Any former smokers ?

[Lake Erie High Ball]

Steve,

Congrats on one week. Your physical addiction is gone. It is all a physiological addiction now. Gum, patches et al won't help now, you are past that. The phrases "I quit, I don't smoke anymore are now your vocabulary.

Don't wet the bed and pick up another cigarette. It will taste good, it will give you a buzz, and it will settle your stomach after dinner, it will make your coffee better and IT WILL KILL YOU……It's been in all the papers……besides you quit you don't smoke any more.

You don't need luck….you quit ….its over ….you don't smoke any more.

Sean

[Fly Goddess]

For me, I awoke March 12th to a bunch of noise...I walked out of the bedroom to find the house full of paramedics. It appeared, my brother in-law (sister and husband were staying with us) was collapsed on his bed with the RIGHT side paralyzed. He had had brain bleed out and several clots. Further examination found cancer in his lungs that had metastasized to his brain. He died May 30th 2009 (2 months later).
I am not sure if it was his ordeal or the fact a PACK of cigarettes went up to $6. a pack (at that time) but, I was done after smoking for a quarter of a century.
I started with Chantax. I took two pills on March 22nd and smoked 5 cigarettes, then two more pills on March 23rd and smoked 4 cigarettes, then on the 24th, I had one pill, two cigarettes and have never looked back.
I am on 15 months of smoke free!
However, I don't notice the save on the money, food taste the same, weight gain to begin with, but lost most since,energy? I was always active....I walk and ride my bike INSTEAD of smoking not because I quit. The urge is still there on rare occasions.

The biggest advantage for me so far is whiter teeth, better breath and I don't smell like smoke...I am sure there are advantages I cannot see, but the whole world is going smokeless and it is getting harder and harder to find places you CAN smoke, so, what the heck...just quit....LOL

[Shakeyfly]

I started smoking when I was 12. I was that kid sneaking cigs from aunts uncles etc etc. I quit 3 years ago. I quite cold turkey. I waited until I had a decent flu with a sore throat. I never smoked during a flu or a cold anyway. Day three came and went and day 4. etc etc. I knew I was serious about quitting when 2 weeks after quitting smoking my brand new car got into an accident. I would have smoked a pack right there an then but didn't break.

I haven't had a cigarette or a cigar since then. NOTHING. I feel better. I don't have the nagging little cough, I can walk up stairs without feeling a compression in my chest, or my vein in my head popping haha etc.

some negatives to quitting smoking.... food tastes AMAZING.... any food... and you will try and sample all foods lol. I gained like 25 pounds (which was a good thing from my skinny self before lol) but just realize that you have never tasted food so delicious in your life.

also, Sometimes a craving comes up bad, and I want a cigarette. still. Mentally it's there. Like when I watch an old western, a WWII movie, etc etc. it's hard, but WORTH IT...

I was spending 240+ a month at the time in cigarettes. the way I figure it.... that's $240 dollars worth of Fly gear I was burning... or $2,880 dollars in a year that could go towards a sweet all inclusive trip to belize

Best of luck everyone!

[Valhalla 1]

I quit cold turkey...twice. The first time I just decided to stop (which wasn't easy, but I did it), and lasted several years until I got the bright idea that I could have just one again. Five years later I quit again for good. Started exercising immediately. When the cravings came, I concentrated on how sweet a deep pull of air was. That was 15 years + ago. Never looked back.

Don't backslide! If you do, quit again.

[Midwest Custom Fly Rods]

Tomorrow is 1 week smoke free for me guys. Just have to pat myself on the back lol

Thanks for all the support you guys are great!

Steve

[Fly Goddess]

You want incentive, move to Utah. As of tomorrow, a pack of smokes will go up $1.!!!!!
I admit I quit over a year ago, but I am having a hard time with this train of thought here. A sinners tax. I don't think this is right although the thought of the price of a pack was one reason I quit, but I was ready. Some are not.
Plus it is putting some small business out of business!
So, what would happen if they raised taxes on diapers, and ice cream here in Utah...LOL Oh and the Green Jello with Carrot!

[Eric-WD]

You want incentive, move to Utah. As of tomorrow, a pack of smokes will go up $1.!!!!!
!

Washington had a $1 increase this year also.

I love sin taxes, they put the tax on in the name of getting people to stop, then when they do stop, they complain that the revenue goes down so they raise the tax again. gotta love politicians.

I just found the following link, UT is far behind WA
http://www.taxadmin.org/fta/rate/cigarette.pdf

Eric

[Fly Goddess]

Good thing my sister got out of NY....LOL

[Gemrod]

I smoked for 20 years and quit in 1977 when out of a machine a pack was two quarters. Cheaper at the store even.

ABSENCE BRINGS FORGETFULLNESS

I quit several times on my own. Using various methods. Then smoked about 7 yrs without a care. THEN tried to quit and found I could not. With all my successful techniques in the past....nothing worked. There is so much to smoking. Do you even realize how hard you had to work to learn to smoke...coughing after the first puff? How much TIME you are losing in your life...because of the TIME you spend smoking? Some people go outside to smoke. So they stop what they are doing and go outside and sit and smoke. Time consuming. If you smoke 1 pack a day that's 20 cigs. If you move your hand to your lips 20 times per cig, and 20 cigs a day...that's 400 times a day you do that. Now you stop cold turkey....what are you replacing that with...your MIND is now missing something. So much to it all.

I had to pay an outfit. Best $150 I ever spent. Out of 65 of us 60 quit. How many remained quit a year later I do not know. But I made it. I have quit in the best of ways. I have NO thoughts ever to smoke. I can sit with people smoking....nothing bothers me. I have talked to others who quit cold turkey and they says years later they still want to smoke.

I used SE. "Smoke Enders". I hadn't seen them in years so searched internet. By golly they are still around in business. I had no one to tell me if they were legit or a rip off. I am telling you they are legit. Only thing is I attended a weekly seminar at a local restaurant in a separate room for a few weeks. I see now they sell cd's and stuff....heck I dunno. I cannot speak for any of that stuff. But I can say truthfully that if they are having a session in your area where you attend....it is for real a legitimate stop smoking program. And it really works. And to top it all off....I was not even totally committed in my mind when I went. People will say it takes total focus. I went to their first meeting on a mere whim....and ended up going through the class and quitting. And the way they work you through it over a few weeks (sorry, can't remember how many...7 or 12?) but if you simply follow their advice....it it EASY to quit. When quitting cold turkey and the thought to have a smoke comes on (and once you become a real smoker....EVERYTHING becomes a trigger for your mind to say "hey, this is a good time to have a cig". Whether that is with a beer, afer lunch, after dinner.....EVERYTHING is a trigger for your mind and it will say....this is a good time to have a cig. Tough habit to stop.

Anyway......trying to quit cold turkey....once you awake...and your mind says I want a cigarette....your mind usually LINGERS on that thought. It won't go away. You continue to WANT a cigarette...even though you told yourself no more. After going through that program.....the thought to have a cig was only momentary. It was....sure would like to have a cig....then your mind goes elsewhere....watching tv. The thought to have a cig is only a momentary thought and then you are thinking about something else. In THAT mode it is really easy to stop.

Hope msg is helpful. .
Long long time ago.....doubt it is $150 now in today's dollars.

Seriously and Sincerely,

[Lotech]

Steve,
I quite in 1998 after 35 years. I was up to 3 1/2 packs a day. I used the prescription Zyban for about 3 days, then the patch. After the first 3 days I started shaking so bad I couldn't even sign my own name. I asked a physician/substitute friend of mine if I was have the start of convulsions as that was one of contraindication of the drug. He said, "nope, that's nicotine withdrawals and they would stop after about 72 hours." He was right, and they never returned. I haven't had the urge for a smoke even once after the withdrawals stopped.
Stay the course my friend. After the shakes go away, it's almost like being reborn. I was able to go for long walks again, and enjoy them. The main thing is that it's your choice to quit, not someone else's.