I Quit!!

Happy-ER-RN, RN · Nov 7, 2005

The first 2 weeks were the hardest for me. I just told myself I wasn't going to do it anymore, I am naturally a very lazy person, so i thought, it's not like I am trying to START doing something, like when you start exercising, it doesn't take effort, I'm just not going to do it anymore. For some reason that made sense to me. I smoked one cig a day for a month or two and that helped deal with all the loss you go through after you get over the initial cravings. The loss of a break at work, the loss of a good cig with a friend, the loss of a relaxing one after a meal or a stressful day. It's kind of an identity crisis for a little while I guess.

Anyway, I smoked a pack a day for 10 years and I quit and it really wasn't as hard as i thought it would be. The hardest part is to stay quit. I still smoke when I drink once or twice a month, and i feel like crap the next day so it's easy to not start up again.

Good Luck! You can do it!!!!!

Hopeful in Ohio · Nov 7, 2005

Shannon,

I am so sorry to hear about your mother. My husband and I are in a similar situation - we found out at the end of August that his grandmother has lung cancer. She recently had the left side of her lung removed and began chemo 2 weeks ago. Watching what she has gone through has been a huge wake up call and I decided am going to quit. I don't know how, but I'm going to do it!! Like you said, I don't ever want to go through that. So, it's time to make a change.

I wish you all the best of luck, and your mom is in my prayers.

Take Care,

Kelly

Hooligan · Nov 7, 2005

I've got a tip for you...Get Pregnant :rotfl: It worked for me! I quit the day I found out I was pregnant. I've officially been smoke-free for 1year and 3 months!!! Woo Hoo! I never had any real withdrawl or cravings for it either ...unless you consider the dreams I had where I convinced myself that just one cigarette wouldn't hurt the baby...I'd wake up feeling so guilty...ugh...

On a serious note though...I know I'll never smoke again. A little over a month after I had my daughter, my Mother-in-Law was diagnosed with small cell lung CA and 5 weeks later she was gone. :crying2: I loved my mother-in-law dearly and I miss her so much. She never could kick the habit...

As a new mother, you look to others who you love and respect for guidance and direction as you take on that new adventure...and even though my Mother-in-law is no longer around to provide me with helpful tips and words of wisdom on being a mom and raising babies, her passing actually taught me the best bit of parenting advice I could have ever learned. Her final gift to me was the realization that I need to be an example to my daughter not a warning.

For what it's worth...I hope my personal insight helps...Best wished to you and your mother.

~Bean

geekgolightly, BSN, RN · Nov 7, 2005

quit smoking 3 years ago after 15 years of being a smoker. i did it by starting a thread at a forum i frequented and posted in it constantly for a couple of weeks. i threw everything away, even my beautiful 1960's kiln fired groovy ashtray, that reminded me of smoking. i also quit drinking that same day, and didn't drink a drop again for two years, in order to stay away from smoking.

the best piece of advice i can give you is when you feel those cravings in your body and you feel like jumping out of your skin, let those feelings wash over your mind and body rather then fight them. allow the cravings in, welcome them and allow them to circulate in your mind and body and they will ebb just like the ocean. its a natural process;fighting it will only make it stronger. float in the cravings rather than struggle with them. am i getting too buddhist on you? uhh, well, it worked for me.

congrats and good luck!

June55Baby · Nov 7, 2005

Our state (Mississippi) has a smoking Quit Line a 1-800 number to get 1 on 1 smoking cessation advice and counseling as well as tools to assist. I understand thay have an excellent success rate with smoking cessation.

Maybe your state has one as well. Check with your state Continuous Quality Improvement Organization.

The Quitline MISSISSIPPI number is:1-800-244-9100

egriffin · Nov 7, 2005

Congrats on the decision to quit!

The American Cancer Society has a lot of resources that can help you out.

Quitline- phone counseling for smoking cessation - available in states that don't have thier own line. They also have the #'s for those state lines.

Self Help Materials

Referrals to local cessation programs of all types.

Give them a call at 1-800-227-2345

or check out thier website www.cancer.org

Thunderwolf, MSN, RN · Nov 8, 2005

quit smoking 3 years ago after 15 years of being a smoker. i did it by starting a thread at a forum i frequented and posted in it constantly for a couple of weeks. i threw everything away, even my beautiful 1960's kiln fired groovy ashtray, that reminded me of smoking. i also quit drinking that same day, and didn't drink a drop again for two years, in order to stay away from smoking.
the best piece of advice i can give you is when you feel those cravings in your body and you feel like jumping out of your skin, let those feelings wash over your mind and body rather then fight them. allow the cravings in, welcome them and allow them to circulate in your mind and body and they will ebb just like the ocean. its a natural process;fighting it will only make it stronger. float in the cravings rather than struggle with them. am i getting too buddhist on you? uhh, well, it worked for me.
congrats and good luck!

Whole heartedly agree with your post.

Wonderfully put together.

No, not too buddhist. It is just how cravings work and how one can learn to overcome them.

nurse4theplanet, RN · Nov 8, 2005

Our state (Mississippi) has a smoking Quit Line a 1-800 number to get 1 on 1 smoking cessation advice and counseling as well as tools to assist. I understand thay have an excellent success rate with smoking cessation.
Maybe your state has one as well. Check with your state Continuous Quality Improvement Organization.
The Quitline MISSISSIPPI number is:1-800-244-9100

Thanks for this post. I live in Mississppi and have been having a rough couple days trying to quit so I will be calling first thing in the morning!:balloons:

Shannon RN 2be · Nov 12, 2005

I am not proud to say that this week I screwed up during school and got a cig. Only one and only at school. Not that it makes it any better. But having to post this I think will give me that extra desire to quit. How are you all doing? Better then me I hope. Thanks so much for all the support.

Hugs :icon_hug:

Shannon

Hoozdo, ADN · Nov 12, 2005

I vowed to myself once I took my final exam for my RN program I WAS DONE with smoking! I hate being a slave to cigarettes :angryfire Besides, an RN doesn't have time to smoke at work :) I quit previously for about a year and a half approx 6 years ago. I am using Nicoderm patches and lollipops - it worked previously for me. I used to smoke about a pack a day x 30 years.

This is a great thread for me. Let's keep it up; it gives me encouragement.

Lu Ann

RN to be after NCLEX!

Someday-C.R.N.A. · Nov 15, 2005

REMEMBER - sneaking a smoke will not make things better. It will make things WORSE!!

I am 100% QUIT as of April 16, 2005 @ 2230hrs.

YOU CAN DO IT!!

geekgolightly, BSN, RN · Nov 16, 2005

REMEMBER - sneaking a smoke will not make things better. It will make things WORSE!!
I am 100% QUIT as of April 16, 2005 @ 2230hrs.
YOU CAN DO IT!!

:balloons: I am so happy for you!