This Too Shall Pass

While reading from an old journal yesterday I noticed some quit smoking motto's I found helpful when I stopped smoking cigarettes over 15 years ago.

The sayings are true and reliable which means you do have a leg to stand on, a crutch to lean on and a point of view to trust in.

Try it and see. Try it until you find one that sticks and keeps you going through the cravings because the urge to light up will go away whether you smoke or not. These sayings will help you focus on the truth of that statement.

In no particular order:

This Too Shall Pass

This is Temporary

I'd rather be a former smoker with an occasional urge to smoke than a smoker with a constant desire to quit.

Breathe

One urge at a time

I practiced these while also using deep breathing, nicotine gum and a short straw with a tissue stuffed in it to draw on like a cigarette and the craving to smoke always went away and the time between urges will grow longer and longer until unbelievably you will go for minutes then hours then whole days, months and years without thinking about smoking.

It's true.

I've done it for over 15 years and my husband is now smoke free for over 2 years.

Best to you all!

Hubby is right at one and one half years quit smoking and he is doing well. We are officially a non-smoking household for the first time since we met almost 40 years ago! (we started young.)

A tip to quit smoking that truly helps is to remember that any withdrawal symptoms are temporary and will not always be an issue. They will change, flunctuate and eventually fade away.

Also, deep breathing helps tremendously especially when a craving hits hardest. Use the breath as if you were inhaling a drag off a cigarette and it will quickly soothe the need to smoke.
Even hold the breath a second if  that is how you would normally take a drag and let it out slowly, pushing gently through pursed lips.

This kind of breathing is what we really need when we light up ... it is mimicing that first drag and it will satisfy the need for chest expansion which lessons tension and the need for more oxygen.

It works!

Another tip for quitting smoking is repeating motto's throughout the day such as, "I'd rather be an ex-smoker with an occassional desire to smoke than a smoker with a constant desire to quit".

Best Wishes!!!

Over One Year Quit Smoking

Going through cancer treatment does give one extra motivation to quit smoking or stay quit and so he has. It's been over a year now and the weight he gained when he first quit and then lost during treatment has somewhat stabilized.

He did use Chantix  again to stop smoking and it did seem to help although the crankiness was still there at times and eating to compensate for the hand to mouth movements. Which is why I preferred to use the nicotine gum. It gave me something to do and it calmed me just knowing I would have relief from the nicotine withdrawal soon.

I also thought it was fun to be able to use a nicotine product in places smoking is not allowed like the movies or on a plane or, early on, even in the shower.

Anyway, he is considered cancer-free now and we hope things only get better. He is still recovering from the treatment regimen and regaining his energy and appetite and ability to taste foods again.
Radiation for head and neck cancers affect the saliva glands and taste buds due to the heat of the rays of energy that destroy the cancer cells.

They say that he will regain his ability to taste foods almost fully but his saliva glands may never recover satisfactorily and so he uses mouth moisturizers and keeps bottled water with him all the time.

He's not complaining much though ... he's here and we are really grateful.

Keep on keeping on ... it's definitely doable whichever method you choose to use.

Best Wishes!

Better Late Than Never

Applies to many things...exercise, eating right, flossing, quitting smoking.

Many who are diagnosed with a possibly smoking related cancer quit at diagnosis.

My husband quit 4 months before his diagnosis of treatable, curable throat cancer.

He's really happy that he quit then instead of at treatment because treatment is a kicker and trying to kick the habit simultaneously would be hard. Many do though.

Fear can create strength in all of us.

Let it.

Best Wishes...

.

A Spouse's Perception

Three major things are going for us.
I am an ex-smoker.
I know how he feels.
There are more stop smoking products to choose from than when I quit smoking almost 12 years ago.

I choose to be patient with my spouse when he gets crabby from cravings because I remember the feeling.
That's the hard part of quitting smoking, especially for long term smokers.
The habit is such a part of our lives that something feels "off " for a while.
But, day by day the cravings get easier, lighter, go by faster and the off feeling starts feeling less off and then the feelings start catching up with the body until they eventually match and not smoking feels like the right thing to do. Smoking would feel "off ".

Until then, keep fighting for your health and remember this motto:
"I'd rather be an ex-smoker with an occasional desire to smoke than a smoker with a constant desire to quit."

Update on Chantix

The physical demands of working overtime combined with trying to quit smoking using Chantix may not have been the best timing because it's hard to tell which issues may be side effects and which are normal tiredness.

So far there has been:
Tiredness
Slight Brain Fog (less talk; less focus)
Sore Muscles
Slight Crabbiness

Less Desire to Smoke (the one side effect we hope for!)

Giving Chantix Another Try

It's been almost seven days and he says the urge to smoke is not so urgent. He's tired but working overtime lately may be the only reason. Let's hope not so many side effects this time except for the end goal.........no more cigarettes ever!