Hi, can i get some support? Having a hard time letting go of the cigs. ..HELP!
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Hi, can i get some support? Having a hard time letting go of the cigs. ..HELP!
Huh?
I'm giving in to the rights and feelings. ..i have so much anxiety. Not so much about stopping but the fact that I'm going for hip replacement surgery next month. So much fear!
So are you fearful of the surgery or being disqualified from having it if you are still smoking?
I don't think I'm afraid to be disqualified but that i won't quit and have complications. But I'm not thinking like that. ..smoked my last cig about 3 hours ago. Laying in bed and getting ready to sleep while praying
Complications are a possibility as smoking does inhibit oxygen from healing the area. You get carbon monoxide instead.
I know. I severed my foot and continued to smoke. My ankle bone died and it never did heal right.
OMG I am so sorry. ..without words. This disease sucks. ...but there is always HOPE and this is what we stand on!
That's right, there IS always home and you have a day WON! Keep stacking the days. You know it will get easier as you do that and the mental obsession dies off. Stay close to the site and pay attention to how others handled or are handling their first days.
sgonz53, take a deep breath and let us know what'shappening and how we can help?
Hi and welcome to the site! Have you already quit or just getting ready? One thing that has helped many of us was doing some reading to prepare - please check out the free book by Carr found at
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Will do. I've stopped before fire several years. ..this last stint has been 18 months. I'm tired and want to stop. ...
Hi Strudel...getting started. I've been here before. ..I've gone 7 yrs, 5 yrs. .. picked up again about 18 mos ago.
Welcome to our community!
Congratulations on your decision to quit. WE can help!
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 also highly recommend Allen Carr's “The Easy Way to Stop Smoking.” This is an easy and entertaining read. Here is a link to a free PDF version of it:
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As well, read the sections on this site, and read the blogs, responses and pages of folks you think might be helpful. You might visit whyquit.com and quitsmokingonline.com for the good information contained there. You should also do the tracking and separation exercises suggested on this site
After you have completed the recommended reading, it will be time to make an informed choice of the quit aid, if any, you will use. If you go that route, I personally recommend the aids that don't let the addict control the dose such as the available prescription drugs or the patch. If used properly, gum, lozenges and inhalers are fine, but they need to be used only as a last resort. I have seen folks become addicted to them if they substitute them for every cigarette they used to smoke - just trading one addiction for another. I do not recommend the e-cigarette for three reasons: 1) the vapor has been compared to the polluted air in Bejing on a bad day, 2) they just provide another nicotine delivery system while continuing the hand to mouth smoking motion, and 3) the batteries can spontaneously catch on fire. . But – any method that you think will work well for you will be best for you.
The idea is to change up your routines so the smoking associations are reduced. 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.
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:
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
Thank you Nancy. I'm greatful for this site. I just have to utilize you guys more often and know that I'm not alone.
sgonz53. I understand your fear. But I'd just like to say I've NEVER heard of an unsuccessful hip replacement. They say the relief from pain is worth every minute of rehab. My mom had both hips replaced (6 months apart) at age 65 and could go back to dancing, walking, working out. It was amazing to see.
I'm going for my 2nd knee replacement (right knee) mid-April and, like you, am really fearful...for what reason I don't know. The first one was incident-free and I was smoking at the time. This time I will be nearly 2 months quit and yet I'm dreading the surgery more than I did with the left knee.
Deep breath. Read. Meditate. Stay with us.xoxox
Bree
Bree...you are quite an inspiration. I've had my share of health issues. ..been living with chronic illness for about 25 years ago, as a result i went into kidney failure, was on dialysis for a year and was blessed with a transplantation from my aunt. ..two years later had breast cancer, two years after went to grad school and got my Master's in Social Work. ..so much had happened in my life. Too much for one entry but I'm a survivor and now this. ..God has a funny sense of humor but i trust him with my life.
You are going to have these thoughts and feelings - Please remind yourself that it's the Addiction talking! It's very rare that we can see through the BLA_BLA_BLA to make a rational decision. So you just have to trust that when you did make the decision to quit and set your Quit Date you were Right! Stick with it! Step Over...the noise! Your surgery will be just fine. You will be just fine. We will be right here beside you! Check out shashort for incredible surgeries with happy outcomes. Also JustSharon.
Thank you Thomas. I'm feeling the love. You guys are am amazing group. So glad I'm here.
I thought I'd stop by and see how you're doing this morning sgonz53 this morning, deep breathe and know that we're all here for you and your precious quit.....
Hi Marilyn I'm doing ok. ..taking it a moment at a time. Smoked my last cig about three hours ago. I dint have anymore. ..no extra packs laying around.
Hello, How are you doing today? Here is a link that you can check out, it got some great stuff in it! My Welcome To New Members (12+ Years Of Watching) stay close and keep blogging and holler if you need help!
You can do this, sgonz53
~Terrie~
Hi sgonz53! I hope your panic level is down a bit now. This group is awesome as Thomas said we will be right with you every step of the way.. When is you hip surgery? If you can tell more of your story, we would love to hear it and helps us know how to help you. I have been through several surgeries here lately and everyone has stood by my all th way through my healing. There are lots of positives to quiting smoking!! I am sure you have a list if not you may want to make a list. For starters your breathing will be much better. You will heal much quicker as a nonsmoker. I am guessing hip replacement will require a couple day hospitilation. So here is the great part being a exsmoker YOU WON'T WANDER OR WORRY HOW YOU WILL SMOKE. The beauty is you can relax and focus on therapy and healing. You can do this. Stay strong!! Focus and know you can do this and lots of people to support you. Feel free to give me a shout if you need help.
Sharon
Hi @shashort....surgery is scheduled for April 13th. I'm nervous as heck but ure right! I can focus on getting better and healing without trying to smoke a cigarette and doing physical therapy. What a nightmare that would be. ..being out of breath, no energy. ..ugh!
I can understand your fear but you need to remember that the opposite of fear is FAITH and you can have faith in yourself, faith in your surgeon, faith in this site, faith in God...the list could go on and on. Quitting is not an event, it is a journey and it is one day at a time. Sometimes, a day is too long and you need to make it an hour at a time. Remember to reach out like you just did with this HELP blog. We all want your success. You will heal so much faster as a nonsmoker, you will be less anxious because you won't be constantly trying to figure out how to get out of the hospital to go smoke. You can put the focus on you where it belongs.
Amen to that Elvan. Thank you for your affirming words.
Remember to take it 1 hour at a time in the beginning and increase it to 2 , before long it will be 1 day at a time and so on, everyone here has been through it, we are all here to help and give support however you need it.
Trust me CC you guys ate going to get sick of me but when you don't hear from me it's probably cause its so late from working all day. Sometimes i don't have the energy. ..it's after 11pm but i didn't want to go to sleep without responding to your msg
When you say those prayers, ask for the mental obsession to be taken away, you have been through this before, really successfully, you absolutely can do this and make it your "forever" quit. I remember when I came here and read that, people talking about how this was their forever quit and I wondered how they knew. I know I never want another day one, I never want to do that damage to my body...that damage that I denied was happening. You have quite a story, it is a story of great strength! Tap into that amazing strength and take this one day at a time.
Thank you for your kind and affirming words. ...so... i have ONE (1) day without smoking! Woke up this morning feeling a bit tired and have a slight headache but I'm doing ok.
HI - almost completing Day #2...geez - I want to smoke but I've been keeping busy all day. Just finished dinner, evenings are the toughest - that's when I want to smoke a couple cigs. I'm not going outside to get a 'loosey' - yes, we have those in NY. I'm staying put and set out to do some coloring....
I like the coloring, still do it on and off, most of the time I play on the computer after dinner, never smoked while on the computer, so I try to use it after dinner. I found doing things that way really help especially during a crave!
I never smoke in the house. ..stopped after i quit the first time and painted my house. Vowed to never smoke in my house again. It's been over 15 years. ..
Hi All. ..happy Sunday! Went through the weekend without smoking. I have a slight headache but i know it's cause I'm detoxing. Going to make myself some ginger tea. ..I've been drinking alot of water, eating well and resting. My body feels tired. Thank you for your ongoing support.
Very Good!
Onward and Upward
Don't panic.
What are you doing wrong?