Thank you for allowing me to join in with what looks like a very friendly supportive forum
I have smoked for 25 years (age 44 now), started on readymades then moved to roll my own around 15 years ago. Smoking around 20-30 a day.
I have tried giving up on a few occasions and I have always failed ... miserably! The last time was many years ago and lasted exactly 17 days before I caved in and rolled over like a dead dog!
I have been thinking of giving up for many months now and considered my "method of attack" for the coming battles.
I decided to try the "I'll cut down route" and purchased some inhalers, for the last few days I have been having "4 roll up stinkers" in the morning and moving to the inhaler for the rest of the day.
My "Nicorette ActiveStop" day is this Monday coming.
But here is my quandary......
I haven't had a puff since 12.30PM yesterday....I suddenly realised I have already done my day 1....
....there have been a couple of shaky moments but I just use the inhaler for a few seconds and then carry on. (I am using one cartridge a day)
I am also reading Allen Carr's book which I must say is very inspirational! His vision and wording are so clear and concise! ... He makes you see it in a whole different light! I am 2/3 through it and hope to read it again and again.
I know I'm probably asking the obvious and probably just looking for excuses ..... but do I just "carry on not carrying on" if you know what I mean?
Anyway, hope to read as many of your previous posts as I can although I am probably not strong enough or knowledgeable enough to add to the comments and discussions yet. I hope this will change!
Thank you all for your time folks
Take care
Greg
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How do you feel psychologically? Half of the battle of quitting is to be ready in your head. Do you feel as though you can continue through to day 2 now and not smoke or do you need another few days and go for quit date on Monday.
I would probably continue t smoke if I wanted one until Monday but I set a date in my head and tend to stick to it.
This is a top place for help, advice and most of all support. Everyone here will have their own experiences from which you can draw inspiration.
i went the cold turkey/allen carr route and found it pretty easy (on day 38 ish now) but its clear that there is no proven one method here, you have to find the best route for yourself.
i say go for it today, you have already done 1 day and guess what, you are still standing and nothing bad has happened. Guess what again - it wont, only good things wil happen from now on so stick with it and why put off the excitement until monday?
Hi Nifty...like yourself, had planned ahead for a quit day via a group NHS session I am attending....everything pointed to that day...work pressures, social events etc...and I am now on Day 3...and coping reasonably well....but if I had managed to stay off them prior to that date for a day I think I would have tried to carry on abstaining....but there again depends on your mindset...and is there anything between now and Monday thats likely to tip you.....out for a drink etc.....if so and you falter before, then give it a go on Monday as planned....good luck!!!
Thanks for your voices of support folks, it is very much appreciated.
Nothing special planned before Monday so should hopefully be able to avoid some strong triggers! Gulp!
I have actually just finished reading Allen Carr's book and now I'm a little scared! :eek:
I was shocked how much he hates NRT and yet ... I can exactly see his point. I am still using the inhaler as my prop so am I making it harder for myself?
I can see I will have to mull this one over and over until I come up with a plan. Perhaps I should use the inhaler until Monday then stop consuming nicotine completely ... see how it feels to go cold turkey!
So "themagic" how did it "feel" for you, going the full cold turkey route?
How was it for all the cold turkey heroes? (you are heroes in my book!)
I am slowly starting to distinguish the difference between smoking and nicotine addiction, I know I don't need the smoke ... but can I get off the nicotine completely ... Hmmmm .... ponders!!
Hi Nifty, I wanted to do it CT too and almost lasted the whole 3 days before I gave in and used a patch. I was disappointed in myself but now I'm over 4 months quit so in the end it didn't matter one bit. Do whatever it takes because it will be worth it in the end.
I'm not a supporter of the Allan Carr method anyway. Why should his way be the only way.
Don't worry about coming off the nicotine. I used the patches for 8 weeks and the inhalator occasionally. I don't use anything now.
The truth is that I found it all very easy and apart from a few craves on day 1 I have had no difficulty. I am very aware that this sounds rediculous to most people but there it is - fact.
I believe it is because after a few wobbles (read my early posts) I really did hit rock bottom emotionally and had a moment of clarity where I "knew" I would not knowingly smoke ever again. I hated myself so so much for being such a weak mug (not suggesting smokers are this but its how I felt.). I was so unhappy I cried.
I think for me this is why I had no craves or problem because I was so delighted that I was not smoking it never crossed my mind. I still feel the same to this day as I type these words on a stupidly small keypad on my phone.
You can do it and it can be easy and fun but you have to want it, bad.
Hi Nifty, I wanted to do it CT too and almost lasted the whole 3 days before I gave in and used a patch. I was disappointed in myself but now I'm over 4 months quit so in the end it didn't matter one bit. Do whatever it takes because it will be worth it in the end.
I'm not a supporter of the Allan Carr method anyway. Why should his way be the only way.
Don't worry about coming off the nicotine. I used the patches for 8 weeks and the inhalator occasionally. I don't use anything now.
Una, I think the allen carr way is brilliant. You are right, its by no means the "only" way but I'm not sure how you can not support it!?
With respect, I think that's the point. Repetitive reinforcement. I looked all over for good quit books and for me this was head and shoulders above the rest.
Sorry I didn't mean to start a heated debate peeps.
I must admit I did get a shock as to his hatred of NRT but I also think the rest of the book is very well written and is helping me to finally see smoking for what it is.
I agree it is very repetitive but I also agree that this is what I personally need .... hopefully it is hypnotising me ..... getting through to my subconscious...
"Look in to my eyes, look in to my eyes, don't look around the eyes, look in to the eyes ... 3... 2... 1.... you're under!" :rolleyes:
I was feeling a bit of a failure last night having to use my inhaler but I am now settling down and I am going to try my best to use some of Allen's book and some NRT and the support of people on the forum.
hey nifty, definitely no heated debate here not at all. healthy yes, heated no. I have too much respcet for una to do that.
Im glad you are feeling ok today and whatever you use or do you are not a failure. no-one said CT is the only way. its one way for sure, but not the only or the best way. The best way is the way that makes is easiest for you to stop putting cigs in your mouth.
Nifty mate, congratulations on taking the leap early.
You asked for advise from the people who went cold turkey, Im one as i tried a number of times with patches.
Im on day 18 now, one of the stobtobers. I tried a number of times to quit with the patches but for me i think i just needed to know i was giving it up totally if that makes sense ??????
the first 4-5 days were bad, but it gets easier mate, the feeling of beating a craving is great, they still come from time to time but honestly they get less and less. When they were bad the deep breathing worked for me.
The manta i have been using is im not going to have a fag today, and so far I havent, I know im not going to have one today either.
Keep reading this board too mate, its been a great help to me, at times when i was gaspinig Id come on here to have a little read, knowing other people are going through it too helps ( is that evil ? )
Good luck mate, believe me if i can do it you can too.
Hey there Nifty, how's it going? Still with the NRT? Wish you all the best going into the week. Which ever way you decide to kick it, It can and will be done!!! Smoking is no way to live.
I really want to give up! I'm not on day 1 of giving up yet because I am on day 1 of Champix. From some of the posts that I have seen here, I am a bit worried about taking them.
I did give up smoking previously for nearly 7 years! But I started again within 9 months of my husband dying - started again in 2004! I didn't really want to use NRT this time because when I stopped before I tried patches (which gave me horrendous nightmares) and then gum. It was 18 months before I could give the gum up and a further 6 months before I could give up airwaves gum!!
Hopefully I will get inspiration form the forums and manage to kick it again :confused:
Welcome JeanAnn, I don't know anything about champix but a lot of people seem to do well on it. I've read that the patches can cause nightmares but they have some now that you take off at night. I shouldn't think it matters how long it takes to come off the gum. Better than smoking. Feel free to ask all the questions you need. There will always be someone who knows the answer.
Thanks for your reply. I have known people whose relatives have used Champix and had good results (1 stopped before their stop day) but non of the people that I know said that their relatives had bad side effects. Looking at some of the posts on this forum a lot of people seem to get bad side effects and I find this worrying. I think that it would be really helpfull if there were a 'pre quit days' catagory for people on Champix so there would be somewhere to go to see how people are getting on with it.
As I do want to quit, I took my first dose today and decided that if I am affected too much that I will try something else.
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Day 1 - for the last time
Day 1 and feeling more confident
