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I Quit Smoking (I think)

Centerfield Dec 11 2006 10:40 AM

Those that have been here a while know that I have been trying to quit smoking for some time. As I've mentioned before, I've had smokeless stretches from time to time but always ended up going back. Now that I'm past three weeks (24 days) I think I can say I've quit. The urges that were once consuming are now down to just a little nag. Unfortunately I'm now completely addicted to chocolate.

Edgy MD Dec 11 2006 10:52 AM

Wow. Well played.

Benjamin Grimm Dec 11 2006 11:09 AM

Nice job! I hope your 24 days extends to 24 years and more.

seawolf17 Dec 11 2006 11:13 AM

Nice! Congrats.

ScarletKnight41 Dec 11 2006 12:53 PM

WTG CF! Keep up the good work :)

cooby classic Dec 12 2006 07:02 PM

That's terrific CF, and think of the money you're saving :) I am positive your wife is happy about it!

Rockin' Doc Dec 12 2006 07:27 PM

Keep up the good work.

soupcan Dec 12 2006 08:40 PM

cooby wrote: I am positive your wife is happy about it! Yeah, really - no more 'ash tray licking' when you guys are making out.

Edgy MD Dec 12 2006 08:50 PM

Thank you, SNY!

MFS62 Dec 13 2006 05:30 AM

Great! And to make sure you stay off them, throw away all your cigarette lighters. Better yet, send them to me. Someone borrowed mine yesterday and walked off with it. Seriously, keep going - one day at a time. Later

Willets Point Dec 13 2006 09:22 AM

This reminds me of some smoking treatment commercial from my high school days which had people exclaiming: "We quit smoking!" "Welp, I quit smoking, I didn't think anybody could do that!" I can still remember these to this day because the dialog from this commercial became high school catch phrases in the same vein as "Hey man is that Freedom Rock?", "I've fallen and I can't get up!", and "I laughed, I cried, it's better than Cats". If only I could remember the name of the product.

soupcan Dec 13 2006 10:39 AM

Willets Point wrote: "Welp, I quit smoking, I didn't think anybody could do that!" 'Welp'? 'Zat a typo or a character in the commercial?

Willets Point Dec 13 2006 12:57 PM

It's what the guy in the commercial said. He probably meant "well" but it sounded like "welp."

cooby classic Dec 13 2006 02:30 PM

A lot of people around here say "welp" instead of "well"

Willets Point Dec 13 2006 02:58 PM

Guy in the commercial must've been Pennsylvanian.

patona314 Dec 16 2006 06:49 AM

personally, i just lit up

Centerfield Dec 20 2006 08:36 AM

Survived the holiday party. A small army of martinis but no cigarettes.

cooby classic Dec 20 2006 08:38 AM

Nice job! That's 40ish days!

ScarletKnight41 Dec 20 2006 12:00 PM

Keep it up CF - you're doing great :)

Centerfield Nov 19 2007 11:07 AM

One year.

Edgy MD Nov 19 2007 11:14 AM

Well, if this year didn't get you, nothing will.

seawolf17 Nov 19 2007 11:18 AM

Awesome! Congrats.

Valadius Nov 19 2007 12:04 PM

Congratulations, CF!

Nymr83 Nov 19 2007 01:09 PM

good job! what did you do to get off it? patches? cold turkey?

Kid Carsey Nov 19 2007 03:17 PM

Good job, CF ... keep it up.

Centerfield Nov 19 2007 03:33 PM

Nymr83 wrote: good job! what did you do to get off it? patches? cold turkey? I made a bet. My friend quit smoking around the same time. The next one to have a cigarette pays the other $500 in crisp, new $100 bills.

Nymr83 Nov 19 2007 04:26 PM

congrats, you'll enjoy your new gambling habit alot more than the cigs.

metirish Apr 15 2009 01:22 PM

I quit two weeks ago , since I stopped drinking and got married had a kid I was down to a few a day but decided to just stop one day.

themetfairy Apr 15 2009 01:32 PM

WTG Irish! Keep up the great work :)

metsmarathon Apr 15 2009 01:51 PM

seawolf17 Apr 15 2009 02:52 PM

I wanted one of those signs so badly. Effing MeiGray.

G-Fafif Apr 15 2009 03:26 PM

Go Irish! And by that I mean keep stopping.

Fman99 Apr 16 2009 04:50 PM

metirish wrote: I quit two weeks ago , since I stopped drinking and got married had a kid I was down to a few a day but decided to just stop one day. Good for you Irish! I am tobacco free since October 30, 2001. Ten years of pack-a-day prior to that.

A Boy Named Seo Apr 16 2009 04:58 PM

metirish wrote: I quit two weeks ago , since I stopped drinking and got married had a kid I was down to a few a day but decided to just stop one day. Hey, man, good job. The way you said that made it sound like it wasn't so tough in the end. Hope it wasn't and it's smooth sailing for you from here on out. Lorcan and the wifey will love you extra for it.

metirish Apr 17 2009 07:16 AM

In the end it wasn't hard , I never smoked in the house , never smoked around Jessica and Lorcan and never smoked when we were out , so my routine was to have a smoke in the morning on the way to work. I didn't smoke while at work and when I got home I didn't smoke either , I realized that it just didn't bother me not to smoke so i quit.

d'Kong76 Apr 17 2009 08:09 PM

Sometimes when I think about smokers quitting I think of Michael Keaton in Johnny Dangerously whipping out a piece of chewing gum out of his lucky ciggy case and it makes me laugh. Keep up the good work. Thank you for visiting, cranepoolforum is a smoke free facility, unless you have a good cigar for an admin.

Fman99 Nov 14 2009 09:33 PM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

Normally I'm more attentive to the date but October 30th shot right past this year. That marks eight years since I last had a cigarette. Still don't miss it, either.

Centerfield Nov 17 2009 09:08 AM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

Interesting that you brought this up. Three years of being smoke-free today.

themetfairy Nov 17 2009 09:31 AM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

Congrats! WTG!

TransMonk Nov 17 2009 12:09 PM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

My quit date is the day after Thanksgiving. You will all be an inspiration to me.

themetfairy Nov 17 2009 12:20 PM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

Best of luck TM - you can do it!

Centerfield Nov 18 2009 01:27 PM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

Good luck TM. It will be a decision you feel great about at all times except between the hours of 12 a.m. to 3 a.m.

metirish Nov 18 2009 01:29 PM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

TransMonk wrote: My quit date is the day after Thanksgiving. You will all be an inspiration to me. You can do it mate.....I never thought I would quit and for the longest time I didn't even want too....and I work in a pulmonary lab....now I rarely even think about the fags.

TransMonk Dec 21 2009 07:49 AM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

I've gotten to the point where CF was when he started this thread. It's been easier than I thought it would be. I think it's safe to say I think I quit too.

themetfairy Dec 21 2009 08:11 AM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

WTG TM!!!!

d'Kong76 Dec 21 2009 10:50 AM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

Good job, trans. mi: now I rarely even think about the fags <<< I'm sure this pleases mrs. metirish.

Centerfield Dec 21 2009 02:13 PM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

Congrats TM!

Centerfield Nov 18 2010 07:18 AM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

Four years yesterday. Amazingly, I still get the urge to smoke, but I think I'm used to controlling it now.

metirish Nov 18 2010 08:08 AM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

Good stuff CF Today is the Great American Smokeout http://www.cancer.org/Healthy/StayAwayf ... eout/index As of January 1st the hospital i work in (Westchester Medical Center) will go completely smoke free......meaning goodbye smoking room located outside(enclosed) between the main tower and the children's hospital....no more staff smoking anywhere on the grounds....over 700 acres...no more visitor smoking .... nothing worse than seeing people smoke outside the entrance to the kids hospital....no more patients allowed to leave the floors to go smoke...... It will be interesting to see this enforced ...as an employee I imagine getting fired could end up being a final punishment.... I quit I think April 2009....nothing since..

themetfairy Nov 18 2010 09:05 AM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

WTG CF and irish! Lorcan, Ryan and Stella probably don't know enough to thank you for this, but I thank you on their behalf.

d'Kong76 Nov 18 2010 05:46 PM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

I thought my fags line up top was one of my funnier ones. Later No seriously, love hearing quitting smoking stuff ... great jobs!!

Fman99 Nov 18 2010 07:42 PM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

Still tobacco free here too, nine years and counting.

themetfairy Nov 18 2010 09:21 PM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

Fman99 wrote: Still tobacco free here too, nine years and counting. WTG!!!

TransMonk Nov 26 2010 07:15 AM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

One year tomorrow. In the past year I've lost 20+ pounds, biked over 1000 miles, started running and saved $3000 that I would have spent on smokes. I'm happy I quit for these reasons and countless others.

metirish Nov 26 2010 07:32 AM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

Kong76 wrote: I thought my fags line up top was one of my funnier ones. Later No seriously, love hearing quitting smoking stuff ... great jobs!! Lol....I'm just seeing that now...I think.....it is still so funny for me to hear people from home talking about buying fags on the plane back to Ireland. Well done TM.....and I can tell you that within a few months of quitting your lung function will have gotten better by 30%.....

themetfairy Nov 26 2010 08:40 AM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

WTG TM! Happy Smoke-Freeversary :)

John Cougar Lunchbucket Nov 26 2010 08:59 AM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

I took up smoking this morning. (smoking a turkey on the grill, hah hah)

d'Kong76 Nov 26 2010 06:07 PM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

We'll be over for sandwiches around 1:00 tomorrow!

Fman99 Oct 30 2011 11:01 AM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

Today marks ten years of tobacco free living for me.

themetfairy Oct 30 2011 11:35 AM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

Fman99 wrote: Today marks ten years of tobacco free living for me. That's awesome Fman - WTG!

Centerfield Oct 31 2011 07:51 AM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

Awesome. I'm coming up on my five year mark later this month. TM also quit in November. Seems like a popular time to quit smoking.

Centerfield Nov 17 2011 03:26 PM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

FIVE FUCKING YEARS.

TransMonk Nov 17 2011 03:47 PM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

Centerfield wrote: FIVE FUCKING YEARS. Great work!

themetfairy Nov 17 2011 04:31 PM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

Centerfield wrote: FIVE FUCKING YEARS. WTG!

Edgy MD Nov 17 2011 06:32 PM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

That sounds like the title of your memoir of your travels in the Baltic states.

Fman99 Nov 17 2011 07:00 PM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

You beat me to it, I was going to say, that would be the title of my memoirs "Fman Goes to College"

TransMonk Nov 27 2011 09:27 AM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

Two years. Feeling great.

Fman99 Nov 30 2011 07:15 PM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

Nice work man!

themetfairy Nov 30 2011 07:18 PM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

Excellent!

Fman99 Oct 30 2012 08:39 AM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

Eleven years today of tobacco free living.

themetfairy Oct 30 2012 09:56 AM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

WTG Fman!

TransMonk Nov 27 2012 10:10 AM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

Three years today. Would have forgotten, but my wife reminded me.

themetfairy Nov 27 2012 10:57 AM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

That's fabulous TM!

metirish Nov 28 2012 06:37 AM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

TransMonk wrote: Three years today. Would have forgotten, but my wife reminded me. Congrats.....

Centerfield Nov 29 2012 10:14 AM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

Great job everyone. Six years passed about on the 17th for me. Still dream about having a smoke every once in a while.

El Segundo Escupidor Dec 26 2012 03:25 AM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

The chick I'm seeing atm is a pack a day girl and it's been murder on me in more ways than one. Nicotine was my worse vice and it's been over 2 years since my last cigarette, but feel I'm walking a daily tightrope. Anyway, this is what Australia's new cigarette packaging looks like.

Fman99 Dec 26 2012 05:04 AM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

The Second Spitter wrote: The chick I'm seeing atm is a pack a day girl and it's been murder on me in more ways than one. Nicotine was my worse vice and it's been over 2 years since my last cigarette, but feel I'm walking a daily tightrope. Anyway, this is what Australia's new cigarette packaging looks like. Hang tough brother. I don't think I could date a smoker at this point (well, Fwife doesn't allow for much in the way of extracurricular dating these days anyway, Sister Wives notwithstanding). I've come all the way around on smoke -- from being a pack a day smoker for ten years, now I get queasy just from being around it. No temptation to go back to it, either.

Fman99 Nov 14 2013 08:36 PM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

Twelve years (plus two weeks) of tobacco free living. Nothing has contributed more to my quality of life improvement in that time period than this specific choice.

themetfairy Nov 14 2013 09:04 PM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

WTG Fman - great job!

Centerfield Nov 19 2013 08:14 AM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

Sunday was seven years for me. I'm well past the point where I think about one every day, but some days it's still a fight for me to resist the urge. I've heard other say that after they quit, the thought of cigarettes made them sick. I'd give the world to feel this way. I sometimes walk by smokers and feel like Gollum. Except, you know, fatter.

Fman99 Nov 19 2013 10:23 AM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

Centerfield wrote: Sunday was seven years for me. I'm well past the point where I think about one every day, but some days it's still a fight for me to resist the urge. I've heard other say that after they quit, the thought of cigarettes made them sick. I'd give the world to feel this way. I sometimes walk by smokers and feel like Gollum. Except, you know, fatter. I have no tolerance now for second hand smoke. It makes me feel ill. I think about smoking so infrequently that I neglected to notice the anniversary of my quit date (Oct 30) for more than two weeks. It's just not in my thoughts anymore.

TransMonk Nov 27 2013 08:43 AM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

Centerfield Dec 05 2013 08:09 AM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

Great job!

Fman99 Oct 30 2014 08:13 PM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

Still tobacco free, 13 years and four marathons later.

themetfairy Oct 30 2014 08:26 PM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

That's not a small number. That's a very large number! WTG!

cooby classic Nov 03 2014 03:01 PM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

Centerfield wrote: Great job! Lovin' the Rey reference. Congratulations to you all; it's a really big deal and you all deserve a round of applause!

TransMonk Nov 27 2014 09:19 AM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

Centerfield Dec 01 2014 07:44 AM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

Congratulations! November 17 was 8 years for me. It's strange that there are so many quit dates in November. I wonder if there is something to that.

Frayed Knot Dec 01 2014 10:55 AM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

I just recently saw some stats on smoking in the U.S. Nationwide pcts dropped below 20% in 2013 - down to around 17-point-something (of all adults) IIRC. That's a couple of points lower then even just a few years ago when it was up over 20%, and when you consider that it's less than half from the 1960s era where it was consistently 40+ it's all pointing in the right direction. One-in-six still seems awfully high after a half-century of there being no excuse not to know better.

Fman99 Dec 04 2014 10:50 AM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

Centerfield wrote: Congratulations! November 17 was 8 years for me. It's strange that there are so many quit dates in November. I wonder if there is something to that. It was for me -- once it got cold and I was facing another Syracuse winter of smoking outside, that was what flipped the switch for me.

themetfairy Dec 04 2014 11:12 AM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

Centerfield wrote: Congratulations! November 17 was 8 years for me. It's strange that there are so many quit dates in November. I wonder if there is something to that. Did you quit in honor of Tom Seaver's birthday? Seriously - congrats to you and all of the other Born Again Nonsmokers.

Centerfield Dec 09 2014 07:15 AM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

Is that true? No, never knew that. Just a coincidence.

themetfairy Dec 09 2014 08:07 AM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

November 17, 1944. The Franchise just celebrated his 70th birthday.

MFS62 Apr 24 2015 10:36 AM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

It was one year on April 21. Missed it because it has been a hectic week. (The company I work for is moving to Purchase from Port Chester - nicer building) I stopped the day before my surgery last year. The Doctors told me the growths they removed can be caused by smoking or Diabetes. And since I was 2 for 2 I figured it was time to quit. Cold turkey. Later

themetfairy Apr 24 2015 10:53 AM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

Good job 62!

TransMonk Apr 24 2015 11:28 AM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

Congrats!

MFS62 Apr 25 2016 07:46 AM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

Two years have passed. Not one puff. And a couple of times I walked past folks who were smoking to test myself, and found the smell disgusting. Now, I don't have to do that any more. Later

themetfairy Apr 25 2016 08:21 AM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

Well done - congrats!

MFS62 Apr 27 2016 06:46 AM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

Thanks, mf. Smoking is now so far out of my mind that I forgot to post it on the real anniversary, which was April 21. But I'll continue to post it here every year, hopefully as encouragement to those who want to stop. Later

cooby classic Apr 27 2016 07:37 PM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

Good job!

d'Kong76 Jun 28 2016 06:43 PM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think) Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Jun 28 2016 09:06 PM

KB has been smoking for some time now again. At first it was secretly and then a it came up in a conversation with a neighbor so I was clued in and then it was I'm not smoking a lot and then it's like I'm finding butts outside and smelling it on clothing and now she will even smoke in front of me and now I have no idea how many she's up to per day. (sorry for the run-on) Feel like it's a game of Russian roulette given past history. Her brother died last year of cancer, her sister has been battling it for years, and KB's the cancer survivor. It drives me nuts. Great to see a bunch of you with success in staying off the coffin nails.

Rockin' Doc Jun 28 2016 08:44 PM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

Sorry to hear that KB has gone back to smoking. It is amazing the hold that smoking has over people. I know off many people that after quitting smoking, often for years, that end up starting back. Many of my friends that successfully quit smoking, have told me it was the single hardest thing they have done. Hopefully, KB will find the desire and strength to break free of smoking once again.

MFS62 Jun 29 2016 07:45 AM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

Does, KB ever come over here to the pool? Have her read this thread, to show that it CAN be done. By real people you know and have met. Not some anonymous person who wrote a preachy article for a magazine. We know how tough it is, and we'll give our support. Hope it helps. Later

d'Kong76 Jun 29 2016 09:17 AM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

MFS62 wrote: Does, KB ever come over here to the pool? Lord no, but thanks!

Fman99 Jul 01 2016 09:35 PM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

I'm lucky, I guess, to not ever have any temptation to pick it back up. I find it to be quite gross.

Centerfield Jul 12 2016 12:58 PM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

Fman99 wrote: I'm lucky, I guess, to not ever have any temptation to pick it back up. I find it to be quite gross. I'm just the opposite. I crave them all the time. Even now nearly 10 years later. Sometimes I find myself dreaming about it. At times I think about having one, just to show myself that it's not all that I remember it to be, but I'm sure that this is a bad move. 10 years coming up for me in November.

MFS62 Jul 14 2016 06:59 AM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

Its not a sprint, CF, its a marathon, and you're running for your life. Stay strong. You can do it. Later

Benjamin Grimm Jul 14 2016 07:20 AM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

Wow... this thread is almost ten years old.

Fman99 Oct 30 2016 08:18 PM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

Centerfield Nov 17 2016 07:20 AM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

Centerfield wrote: Those that have been here a while know that I have been trying to quit smoking for some time. As I've mentioned before, I've had smokeless stretches from time to time but always ended up going back. Now that I'm past three weeks (24 days) I think I can say I've quit. The urges that were once consuming are now down to just a little nag. Unfortunately I'm now completely addicted to chocolate. Ten years today. I feel like I've lived a lifetime in these past ten years. While somehow remaining immature. Go figure. I'm happy to say I'm at the point where I rarely think about it anymore. But when I do, the urge is still pretty strong. So just have to stay the course. Chocolate continues to be a problem.

themetfairy Nov 17 2016 07:30 AM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

Centerfield wrote: Centerfield wrote: Those that have been here a while know that I have been trying to quit smoking for some time. As I've mentioned before, I've had smokeless stretches from time to time but always ended up going back. Now that I'm past three weeks (24 days) I think I can say I've quit. The urges that were once consuming are now down to just a little nag. Unfortunately I'm now completely addicted to chocolate. Ten years today. I feel like I've lived a lifetime in these past ten years. While somehow remaining immature. Go figure. I'm happy to say I'm at the point where I rarely think about it anymore. But when I do, the urge is still pretty strong. So just have to stay the course. Chocolate continues to be a problem. A decade is quite the milestone - WTG CF!

MFS62 Nov 28 2016 07:37 AM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

Centerfield wrote: Centerfield wrote: Those that have been here a while know that I have been trying to quit smoking for some time. As I've mentioned before, I've had smokeless stretches from time to time but always ended up going back. Now that I'm past three weeks (24 days) I think I can say I've quit. The urges that were once consuming are now down to just a little nag. Unfortunately I'm now completely addicted to chocolate. Ten years today. I feel like I've lived a lifetime in these past ten years. While somehow remaining immature. Go figure. From three weeks to ten years? What a jump in one thread! Congrats to you. Later

TransMonk Nov 28 2016 07:54 AM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

7 years this past weekend.

themetfairy Nov 28 2016 08:27 AM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

Great work TM!

MFS62 Apr 26 2017 07:02 AM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

It was three years last week, and I didn't think enough of it to remember then. But, I promised to keep posting here for support for others. And I will continue to do it. Later

Frayed Knot Apr 26 2017 07:43 AM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

Not in terms of number of posts but in length of activity, this has to be the longest running thread in the history of the CPF

Benjamin Grimm Apr 26 2017 07:57 AM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

I was thinking the same thing, but I then noticed that "Its My Wedding Anniversary Today" is actually four months older than this thread.

Fman99 Oct 30 2017 03:48 PM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

MFS62 Oct 30 2017 07:21 PM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

[crossout:35ck6ysb]You moved from cigarettes to cocaine?[/crossout:35ck6ysb] 16 years? Good for you. Later

d'Kong76 Oct 31 2017 07:53 AM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

I applaud you all who have stayed off the evil stinky sticks. KB is worse than ever. It's my private hell, I know (provided nothing happens to me first) that one day I will be reporting that she has lung cancer again. It's inevitable to me, hopefully I'm wrong. Her sister is terminally ill with cancer and has an assisted- death doctor in her future. Not sure what it's called, but it's legal in California. I don't think it is here in the northeast? I was fortunate that my job at the time allowed me to take KB to her 18 chemo treatments, all of the scans, the surgeries and the follow up visits with her oncologist. She was the poster child of The Bendheim Cancer Center. I don't understand why someone would risk going through it all again. It is driving me nuts she doesn't even seem willing to consider stopping again. [youtube]x92vv8IDCyM[/youtube]

Fman99 Oct 31 2017 11:17 AM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

d'Kong76 wrote: I applaud you all who have stayed off the evil stinky sticks. KB is worse than ever. It's my private hell, I know (provided nothing happens to me first) that one day I will be reporting that she has lung cancer again. It's inevitable to me, hopefully I'm wrong. Her sister is terminally ill with cancer and has an assisted- death doctor in her future. Not sure what it's called, but it's legal in California. I don't think it is here in the northeast? I was fortunate that my job at the time allowed me to take KB to her 18 chemo treatments, all of the scans, the surgeries and the follow up visits with her oncologist. She was the poster child of The Bendheim Cancer Center. I don't understand why someone would risk going through it all again. It is driving me nuts she doesn't even seem willing to consider stopping again. [youtube]x92vv8IDCyM[/youtube] That sucks. It's an addiction. I'm lucky in a sense. After a few months away from it I no longer had any interest. It makes me ill, in fact, and I was a pack-a-day-for-ten-years guy prior to quitting. I know other people still battle the temptation even years later (I think CF said this very thing in this thread). My grandmother quit for 20 years and then picked it up again when my dad got cancer in his 30's. I never understood that, years later, that urge returning.

d'Kong76 Oct 31 2017 11:45 AM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

Thank you, yes it does suck. I smoked heavily for fifteen years and quit one New Year's Day and never went back. Hell, it got to the point where I didn't even enjoy smoking half the time but the urge and habit was overwhelming. I quit three dozen times before that.

Centerfield Oct 31 2017 11:55 AM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

d'Kong76 wrote: I applaud you all who have stayed off the evil stinky sticks. KB is worse than ever. It's my private hell, I know (provided nothing happens to me first) that one day I will be reporting that she has lung cancer again. It's inevitable to me, hopefully I'm wrong. Her sister is terminally ill with cancer and has an assisted- death doctor in her future. Not sure what it's called, but it's legal in California. I don't think it is here in the northeast? I was fortunate that my job at the time allowed me to take KB to her 18 chemo treatments, all of the scans, the surgeries and the follow up visits with her oncologist. She was the poster child of The Bendheim Cancer Center. I don't understand why someone would risk going through it all again. It is driving me nuts she doesn't even seem willing to consider stopping again. [youtube]x92vv8IDCyM[/youtube] It is an addiction. There is really no other explanation. We can try to make sense of it, but sometimes these things just overtake us. I definitely feel the urge still. Not nearly as often, and I can go for some time without thinking of it, but it's always there.

Edgy MD Nov 02 2017 02:31 PM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

You've got to replace it with something else, right? That becomes harder as we get older, and we're less willing and/or able to steer out of our patterns. It's one thing telling a 20-year-old to get out there and hop on the bike when the smoking urge hits. It's a lot tougher on an older perp. When you're listening to the Mets, turn the volume up during the New York State Smokers Quitline commercials. 1-866-NY-QUITS (1-866-697-8487)!

Fman99 Nov 02 2017 07:48 PM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

Edgy MD wrote: You've got to replace it with something else, right? That becomes harder as we get older, and we're less willing and/or able to steer out of our patterns. It's one thing telling a 20-year-old to get out there and hop on the bike when the smoking urge hits. It's a lot tougher on an older perp. I found a couple of things that worked for me. First I took Wellbutrin (aka Zyban) as a cessation aid, prescribed by my PCP. It's an anti depressant that has the noticeable side effect of making cigarettes taste awful. As soon as I went on it I cut back my smoking by half. I stayed on the meds for 3-4 months after I quit, also, because it helped me to know that at any point when I was tempted to pick it up after I quit, that they would still taste terrible. I was only tempted to smoke once, maybe 1-2 weeks after I quit, on a night when I was out having drinks. The other thing I did, that helped, was cut drinking straws down to cigarette length, and breathed in and out of them like I was still smoking. Helped with the oral fixation part. That was only for a few weeks. They would fill up with my spit inadvertently, and it was gross as hell, but it helped me for the short term. It helped me also to know that the physical withdrawal from nicotine only takes 4 days. I drank a lot of cranberry juice that week, also, to flush it out of my system as fast as I could. Knowing that after the first 96 hours that it was all a mental thing empowered me. Lastly, I also begin to exercise for the first time as an adult. That alternative focal point was big, too. I had other stuff to do and it was nice to have a more active lifestyle, after years of sedentary behavior.

TransMonk Nov 03 2017 10:26 AM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

Fman99 wrote: The other thing I did, that helped, was cut drinking straws down to cigarette length, and breathed in and out of them like I was still smoking. Helped with the oral fixation part. That was only for a few weeks. They would fill up with my spit inadvertently, and it was gross as hell, but it helped me for the short term. I second this method. I did this as well. At work and home, I would still go outside at the normal times I would have smoked. I would then use the cut straw trick. I would also bring an individual wrapper of Smarties and eat them one by one to help with the oral fixation.

Centerfield Nov 03 2017 01:13 PM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

I went with chocolate. Put on a nice layer of pudge around my belly, but it helped me quit. Then eventually I cut out the chocolate.

MFS62 Nov 08 2017 07:28 PM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

Cold turkey. One day I smoked. The next day I didn't. No specific aids or new habits, but I did put on some weight. That leveled off over a few months. Later

Centerfield Nov 28 2017 10:24 AM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

Missed my 11 year anniversary. As I've mentioned before, it continues to be a struggle at times. The cravings, though far more infrequent, are still there from time to time. So in a way, I'm constantly reminded of it, so I remain proud of it. Funny story, so I think I mentioned way back when this thread started, that a bet was the trigger for quitting. My buddy and I bet each other we could hold out longer. The first one to crack loses. Eleven years later, we are still holding out. A few weeks ago, he texted me from London. He was hanging out with an old college buddy of our's, and presumably, others at the bar were smoking. He mentioned it had been over ten years since our bet and that any bet over 10 years should be expired. In my own way, I held him to the bet. He resisted the urge to smoke. And we both remain smoke free. Didn't realize it at the time, but that was the 11 year anniversary of our bet. Funny.

TransMonk Nov 28 2017 11:17 AM Re: I Quit Smoking (I think)

8 years yesterday for me. If CF wouldn't have posted, I'd have forgotten mine, too. Congrats to CF and all others that have kept up the efforts.