Day 2

[ll_]

Hello everyone! Today is my second day, and so far... it is, at times, not as bad as I thought, and during others it is worse. I guess that is how it goes. Gum seems to really help. I have notice lately, that I keep getting sick, and my cough is so bad everyone seems to notice. Two days after quitting, I still wheeze a little. It finally got to be too hard to deny, even to myself, how bad smoking was affecting my health. My husband is quitting with me, but he seems to have a much easier time with it than me. I guess that is a good thing, because if he starts back up, I don't know if I could handle quitting without him. Do ya'll have any stories or words of wisdom for this stage?

[edith2]

When I quit, I had no desire to quit. I was really scared. I prayed for the desire. I cut back on my smoking. Then one day, I had money to buy two cartons as I did every payday. I decided to get a box of lozenges instead. I was really hoping they'd help because as soon as I paid for them, I wanted a cigarette. Later that day, I took the 1/2 pack I had and threw it in the garbage dumpster where I couldn't reach them. Then I started telling people. I told my son first. I remember feeling really wrestless. I remember thinking to myself, "this is it. I can't go back." I felt so irritable the first few days. But my son said I wasn't grouchy or irritable at all. I think I asked him 10 times a day. I tried to stay busy and focus on something else besides cigarettes. It was really hard, but I kept thinking I couldn't go back. I guess I made up my mind that I had to keep going. The lozenges helped me alot. I kept having dreams that I was smoking. It took awhile for me to adjust to being a non-smoker. I started to notice how bad my home and car smelled. I got a new couch and cleaned the nicotine off my pictures. This is my fourth time quitting and I've noticed a big change this time. I don't like being around smoke anymore. This is the longest I've quit. I don't even think about smoking when I'm in a stressful situation. The way I feel today is well worth the tough part I went through in the beginning. I love being a non-smoker.

[edith2]

When I quit, I had no desire to quit. I was really scared. I prayed for the desire. I cut back on my smoking. Then one day, I had money to buy two cartons as I did every payday. I decided to get a box of lozenges instead. I was really hoping they'd help because as soon as I paid for them, I wanted a cigarette. Later that day, I took the 1/2 pack I had and threw it in the garbage dumpster where I couldn't reach them. Then I started telling people. I told my son first. I remember feeling really wrestless. I remember thinking to myself, "this is it. I can't go back." I felt so irritable the first few days. But my son said I wasn't grouchy or irritable at all. I think I asked him 10 times a day. I tried to stay busy and focus on something else besides cigarettes. It was really hard, but I kept thinking I couldn't go back. I guess I made up my mind that I had to keep going. The lozenges helped me alot. I kept having dreams that I was smoking. It took awhile for me to adjust to being a non-smoker. I started to notice how bad my home and car smelled. I got a new couch and cleaned the nicotine off my pictures. This is my fourth time quitting and I've noticed a big change this time. I don't like being around smoke anymore. This is the longest I've quit. I don't even think about smoking when I'm in a stressful situation. The way I feel today is well worth the tough part I went through in the beginning. I love being a non-smoker.

[edith2]

When I quit, I had no desire to quit. I was really scared. I prayed for the desire. I cut back on my smoking. Then one day, I had money to buy two cartons as I did every payday. I decided to get a box of lozenges instead. I was really hoping they'd help because as soon as I paid for them, I wanted a cigarette. Later that day, I took the 1/2 pack I had and threw it in the garbage dumpster where I couldn't reach them. Then I started telling people. I told my son first. I remember feeling really wrestless. I remember thinking to myself, "this is it. I can't go back." I felt so irritable the first few days. But my son said I wasn't grouchy or irritable at all. I think I asked him 10 times a day. I tried to stay busy and focus on something else besides cigarettes. It was really hard, but I kept thinking I couldn't go back. I guess I made up my mind that I had to keep going. The lozenges helped me alot. I kept having dreams that I was smoking. It took awhile for me to adjust to being a non-smoker. I started to notice how bad my home and car smelled. I got a new couch and cleaned the nicotine off my pictures. This is my fourth time quitting and I've noticed a big change this time. I don't like being around smoke anymore. This is the longest I've quit. I don't even think about smoking when I'm in a stressful situation. The way I feel today is well worth the tough part I went through in the beginning. I love being a non-smoker.

[dan15]

It seems to me there are a lot of 'firsts' where you have to be prepared to overcome the craving. The first time I talked on the phone as a non-smoker I craved a cigarette, because I always smoke when talking on the phone. Same thing happened the first time I drove after quitting, the first meal after quitting, etc. Try to prepare for the cravings and know your plan before it happens. There's going to be more firsts coming up. I'll probably have a craving the first time I sit outside on the deck next Spring when it starts to get warm.

The first few days are the hardest, but try your best to stick it out. If you go back to smoking, you'll have to repeat the difficult first few days the next time you try to quit. If you stay off cigarettes, you'll never have to go through them again.

[ll_]

Today is day six. It is getting easier, and as Dan said, I am getting a lot of first out of the way. There are only 2 or 3 events that keep being hard the 2nd and 3rd time, but I know this will get better too. So far my favorite parts of not smoking are having more time, how much better I smell, and how my breathing has already improved. (I smell my hair and my shirt sleeves a lot to remind me how nice it is, but I'm sure I look a little weird to passerby's:) I have picked up the pace on eating a little, but first things first, but I am seeing a personal trainer, working out for an hour 4 days a week, and no more wine for a least the first month, so I'm hoping things will balance out. I wouldn't say it has gotten easy yet (wish I would quit dreaming of smoking every night), but I am still motivated and over all it is not as hard as I thought it would be.

[jen13]

I quit smoking 2 months ago and my husband quit with me and three weeks in he started again! I am still smoke free( I do have a drag like once every 2 weeks but I think its more to make him feel bad than anything! I am upset he is having so much trouble!! It is hard to quit but everyone can do it!!! There is a website called why quit it has opened my eyes!!!! It is easier for me to quit smoking than it would be for me to let my kids down by dying early! I know how hard it would be for me to watch my parents die!!! exspecially from smoking!!! I fear needles and hospitals and I tell my self " IF YOU SMOKE YOU WILL DIE A PAINFUL DEATH!!!!!everytime I think about smoking!!! You might want to try welbutrin it seems to take a little of the edge off!!! The other thing I used was a rubber band around my wrist everytime I thought about smoking I would smack it on my wrist!! I mean hard it trains your brain!!! I was actually scared to take it off or that it would break and fall off it was my security blanket!!! Good luck to you!!! Pray to God to he will help you!!!

[ll_]

Thanks everyone for such wonderful help! Edith...I too have dreams of smoking every night! Is it normal for days 6 and 7 to be harder than the first five? The cravings are about the same, but the physical effects of withdrawal have been worse!