General Chat

James, I got all excited then.. But then got my calendar off the wall (Washington Nationals baseball team members mmmm)oopps, anyway my last cig was at 10pm the 1st April and that still makes it 33 days, tried counting different ways to gain the extra day but didnt work.. debs x

Hi Well it is now 26 hours since my last ciggie, Found this morning really hard and instead of sitting and watching the news at 7.30am with a coffee and a cig I went into the shower first to alter my routine. Then had to drive to a meeting that takes place once a month and found that I knew where I would light a ciggie up - at certain traffic lights, on leaving the carpark etc. The morning in the meeting was fine and the usual clock watching didn't happen, went out for lunch to an Italian and was fine until two kind colleagues decide to light up - promptly left and got back to the office. Afternoon fine and the drive home wasn't too bad, walking in the house was horrible, really wanted a cig - resisted and went and sat down and switched the laptop on. Now sat with a bottle of water - my fourth of the day - coffee tastes awful and god only knows why I have 2 sugars in it. Joanne

Confession time AGAIN!! Have been smoking again.. have just admitted to James that I am a no hoper. Have been doing it cold turkey as I don't want to wean myself off something else. Congratulations to everyone who is smoke free.. Grayx

Hi Joanne This is the worst part but you have survive a whole DAY without one it does get easier promise now you can start to look back and say to yourself I gone a day without one. Do not forget to change the patch, you have now recogonised danger points where you are tempted. If you would like a treat you can go and smell an ashtray!!!! Think of the power you have achieved - Hubby goes outside to smoke!!! Hoo - Ray !!! James

I have to admit I'm ready to give in after just over a day without one, finding this evening really hard and I'm snapping and wanting to burst into tears. Doesn't help when the smelly ciggie smoking OH is saying ' stop snapping' and then he lites a cig up and walks outside!! Right I'll stop there as I may end up swearing at him and anyone else! Joanne

Joanne, Of course its hard.. your addicted to the nicotine, but I can promise you it will pass. The other week I went out for the day without a patch on, if a cop had of pulled me over for speeding then I would have given him a mouthful also, I have to admit that I had to apologise to hubby and the kids for my behaviour!! How bad is that? Honestly your doing fantastic, I find my car smells so much nicer now, and it wont be long before you look at people in their cars and think they are sad for not even being able to drive to the store without having to light up! Its a habit and an addiction, break the habit and break the addiction you can do it. Lady Grey - You are NOT a no hoper ok, your an addict and you can do this.. The great thing is you can admit it, last year on April 1st I quit, yeah of course I did, I used to sneak outside and have one occasionally (1 a day) but I lied to myself and everyone, thats what failure is - when you cant admit it! Debs x

hi all ,glad to see were still here,im still going strong,but boy have i put weight on......1 stone.......omg.....xxxxxjoy

Joanne have you change the patch? if not it might be getting weak and causing the mood swings. James

For Trish in Hants - chuck out the nicorette chewing gum soon as you can - it IS addictive. I've been hooked on it since 1995!!.

Hi James - changed the patch after 23 hours to be on the safe side, and I'm sure my nicotine habit is trying to convince me that it doesn't work on this arm!! lol Deb - I know it is habit, it is when I'm bored, I just said to my OH, OMG I need a cig and he asked why and I replied cus I'm bored!! lol And boy have I eaten today - breakfast was toast instead of a cig, Italian three course for lunch instead of a quick sandwich and a cig, tea was fish and chips cus I had an urge for something nice so it was either these or a cig and now I'm munching on a packet of crisps - so when I'm overweight I can blame the cigs for that as well can't I ?? Water - drunk so much that my body is totally confused, not only have I stopped it having it's fix of nicotine I also stopped the caffine fix as well, It's no wonder my brain is trying everything to convince me that I love smoking and I enjoyed it and it loves me too and I 'm happy when smoking!! lol lol, see it is doing it again BUT I REFUSE TO GIVE IN - 31 HOURS HAVE PASSED AND I WANT ANOTHER 31 YEARS OF LIVING!!!!!!! Joanne

Joanne, Well done hun, I am so proud of you, you have the right attitude to succeed and I really want you to. I know what you mean about smoking out of boredom, I used to use the commercial breaks as ciggie time but out here you get a break every 5 mins which wasnt good!! Thats in the past now and I have realised some of the commercials are quite funny!! Well done and keep up the good work Debs x

Well done everyone, you are doing so well. Its almost 6 months for me now. I read the Allen Carr book 'The only way to stop smoking permenantly' and it worked for me. No gum, no patches. I was on 25 a day for the last........ 27 years!

Deb - the adverts on tele or when I used to nip for a quick cig, not watched TV since I got home from work yesterday just incase my brain says ' up you get, go to the kitchen, get a cig, stand outside' - keeping my head down on my laptop and telling the ciggie smoking devil in my head to go jump!! Melanie my friend stopped with that book over 5 years have now passed, he did lend me the book but I never got round to reading it- my dig it out and read it to boost me along with my patches Joanne

Joanne, Isnt it strange what we associate smoking with? At first I had to make sure that I could drink at least 2 beers each night before I went to bed - the reason? Well when I drink I liked to smoke so to prove that I could go without a cig I used to make sure I had a beer or 2 every evening.. Logic, dont think there was any there really! Put a few pounds on though! Now working at getting them off, apparently your metabolism drops when you stop the cigs.. Debs x

OMG Deb's a drink, no way not me this weekend, if I did that it would be over in seconds, locking myself away on here all weekend and not going out to play with any friends. The devil in my head has been telling me that since I go away to Turkey in ten weeks I shouldn't give up just yet as if I still wear a patch it will have to be stuck on my bum so I don't get white patches on my arms and he also said think of the cheap ciggies I can bring back!!! Mmmmmmmm interesting - until the angel in me turned around and said but next year she won't be going to Turkey it will be some far flung destination because she won't have to think about going too far because of the nicotine fix that has kept her within a four hour flying distance for all these years - Mmmmmmmmmmmmm WELL DONE ANGEL, I NEVER THOUGHT OF THAT ONE - THAILAND HAS ALWAYS APPEALED, SO MAYBE I NEED TO FOCUS ON THAT Joanne

Joanne, Your thoughts echoed what mine used to.... But you have started it now, and your doing so well. Out here I can buy 200 cigs for $13.50 (we are entitled to them duty free you see) so I thought I wouldnt give up until we left here next summer.. But no let the others have them, I dont need them. Beer and wine im not giving up though lol.. On a Friday we sometimes go to the bar and its non smoking but the smokers go outside and guess what? on day 13 I went outside to make a phone call on my cell phone as its also a kareoke night (no I do not sing! just laugh and clap) well 2 guys came out and lit one up and one of them said how can you not want one? my answer was I didnt want to smell like them and while they spent time outside smoking they werent drinking! 10 weeks before you go away? well you will be off your patches by then and free of it.. Keep it up - let us know how tomorrow goes, did you join that website I suggested? if so you will see your life saved, money saved and how many cancer sticks (thats what my 13 yr old calls them) you havent smoked! Debs xx

Ron can only suggest you visit your doctor and explain you are addicted to nicotine gum for 11 years, I can only suggest it will take will power, at least you are not smoking. James

Trish in Hants How are you doing in giving up the gum? James

Hi all to all the new non-smokers if you type Non smoking in your browser, lots of information, nearly as good as on here!!!! Some I noticed were Click2quit and PatientsUK There was also a site selling MP3 and CD to help with Quitting Joanne, hope you are still on track, keep it up, tell all your workmates what you are doing, are you going topless when you go to Turkey and are looking for a place for your patch!!!! I went last year and found the people very friendy and helpful. What I find strange was going through Duty Free with no Cigarettes and as I do not Drink, nothing to buy!! Lady Gray - Sue don't dispair you will get there in the end especially with the patches, there is a good leaflet on Patient Care on quitting Nice to see you back Carol, hope your dad is recovering alright. and is not it grand to see Debs spreading her wings in her posts. James

Morning all At work and really struggling - seems daft as been busy should keep my mind off the weed, but no it is having the opposite effect and I thought oh sod it go and get a packet and have a puff - but NO I haven't not yet. Had a glass of ice cold water instead - might have to throw it over my head at this rate lol Will pop in later and say Hello and give update, as I really want to make it to 2.45pm today when I can then say 'Two whole days have now passed and I haven't had a smelly cig' Joanne