Anyone recently quit smoking?

[Angelle]

I need to find out a way to stop. I have tried cold turkey before, but it just doesn’t work.

I was recently diagnosed with a heart condition MVPS/D, anyway it causes shortness of breath among other things and smoking is really really bad for people with this. I am 24 years old and I have between a clicking heart

and smoking, I often find myself not being able to breath properly. While I can’t fix my heart, I can stop smoking. Any suggestions on how to stop? This is the first time in my life I have ever really wanted to quit. I know many will just say stop, but that isn’t working I guess I have no self control

 

[ATX]

yes, I quit last night.

I've quit before, and you pretty much just have to come to the realization that the next week is going to pretty much suck. What you need to do is actually change your body. In 3 months almost all cells are brand new, bone takes about 6 months, and some other cells are different. Take a holistic approach. Barley Green is available at most nutrition stores and it's probably the best disease fighting and general life improver of any substance known to man. Carrot juice is another. Eat lots of vegetables, they need to be raw. Cooking them destroys the enzymes which are the powerful life changers and antioxidants. I know it sounds like a round-about way, but it will not only make you not only not WANT to smoke it will also do wonders for your heart and your total quality of life. I also suggest working out. You want to detoxify, until you do your body will want cigarettes. Once you detoxify it will be like before you smoked your first cigarette, your body wont want it. Your mind might still want it, but working out consistently not only helps detoxify it promotes cardiovascular health and teaches DISCIPLINE. My mom beat brain cancer without chemo.

 

[Journeyman]

What about that patch thing Angelle? that sounds like a good way to ween off of it....Good Luck!

 

[RobFunk]

great post ATX

 

[bolivar]

I quit in 1982 is that recent. They hauled me in and repaired my heart and told me if I quit smoking they would be through and I kept on smoking they would be back. Never wanted another one. Worked for me.

 

[Dante]

angelle just start slow...not sure what you smoke per day put start by cutting down to 10 a day or something....its good your trying to stop now

 

[NotaBookie]

Try Zyban,

Worked for me.

Good Luck

 

[truthteller]

I never smoked in my life so would like to know how does it feel when you stop ? Do you get anxious, go into depression etc..?

 

[winkyduck]

the one thing you really need to work on is your hands.

and what i mean here is that smokers - when they want a cigarette - reach for one - no problem.

if you smoke - then decide to give it up - when the craving comes - you will reach for one. whether the brain can kick in fast enough to say "NO" is questionable. but even if it does - you will still want to reach for something.

i have never smoked but i have heard from those who have - and gave it up - to try something like putting a rubber band on the wrist that normally reaches for cigarettes. if you go reach for a cigarette - pull the rubber band so it snaps on your wrist. the second of pain will work like Pavlov's Dog in that maybe you will realize the pain of doing so - and not reach for one.

you might also try walking or exercising - so that you can build up some stamina to do stuff - and thereby not want to smoke so you can have the ability to walk/run/whatever a longer period of time.

best of luck with this endeavor. having met you at the bash last year - you are an atractive woman - but not with the cancer stick in your hands. eliminate that part of your life and things will get better.

while you are at it - talk to jenny about doing the same for it won't be long before she goes thru what you are right now.

finally - once you stop smoking - you will be STUNNED at how much extra $$$ you have. instead of spending "$X" per day on smokes - you will now have "free money" to do other things - like buy new clothes/furniture/invest/etc. you will also find any health care premiums you have to pay will (should) be less.

let us know how things come along - we are rooting ya to succeed! you don't want to be old and ugly like Shrink, do you?

 

[Angelle]

winky that sounds like an idea...

But getting jenny to quit would not be easy. LOL I am having enough trouble on my own. She won't have my heart condition though... its genetic. Any other ideas are appreciated. I am ready to try anything.

I am switching from one doctor to a cardiologist soon and I really don't want to hear about how smoking will cause me this and that... There is nothing you can say when they tell you that. He is going to say you are killing yourself blah blah... I would rather be able to say i used to smoke but just quit...

I am tired of it. I am 24 years old and had more medical problems. I just want to be healthy.

 

[winkyduck]

the easiest bit of advice would be to move to California - where it is 100% ILLEGAL to smoke indoors - be it a restuarant, bar, bowling alley, etc. and some businesses won't let you smoke within 20 feet of the door, even.

move to CA and smoking won't be an issue for you won't be allowed to do it - or be near it.

a great way to stop smoking is to see a X-ray of the chest and lungs of a smoker and non-smoker. seeing the difference between the 2 should be enough to scare the shit out of you and get you to put down the smokes ASAP!

 

[Angelle]

I just have to do it.
This is horrible. I am scared to death already. I have been having panic attacks, and when I get up too fast I start to black out... I also lose feeling in my left arm often. Not ot mention I am sleepy all the damn time.

I am too young for this

 

[Katwoman]

I've been an on-and-off smoker for about 10 years now. Last time I started smoking again was in november last year and quit like one month ago. My problem is that I smoke for 2 reasons, oral fixation and anxiety. So what I do is that I chew gum or grab a little stick to have in my mouth so I don't feel like smoking, and for the anxiety a friend gave me some sort of clay that's used for rehab on people with arthritis so when I feel anxious I just take it out of my bag (yes, I've been carrying it since he gave it to me)

The bad thing is when I go out, because there's nothing better than a beer and a smoke... but right now I'm on medication so I can't drink, and that's kinda helping me too.

I hope some of this works for you

 

[Angelle]

pretty much the same 2 reasons I smoke..
I will have to try that as well

thanks!

 

[HateTheRiverCard]

Angelle... good luck with trying to quit. I hope you can pull it off. 2 of my best friends have quit about the same time 8 months ago and are going strong so far. Not being a smoker myself I have no idea what its like to quit but will ask them if they tried anything or went cold turkey.

I'll drop you an email later, I think I still have it.

Just look at it this way, you probably have a BETTER chance of quiting than the SAINTS have of WINNING the Super Bowl

 

[CountryDickMontana]

Angelle,

ATX has given you the best advice imho. While I have not "Quit" I have been able to control (Smoke 1 a day on average) for years now. Excercise in the morning + LOT'S of water will reduce your cravings much better than getting addicted to some patch or pill.

 

[CountryDickMontana]

Angelle,

The excercise + water will curb your anxiety attacks drastcally as well. I regret that I waited so long to get back into shape. just do it. Start right now. get up. start moving. go for a walk. You will have so much energy, and feel so positive it will blow your mind.

 

[DrunkenHorseplayer]

Figure out roughly how many cigarettes you smoke per day (20,30,40?) and then every calendar week cut back by one or two (or three) per day until you're down to zero.

 

[Dante]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Country Dick Montana:
Angelle,

The excercise + water will curb your anxiety attacks drastcally as well. I regret that I waited so long to get back into shape. just do it. Start right now. get up. start moving. go for a walk. You will have so much energy, and feel so positive it will blow your mind. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


GREAT advise country, Angelle take up Mtn biking or a hobby like that get your mind off of smoking those cancer sticks you are WAY to young to have to deal with those health issues

 

[ElIguana]

Angelle, I don't know if this will help at all, but here is my take. I am not a smoker, but many of my friends used to be. Every single one of them who quit smoking just DID IT.....no fancy plan, no patches, nothing, they just made up their minds and made it happen.

Much like people losing weight. I don't know anyone who has lost weight on a plan (including Adkins) and kept it off long term.

"Your own resolution to succeed is more important than anything else." I think Abe Lincoln said that.

Good luck--I admire you for trying. Think of the $$ you'll save, let alone your health.