Smoking: Have you tried to stop?
Discussion
About 15 years ago I had a really bad cold/cough. It was bad enough to stop me smoking so after a few days not smoking I thought I could give up for ever.
Went to the doctor and was referred to the 'Smoking cessation nurse' (or some other stupid job title!).
She did the usual weight, height, blood pressure stuff and then asked me to blow into a machine.
I did it twice and she said, 'My machine thinks you are dead'!
I started smoking again and 15 years later I'm still alive!
But if I had any will power I would try to give up, but as I don't........
Went to the doctor and was referred to the 'Smoking cessation nurse' (or some other stupid job title!).
She did the usual weight, height, blood pressure stuff and then asked me to blow into a machine.
I did it twice and she said, 'My machine thinks you are dead'!
I started smoking again and 15 years later I'm still alive!
But if I had any will power I would try to give up, but as I don't........
I've smoked for years. However sometimes I just don't fancy it and then don't smoke for several months without thinking about it at all.
I've never actually tried to stop or been bothered by it. I'm not a slave to it, so maybe that's why.
I have thought about quitting recently now that the brand I smoke (Embassy) is at least £9.50 in the shops around here and some days I get through two packs, but I'm not really that bothered.
I've never actually tried to stop or been bothered by it. I'm not a slave to it, so maybe that's why.
I have thought about quitting recently now that the brand I smoke (Embassy) is at least £9.50 in the shops around here and some days I get through two packs, but I'm not really that bothered.
lord trumpton said:
Forget all these electronic cigs, gum etc etc as they all allow you to take or use something to administer the nicotine when you want it. That itself only enforces or continues the 'habit' side.
I used patches - you get a continuous supply that really does help the craving go. After a few weeks the routine times you would normally have a fag are no longer routine and the habit side fades. If you stick to the patch usage guidelines it will work a treat.
If you compare it to caffeine, people have a coffee when they want/need it. If a caffeine patch was invented would people want a caffeine fix all day? Even when you take it off it would still take a while to get out of your system. People have used lots of different ways to stop smoking some work for some people and that's great.
Cotty said:
lord trumpton said:
Forget all these electronic cigs, gum etc etc as they all allow you to take or use something to administer the nicotine when you want it. That itself only enforces or continues the 'habit' side.
I used patches - you get a continuous supply that really does help the craving go. After a few weeks the routine times you would normally have a fag are no longer routine and the habit side fades. If you stick to the patch usage guidelines it will work a treat.
If you compare it to caffeine, people have a coffee when they want/need it. If a caffeine patch was invented would people want a caffeine fix all day? Even when you take it off it would still take a while to get out of your system. People have used lots of different ways to stop smoking some work for some people and that's great.
So for me it wouldn't work. The only way I would/could do it is cold turkey.
mrpurple said:
Not had a ciggy for 13 months (health reasons) and don't even want one at anytime. Smoked at least 20 a day for 45 yrs...hooked on ecigs now but down to the lowest concentration..OH stopped as well and saving a fortune.
A relative is in a similar position, after a 45 pack year habit he now relies on supplemental oxygen at home.Emphysema and the resultant pulmonary hypertension and eventual heart failure really sells it for anyone thinking of starting. Oh and you'll pay financially for the privilege too.
I use an ecig now and again, as for the real ones - I'll never touch another, have seen too many suffer the consequences later in life.
20 a day for 25+ years (Red Marlboro)habit.
Decided enough was enough when I did a quick fag pack calculation and worked out that if I put all of the ciggies I had smoked on top of each other the stack would be 3 times higher than Mt Everest.
I went to see the doctor who put me on Champix tablets. With these tablets you carry on smoking but pick a quit day within 2 weeks of starting them. After a few days the enjoyment from smoking becomes much reduced and by day 10 I really got nothing from smoking at all. In fact it made me feel quite sick so that was the day I stopped.I took the tablets for a further 6 weeks although towards the end of that time perhaps one tablet every two or three days. I have now been smoke free for 18 weeks. The tablets at times did make me feel a little queasy and did give me some very vivid dreams (best one involving fighting off an alien invasion with my first true love, but that's another story).
Has it made a difference to me? Well I now detest the smell of ciggies and smokers and have zero cravings. I am over £1000 better off. It takes less beer to get me drunk. I have started exercising regularly both cycling and at the gym. I have lost over 20lbs in weight and 3" inches off my waist and got my blood pressure down to a much more acceptable level. Food tastes much better and I no longer smell like a stale ash tray.
The question remains, Why the f
k did I take so long to decide to quit?
Good luck to all those that try to quit.
Decided enough was enough when I did a quick fag pack calculation and worked out that if I put all of the ciggies I had smoked on top of each other the stack would be 3 times higher than Mt Everest.
I went to see the doctor who put me on Champix tablets. With these tablets you carry on smoking but pick a quit day within 2 weeks of starting them. After a few days the enjoyment from smoking becomes much reduced and by day 10 I really got nothing from smoking at all. In fact it made me feel quite sick so that was the day I stopped.I took the tablets for a further 6 weeks although towards the end of that time perhaps one tablet every two or three days. I have now been smoke free for 18 weeks. The tablets at times did make me feel a little queasy and did give me some very vivid dreams (best one involving fighting off an alien invasion with my first true love, but that's another story).
Has it made a difference to me? Well I now detest the smell of ciggies and smokers and have zero cravings. I am over £1000 better off. It takes less beer to get me drunk. I have started exercising regularly both cycling and at the gym. I have lost over 20lbs in weight and 3" inches off my waist and got my blood pressure down to a much more acceptable level. Food tastes much better and I no longer smell like a stale ash tray.
The question remains, Why the f
k did I take so long to decide to quit?Good luck to all those that try to quit.
Edited by DaveOrange on Thursday 13th November 16:29
hora said:
If you use E-Cigs you aren't quiting, you are just moving the problem sideways. Much like if you borrow money to pay for a debt.
Yes no more tobacco but really- what is in those E-Cigs?
The only way to quit is to get nicotine well away from your ASAP and ride it out whilst the nicotine works its way out of your body.
you're kind of right but i see it differently. Thanks to this forum i knocked cigs on the head a couple of weeks ago and got a monster spec vape pen. It has worked for me so far to the point where i dont like the smell of cigs and just like the juicy sweet flavours of a vape. Yes no more tobacco but really- what is in those E-Cigs?
The only way to quit is to get nicotine well away from your ASAP and ride it out whilst the nicotine works its way out of your body.
I did have 1.8% nicotine fluids, but now im buying 1.1% nictoine fluids and slowly reducing the amount unitl i use none.
First stage is stopping the smoke and you'll start to get your taste back and dislike the smell of burning tobacco - i am experiencing that in under 2 weeks.
I am already appreciating not hacking up flem in the morning and my car/clothes stinking. But i still retain the habit of getting up from my desk at work and popping out for a break. It's a habit i've had for a decade and need to sort that side of things next.
Once I am down to little to no nicotine on the vape, the novelty will begin to wear off and I'll be done with it all.
Vaping and ecigs are a good way to fade yourself off the habit if you struggle to quit in one go. Plus it's a bit of fun. There is a huge community and following for vaping you feel part of a new culture.
I feel good for doing it and I am confident about flushing nicotine out of my system steadily to the point where I wont even think about it.
hora said:
If you use E-Cigs you aren't quiting, you are just moving the problem sideways. Much like if you borrow money to pay for a debt.
You are quitting smoking and taking up vaping. The only similarity is the nicotine not all the other harmfull chemicals in a cig.hora said:
Yes no more tobacco but really- what is in those E-Cigs?
Its quite easy to look up the contents, most juice suppliers will provide a list of ingredients, try finding that on a box of cigs.If I get an urge to smoke now I just think back to the view on the screen above the operating table in Papworth hospital.
Watching that doctor inserting stents was enough for me to stop.
Telling all your mates helps. No one like to look a failure.
I also joined a group that supplied mini tabs that you suck. They used to test you on a breath machine that detected carbon monoxide.
Since I'm a welder the reading would go sky high if I'd been working that day. No one believes a welder. Now a banker, that's different. :roll eyes:
Paul G
Watching that doctor inserting stents was enough for me to stop.
Telling all your mates helps. No one like to look a failure.
I also joined a group that supplied mini tabs that you suck. They used to test you on a breath machine that detected carbon monoxide.
Since I'm a welder the reading would go sky high if I'd been working that day. No one believes a welder. Now a banker, that's different. :roll eyes:
Paul G
After smoking 15-25 a day for 20 years (Marlboro lights) I started with an e-cig in January which instantly dropped my normal fags to 7 or fewer per day.
I now haven't had a cigarette for 33 days and not really missing them.
I'm trying to reduce the vaping a bit now but intend to gradually phase it out over 2-3 months. As someone said above, it's a new thing which can be a bit of fun and some of the juices are quite pleasant but the main benefit is I don't feel guilty for killing myself slowly every time I light a fag.
I now haven't had a cigarette for 33 days and not really missing them.
I'm trying to reduce the vaping a bit now but intend to gradually phase it out over 2-3 months. As someone said above, it's a new thing which can be a bit of fun and some of the juices are quite pleasant but the main benefit is I don't feel guilty for killing myself slowly every time I light a fag.
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