How I feel about smoking and how badly I HAVE to quit!

[suzanne-bridgeland]

Hi...have not been on here in a while...and it is time for me to come back and REALLY DO this quitting!  I am so distressed that I have yet to be successful with it. 

Why do I want to quit????  I want to be able to BREATH!!!!!  I want to save $$$!!!!!

I recently lost my job and where I live the hospitals will not hire smokers...and I am a nurse!!!!! Limits my options of another job!  I have to quit and can not even apply until I have been quit for 3 months!!!!  Ok, perhaps that might not be the most important reason to some to quit, but, it is to me.

I also want to say this...to people who don't smoke...please do not tell us how bad it is for us!!!!!  Smoking does not shut off our brain cells!!!! We KNOW that!!!!!  WE are the ones that have a hard time breathing, and the ones who suffer circulation problems and cough and smell!!!!  You do not have to tell us.  Unfortunately, most of us started this terrible addiction when we were like 15 and EVERYONE WHO WAS COOL smoked!!!!!  At 15 we were not thinking about 20 years later when we would struggle to quit, and get short of breath easily!!!  I want to tell everyone...I have made many mistakes and bad choices in my 46 years, and have many regrets...but if I had the opportunity to go back in time and had to pick the day that I wanted to go back to it would be the day that I smoked my first cigarette and I would NOT smoke it!!!!! And then I would return to my life at 46 and be a non-smoker!!!!   All the other regrets would still be there, but, I would be able to breath and run and smell good and have $$!! 

Right now, I need other's to help me with this.  I need to find a way that will work for me and successfully quit smoking.  Then, in Feb 2010 I will be able to get a job in one of the local hospitals.  So, I am hoping to get the support and help of all of you who are out there willing to give it to me!

Thank you all

[puffthedragon]

Im new here, Im about the same age as you, and would love to support you and be supported as well.  I too want to BREATH again and want the $70 per week spent on better things then filling my lungs with YUCK. 🙂

[Bonnie11.3.2009]

I quit 5 days ago after smoking for 40 years.  I read lots of comments and blogs on this site and WhyQuit.com.  Both have given me the information I needed and the support to make it happen.  2 Months prior to quitting I started to cut back on smoking and to separate smoking from my triggers by waiting 5-10-20 minutes to smoke after a craving.  I practiced being a non-smoker by going for a ride in the car and not taking my cigarettes.  I began to think of myself as a non-smoker long  before I quit.  I read a lot about the first 3 days of withdrawal and ended up not using the nicotine gum I had purchased because I didn't want to prolong the withdrawal and I didn't need it.  Most of all, I knew that no matter what, I would persevere because this is my time .  Good Luck to you as you make it happen for you.

[AutumnWoman]

Good for you for deciding that you want to quit.  People have a variety of resons for quitting; an economic reason is just as valid as any other.  I also would imagine that it's difficult to be a health care professional telling people not to smoke while smoking yourself.  Read the information on the EX plan and whyquit.com as well as people's blogs to educate yourself about the quiting experience.  It does help to have a plan, a strategy for what you are going to do when those cravings come. I quit cold turkey, but there are plenty of people in the community who are using NRT or medication, so you can find support for whichever method you choose.  You have a strong motivation for quitting.  Hopefully you will discover other reasons to keep your quit as you go along.  Welcome!

[nancympearson]

Welcome Suzanne, You have taken the first step towards quitting by signing up on this site. The people here are incredible. I found so much help and encouragement that if it wasn't for them I would still be smoking. I am working on my eleventh month of being a nonsmoker. You can use help products to qiut---I tried them all. The nicotine  replacements didn't work for me. I went through 2 full prescriptions of Chanix and I smoked right through them. I had just about given up. I prayed to God for help and one day and this site popped up in my email, so I joined and I quit! This time I wasn't alone and that made the difference and God does answer prayers! Attach yourself to your computer and read read read, write blogs, read other people's pages drink lots of cold water and cranberry juice, and learn how ot take deep cleansings breathes. Let your mantra be N.O.P.E. Not One  Puff  Ever again. It is how I did it and if you stay on this site you will do it too.

  .

[margie3]

Suzanne - I smoked for forty years, I know your pain.   I work in healthcare, I know the rules.  Where you are, I have been.  Today, I do not tell people that I have quit smoking.  Today I would say, "I have not had a smoke in 45 days".  This  process is a minute-by-minute process but  You have made the hardest decision already - you have decided to not smoke.  That is an AWESOME decision!!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!!! 

[mciglar]

Suzanne - what are you using as your quitting method?  I have smoked for 15 years. I am on day 21 today and feel great, of course get an urge here and there but am REFUSING to give in... I am involved in a smoking cessation class at work and it is really helping! I am on the 14 mg patch and have gum if needed.

Do the hospitals by you have a cessation class?  Yea the patches are expensive but no more than cigarettes.

Start exercising, it really helps!!  I quit a few years ago for 6 months.. you need to know having 1 cigarette is not an option!  once you have 1 you are hooked again... change up your routines. i strongly recommend meds... 

Please let me know if u have any questions, its gonna be rough but its something you are going to HAVE to do....

Good luck!!

Melissa