Thank you in advance...

[nsd_user663_8770]

Hello all,

I have visited this forum many times as an anonymous observer - almost in awe and so jealous that you all do so amazingly well! And I feel like when I have been visiting it, I have been mentally preparing to quit, picking up tips/advice etc. However i never actually bucked up the courage to set a date.

HOWEVER I am sitting here now on a sunday night, tomorrow is March, a new month - what am i waiting for? I'm going to do it tomorrow. I'm going to have my final cigarette tonight and then tomorrow will be my Day 1. I have quit on champix before (twice), but both times I started again roughly 2-3 months after having quit - usually slipping when alcohol was involved alcohol is my biggest fear about quitting.... (any advice on that?)

Anyway, I just wanted to say that I think it is AMAZING that those of u who have successfully quit are still coming back here to encourage other people - you have contributed technically to the saving of so many lives and you should be so proud!! LIFE SAVERS

I'm excited to be a non-smoker, but admittedly scared of not having that first one tomorrow morning. I will just have to tell myself I dont have a choice though, i WILL NOT do it.

thanks in advance to everyone in the forum - i can tell you will be a major contributor to my success (like my positivity hehe)

lis x

[nsd_user663_5034]

Hi Lis and well done on your decision to quit and the very best of luck to you....Advice on alcohol???? thats a hard one.....I did keep having a few drinks but it was HARD in the beginning......it made it easier later on in my quit though because I was used to drinking without smoking....I got over that trigger early in my quit and it helped me!!

Read the links in peoples signatures...there is a lot of valuable info in them.....post on here whenever you want or need to...Take care....

[nsd_user663_8221]

Good on you, my quit was a bit like that- it was always going to happen soon, then suddenly, the penny dropped, just do it- and the next day (Feb 1st), just did it. Good luck!

As for the booze, my smoking increased a lot when drinking, my plan had always been to give up booze for the first month of my quit, but then I decided that if I had to go without a glass of wine too, I'd end up resenting the quit and would fail, so I've continued to have my wine after a stressy day, or with my friends- the craves do increase, so just dig those heels in ever harder, you can do it

Pol xxx

[nsd_user663_8770]

Thank you for your support! As I said, i think each and everyone person on here is wonderful for helping - its like having a personal support group without having to leave the house!! When i am a non smoker I vow to stay here and help others too!!

I am praying my works internet firewalls do not block the forum from my PC at work - but just in case I have just emailed my work email with a few helpful things Ive read so far, such as '19 craving stoppers'. - Preparation is key!! I know its unlikely this positivity will stay, but just now i almost feel relieved that I have taken the decision to quit tomorrow - like 'phew, i dont have to smoke anymore'!! bring it on..... hehe

take care all

lis x

[nsd_user663_5325]

Very cool, great to have new blood on the forms. My advice on drinking is to limit the drinks. I've tried 3 times total and the first 2 didn't make it because if drinking. When ya drink you lose your inhibitions, you do things you might not normally do. You do what you want and not necessarily what you should. Some handle this well some can't I'm at 6 month at the moment and found drinking no more then 2 in any give time worked for me. Good luck and Welcome!!!

[nsd_user663_8770]

thanks for the encouragement. Day 1: 7.25am - sitting on the laptop eating my cornflakes instead of standing at the back door having a fag - its nice not to be freezing my butt off!!

Have a good and strong day all

Lis x

[nsd_user663_3728]

Hi Lisa

Well done deciding ti stop smoking form today that great

Welcome to your new smoke free life with that positive streak which clearly comes across you'll be fine

Below is my standard welcome and advice post which I try and give all new members

Welcome to the forum and well done on the decision to quit possibly one of the most important you will ever make and you will be losing nothing but you will regain control of your life and that has to be good

You will find all the help and support you need on here as we all help each other just like a family we are here for you every step of the way cheering the good days and sympathising with the bad but the good far outweigh the bad

Read the posts on here you will find a lot of tips and advice and in the signatures of a lot you will find links to other sites just click on them Here are 2 I find very good to start you off whyquit.com and woofmang.com Read, read and then read some more as the more you read and learn about why you smoked and about your addiction the easier your quit will be

This link is good for the psychological part of quitting whyquit.com/whyquit/A_Sympt...

Post often to let us know how you're doing, to rant, rave have a moan whatever you like pretty much anything goes on here OK

Love

Marg

[nsd_user663_8123]

Well done

You sound extremely positive - the best way to be at the start of a quit.

You will get support from this forum in truckloads, so be sure to carry on posting and reading, I wouldn't have lasted a week without the support from here, and here i am on day 22!!!

Take care and well done.

[nsd_user663_7957]

The best decision

Well done on deciding to quit, Lisaloo. Having a positive attitude makes a huge difference. Looking back on past quits I realise I was looking for escuses to smoke again and of course I very quickly found them. This time I stopped and my mindset was completely different. I wasn't 'giving up' anything, I was stopping a destructive activity. I think the change in mindset has made the difference. I love the fact I don't smoke and I do not have any inclination of going back to the filthy habit.

Good luck and visit the fourm often. I think you seem well prepared for your quit. On the alcohol front I would probably drink less than mormal on the first few occasions. I have managed OK when drinking but I have found I drink a lot less than I used to.

[nsd_user663_7435]

Good luck

I'm quitting the same time as you after failed attempt with Champix. It was effective, despite horrific side effects but not effective enough to get me past one foolish "Just ONE" moment with a drink. Even though on loads of levels I knew that couldn't be true...

So this time, cold turkey, GULP! Are you back on the Champix or going solo? Whichever, good luck..

[nsd_user663_8572]

Well done

Just take it one day at a time...or even an hour at a time if you have to...thats what I did...an hour at a time...now its a day at a time for me...and hopefully before long, I wont even think about them any more..

Its still early day's for me, and I know that...as I'm sure a lot of the others on here feel the same

You will get a lot of support on here, which has been invaluable to me...

Best wishes to you...Im sure you will be ok...

49yrs of age

smoked 25 to 30 a day for 36 yrs

quit date, 16th feb, 2010

lozengers, will power, and this formum

[nsd_user663_8770]

Wow see what i mean, i cant thank you enough for your support - i actually looked forward to getting home from work to read some more on the forum!

I'm not on champix this time - despite the fact i know it works for me in the short term - having used it twice and i stopped almost instantly - but long term wise i dont think its for me!

Yip cold turkey, although armed with nicorette mini's in my bag - dont use them much as they make me cough (like a tickle in the throst? cant take them without water!) so havent been using them much.

work was ok today - must admit i was GRUMPY at work today - high stress levels - but a mini soon put that to rest and didnt think about it too much for the rest of the day. had my 'craving stoppers' to read at lunch and didnt even venture out the building to avoid temptation!

I generally only smoke maybe 7-8 a day - 1 in morning, maybe 1 at lunch, after work then a couple at night. but i have lost a LOT of family to the big C and to be honest it scares me sooooo much that i feel i dont have a choice on this - i have to do it for my loved ones. I'm only 25 and feel too young to worry that i'm killing myself!

i really really cannot thank you enough for your support, genuinely. hope this strength continues.

luv to all

lis x

[nsd_user663_8847]

Hi Lisa

Well done on day 1. Just wanted to say I also jumped into day 1 yesterday, mainly cos of reading your post, so thatnks for that. Was working up to stopping next Wed on no smoking day, but also I thought why wait? So here i am on day two!

I like the minis too and have a nasla spray for the mornings as I was a heavy smoker and mornings were a killer. Makes me sneeze but I'll get ovewr that! And I jumped out of bed and on to the forum instead of lighting up!

Hope day 2 goes well

Catherine