# Quitting smoking (effects of?) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 31, 2001, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quitting-smoking-effects-of/67045 "2001-05-31T04:32:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![catmandu42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3ab097/32.png) [@catmandu42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/catmandu42)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2001, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quitting-smoking-effects-of/67045/1 "2001-05-31T04:32:11Z")
Well, I’ve finally decided to “kick the habit” I’ve had for the last 15 years or so, namely smoking. I’ve found a great gal with whom I am much inclined to settle down with, and she is much of the same mind. However, she is allergic to cigarette smoke. I’ve been wanting to quit for a while now, and finally I have that Darn Good Reason to push me over the hump. Now, never having tried this before, my question is… What should I expect from this? What kinds of withdrawal symptoms should I expect to go through? Will anything (like chewing gum or lollipops) help ease the transition? Any advice/observations would be helpful, but keep in mind that I’m not going to use the patch or nicorrette. If I’m going to do this, then I’d like to avoid any nicotene at all for the duration. I hope someone out there has done this and can give me some pointers! ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2001, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quitting-smoking-effects-of/67045/2 "2001-05-31T04:45:56Z")
You might want to check into this thread: [Ex-Smokers Club](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=68060) ---
**Author:** ![gadgetgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c5a1d2/32.png) [@gadgetgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gadgetgirl)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2001, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quitting-smoking-effects-of/67045/3 "2001-05-31T06:57:39Z")
Good for you. I quit just over 3 years ago and yes, its hard, but it is not impossible. This [site](http://quitsmoking.about.com/health/quitsmoking/cs/quitting/index.htm) is a great place to start. SOOO much info. Including “What happens to your body after smoking that last cigarette? After 8 hours? after 72 hours? 9 months? 2 years? More?” And “One of the best Quit Stats trackers out there. Can track just one or up to ten people at one time. Offers individual information such as the money you’ve saved, how long you have quit and how many cigarettes you haven’t smoked.” Very cool stuff. And, of course, a bulletin board. Go figure. Good luck and keep us posted. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2001, 8:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quitting-smoking-effects-of/67045/4 "2001-05-31T08:22:45Z")
I gave up smoking 12 years ago; I’m lucky in that I found it fairly straighforward, you are right about the patches/gum etc, they will only prolong the addiction - if you have firmly decided in your own mind that you will give up, then nothing can stop you and you need no help from substitutes, but a few tips that worked for me (not very original I’m afraid) that might help: **Remember** that you’re giving up beacuse **you** want to; not because you _should._ **Convince yourself** that if you can go without a cigarette for an hour, then you can for two hours, if you can do it for two hours, then why not three?, and so on. **Treat yourself** to rewards along the way (you will easily be able to afford them as you’re not buying cigarettes). **Remove all** tobacco from the house, keeping a pack in reserve ‘just in case’ is admitting defeat. **Make no excuses** - I’ve seen people who trying to give up (but didn’t really want to) use the excuse ‘You’re talking about me giving up, now I want a cigarette’ and things like that. Good luck ---
**Author:** ![Lsura](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Lsura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lsura)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2001, 9:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quitting-smoking-effects-of/67045/5 "2001-05-31T09:26:08Z")
You can get a nifty counter at [silkquit](http://www.silkquit.org). They also have a lot of info, tips, etc. The counter will let you do this: _Three days, 16 hours, 25 minutes and 9 seconds. 110 cigarettes not smoked, saving $19.34. Life saved: 9 hours, 10 minutes._. Which is nice to see during cravings. Come see us over in the thread that Lynn posted. And good luck! ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2001, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quitting-smoking-effects-of/67045/6 "2001-05-31T11:52:00Z")
You may also need to avoid situations where you **always** used to have a smoke, for example if you always have one with your first coffee of the day, you might want to make your first drink a cup of tea or hot chocolate instead, to remove the associated stimulus. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2001, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quitting-smoking-effects-of/67045/7 "2001-06-01T00:35:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mangetout \* > \*\*You may also need to avoid situations where you **always** used to have a smoke, for example if you always have one with your first coffee of the day, you might want to make your first drink a cup of tea or hot chocolate instead, to remove the associated stimulus. \*\* Ach! I’m on day two of not smoking! The problem with this advice is I’d have to stop driving back and forth to work, eating, having sex, drinking any coffee, working, drinking any type of alcohol, and smoking (oh, wait, that’s one I _do_ want to quit!). I guess I’m edgy… 🙂 I, however, _am_ using the patch. I have a bottle of about 150 Xybans, but they can give you seizures if you drink – wish I knew the percentages. The patch does calm the nicotine withdrawal; it’s only the psychological I need to deal with now, such as overcoming my desire to smoke while participating in everything above. Once that’s gone, it’s said nicotine only takes 3-days to get out of the system. I think I’ll be able to quit the patch then simply. Good luck! ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Mxyzptlk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/edb3f5/32.png) [@Mr\_Mxyzptlk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Mxyzptlk)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2001, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quitting-smoking-effects-of/67045/8 "2001-06-01T02:04:33Z")
I quit smoking over 26 years ago. January 1, 1975. The only New Years resolution I ever kept. Some observations and memories I have of that time: You will be a nasty and irritable son of a gun for a short period of time. Just hope your loved ones and family understand what you are going through and apologize when this phase passes. I don’t know if there is a scientific explanation for this phase but you will act as if you have a burr up your butt. Remember this too shall pass. Please, Please watch what you eat and keep exercising. If you are not careful, you will find yourself eating habits being altered and you will soon find your weight going up up up as you use food as a substitute for cigarettes. You have to make a conscious effort to both keep you resolution to not smoke and keep your eating habits in line. After a couple of weeks go into your closet and smell how badly your clothes stink. When I was smoking I couldn’t smell anything on my clothes. My wife used to complain about the smell of my clothes and I thought she was nuts…No she wasn’t. It’s amazing what a few weeks of not smoking will do to your taste buds and nasal passages. And one last thing…I don’t know if anybody else who has quit has encountered this but even after 26 years of not smoking, several times a year I will have a dream in which I am smoking and when I wake up I have to think about whether or not I have started smoking again. Maybe it’s just me. Anyhow, good luck on your effort…Remember it is worth it. We all are pulling for you. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2001, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quitting-smoking-effects-of/67045/9 "2001-06-01T02:33:48Z")
**You will often fondle your left breast.** When you automatically reach for cigarettes in your shirt pocket. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2001, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quitting-smoking-effects-of/67045/10 "2001-06-01T03:17:54Z")
catmandu42 I have just registered to send you this. I gave up smoking last year, after 27 years before the filter. The method I used was in a book I found in a remainder sale. It recommends methods that fly in the face of all common wisdom about giving up smoking…BUT…it really works and is almost fun. I did a quick search and found the following - [http://www.ivillage.co.uk/dietandfitness/experts/guestexp/articles/0,9544,264\_169202-1,00.html](http://www.ivillage.co.uk/dietandfitness/experts/guestexp/articles/0,9544,264_169202-1,00.html) Good Luck ---
**Author:** ![catmandu42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3ab097/32.png) [@catmandu42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/catmandu42)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2001, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quitting-smoking-effects-of/67045/11 "2001-06-01T06:15:41Z")
Well, thanks everyone. I figure that if I can get through the next week or so without brutally killing any snot-nosed kids (I work at an amusement park!), then I’ll be okie-dokey. For Oral fixation, I’ve got a bargain-sized bag of lollipops, so I hope that can do the trick. Here we go… ---
**Author:** ![Carina42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/439d5e/32.png) [@Carina42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carina42)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2001, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quitting-smoking-effects-of/67045/12 "2001-06-01T11:13:15Z")
Way to go, **catmandu**! I’ll add the following. If you must nibble, eat lots of fruit. Being constipated for a while is not that unusual…☹ Also, I became addicted to plastic coffee stir sticks. The ones from 7-11 rock. You can hold them like a cigarette, chew them into little flat shapes, suck on them…& zero calories. I still have them stashed all over the place, & I quit 3 months ago. **Mr Mxyzptlk** , the smoking dreams are a fairly common phenomenon. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2001, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quitting-smoking-effects-of/67045/13 "2001-06-01T13:34:13Z")
The best bit is after a couple of months when your taste buds recover and you realise how wonderful food _really_ tastes. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Gui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@El\_Gui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Gui)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2001, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quitting-smoking-effects-of/67045/14 "2001-06-02T04:11:48Z")
Non-smoker for two months after 6 years of smoking . . couldn’t do it cold turkey though . . had to use the gum but found it easier to quit than what I had expected! I did gain **20 pounds** in three weeks however which is especially noticeable on me since I used to weigh 145lbs . . . ---
**Author:** ![JillGat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@JillGat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JillGat)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2001, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quitting-smoking-effects-of/67045/15 "2001-06-02T05:27:51Z")
Lung Association and Cancer Society have “Quit Smoking” classes based on proven behavior change theories that might be helpful. And you meet other people going through the same thing. Good luck. Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the US.