Is it ideal to cut back before your quit date?

[Aveeno]

I set a quit date and going to use the patch  but was wondering if I should be cutting back the cigarettes I'm smoking on a regular basis before I quit for good or maybe it will just stress me out more before my quit date ? 

[TW517]

There was a discussion about this pretty recently, but now I can't locate it.  Hopefully, those involved will see this and respond.  But I recall the consensus seemed to be that neither cutting back, nor smoking a lot more in advance helped.

[Chuck-2-20-2011]

 In my case, cutting back helped me a lot. I used to do what I'd call "practice quits" where I wouldn't allow myself a cigarette for a long period of time, just so I knew what to expect when I quit. And I used a pack tracker to cut down. By the time I quit, I was down to five cigarettes a day from thirty.

 The only thing is that when you get that low on cigarette count, generally the patches will have more nicotine in them than you would need. I just used them anyway and followed the six week course to the letter, and in the end it all worked.

I look forward to hearing of your success!

ONWARD TO FREEDOM!!!

Chuck

[Aveeno]

Yeah I've been trying that to specifically trying to avoid having a smoke at certain locations I go to  like after work I take the bus and while waiting for the bus I'll go to Tim Hortons and have a smoke while I'm waiting and the last 4 days I have avoided doing that  I get a bit anxious but also feel good about doing it 

[elvan]

Aveeno  I cut back but it wasn't part of a plan to quit...it was because my COPD was progressing and I couldn't smoke a full cigarette, I could not smoke more than a couple of puffs.  I read in Allen Carr's book that it happens and that sometimes cutting down is not intentional, it is related to not being able to breathe.  I am not sure how many cigarettes I smoked those last few days or even weeks...I just couldn't do it.  I had done SO much damage to my lungs that they pretty much refused to cooperate with me doing any more.

[Aveeno]

Wow sorry to here glad u aren't smoking anymore tho  my friend has something like that but not severe yet  she still smokes tho  trying to get her to quit with me but also she lives in a house full of smokers  which doesn't help 

[elvan]

No, that makes it harder but not impossible, she needs to ask the smokers to smoke OUTSIDE and respect her quit.  I never smoked in my house and I will not stay around anyone who is smoking.  I am not going to inhale their waste products and that is what they are. My friends respect my quit and they know I will do anything and everything to protect it.  If they choose to smoke, so be it...I DON'T.

[Aveeno]

Yes exactly i do not smoke in my house either  never would  and as for her asking them to smoke outside they won't  no respect unfortunately.... she was in the hospital for a month and came back home she quit for 6 months while they still smoking in the house   I won't be going over to her house for awhile unfortunately  but I don't wanna set myself up for failure by being in a house  that 4 ppl are smoking in 

[elvan]

It's up to you but, personally, I would make that decision clear to her and to them.  Who knows, you just MIGHT plant a seed in a smoker's head.  Invite her to your place or go for a walk together...make sure she understands there is no smoking and that she understands that you HAVE to protect your quit.

[Aveeno]

Yes for sure she knows she is always welcome problem is they live about 45 min away  and always doing something on the weekend or don't wanna drive   my bf and I drive up there almost every weekend  it's his parents house and his brother and his brothers gf  lives threw which is the friend I'm talking about  fortunately my bf doesn't smoke   going to give her my allen carrs book to borrow hopefully that helps   I have a copy of it on my phone anyways if I ever want to refer to it