Nate
First of all congrats, I know what its like to be a long term smoker I just quit on Jan 3rd of this year.Beside the cash and health you are saving you will have this to look forward to …at around the two and half month maybe three month mark your are going to notice an increase in energy yep its a super buzz and an added benefit from going from an out of shape smoker, to a full oxygen inhaler, enjoy it and dont look back.
Yep…guilty as charged. I am a recovering nicotine addict.
A person who has never smoked or at least never been addicted to cigs can light up a smoke and never care wether they have another. For me and others (like yourself) who smoked for years, one cigarette is like a bottle vodka to a former alcoholic or a fat sack of crack to crack user.
Thats why when I quit, I didn’t half-ass it and use patches or gums or cut back. Slowing down or just having a smoke every now and again is not quitting.
I made a conscious decision to quit and never smoke again. That means that I will never allow myself to have a smoke ever again. I know that it would only take a little bit of nicotine to re-ignite the withdrawal symptoms, because my brain is so familiar with that drug.
I really think that all those patches and gums are a real disservice to people who are actually trying quit. I have never met a single person who successfully quit using them. I’m sure people have quit while using them, but they probably went through more torturous withdrawal symptoms than was necessary.
For me its been a couple of weeks and I can feel the desire for nicotine is loosening its grip on me. But if i were to have just one smoke or a patch to “ease my stress” just once… it would probably feel like day two of quitting again.
I find it odd that the big chain pharmacies sell cigarettes right next to the patches and gums. They’re all drugs, and they make a killing selling them…literally.
I’m not saying they don’t have the right to sell what they want, but its kind of ironic that they sell the smokes at all.
Thanks ABC Cleaning! Thats cool that I’ll get a good boost of energy like that! Keeps the “smoke free carrot” dangling in front of me for extra motivation;)
Extra energy is always good for the body and the business!
Congrats to you for quitting too. How long did you smoke for?
Oh and welcome to WCR! Its a great place!
Hey Nate,
I’m glad to hear you get it.
Thanks for the welcome Nate I love this place, I subscribed to the WCBO but, have yet to delve into the WCR, soon tho soon.I smoked from 17 thru 44.5 and never was above a pack a day.I met the love of my life and we both quit together and now I am laser focused on my business and my health.Keep up the good work Nate and once again thanks for the welcome.
Good for you. I recently quit after smoking for for close to 25 yrs. I haven’t had one in 4 months & will never have one again If I can quit anyone can do it. Hang in there it is tough. CONGRATS & your kids will thank you.
Great job! Cold turkey isn’t that bad if you put your mind to it. I quit after over 10 years of smoking, that was 26 years ago. I was a two pack a day smoker and a bartender at the time! Tough to light peoples cigarettes for them and not have one yourself. (High end bars and resorts). I lived too close to a convenience store too. Bought a pack of cigarettes, took a couple drags, then doused the whole pack under water. That was the last time I picked up a cigarette. 95¢ per pack!
Stick with it. I got into sports and being around the water a lot to make sure it wasn’t convenient to smoke again too. Four years ago I was racing mountain bikes. (Took 1st, 2nds, and 3rds). Three years ago I broke my back on a mountain bike training ride. Next year I hope to race again. I’ll be 55 this year. Anyway, quitting smoking gave me something healthier to focus on…Well, outside of the crashing thing…LOL
Garry
Thanks John, and congrats on making it 4 months without a smoke!
Thanks Garry! Sorry to hear about your accident though.
One of the things I’m looking forward to is breathing easier, and being able to be more active. Hopefully this will help me get into better shape, and increase my productivity while working.
There are so many benefits to not smoking, and not one single good reason to start-- or continue the habit.
Congrats on quitting, and going 26 years!
Soon you will feel a bit of a surge of energy after getting most of that crap out of your system. Take advantage of it and do things that are active. Eat healthy too, because this is a good opportunity for your body to crave comfort food and nobody want’s to see a big man fall off a ladder! 
Check out “Worlds Healthiest Foods.” Lots of good nutrition ideas there, and they are almost a godsend to the ex-smoker. None of us should have ever started smoking. There’s a reason it is called “self destructive behavior.” But man, the body heals fast too! Stay positive and kick it!
Cook, I’ll check that out.
It is amazing how fast you start to notice changes. My lungs stopped crackling within about a week (at least I couldn’t hear it) my constant smokers hack/clearing my throat stopped. My sense of smell is like super strong now (this is not so great sometimes).
The other day the wife and I were at a local flea market and while stopped at a booth waiting for my wife (as usual;)) I started smelling a “Now & Later” candy.
** WARNING** gross story ahead—
Now I haven’t had or even thought about a “Now & Later” candy in probably 20-25 years, and yet suddenly I can smell them and what’s even stranger is that I can tell it’s the grape flavor!
This all strikes me as bizarre considering that I’m outdoors, and where would I smell this candy from? It’s not as if somebody us grilling up some candy on a barbecue.
So I start looking around me to figure out where the smell is coming from and I just don’t see the source of it. But then after a couple of minutes I spot it. About 10-15 feet away, a teenage girl is sitting down watching over a little booth of misc stuff and just so happens to be chewing on a “Now & Later” and it’s the purple grape flavor, I can see this because apparently this girl’s parents failed to teach her to chew with her mouth closed.
Gross I know.
I felt grossed out too, from the fact that I could smell a candy inside someone’s mouth from 10-15ft away, while outside on a slightly breezy day and with throngs of people milling about.
This is when my sense of smell is not so great. Walking along and smelling that bakery 100 yards up the street, making fresh pastries is one of the better time I like my new super sniffer.
Great decision… wish you luck!
I tried to quit cold turkey on Thanksgiving 2009 and didn’t make it 24 hours. I never knew how bad the withdraws could be but I quickly found out. So I decided that on my birthday (Feb 23) I would try again. Well I’m proud to say that I haven’t smoke since then. I used the step down patches and it help a lot. It’s going on 3 years and still smoke free!! I quit drinking and “partying” September 11 2007 and I must say that smoking was the worst thing to quit. I hope you hang in there. Just remember that it can be done. Good luck.
Thanks Corey!
Congrats for quitting man! I’m glad the patches worked for you too. Your the first person I personally know of who has successfully quit by using them-- nice job!
I’m curious what happened on 9-11-07 to make you go down the straight and narrow and not “party” anymore? Was it because of the date or a personal thing? Sorry if I’m being nosy but you mentioned the date so my curiosity is piqued.
How’s it going, Nate?
Doing good Larry-- thanks for asking!
It’s actually starring to get easier everyday now. Still hard, but not as hard as yesterday. When I make it a full month, then I’ll know I’m free and clear.
I started when I was around twelve and quit cold turkey at age 35. I tried several times in the past to quit but never had a good reason beyond the health benefits. One day the wife and I decide to buy a condo which came with a $500 per month maintenance fee so we decided to quit then and there so we could afford to live in our new place. Never smoked since!
The physical aspect (nicotine addiction) is the first thing that gets easier to deal with. The emotional and mental stimulation you get from the addiction is harder. Some people get very depressed or develop anger issues after quitting. Don’t be afraid to ask your doctor for help if you start to detect a personality change. My brother in law needed an antidepressant for a short while because he was a mess.
Important thing tho, talk to those around you who are important in your life and tell them over and over that you need their support and positive energy if they truly want you to be smoke free for the rest of your life.
Nate, I only read the first page of postings in this thread but I hope you are sticking with it and doing well. I quit smoking back in 2006 and have never wanted to start back.
It was a great decison to stop smoking and I wish you much success with it.
“The best way to break a bad habbit is to drop it.”
Join a gym! Drop an old habit, start a new one. Get addicted to exercise and it will help you deal with a lot of the issues that come with quitting smoking.
