Smoke Enders

[snyprrr]

trust me...i'm a veteran here.

no, i didn't make it yesterday...i made the mistake of calling "her", as if i needed an excuse. oy. past history....

it's saturday...tomorrow's mom's b-day, and guess what she wants from me!!!

i worked in a health food store, so yea, i'm familiar with the cinn stks and all the other fun things,...i have a phD in quitting,haha. 

did i mention i'm unemployed also? now you know how i can spend so much time here,haha. yea, things are pretty stressful here.
don't ask me how i'm getting money...errrr....

well, one day at a time...for all my fellows here, just be assured that i'm fighting this, but i do know what i'm up against this time. it's gonna take more this time...

i'm glad you all are out there.

oh, and John was it?- don't bogart that joint my friend,haha!!!

ONCE MORE INTO THE BREACH!!!

[mahler10th]

I'm getting out of this joint.

[snyprrr]

SUNDAY-Day One

11pm...instead of destroying remaining cigs last night, i had 6 for b-fast and called that that. now it's 11pm...yeeeea, kinda shakey, but no money, and bed time, so, day one is a success
but, boy, those evil thoughts come back QUICK after that last cig wears off....wheeew!

[DavidRoss]

SUNDAY-Day One

11pm...instead of destroying remaining cigs last night, i had 6 for b-fast and called that that. now it's 11pm...yeeeea, kinda shakey, but no money, and bed time, so, day one is a success
but, boy, those evil thoughts come back QUICK after that last cig wears off....wheeew!

Just remember that nicotine detox is short but vicious, lasting only three days during which you're ready to kill if someone even looks in your direction.  Do nothing to add stress to your life at this time, eat plenty of whatever you like, and drink lots and lots of water.  Lots of water--so much that you fear it will start pouring out of your ears.  But don't drink any alcoholic beverages or take any other mind-altering drugs that will screw up your thinking and your resolve.  Avoid places where people smoke.  If you're serious about quitting, then do everything possible to increase the odds of success.  And never, ever, take another puff. 

Although detox is quick, breaking the habit takes a lot longer.  It may be months before you lose all desire to smoke and no longer get cravings.  If you happen to be some place where people smoke and the urge strikes you, try picking up an ashtray and taking a couple of lung-filling whiffs of that stench.  Give yourself a small reward for every day that you don't smoke (I ate premium ice cream in place of an after-dinner smoke for several weeks).  And pay yourself each day with the money you're not spending on cigs; after a couple of months you'll have enough to treat yourself to something really nice.  And finally, regardless of what you may or may not believe about God, prayer helps.  Prayer is a means for your normal superficial consciousness to get aligned with your true self, that deeper seat of your being that always has your own best interests at heart.  Pray for help, and don't forget prayers of thanks for every successful day.

Good luck!

[ChamberNut]

and drink lots and lots of water.  Lots of water

Advice of the day, David!!  0:)  I know I made it a habit to drink tons and tons of water when I first quit.  Definitely good advice.

[snyprrr]

I guess i didn't mention that i just moved back in with Mom, a-hahahahaha (thanks big brother).

MONDAY- late night.

If you've ever seen someone looking for coke in the carpet, then you'll know how my morning with the butt can went. yea...I told a friend 2 days ago "no matter how much i beg"....well, you shoulda seen me lose my balls today.

I'll be taking some time off from quitting this week...does anyone remember "The Kids in the Hall" where david ? had that demon coming out of the headboard of his bed? amp that by 100 and those are the demonic voices in my head that will say ANYTHING to make me pissed enough to smoke. I'm tired of seein my ex ripped to shreds in my brain over and over...oy.

thanks for all the cheerleading, yall, but i gotta regroup. I'll keep updating, but i can't promise anything for a few days at least. I'm feelin a bit testicle-less right now...

but just a little rant: I find it amazing? concerning 12step programs, how they still let you imbibe ONE kick ass drug cocktail: nicotine/caffeine/refined white sugar. Don't let anyone tell you this combo won't make you act like a junkie!!!

G'night for now.

[springrite]

I am on half a pack a day, somewhat less than I used to smoke. It has been 20 years since I started the first one. Having Kimi meant that ever since Vanessa's pregnancy, I did not smoke in the house or anywhere near them. That has been responsible for the decrease. I quit for a week about 6 months ago but got very sick. I am not saying that the events are related but Vanessa said "just cut down! why quit all together!" and gave me a ciggie. I got better in half an hour.

Now I am contemplating my next and hopefully successful attempt to quit.

[DavidRoss]

but just a little rant: I find it amazing? concerning 12step programs, how they still let you imbibe ONE kick ass drug cocktail: nicotine/caffeine/refined white sugar. Don't let anyone tell you this combo won't make you act like a junkie!!!

I've never heard of anyone turning tricks for a cup of java, or robbing little old ladies to get a slice of white bread.  Or losing his career family house car honor self-respect sanity and liberty over addiction to nicotine.

[snyprrr]

 

[snyprrr]

MONDAY MARCH 31

well, I made it 7 days...until Sunday...

5 days without so much as a craving, and then BAM, I woke up the 5th day, and it was like my brain rewired itself while I was sleeping.

well, just chiming in...we'll prepare for the next go around

[orbital]

You remind me of Burma Jones, snyprrr 

[snyprrr]

I FEEL like the lady in your picture!!

[orbital]

I FEEL like the lady in your picture!!

Annie Fischer? I heard her piano keys were all yellow from tobacco stain   

[snyprrr]

SUN. MAY3...late

Well, day 3 on Chantix .

I'M TRIPPIN BALLS!!!

Seriously, I resisted Uncle Sam's "help" for a long time, but I'm putting my sanity on the line, and so far...yes, TELL me Chantix isn't a psychotropic...yeesh.
At least with the amount I'VE been smoking, I have noticed some effects already. The "romance" of the cigarette is waning. I'm still smoking, but have had not much desire, and "habit" seems to be a big culpret now. I don't know hooow many I chainsmoked last night and wasn't "satisfied." I started looking at them like, What ARE you doing for me?

So, I'm gonna go on the blue pills early. I am just a bit eager to get to the actual NOT smoking phase.

I can't deny that these pills can make you feel "funny". I'm telling people to watch me just in case all those side effects come into play (the booklet is a NOVEL!), but I'm hoping I can ride it out like a "bad trip."(remember the 70s?haha).

But all of a sudden I just acquired all this inner strength and motivation, which I solely give the pills credit for. I "know" I'm going to quit soon...it "seems" inevitable. Creeps me OUT that they can come up with this kind of stuff, but, yea, it has that "miracle drug" feeling to it. Still, I can feel "something" messing with my mind...very strange, but mild.

Had you seen me last week...whew,haha,OY!...but all of a sudden I'm not acting like a junkie anymore, so at least the "appearance" of stress has pretty much vanished. And I'm not hatin, either. huh.

I'll be house sitting for two weeks in a peaceful setting, so I'm hoping that all things will work together.

The best thing right now is that loss of "romance" with the cig, which is what I was struggling with recently. These pills have really put that out, making my decision so much more easily "clinical."

For someone as pathetically hooked as I have been, this truly is interesting news. I'm going to start sounding like a commercial, so...I'll keep you posted.

[DavidRoss]

Annie Fischer? I heard her piano keys were all yellow from tobacco stain   

That picture of Annie Fischer always reminds me of this one:

[snyprrr]

Wed. May ?:

Well, I've been on Chantix for about three weeks, and I have had a cigarette for 7 days.

No one's going to tell me Chantix is not a psychotropic...yeesh. But that's another story.

I must admit that these happy little miracle pills are the only thing standing between me and a cig. It's creepy how miracle like they work. And I hope to be passed this as soon as possible. It's grueling...sleep is a luxury right now.

I guess, being on day 7, there is a lot of stuff roiling under the surface. Yesterday, I think I took my pill a little late, and I felt the drugs "dipping" a bit, and wow, the desire to smoke was very strong. As soon as I ate and took the pill, I was fine. I hate being a prisoner, but I guess it's what I get for going so hog wild on the cigs in the last couple of years.

Hopefully by this time next week I'll be strong enough to maybe start cutting back the dosage, but I'm prepared to go the full 2 months. I feel lobotomized, useless.

Just wish I could get to sleep....zzzzz....

It DOES dismay me that I couldn't just quit. I feel like I'm in the nut house...so...forgive any of my posts if I'm not making any sense, haha.

Oy!

[Anne]

I am cheering for you and hoping you'll be successful.  I don't know how long or how much you have smoked but if quitting now will spare you being out of breath from sometimes just walking across the room, quitting is worth it.  I smoked a pack a day and eventually 2 packs a day - total 40 years.  I believed I was so hooked that I could never quit.  Honestly, I didn't think I could do it.

When your blood oxygen at Urgent Care is 87 and the law says anyone with blood oxygen below 90 or 95 must in the hospital, and Urgent Care refuses to treat you for that reason, you know you have no choice but to quit - either quit or die.

I used the patch which comes in 3 strengths.  I used the strongest one twice as long as necessary and I think that helped me.  One thing for sure - if anyone uses the patch, do not also actually light up a cigarette in addition to the patch.  I did not know one should not also smoke while wearing the patch and almost ended up collapsing in the snow outside our local mall while smoking.  My head felt light.  I hurried inside to my daughter and right there in the bookstore I had her take off the patch.  After a few minutes I started to feel better.  We had stopped at the mall on our way home from my dismissal from the hospital.

I think my son quit using the method you are using.  My husband and daughter used chewing gum and seemed to have more difficulty quitting.

Anyway I wish you the best of luck and am hoping you will be successful. Remember, if you fall down, the important thing is to get up and keep going again. 

[orbital]

That picture of Annie Fischer always reminds me of this one:

That picture is not there to condone smoking in any way. I just happen to like the photo. The angle, the colors (or lack thereof), the composition... just beautiful IMO

[Elgarian]

Give yourself a small reward for every day that you don't smoke (I ate premium ice cream in place of an after-dinner smoke for several weeks).  And pay yourself each day with the money you're not spending on cigs; after a couple of months you'll have enough to treat yourself to something really nice.

This is excellent advice. When I gave up (I was a 40-a-day smoker till I stopped 20 years ago), I knew the only way I could fight the addiction was with another, healthier addiction. In my case, that was books. Every day I added up the money saved by not smoking, and started buying books with the smoking money. I never stopped doing that, and now, 20 years on, I have an enormous library devoted to British art, all paid for by the cigarette manufacturers. DavidRoss's 'reward' principle is enormously helpful.

There's also a useful piece of psychology that I found helped a lot; it goes like this:

For a short time, when I start smoking, the nicotine really does make me feel better; but then as the nicotine leaves my system, I get withdrawal symptoms; I feel worse, so I need another cigarette. There's the cycle beginning, right there. But after a while (surprisingly quickly) the nicotine doesn't actually give me a real lift at all; all that's happening is that when I'm not smoking, I feel worse. So I'm no longer smoking in order to feel better; I'm smoking in order not to feel worse. This is the key bit of psychology - the recognition that the smoker is continually trying to relieve his withdrawal symptoms in order to feel as good as the non-smoker feels all the time. We reinforce all this of course, by habit: almost all our normal activities become associated with relieving withdrawal symptoms, and it's the psychology of that which is particularly difficult. But I found it very helpful during the really bad patches, to keep reminding myself of this: "Non-smokers don't feel this discomfort. Soon, I will feel as good as a non-smoker feels all the time."

Good luck.

[snyprrr]

THURS.

Thanks for all the support. Opportunities for self gratification are rare around here, though, haha. Today I'm having difficulty again. My main problem right now is TOO MUCH TIME ON MY HANDS!!! Aarrrggh!!!

I'm on day 9 with no cigs. These pills are racking my guts and bowels. I feel like I took a handful of cold medicine; my head feels full of syrofoam. Gotta admit I still have desire, even though the pills ARE doing their job...last few days have been really hard, though not like they were a few weeks ago.

And "my" cd hasn't arrived yet!!! AAAhhhhhh........