Into Month 6.........

[nsd_user663_9987]

.....Happy to be here and smoke free....just so busy at the moment.Everything is fine with the quit ...no problems.....douglas.j....cheers everyone...happy to be progressing!!!!!....DOUGLAS.J

[nsd_user663_4991]

Well done Douglas ,

Into your 6th month is a great achievement and it will get easier for you from now on..... so stick with it and give yourself a huge pat on the back

Regards Trev

20 a day for 30 years :eek:

Quit 28th april 09

3 MONTHS PATCHES

almost 9 MONTHS C.T

[nsd_user663_6301]

Do you think it really does get a bit easier after the 6 month mark? Just that I seem to be struggling a bit at the moment :confused:

[nsd_user663_9987]

Do you think it really does get a bit easier after the 6 month mark? Just that I seem to be struggling a bit at the moment :confused:

Hi...Yes I Do....Although The Temptation Is Occasionally There To Try ...Just The One..for the hell of it..and to remind oneself of that disgusting taste.....now i will admit I have had a few puffs for fun and STILL hated them....Please dont try this out!!!!.....And by a few puffs I mean LESS THAN 10 cigarettes in 5 months.I have not become a cigarette smokers enemy and really smokers dont bother me at all....And Honestly I Can Say I Cant Imagine I Will Ever Smoke Again.....The Health benefits and the money saved are too great.Always remember Smoking DAMAGES your health and I/You dont want Ill health from smoking......I dont like the cravings you get from being a regular smoker and the fact your home/clothes /hair smell from smoke.Cigarettes really are your enemy and being without them is about the best thing you can do for your health...douglas.j

[nsd_user663_5920]

Hi...Yes I Do....Although The Temptation Is Occasionally There To Try ...Just The One..for the hell of it..and to remind oneself of that disgusting taste.....now i will admit I have had a few puffs for fun and STILL hated them....Please dont try this out!!!!.....And by a few puffs I mean LESS THAN 10 cigarettes in 5 months.I have not become a cigarette smokers enemy and really smokers dont bother me at all....And Honestly I Can Say I Cant Imagine I Will Ever Smoke Again.....j

Hi

A few puffs every other months (approx) is a bit worrying is it not? I'd like to try that and see that it does indeed taste foul and reinforce why I'm smoke free for over 6 months, but I'd be worried that one puff (or several) would get me back up to 20+ a day within a very short time.

If you've had those few puffs in the first few months and nothing for a while, and can now see the foreseeable as a smokefree time then great, but I'm pretty much an all or nothing kind of person. Whilst I envy you (in a perverse way) the odd puff or two every now and then, for me it's to risky.

All the best for the next 6 months

Pol

[nsd_user663_9987]

A Few Puffs!!!

Yes ..A REALLY CONTENTIOUS ISSUE!!!!!!...Its difficult to justify my actions on a rational basis...I would like to firstly say it wasnt until month three i had 2 or 3 cigarettes.......I was fed up with hearing you cant have just the one without relapsing........I did and didnt even inhale much of it.It tasted dreadful and I thought no way will I get hooked again...Then last month I had four one day again as a kind of test...they reinforced my quit ....That was a while ago now...Today I can tell you The MEMORY of those few cigs has made me even more confident in my quit.I cant say if i'll do it again in the future time will tell..everyone is different and has to handle their quit differently for it to work.If I can say to myself I am very happy to be not smoking ....ie TODAY...and have no wish to go out and buy a pack...I am proud of myself.My health is ..at 54 very important to me .....If I go back to regular smoking I will damage my health and get withdrawal symptoms at regular intervals,,I dont want that!!!!!And I'll finish by saying I'm happy with how I've handled my quit and in a good mood ...My dad is 89 and an ex smoker..he gave up soon after the war...1950s....He is in great health ..I nwant to follow him!!!!!!...douglas.j

[nsd_user663_5920]

Fair-eee snuff

On some level I want to test myself and prove that a half smoke/smoke is horrible but I don't trust myself.

I think I want to test myself more as an excuse to smoke than a test

I appreciate that some folk can 'blip'/test and not go back to smoking but I've got to remain smoke free ...... even with my OH being an evening smoker.

Big congrats to your Dad and you, keep up the quit

I think your Dad has to be the longest quitter mentioned on this site :cool:

[nsd_user663_4991]

If I tested myself and had a puff ,,,eventually it would lead to another then just one fag and before I know it I will be back down the slippery slope and on 20 a day .

Cigarettes are extremely addictive and the odd puff here and there is simply playing with fire . I have had several quits in the past ruined by just a drag ....NEVER AGAIN .:eek:

This is my longest and most determined quit that I am focussed on adhering to .

Trev

20 a day for 30 years

quit 28th april 09

3 months patches

almost 9 months C.T

[nsd_user663_4990]

Congrats on your amazing progress, just don't let these 'odd ones' turn you into a fully fledged occasional smoker leading to the old addiction again.

other than that.. well done.

To each.. their own.

[nsd_user663_7469]

Congrats on your quit and on the fact that you seem to be able to be a part time social smoker, trust me pol its not going to happen with you as you know as well as I do that it would turn to smoking just the odd one more and then another and so on.

I have loads of friends who quit and then some said Oh I can have the odd one and be fine and guess what a year later they are smoking again full time.

Not one puff because one puff wakes those little receptors and before you know it they are screaming at you for more, takes a while usually 3/4 months but they are there waiting and are so cunning as we all know.

Sorry Douglas it’s not a dig at you but I don’t want anyone to think oh its ok to have one now and then.

There are very few social smokers and I mean 1 in 10000s who don’t become life smokers, I can have a glass of wine and not have another for 12 months, I’m not saying that others who drink every week have a problem but I can take or leave alcohol completely and if someone said you can never have another alcoholic drink again, it wouldn’t bother me in the least so like you I can live with or without, but take my OH he would be gutted and he probably drinks once a week but enjoys the whole process if you see what I mean.

So to make smoking one every now and again sound easy it may lead some to think they can also do that and I don’t think we can, this post will probably get slated but I had to say what I think, sorry if post upsets any one this was not my intention .

[nsd_user663_4991]

I totally agree with you Jamangie

Trev

[nsd_user663_6412]

wtg Doug.....I know I could not do that, or I'd be back to square

1. I have a friend who does it one weekend or so, then nothing, but I

know he isn't that pleasant to live with for a bit.

Keep r up

[nsd_user663_9987]

No More Puffs!!!!

I Will Not Be Testing My Quit Any more...i.e no more experimental puffs..Its Not necessary or warranted guys and gals......i'm happy to let that pass and move on as a non smoker.Its the way to go and i dont want to think I can justify any more tests.I appreciate the pleasant and helpful replies which made me think again...I really like this board and am happy with your replies.NOT A PUFF is my new motto...Please understand I DO listen to you!!!...douglas.j

[nsd_user663_4991]

Well done Douglas

Trev

[nsd_user663_4990]

Douglas,

its very hard for folk who are quitting to understand the method you were employing and although you did have it fairly under control as you saw it, i guess we were more worried about the unpredictable nature of nicotine addiction in that you actually don't see or feel yourself getting hooked again until it actually happens. In your life you don't know whats around the corner by way of stress, bereavement or big worries, and you really can't say whether you could control 'occasional smoking' and stop it from becoming full time again if you've been feeding the addiction every now n again, even when you feel its controlled.

I think you do right by knocking that on the head.. in the long run you will find it much easier to cope in all situations then without ever considering a smoke.

I know we may seem like a bunch of raving ex-junkie/smokers, but I guess its mostly due to the fact we've seen so many folk relapse and we'll do anything to help folk prevent this happening if we can and its limited on a forum as to what we can do.. so hard words have to be said.

All the best taking all this forwards now, i think you'll do just fine without smokes entirely.

j

[nsd_user663_7469]

Hi Douglas I am so pleased that you made the decision to be a non smoker, I know it’s not easy to become 100% smoke free but trust me if you are committed then I don’t think you will have any problems going on to becoming a tottaly smoke free person, you seem to have a strong will power and no matter what else people use to quit I believe that NRT and Champix and all the other systems used, all boil down to the strength of will of the quitter.

Some think that they are weak but they are all incredibly strong to even consider it and although it’s not easy how satisfying it is to be able to say I DONT SMOKE and I feel healthier (well eventually ) and fitter.

Welcome to the NO SMOKING FORUM you couldnt have made a better choice for a support system oh and of course it doesn't hurt to send you a little bit of good luck.

[nsd_user663_9987]

Still Here.

Haven't Been Here For Ages BUT still Quit...Into Month 8...No Cigs and No Trial Ones Either.Hope All Novos Are Doing Fine.Best Wishes To You All....Douglas.J

[nsd_user663_7469]

Hi Douglas I am so pleased you have stayed smoke free, its funny but I have done 6 months now and thought of you the other day when I read my posts, sorry if I was a bit sharp with you on this thread it was a subject that got me going but glad you chose to be 100% committed good isnt it xxxx

[nsd_user663_9987]

And If Only I Had Listened!!!

Bumped for all to see how just one puff can ruin everything.I was TOO sure of myself.....Too confident......But 6/7 months was still IN ESSENCE a great quit and very good for the body......EPIC FAIL perhaps...perhaps not.Perhaps a good lesson in life!!!!!!......douglas.j