# Smoke-free for nearly 24 hours now **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 6, 2005, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smoke-free-for-nearly-24-hours-now/320389 "2005-09-06T19:20:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![THespos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8c91f0/32.png) [@THespos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/THespos)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smoke-free-for-nearly-24-hours-now/320389/1 "2005-09-06T19:20:02Z")
The summer is over. Gas prices are at an all-time high. Sounds like a great time to quit cigarettes. I’ve quit once before and managed to go smoke-free for a few years. It all came crashing down one night when I got hammered at an NYC watering hole and asked a friend for a cigarette because I wanted to remember what they tasted like. Of course, I woke up with a pack sitting on my dresser. And wouldn’t it have been a shame if I simply threw them out instead of finishing off the pack? How stupid of me. That was five years ago. So now I’m quitting again. So far, the cravings are much worse than last time. I’m having trouble concentrating, yet I want to start Pit rants about everything. But I definitely think I can do this. The toughest part is dealing with those natural breaks in my work day, which is when I would normally head out to the fire escape for a smoke. I catch myself and walk over to the water cooler instead. Last time I did this, my cravings were totally gone after about 2 weeks. So I’m aiming for 2 weeks without smokes. If I can make it that far, I can quit for good. I’m going to be an intolerable snot for a while. I’d like to appoint a Doper to help me by making excuses for me. Any volunteers? Duties would include following me around from thread to thread and following up my posts with “Oh, don’t mind THespos. He’s just grumpy as hell because he’s quitting cigarettes this week.” In closing, I’d like to reiterate that my giving up of the habit doesn’t necessarily equate to my joining the ranks of the anti-smoking nazis. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Pixisis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@Pixisis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixisis)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smoke-free-for-nearly-24-hours-now/320389/2 "2005-09-06T19:27:24Z")
Good luck **Thespos**! I’d offer to be your excuse doper, but i’m not sure we’re on the same time … however, if your regularly appointed excuse doper misses one, i’d be happy to pinch hit. ---
**Author:** ![Fromage\_A\_Trois](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a88e57/32.png) [@Fromage\_A\_Trois](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fromage_A_Trois)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smoke-free-for-nearly-24-hours-now/320389/3 "2005-09-06T19:30:18Z")
Good luck from me too… you’ve done it all before but I know it’s not easy - I quit about 18 months ago (and in fact, before that had had a similar quit, then one smoke, then back on them for a few years, situation) - if I can do it, you definitely can! ---
**Author:** ![Tupug\_Anachi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@Tupug\_Anachi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tupug_Anachi)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smoke-free-for-nearly-24-hours-now/320389/4 "2005-09-06T19:41:37Z")
I am currently on week eight. I have good motivation. My 48-year-old husband had a massive heart attack eight weeks ago that nearly killed him. You don’t want to go that route. I am using the patch. Honestly, if I’d known how much easier it would make quitting, I’d have done it a long time ago. I also hear Welbutrin (sp?) is working for many people. Cold turkey might be cruel and unnecessary punishment, don’tcha think? ---
**Author:** ![velvetjones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/5f9b8f/32.png) [@velvetjones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/velvetjones)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smoke-free-for-nearly-24-hours-now/320389/5 "2005-09-06T20:40:08Z")
Good luck. I quit on January 2nd of this year. I still have very occasional moments when I’m drinking that I want one but I’ve managed to resist. You can do it. Two weeks is not that long. ---
**Author:** ![Hanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b3f665/32.png) [@Hanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hanna)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smoke-free-for-nearly-24-hours-now/320389/6 "2005-09-06T20:56:47Z")
I have quit smoking for 3 Months, 2 Weeks, 3 Days, 8 hours and 32 minutes (109 days). I have saved $656.13 by not smoking 4,374 cigarettes. I have saved 2 Weeks, 1 Day, 4 hours and 30 minutes of my life. My Quit Date: 5/20/2005 7:30 AM I smoked a LOT. I still get cranky during the day, but the cravings are gone. It does get better. I used Allan Carr’s book “the easyway to stop smoking” or whatever it is called. It has been easier than I thought to quit. I have even been out drinking in smokey bars and haven’t been tempted. Keep it up - it is so worth it! ---
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smoke-free-for-nearly-24-hours-now/320389/7 "2005-09-06T21:35:24Z")
My maternal grandmother, having survived raising my mother and her three siblings, triple-bypass surgery, breast cancer (surgery and radiation), chronic emphyzyma, a minor heart attack, and a recent diagnosis of congestive heart, just quit smoking several months ago. She’s 85 and had smoked for sixty-some years, and just quit cold-turkey. Four months and counting. If she can do it, you can. (and maybe temporarily change your sig to "excuse me, but I’m in withdrawal’?) ---
**Author:** ![THespos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8c91f0/32.png) [@THespos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/THespos)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smoke-free-for-nearly-24-hours-now/320389/8 "2005-09-06T21:38:02Z")
Thanks for the encouragement, y’all. To answer **Tupug Anachi** ’s question, cold turkey is the only way to go for me. Patches or gum will just prolong the agony. Last time I quit, I did the same thing and just got it over with and felt so much better after the 2-week mark, so I’m going with that approach again. **Boscibo** - Awright, where’d ya get the Excel spreadheet or online app that calculates all that stuff for ya? ---
**Author:** ![Hanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b3f665/32.png) [@Hanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hanna)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smoke-free-for-nearly-24-hours-now/320389/9 "2005-09-06T21:41:23Z")
I use this to calculate and keep track: [Quit Keeper](http://www.dedicateddesigns.com/qk/). It keeps me motivated seeing the money add up. ---
**Author:** ![THespos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8c91f0/32.png) [@THespos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/THespos)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smoke-free-for-nearly-24-hours-now/320389/10 "2005-09-06T21:42:35Z")
> [@Boscibo](#): > > I use this to calculate and keep track: [Quit Keeper](http://www.dedicateddesigns.com/qk/). It keeps me motivated seeing the money add up. Cool. Does it have spyware? ---
**Author:** ![Hanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b3f665/32.png) [@Hanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hanna)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smoke-free-for-nearly-24-hours-now/320389/11 "2005-09-06T22:15:19Z")
No spyware according to ad Aware and Spybot. ---
**Author:** ![MadPansy64](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@MadPansy64](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadPansy64)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smoke-free-for-nearly-24-hours-now/320389/12 "2005-09-06T23:26:42Z")
> [@Boscibo](#): > > I use this to calculate and keep track: [Quit Keeper](http://www.dedicateddesigns.com/qk/). It keeps me motivated seeing the money add up. I like that. Sort of. 37 hours, 2 minutes. $10.21 :mad: How long does it take for the psychobitch-cranky-I-wanna-slug-someone-anyone part to go away? At least fade? Good Luck, THespos! ---
**Author:** ![THespos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8c91f0/32.png) [@THespos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/THespos)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2005, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smoke-free-for-nearly-24-hours-now/320389/13 "2005-09-07T13:07:02Z")
**MadPansy64** , for me it takes about 3 days for those “I want to strangle everyone who even talks to me” feelings to go away. Good luck. ---
**Author:** ![peedin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peedin/32/14095_2.png) [@peedin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peedin)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2005, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smoke-free-for-nearly-24-hours-now/320389/14 "2005-09-07T13:23:31Z")
Congratulations. May your quit last forever. I thought about doing my annual “day after Labor Day quit” but just couldn’t. For those of you who have used Allen Carr’s method, please talk about it. I’m re-reading the book after skimming it. What I’m getting is that I’m not quitting because of fear and nicotine addiction. The addiction is easy to get through (according to him) and I shouldn’t be afraid to quit because there’s no benefits to smoking. Is this his message? ---
**Author:** ![THespos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8c91f0/32.png) [@THespos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/THespos)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2005, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smoke-free-for-nearly-24-hours-now/320389/15 "2005-09-07T15:31:37Z")
Update: This morning I woke up with a nearly uncontrollable urge to smoke. Thankfully, there weren’t any packs lying around. I honestly almost went out to my truck to poke through the ashtray to find butts. Instead, I hopped in the shower and tried to get my mind off smoking. Before heading to work, I dumped out the ashtray in my truck, just so I can avoid that temptation again (pitiful, I know…) Today has been fairly okay. I’m still having cravings, but I’m not even coming close to caving. I’ve emptied my pockets of all money so that I won’t be tempted to stop by the deli on the way back from lunch for a pack. I still have this barely controllable urge to be snotty with people. So far, I’ve kept it in check, although I’ve been tempted to go off on this one particular vendor who keeps calling me repeatedly, despite being told “no” at least a dozen times. So, how long before I can claim I’m a non-smoker on dating sites with a clear conscience? ---
**Author:** ![brownie55](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f14d63/32.png) [@brownie55](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brownie55)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2005, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smoke-free-for-nearly-24-hours-now/320389/16 "2005-09-07T15:42:52Z")
Keep up the good work. Just over 18 months here, as an almost 30 year smoker… ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2005, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smoke-free-for-nearly-24-hours-now/320389/17 "2005-09-07T18:17:02Z")
Would The Patch, or some of that nicotine gum, help? If so, by all means use it. And conga-rats on your decision to stop. Here’s wishing you success! ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2005, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smoke-free-for-nearly-24-hours-now/320389/18 "2005-09-07T19:00:57Z")
Sending supporting thoughts your way! Keep up the good work! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2005, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smoke-free-for-nearly-24-hours-now/320389/19 "2005-09-07T20:55:38Z")
It’s been less than 24 hours since my last cigarette. 20 hours? 19? Man, I want one! I’ve found a little green-and-chocolate mint. It’ll have to do. ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2005, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smoke-free-for-nearly-24-hours-now/320389/20 "2005-09-07T21:11:57Z")
You can do it! Two years, two weeks, four days, 21 hours, 22 minutes and 30 seconds. 18747 cigarettes not smoked, saving $2,624.62. Life saved: 9 weeks, 2 days, 2 hours, 15 minutes. Man, I wish I really had that $2600. 😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smoke-free-for-nearly-24-hours-now/320389.md?page=2)