery carrots thing like that cut up to nibble at!

[laines]

Thanks to everyone xx loads of good tips and advice that I will be trying

[ptliverpool]

I gave up 8 months ago,like you, going cold turkey. The hunger pangs got to me too and I did put on a few pounds at the beginning. My Husband said "better being a bit overweight than

a lot more breathless". I am slowly loosing it again now. My best tips are have a hot drink and do something to take your mind off it. (Smoking and food) After breakfast when I always had 2 cigs or more food I now come on to this site and read a few jokes or just keep up with what is going on.You can't smoke or eat when your hands are busy typing.

Good Luck and keep up the good work

PT xx

[laines in reply to ptliverpool]

Thanks PT loads if good advice x

[skinnylizzy59]

Well done quitting the smoking. Welcome to the site by the way, you'll find lots of friends and support here. I have never smoked but I would suggest that you eat little and often rather than big meals 3 times a day, also have some healthy snacks on hand if that doesn't work. Stick with it and good luck. Lizzy.

[katieoxo60]

Hi Laines, welcome to the group, that's good to go cold turkey and three weeks gone already well done. Most of us try more than once, as I recall I also found water helped the hunger pangs another one was herbal tea, or fruit juice. Even fruit or raw veg as that has less calories and lots of vitamin C and fibre to make you feel full. Some people chew sugar free gum when they feel hungry. Can't comment on ecigs as they were not around eight years ago, eventually the hunger bit will fade.Good luck

[peege]

Whoops, I forgot to say: a very warm welcome to the site

[laines]

Gosh so many friendly helpful Replies I'm so glad I found this group xx

[onamission]

Welcome to the site and congratulations I have COPD and gave up the cigs 8 years ago with the help of champix I got so hungry I could of eaten a horse and gone back for the saddle. One coal at a time is best give up the cigs buy some jogging bottoms with elastic waist to stretch with you then work on loosing weight

[laines in reply to onamission]

Hi onamission you're right one at a time but I am going to try the tips on here to reduce my eating . How has quitting smoking helped your breathing and copd? Since I quit my breathing seems to have got a little worse and I'm coughing now and wasn't when i smoked thanks for your advice x

[onamission in reply to laines]

I coughed so bad after giving up smoking for about 6 months and my breathing got worse but after that it sorted its self out and was ok. My weight went up 3 dress sizes but soon came off when I was able to walk and now I go to aqua fit. Good luck I do hope all goes well for you take care and don't forget your flu jab

[billl]

hi ya I quit smoking 15 years ago with the pint of water plan . every time you fancy one have a pint .I was on over 40 a day .it worked for me and I didn't put any waight on

[laines in reply to billl]

Hi tobydoo I'm definitely going to try the water method from tomorrow. Thanks for your help xx

[kimmy59]

Evening and welcome

Well done for giving up I went cold turkey and I'm 2 years in December so keep going you can do it. Xxxxx

[laines in reply to kimmy59]

Thanks kimmy59 and well done on your quit x

[Mavary]

Hi Laines. I gave up nearly forty years ago. I tell people if they can go for three weeks you are nearly home and dry. Just don't give in to ONE cigarette or you will be back where you started in wanting another. One tip I can give you is sugar free gum. If you have that in your mouth you won't be wanting food. The other is to have some raw carrots or celery in the fridge for if you want something to eat. Another thing is freeze grapes and eat one of them. In fact eat plenty of fruit. A banana is very filling and not fattening. Anyway you have done very well.

[laines in reply to Mavary]

Hi Mavary thanks for the advise. That's exactly were I've gone wrong in tha past I've quit smoking then weeks into it I've had that one cig thinking it would be just that one!! It's different this time, I'm not sure why. Maybe because I have gone cold turkey, I've used patches and e cigs and gum before thanks again for your advise x

[FredM8]

I would suggest 24 hour release nicotine patches.

I have given up twice with these, and the second time was easier than the first. There are two aspects to the addiction, psychological and chemical. In 1998 I gave up after 30 years smoking using these, it was not painless, but it was not exactly hard either. However being the fool that I am, I always remembered how good a smoke goes down when you are drinking, and about 5 years later I started buying single cigars when I bought my beer. No need to tell you the result !! It was the comparative ease that I gave up that made me complacent, I always knew that I could give up again any time that I wanted to, so I did not, until now. Having given up again for the past 14 months, I will not be so stupid again. You can get the complete course of Nicotine patches from your Doctor for just ONE prescription charge. So, with a 24 hour release of the drug of your choice you do not wake up in the morning craving a fag. As you are getting your fix by drip feed the craving never gets too much, so all you have to do is deal with the psychological aspects. You will get the odd high points of craving that will quickly follow this pattern ...... They will become less severe, less frequent, and last for increasingly shorter periods of time. Even the long periods are counted in terms of less than a few minutes.

Good luck !

[laines in reply to FredM8]

Thanks FredM8...I have used the 24hr patches in the past and always been successful in quitting. I've managed it cold turkey this time. So far so good it's been 3 weeks 4 days and 23 minutes since I last smoked . I know in the past I've always thought I could have just one cig and still be ok, this time I know I can't. The nicotine is now out of my body so just dealing with the habit. It hasn't been too bad but every now and then it comes back in a huge wave, that's when I start to think just one to get over this then no more. I'm following everyone's advise on her, drinking water, sugar free sweets and gum and healthy snacks. Well done on your 14 months, I bet you feel proud.

[FredM8 in reply to laines]

Proud ? No. Just a sense of liberation from a self imposed ball and chain. I feel pretty stupid taking it up again after quitting for 5 years though. Mind you, I think you might find this idea of one smoke and your hooked again a bit of a non-runner. One smoke and you may lose your determination and resolve, but it takes time to develop the addiction. As you are still new to quitting this time round, then perhaps it would be risky. Good luck and keep up the good work, if the worst comes to the worst there are always those fantastic patches !!

[laines in reply to FredM8]

Thanks hopefully I won't need them but I will if I do and I know what you mean by ball and chain although I've never noticed it until this time x

[eastridingbigden]

yes water is the key when you get the urge have a drink of water it takes it away suggest bottled water dont trust the water companies

[laines in reply to eastridingbigden]

Haha I hate tap water and it's working drinking loads of water now thanks x

[pedrosky]

eating is good just eat good things fresh fruit nuts etc no lollies and sweets, go buy a big packet of mixed nuts and put em in a big bowl