Congrats to you, xcheopis!!! I had been smoking for… um… a very long time, and on October 6, 2000 at 6:03 PM EST, I quite smoking 2+ packs a day. This was the first time I had attempted to quit, so I feel quite wonderful about the entire thing. The Zyban mighta helped, but this has been soooooooo hard! I fell off the wagon twice, but each time only for a minute or two. I never want to smoke again, and it’s so wonderful hearing from somebody who has been clean for eleven years. Congrats again, and CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYBODY who has been able to quit.
[sub]I love shopping with all the money I’m saving! Um, oh… well, I guess I’m not really saving it then, huh?[/sub] 
I quit 6 months ago. I couldn’t stand being out of breath just walking up the stairs. My motivation factor was watching my father, my uncle and my grandfather all have multiple by-pass surgeries, within a three month period. Needless to say, that scared me out of a three pack a day habit. I feel like a new guy now. I gained weight, but i can always lose that. I can’t come back from the dead.
Anyway, good luck guys. It’s not as bad as it seems. After a while, I hardly thought about smoking. The most difficult part for me was resisting the urge while drinking alchohol and coffee.
Again, good luck.
I quit three weeks ago and I have already sided with the snooty Californians(and others) who hate cigarette smoke. This is the longest I have resisted the urge EVER. I think it’s gonna stick this time. Congrats to all the other quitters. 
I’m on the wagon again. Just about three days now. Got ditched by the guy I was seeing and reckoned I may as well try to quit smoking now while I’m already feeling like shit. Seems to be working ok. Made it through the first test (spending 45 mins in his company last night, at one point of which he offered me a cigarette) without too much temptation. Second test is tonight - I’ll be out in the pub. Wish me luck …
That’s funny ruadh… I started smoking again when I broke up with my GF 4 months ago. I’m sorry to hear about your break-up, BTW.
But I quit smoking again when I came back from Scotland 3 weeks ago. OK, I smoked a little when I visited Spiny Norman 2 weeks ago, but that was it.
Just found this thread, figured I’d join in …
I smoked my last cigarette about 36 hours ago. So I’ve been smoke free for about a day and a half.
I almost gave in tonight, when I went to put gas in my truck, but instead of buying cigarettes I bought chewing
gum. Cheaper and healthier, and freshens breath too.
Considering I haven’t been smoke free for even 2 days, I figured I’d ask some of you more experienced ex-smokers what
to expect. How bad will the cravings be? I’m going cold turkey, not including various chewing gum [not nicotine gum].
Thus far I’ve been surprised how tame the cravings have been, but I figure they’ll get worse.
I went cold turkey, too. Both times.
I had trouble sleeping for about 2 weeks, I had headaches for about 1 week, and I sweated a bit more. I had serious cravings for about 3, 4 days. After that, you realise 99% of the addiction is mental and not physical.
For three days I was an absolute nut case!!! I couldn’t attend to anything for more than a minute or two, and Iswore to myself (and to anybody who would listen to me) that this was the only time I would ever quit. The physical cravings were so horrible that I couldn’t imagine going through them again.
After those first days though, I had to deal with only the mental stuff. “Only”! (25 second graders can really take a person to the edge, btw.) When it gets bad, I shop – reasoning that I’m spending my “cigarette money.” Hey, it works for me.
Best of luck to everybody
I went cold turkey a little more than a month ago.
This time, cravings weren’t bad. I guess it’s because I’ve been so busy lately that I haven’t had time to crave anything.
There are a couple little pangs here and there throughout the course of the day, though. For me, the toughest cig to give up is the first smoke of the morning - the one I used to have while still in bed, just after making coffee and tuning in to CNN. Only slightly less tougher is the cigarette enjoyed with a favorite cocktail at a bar after work, especially when all of my friends are smoking.
But it’s going okay and I really honestly haven’t had even one cigarette in over a month. I’ve finally learned my lesson: I can’t even smoke one. If I smoke one, I will buy a pack. If I buy a pack, I will get right back into the habit. So that’s pretty much it. No more cigs for me for the rest of my life.
I went cold turkey too. As you can see by my smoke meter above, I’m on two months plus.
That’s the good part. The first two or three weeks are the worst. I got vicious withdrawl symptoms - shaky hands, cold sweats, tunnel vision, upset stomach - the works.
That and the psychological/habit pangs. I’d find myself looking for my pack of cigarettes whenever I got up to go outside for any reason. It would take me a moment or two to remember I quit.
Now, I don’t miss it at all. I’m not disgusted by other’s smoking, but I don’t pang for one. If someone offered me a smoke in a bar or something (yeah, like that would happen in California), I wouldn’t be the least bit tempted.
To tell the truth - I do still like the smell of it. If I walk past someone on the street smoking a but, I’ll try to walk through the smoke-cloud and get a whiff. It reminds me of when I was a kid and my father smoked non-stop. Luckily - he’s still alive and healthy having quit himself about 15 years ago.
By the way, CRUNCHY FROG, where the hell are you???
Oi, I made it. And it was bloody difficult, thank you (especially 'cause the guy who ditched me was in the pub tonight and doing his best to talk to me as little as possible :() I just told myself that I had two choices: wake up tomorrow 100% miserable, or wake up tomorrow 95% miserable but at least with the knowledge that I DIDN’T SMOKE. I chose the latter. I’m sure tomorrow I’ll be happy about it …
Non-smoker since June 24, thanks to Stoid, who in another thread (about lung cancer) told me about the Allen Carr book – Allen Carr’s Easy Way to Stop Smoking ($6.98, paid for itself in two days).
Very weird experience. I wasn’t particularly motivated and had just bought a carton the day before I stopped.
It really was painless – the book just helped me get my mind straight, and once that happened, it was easy. Had my last smoke before I finished the book and haven’t even wanted one since. No will power involved. (Thankfully, since I have none.)
A woman at work said “Well, you must not have really been a smoker.” (Huh?) Yeah, right. I’m 56 years old and had smoked since age 14 except for a period of about 8 years in my 40’s (after hypnosis), took it up again and had been smoking for almost another 10 years. Sometimes two packs a day, always at least one. Chain-smoked while on the computer at home, in the car, on the phone, outside at work in temps of 30 below and 105 above. Dedicated smoker.
No withdrawal, just relief that I don’t have to smoke anymore.
Now watch me get hit by a bus.
Best of luck to everyone, with whatever method suits you. Something will work for you.
Just wanted to bring it up again to see how everyone is doing. my meter currently says:
Two months, two weeks, 13 hours, 33 minutes and 14 seconds.
1511 cigarettes not smoked,saving $302.26.
Life saved: 5 days, 5 hours, 55 minutes.
And last week I bought myself a GPS unit with my cigarette savings.
I used the patch, but went off of it after step 2. I just didn’t feel like I needed it anymore. My energy level is sky-high and I can run up and down stairs and not feel like I’m going to die.