............... please pop on and tell us all how you are doing. Hopefully you have made it through to lunchtime, and are feeling pretty pleased with yourselves, as well you should. Remember if the cravings start, jump on the forum and let us know, we can help you get through them 
Good luck, just wanted you all to know I am thinking about you all and sending major positive vibes.
Look forward to hearing how you all did xx
Hi. Must admit just after lunch was when I got the first thoughts...so popped in a gum...oh my gosh...that was a shock...didn't really know what expected the gum to be like.....but it really gave the strong feeling at back of throat. Kept pushing to the side of mouth and re doing. Just spat out and feel fine 
it def got me through ! I think mon- wed I won't be too bad as I work....it's thu fri sat and sun I'm gonna struggle more.
I haven't tried the gum, it is still early doors for me too, i am on Ecig. But well done you. Yeah you know i struggled with the weekends more than work days. But so pleased for you that you have made it through lunch, hopefully the others are managing ok, hopefully they will post here later so we can all give them a pat on the back.
I struggled with the one after my evening meal, some evenings it would drive me to distraction, but i read that allen carr book, and had to keep telling myself i am not going to be a slave anymore.
xx
It's certainly an acquired taste the gum isn't it? I used to chew that stuff for hours, mind you by the time I reached my last and final quit I couldn't use gum because I couldn't chance it with my teeth. Well done though at getting through to lunch time, did it not bother you when you got up?
Brill, nearly dond day one. Well done you !
Hi everybody, I'm off to work now, cos am working nights again this week, sooooo GOOD LUCK to all of you on day 1 of your quit
Smoke free huggs heading your ways xxxxx
Hi Everybody
Well day 1 and I am so happy to say that everything was absolutely fine. I did use my e-cig before I left for work, I actually drove to work this morning during which I would normally smoke at least 2 cigarettes. Got into work and felt absolutely fantastic! That stayed with me for the whole day, driving home I could have had a lozenge but I decided to wait. When I got home I was starting to real feel the withdrawal symptoms - so I made myself a coffee, sat down, read my e-mails and eventually (about 20 mins later) I got my e-cig out and I've had a few puffs of that!
I'm now going to make myself something to eat, but before I do that I'd just like to say I would LOVE to hear from the rest of today's group who have stopped smoking, just to see how you have all got on. I've been thinking about you and hoping you are okay. I'm kind of in a bit of a dream at the moment, it doesn't feel real!!!
xx
Hi Jilly and thank you so much.
How are you today by the way?
I've just been reading posts about people suffering withdrawal a matter of months later, some really horrible descriptions which turns out to be some sort of anxiety - Don't get me wrong, I'm pleased I've read it because we need to know these things, but I've got to admit it's scared me a bit! 
But at the moment I'm feeling great - I know it's because of the NRT but I don't care as in about 35 minutes it will be 24 hours since I smoked my last cigarette!
And that in itself is fantastic! xx
Well done. You have done so well. After my lunch time gum I was ok for the rest of the afternoon , was busy and didn't think too much about it...until after dinner!!! Had another gum....there so odd...but def get me through it. Then I have just had my bath, sat down now and this is the worse I have felt all day...really feel lost not going out to have one now like I usually would...so got on my e cig and had a few puffs.....I am so odd...I even had to go sit outside on my bench, where is usually went just so it felt "normal" . I feel better now. I usually have one more before bed, so no doubt I will have some more feelings in a few hours . I would say it hasn't been too bad, and the aids most def helped.
Oh Mummy - I'm sorry but the picture of you going outside to sit on the bench to puff your e-cig just made me laugh out loud - that is so brilliant. 
Priceless, and I swear not in a horrible way, it's lovely!
I had a bonkers moment myself when I got home - I'd changed my routine a bit but then it came to making a coffee and heading to sit down and I automatically picked up the ashtray to bring it though when I realised that I actually don't smoke any more (so the ashtray was returned to the cupboard) - I can't tell how sub-consciously I did that, it was such an automatic action that I didn't even think about what I was doing -
I honestly think you have done so brilliantly, I'm really pleased for you and you must be feeling pleased with yourself?
Keep in touch, but it sounds like day 1 was fantastic!!! xx
Picking up the ashtray to go and sit down with a drink, now that sounds really weird to me, I've not smoked anywhere other than the garage for years, can't remember the last time I ever had a cig in the house and even then it was in the kitchen. You sound like you're doing really well on your first day. I found getting home from work really hard at first. I stopped smoking in the car about 8 months before I stopped smoking as we got a new car (new to us) and I didn't want to smoke in it, but as soon as I got home I would walk in and go straight in the garage for a cig, so when I stopped smoking the trigger of driving home would already start off the craving so by the time I got home I was like uggh what do I do now.
Hi sinfree - I know, a lot of people I know do that. My problem is I live in a first floor flat so outside my door is the steps downstairs and then it's out into the street, there's no garden or garage or balcony or anything - wow how I miss a garden, that was where I used to go to smoke with my little table and my ashtray and either a coffee or a glass of wine - here it's just not possible to do that and living on my own, I'd feel funny out in the street especially when it's dark. I'll admit I have got worse since both girls have gone to uni - much much worse to be honest - it's been too easy to smoke indoors without the girls around - so it had to stop - and it has now (wey hey!!!) xx
Oh right I understand. Yeah you can't really go standing outside. Still that's not a problem anymore
Definitely sounds like everyone is doing well.I used to sit on my back step to smoke and I carried on doing that with my ECig for a couple of weeks,just helped a bit.
I think maybe try to remember that trying to get over the memory of smoking is nearly as hard as giving up the cigs in the first place.(does that make any sense at all??!!!) I very rarely now have any cravings,at all for a cigarette but some days I could scream but only because I still miss them,I associated my cigs with good times,having a glass of wine or a coffee, after a good meal,so for me it's NOT that I miss the cigs but I miss what they represented.
Chrissie,GET RID OF THE ASHTRAY,YOU DON'T SMOKE ANYMORE
Keep up the great work and stay motivated all of you,you should be VERY very proud of yourselves.Hugs H x
I used to sit on the front step to smoke when it was sunny and warm, take my drink out and a book and watch the masses of bumble bees in the Blue Geraniums next to me and think how brave I was sat in their flight path. My "ashtray" was a brick that formed part of the top step and as you know bricks turned on their sides have 3 holes in them for the mortar. I used to use these holes as ashtrays (I did empty them from time to time so visitors didn't have a view of a pile of fag ends sticking up out of the bricks, that wouldn't be very attractive) I've noticed those holes have clusters of weeds growing in them now since I stopped using them as ashtrays. I still sat on the step last summer, and thought about all the cigs I used to smoke sat there. Haha, maybe they're not weeds, perhaps they're tobacco plants.
Lol Chrissy ...I am bonkers....but I'm glad yellow snow drop done a similar thing...and what your saying snow drop...is SO true...it's more the memories and association ....rathe than the actual cravings.... Yes I agree the ashtray needs to go!!! Mine has!! Well I'm sure I will be back out on my bench later with the e cig...hope to wean that habit off...lol!!! Xxx
it's still making me chuckle now. But I do get the point re the "memories and association". The only craving I really remember today was when I got in the car to drive home. The thing is (being a hospital site) I never lit up on the site, but always just after the traffic lights outside. The moment I drove through that point tonight my mouth kind of "watered" - it was like "this is it, you can have a cigarette now" - I actually started to reach for where I kept my cigarettes it was a split second and I realised that I don't smoke anymore - but it was again just an automatic action - the brain is a very strange thing!
Anyway the ashtray will be disposed of the next time I walk into the kitchen but Mummy please wrap up warm when you go out to your bench, I think it's a bit Chilly out there tonight! xxx
As far as I know the nicotine receptors that have something to do with the release of dopamine are the same ones as the ones that promote our desire to eat, drink and erm procreate. Imagine telling yourself, nope, you don't eat, drink or have fun any more brain so get used to it, you can see why it complains so much about cutting out nicotine. It really is a fight for survival.
Now that makes sense. The sensation I had was similar to when the mouth waters as you enter a restaurant and can smell the food, I can't remember it happening when I've attempted to stop smoking before though, but that doesn't mean it didn't happen!
It's been an interesting day!
So how are you anyway? How is your throat now? I saw the comment about your husband - that made me laugh! ha ha ha
xx
Aww, its really bad. I went to the Doctors this morning as I'd already booked an appointment for today last Tuesday to see if I could go back on Champix to try to get off the e-cig but I also mentioned the throat infection. I've got it off my daughter. My grand-daughter started with it about 3 weeks ago, passed it on to her mum who passed it on to her partner, all 3 of them got antibiotics. The doctor looked in my throat, said it was red but no sign of puss or infection so she wouldn't prescribe antibiotics but my ears are hurting loads, my throat is killing and I just feel rubbish and have taken to miming They all have tonsils though and I haven't, they were told they had tonsillitis, obviously I haven't but I've never had a throat this bad since I had my tonsils out at 18.
Good evening all well done us well it's almost the end of day 1
Today for me was pretty good, but I have been busy, I've had the most bonkers customers at work and at one point actually thought it was me lol
The worst thing for me is the dizziness, I could easily of walked into a couple of walls today, I'm hoping this will either go or I'll just get used to it, has anyone else had this? Xxx
Well done mummy, Chrissie and Louby getting through your first day you have all done brilliantly
Louby I think is quite normal to feel a bit dizzy the first couple of weeks, I know I did it's got something to do with oxygen travelling through your blood and getting to your brain quicker than before as it's not getting clogged up with nicotine, something like that anyway lol x
Just going though replies, thought best to reply to all first dayers in one. Well done all of you. Day by day, thats all it takes! Day one done, before you know it it will b a week, then a month, then who knows what? I dont go outside to vape, big advantage to giving up the cigs vape inside, no getting cold and wet. And yes all the ashtrays in the cupboard. For good.x
Well done guys so pleased for you all sounds like you all have a good handle on it. Just think you have broken the first chains of the cigarette slavery. Fingers crossed you get through today without too much trouble x
Chrissie, Mum and Louby, I think most of us feel a bit ermmm,bonkers the first few days of our quit 
mind you saying that, some of us stay loopy int that right Al
Taxi, flippin Taxi
Monky you better be able to run sweetheart lol!!! x
I have found the ecigs really helpful from day one but must admit I think all day I am not smoking, it is on my mind all the time, I take the dog out, don't light a roll up and have a few puff on an ecig before I leave and all the time I am walking to the park I think gawd I really feel like a roll up, get back in after a hour or two and am still craving, its like I am missing something and consciously know what it is, so have a coffee a bit of ecig and think mmmm feel better, but still little voice is saying wonder if I have half a roll up, won't hurt, so go and do something else instead to try and take my mind of it. It works if only this little devil would shut up saying hey its 4pm and still haven't had a roll up, like I need reminding. I think it is worse as I smoked indoors, as when I am at my daughter who never smokes indoors but goes on the balcony it doesn't bother me so much, the craving is not there the same as at home. Now I am off to eat and have a coffee and ummmm what shall I have just to round that off, oh heck a few puffs of me ecig, 15 days and having the grandsons over the weekend so will treat them to a takeaway instead of having to buy pouch of baccy, yay go me.
Aww, you'll get there. They're all triggers, times, places, things you used to do that are strongly associated with when you used to smoke. Eventually, over time these triggers will lose their strength and you won't be reminded and nagged quite so much by them. Good luck, you can get through the cravings with the help of your e-cig.
3 months of freedom, 6 months back in a cell, but today I am ready to STOPtip from my 7year old grandaughter on how to give up smoking" all you got to do is pretend you dont remember what cigerettes are, then its
For those of you who smoke hand rolling tobacco (rollies) instead of cigarettes...
All you need to stop smokingWeekend Chat 19th -- 20th May
