cancel
Showing results for 
Show  only  | Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Give and get support around quitting

heidiv07
Member

24 Hours So Far!

Hello! I know it's not much, but I am so happy to have made it 24 hours so far. This is my 3rd serious quit and I just know this will be the final one. Trhe first two times I quit was when I was pregnant with my sons. I stayed quit and both times until they were 3 months old and I finished breastfeeding and my maternity leave was over. I think my problem with those quits were because I felt like I had to quit, and did not want to quit. The whole time I was pregnant I would just keep thinking about how I can't wait until I can enjoy a cigarette again. This time I am doing it for me and my own health. My asthma has gotten worse over the years and I can't stand not being able to breathe all day. So far these 24 hours have not been too bad at all. I am using the patch and it is helping a lot. My only issues with it are the redness and itchiness when I first put it on and it making my whole arm feel like i got punched hard all day. But I think it's worth the slight discomfort. I've had a few mental cravings, but nothing that was too terrible. I am going to call my Dr tomorrow too because I am starting to have an even harder time breathing and may need to adjust my asthma meds. I am so glad I found this site so I can document my journey and talk to other quitters. Have a 

Tags (1)
9 Replies
YoungAtHeart
Member

Welcome to our community!

I am glad you are here.  You will be well educated AND supported here!  My first piece of advice is that when you get your next box of patches, you try a different brand - if you are using a name brand, switch to a store brand and vice versa.   I have also heard people who have cut off the adhesive on the patches and used surgical tape, instead.

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. You can search for it online or at your local library. Here's a link to a video here on the site which describes nicotine addiction: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpWMgPHn0Lo&feature=youtu.be.

 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.

The idea is to change up your routines so the smoking associations are reduced.  Drink your coffee with your OTHER hand in a place different from when you smoked. Maybe switch to tea for a bit.  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.  Keep a cold bottle of water with you from which to sip. 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-instea...

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

avian3
Member

Congratulations!! Please don't say 24 hours is not much. I still feel that 24 hours was always my biggest achievement. I proved to myself that if I could go one full day without smoking, I could go another and another and another........

freeneasy
Member

Congratulations! Keep reading learning about quitting and nicotine addiction is the key to success. You can make this your forever quit.

How to Quit Smoking for Good 

maryfreecig
Member

Thanks for sharing your quit story and welcome to Ex. Stick around Ex, being with quitters is a great way to keep your focus on your goal to quit for good this time. Congratulations on 24.

Congratulations on your decision. You won't regret it. I too quit with the patch and have been quit for over seven years now, but I do understand what you mean about feeling that punch in the arm with the patch. I got that feeling myself and like you decided that it was worth it so long as I could stay true to myself and stay quit.

 One thing I've noticed when using the patch is that you'll still get craves, just not as bad as without the patch. So long as you're committed to your quit, this can actually prove to be an advantage because by the time you step down for the third time, and of course the last time, you already know what to expect. Also, you've quit before when you had to so you know what's ahead. Be ready for it! Don't let anything get in the way of this wonderful thing you've chosen to do for yourself and before long, you'll see and feel the freedom that you can read about all over this site!

 Stay strong! You're future is ahead and you obviously want to make it a good one!!

ONWARD TO FREEDOM!!!

Chuck

Strudel
Member

Welcome and congrats on your quit! You are in the right place! 

0 Kudos
mama3953
Member

Welcome and congratulations on your 24 hours! Celebrate it! I celebrate every minute lol....I’m a newbie so I am right next to you and here if you want to vent!  The best of luck and have a great day...don’t forget to pledge!

Lynn

Eyes65
Member

Congratulations!!!  Awesome start!! This site will help you so much!!!  They are so supportive!

princessdeb
Member

heidiv07  24 HOURS is AWESOME!!!  Congratulations!!  Stay close because the support, encouragement, and education you get here is so incredible!  Please read Allen Carr's Easy Way To Quit Smoking .  This book completely changed my mindset about quitting!  As YoungAtHeart  says, it is an entertaining read! 

Deborah 46 DOF