Hello World Day 1, How to stop smoking V1.01

Hi Guys

(Day 12 Champix - after headaches, nausea, sleeplessness and a few false starts!)

I've been looking forward to this day for a long time and never quite believed it would ever be possible, but I'm happy to report that between the hours of 15:00 Saturday and 15:00 Sunday I finally got 24 hours free from smoke. I have never actually managed to even get 24 minutes if not sleeping or in a meeting etc, so a miracle for me. I'm writing this retrospectively - it's now 05:35am on Monday morning but really wanted to jot down my feelings as I detox.

After getting back from work on Saturday I had my last smoke in the car on the way back. It tasted like crap and I needed it to. I imagined that if my 14 month old could speak she'd say 'Your kisses taste terrible dad!' We spent the afternoon and early evening at her day group lantern party, got home, explained to my wife I was feeling a little tense and slept the night away.

Somehow, and perhaps due to my prayers I woke up wanting a smoke but never acted on it. My first trigger I guess is merely waking up!

The day went okay and I had to get to a client in London for a 3pm meeting on Sunday. A couple more fears coming in : Making a phone call (TRIGGER!) - Driving in a car (TRIGGER!) - Working (TRIGGER!) - after a meeting (TRIGGER!)

Somehow I felt quite comfortable and despite the odd knaw and pang I had so much energy after Day 1 that I felt quite high!

The theme song to my quit is "Kids" by MGMT - 'Control Yourself, take only what you need from it...'

10 Replies

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  • Hi World

    Welcome to our friendly site.

    Well done on making the decision, and getting through the first day.

    You won't regret it.

    You'll get pangs as we all do, but with the help of the good folk on the forum, and your own conviction you will get there.

  • Hi there. There is a group of us on here who quit in November, all going throught the same stuff!!!! Might help control those triggers.

    forum.nosmokingday.org.uk/g...

    I read loads of the posts and went to some of the sites that have helped people who have been quit a while, some of them are great. Allen Carr's book Easyway is good for me, makes me think about what I am craving and I am now thinking that the relief of that first drag is very very very short and then the craving starts up all over again so I would be no further forward.

    Keep strong - we can do it.

  • Hello and welcome!

    It's funny, after a while you forget about some of those triggers except for the massive ones like morning coffee and after meals - at least I did!

    It really turns out so that you start for forget when you used to smoke and now I really do wonder how I made time for it sometimes!

    Read as much as you can... That MGMT song is one of my absolute favourites, its a song full of emotion and very suitable to quitting!

    Have a great day today :)

  • Hi Gary, Angela, SLB

    Thanks for the encouragement! It's amazing that I'm not falling apart right now - it's as if I have never smoked (except for the odd slight pain in my side) - if it gets worse than this, I'd say it would be quite manageable with the pills in my body, the AC book in my head and you guys as my wing man (collectively) :)

    I was quite worried about how I would handle work today. Normally I'd be out having fags all morning... I brought some work in for our assistant to do. She gives me a dirty look saying I'm talking down to her and leaves in a huff to go off for a puff. Shame! Poor thing! I'm as calm as the Dalai Llama today.

    How can I keep it cool and calm? Will it get worse before it gets better?

    I've also noticed that smokers stink... it's like twice burned ash, only worse!

    Thanks again!

    :D

  • How can I keep it cool and calm? Will it get worse before it gets better?

    I've also noticed that smokers stink... it's like twice burned ash, only worse!

    Thanks again!

    :D

    Hi,

    To answer the above questions, it may get worse before it gets better but it may not. I have had 3-4 really bad days out of the last month of not smoking and I think, on balance, that I am having it quite easy. But those 3-4 day were really bad and I don't think I would have got through them without this site.

    And, yes, smokers stink, you wait until you are in a shop and an 'older' smoker stands next to you and they stink of stale old smoke. Its really horrid and happend to me on one of my bad days and pretty instantly cleared the craving I had had for about 6 hours.

    Its a bumpy journey we are on, you have to take the rough with the smooth, but at the end of it is the gift of a longer healthier life.

    Sian

  • HW

    I agree with Levs in that YES we notice the YUCKY smell that smokers have on them now and its hard to think that we used to smell like that.

    Anyhow, as for the good and the bad everyone is different but the main thing is to ride out the storm and NOT give in.

    There is no such thing as one more, that wont work and so you are now a NON SMOKER and thats how it will stay. Hopefully we will learn to almost forget we ever did do that but for all of us its early days and we must take it minute by minute, hour by hour and not punish ourselves or make ourselves think we are missing out on something because we are not. We can get through this and im looking forward to meeting you in the penthouse next year.

    Good luck and dont give in. That Nicodemon is not welcome anymore ;)

  • Hi

    Well done on quitting. I have never used champix, but, by all accounts, it is a miracle drug, in that it actually does switch off the receptors in the brain or whatever the medical blurb is. In short, it does stop the craving for nicotine. In my book, that is amazing. However, a huge amount of will power is also required and a strong resolve to keep going. The novelty of the initial quit is a great way of pushing you forward. But, it is amazing how resolve can walk right out the door when you are not looking. Then all the good work is undone. Stopping smoking is work, it is like a self-treatment that must continue for ever. With the help of this forum, champix and your enthusiasm and delight at beating this drug, I reckon you are off to a flying start. In your post, the joy at having quit is almost tangible and that is so heart-warming. You should feel so proud of yourself. Well done!!

    Rooting for you, xox

  • Sian, Jo and Rachel

    Thanks so much for all those pearls of wisdom! You guys know what you're talking about... :)

    So, I've just returned from making a coffee and then I thought Hey, shouldn't this coffee be triggering me off? It doesn't feel so but to be sure I'll try and make do with tea. Since my last post I have had about two whopper cravings each lasting about 3 mins (maybe a bit longer). Explaining a craving is difficult, but on some level it feels like loss mixed with a little heartburn.

    I am a little concerned about gaining weight. I have made a conscious effort to not eat sweets or the like, but wonder if I can keep this up. Which is not to say the cravings are that bad, just hoping I can hold this space right through the month without taking on a food addiction. For now though, I'm just talking a lot! I guess that's something better to do with my mouth than smoke :)

    So today is a good day. I'm meeting my NHS Smoking Cessation lady and looking forward to giving her a negative sample!

    Take care guys - enjoy the eve!

    R

  • Hi world,

    Welcome back and congrats on the start of you quit :D

    I actually found that coffee has eased my cravings, but everyone is different and has different triggers :)

    As for the weight, they do say if you drink plenty of water it helps to stop the weight gain as well as stopping your cravings. Personally i would take one step at a time, get your quit on a roll, then tackle the weight gain (if any) dont try to do too much at once.

    How did the smoking lady appointment go?

    Speak soon

    Snowie x

  • Hi Snow

    Thanks! Yeah it was a good meeting and well pleased to see that my levels went from 27 while smoking to 2 - in the area of a non smoker. Happy! What is that reading btw? Bad breath? :)

    Ciao! Have a good day!

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