Tips to Quit Smoking that Work Well

1. It's okay to feel like you are losing something important when you decide to stop smoking especially if you have smoked for a long period of time. Let the emotions out somehow so they don't build up creating stress you don't want or need. Exercise, writing, yelling, punching a pillow or a stop smoking group where you will feel less alone may help.

2. Keep it simple. Use distracting tools such as deep breathing and twirling a pen or pencil between your fingers to help when your mind and body are feeling out of sorts going without.

3. A concrete way to increase motivation to succeed quitting smoking is to calculate how much money you would save over the years and thinking of a goal to save towards. A car or a vacation are fun to look forward to having.

I bought a Jeep Wrangler with my savings and it's been a fun ride and it feels really good that it was paid for with cash saved from not smoking for nine years (at the time). I'll post a photo soon.

Best Wishes from Someone Who's Been There.

Husband Quit Smoking October 18 and Still Going Strong

He was reading the blog over my shoulder earlier and laughed a little then had a serious look on his face.

I think he realized how big of a deal this is for him. No cigarettes for over a month now and he's doing it.

He still chews gum and today bought small mints so he's still dealing with that what do you do feeling but that's okay.

It takes a while for our bodies to adjust to a new behavior even if it's doing nothing.

I think the repetition of smoking in all of it's motions becomes ingrained and feels like a part of what we do without thinking.

Almost like blinking or breathing. We just do it until we don't do it anymore.

I'm so happy for him.

The irritability has lessened and he seems not to think about not smoking as often these days. More time goes by without the urge or craving and that is a relief.

His timing is good. He smoked outdoors to not bother me or others and it is really getting cold now. In the 20's here tonight. He doesn't have to suffer through that anymore.

I think he's going to make it.

Two or three years ago he used the nicotine patch to quit and stayed quit for about three months.

We all practice for the grand finale and I hope this is his encore.

Tips for quitting smoking comes from wanting to share what I know in a way that helps others.

Even if it's just one person.

Also, it helps to remind me of where I was when I quit smoking and how I came through using information I found online to help me through the withdrawal and show me ways to make it easier.

Pay it forward.

Stop Smoking for 23 Days and Counting

Husband has 23 days of not smoking under his belt and it's really showing. Almost no cough and his snoring is better which means better sleep and more energy.

I think he sees how much the Chantix altered his moods but we will still give it credit for getting him started. It did help and we didn't notice the mood changes until around the second week.

He has started chewing gum to help with that ex - smokers need to do something and it seems to help. He had tried three different gums: Juicy Fruit, Stride and a sugar free berry flavored one. His favorite so far has been Stride. He says the flavor lasts longer than the others.

Best Wishes.

Week Two of Chantix on Tips to Stop Smoking

The first nine days were not too hard. A little fatigue. The stomach pain. But little by little there has been less desire to smoke.

The first two days of doubling the Chantix gave him a little more energy and perkiness. Less fatigue.

This morning he said guess how long a pack lasted and I guessed two days and he said that's right! Wow....that's really really good...his usual smoking habit is a lot heavier than that.
His cough is already better too!

I'm a little envious of this ability to seemingly, naturally lose the desire to smoke.

With nicotine replacement you quench the urge by giving your body what it wants.

Mostly, I'm happy there are so many choices out there because none of us will react exactly the same as someone else. There also may be fluctuations when one thing seems to stop working or feels like it is too much --like the patch or gum-- some may actually have more or less nicotine or it may not be fully absorbed at one time.

So, find what works and use it according to instructions or talk to a professional for their opinion.

Best wishes from one who knows.
I smoked almost two packs a day for 25 years, had chronic bronchitis with a little blood at times, chronic cough and phlegm.

I finally felt bad enough and scared enough to quit. I wish most of us didn't wait until we feel so bad to decide to quit smoking but that's usually the way it goes.

My husband decided to quit recently because we moved to a new house and he was struck by how breathless he would get while moving.

He was shown actual, physical evidence of his addiction and need for recovery. Again.

Like Twain said...he quit smoking every time he put one out.

Do it till you get it.
Don't beat yourself up.
Seek help.
Find what works best for you and your situation.

Day 5 of Chantix

Day 3 brought a surprise in the way of a painful stomach ache. Research showed us that Chantix used to stop smoking may cause upset stomach, gas pains etc., and so we think it was trapped in the left bend because that's where it hurt and for quite a while.

Found a message on a quit smoking forum from a guy that said he would get an upset stomach if he took his cholesterol lowering medicine close to taking the Chantix.

Another said to take the Chantix on a full stomach to make sure it didn't cause nausea. He said just eating a little wouldn't help some people. Even those who normally do not have reactions to medicines or drugs may have them with this one.

My husband has tried to follow these tips and the pain has not come back.

He is ,however, having a little fatigue but that may be caused by having less nicotine in the blood since he is smoking less.

The magical day 7 is coming shortly but I wonder if that's too much pressure?

Here are a couple of forum links to check out the side effects most people are having and some of the more uncommon ones:

http://blogs.webmd.com/allergies-and-asthma/2008/02/are-chantix-side-effects-worth-risk_04.html

http://forums.wrongdiagnosis.com/showthread.php?t=15714

Celebrate Quit Smoking Anniversaries

My own 10 year stop smoking anniversary will be on October 16, 2008.
I really quit close to midnight on the 15th but declared the 16th as my first full day of being a non-smoker.

I feel special to be in the double digits.

I remember when being smoke free for one hour or one day seemed impossibly intimidating to try.

I quit for good minute by minute.

Time takes time and it does pass. This too is temporary.

The desire to quit will outweigh the urge to smoke more and more until one day you realize it's been TEN YEARS since you even held a cigarette and even though you may feel like lighting one up on occasion you won't because the time you've put in is too important to give up.

BUT, if you do, just see it as practice and practice makes perfect. Mark Twain said he quit smoking a hundred times a day. Well, one day it will take. It will.

I thought giving up smoking would be like the end of the world but it's really the beginning of a whole new world. One where you can go anywhere, anytime you like because you are not held back by the bad habit any longer.

I think I'll go to the movies and out to dinner. I'll be able to enjoy the show and the meal without worrying about what part of the movie I can miss to go smoke or hurrying up a good meal to go out to smoke. I'll just smile and breathe and be thankful that I finally did one of the best things for myself that I could ever do.

I had help and I'd like to thank, in no particular order; God, the good inventors of nicotine gums and patches, my family for understanding my emotional changes, my doctor for giving me the OK to use the nicotine gum for a longer period of time, xanax for helping me stay calm and be able to sleep and the stop smoking message boards that are all over the Internet. Being able to read and share the same thing others go through is priceless.

Most are encouraging, all are helpful.

Good luck and celebrate every cig. you don't smoke!

Tips to Quit Smoking

Motivation by Goal Setting
Use a calculator to see how much money you spend on cigarettes per week and muliply by 52 to get a yearly total.
This total will show you how much money you can save if you quit smoking.
Multiply that yearly total year by year until you get to ten years.
Seeing the numbers in black and white may be a big motivational tool.
What is it you want?
A new car?
A new house?
Good health? Priceless.