I hope you are all well and not struggling with your quitting. Dont forget if you need help just bob on here and shout.
Glad you are getting sorted out work wise Chrissie. Lovely to see you happier.
I apologise for not getting on site yesterday, however we went out for a ride in the dales. Then when we got back it was our scheme managers 60th birthday , so it was party time from 4.00pm to 10.30pm. Best part was when we wanted to light the candles on the birthday cake, no one had a lighter as we all had stopped or never smoked.
The only 2 that smoked were smoking e cigs.
Well have a lovely day. xx
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jillygirl
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That is hilarious regarding the lack of lighters! At my son's birthday party last month no one had a lighter and they all looked at me because I was the only smoker in the crowd. Of course I had one (as I had not begun my journey yet), but it will be funny come the next time when I don't
Good Morning James! Great to see you and how the devil are you feeling this morning?
I was wondering if you had thought about you are going to deal with the triggers and cravings which you know are going to happen as you take this journey? This was something I was advised to do and I cannot tell you how much it helped me. You sit down and think about and even write down the times when you know you would smoke a cigarette - for example I would get up too early in the morning, make a coffee and sit down and have a couple of cigarettes and then go and have a shower - so I decided to change my routing so I got up later and went straight into the shower instead and then made my coffee which I took into the bedroom with me and I drank whilst I was getting ready for work. Little changes t my normal routing actually stopped the triggers and distracted me. Thinking of changes in routine is one thing, and also making of a list of things you could do instead of sitting smoking is another useful tool. I've got all sorts on that - rearranging the kichen cupboards, sort out my messy drawers, paint the bathroom ceiling, that sort of thing, as well as read a book, go for a walk, paint my nails - many of which have not been tackled yet but they are there if I can't think of anything to do to distract me from thinking about smoking.
Monky always says about writing a list of the reasons why you chose to stop smoking and keeping that with you to remind you of why you are doing this if you are struggling one day - these are obviously positive reasons so help to strengthen the message.
Always, always remember you can and will do this and your life will be better because of it
Good Morning Chrissie! I'm feeling well at the moment - keep tripping myself up from time to time ("I'll just have a cigarette and then I'll get on with... oh... I don't smoke"). but that's more a case of settling into a new routine than a physical craving and leaves me feeling a bit silly rather than anything else.
I attempted to stop smoking about a year ago. I wasn't successful but I did at least get out of the habit of smoking at work. I sometimes had a cigarette before leaving for work if there was time but not always. The most important cigarette of the day was always the first one after leaving work. I would leave work at such a time that I would arrive ten minutes before the train was due to leave and light up. So I'm going to walk home (increasing exercise), get the bus or walk an extra ten minutes and get the train from a different station. In summary, I have been very much an evening smoker.
One of the main triggers will be a bad day at work (especially given that cigarettes used to be my end of work treat). In the past, I have found walking helps both with craving and mood after a stressful day so this will be a key mechanism. A good back up is a coffee house just round the corner from where I live. It is open late and I have never been in there so won't associate it with smoking.
The other main trigger is drinking - especially at my local which has a beer garden designed to attract smokers. This, in the long term, is going to be the biggest problem. I intend to break it down into a couple of different aspects.
1) alcohol: stay off for the next few weeks... I don't have an exact deadline on this and playing it by ear a little. Once I start again keep it down to a pint or so to begin with. My willpower flies out the window if I drink much more than a couple of pints.
2) location: I'm blessed in that there are several good pubs all within five minutes walk of each other so I'm going to meet my friends in a different location.
Turning location on its head is quite key for me I think. If it ends up coming down to choice between my local and giving up smoking, then the local will have to fall by the wayside!
Reading your advice (thank you), I think I need to get some more strategies dealing 'out of the blue cravings' and I like the idea of a list of reasons.
Phew - ended up being a bit of a long post but it's certainly been distracting and a good exercise in organising my thoughts in order to set them down.
I'm fantastic thank you - my daughter I sat up until the wee small hours just chatting and laughing so I actually treated myself to a lie in this morning and thankfully no hangover!
I have to say I am really impressed with your planning, it is really good to focus on those times when you know you may be at your weakest and think about how you will deal with it and you have done that so brilliantly - well done you!
You are so going to do this - so just keep believing in yourself and stay positive even when you don't "feel" it - the unexpected stresses will come but you just have to battle them - stopping smoking is the very best thing you can do for yourself in many respects, so just keep battling and it'll be great!!!
This is what you have to do, PLAN for your quit and it sounds like you have done that, you know a lot of your trigger points and where it will hurt you the most This is great
As Chrissie says, I'm really impressed too James, your really getting your head into your quit, and this is what you have to do, stay focused and positive and yes, write down the reasons why you want to quit, so if you feel like your losing it a bit, then just remind yourself why you want to quit
Thank you both. Trying to stay one step ahead of myself is an interesting project... It's reassuring to know you both have faith in my approach!
Just past 44 hours now and still feeling OK (ish). Energy levels fluctuating a bit (swinging between feeling hyper and exhausted). Took an hours nap this afternoon and felt a lot better (no problems sleeping so far - quite the opposite). Have to admit to being a little bit testy at times today but apart from that all in all no worse than a mild cold.
Off out to see a comedy gig this evening - should be a good distraction and then I envisage lots of sleep - feel like I've been hard at work all day when in fact I've been lounging around!
Thanks both for the continued support and advice - day 2 nearly done!
Good morning Jillygirl and everyone, a very wet day here today not sure if things will brighten up but we can all hope. Hilarious about the lighter incident, funny I still carry one in my bag, no idea why, habit I suppose. I have been struggling over the last few weeks with my quit seems really strange to be almost 6 months in and struggling! I keep focussing but some days I get really bad as if I have only just quit and then getting that thought out of your mind suddenly becomes the focus of your day. Has anyone else so far in had the same problems?
monkyAdministratorCake sniffer outer• in reply toKaprin
Morning Kaprin,
Yep, looks like being a wet day here too gal but hey-hooooo its the flippin weekend, sooooo what do we expect
Sorry, I've never been quit for that long, but just a thought, have you started doing something again, that you used to do when you smoked, so it keeps reminding you, if that makes sense
Kaprin you are doing so brilliantly and I am so sorry that you are facing this struggle now. I'm sure EmJay will advise that this is quite normal, and I just want to remind you that in the early days of your stop your focus was mainly on your recovery, so now you are feeling better the nic monster has decided to raise it's ugly head and remind you of its existence - just to try to tempt you back again!
I know beyond doubt that you don't want to smoke, you've come this far and you are doing so well so there is no way you want to give up giving up. So it's time to put you in the boxing ring with the nic monster so you can knock seven bells of out it and tell it to sod off with all of us cheering you on!
I think there is a kind of plateau at around 6 months - I know I've given up giving up at the 5 - 6 months mark a couple of times before and part of that is because people do stop asking how you are doing - but not on here lady.......it's so good that you opened up on here because we will cheer you on as you do battle with the nic monster and we want you to win that battle
My head isn't bad at all this morning, other than thinking about what I'm going to do today - hey the sun is shining here although there are plenty of clouds as well - but hopefully you will be okay for getting your van fixed!
Now I need to get some fruit, which will be the third load this week! Plus some mouthwash and some loo rolls - can you think of anything else I need to get or is that it?
monkyAdministratorCake sniffer outer• in reply toChrissieG
Good morning Chrissie
Just on my coffee break at the moment
Hmmm, shopping eh what about some more of that red milk you got last night and some cheese of course Is that mouthwash pink by the way ? to go with your tongue
Coffee break eh? Well I hope that means that your task is going well
I have to say that although the red milk does sound tempting, I'm actually more of a binge drinker than a regular one - I only tend to drink 1 night per week unless I have a particularly social weekend (like 3 weeks ago) when I drink on both Friday and Saturday night - oh the other thing is, I tend not to drink on a school night
I want to make it clear that my tongue is pink even before I brush my teeth let alone use mouthwash - I know you are jealous of my beautiful pink tongue, but I can't help that!
Oh there's something else I've considered - can you help? I have not had a cough since I stopped smoking but I never really had a cough before I stopped, not like a smokers cough anyway - BUT before I stopped and even now, my nose is always streaming in the morning and it only ever lasts a little while and then it stops again - so could it be possible that my lungs are clearing out through my nose?
Hey how are you getting on with the lower patch? I'm still on the lower e-liquid but I have topped it up a couple of times with the higher one when it was completely tasteless and therefore a bit frustrating! But most of the time it's just the lower one. Actually I might pop into my e-cig shop today to buy the stronger tasting versions they do, just to see if it's any better!
So how are you getting on? xx
monkyAdministratorCake sniffer outer• in reply toChrissieG
Aup Chrissie, I hope you've done all your shopping and are now chilaxing with your feet up gal
Yes thankyou, my task has gone well, just gave it a test drive and nooooo wheels fell off
I'm not jealous of your beautiful pink tongue at all see, cos ave got a beautiful red tongue Hmmmm, I will definitely have to find a very good hiding place for tonight
As for your runnnnnny nose Chrissie, this may well be a release point for your lungs to get rid of all that erm, stuff eh Al - Pinkiezoom - said that she diddent have the cough when she first quit, but had a runny nose flu thing
Its been harder for me this week, even at work, which is my easy time of it, but have just had a few more lozenges and a few more puffs of my inhaliator and got by Its been harder today though, cos I've had to use my 1 brain cell to the utmost I tell ya but am managing at the moment thank you
Your doing ever so well Chrissie and am so so proud of you gal you've only been quit for very nearly 5 weeks, so just give it time eh and just keep cutting down bit by bit, as you are doing I know you will get to be nicotine free Chrissie, cos you are so positive about it
Aup Monky! Oh I do love it when we have our little catch up chats - it sounds like you've probably been doing better than you feel you have on your lower patch which is fantastic, and you know if you just keep going you will get used to it and will feel fine again! Well done you
As for sticking out your very red tongue at me, I shall ignore it because i just know you are jealous!!
I am sitting with my feet up at the moment as I don't have to cook tonight as Danielle has gone out for the evening. It'll do her good as she's been studying too much and she's also feeling sad about going back tomorrow - poor little love is such a home bunny! Although I know she'll be fine when she gets back, apart from all the exams of course!!!
I now feel ready for a lovely cup of coffee - by the way, that is the next addiction I intend to give up - I'm thinking of trying it next weekend actually (long weekend, time to recover if you know what I mean!) xx
monkyAdministratorCake sniffer outer• in reply toChrissieG
Huh, typical flippin Woman, here's me working my socks offfff, and you've got your flippin feet up, annnnnd no cooking to do ermmm, ahhh, cheese saunies tonight then
OY, I aint jealous of your flippin pink tongue see, well not much eh
I hope Danielle has a lovely evening I suspect Mums got to go and pick her up later
Soooo what you going to substitute for coffee then ? xx
Erm, I think I'll buy decaffinated and at least I can still enjoy the taste - I know in the past when I've stopped coffee I've really suffered with a terrible headache and even nausea, which is why I'm planning it for next weekend so I've got time to recover.
I might actually think about doing it the same way as I'm reducing the nicotine - 1 full coffee then say 2 decaffs, or something like that - hmm, that's worth thinking about!
Although there is a coffee that is half and half - that might be easier to work out!
monkyAdministratorCake sniffer outer• in reply toChrissieG
Yep, if I was you and with your brain Chrissie, then go for the half & half gal much easier
monkyAdministratorCake sniffer outer• in reply toChrissieG
Sorryyyyyyyyyyyy
monkyAdministratorCake sniffer outer• in reply toChrissieG
Joking apart Chrissie, a few Years ago I tried dumping coffee and got a rite thick head and it wasnt until one of my Sisters told me that it could be due to not having coffee !! I just didnt know how much hold coffee can have on you
Hey, what about cheese, cos I know you like it and I love it too gal
Oh yes, my boss told me all about it! He has actually seen research where they scanned the brain of a "caffeine dependent" and a "non caffeine dependent first thing in the morning. The non dependent's brain looked bright and normal and the dependent's brain looked a bit dull - then they gave the dependent a cup of coffee and scanned the brain again - this time it lit up like a pinball machine! How amazing is that!
So as I obviously have a very dull brain in the morning, I'm more likely to pick the caffeine than the decaff so maybe the half and half would be a good compromise!
monkyAdministratorCake sniffer outer• in reply toChrissieG
Hmmm, I will see how you get on with it then perhaps try it myself eh xx
Morning All, a drab looking day here across Liverpool ways
Briarwood, loving the cheeky monkey coffee
JillyGirl, that's fab! Looks like smoking is slowly but surely becoming denormalised
Pete, I'm planting some sweet peas today, they are in a little pot at the moment, about 4inches tall... Shall I put them in a rage pot it angling basket? Do they prefer growing up or down? :0
Kaprin, keep at it. You will eventually be able to let it go. You've smoked long enough for the memory to stay with you you see. You're doing well Missus
Hey James, just take each hour as it comes, this will then turn into half a day, then another full day will have passed
Hey Gibbers, how are you doing?
Chrissie, thumbs up for your great advice to James
I'm going to shift my back end now, get puppy dog walking, clean the chucks and hoggies and get planting
Shall pop my head round the door later for a pit stop
monkyAdministratorCake sniffer outer• in reply toEmJay
Aup Emjay, I hope your well
Sweet peas usually grow up but you can get trailing ones for hanging baskets, I've got Sweetie for my hanging baskets. If you want to put them in tubs, to make the sweet peas bush out, then pinch the growing tips out, this will make them sprout more shoots from the leaf joints
Normally, you would grow them up sticks or some form of support for them to cling too, enjoyyyyyyyyy
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Well how did you light the cake 
but hey-hooooo its the flippin weekend, sooooo what do we expect 
