Quiting Smoking- HELP

[firedoc5]

OK, I'm trying it again. Trying to quit smoking. :banghead: I was a late bloomer. I didn't evev start smoking until I was 32. My only excuse is divorce. I took my divorce very hard, probably too hard. It seemed to help with anxiety and panic attacks. Some say I might have been in a self destructive period, which is possible. Of course I said I could quit when things calmed down. Boy, was I wrong. And what's even more stupid is that after having pneumonia my asthma came back as an active COPD. I've got smokes in one pocket and an inhaler in the other. :sign3: I've always kept it under a pack a day, but you know what they say, just one cigarette is too many.

I've tried the patches, lozenges, some kind of all natural pills, etc. Actually what helped the most was munching on jelly bellys. But still couldn't quite do it. :dontknow: Any and all suggestions would be appreciated.

[JakeEMTP]

I had a friend who was a 2 pack a day smoker (no, not me). He went to his primary physician and was given Chantex to help him quit. The premise is, it weens you off nicotine instead of trying to quit cold turkey, which seldom works.

I too am an ex-smoker and know how hard it is to quit.

Give it a try, it worked for him. He hasn't had a cigarette in almost 9 mths. 8)

[itku2er]

Well doc I am with you there I am trying to quit also not many know that.... I am getting rather bitchy too, but good luck to you we can do the buddy system dont know how well that will work over the net but we can try it if you want....

good luck dude...

terr

[PCB]

Start doing heroin.. Just kidding. I used patches, but I didn't have any success until maybe the 3rd time I used them. You really have to want to quit. The patches didn't make the cravings go away, I just didn't feel like killing anyone to take their smokes away from them. Watch the jelly bean thing, it is so easy to put on 25-35 lbs, even without adding anything to your diet to compensate for the smokes. Also, take the money you would spend on the smokes, put it in a sealed can, and after a year, take a week cruise someplace. You'll have plenty of money. Good luck buddy.

PC

P.S. Meaningless sex with lots of nameless women is a much better self destructive behavior then smoking.

[chief darkcloud]

as someone who has quit my advise is this. It will take more than one attempt, you will always have the desire to smoke it just dosn't happen everyday, and the nicotine fits really only last for 5 minutes,(iv timed them) and stress ball in your hand helps. patches help but you have to put them on in the morning and you have to wear them for the perscribed amount of time. it does come down to will power and you have to not let every stress situation send you to the smoking area. i wish you the best and believe me one day the smell will send you up to orbit because to tell you the truth smokers stink.

[SC MedicMike]

Different things work for different people. My wife likes Chantix, I like the patch. My suggestion is this: Whatever adjunct you use, treat quitting as a process. Give yourself time and forgive yourself when you stumble.

When you pick a quit date, after you've smoked your last cigarette the night before, Febreeze everything in your house and car. That way you start your first day experiencing a fresh scent, rather than the stale ashtray smell that will make you want to light up. Later, the latter smell will make you want to gag.

Quitting smoking is an ongoing commitment. Good luck & hang tough!

[firedoc5]

Well doc I am with you there I am trying to quit also not many know that.... I am getting rather bitchy too, but good luck to you we can do the buddy system dont know how well that will work over the net but we can try it if you want....

good luck dude...

terr

Sure, I'll try the buddy system.

I've asked two docs about Chantix. One said he didn't know all that much about it yet so he didn't want to prescribe it. The other said that he only gives it as a last ditch effort and he didn't want to go the chemical route to quit. I started insisting that I felt it was a last ditch effort. I think I'm going to get a third opinion on it. Another doc told me about a year ago that the patches are what she preferred no matter what. Go figure.

For awhile I was justifying smoking because I knew so many docs and nurses and other medical professionals that smoked, so why not. If they weren't concerned enough about it effecting their health, why should I. One medic I worked with was in the habit so much that when we got a call he would have to light up when he got behind the wheel. You know those little signs in ambulances that say "No Smoking"? He, and others I worked with, said it only pertained to those in back. But that was years and years ago.

[itku2er]

doc do you believe in the signs if so tomorrow is the best time to quit just dont smoke tomorrow and it will be easy so they say that is what i am gonna do. Wont hurt to try there was a woman at work that quit by the signs and she has been quit for 3 years now.

terr

[firedoc5]

doc do you believe in the signs if so tomorrow is the best time to quit just dont smoke tomorrow and it will be easy so they say that is what i am gonna do. Wont hurt to try there was a woman at work that quit by the signs and she has been quit for 3 years now.

terr

I'm not sure. In the past I've said that "I'll quit tomorrow". But when tomorrow got here, I'd say "I'll definitely quit tomorrow". It's just an ongoing thing. I guess will power is one of my weaknesses, at least when it comes to smoking. It's actually a bit embarrassing. I quit drinking with very little effort, so why not smoking?

[AnthonyM83]

Pay for one of the hypnosis stop smoking programs (with a hypnotherapist, not a tape). Countless people have stopped that way. Usually people put it off as a last resort, but it ends up being the most effective. Usually takes one day.