Ex-smokers, how did you quit successfully?

Gypsy Hack · 04-09-2009, 23:20

Given the range of help available to people who want to give up smoking these days, and inspired by the Champix thread, I'm curious as to how people on here managed to successfully give up. Is willpower alone generally as hard as they say, or are quitting aids an expensive waste of time?

Just to clarify, the poll is asking what aid, if at all, gave you most help when quitting. And stuff like peppermint gum or stacks of tomato soup or licorice allsorts don't class as quitting aids, only what are sold as such.

Draggletail · 04-09-2009, 23:32

Wow, takes me back to my first ever thread back five years ago - I stopped smoking by reading "Allen Carr's easy way to stop smoking"

Allen Carr's Easy way to Stop Smoking

RIZRAT · 04-09-2009, 23:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Draggletail

Wow, takes me back to my first ever thread back five years ago - I stopped smoking by reading "Allen Carr's easy way to stop smoking"

Allen Carr's Easy way to Stop Smoking

Did it work though ?? the populous need to know. Now

Where's my gum ??

Sorry, forgot to mention I am a four time quit failure.. best stoppage = 7 months.. ??

Berberis · 04-09-2009, 23:57

I found one perfect way of staying smoke free.

Smoke a few cigarettes in quick succession every 6 months ... the nicotine rush followed by dizziness and nausea put you off them for at least another 6 months.

Draggletail · 05-09-2009, 00:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by RIZRAT

Did it work though ?? the populous need to know. Now

Where's my gum ??

Sorry, forgot to mention I am a four time quit failure.. best stoppage = 7 months.. ??

If you take time to read the link I included to my original post, you'll see it did work (for me and many others)

Still stopped, never had any cravings or felt the need to start smoking again

RIZRAT · 05-09-2009, 00:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Draggletail

If you take time to read the link I included to my original post, you'll see it did work (for me and many others)

Still stopped, never had any cravings or felt the need to start smoking again

Cheers Draggletail (for once I was being serious

) I need more than you shall not do this because it causes this as I know that already.. Its the habitual things that are so inbuilt with nicotene addiction that are hard to deny. Would the book answer such questions ?? Not being pedantic Draggletail but how do you quit the DEATHWISH ?? Its what it boils down to when you have tried all the help that a gp can throw at you ??

Alastair · 05-09-2009, 00:47

I had many attempts at giving up. I gave up for a year and took it up again and another time for 3 years and started up yet again. I've used most methods, but the one that finally worked for me were inhalators which I got on prescription from my doctor.

That was in 2001 so now 8 years later I believe I have given up for good.

Inhalators were great. It was much like smoking in that the nicotine hit would come instantly and cravings would stop. All I did was to replace the nicotine cartridge in the inhalator less and less often to wean myself of the nicotine. In the end I was replacing the cartridge only every couple of weeks and just sucking on air. At that stage I stopped using it and was totally weaned off nicotine addiction.

One huge bonus whilst giving up was that I could "smoke" anywhere I wanted. I could suck on the inhalator in any restaurant, cinema, train, plane or anywhere else smoking is banned

That made me realise just how stressful smoking is now. Being a smoker is actually a source of great stress as it's so difficult to light up anywhere.

purdyamos · 05-09-2009, 02:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by RIZRAT

Cheers Draggletail (for once I was being serious

) I need more than you shall not do this because it causes this as I know that already.. Its the habitual things that are so inbuilt with nicotene addiction that are hard to deny. Would the book answer such questions ?? Not being pedantic Draggletail but how do you quit the DEATHWISH ?? Its what it boils down to when you have tried all the help that a gp can throw at you ??

Allen Carr is the antithesis of *all the stuff you know already*. He gets under the skin of all the excuses, rationalizations, the tricky moments you think you'll never be able to cope without one. I was hugely sceptical when I started the book, was all set to prove him wrong, and by the end of the book I was stopped and felt excited about it rather than bereft. Read Draggletail's thread. The testimonies about what it feels like to go through the process will look weird or unbelievable, but for a large proportion of people, that is exactly how it works. It doesn't work for every single person, but for the substantial proportion it does work for, there is no willpower involved. You won't believe it unless you try it. Good luck!

Treatment · 05-09-2009, 02:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gypsy Hack

Given the range of help available to people who want to give up smoking these days, and inspired by the Champix thread, I'm curious as to how people on here managed to successfully give up. Is willpower alone generally as hard as they say, or are quitting aids an expensive waste of time?

Just to clarify, the poll is asking what aid, if at all, gave you most help when quitting. And stuff like peppermint gum or stacks of tomato soup or licorice allsorts don't class as quitting aids, only what are sold as such.

Although I do still smoke, but only after a ' bevvy', and then perhaps 20 per week,I find that staying with relatives, who are vehament non smokers, restrains me from smoking.

In essence I suppose I am saying that it is staying with people who have strong views about not smoking.

I hope that this helps, it really is bad, as we all know, and it has killed nearly all my relatives.

Getting rat faced helps some people also.

Good luck.

rachel2024 · 05-09-2009, 06:16

I gave up smoking several times and now have been stopped 8 years; the longest period before that was for 14 months.

As Treatment says it really does help being around non smokers. Once i got rid of the hubby and got myself a new fella (a non smoker)

it was so much easier to quit .... just for the record i didn't get rid of the husband cos he smoked.

This last time i stopped i was more determined than ever and from the day i quit i've never had a puff on a cig. At 1st i was worried that i'd start again and now i am a 'pain in the ass' reformed smoker and can't stand them.

I quit with sheer will power and the occasional use of nicorette gum and believe the hardest part is breaking the routine and habit of smoking rather than the actual dependency on nicotine.

Minimo · 05-09-2009, 06:41

I find it hard to understand how people can stop for quite long periods and then start again.
I smoked for 47 years, quite heavily.
Then I got a bad bout of bronchitis April 2008, and found it hard to breathe, never mind smoke.
So I stopped, and I'm very very lucky that it was really quite painless. I got rid of my cigs, lighters, ashtrays etc. Then I had several rooms redecorated, and carpets and upholstery cleaned to get rid of all traces.
I was the last in my family to stop and they were all delighted. Now when we get together, nobody has to feel uncomfortable and keep disappearing for a smoke.

To all those still trying, best of luck, and when you do stop, please please don't start again.

*Peaches* · 05-09-2009, 07:10

I stopped 12th May 2005, never had one since. I was in labour at the time (yes I know terrible aren't I) I lit it, took a drag and retched, never had another

Joanl · 05-09-2009, 07:23

I stopped smoking when I had a mild heart attack just before my 50th Birthday. I had angioplasty which they wouldn't do unless I DID quit.
I used Nicotine gum to help me and have never thought of having a quick fag since.
Mind you, it's now 17 years later and I am STILL chewing the gum.I DO break it in half now though

Just Decking · 05-09-2009, 07:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by RIZRAT

Did it work though ?? the populous need to know. Now

Where's my gum ??

Sorry, forgot to mention I am a four time quit failure.. best stoppage = 7 months.. ??

I've just stopped since Monday , it's now Saturday . I didn't use anything because all your doing is prolonging the inevitable , the actual stopping of nicotine intake. Best way to beat nicotine is take it day by day and class everyday has another day smokefree , like rizrats quote above who's classed themselves as a fourtime failure with the longest smokefree time of 7 months , well that's a lot more than most smokers will ever get near . They say nicotine is as addictive as heroin the only difference being there's no physical pain while coming of nicotine , so if this helps stop smoking today 1 satarting looking at smoking as you being a social outcast ( it's banned everywhere ) . 2 look at nicotine as a legal addiction like heroin you can buy over the counter harsh but true . 3 smokers stink to none smokers ( our lass still smokes after 5 days of me not i can truly smell it ) and no 4 it's soo expensive I was spending £5.50 a day that's £40 a week on a addiction .

These rules help me stop dead last Monday , it's been 5 days cold turkey b
around people who smoke . Don't prolong it just do it and do it day by day.

TylerXIII · 05-09-2009, 07:37

I've tried for years with every nicotine replacement product I could find (gum, inhaler, patches, tabs) but in the end, when I found out my girlfriend was pregnant with our first child, I promptly finished off my pack and went 'cold turkey' (on 31st December 07) and made it my new years resolution to not go back on them

norks · 05-09-2009, 08:16

just quit..... had a few days before where i thought i am sick of smoking and then got up one morning and chucked em in the bin, never looked back

i have put on over 4 stone in weight though

oh the irony

saxondale · 05-09-2009, 08:36

just stop - you wont die.

its that simple, it really is

shortcrust · 05-09-2009, 08:50

I just stopped. I've got mild asthma and after smoking without any problems for 15 years I suddenly started to get really ill from them. Gasping for air and finding your inhalers don't work anymore really focuses the mind!

Tom Cobley · 05-09-2009, 09:10

I am still a smoker with a 20+ per day habit. I did stop once for 3 months. I keep telling myself that I am going to stop, but it is always next week, then next week, then next week. I think that most smokers do this. I am sitting here now puffing away on my Lambert and Butler feeding my addiction!

When I go into my local convenience store they say "Is it 10 or 20". I normally say 20 in a sheepish voice!

Greybeard · 05-09-2009, 10:15

I know a couple of former heavy smokers who switched to using 'electronic cigarettes'. It seems that you still get the nicotine fix but avoid all the other nasty stuff in real fags.