Quiting smoking is a b!tch.

[dj]

Okay, for all you people out there in ROV land I appologize for being craby.  For some dumb reason I decided to quite smoking and drinking soda in large quantities (2-4 liters per day).

So my head is pounding and I want a cigarette.  So far I haven't blown up at anybody, but I am all alone in the office for the rest of the day.  I am hoping that if I can make it through today that the 3 day weekend will help me to get over the urges.

I have enough to keep me busy at the house, but right now at work I am kinda twiddling my thumbs unless somebody breaks something in the next hour or two.

[YellowJacket!]

Hi DJ,

Being a Respiratory Therapist, I deal with this a lot.  First and foremost, to be sucessful, you have to WANT to quit smoking.  If someone keeps bugging you and telling you to quit, it just won't work.  Nicotine supplements are OK and help take away the craving, but the use of them long term doesn't help you much.  Yes, you may be able to quit, but you are still ingesting the bad stuff.  Quitting cold turkey is very challenging and has a low success rate but in the end, you relied on yourself rather than medication.
There is one new drug called Chantix that seems to help quite a bit.  Its not a nicotine replacement and its not a anti-depressant like Zyban (wellbutrin).  Basically, Chantix works on the receptors in your brain that make you enjoy smoking.  As you take Chantix and continue to smoke, you will feel sick and or nauseated after a while.  You begin to attribute that feeling to not enjoying the cigarettes and you lay them down and eventually quit because you just don't enjoy smoking any more.
How much does it cost?  Well, its a bit pricey.  I tell patients that it is equal in cost to smoking about a pack and a half a day.  So, since your not buying cigarettes, divert the funds towards the medication.
Another thing I tell patients is how much you save by quitting.  On average 1 pack per day adds up to rughly $1000.00 to $1500.00 per year! (based on $3.50 to $4.50 per pack)....Think of al you can buy for your Vision!!  Anyway, if you buy them by the carton, pick a person you trust and get a lock box.  Take the total you pay per carton per month and put it inthe lock box every week or month.  If you go 1 year without smoking, you win the prize.  The key to the lock box and its contents.  If your wife smokes too, get her in on it and double your winnings.  The catch is though, if you (and your spouse if she is quiting too) only get the money if you quit.  If you don't, then you have to take whats in the box and give it to a charity.
Good luck and good health to you.

Disclaimer: I am not at all affiliated with Chantix or the maker of it and in no way profit or gain from the sale of it.

David

[dj]

Dave - I've quite cold turkey before right before basic training.  My main reason to quite is that I know that it is bad for me.  My main obsticle is that I enjoy smoking.  Crazy aint it.  I know they will kill me if I don't stop but I like them anyway.

The human brain works in weird ways when there are chemical addictions.  I have tried quiting a few times before this year, but make it a day or two, sometimes 4-5 days and then I buy a pack.  The b!tch of it is that after 4-5 days I know the chemical addiction is gone and it is just the habit of smoking that I haven't stopped yet.

[Tiger]

:) d.j I feel your pain...I decided to quit "cold turkey"...from three packs a day, four on a Friday (pub night with the team!!! ), to ZERO :o it took a bit of will power, especially with a beer in my hand ;D :D ;) However, I was determined to win thru' and did it on a day-to-day basis...if I can do one I can do two, if I can do two lets go for three, etc, etc...as DaveTN posted, yer gotta wanna quit...for whatever reason...the dreaded cancer, to save money to use else where, whatever...you have got to "need to" enough to over come the craving...Not easy, However...

...I haven't had one now in nearly TEN year's, but who's counting, eh!!! GOOD LUCK BRO"...

            8).......TIGER....... 8)

[dj]

It costs way to much down here in Maine to buy smokes.  5.5 to 6 bucks for a generic pack.  Maine taxes packs at $2 a pack on top of every thing else and the idiot government wants to increase it to $3 or even $4 a pack of just state tax!

[inanecathode]

It costs way to much down here in Maine to buy smokes.  5.5 to 6 bucks for a generic pack.  Maine taxes packs at $2 a pack on top of every thing else and the idiot government wants to increase it to $3 or even $4 a pack of just state tax!

Thats cause they know better than you ;)

[h2olawyer]

It's a sin tax.  They tend to affect the poor and stupid the most - just like lotteries.  I have a smokeless tobacco habit & pay my share of the tax on the stupid as well.  (just don't want to offend anyone  ::) )

Quitting is easy - I've done it at least ten times!   :D

H₂O

[ps2/bikevision]

ive quit several time. for sports, army, girl friend. each time when what ever it was i quit for ended i started right back up. the last time i quit for over a year. lit a smoke one day on the way home for work. took a few puffs and said to my self. "i just dont feel like smoking anymore" threw the smoke and rest of the pack out the window. little over a year later. i started working with my dad. he smokes like a chimeny. after a few months of ever time i went home everthing i had smelled like an ash tray. so i figured since i couldnt beat um, join um. so i picked it up again. at least now "I" dont have to smell it.

here in indiana they are $31.50 a carton. going up in june $.43   michigan is already over $50 a carton. id like to quit again for good. but just cant happen till either my dad quits or i get a new job.

[dj]

well I broke down and bought another pack last night.  I lasted about 10 hours with not having one.  Got home and the kids were being "kids" and I had a massive headache.  I went down to the store just to buy some soda, as I was also cutting out soda so I had the caffine headache going.  With out even thinking I bought a pack of my cigars that I smoke and lit one up on the walk home (I live 1 block from the store).

I have no willpower it seems.  >:(

The only positive note is that I am not smoking as much as I normally do.

[BREWSKI]

I quit 30 yrs ago.gained 18 pounds,because food started to taste so good,enjoy the food you can always cut down on it after you lick the smoking curse.

[kwells]

I've never smoked but this thread makes me want to try.  you guys have corrupted me.

[ProfessorRex]

WINNERS NEVER QUIT! AND QUITTERS NEVER PROSPER!  ;D

[YellowJacket!]

I've never smoked but this thread makes me want to try.  you guys have corrupted me.

I had such a busy and hectic day at work yesterday that at the end of my shift, I walked into our office ans asked who wanted to go out for a smoke break with me.  The whole room became deathly silent because everyone knows that I'll be the next to the last person on earth to smoke.  ;D

David

[dj]

Well after the weekend, I am back up to a solid one pack a day.

I am going to try and not smoke while at work today, that gets me smoke free for 10 hours.  If I can just stay busy at the house with out lighting up then I should be making good progress.

I don't even have the stress card to use as an excuse.  My job is 99% stress free.  My home life is 95% stress free (6 year old and 2 year old).  The only real stress I have is when I get home and see the V sitting there looking all sad because she is still needing the starter clutch worked on.  I am going to be picking up a gear puller from Sears tommorow after work and hopefully I can actually finally get the darn flywheel of the bike.

[crackerkorean]

I quit about 5 years ago and its been one of the greatest things that I have done.
My wife quit at the same time so it helps when you have some support.

My wife usede welbutrin to quit and it really worked well. She just didnt want to smoke anymore.

I slowly but myself back to 3 smokes a day. And after that last pack I didnt want to spend anohter 4 bux. I guess being cheap does have its benefits.

Anohter thing that really helped me want to quit was the fact that I started riding mountain bikes. Its kind of hard to pound out 10 miles on a bike when you smoke.

Hang in there, try some meds or just slowly cutting back and you will get there. Itl just take some time.

Now for me I cannot stand being around my family or my wifes (both smoke heavily). And food does taste much better.

[dj]

Thanks for the support guys.  I'm planning on checking into a medication that my father-in-law is starting on in the next few days.  It is fairly new, and I can't remember the name of it.  Starts with a C I think.  Not sure if Tri-Care covers it or not, but I'm gonna check it out.

[YellowJacket!]

Chantix

Ask your doctor about it.  Im mailing you a bunch of stuff and it has chantix info in with it.  ;D

Hang in there.

David

[dj]

Chantix

Ask your doctor about it.  Im mailing you a bunch of stuff and it has chantix info in with it.  ;D

Hang in there.

David

that is the stuff I was trying to remember the name of.  Thanks for sending the info Dave.