Quiting the Nicotine

[Bustanut joker]

Masturbation.

Hell, it worked for me.

:jester:

 

[wfooshee]

That's still smokin' ain't it? Oh, wait. Got you mixed up with Odot. Sorry.

As for tobacco dependancy, I'm sorry to say I cannot contribute in any way, shape, or form. I've never tried it, not even once; smoked, chewed, whatever. My brother used to smoke, and has quit, dunno how. And as mentioned, he takes the occasional cigar.

 

[Mizz Bustanut]

As for tobacco dependency, I've never tried it, not even once; smoked, chewed, whatever.

Let me guess, you never inhaled either. :haha:

Good for you. Not too many can honestly admit such a thing. Tobacco dependency is an ugly thing.

 

[Big Shasta]

November 20 1995 at 1:00 in the afternoon I lit my last smoke. I told myself that was it, no more. For the next 2 weeks I was miserable, mean and nasty! Then it went away, I have no desire for tobacco anymore. Although I will have a really good Cuban cigar once or twice a year. The real thing about it was I told myself that was it! No more! Cold turkey. It was very hard to do but you must want to quit. I look back and feel it was very easy after all.
Rob

Good Luck!

Same here....Cold turkey the only way. Let EVERYONE around you know that tomorrow is the day and you may be an a-hole but don't take it personally....Also, letting everyone know makes it harder to fall off the wagon.

It's mind over matter....be stubborn and talk yourself through each craving one at a time until they disappear.

 

[Bustanut joker]

Tobacco dependency is an ugly thing.

So's Howies Carnie gurl lust.. But whataya gonna do? :dribble: The guys got a sickness..



:jester:

 

[radman]

Well dood, I'll be with ya-as of 2-21-09 I too shall be on the wagon-again. Glad to hear that Chantix works/helps, as that's my plan also. I have stopped before, 6 months is my best. But, having started at 14, gotten them free from the Army, etc etc, 43 years later, I know it's time. My failing in the past has been thinking I had 'em beat-and having one just because the craving just never stopped, but there is no such thing as one for me. Like booze, one is too many, 12 never enough. If only I can get over the 1 year hump, I think I'll have it. Good luck to you, and especially to me.

 

[dirty ernie]

OK, so I've been addicted to Nicotine oh, for about 25 years...
I smoked from age 14 to about age 25... When my first son was born, my wife put her foot down and said no more smoking in the house. I agreed, but continued for a while, outside and while not at home. When winter came, I realized this was not a good thing. Standing outside in 0 degree weather to get my fix, just plain sucked.

So I did the next best thing, switched up to chew, or dip.

I've been 'dipping' since then or about 15 years.

-About a 5 can a week habit, sometimes more, sometimes less.

Quitting is easy. I've quit at least 4 times. Once for a whole 6 months, with the aid of 'the patch'.

I am clearly nicotine defendant. I am not very fun to be around w/o out it. Which really gives me pause for trying out or applying for shows like Survivor. I really don't want to melt down on national television. Thus I have not pursued a game/reality show career.

Well, it's time. Time to quit.

While my mouth/gums/teeth are generally healthy, my dentist has pointed out that I now have 'lichen planus', which isn't cancerous, but is irritating. It's also fairly common so I hear.

I have tried and will use a number of coping methods. I'll chew gum, toothpics and what not to help, and may try the patch again.

I'm sure there are plenty of people here who have quit, and been successful. If I were heading out on a two week bike trip I'd go cold turkey. But I can't do that to my wife/kids/co-workers. Especially not during these trying economic times.

Thoughts, suggestions? It's tough to quit,but if you really want to you can! I went through the same stuff like toothpicks' an gum but it only prolonged the inevetable. 15 yrs. ago i stopped after smoking for 25 yrs. 1 1/2 packs a day. the key to the door is in you, called willpower. good luck and don't ever give up! dirty ernie.

-MD

 

[exskibum]

Sept. 30, 1973 -- cold turkey. I was only 21, so I only had about 5 years worth of habit (although I was smoking some since 13 -- stupid teenager tricks, you know). During those years, I'd quit several times for a month or even two. When I finally quit for good, it was mostly because I was moving to Colorado to ski as much as I possibly could. The previous year, at the bottom of a mogul run, I'd be hanging on my ski poles sucking wind. I realized that smoking and pursuing the sport I loved were incompatible, and the move to Colorado was the catalyst I used.

I think the most effective psychological thing I did was to decide that I "had quit" as opposed to deciding that I would "try to quit", as I had previously. Up until 1994, I would probably smoke 1 cigarette a year -- the mood would strike me on those very rare occasions and about half of a cigarette seemed enjoyable, and then the second half was much less enjoyable and reaffirmed my decision not to smoke. In '94, during a round of golf, I smoked 2 cigarettes and started really hating it during the second one. Haven't had one since -- just the smell makes me ill.

Good luck. Nothing, NOTHING is more important than having your health.

 

[7xray]

Renegade, and all the others trying to quit.

Very best of luck. I feel for all you and hope for the best.

 

[mdisher]

Thanks folks...

I'll keep you posted how I'm doing. Today's been a good day so far...

 

[Tyler]

Thanks folks...
I'll keep you posted how I'm doing. Today's been a good day so far...

One of the biggest things is to change the habits... wheatonFJR mentioned cutting out alcohol and not hanging out with those people that smoked for awhile. If it's really that important to you, you'll have to commit to making those types of changes, as hard as they may be.

Do you have kids/wife/family? Go visit a cancer ward... imagine your family having to come visit you or, worse yet, take care of you as you wheeze and cough and moan through the self-inflicted sickness. Volunteer to assist at your local hospital... see the effects first hand and see yourself in that patient's place.

Don't be to proud to reach out for help... whether it's here, a friend, a local support group, whatever.

Worse comes to worst, try Bustanut's method... sure can't hurt.

 

[Patriot]

Masturbation.
Hell, it worked for me.

:jester:

at every opportunity...

<wait, I've never smoked >

 

[rushes]

PM sent....

 

[RadioHowie]

Man, I wish you the best. It IS the hardest habit to break.

I've stopped smoking twice...once for 18 months, once for 2 years. I've just never quit.

 

[Kevin Daly]

Masturbation.
Hell, it worked for me.

:jester:

See thats why I never started :clapping:

Seriously, Matt as my pappy always said: "Shut the fuck up and take it like a man!" You want to quit? Fuckin quit and stop draggin us into this pep rally

PS why dont you come over to WV or SE OH and ride with me some time

 

[monk69]

Speaking of our trying financial times....start by calculating how much you spend a day on nicotine,then how much a week,then month,and year.Start a savings,Dailey (big jar,etc.)....write the Dailey amount on a sticker and tape it to the jar,and be sure you don't miss any days.

Now,you have to get you mind straight(like Cool Hand Luke).....and quit cold....any other way works against keeping your mind straight.....Give yourself a goal.....Like the rest of you life.....never stop putting the money in the jar ever.....and you can only spend it once every year or more......No good lucks JUST DO IT.......

 

[wheatonFJR]

Masturbation.
Hell, it worked for me.

:jester:

See thats why I never started :clapping:

Seriously, Matt as my pappy always said: "Shut the fuck up and take it like a man!" You want to quit? Fuckin quit and stop draggin us into this pep rally

PS why dont you come over to WV or SE OH and ride with me some time

He knows how you ride...that's why.

j/k of course.

BTW...I'm rooting for you Renegade...but it's gotta be you doing it...not us.

 

[mdisher]

eriously, Matt as my pappy always said: "Shut the fuck up and take it like a man!" You want to quit? Fuckin quit and stop draggin us into this pep rally PS why dont you come over to WV or SE OH and ride with me some time

Thanks for the vote of confidence there Kevin

I'm not asking anyone here to do it for me... I just know it's a bitch, and others have gone through it. I was more looking for helpful suggestions than ata boys. You know reminding me not to kick the dog in the first two weeks and squeezers suggestion for that newer med is helpful, I may look into that...

Oh and I'll ride witcha, when all this damn snow melts

Speaking of our trying financial times....start by calculating how much you spend a day on nicotine,then how much a week,then month,and year.Start a savings,Dailey (big jar,etc.)....write the Dailey amount on a sticker and tape it to the jar,and be sure you don't miss any days.

The $$ used to be significant, but I am a cheap skate so I buy the cheapest stuff I can (almost). I don't spend $4.50 a can, only $1.99. So it's 10 bucks a week give or take. Not nearly what someone who smokes a pack a day spends. While I'm not independently wealthy. Quite honestly $520 a year isn't a lot, certainly not enough alone to motivate me. I spend more than that annually on Chipotle Burritos

BTW...I'm rooting for you Renegade...but it's gotta be you doing it...not us.

Thanks Wheatie... I know that's how it has to be, but a little support now and then can be a good thing. Kinda like someone here who's gonna keep me on the up and up, and I him. I think.

Rock on...

 

[Braenen]

I quit smoking cold turkey.

That is, after having two back to back cases of pneumonia, a 10 day stay in the hospital with septicemia and a really bad case of "I feel like shit".

Four months without a light and I didnt want it any more.

 

[flying junior]

I was a 40-year veteran smoker, mostly pipe and chew, but in serious amounts. As I tried to quit I slipped back to cigarettes at 1 1/2 to 2 packs a day. Tried all sorts of things with varying success. Nicotine gum worked really well until I relapsed. Will power would work for a month or so, but my wife informed me I was getting too mean to live with.

So I took a stop-smoking class at the local lung association. It cost something like $50. There were about 30 of us in the class. Met for several weeks and talked about the problem from every angle. Then one evening that was it. We all tossed our smokes and from that day on we were smoke-free. I've remained so. The success was due in large part to the group effect. We all got to feeling like we'd been through a war together. That, coupled with all the good information, cemented the resolve to quit for good.

Quitting is hard because the addiction is so powerful. And nicotine can be cruelly beneficial, like a deal with the devil. When I was involved in a project at work and needed to marshal my thoughts, I'd pause and fill my pipe, then get a big-ass fire going in there, fill my mouth with a huge puff of smoke, and pull it into my lungs. Always, things started to fall into place. After I quit smoking, I worried that I'd never be able to work again. And it indeed never was so easy as when I had nicotine as a crutch.

But there are some wicked side effects, like death, that make quitting the only path.

All the best in your efforts here. You CAN do it.