Sierra888

Hi All, Just logged in because it was the only place (other than the GPs) to find out when I gave up smoking. It is now 8 years - I thought it was 5. Haven't smoked since although there are odd times when I miss it. I was a champix baby. Many thanks to all those posted such supportive and informative messages over the years. All the best, Sierra888

Hi Nutty, Well done you - wishing you lots of support. I found "square breathing" helped. Find something square/rectangular like a picture, a window frame, TV, etc. Take a deep breath in whilst counting in your head 1 and 2. Let your eye travel along the top of the frame as you count the 1 and 2. Then exhale to 1 and 2 as your eye descends one side of the frame. Then breathe in whilst moving along the bottom of the frame and so on. Somehow your eye travelling around the frame stops you thinking of much else and the slow breathing calms you down. Works for me as a general anxiety buster. Good luck, Sierra

Hi All, Someone asked me when I gave up smoking this year and I couldn't remember. I knew I had posted on this forum in the same week so whilst searching for that I thought I would say hello. Hello all. Much to my surprise I find it is 6 months since I quit being a 20 a day smoker for over 30 years. I am a "champix baby" and it worked for me. However, I didn't like the vivid dreams and gave up the champix after 2 weeks. Please excuse me if the following sounds like twaddle but they are just my reflections on giving up. I actually found this forum and people's experiences such a great help. There seems to be such a big difference in people's experience of and reasons for smoking cessation - oh I really hate that term LOL. My smoking cessation practice nurse did sit me down and gave me a whole range of techniques from cold turkey, tablets, patches, to hypnosis to choose from. She also told me the success rates and the pros and cons. I made the decision to try champix and I think there was a clear message that techniques don't always work and to bear this in mind and not to feel that big failure thingy. Oddly enough, and on reflection, most of the problem for me in giving up was fear of failure and that the nicotine had too strong a hold. Champix worked for me because for the couple of weeks I used it I was able to deal with just the habit whilst the champix dealt with the craving. The film quality like dreams I didn't like hence I finished with the champix after 2 weeks. I never smoked in the house and do not live with smokers. So the habit bit wasn't related to sitting in a chair watching to etc. It's funny that when I get stressed I have an urge to head for the front door - nicotine autopilot. Is it easy giving up. Well actually it was a lot easier than I thought. On the down side I miss smoking like I miss the presence of a long lost friend. It isn't craving but it is oddly enough a real sadness. Something is missing - not always, just sometimes. I actually used to enjoy smoking and that is all I miss. However this is getting less and less and is a warm sadness rather than a pain. I do suffer from stress and depression and smoking was a real support or so it seemed. I have put on 1/2 a stone. I view this as a reasonable payoff. However, on the brighter side. My clothes don't smell of smoke I don't smell of smoke I can go shopping or use restaurants, bus/rail stations without having to dodge into the street for a ciggie. My sense of taste has returned to a new hightened pitch. Cheese and onion crisps are just too strong now. But I really enjoy chocolate, coffee and tea so much more. I recently had a flu/cold virus and didn't end up with bronchitis. I don't have to live with the fear/stress of having to give up smoking. I occasionally catch a whiff of a smoker's smoke and it can sometime be really nice but usually not. I haven't become a born again smoker telling everyone else they should give up. Actually a few people have tried or given up because I have - because I was known as such an inveterate (spelling?) smoker. I have saved so much money and currently being out of work this is a important point. Actually I didn't really appreciate the pros of giving up until months after quitting. I think smoking is just one of those life choices. You do or you don't it isn't a matter of right or wrong at least to me. Will I start smoking again - no, hopefully not. Best wishes to everyone, quit, quitting or simply enjoying a nice quiet ciggie and a cuppa. Sierra888

Hi All, As promised I am back to say that I have made my first week of being smoke free. The super stories on this forum are such an encouragement to me. My sleep is very poor. I don't wake up for lengthy periods just am incredibly restless, I am aware of the restlessness waking me briefly and then go back to sleep. Dreams are very intense and detailed. The lack of good sleep is making me extremely fatigued during the day. I may discuss with the practice nurse if it is possible to move to a 1mg white tablet at night. I have tried taking the evening tablet about 10pm and this made sleep even worse so reverted to 6pm after tea. On the plus side no cravings about cigarettes but still the remnants of the habit. Worst times are when I am tired or when I have finished doing a job or task. I have been smoke free for a week and my breathing is much better, I am still waiting for the junk to appear from my lungs nothing so far apart from a bit of a sore throat at times. Wishing you all the best - keep up the good work.

What a great forum this is. The posts have really been a great help as well as keeping me occupied. I am at the end of day 2 of not smoking after smoking for 30 years. I have reduced to about 15 ciggys a day by will power. I take Champix and did decide on a quit smoking day before I started taking the tablets, it was day 10. However, not sure if I understood the instructions, but just carried on smoking up to the quit day but I actually smoked less and smoked less of the ciggy. I have briefly tried cold turkey in the past and this lasted about 2 hours before I gave in screaming for a ciggy. Champix has certainly taken the craving for nicotine away and leaves me to cope with the lesser, for me at least, problem of dealing with the habit. I was very wound up from the time I decided to try to quit and actually told my GP to the last ciggy. I really felt it wouldn't work for me and Champix was too good to be true, I was very frightened of failing. I seem to be lucky in that I do not have any nausea with Champix - I do take it after a meal and with lots of water. Since quitting I too have experienced restless sleep and vivid dreams. I have some flu type symptoms. I eat a lot of carrot sticks - I HATE carrot sticks but my GP practice nurse (who is supervising me) says its better than sweets - hmmm. The habit bit is funny at times - I suddenly think I must go and having a ciggy but don't really know why - the craving having disappeared. I think of it as the "smoking ghost" but it does goes in a few seconds. Breathing has improved much deeper breaths as has sense of smell, I am awaiting the "muck" to appear at some point. Apparently, the carbon monoxide in my lungs is down to a normal of 4 units whereas last week it was 16 units. I have to do see my practice nurse every week and do the carbon monoxide test - makes me feel like an knackered gas fire. I have set myself the goal to post again here at day seven of quitting. Wishing everyone a successful quit and thanks for all the support.