2nd Day

Discussion created by EastEnd on Jul 21, 2017
Latest reply on Jul 23, 2017 by elvan

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Second day of no cigarettes, after 40 years of smoking. I'm wearing a patch and it's going OK. The most helpful comment that has stuck in my mind is that cravings usually last only 5 minutes or so. I simply recognize that and it is true. My nicotine habit had become so ridiculous that quitting is the only thing that makes any sense. I don't believe I am going to relapse and accept that my life will be different and altogether better without smoking. I went for a long bike ride early this morning......

Outcomes

27 Replies

TomW5.15.17 Jul 21, 2017 4:39 PM
You're off to a great start! Congrats on Day 2! Sounds like you have the right attitude. Stay close to this site and post often. Pretty soon you will be handing out helpful comments.
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maryfreecig Jul 21, 2017 6:23 PM
Sounds like you are ready. Amen to that. If you are new to this site, a big welcome.
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elvan Jul 21, 2017 7:01 PM
EastEnd GOOD FOR YOU. Welcome to EX, it sounds like you are on your way. No crave ever killed anyone...no one can say that about cigarettes. I am so happy that you have joined us on this journey. If you need any help, please do not hesitate to ask. You can do this...it is not always easy but then again, neither is life.

Welcome,
Ellen
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EastEnd Jul 21, 2017 10:23 PM
Almost instant relief from hacking after just over 48 hours. I'm leaving my remote location and am going to be traveling for the next two months, primarily in back country. Anticipation of the trip was one of the big reasons for pulling the plug on cigs. I quite honestly had never really tried to quit although the realization that I ought to quit came up many times. Right now I consider pulling the plug on one life and entering another for a couple of months to be a good thing. Take that brain!! The thoughts to light up come in like a meteor but burn up in the atmosphere before striking ground.
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- elvan @ EastEnd on Jul 22, 2017 8:50 AM
  I hope you can stay close to the site, it's important to get regular doses of the wisdom and love on EX, so glad you are here and that you are already aware of improvements. Do not be surprised if you experience some pretty intense coughing and phlegm production in the next week or so...it will be your lungs "cleaning house." We are here, my friend, we will make every effort to support you and to help you.
  
  Ellen
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  - indingrl.01.06.2011 @ elvan on Jul 23, 2017 8:27 AM
    Ellen you are a great teacher and encourager ... just wanted you to know that and i love you!
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Strudel Jul 21, 2017 7:23 PM
Way to go - you sound great! I also smoked for 40 years and I can tell you that your new freedom is going to be amazing! Stay close - congrats to you!
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Youngatheart.7.4.12 Jul 21, 2017 7:52 PM
Welcome to our community!

Congratulations on your decision to quit smoking and, now probably your SECOND day WON!

The most important thing you can do right now is to educate yourself on what nicotine does to your body and mind. To that end, I highly recommend Allen Carr's “The Easy Way to Stop Smoking.” This is an easy and entertaining read, and makes a great crave buster. You don't have to follow the plan, but it may help you put your smoking addiction in little better perspective. Here is a link to a free PDF version of it:

http://media.wix.com/ugd/74fa87_2010cc5496521431188f905b7234a829.pdf

You should also read the posts here and perhaps go to the pages of folks who you think might be helpful. You might visit whyquit.com, quitsmokingonline.com and livewell.com for the good information contained there. @https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/groups/best-of-ex has lots of blogs written by members of this site with their experiences and guidance. I like the patch if you' re using an NRT - be sure to wean down the nicotine when you are ready.

The idea is to change up your routines so the smoking associations are reduced. A bike ride first thing this morning was a GREAT idea. You also might drink your coffee with your OTHER hand. If you always had that first smoke with your coffee, try putting your tennies on right out of bed, going for a quick walk, then taking your shower and THEN your coffee! Rearrange the furniture in the areas you used to smoke so the view is different. Buy your gas at a different station. Take a different route to work. Take a quick walk at break time where the smokers AREN'T.

You need to distract yourself through any craves. You can take a bite out of a lemon (yup - rind and all), put your head in the freezer and take a deep breath of cold air, do a few jumping jacks, go for a brisk walk or march in place, play a computer game. Don't let that smoking thought rattle around in your brain unchallenged. Sometimes you need to quit a minute or an hour at a time. You will need to be disciplined in the early days to distract yourself when a crave hits. Get busy! Here is a link to a list of things to do instead of smoke if you need some fresh ideas:

https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/blogs/Youngatheart.7.4.12-blog/2013/02/25/100-things-to-do-instead-of-smoke

The conversation in your head in response to the "I want a cigarette" thought needs to be, "Well, since I have decided not to do that anymore, what shall I do instead for the three minutes this crave will last?" Then DO it. You will need to put some effort into this in the early days, but it gets easier and easier to do.

Stay close to us here and ask questions when you have them and for support when you need it. We will be with you every step of the way!

Nancy
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- indingrl.01.06.2011 @ Youngatheart.7.4.12 on Jul 23, 2017 8:34 AM
  Beautiful teaching and of your experience living a nicotine free life Nancy. You are so cool in my world... the best education of solutions.... freezer breathing...brilliant idea... i love it... thank for your time and all you do for ME and the next suffering RECOVERING nicotine addict.. we will STAY QUIT NO MATTER WHAT TOGETHER.... singleness of purpose... NOT ONE PUFF OVER ME... keep up the great love my beloved Nancy... gentle hug
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Diannnnn Jul 21, 2017 8:13 PM
Welcome and congrats EastEnd. Glad you found EX. I agree with the others, you sound like you are in the right mental state to knock this out of the park!

Dian
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Giulia Jul 22, 2017 2:49 AM
"Right now I consider pulling the plug on one life and entering another for a couple of months to be a good thing. " Hope you make it for more than a couple of months.
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BonnieBee.quit.2.8.15 Jul 22, 2017 8:33 AM
You came to the right place ! I used the patch it really takes the edge off the craves also deep breathing slowly 3x on the 3rd exhale very S-l-o-w-l-y and by then the crave has passed if not do it one more time I did this many times in the first few weeks then suddenly you notice you are not having to do it so often . If you have a wicked hand to mouth habit as I did cut a straw into 3rds and use them to chew suck or breathe through they were my pacifiers which I gave up unconsciously as I grew in my quit !
Ex was and still is a great support system for me I love the Ex'ers I think of all of you as a second family !
I smoked for 52 years of my life I thought I could never be free of this addiction ...in a way we are not I am one puff away from full blown addiction but I am free on a daily basis I do not crave cigarettes anymore sometimes i have a memory that tempts me but believe me when I tell you you will niot feel like you do now forever stick it out it gets so much easier with time . I am now at 894 days and it feels great !

Very important .......keep a sense of humor Laugh at that nicodemon !!!
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- indingrl.01.06.2011 @ BonnieBee.quit.2.8.15 on Jul 23, 2017 8:39 AM
  thanks Bonnie... 52 years wow... most excellent history and recovering solution... beautiful wisdom for ME... i love you sense of humor... thank you for helping me.... STAY QUIT TODAY ... gentle hug... with your attitude gratitude helping ME to laugh at MYSELF and lighten up on ME.
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  - BonnieBee.quit.2.8.15 @ indingrl.01.06.2011 on Jul 23, 2017 7:50 PM
    Your beautiful faith in Jesus always inspires me sister !
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Angie_machado Jul 22, 2017 11:40 AM
Welcome to the Ex! I too am on day 2 but I'm using Chantix. Hey anything that works right? The biggest advice I can add is: listen, read, and write often. The people here are great! They seem to know exactly what to say when I'm craving a ciggy. I've never before reached out to anyone online before when I tried to quit in the past. Maybe that's why I never succeeded in staying quit? You can do this! We are all here supporting you! Please remember it's up to you on how you proceed with your quit. You can make it as easy or as tough as you like. Remember to keep the quit on a positive note, it's so much easier that way.

If you see someone smoking and you feel like your missing out. Remember this:. They are smoking because they HAVE to not because they WANT to. Their addiction to Nicotine is making them smoke. But not us! Keep up the good work! Angie
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- indingrl.01.06.2011 @ Angie_machado on Jul 23, 2017 8:41 AM
  Congrats Angie and great share... you go grl... keep on keeping and thank you for helping ME to STAY QUIT WITH GRATITUDE for everyone today NOT ONE PUFF OVER ME... keep on keeping on Angie.. gentle hug. Great job!!!
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  - Angie_machado @ indingrl.01.06.2011 on Jul 23, 2017 11:01 AM
    Hi Indingrl!
    
    Thanks for responding to my post! Just think we are actually doing this.... we're quitting smoking. No, we are not dreaming about it nor are we talking how great it will be when we quit smoking. We are live in the flesh EXers. Feel how good it feels not to smoke. I'm going to a Kid Rocket concert tonight at the CA Mid-State fair. Now, I just quit smoking 3 days ago, so this would normally be a slippery place for a new non-smokers. You know with all the friends meeting up, enjoying ice cold beers! But, this year they have decided that the fair will be smoke and vape free. Is someone trying to tell me something.
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Showiestodin Jul 22, 2017 7:13 PM
Congratulations, you quit, you can do it.
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Thomas3.20.2010 Jul 22, 2017 7:27 PM
What's nice is when you eliminate the possibility of smoking 100% it actually simplifies the whole thing. The question no longer is - "Shall I sneak one?" It becomes - "Well, since I won't smoke no matter what, what shall I do instead?" That's actually a much more FUN question and puts us back in the drivers' seat! There is an infinite variety of answers to that question and I get to decide what I choose to do! I can sing, dance, exercise, eat, tell jokes, play with the grandkids, call a friend, take up a new craft, ....go for a bike ride...the list is endless! And I have plenty of time for this instead because I'm not standing around hiding from people while I suck down another Sickerette 2 hours+ a day! WIN - WIN!
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- Angie_machado @ Thomas3.20.2010 on Jul 22, 2017 8:21 PM
  So true, so true! Now, that I am a non-smoker I find that cleaning the house is not really that bad at all. I have more energy now so why not. We have not had company over to our house in over 4 years, now is the time to get the cobwebs down and stop the self isolation. We used to have so many friends that smoked, one by one they have all quit. Since we didn't feel comfortable in our own house with non-smokers there, we stopped inviting anyone over. That's all about to change!
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- indingrl.01.06.2011 @ Thomas3.20.2010 on Jul 23, 2017 8:48 AM
  Yahooooo your the bestest lover of people ever in my world... full of experience love hope belief and most of all truth because you WALK you talk my beloved Thomas cuz i been watching you for YEARS now... you GO my beloved brother... you continue to teaching me HOW to stay quit no matter what H... honest in my heart with me no one else about my nicotine addiction... O... open mindedness to learn new ideas and W.. willingnes to ask for help even today... so thank you Thomas for loving US above yourself... awesome teacher in my world... kiss on each cheek.
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EastEnd Jul 22, 2017 7:51 PM
Thank you all for your comments and support. Someone mentioned reading a book to learn about nicotine. Thanks, but after decades of living with it, I know nicotine like the back of my hand. The addiction alone probably would have never led me to stop. The effects of inhaling burning tobacco is another story. My lungs have quickly seen clearing and I'm telling myself I have more energy and focus as a result. Hypoxia is scary, truly frightening and I am hopeful that my oxygen levels will improve. I am still able to be very active so that's a good sign.

I have conditioned my mind to refuse to accept failure over this. If I have to wear a patch for 5 years, so be it. I will never be inhaling a brush fire ever again. I'm not listening to my mind, I'm listening to my lungs,

Cheers
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indingrl.01.06.2011 Jul 23, 2017 8:24 AM
Congrats way to go.... HOORAY FOR YOU ... keep up the loving you and taking care of you and please remember blog blog blog BEFORE you take that first puff over you... gentle you
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EastEnd Jul 23, 2017 7:06 PM
This is officially Day 3 but actually coming up on completing Day 4. For reasons unknown, Thursday, Friday and Saturday were easier than today. I awoke earlier than my usual 5:00AM, wanting a smoke and wanted a smoke with some frequency all day long. Started with a hike this morning followed by a long bike ride but when I returned home middle of the day, urges came with me. What happened though is I took a four hour nap, just checked out and am now up and about at 6:30PM attending to chores.

For the first time urge went beyond fleeting moments and I had rationalizations about how buying a pack would be a good thing. I did not do it, nor will I do it but my hope for tomorrow is that it is not as difficult as today. I am going to grind it out. My flight to another world is Thursday and I will be in even more remote country for two months. I'm telling myself it will be easier then, but that sounds like a version of "you can run and you can hide", neither of which I believe.

I met a guy on my bike ride this morning, he had two very friendly dogs. I told him I had just read that some researchers are proposing that very friendly dogs, (most) have a gene mutation that also occurs in humans but in humans it is considered a defect, a disease of sorts. He laughed out loud and then told me that he was the new government psychiatrist on island. We went on to discuss the very serious untreated mental diseases here and I parted company not feeling so crazy myself for just lusting for a Marlboro!
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- elvan @ EastEnd on Jul 23, 2017 8:15 PM
  EastEnd I have heard other people say that their fourth day was their worst. I was really sick on my fourth day so I don't remember much. I CAN tell you that it takes time and it is one day at a time...each day is different, each day gives you more control over your life...each day you will get stronger. Stay close, we are here, we want you to succeed.
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  - EastEnd @ elvan on Jul 23, 2017 8:21 PM
    Yes, and thanks. My desire to quit is so strong I feel confident I’ll make it through. Having a rough day today is a good test. I’m not smoking……..
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    - elvan @ EastEnd on Jul 23, 2017 8:31 PM
      I am really proud of you...we all have good days and bad days and we had them when we smoked too.
      Ellen
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2nd Day

Outcomes

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