Long time no see!: Hi everyone, I've drifted... - Quit Support

Quit Support

15,419 members29,997 posts

Long time no see!

andi22 profile image
23 Replies

Hi everyone,

I've drifted away from the site over the last two years but still look in from time to time and it's great to see that the camaraderie and support still continues.  :) 

It's 4 years ago today that I packed up smoking. I discovered the NHS Choices website and was inspired by people on there and joined the forum. They were (still are) a lovely bunch of people, very supportive of each other and a place where you could go to have a rant and a laugh and share the "journey" with people who were going through what you were going through. I'm sure that I wouldn't have done it if it weren't for them. :-)

I did it cold turkey as I always told myself that that would be the only way to do it and to never have a puff again. It was tough at the beginning and I spent a lot of time sitting on my hands and stuffing my face, but I succeeded and to this day I have never had another puff, although I have put on about a stone in weight.

I also discovered the NHS Couch to 5K forum just after and used that a bit to get me running, even though I'd always said that I would never run. (Bad for your knees and back, don't you know, and I need them more for skiing. ;-) ) The programme really helped me to get into the routine of getting out there 3 times a week.

I'm still running and exercising and struggling with the weight  ;-)  but I've never had another puff to this day.

To those of you struggling, you will manage it in your own time and the best time will be when you manage to lose all the aids and finally be free from the hold that the nicotine holds on you.

Onwards and upwards!  :) 

Written by
andi22 profile image
andi22
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
23 Replies
droopyJ profile image
droopyJ

Wow Andi, 4 years is fantastic 😊

Thanks for coming back and posting, it's great to know you are doing so well hun😊 Definitely gives us all hope 😊😊

LilyMay73 profile image
LilyMay73LONG TERM WINNER

Hi Andi, what a great post. Congratulations on 4 years 😊

Maddyg profile image
Maddyg

That's Fantastic Andi . Thanks for posting . what an achievement . It's lovely when you read posts like yours. It gives us newbies hope 

Take Care and good luck with the running 

Maddy x

jillygirl profile image
jillygirlAdministratorQueen Bee

Hello  there Andi !  Great to see you again. It doesnt seem  4 years ago  since we were supporting each other. Mainly having a laugh with Monky.   He has actually made it through the rough patch and now taking  charge of us all. ( He thinks he is  anyway).

Still love him to bits.

Good to know  your still exercising,  your amazing.   :)

Take care. xxxx  :) 

Briarwood profile image
BriarwoodAdministratorDucky

Hi Andi, lovely to see you and 4 years is absolutely brilliant, well done hun👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👍🏼

Still keeping fit I see, although by the looks of it, you're still nodding in the same deck chair😂😂😂

So good to hear you're feeling all the benefits of your quit and thanks for popping in to encourage us to keep going🚭  You truly are a great example of what can be achieved💐😊

Carissa28 profile image
Carissa2810 MONTH WINNER

What a wonderful 4 year mile stone!  I've turned from cigs to sweets...trying to get away from the sweets sooner than later!

andi22 profile image
andi22 in reply toCarissa28

Carissa, I lived on mints when I quit but we used to have discussions about our food cravings, mainly stuff like chocolate, crisps, Hula Hoops and all sorts of rubbish.  ;-)  It was quite some time later that I realised that I was hardly eating the mints any more.

Carissa28 profile image
Carissa2810 MONTH WINNER in reply toandi22

Hi Andi!

I started with tic tacs, but then donuts were much better!  I am trying to stay away from said donuts and pop a sugar free candy with xylitol which is actually good for your teeth!

andi22 profile image
andi22 in reply toCarissa28

Tictacs are good - I still use them.  ;-) 

Isn't xylitol that stuff that acts like a laxative?  :-O 

Carissa28 profile image
Carissa2810 MONTH WINNER in reply toandi22

well if you abuse it, like any other thing we put in our bodies it can have a negative effect, yes, and this one happens to act like a laxative!

 However, I don't even have a serving size, I don't need to, the hard candy lasts a long time, and I feel satisfied for a few hours after having one actually so I think I am safe for now!

monky profile image
monkyAdministratorCake sniffer outer

Thankyou soooooo much Andi for your post, cos am sure it will help a lot of our members :) :)

4 YEARS gal :o :o that is just amazing :) :) Andi, you are one awesome lovely Lady :) :) 

It dosent seam 5 minutes since we all met :o  

Its lovely to hear from you again, it really is  :) :) and av missed ya gal :( :( ermmm, just wandering if you got married yet :o cos you say you've gained a stone in weight, hmmmmm, does that mean we got the pitter patter of tiny feet soon :o :P :P :D :D :D 

TAXIIIIIIIIII :D :D xxxxx

andi22 profile image
andi22

Thanks for all your lovely comments everyone.  :) 

Jilly, so lovely to see that you're still around here.  :) 

Pete, of course I haven't got married you silly bugger!  ;-)  Are you still making your lumpy gravy every Sunday?

Thanks to whoever has updated my badge.  :)

jillygirl profile image
jillygirlAdministratorQueen Bee in reply toandi22

He doesnt change does he?  xx

netanimations.net/Laughing-...

andi22 profile image
andi22 in reply tojillygirl

Nope!  :) 

monky profile image
monkyAdministratorCake sniffer outer in reply toandi22

:P :P :D :D 

monky profile image
monkyAdministratorCake sniffer outer in reply toandi22

Soooooo, what ya upto nowa days Andi  :o 

You still running, cycling :) and I hope your calf has been ok :) :) 

iris8 profile image
iris88 MONTH WINNER

Really inspiring to read a 4yr smokefree member!

Thanks for posting up

glolin profile image
glolinLONG TERM WINNER

Wow!!!!m. 4 years is simply brilliant😀😀 thank you so much for your inspiring post. JUst what our new members need 😀😀💖💖

american_army_guy profile image
american_army_guy6 Weeks Winner

You give hope and courage friend to many that need it like my self....  Question and may help others did all the bad side effects subside for you over time?  

We have many people that suffer for months and my self included and I thought it would be great hearing from you on how you felt quitting and when you started getting better to now.

Anyways, don't be a stranger friend, come back around and talk to us more often!!!!  Congrats!!!!

andi22 profile image
andi22 in reply toamerican_army_guy

I smoked for well over 40 years - started when I was about 13, but I consider myself lucky that smoking didn't seem to affect my health although I think I was starting to spot little things that helped make the decision to quit when I did.

I guess that like any kind of bereavement the first year was the worst. You just think that you're doing just fine then the next little thing pops up and tries to drag you back down again. I used to just tell myself that I didn't do that any more (as in smoke).

You will get there, I'm sure you've already realised that it makes no difference to your ptsd whether you smoke or not so you don't need that crutch any more. You are doing really well, keep up the good work, it will get easier as time goes on.

I'll try to look in from time to time and check up on you.

Don't forget NOPE (Not One Puff Ever)  :) 

american_army_guy profile image
american_army_guy6 Weeks Winner in reply toandi22

Thank you ☺

Madalitso profile image
Madalitso10 MONTH WINNER

Hi Andi

Congratulations on 4 years wow

madametobacco49 profile image
madametobacco49

Hi Andi--I am not likng the weight gain at all-Hard on self esteem--It is so hard to get off--Ive never been this size in my life--I don't think I could run although I am swimming--more like dog paddling and kicking my legs while hanging on a Styrofoam tube and I walk outside and on treadmill--Instead of feeling stronger and losing weight --Im so tired afterwards I want to lay down--I struggled with the breathing thing for a couple months now--it is finally getting better--but that too has hindered me from much exercise-trying to breathe right and exert a little kinda equaled panic mode-This site is wonderful and Im glad you are popping in-I think the worst is over for me except the weight-I love food--and it seems to love me too--You are an inspiration--Thank you xxx MmeT

Not what you're looking for?

You may also like...

long time no see - struggling here...

I keep telling myself to get thru summer and I'll be ok...it's hard. so hard. I've done so good for...
Coco797 profile image
17 Month Winner

2nd May 2012 ......

5 years ago today was my first day of being smoke-free. :-) Hi gang, long time no see. I...
andi22 profile image

My quit journey a long and garbled story

If anyone has seen my reply to jilly girl’s post about quitting and Covid they will know why I quit...
SueAppleRun profile image

Can I really do it this time??

HI everybody, never been on this kind of thing before but stumbled across it at the weekend and...
Tracker2000 profile image
5 MONTH WINNER

Time flies!

Wow, I can't believe it's already been 6 weeks... In some ways it feels like forever ago that I...

Moderation team

See all
Briarwood profile image
BriarwoodAdministrator
jillygirl profile image
jillygirlAdministrator
monky profile image
monkyAdministrator

Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.

Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.