[Mrs.A]

Chantix..quit after 16 years this summer. I had no side effects and no withdrawal from nicotine. It was kind of strange after a couple of weeks I could take or leave smoking. Cigarettes just didn't matter to me anymore. My coworkers noticed I hadn't been struggling to quit and several went and got Chantix for themselves.

[clhRN2b2010]

i smoked from 15 to 35, quit twice in there each time we got pregnant and started again somehow several months post partum. I quit for good 2 years ago, before getting pregnant with my third. I used nicotine gum which tastes really, really good these days. the gum worked wonders for me because it gave me something to do with my mouth, other than eat. only problem was i got quite addicted to the gum, nice minty flavor-same warm nicotine rush. it also keeps your mouth occupied for a lot longer than a cigarette. a cigarettes lasts maybe 1o minutes but a peice of gum can last an hour. no smelling like cigarettes and no smoker-shame. i used it for much longer than they recomend, just couldn't stop but it was better than picking up cigarettes again. i finally quit when i found out i was prego, and had weaned myself down by then to a couple peices a day.

big fan of the gum. i joke with my husband that i won't ever take up smoking again, but i can't promise i won't get caught with what i affectionately called "magic gum".

[Silverdragon102]

Originally Posted by Mrs.A

Chantix..quit after 16 years this summer. I had no side effects and no withdrawal from nicotine. It was kind of strange after a couple of weeks I could take or leave smoking. Cigarettes just didn't matter to me anymore. My coworkers noticed I hadn't been struggling to quit and several went and got Chantix for themselves.

Originally Posted by clhRN2b2010

i smoked from 15 to 35, quit twice in there each time we got pregnant and started again somehow several months post partum. I quit for good 2 years ago, before getting pregnant with my third. I used nicotine gum which tastes really, really good these days. the gum worked wonders for me because it gave me something to do with my mouth, other than eat. only problem was i got quite addicted to the gum, nice minty flavor-same warm nicotine rush. it also keeps your mouth occupied for a lot longer than a cigarette. a cigarettes lasts maybe 1o minutes but a peice of gum can last an hour. no smelling like cigarettes and no smoker-shame. i used it for much longer than they recomend, just couldn't stop but it was better than picking up cigarettes again. i finally quit when i found out i was prego, and had weaned myself down by then to a couple peices a day.

big fan of the gum. i joke with my husband that i won't ever take up smoking again, but i can't promise i won't get caught with what i affectionately called "magic gum".

Congratulations on stopping smoking

[BeccaznRN]

Originally Posted by inspire

My motto is once you make an excuse to have the 1st one, you'll make an excuse for every single one. One a way from a pack a day!

I could not agree with you more. I just had my 8-year anniversary of being smoke free! I smoked a pack a day, and went cold turkey after having all four impacted wisdom teeth removed. I had wanted to quit smoking and thought after the surgery would be the perfect time, and it worked!

What keeps me smoke-free is remembering this exact statement of yours. It was HARD HARD HARD to quit, and I never want to go through it again. And trust me, I still get the occasional craving about 3-4 times a year. I just think about how hard it was to quit and say "no way" because man did I love to smoke and man was it hard to give that up! That's the best advice I was given when I was quitting - a fellow ex-smoker told me that I will always have those cravings (albeit less and less over the years) and to ALWAYS have a plan for when they hit....whether that be tomorrow, a year from now, five years from now, etc.

Best wishes to all of you that are struggling with this habit out there. Quitting is the hardest thing you will do, but also one of the most rewarding.

[towntalker]

i will add my name to those who gained the strength to quit thru prayer
when i was tempted i would do deep breathes like you might when you have been in a smokeless all day and you settle in and grab for that cig
keep out of situations that you always had a cig, i don't drink a lot but when i had something alcoholic i would yearn for a smoke
i would always have a smoke after a meal, get up and brush your teeth take a walk or occupy yourself in something else until that time is passed
chandrix came out many years after i quit but i have family members who did well, they said it was a life saver
a mint, a sucker [anyone remember telly salavas]
make up your mind going in that this is past, don't think of yourself as a non-smoking smoker, this was an enjoyable time of your life but it is time to put it aside and walk on as an adult who makes difficult decisions and sticks to them

[inspire]

One reason many people smoke is due to stress. I loved my "smoke breaks" from the screaming kids, talking on the phone, cleaning house, homework, etc. However, quitting actually relieved more stress than the 5-10 min. breaks. I felt guilty smoking because its unhealthy. I worried about cancer, etc. I was a closet smoker so I always had stress being around certain people. I'd stress thinking when I could smoke, always looking out so certain people wouldn't see or smell me. Once I quit I felt free. Huge stress relief!!!

[SDS_RN]

I felt guilty smoking because its unhealthy. I worried about cancer, etc. I was a closet smoker so I always had stress being around certain people. I'd stress thinking when I could smoke, always looking out so certain people wouldn't see or smell me.

I'm that way right now. I do not smoke at work but I do smoke at home. I go outside to smoke and I'm very nervous about who will be driving by and see me out side having a smoke. I'm afraid it will be one of the patients that I've seen in the ED or someone I work w/. I've seen a doc, anesthesiologist, and RN drive by while I'm out smoking and hoping that did not recognize me. None of the people I work w/ smoke that I know about so it's not something I want to share w/ them because none of them will be able to relate to my situation. I don't think that they could relate to my situation and support me the way I would need to be. I hear how they talk about smokers and it's not kind nor supportive so that's really discouraging to admit that I'm one of them. I just hope that in time I'll be able to quit. I'm not ready yet but I'm hoping I'll reach that point before something bad comes from it.

[inspire]

Hi jmER,

I encourage you to visit www.quitnet.com, start reading and looking around the site, it was really helpful to me before I quit. A great support system. Trust me, you will feel a huge stress relief once you quit. If you prepare yourself and get in the right mindset it won't be as hard as you think. Good luck and set your quit date! You can do it!

[Old_Duffer]

A triple bypass helped me quit. I had stopped a week before and I think that stress helped me notice the pains. Been free 4 years now.
Not long ago I was discussing this with a patient while the Doc was in the room. I simply stated to stop smoking was the "Easiest hard thing" I had ever done. Many ten second battles, fierce and mean little battles that once I won them I had another half hour of peace.
My dreams then contained content of me smoking, being aware I was dreaming I hot boxed the durn things and that carried me over too. The dreams wittle away and the last year or so nadda. Just ease of breating and stuff tastes too good. No weight gain but no loss either.

My brother is an Oncologist and he smoked Old Gold.

Tis a tough thing to do kinda sorta. Helps to remember that I am a wee bit smarter than the cigs.

Did the patch too for 3 days, then took one with me to work in my pocket in case. I did not use it for a week, then left it at home. I was scared that day with no patch but I made it.

Just need to rid the body of the crap. Takes time, worth it.

3 days
then 3 weeks
then 6 months
then first year. These are the milestones. Month 1 thru 6 were not too bad. After first year you get bragging rights. Oh and the moolah you save. yea

[GeauxNursing]

I've been smoking for 12 years. It sucks when i read that statement. I started when i was 15. I quit, using Zyban, for 2 years when I was 18-ish. Then I got a job in a bar. College, out drinking a lot, working in a bar = smoking again. This past September I got Chantix. After the 2nd month I just couldn't afford it anymore. And I know that the price of cigarettes far outweighs the cost of a month of Chantix. But you know addiction.
I know I need to quit, I can't afford to keep smoking, I want to quit before I start having kids. The fiance smokes, he isn't in a hurry to quit.
What can you do? Need help.
Maybe I'll try cold turkey. like tomorrow.
thanks for this thread.