Hi, New Kid on the block, sort of!

[nsd_user663_43944]

Hi Every-one

My name is Mandi, I'm new here

I quit smoking last year on 3rd July 2011 and have been smoke free ever since

I have joined this group to offer my help and support to those who are struggling, and to keep myself smoke free also. I'm also looking forward to hopefully meeting lots of new people along the way

Best wishes

Mandi

[nonico 7 Years Smoke Free]

Welcome back

Hi Mandi68

Welcome to the forum. Help to stay smoke free is freely available here & your own experiences of quitting smoking will help others.

You are nearly in the Penthouse already - only have till July 3 2012 to go.

How did you quit? I'm on day 42 & I used Champix to get this far.

[nsd_user663_43944]

Hi

Thank-you for your lovely welcome

I decided to give up last year due to increasing health concerns. I was constantly coughing and was wheezing quite a lot and getting out of breath so I knew I had to do something fast. I had tried several times in the past to give up smoking and wasn't very successful :mad:

This time I was determind to do it. I gave up 2 days before my birthday which was really silly at the time as I had the worst birthday ever in my life and just spent the day either in tears or really angry and frustrated as I withdrew from all that nicotine. I started on the Nicotine patches originally but when I got to week 5 I stopped using them as I felt strong enough to go it alone.

Another thing that helped me massively to stay focused, was I found an online support group, that I came across by chance. I Think it was mainly American people who use it and I felt I was the only English person there, but that made no difference because the love, help and support I got from the people on there was unbelievable and it was that that kept me going and strong.

Also Educating yourself on all facts to do with Nicotine helped me immensely too, all the myths are soon dispelled when you give up smoking and find out the real truth of things like; Smoking relaxes you and reduces stress!!!! It so doesn't! :rolleyes:

I think the most powerful tool that will help you to quit above anything else is your own mind, if it's not in the right place or in the right mindset, you will struggle, but if you are then you will find it easier to overcome this disgusting addiction for good

Best Wishes

Mandi xxx

[nonico 7 Years Smoke Free]

Good advice

Yes Mandi68 - once the mind is in the right place then all else will follow. Just getting there is greatly helped by education & that is what this forum is great at.

Coming onto a forum really helps since it stops me feeling isolated & as though I'm the only person in the whole world who has bad days with quitting.

For some reason days 39 & 40 were horrendous - just came out of nowhere I ate my way through then:roll eyes: There will be a price to pay there when I get on the scales.

[nsd_user663_43944]

Oooh the pain of weight gain!

Aww bless you! it will get easier I promise

Unfortunately the weight gain side of things is not so good and for me personally it stinks :mad:

I have put on 2 stones in weight since quitting :eek: I'm now trying to get myself into the same sort of mindset to lose weight, but it's not quite happening at the moment for some strange reason :mad:

Best wishes

Mandi xxx

[nsd_user663_42145]

Hi Mandy,

Welcome

Like you, I stubbled across this forum, but mine was because I kept typing in questions and the answers would be in someone's post on this site. I lurked for a week and quit and joined Jan 19th. Patches the first week then CT. I am and American on a UK forum, everyone is so supportive here and we all share a common ground. I've grown so fond of this group :D, I'm sure you will too, a bunch of characters