Struggling to give up.

[nsd_user663_60772]

Hello.

I have been a smoker for over 20 years and I’m looking for some advice on how to stop. I realise this is a forum for people that have already stopped and will disappear if I’m breaking the rules of posting here but I’m desperate for some help.

I'm sick of smoking are really want to give up everything to do with cigarettes. I have recently read the Allan Carr’s Easyway to stop smoking, all through the book which he says you should smoke all the way through I was agreeing with everything he said and that at the end of it thought yes I am really going to quit...that was a week ago and guess who is still smoking probably more than before reading the book!!!

A lot of my friends have managed to give up smoking but it has taken a change of something major in their lives like a new job (less stress), health scare (smoking related). Some people I know that have been successful just say you have to be so stubborn and just stick to your guns and think 'no way am I going to smoke and that’s that'.

I tried giving up before using patches and everything went well until I finished the course, then two days later BANG I smoked and ruined a 3 month quit. I wish I could find the will power to give up forever, I really do, but I can only seem to last two days without any NRT then I say sod it and buy some more. I hate the cost, the smell and even the taste but for some reason I still keep going back to it. So my question to you all is how do you do it? How do you find the will power to stay stopped? Can anyone give me some advice please, as I’m desperately trying to give up and fed up of failing?

I wish there was a magic cure.

[nsd_user663_53649]

like Teflon, I agree that you should read read read here, and it will help you to come to a decision.

I too have tried several methods, the patch, didn't work unless I put it over my mouth, inhaler gave me a sore throat, lozanges would help me reduce but not cut out smoking. A few cold turkey attempts, and the e cigg, which after a while felt fake and I resorted back to the real thing.

So I got champix, and you take it for a while and continue to smoke, you will find that after about a week or two you will be smoking far less and you will at one point think I am ready to quit, some feel this way earlier than others. The important thing is not to miss a pill, and not to faff about with it. I find that it takes off that huge edge and helps keep me from being contrary. I had nausea for the first while, but I find eating before and with the pill helps. Good luck with it.

[nsd_user663_59642]

Hello, Susan, and welcome! You have come to the right place for help with your quit. I certainly recognise how you are feeling!

A lot of people say "if I can do it, then anyone can!". Whenever I heard or read that, I would think things like "well, it's different for you.....you're not really addicted / you haven't got the problems that I've got...blah, blah, blah".

Well, it turns out that every smoker is equally addicted (it only takes one fag to become addicted) and it must be a very rare person who does not have problems / difficulties/ issues to deal with. So that's those excuses out of the way!

Do you have a quit nurse or advisor? Your local doctor's surgery should have details of the support available in your area. If you have tried all the NRT products, maybe something like Champix will be suitable for you? It takes away the desire to smoke (really!). It worked for me, in conjunction with my total determination to be a non-smoker. That bit was vital for me. I didn't want to have the struggle of "giving up" fags, but I wanted to be a non-smoker! Champix helped me to achieve that....along with spending every spare minute on this brilliant site with these brilliant folk!

It can be done.......however daunting it looks from the starting line; and it really and truly does get easier after the first few days. Use whatever you can to get through those first few days.....I stuffed my face with chocolate and nuts and spent every spare minute on here, moaning when things were tough and celebrating when things were going well. You can do it.........

Nearly forgot.....the money that I no longer spend on fags (£40-£45 per week)......I save half of it in a savings account and the other half pays for me to have lovely days out, so I always have something to look forward to! It works for me.....you have to think about what will work for you to keep you going.

Val

[nsd_user663_42390]

Hello Susan, welcome to the forum. As the previous posters have said, you have come to the right place if you want advice support and a kick up the bum if you need it. Seriously though, if you read read read this forum you will find a wealth of information here, and knowledge is power as they say. quitting isn't easy I wont lie (well not for me anyway) but this forum is a great quit aid. Best wishes to you if you choose to join us on the road to freedom and let us know how you are going on.

[nsd_user663_60772]

Thank you everyone for replying and thank you for all your advice and support. I feel overwhelmed by all of these responses.

By the looks of things, a lot of people have given up by Champix so I’m going to look into that and see if I can give up that way too.

In the past I have tried the inhalator and the e-cig, but they both seemed too much like the real thing, and I was afraid that I would just replace one addiction with another and ended up going back to smoking. I have tried most forms of NRT all that seem to work or help until I stopped using them, and I can’t use them forever. By the looks of things a lot of people have given up using Champix, I haven’t tried them so I think I will look into it and maybe give it a go.

Teflon thank you so much for the thread of threads link, I have saved this page and the links are fantastic, I will be sure to read them all, thank you.

I’m going to phone the doctors surgery now to make an appointment. Will let you all know how I get on. Once again thank you everyone for your advice and support, I really do appreciate it.

[nsd_user663_58817]

Good Luck Susan.

Really hope to see you again soon

[nsd_user663_58949]

Good Luck, Susan. I'm just coming up to 6 months now after using the Allen Carr method and the cravings do get less and less. Have seen a weight gain but one thing at a time lol! Although I didn't really stop for the money, I must say I've noticed a huge difference in that aspect and have bought a fab new car!!!!!! My best mate still can't manage to break away from the ciggies but I feel that there comes a day when you have simply had enough!!!! I also used to have a constant niggly cough which just disappeared overnight as soon as I stopped which I don't miss at all - I was really conscious of it especially at work. Can honestly say that smoking does not have even one benefit which definitely keeps me going xx

[nsd_user663_60772]

Well I have phoned the doctors surgery and they have said that they cannot fit me in to see the smoking nurse until 12th December. That’s over 2 weeks away!!! Ok so maybe I am being a bit impatient here but I was hoping to see her tomorrow or even the next day, but two weeks time, just seems like ages to me. I know that the whole giving up smoking process takes time and patience, but was hoping to see her sooner. I just hope I will still want to give up in two weeks time.

[nsd_user663_60772]

Just a quick update for you all.

I ran out of cigarettes at 4.00pm today and was determined not to buy anymore today. I haven't been anywhere near any shops today and haven't had a smoke since 4.00pm. I really don't want to wait until 12th december to stop and so I'm trying to see how long I can go without them. So far it hasn't been too bad, but time will tell. Have spent this afternoon and this evening keeping busy and have spent most of the time cleaning and trying to keep myself too occupied to think about smoking. I thought that if I can go without for 10 minutes then I can go another 10 minutes and so on, and so on...

I live in a small town and the only smoking clinic is run at the local doctors surgery, so if I don't manage to stay off the smokes tomorrow I'll just have to wait until my appointment. Although it would be nice if I could crack this before the 12th.

Going to have an early night tonight and see how I feel in the morning.

Thank you all once again for your support and advice.