Giving up

[melaniedovey]

How did you give up smoking and what way helped you most?

[mrsmummy]

I used patches (after trying everything else). The thing that helped me most was being in the middle of a very bad chest infection which meant I could barely breathe. I was housebound for a fortnight and my family refused to bring me cigarettes so it was impossible for me to smoke. After the 2 weeks I knew I would never give them up if I gave in and bought more. That was 12 years ago and I am still very thankful for that chest infection.

[melaniedovey in reply to mrsmummy]

Wow well done x

[melaniedovey]

Thankyou for ur advice x

[Sepsur]

I smoked forty a day - BUT had hated it for years. I got a really bad cold over the xmas, a few years ago, realized I hadn't smoked for 3 days and went on from there. I ate too much especially sugar, went a little insane after a month but didn't smoke - it was a decision that saved my life 23yrs later.

[melaniedovey in reply to Sepsur]

I hate it too thats the crazy thing! Thanks x

[Sepsur in reply to melaniedovey]

Hating it is an essential ingredient to stopping .. but not the only. Early days - I pushed through the cravings with cake & comedies. Apparently it takes 20 odd days to break a habit - what I can assure you is that I have not had a serious craving to smoke for over 23yrs - I didn't cut down or ingest nicotine more palatably - there were not the options, for starters. I wonder how many tobacco companies own vape manufacturers etc etc...I didn't give up ( this implies that I considered smoking a pleasure that I now deprived myself) - I stopped practising a habit that was killing me.

[Hidden]

Definitely a vape ...have the idea in your head that you are choosing not to smoke....if somone says they are given up that can make them feel like they are losing something ...whereas if it's your choosing not to makes all the difference...iv tried various things through the years patches gum patches gum lol this time it's a vape and iv worked down to lowest mg now ....dont want a ciggy now they make me feel sick at the smell and the thought good luck Angie xxx

[melaniedovey in reply to Hidden]

Thankyou x

[Pam1952]

Ecig worked the best for me, although I do have a Boots inhilator which is very handy for long journeys, or places where vaping isn't allowed. XXX

[melaniedovey in reply to Pam1952]

Thankyou x

[Tetrazzini]

I got patches which were reduced in strength gently over six/eight weeks. I had smoked for fifty years and it wasn't easy but the "consultant/counsellor" at the surgery was brilliant and, in all honesty, I wouldn't have made it without her - she was brilliant.

I felt pretty ghastly on and off but my cough went, my lungs/breathing began to feel better and my general health and wellbeing improved.

I still have my spreadsheet and it says I stopped 2,753 days ago - 66,093 hours!!!

Good luck and I hope you manage to stop.

[Ergendl]

I stopped smoking until midday, and then let myself smoke as much as I liked. When I could handle that, I stopped smoking until 6pm and the evening news, and then let myself smoke as much as I liked. When I could handle that, I set my stopping date - 1st August 1985 - the day I became a non-smoker. I backed it up by reading everything I could find about how bad smoking is for people. I also nibbled sunflower seeds singly to replace the hand to mouth habit. I identified the times I most loved a cigarette and changed my behaviour - for example, I loved a cig with a mug of coffee after a meal, so I made sure I got up to do something after a meal, and gave up coffee to drink tea.

All the best if you're contemplating giving up.

[Ayrshiregirl]

E.cigs weren't around when I stopped so I can't comment on them but I do know people who have successfully quit using one. I've been stopped for 20 years, tried the patches, ended up having nightmares. A colleague told me to get on Amazon and order the Alan Carr (not the comedian) how to stop smoking book. I actually laughed at him but it worked for me! I guess you just have to be in the right frame of mind but somehow what he was saying got into my head. I will admit I spent a fortune at Woolworths pic n mix but dealt with that after the smoking was under control. I also used to mark on the calendar every day I was cig free with a huge tic. I won't say it was easy quitting, I think it's a case of finding what works for you but good luck, hope you manage to kick it 😊

[armour6845]

I was reffered to local council group who gave me a lot of support and also options for treatments , I chose champix , within 2 weeks id stopped , that was 8 months ago , still stopped ! , I have c.o.p.d. , its certainly helped my breathing , keep persevering its worth it , good luck

[Pinejen]

I found a really nice hypnotherapist that I liked... at last it worked.

[warwickstag]

I did it with patches and the support of my GP, but the key thing was my body was telling me I had to do it, and once you know that, it's surprisingly not that difficult, but you need to want to do it.

[Peppercat]

E cigs for me.

Get a decent kit and taste test different liquids in the shop to find one that you like. You can also taste test the amount of nicotine in the liquid too.

Good luck I've now been cigarette free for over 2 years but I still use my e cigs although I've cut the amount of nicotine in the liquid.