The key for me was I wanted to do it and it helps if your personal life is going well.You will not be able to quit if you are just doing it because you know its unhealthy or someone is pestering the -- out of you.I waited till I had the flu so I could not choke down a smoke for 3 or 4 days so that put me ahead of the game. I quit for 3 years 9 months and picked the habit back up about 3 months ago .It is kinda like falling off the wagon to someone kicking alcohol I guess.I am not going to worry about it I know it can be done so I will pick a time and do it again.Good luck with it ...Coug

GJ,
You first must really want to do it for yourself more then anything, then keep saying to yourself that you are a non smoker when you crave, It is easier then you think it is if you really really want to quit smoking. For me, I stopped on May 16, 2007, 2 packs a day for 37 years, let's see, 280 smokes per week, times 4= 920per month times 12 = yikes 16,560 cigarettes I haven't smoked on since I quit.... It adds up fast as you can see. Good luck my friend, You can do this thing, only if you want it bad enough.


Dino...

blue v twin wrote:
GJ,
You first must really want to do it for yourself more then anything, then keep saying to yourself that you are a non smoker when you crave, It is easier then you think it is if you really really want to quit smoking. For me, I stopped on May 16, 2007, 2 packs a day for 37 years, let's see, 280 smokes per week, times 4= 920per month times 12 = yikes 16,560 cigarettes I haven't smoked on since I quit.... It adds up fast as you can see. Good luck my friend, You can do this thing, only if you want it bad enough.


Dino...

And how much does that represent in dollars saved for more chrome!?

My best is 3 years also, I used golden seal root to detox with alot of water. I wouldn't do that if you are on meds you have to take. It really took all my cravings away. I'm ready to stop again, that college football and beer did me in. I have a script for chanex sp ? My buddy used it and he said it worked great. Still need some will power or project to keep you mind from being idle. He said the temptations wasn't as great as cold turkey. I've always smoked in my garage not the house. That tough I spend alot of time in the garage.

Best of Luck

I've never been a habitual smoker so I guess I'm lucky that I've never had that craving lurking in the background. I know my brother moved from cigs to skoal as a transition. Maybe ya'll could try that.

GJCARVING wrote:
OK, anyone here done it and done it for good? I have done it before, but never stuck with it for more than a couple months. I'm on my first day of Cold Turkey, and aproaching 24 hrs. I'm Bitchy,Irritated, Angry, my mind keeps fooling me saying to go have one, you all know what I'm talking about. Just looking for support from those of you who know, I'm going crazy here. It's been a very consistent habit for me!! Thanks!

I did it! Aug 12th 1996 I went to a hypnotist as part of a "Plan" to quit. I smoked 2 packs a day for almost 29 years and quit that day and have not had a single puff since then.
My Plan:
I knew I needed help with this so I planed to use hypnosis to get the ball rolling. I knew that would only get me through the first 3 or 4 days. Before going to the hypnotist, I cleaned every ash tray in the house, sprayed the house down with Fabreez and sprinkled carpet fresh. Took out the trash and had NO cigerrets left in the house. The truck was cleaned as well, and I gave up my last pack to the hypnotist at the appointment. Afterwards, I started to drink lots of water, and at work I took a "Mental smoke break". I would take my Normal smoke breaks like I did when I smoked, but I would not go to the same smoke area, I would just go outside and take big breaths of fresh air.
My girlfriend didn't smoke so that was a Big help, but I don't avoid people who smoke, I just remember how hard it was to quit and that keeps me from ever wanting to start again!

Here is something everyone will enjoy, I remembered a dream I had one night about a month ago; I still smoke in my dreams! At least it's no harming my health
Good luck, and stick wit it, it will take time, but it does get easier.

I still smoke, stopped for 4 years once and went back to it. I havent forgiven myself for that. Hardiest thing I ever did, and someday I need to again. But the others are right. If you have to want to for you. You cant stop for others. It has to be for you.

I quit cold turkey 9½ yrs ago after watching my mom take her last breath due to lung cancer. That made it REAL for me on what cigarettes can do to a body. That was a huge motivation for me. KEEP AT IT! You CAN succeed at quitting.

I used to smoke and had worked up to 2 ½ to 3 packs a day after 32 years. I quit in November of 2001 and haven’t had once since. My wife had quit, but I hadn’t decided in my own mind that I really wanted to quit so I kept smoking. It was yea, I want to quit, but not right now. I had just gotten back home from a hunting trip where I helped my brother in upstate N.Y. put on a roof. We were up and down the ladder all day and it was locked in place and didn’t need holding. My stay ended with me enjoying cigarettes all the way home…..7 hrs .
I came home, and had some chores to do after being gone for two weeks. One of them was to clean out the chimney for the wood stove, and clean the gutters. I got out the ladder and put it in place on the deck and climbed one story to the roof. I accomplished the tasks at hand and returned to the ladder to get down. I moved to the edge of the roof, grabbed hold of the ladder and started to descend. As I transferred my weight from the roof to the ladder, the bottom kicked out from under me. I rotated 90 degrees, reaching out for the gutter, literally missing it by a nail (they broke). I landed on the deck flat on my back with a sound that only a 250 lb bag of crap can make. My wife came running upstairs from the basement thinking I had run the truck into the house only to find me on my hands and knees after trying to get up. With the aid of crutches and her, I made it to her car and we proceeded to the hospital where their first comment was to cuss me out for not taking an ambulance. After X-rays, they found out I had 6 fractures…3 compression fractures in my spine, a fractured pelvis, fractured scapula and sternum and COPD. I was in the hospital for 9 hrs for observation before I came home.
There isn’t much they can do for injuries like that so they gave me some oxycontin (sp?) and sent me home. First thing I did after getting in the car was light up….and I coughed and it hurt like hell but I kept right on inhaling. I’m not very tolerant of codeine derivatives so I started vomiting after 12 hrs so I quit the pain meds…but right on smoking which causes me to sneeze at times. That was my turning point in smoking. I decided that I now wanted to quit….if for nothing else to stop the pain. I got a patch, and wore only three, went through about one pack of the nicotine gum and I was ok.
My way around it was replacement therapy. I put a tin of Altoids in my shirt pocket where I used to carry my cigarettes. When I'd reach for a cigarette, I'd get the Altoid. I used to smoke menthol, so the peppermint helped with that cool minty fresh taste. It took about 7 days for me to climb out wanting a cigarette, but I’ve never looked back. I can be in the middle of a bar, with friends that smoke right in the middle of it and it doesn’t bother me. I know that it will only take me trying one, and I’ll be back in the middle of it. I used to inhale pipe smoke, and cigar smoke both if I smoked them, so I don’t even cheat a little with that.
Anyway, bottom line….you can’t quit until you really want to and have your own reason to follow through with it.
Best of luck….we’re here to support.

Cass

Personally, I believe that it's next to impossible to stop if you are not committed to it. Having someone nagging at you or doing it out of guilt doesn't usually have that high of success rates in my experience. I read hear that you may want to see your doctor. I think that is a good idea if you don't succeed with it this time. Chantix is a prescription medication that binds the nicotine receptors in the brain and helps a great deal with the craving symptoms. It's expensive I understand but no more than spending 5-6 bucks on a pack every day. People have said that it makes their cigs taste bad also and that is a plus. Success rates approach 80+% with this medicaton. That's my two cents!