I Quit Smoking!

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

Hooray for me! I’m so proud of myself.

On Februrary 2nd, I quit smoking. I bought myself a pack of nicotine gum, and a pack of Quest no-nicotine cigarettes. (Had I known how horrible nictone gum is, I doubt I would have started smoking!)

My doctor had put me on Welbutrin for my back pain a few weeks before, and mentioned pointedly that it also helped people quit smoking. I attribute the ease of quitting to it.

Really, it wasn’t bad. I was a bit cranky for a couple of days, but other than that, I was fine. I guess I was expecting it to be a lot worse, from the stories I have heard.

I bought the Quest cigarettes because I was worried that the worst part of quitting would be changing my behavior patterns . . . how would I deal without that morning cigarette, or the one after dinner? Another benefit of the Quest cigarettes was that they were vaguely unpleasant, so smoking became an unenjoyable habit.

So, for those who have successfully quit, do you have any tips for me? (It’s now been a week, and I’m sure I’m over my physical addiction-- it’s the habit that’s hard to break.) What helped you keep from smoking again?

2

Have you gotten drunk yet?

I think I’ll need to quit drinking before I can quit smoking…

Congrats. It’s early in the game. Don’t give up.

3

Congrats!!! Piece of advice — Don’t ever, ever, ever have another puff. I quit for 9 years — yes 999999999999999 years!!!. Was being a smart___ at a party and took a puff. The next day I was smoking again just like I never quit. It has been 7 years since that and I’m still trying to quit again.
GOOD LUCK AND GOOD FOR YOU!!!
:smiley:

4

Congrats!

My only tip is to keep an eye on your weight – I gained 40 pounds ( :eek: ) when I quit and haven’t taken it off yet, almost five years later. I really wish I had been more conscious of it at the time. OTOH, every time I see my doctor, I say, “you’re going to yell at me about my weight, aren’t you?” and she says “yeah, take off some of the weight – but you’re so much better off carrying some extra weight than you are smoking two packs a day.”

5

Fantastic! Good for you! I quit on February 7/00. Haven’t looked back.

6

Good for you! I’ve been quit for 17 months, after smoking since I was 16. I gained weight, too, but have lost it now.
I agree, it’s never ever safe to take even one puff again. I have a friend who quit 45 years ago and he says he wouldn’t dare take another puff. It’s only your next ciggie you have to resist.

Keep your hands busy. Crafts are amazingly good for this if you can find something that interests you.

Best of luck.

7

Hooray! Hooray! Keep at it, I’m so glad for you!

8

I can’t agree more with the “Not Another Puff” crowd. I quit last year for 9 months, lost 30lbs, was jogging 3 miles 3 times a week, and feeling great. I even survived many nights out with the boys drinking at the bars and didn’t cave in on a single smoke.

Then, for no reason whatsoever, I bummed one smoke from a friend and… :frowning:

I’ve been trying to quit again for the last 4 months. During the week, Monday through Friday, I generally do just fine. Weekends when I have a few beers with friends, etc., I cave every time. I just can’t seem to get that will-power back in line to get totally free again.

DO NOT EVER SMOKE ONE SINGLE CIGARETTE AGAIN!! DO NOT BELIEVE THAT LITTLE VOICE THAT SAYS “IT IS JUST ONE…”.

Congrats on that first step, it is indeed the hardest part.

9

Well Good Luck Lissa! I am approaching 17 months (next week).

A few things:
How long have you been smoking? The less you are addicted the easier it should be to quit.

Keep in mind that your body has been receiving nicotine via the gum so you have not gone through total withdrawal. I also thought that Quest was a program (like the patch) and they actually had a small amount of nicotine in them. Until you have stopped taking nicotine you will not be able to get past the physical addiction.

As already stated, never have another cigarette. I am a little suspiscious about those Quest cigs. I don’t know anyone who has used it successfully to quit. Although my cousin did have one (as a goof) and went back to smoking shortly after. YMMV.

I used the patch and it worked great for me. I recommend it to anyone who is serious about quitting. The key is not to quit the patch until you have completed the program. I have seen many friends think they broke the habbit and decided not to buy the patch anymore. They were smoking again before they knew it (myself included, many years ago). Of course I am sure there are people who were able to not need the patch anymore too.

I also liked the patch because I got used not smoking while I was being weened off the nicotine. After the patch was complete I wasn’t still wondering what to do with my hands. I was already past that. The difference with the patch is that my withdrawal came 10 weeks after I had stopped smoking but it was for a much lower amount of nicotine dependence so it was less intense than before. After a few days the withdrawal was done and I never looked back.

Don’t think that quitting cold turkey is anyway more nobel than using an aide. Nicotine is a very addictve drug that should not be taken lightly. Anytime I hear someone say (or seem to imply) they are a better quitter because they quit cold turkey means they really don’t understand the addiction and how different people need different help. Whatever works is what is best for you.

Also it is very important to not want to smoke anymore. Sounds stupid but its true. I am not sure if you have tried before but I had and failed at least 5 other times. I was actually missing the smoking and that is a bad sign. The last time I quit I really was mentally prepared for the challenge and overcoming the habit. I don’t miss it at all.

Oh and I kept going to bars while on the patch so I got used to drinking and not smoking. It didn’t hurt that 6 months after I quit they banned smoking in NY bars too. I was already ahead of the game.

Good luck!!

10

Well I did a quick check on Quest and I was right. Even the “Nicotine Free” Quest contains nicotine. It is only a trace amount (.05mg per cig) but it is there.

They also have the following warning on their website

“WARNING: This product is NOT intended for use in quitting smoking. Quest is for smokers seeking to reduce their nicotine exposure.”

http://www.questcigs.com/

11

Congatulations on quitting! I quit on January 29th. I went on Wellbutrin, too. To keep myself accountable, I joined a smoking cessation program at work (it still meets), and got the gum. AND I joined quitnet.com. I took all the support I could get.

I also learned to knit last year, preparing for the quit, thinking that keeping my hands busy would help. Another thing I do is use nice smelling hand lotion.

I can’t hang out in bars yet. I tried to see a friends band last weekend and I had to leave early. I KNOW I would have bummed one if I stayed much longer.

I think the worst part of quitting was before I actually quit, and all the time I spent thinking about quitting. I still think about it, but now I surprise myself with how often I’m not thinking about it.

Good luck to you! Remember it’s the best thing you can do for your health!

12

I’m a bit confused.

Is Wellbutrin both a back medicine and quit smoking aide? Or is it a back medicine that can also help in quitting smoking?

Meow meow, you were prescribed specifically to quit smoking or do you also have back pain?

13

As far as I knew, Wellbutrin is an antidepressant. It contains bupropion that can lessen the craving to smoke…The doctor prescribed this instead of the quit aid Zyban, which also contains bupropion. Most insurance companies do not cover Zyban yet. I was prescribed it specifically for quitting smoking.

No back pain here. Had no idea Wellbutrin was prescirbed for back pain.

14

Wellbutrin is actually an anti-depressant. (They’ve recently started advertising it on television.) It’s also the same drug as “Zyban” which is marketed as a smoking cessession aid.

In my case, the doctor prescribed Wellbutrin because it’s supposed to increase pain tolerance. I had some wacky side effects for a few weeks, but I stuck it out, waiting until the drug reached its full bio-availability. I haven’t noticed any benefit as to my back pain, but it did help me quit smoking, so it was worth it.

Eleusis, I don’t drink. I can’t, because of the medicines I take for my back pain. Nor have I ever been a fan of the “bar scene.” (Often, when hubby wants to go out for beers with his friends, and wants me to come along, I bring a good book!)

twickster, my doctor would actually be happy if I put on some more weight. I’m a small person, who doesn’t have much “meat” on me. I eat normally-- it’s just the way nature made me.

NYR407, I only used the gum for a few days, and the Quest cigs are gone. Both of them were so unpleasant, I was glad to see them go!

I’ll admit, I have had a couple of puffs from a borrowed cig, but it didn’t throw me back into addiction. The way I look at it, I shall stick to one concrete rule: I will never buy a pack of cigarettes again, nor will I be in possession of a pack. My natural embarassment at asking to bum things will keep me from borrowing them very often. If there are no cigarettes around, I can’t smoke.

I’m determined. I’ve smoked for almost nine years now. When I think about all of the money I have wasted, and how many books that it could have bought, I feel like kicking myself. I WILL succeed in this. As God is my witness, I’ll never be a smoker again!

My husband is being very supportive. I get “rewards” for success. I’m getting lots of books to keep me occupied, and little vacations on the weekends to celebrate. (Aren’t non-smoking hotel rooms so much nicer?) He tells me every day that he’s proud of me.

I’ve told everyone I know that I’m quitting, so I’ll be embarassed if I fail.

15

I’ve never smoked, but I’ve watched a few friends trying to quit. YOU GO! WOOO!

And yes, aren’t the non-smoking rooms SO MUCH nicer? Last year I had to stay in a smoking room because we had a cat with us (it was something of an emergency situation) and it was just horrible. Never again! I’ll sleep in the lobby first!

16

Congratulations! Believe me, this is a decision that will change your life. One day you’ll look back and think: what was I thinking?

I’m currently on my 2nd month, though I had quit for two years a few years ago. The only tip I can give you is that you have to persevere. Remember that there is NO EXCUSE for lighting up, even once. One cigarette only makes you want another.

I’m surprised that you’re already over your physical addiction. That must be the effect of the Wellbutrin and nicotine gum. I once tried Zyban and it had no effect at all (well, it did have unpleasant side-effects). I use the patch now and still get major cravings once in a while. You just have to know they will come and know how to deal with it (I drink water and/or exercise).

Don’t look back!

17

Honestly, I am, too. I was expecting a lot of cravings and irritability. Even the couple of puffs I have had didn’t make me want to go back to smoking. (Except, of course, the habit as a behavior-- you know, automatically reaching for a smoke.)

Zyban/Wellbutrin doesn’t work well for everyone. When I first started taking it, I had VERY unpleasant side-effects. To put it bluntly, I was as nervous as a whore in church. I was jittery, anxious, and irritable for about three weeks.

Thankfully, once the benefits of the drug started to kick in, these subsided. I’m now back to normal. I waited a full seven weeks to make sure the drug was at it’s peak effects before I stopped smoking.

19

I quit May 5th of this year. I agree with all the others who say never smoke another one again. Ever.

GO you!!!

20

I quit for 3 weeks in December. I’ve smoking for almost 13 years and I’m only 22 so it was incredibly diffficult and I caved and had a few on New Years Eve.

I’ve been joking that it was my New Years Resolution to start smoking again.

Anyway, I can feel that I’m getting close to the end of my relationship with tobacco. December was the first time I even tried to quit and I went three weeks so I think I’ll talk to my doctor soon and maybe get something to help me quit for good this time.

21

Congratulations! You know, of course, that it’s the best decision you could’ve possibly have made.

For the record, I still smoke regularly, but at least I feel like I know “how” to quit, I just need to commit to it. And it wasn’t by thinking “DON’T EVER SMOKE ANOTHER CIGARETTE.” It’s been successful for some people, a lot of people actually, but not for me. The problem is that puts the idea in your head that you’re denying yourself of something you enjoy, because you know it’s bad for you.

What has worked better for me was simply to think of myself as a non-smoker. It wasn’t that I was denying myself of cigarettes, it was that I simply didn’t want them anymore. Not because I knew it was something I wasn’t supposed to do, not because of the health risks – because frankly, I’ve never felt physically ill from smoking (although of course I’m not naive enough to think that means it’s not dangerous). If your mindset is that you’re keeping yourself from something you like because you know it’s bad for you, then there’s always the temptation/avoidance thing going on. If your mindset is just that you don’t want it anymore, then there’s no temptation.

When I’ve had the most success quitting, it’s been when I think of cigarettes like sushi. I’ve tried it, and while it’s not that bad, it’s not as if I need to have it. I just don’t want it. That, to me, was more calming than any number of patches, or pieces of gum, or fake cigarettes, or whatever (and I’ve tried them all). It’s a fairly subtle distinction, but it worked for me and it wasn’t immediately obvious back when I was thinking “tomorrow I quit and it’s my last day and I’ll never be able to enjoy another cigarette again.”

Granted, this would be more convincing if I’d actually quit, but I think it’s the way to go. Congrats! I would say “good luck,” but you don’t need it – you’re simply a non-smoker now.