Just sharing with you all as I’m feeling so proud of myself, I’ve finally quit smoking.
I started when I was 15 (I’m 51 now) I’ve attempted quitting so many times in my life but always went back to the old habit 😏
So far I’ve managed to achieve 10 days and 11 hours smoke free. My consultant had given me a new tablet to help with cravings etc (Cytisine) I mainly used them the first few days when the cravings were high but haven’t really needed them for the last few days.
He advised me to also use a vape as it helps with the cravings and a lot less dangerous than smoking (some of you may disagree and that’s ok, I just tend to believe my consultant as he’s helped me no end over the last few years, he really knows his stuff!) eventually I will stop the vape but for now it’s keeping me away from cigarettes and I couldn’t be happier 😊
I’m now saving for a summerhouse for the garden with the money I’m not spending on cigarettes, I just hope we get some good weather here in Hertfordshire soon so I get to use it! 😄
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Breathe-73
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Thank you. I know I was silly leaving it so long to quit, to be honest I continued to smoke after being diagnosed because I was naive and thought I couldn’t get any worse, how wrong I was!!
Well done to you for the 29 years smoke free, now that’s an achievement.
It is never to late to stop smoking - You have done the right thing, I have seen a lot of misery in my family due to smoking, Thank God Anne (my wife) stopped when I did.
Congratulations, that’s brilliant news. Keep up the good work. My dad always smoked and paid the price, but my sister managed to stop using medication from her gp, and has never looked back.
Thank you so much. I know it’s early days still for me but I’m beating the cravings and so determined not to go back to smoking ever again.
This time I think what’s helped is throwing ashtrays etc away. I also used my late mother’s birthday as my quit date, I feel that’s a promise to her that I’ll stay quit this time.
It's important to know what your triggers are and stay strong and the urge will pass. Put your mind on something else. Staying busy is key! One thing that I do want to add is this, and I don't mean to put a damper on your success so far, but that is that smoking is about more than the tobacco addiction itself! It's a mental addiction as well to the whole process, the handling of the cigarette, the hand to mouth action when taking puffs, and when you vape, you keep reinforcing these actions which will sub-consciously keep you "hooked". Still, for a short while, if it helps, fine, but don't prolong giving it up too long! I read a wonderful book that it explained it much more thoroughly but, unfortunately, I can't think of the name, but it really helped me to avoid all the pitfalls! Good Luck to you!
Well done Breahe-73, Best thing you could do to help your body. If you get stuck at all with your quit just bob onto Quit Support Community. I am an administrator for the non smoking forum. We would love you to come along and tell others how you are doing.
Stay strong and remember N.O.P.E. Not One Puff Ever. 😊x
Congratulations 👍 Breathe-73, your best ever move , "Stopping Smoking," you are doing incredibly well,& as time goes on it will become much easier for you, my friend stopped smoking after 45 years, what she did do was suck on a sugar free sweet or menthol gum which she said helped her tremendously whenever she felt the urge for a cigarette,it certainly paid of Breathr-73, as she is now smoke free for 10 years,feeling much better health wise & has never looked back...You can do it too Breathe-73, you are certainly on the right path now.."Well-Done..👍👍 Primrose 123..( Maria)..xx
well done 👏 it’s not easy I know but you’ve done it. I quit two years ago after smoking for 50 years although not many each day but still a long time. I realised I had to want to do it mentally and when I started crying because I couldn’t stop, that’s when I knew I’d reached rock bottom and was determined to quit. I used Nicotine mini mints for a few weeks and the inhaler for a couple of months and haven’t looked back. Lucky I did quit as the following year I was diagnosed with copd with emphysema. Your mum would be very proud of you I’m sure x
Well done you. Celebrate your success and watch the money grow into something nice for yourself! I gave up 36 years ago, just put them in the bin & decided that I didn't smoke any more. Now, I wish I'd never smoked at all of course. But hindsight is like that. Keep focusing on the fact that every cigarette you don't smoke is adding time back on to your life. Keep going, you're doing brilliantly and we're all proud of you.
Excellent job for quitting. I do hope that is the end of it for you. I am surprised at the consultant suggesting vaping. Personally even second hand vapour makes me cough horribly.
Well done. Keep it up. There was a lot of pressure on girls when you were a teenager to smoke. My daughter was one of the very few in her class who didn't.
Congratulations, you have done so well and it sounds like you have a great doctor. You will probably just get bored with the vape in the end but think it was good advice from your doctor. Take care and enjoy your 'free from smoke habit'.bye for now x
Great news! Hope you get your summer house and nice weather to enjoyit. I've never smoked but I can understand how hard it is to ditch an addiction. Mine's chocolate, biscuits and food in general! I admire your will power. Keep going.
I ate sunflower seeds singly from a packet in my pocket to replace that hand to mouth action, and changed from drinking coffee to drinking tea as I didn't associate ciggies with tea.
Well done you! That is fantastic, no small achievement. I gave up completely (in the end) with the help of a vape, it worked for me when everything else had failed. xx
Very well done! I gave up 18 months ago aged 71, having smoked since I was 15. The trigger was a lung health scan that revealed signs of COPD. I was enrolled in the NHS Quit Smoking programme and the patches and Nicorette inhalators really helped. I don't even think about cigarettes any more and my breathing is so much better, and I can taste and smell much much better. I love my food, I never realised how nice tomatoes were before! I have gone off Nescafé and have become a big tea drinker. I do hope you keep it up, the rewards are very great. Plus the saving of money! I was spending more than £40 a week on tobacco.
Hi There well done . The Summerhouse sounds like a great idea for the cig money. I got myself a fancy cake mixing machine , then one months saving I gave towards a new hosapital bed for a disabled patient whose mum worked with me. Now I have a larger bank account as I have not smoked for over 18 years. So good luck for the future
Well done; keep it up. After 25 years of smoking, mainly a pipe, I stopped when I was 45 (I'm 83 now) after a few failed attempts. I succeeded as I had a bad virus, with which, if I tried lighting my pipe, I couldn't breath. So, nicotine or oxygen. As that was no contest, packing up was relatively easy. I had tried nicotine capsules, chewing gum and hypnosis. All failed in the end, or I did.
Definitely a number of my family went early into their boxes due to smoking, and with unpleasant final years. It was even too late for me, as I've developed lung problems, but are being managed quite well with medication. As it happens, I'm just in the latter throws of a virus infection, which has clogged my tubes up somewhat. A lot of coughing involved.
I think you should go cold turkey. Vaping is just a stepping stone back to nicotine.
Well done you! I did exactly the same as you when I quit 14 years ago, my no smoking nurse recommended a vape, as long as no nicotine is in the liquid it really does help, wasn’t long before I stopped with the vape too, I didn’t smoke indoors anyway so used the same principle with the vape & I soon got used to not needing it, good luck with everything & wish you well 🌷💐🌸 x
That's fantastic news.... believe me I know how hard it is. I stopped 2 years ago and it's the hardest thing I've ever done! I used the patches and a vape for a short while...now I rarely think of cigarettes and to be honest I notice a big difference financially because I'd been smoking 20 a day!!! Back in the 70's when I started it was considered cool and all the girls used it as a way to keep their weight down....if only we'd realised that it would catch up with us sooner or later. Keep up the good work...treat yourself to a manicure cos your hands and nails look better 😁
I agree with your consultant thst vaping is by far the lesser of two evils. I read your history - were you able to get back to you decorating job? What state copd have you been diagnosed with?
congratulations breathe-73. I gave up several years ago so I know how hard it can be. I used to chew a toothpick. So I went around with one hanging out my mouth! You will have another challenge soon when the novelty wears off. Personally I found that harder to keep going. Just talk to yourself about how great you are and think about that summerhouse. You WILL succeed. Good luck
Well done and good luck for the future. I gave up about 10 years ago but then got seriously addicted to the vape during the pandemic so it's one to watch for - whilst at work I'd go outside every couple of hours or so for a smoke but when we worked from home that vape was in my hand all the time.
I was vaping so much I was getting back to that short of breath feeling, but after being diagnosed with a 4cm growth in the lung I stopped right after the operation to remove the growth (and 40% of my lung as the growth was near a major artery). Probably as hard (if not harder) than giving up smoking, but it's coming up to 2 years soon and I agree with the NOPE!
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Coming here has given the boost I need...thankyou
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