Quit After 20+ Years

[t1wells]

I am using the becomeanex.org site to stop my nasty habit. My quit date is 02/23/10 and I am doing it for my health and my family, not to mention the overwhelming expenses. I'm 40 and know that smoking is aging me beyond what nature intended. I truly love to smoke but I have to stop. How can I tell my 15 and 16 year olds to never smoke when that is all they have ever seen me do. I have this beautiful granddaughter that is 9 months from my 23 year old (who also smokes) and I don't want her biggest memory of  me being the way that I smelled like smoke.

[chris148]

Day 4 and all is well so far!  I felt so good going into class today and telling everyone that I quit!!!!!!!!!!!!! I NEVER thought that I would say those words!!!!!!!! Of course the cravings come and go - but it does seem that with every one it gets a little easier to overcome. 

Also - did run into one of my Smoking buddies ( we were a pair at school) and told her that I quit.  What hurt was that her attitude sort of changed towards me - she seemed to back off!  Oh well - we used to talk about quitting and how we loved to smoke so much that it just wasn't going to happen - I think that she was suprised that I really did it.

Anyway - I figure that if I could go back to school and learn new things at 54 - I can learn a new lifestyle too!

Gotta Love it 🙂 Smile everyone!

[miguel3]

Well, I've been smoking for waoo, I should be dead now. But I wan to quit, I;ll start on May 5.  Any hints or suggestions are more than welcome

[pojo]

I'm 52 yrs old-started smoking when I was 13--quit 1/2/10--yeah-it gets better.  I am using Chantix and love it!  I smoked for 39 years and never thought I'd be able to quit but here I am-One thing that helps me is:  I am teaching myself to be a Non-smoker instead of an Ex-smoker.  Non smokers don't need to have anything in their hands 24/7; they don't have to stick something in their mouths after they eat a meal or drink a cup of coffee--etc.....so, I am learning to be like them-not like I used to be--it's all a matter of re-training my brain and so far, it is working.  One thing I did was:  the night before my quit day -before I went to bed-I broke all the cigs I had left into little pieces and threw them in the garbage can.  I spent my first day of not smoking and my 2nd day-cleaning up my car-or as my son calls it:  the ashtray on wheels-IT WAS DISGUSTING!  After cleaning the interior-I can imagine what my lungs look like-UGH!  Anyway-I'm quit before I get sick and/or disabled.  I'm still healthy enough at this point where I can fully recover from the 39 years of self-inflicted abuse.  GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!  Stay Fresh!

[blur]

Tomarrow is my official quit day. I have smoked for well over 20 years. I have quit dozens of times. 4 months always seems to be my breaking point.  I am going to really commit this time. Iam using Chantix. currently every cig makes me sick to my stomach.  Iam dreading tomarrow becuase I love to smoke. Yet I want  my health, money, and my wife to enjoy kissing me again and not have to hear how "you smell like an ash tray."  I'll good luck to every one.

[etcm]

Today is day 10 and the cravings are few and far between. I am living as a non-smoker, trying not to find something else to replace the cigs. I did find that on day 6 the cravings were so bad that I caved in and lit a cig. It was terrible, It tasted horrible and smelled really bad. I put it out after two puffs and I haven't really wanted one since. And when I do I try to find something to keep me busy and the craving goes away. I don't have any secrets but this time I think I am succeeding because I really want to be healthy again. It is so nice to take a really deep breath and not cough! Keep up the good work everyone!

[Patty44]

Separate the cigarette from the situation. That is where I am now. The times I smoke most are driving. I like to smoke when I drive even if it is down the street.  I'm by myself so I'm not hurting anyone but me. I don't have people riding in my car so if it smells like smoke it doesn't bother me much because I can't smell (motorcycle wreck in '77-long story). I heard clicking a pen, drumming on the steering wheel, change the radio station just to make a change, breathe deep, wait the time out.  I want it to work this time. For it to work, I have to work it. One hour at a time or one day at a time, whatever the situation may be. I am sorry I ever started smoking in the first place. It has given me nothing but a temporary fix and/or a temporaty relief from stress, while giving me a false sense of feeling good. I hope I can keep being willing. 

[Patty44]

Forgot to say my quit date is Feb 26th.

[lois2]

keep up the good  work everybody,   the chantix is great i quit on it for 6 mons,  went back to smoking 4 weeks ago , how stupid i was.  good luck

[blur]

Tom - Free and Healing for Four Days, 23 Hours and 28 Minutes, while extending my life expectancy 16 Hours, by avoiding the use of 199 nicotine delivery devices that would have cost me $64.73.

[gracewind1]

My husband quit 9 months ago.  With the last added government tax, he said "That's it, I quit."

He has had dreams where he is smoking, and has had intermittent cravings.  Just yesterday he told me he no longer "thinks" about the cigarettes.  I thought I would share this as a word of encouragement.  

I would like to quit because of the cost.  I have broken many of the triggers, ie. the phone rings (where's  my cigarettes?), car keys (where's my cigarettes?), sit at the computer....etc.