Community
Just wanted to say hello. Day 6 of my quit with chantix.
This is no fun.
Already at the point where I'm thinking "well smoking wasn't THAT bad, was it?". Maybe I could have just 1... just to see if I still even want it
I do understand that is not a possibility. At 45 years old, it's only a matter of time before I would have gotten some kind of illness related to smoking. I had to quit.
Anyway, here I am...
Thanks! Another cig is not an option!
You are most welcome that so wonderful and i am so filled with joy for you Lisaml CONGRATS on your decision to love YOU!
Welcome and congratulation on the best decision you ever made. It only takes one to get you back to smoke again. Just remember One is to much and thousand will not be enough. Is not easy but is not imposible I am going on 3 months it's all up to you. Keep on going don't look back. Good Luck.
Thank you! I quit 2 years ago, for almost a year. I had a sudden urge, stopped at a gas station, bought a pack. Threw the pack out and just took 1.
you know, I just wanted 1 cig for nostalgia, curiosity.... who knows !?
how naive was I ?
Now I KNOW better... this will be my forever :-)
Welcome to our community!
The site has been down for a bit; you should hear from more folks shortly. I wrote a blog and asked others for best advice that you might find helpful: For Our New Years' Quitters (and community members, too).
As you do the suggested reading, you will understand more about why, as addicts, we can NEVER have "just one" cigarette. The Law of Addiction states: "The law of physiological addiction states that administration of a drug to an addict will cause reestablishment of the dependence on that substance."
Congratulations on your decision to quit and your first FIVE days WON! You are doing this!
Nancy
Thanks!!!;-)
This site is all about all of us working together. Read a lot, share anything you want, and get to know all the great ex smokers who are here. Good luck, and you are just one day away from a week!!! SUPER!!!!
Thanks, Greg!!;-)
Another newcomer, YAY!!! The more the merrier! Welcome to the best resources and support group EVER! We're all in different stages of quits and we are here any time, any day, to cry to, ask questions, get emotional help or just plain vent. You will be told a thousand times to read, read, read and stay close. Trust me, I wouldn't have made it this far without the Ex community. I also use Chantix and am having great success. You've almost got one week down already! You worked hard every second of those days to not smoke, don't let all your hard work go to waste by giving in to your (our) drug addiction. There is an acronym used here that has become a mantra for most of us. It is N.O.P.E. - Not One Puff Ever. It's a promise to yourself and a rope to hold when needed. I hope you aren't going through a major withdrawal as that's the one thing the kept me smoking all those years. Pat yourself on the back, look at yourself dead in the eye in front of the mirror and be proud of the new version of the person looking back at you. You CAN Do This and we will have an ear and your back whenever you need anything. And again, welcome to the group.
Julie
75 Precious Days of Freedom from Nicotine
Hi Julie,
thanks for your reply. And congrats on 75 days!
No withdrawl symptoms for me. I keep reading about insomnia, headaches, etc. Happy to say, my only complaint is im a little grouchy, and eating a load of chocolate.
Thanks for the warm welcome!
Welcome Lisaml!
I am not that far ahead on the journey into being nic-free. I found this site to be incredibly helpful both in information, experience and support. I really feel good about my quit having joined and participated here.
I was surprised at how quickly people responded to my posts and questions.
I try to make visiting the site a daily routine. I find myself on it at least twice: early in the day and then again in the evening. I would suggest you do the same. I found that by logging in, reading and beginning to participate I feel better, more confident and less likely to relapse.
You'll find that we are very lucky to have a number of folks who've been smoke free for a number of years but still participate and share the benefit of their stories and experience.
As other have said, read up, ask questions, put a plan together and smile.... you've just made a great choice!
Jerry T. 15 (days of freedom)
Thanks, Jerry! 15 days is a great accomplishment!
Thanks for the welcome!!!
Welcome. The no fun stage will pass, the addiction will fade, you will adjust far better than you might believe right now, so keep the faith. High five for coming here rather than talk yourself into a cigarette--or stressing all alone. Ex is here to help. Keep reading, participating, one day at a time, yes you can.
Thank you!!!!!:-)
Welcome and congrats on your quit. I too quit with the assist of Chantix. Feel free to ask questions, posts blogs ranting about life or just browse. Whatever you do, just hold tight to your quit.
Tabbie
Hello! It's my first time here, too. I used vaping for a couple months, then quit nicotine entirely on Christmas day. I'm struggling with how easy it would be to hop in the car and drive 3 miles to a store! But I haven't, and neither have you! Yay! Thanks for keeping me strong with you.
Annette
Three miles seems to be a short drive, but instead of how close cigarettes are, think how long those days quit you’ve won would be if you had to start all over again?? Just one cigarette and you’ll have to suffer your first day quits all over again. I’m on my day 9 and I can’t imagine ever making myself go thru days 1-8 again! Eek! Rather than how hard the struggle is, remember how much you’ve accomplished! What you’ve done is amazing, don’t give that away for a cigarette.
Good luck,
Laura
Day 9! Good for you!!
Laura, I'm looking forward to being able to say 30 days, and definitely do not want to start over again! I saw an image of a cigarette being used like a syringe and that was a powerful reminder of addiction. I want to be free!
Thank you,
Annette
I thought this one was a good image of how addictive cigarettes are.
That's awesome!
You know..just in case the site goes down, you should direct message each other and exchange email addresses...AnnetteMM and Lisaml. I also suggest taking advantage of direct messaging a few elders for email addresses. I know that I would be more than happy to give you mine and I think most people would. djmurray is so right that quitting when you are young is really important. I have COPD too, I am on oxygen at night, I smoked for 47 years, except when pregnant...I have been quit for just short of 4 years now. This disease is horrible...it is terrifying, aside from the shortness of breath, there is the fatigue and the fatigue is overwhelming. A year and ten months after I quit smoking, I had the upper lobes of both of my lungs surgically removed to get the most diseased tissue out so I could breathe more easily. It was not to prolong my life, it was to increase the quality of what I have left, whatever that may be. The diseased tissue was filled with emphysema. It's been over two years since that surgery, I work out regularly, I eat a healthier diet than I ever have, and I do everything I can to take care of myself. I remember getting sick when I smoked and I remember how scared I would get and I would promise myself that I was going to stop smoking but then I would get better and that's when the REAL RISK began...it was then that my addiction would convince me that I wasn't sick because of smoking, I was just sick. I could cut down...I quit so many times that I lost track. .stay with your quits, you have all of the support and education you need from this site...just bring your commitment and stay close.
Ellen
Ellen that is so true. I imagine we've always made that promise to quit when we get sick. I know I've done It. Then, the cough goes away, the smoke clears (ha,ha!) and we land right where I am now. i am clinging to you all HARD today, sorry to be so clingy on my first day. I cannot allow myself to forget how bad it was.
Thanks for sharing with me. I'm learning to navigate around here, haven't quite figured out the etiquette or direct messages yet.
I appreciate you and everyone who is going to ROCK this quit with me.
Lisaml I have to tell you that I really don't know if even THIS knockdown, near fatal illness would have gotten me to quit...without EX, that is. EX has held my hand and held me up through some of the hardest times in my life. To direct message a person, click on their name, that will take you to their page, on the right hand side of the page you can click "Actions" and open a drop down menu, the second choice is Send a Direct Message. That gives you a screen addressed to the person and you and write your message and send it. Hope that helps. We moved to this platform a year ago and getting used to it has been another one day at a time journey.
Best,
Ellen
It would be so easy. You're right.
But it would be sooooo hard mentally. You'd be so angry at yourself, then feel guilty, all the "feels" that we torture ourselves with....
and then it would be SO HARD. Because your nicotine and dopamine receptors would be all haywire, reigniting your addiction, sending you into a full relapse.
NOPE. You deserve better, you NEED better, and you won't drive those 3 miles.
Me either. (Except in my case it's 0.3 miles)
hang in there.
The mental torture is real, my initial quit was 10/17, I slipped 10/30, changed my quit to 10/31. I did spend a good month replaying the day before and the day of my slip, over and over and when my final quit of 10 days rolled around I was struggling to think of it as 10 days, it should have been 23 days etc etc. I did it, I have since held tight to my quit and tell others of the mental struggles I had with "just a slip" it sucks, but 70+days truly free now makes me happy
Welcome to the site! You are in the best place for support! As far as that "just one" - we have a special phrase we use around here - N.O.P.E. - Not One Puff Ever! I wrote it on a few index cards - posted a few and carried one in my purse!
Congrats on your quit!
So very true, you guys!
We cannot afford one, any more than we can afford to go back to our old ways.
i learned the hard way a few years ago, one cig after a quit will rewire your brain in an instant, opening up those nicotine receptors and causing a full on relapse.
(As evidenced by my need to quit again)....
here we are, look how awesome! So much support is here! Thank you all.
Day 6 is kind of sucking. I mourn the loss of my habit, the comfort I took in it. God, how sad. Comfort in something that had chains on me and wanted to snuff me out. But, alas, there was comfort in routine and I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss it.
Anyway, onward and upward... I have 3 teenagers and I'd be horrified if they ever picked up a smoke.
So there's my motivation!
Cheers!!!
Welcome to EX, we are all happy to hear from you and to help you along the way. Please remember that we all had a day one and we all want you to succeed. Read blogs and comment, blog, stay close to the site...glad you are here.
Ellen
Welcome to this wonderful community, Lisami -- You are so smart to quit at 45 -- I smoked for 53 years and quit 3 years ago with a strong desire to finally be free and the support of these great people. Do the reading, come here as much as you can, interact, blog about how you're feeling at any given time. Rant, rave, muse, whatever it is you need to do and there will be people here who will engage with you in whatever way you need at that time. I didn't read all the comments, but if you think you might pick up a smoke promise yourself you will FIRST come to this site and type HELP in the subject line. You will have support virtually right away.
Just in case you need a little more motivation, I did quit three years ago and haven't had a puff since, but I was in denial about my COPD for the last year I smoked. I'm sitting here now with oxygen on, and I need to take it with me to work. I remember when I was in my early 30's I saw a woman at church who was using oxygen, and I regret to say I looked on her somewhat judgmentally and thought "that will never happen to me." Hah! Worse, my sister has lung cancer, has been undergoing chemo, and also has pulmonary fibrosis and she's still smoking. So while you quit because you don't want to wait until you have an illness related to smoking, it's still a concept in your head (and that's the only way it can be until you have one). But listen to the folks here who tell you the real stories about real illnesses because they happen much more often than they don't. So I will say again -- you're smart to quit now.
I'm not on here as often as I used to be (shame on me) but if you ever want to chat, I'll get an email notification if you message me. You can do this!
That brought me to tears. Thanks for sharing that with me, and yes, it's a huge motivator. I caught a cold a few weeks ago, and it turned into bronchitis. Short of breath, hideous cough, wheeze and rattles... long story short, I felt it was a very real warning of what was to come. I don't pretend to know what it's like to live with COPD, but I imagine it would be a little like that... and it did scare me to pieces.
I wish you well, and your sister of course. Thanks for your support and outreach!!!
Hello and welcome to EX! This is a great place for support and education. Not much that I can add that wasn't alreayd said above. Congratulations on Day 6 of freedom. Stay close and don't hestitate to holler or type help in a blog and we will come running. One dy at a time and NOPE (not one puff ever) wil get you to success.
Thank you!!!!
Welcome Lisaml. No it is not easy, but anything worth having is worth working hard for. I know that working through the challenges of staying smoke free are difficult, but I have found that each day gives you the confidence to be able to push forward. One second at a time if necessary. You can do this. Come back here often.
-MIchelle
So today's day 9, right?!!!! Stick with it. The beginning is definitely not fun, but it sure gets to be fun once you've moved past the hard part. There will come a day when you don't wake up thinking about a cigarette. Truly. Wait for it!
I'm waiting;-) mornings are the worst! I literally jumped out of bed this morning excited to have one... then was like "oh, right". Sigh.
I just went thru that this morning, mornings are the hardest time for me too. Even tougher than the after I eat craves. But today, I had the added crave of one when someone gets on my nerves, I missed the cigarette I used like a valium. Today was my first bad day of someone getting on my nerves. I told my husband if I don’t smoke, can I get a valium please? I’m my 79 year old mother’s caretaker, and she’s got a bit of dementia, enough to just make you feel like strangling her because you can’t make her understand what should be common sense. Well, common sense to those of us who still have all our facilities. But trying to argue with someone like her is just plain silly, so you just have to walk away. I used to walk away and light up a smoke. Now I just have to walk away and figure out something else to do to settle myself back down.
That is rough Laurarutledge. It must be very frustrating. I have a stress ball on my desk and find that when I get frustrated, even when I was smoking, it would help a little to squeeze it. Maybe you can walk away and squeeze something. (And not your mother!)
-Michelle
Are you saying I can’t squeeze mom, like around the neck - just kidding of course. Thanks for the ideas. It was a longer than normal day, having to take her to two doctors, but I managed to survive. The saying I keep hearing here fits perfectly - A crave never killed anyone.
Slow/deep breaths, or count down from 100, or count the red.white, blue things you see in a room, or a mantra like, maybe, "she can't help it....she can't help it......she can't help it!" as you march in place?
When I said to myself "I'm sticking with my quit - no matter what," the quit got a whole lot easier. It's when we leave the option to smoke open that we constantly are in fight mode. A couple of things that might help: Your Options Are Your Back Doors Open or Closed by Nancy (Sick of IT) THE POSSIBILITY DOOR
Good morning Lisaml! Happy Day 9 of FREEDOM. I pray that the worst of the withdrawal symptoms are over and that you are beginning to see your new life through the dwindling haze of smoke. You got this and we've got you when you need us. Have a great
day!
Julie 78 DOF
It DOES get easier...even if it's just a little bit at first...it GETS easier. It takes time and there is no hard, fast time that we can give you, it is one day at a time...one step at a time and baby steps do count. Remember that no crave ever killed anyone but no one can say that about cigarettes. Stay close to the site...I said NOPE, Not One Puff Ever...over and over and over again. It really helped me...I also drank tons of water, ate Sour Patch kids, and spent as much time on EX as I possibly could.
Ellen
Welcome to EX .... You're already doing great and have the attitude it takes to beat the addiction! I look forward to seeing you around!
Sandy
Im so glad your here! Im sorry I didnt greet you sooner. i have been so busy with grandkids. Ex is a wonderful place and look forward to getting to know you. Congrats on your quit!
Missy
Never leave the door open for that sneaky guy to ruin your day. You can do this and this is a great place to be for support we are here I Anita 109 DOF you can do it too, I never thought I would make it but I have and I'M still going.. Sometimes I just come on here to read stuff and that help's
Hey Lisa. How are you doing?
Hi Susan!
Thanks for checking in- 1 month down, 99 years to go, God willing!
All is well, life is good!!! ❤️
*high five*
Where do I get free patches
Your doctor perhaps! There is
All states have quitlines with counselors who are trained specifically to help smokers quit. Call this number to connect directly to your state’s quitline. Hours of operation and services vary from state to state. Try the hotline see if they can help you.
Hang in there! I am on day 3. .I did spend alot of time preparing for this journey. Was reading but not posting.When the Headaches that come and go,leave me, I'll be able to concentrate and focus better. Totally changing my routine for days has been very Helpful. Tonight,I plan to soak in hot tub of e.salts and go to bed early. I am a natural night owl ! I figure the extra sleep or my kindle book will help me have a positive end to the day. Exercise class is at 8:30 a.m. I hate early classes but have been going all winter. Good night, tomorrow is another day in the Trenches of this New Journey. PrairieRose
Hey! Don't give up on this. I am on day 6 and I'm doing great and I'm on Chantix! No weird ****, no weird dreams and everything is going great !you have to have the mindset for it you have to want to quit. I'm 45 years old I have two grandchildren on the way and I'm doing it... you can too! Just believe in yourself and the will to quit. YOU can do this :-)
Welcome lisami CONGRATS ON NICOTINE FREEDOM... please read all Dr Hays blogs and please read all blogs here and keep on blogging asking or just blog on emotions of WHATEVER you need to BEFORE you take that first puff over you... thank you for sharing and helping ME to STAY QUIT WITH YOU TOGETHER we will REMAIN quit!