Giving up the smokes

[scotsoft]

Now I know I'm on the road to wrack and ruin, as I've just eaten half a 200g bar of chocolate 

Amateur     

[Chinahand]

Hi Mick,

I had been a heavy smoker for over 40 years but with living overseas they were always cheap (£15 for a carton of 200) so there was no real incentive to quit. Came back to the Uk last August and the price of fags was a huge shock so, as my wife was also a smoker, we gave up together and tried the electronic cigarettes.

They work ! No Tar or other nasties, just nicotine, glycerine and water in the cartridges. You start off with full strength cartridges and gradually reduce the nicotine level until you get to the Zero Nicotine cartridges. Then it's just a case of breaking the habit of having something in your hand.

[d-a-n]

Hi Mick

Did you manage to get one of the electronic things? If so, how are you getting on with it? Some of my colleagues use them and they report that they are a good substitute but they don't seem to be any closer to kicking them so I think you must need to be strict about reducing the dosages.

Best of luck with giving up smoking, even if you don't succeed this time, there's always next time.

[engage]

Hi Mike
           I packed up last October after smoking for over 55 years so it can be done but it aint easy.
My advice, get yourself a Buddy preferably someone who gives up at the same time as you. Think
about it and set a date and get mentally prepared, do not keep any fags around and keep away
from people who are smoking and places that might remind you that you need a smoke.   You do
not need patches gum or any other crap,..you will be aiming to clear the filth out of your body not
add to it.  It's nearly 7 months now and I would love to have a fag but it will do me no good at all
and only bring the smoking of the next fag a bit closer.           One word describes smokers nicely, 
"Stupid"  That included me not long ago but no more.        Good luck Mike and if you pack up and
want some back up send me a PM

Cheers
John

[Newportnobby]

Thanks again to everyone for their support

I've bought one of the electronic cigs (£20 ) and will be charging it up for use at work during the week. (Can you get the refills easily enough?)
In the meantime this weekend I have been using the "I'll have one later" method and have cut down by about 40%. They are even starting to taste bloody awful so that's a start

[ReBeginner]

Hi Nobby,
Having read most if not all thread can I throw in thrupence?
Smoking since 1961 age 11yrs - the big(ger) boys at the new school I was going to did it and I guess I wanted to fit in!
41yrs later I'm still smoking, though not as much now, pre-rolling has just gone out of supply so I'm utilising my many pipes, again, not a lot, just now and then - but ......................... they way to give up, me thinks is to be positive and express things only in the positive - yes you have to want to give up, but decide what you want to give up - is it the expense? the health? the smell? (it really does stink, especially on the breath) or beat the dependence, call it addiction.
Are you addicted habitualised to the 'something to do with the fingers' or the taste, or what? It really is worth thinking about this, and then deciding.
Replacement therapy such as patches is all very well but only ever puts off the real issue, why you want to cease smoking - and I personally would not make a negative decision to give up!
Suggesting you always have a packet of cigs to hand might sound stupid but this way you'll always and forever have a choice whether to smoke one or not - choice!
Whenever the idea, notion or urge enters your mind, just say to yourself, I'll have one later - this is positive.
Just allow 'later' to arrive ......... later, or putting it negatively, never arrive.
Once, driving to Budapest I inadvertently adopted this, chewing gum, just regular Orbit saw 40 fags outlive the long journey, without effort!
Also, during one 'I don't go out with smokers' relationship spate of not smoking I piled five one pound coins on a shelf in my office for each day I didn't buy a packet - ended up with nearly £3,000!
What difference to you would £7 per day, piled up over a month to £210 make to your N Gauge layout, train trips budget or other treat!
As one above has said, do drink water, at least 2 pints a day as this will definitely keep the weight from landing, and also assist in getting weight off - it's important or your weight gain will cause far more problems than some tar and chemicals!
So, don't give up, just have one later - because no one can deny you this, the choice is yours.
Regards
David

[trainsdownunder]

Thanks again to everyone for their support

I've bought one of the electronic cigs (£20 ) and will be charging it up for use at work during the week. (Can you get the refills easily enough?)
In the meantime this weekend I have been using the "I'll have one later" method and have cut down by about 40%. They are even starting to taste bloody awful so that's a start

Good going Mick

You'll get there   

[Pengi]

 Well done Mick, great news

[ReBeginner]

Sodding nicotine - it's 52 years since I started smoking, sorry, my mistake.

[engage]

Thanks again to everyone for their support

I've bought one of the electronic cigs (£20 ) and will be charging it up for use at work during the week. (Can you get the refills easily enough?)
In the meantime this weekend I have been using the "I'll have one later" method and have cut down by about 40%. They are even starting to taste bloody awful so that's a start

Hi Mike
            How did it go today then ?             It would be nice to hear that instead of torturing your self by cutting
down by 40% ,you have now cut down by 100% and started to show them Nicotine Demons who the boss is.
The blighters wont give up without a fight so like Re Beginner  advises  #36  you need to act positive. There is
loads of support on here for you so what do you say ?   I say it aint gonna be easy but you can do it,if you try.

Good luck
John

[Jellicoe]

You might consider rolling your own cigarettes.  You may find that the ritual of rolling the cigarette is all you need to break the tedium of the task that drives you to smoking.  Roll-ups can sit in an ash tray for ever so you will not need a fresh cigarette when you feel the need.  Of course, none of this is about giving up smoking but it will help you to cut down significantly.

What you should not do is to set a date to give up (New Year's Day being very popular).  This is a recipe for failure; stop when you feel ready.

What you should do is to put aside the money you would otherwise have spent on tobacco and when you feel a moment of weakness, sit on the floor and count it.  Overcome the moment and you can use some of that money to treat yourself; you won't need permission to acquire some of that new Grafar stuff coming out this year!

[Rob H]

Hi Mick,
Apart from the bit about counting your new found wealth I would totally ignore Jellicoe's advise - I seem to think that you USED to roll your own anyway. Moving to another form of tar and nicotine is not the answer and for me and many others setting a date to stop worked just fine.

Hope it's going ok, like I said previously having been a smoker for 48 years I never thought I could do it and it's now 10 months without one.

Keep the faith

Rob.

[Newportnobby]

Out on business in the company car today so ciggies at a minimum - went out with 20, came back with 15. Only 1 tonight. It helps it's weeing down as for many years now I have not smoked in the house (don't want the stink and the staining )

You might consider rolling your own cigarettes.  You may find that the ritual of rolling the cigarette is all you need to break the tedium of the task that drives you to smoking.  Roll-ups can sit in an ash tray for ever so you will not need a fresh cigarette when you feel the need.  Of course, none of this is about giving up smoking but it will help you to cut down significantly.

Sorry, but that's not going to help me as over the years I have smoked roll ups, pipe, cigars etc.
I even tried herbal cigarettes but they were like smoking a bonfire
So far the "I'll have one later" is winning hands down

[Sprintex]

. . . over the years I have smoked roll ups, pipe , . . .

Disturbing mental images of Mick in a deerstalker with a Calabash Pipe hanging from his gob 

Well done so far Mick, keep up the good work


Paul