Day 1

[nsd_user663_9071]

Hi My name is Lucy, I am 41 years old and have smoked 20ish a day since I was about 15. This is about my sixth attempt to give up, I have tried most methods (patches, inhalator, chewing gum, zyban and even hypnotherapy!).

Today is hard but this time I am determined. Each time I have given up I usually manage between 6 weeks and 3 months and then some demon in me thinks " I'll just have one" and by the next day I am smoking 20 a day again.

In the past it has usually been about money but this time I am thinking more about my future and my health (think it's an age thing!!)

I would welcome any tips and advice.

[nsd_user663_4786]

Hi Lucy and welcome to the forum, good to have you on board. Well done on making the choice not to smoke, it is the right decision and you should never doubt it.

How are you quitting this time?

My tips would be to read the links in peoples signitures they will help you stay focused and post often, you can come here to rant or rave, whatever time of day or night, there is someone around.

Stay strong and of course let us know how you are getting on.

[nsd_user663_4026]

I just had to come find you! Welocme to the forum.

Well done for quitting. The forum is a great thing and was the instrumental thing in this my quit. Ive tried many quits in the past and suffered daily from my loss of the smokes. Ive tried Allen carrs way and 'got it' then forgot it after 6 months. Education is the key. Then take the support from others and post yourself. Posting for me has helped reinforce my quit and why i've quit, till its now second nature. Read the links on the sigs, especially the woofmang tales. They are excellent!

[nsd_user663_5028]

Hi My name is Lucy, I am 41 years old and have smoked 20ish a day since I was about 15. This is about my sixth attempt to give up, I have tried most methods (patches, inhalator, chewing gum, zyban and even hypnotherapy!).

Today is hard but this time I am determined. Each time I have given up I usually manage between 6 weeks and 3 months and then some demon in me thinks " I'll just have one" and by the next day I am smoking 20 a day again.

In the past it has usually been about money but this time I am thinking more about my future and my health (think it's an age thing!!)

I would welcome any tips and advice.

hi Lucy

Welcome to the forum congratulations on your quit, not sure of which method you have chose but there are plenty of people on here all with a differnet method who will help and advise and support you. Take a look around in the member signatures plenty of useful links in there to suit .....wish you luck Lucy

[nsd_user663_9071]

Hi All, Thanks for your messages of support, I was chatting to my sister at the weekend (she has been 11 years smoke free!) and I just decided now was the time. Have got through today with lozenges but am seeing the doc tonight and I am going to try the inhalator again because I found it really helpful on an earlier attempt. I will check out the links and thanks again this has given me a real boost! You guys are great!

Lu xx

[nsd_user663_7674]

Hi Lucy,

I'm around your age, have smoked for the same length of time, roughly the same number so I know how you feel. It is an age thing. Not just health but for us girls vanity too, I don't want craggy lines and wrinkles! I've stopped for 2 months now.

I don't know your method this time, but like you I tried gum, patches, hypnotherapy and all that carry on. This time I went cold turkey. It's a short sharp pain but it's worked for me this time.

All I can say to you (in my experience) is I thought I was cracking up at some points in my quit, don't worry it's normal even though you think your quit is worse than everyone else's. I dug my heels in and DID NOT SMOKE, no matter what. What worked for me this time was understanding the demon (nicotine) and why we smoke. You have to understand that to be able to fight it effectively. Allen Carr "Stop Smoking in 60 minutes" DVD is fantastic. Buy it online if you can. I ate whatever I wanted for the first 6 weeks - I'm working it off now in the gym with my new found lung capacity.

Cuppa Chups lollies (preferably the fizzy ones) kept me going as well.

I really hope you do it this time Lucy and use this forum for support.

[nsd_user663_8976]

Hey Lucy..

Just think, only a few more hours, and It's day 2

[nsd_user663_8847]

HI Lucy and good for you! I know what you mean about the age thing, that's a huge factor for me too. If I can get through a week, anyone can! So keep going!

Catherine

[nsd_user663_9071]

Hi All, Thanks for all your messages, they do help. Really desparate last night, I went to see the doctor on a prearranged appt about back trouble. Told him I didn't want to keep taking painkillers as they were not helping and what did he do? Gave me more painkillers!! Then when I asked about a prescription for an inhalator he refused and said I had to make an appointment at the smoking cessation clinic to plan my quit and organise my six week quit course. I said I had already quit and he said that it was not a decision to be taken lightly!!!!!! Like I've not thought about every day for as long as I can remember! Anyway went home in a foul mood and really wanting to smoke.

Instead I remembered all the good advice I had read on hear yesterday, then phoned my best friend for a rant! (had a couple of Vodkas instead and went to bed!!)

Feel a bit moody this morning but proud that I didn't give in!

Lucy

[nsd_user663_7529]

G.P's are generally a bit snotty about the no smoking clinics, because they don't run them - the nurses do. My own GP was awful to be honest...your experience is not an uncommon one, unfortunately.

Anyway. My tip for your first few days - Peppermint Tea. It's an aquired taste, but stick with it!

[nsd_user663_9071]

Thanks Munter, feeling a bit calmer now and my best friend is giving me her inhalator as she has nearly reached a year smoke free! I am very proud of her and her support is great!

This site is also helping me so much, I can't believe I've never come across it before. It really helps to share other peoples experiences.

Lucy

[nsd_user663_9102]

Hi I have also quit today. My last ciggie was at 11pm last night. I have been on Champix for 7 days and feel absolutley fine, No cravings yet yipee.

Good luck to everyone packing in the weed. :):)

[nsd_user663_7674]

Then when I asked about a prescription for an inhalator he refused and said I had to make an appointment at the smoking cessation clinic to plan my quit and organise my six week quit course. I said I had already quit and he said that it was not a decision to be taken lightly!!!!!!

Lucy

Lucy - it's not a decision to be taken lightly, but it's a no-brainer. Speaking from experience and seeing similarities in you and I in terms of quit attempts, age, amount smoked, length of time, reasoning etc. - please don't let yourself be dragged into some sort of nicotine based quit programme when you've already stopped. If you can do it, please just carry on cold turkey.

You wouldn't give heroin to a recovering heroin addict, same applies to nicotine. It takes 72 hours to leave your system.

I can't offer any more valuable advise than DO NOT smoke and BELIEVE that in a few weeks (ok, around 4-6) you will be FREE.

I couldn't go anywhere without a fag in my hand 2 months ago. Trust me on that.

[nsd_user663_9071]

Hi Polster and thanks for the support, I have been using lozenges but only 4 yesterday and one so far today. It is not so much the quitting that I find hard it is the staying quit.

I just have to get my head round the fact that I can never "just have one"

that's how I end up back on them every time.

This site has been a real inspiration already, everyone is so positive and supportive!!

Lucy

[nsd_user663_7674]

Hi Polster and thanks for the support, I have been using lozenges but only 4 yesterday and one so far today. It is not so much the quitting that I find hard it is the staying quit.

I just have to get my head round the fact that I can never "just have one"

that's how I end up back on them every time.

This site has been a real inspiration already, everyone is so positive and supportive!!

Lucy

I think saying to yourself "I can never just have one" induces red alert panic! It did for me. It's more about reaching a stage where you say to yourself "I don't even want one". Getting to that stage involves understanding how smoking works and why it has a hold on us. The way I approached it was;

* Cold Turkey

* I scared the cr*p out of myself by googling and YouTubing various smoking related diseases (harsh but I needed to face it).

*I read the WhyQuit real life stories whyquit.com/

* I educated myself on Why Quit about why I smoked

* I watched the Allen Carr "Stop Smoking in 60 mins" DVD (makes enlightening sense).

* I went through various stages of mentalness over 6 weeks which I combatted by eating, avoiding people, drinking lots of Peppermint Tea, staying indoors. venuring out to the gym and running alot etc etc until I'd got through the worst of it.

I know it seems impossible at times, and I know your quit seems like the worst (I was convinced everyone else could do it and not me) but you CAN do it.