PinkyPromise

This just made my day! On my way to mosey over to the bus stop... will chase little one home. My daughter walks like a person, on the sidewalk... but my son is *all animal* still, just all over the place

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Hello! I also am new to this community Just wanted to give you a quick hello & welcome

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I didn't want to make a deal of it, but yesterday morning, when I was about to refill my little vape tank, I thought, let's see about this 0mg. JUST for sh*ts & giggles. It wasn't bad. The first time I felt a lot like I wanted to smoke was after dinner. Then this morning with coffee. Those are my 2 big times -- after dinner, in the morning. Aside from that I haven't felt any differently than I have during this last week or so. So, this is good... then again it was one. single. day. It did give me a lot of confidence though. I feel like those first 2 weeks with no cigarettes and the 6mg fluid, that was bad.

Ahhhhh Doreen, I would gladly offer my sweet toddler on loan for a bit

Ahhh, Mr. Titwank -- thank you for saying this. Reciprocity, I completely relate with what you're saying as well! I just really liked the way it sat with me after I read it. I mean, we can't press rewind and so here we are. Quitting is SO challenging and truly not something I want to go through again LOL -- however, since I'm here, I really appreciated that perspective that something positive can be gleaned from the experience (in addition to being smoke free). I've been thinking about it since I read it. Thanks for saying that, Tit.

I was reading around on the message boards and I can't remember where I saw it or who said it... it was something like: I'm glad that I smoked, because then I got to quit and it's been such a rewarding experience to go through. I wish I could recall exactly how they'd put it or where I saw it. Something about embracing the experience of the quit process. If you know what I'm talking about, can you share a link to that convo? I wanted to re-read it, I just have no idea where it is anymore.

Let's just be honest and lay it all on the table: The most exercise I'm going to be getting is hauling laundry up and down the stairs and chasing my 3 year old... I mean he does go pretty fast sometimes and he's heavy to carry around. So, there's that. Oh! I started doing a small bit of yoga in the mornings.

I don't even know how that happened. I was going to write a quick blog entry and call it Turkey Time -- but somehow managed to name my entire Blog Turkey Time. So, whatever, there it is. Before I start, I better run and get a fresh coffee. Back. So... in conjunction with my quit, I've focused on quite a bit of reading & research. So much so that I've fallen behind on a lot of my normal, daily responsibilities. It's almost an obsession. I've found that with just about every single sub-topic regarding smoking cessation, you can locate supporting articles or studies, blogs or opinions, etc -- to support your personal belief. I've concluded that there is, indeed, one "right way": Not smoking. I read a post last night regarding how people were successful in their quit prior to having access to message forums. Even with the easy access we have today, support groups or online forums may not be the best idea for all people. I think I fall into this category, at least to a degree. I was browsing this article this morning and when it got to the part about determining the best quit method for yourself, this was one of the questions: Is there one best way to quit smoking? (This is the article link, for reference) I've got extremely limited experience and exposure to quit smoking online communities. I mean, super limited. It did not go down as I had anticipated it would; what I'd envisioned and what actually happened = 2 different things. It was noted in the article I posted here that people tend to believe that what worked for them is the best method. It makes sense, but I think we have to be very careful holding on too deeply to that belief because in the end, the goal is the same = not smoking. From what I have seen, most studies will show "cold turkey" as the method with the highest success rate, but does that mean it's the only way or even the "best way"? Or simply the best way for those who found success with it? The best way for those who were successful with something else would argue their support for whatever it was they found success with. Sooo... back to whether or not online support communities would be a helpful addition to your personal quit method? For a lot of people it is a resounding *absolutely*, but for other people, it seems to be somewhat less helpful. If a person can immerse themselves in the vibe of the community, I think it's a positive & crucial ingredient that aids in the success of the quit. On the other side of the coin, If you find yourself in the position where you're spending more time defending your quit than you are experiencing support in it, the results are not as positive and may end up being more counter-productive inside of your quit effort than anything else. So, that's where I'm standing right now. At the early stages of my quit, surrounded by all sorts of different turkeys, some cold, some warm, some weaned off smokes, some vaped as their nicotine step-down, some used patches, some used gum, some used chantix, some tried zyban, some got up every morning and said "Nope", some taped a motivational quote to their bathroom mirror, some wore a locket with a picture of a loved one they lost to smoking, some put their saved money into a jar, some went to the gym, took a walk, some ate some candy or chocolate, some chewed a toothpick or straw, some spent a lot of time researching, some did not, some wanted to discuss their feelings, some did not, some read a great book, some did not -- everyone did what they believed was most beneficial to their quit. As for myself, I feel good. I'm proud of myself that I haven't smoked a cigarette since October 16th. I'm comfortable & confident with my choice to use a vapor to step-down my nicotine levels. It's ok if someone else doesn't recognize it as an effective quitting tool, it's not my job or my place to try and convince them otherwise, rather it is my job to do what is working the best for me. If I'm going to be a member of an online support community, then to me that means I agree to offer support when and where I can. It's not my responsibility to pick the best quit method for someone else. I don't get to decide what should motivate them. This is the part where I "dig my heels in and rebel"... I spent way, way too much time and energy trying to convince other people that I was ok. I was offended at being called "special snowflake", or being told my children were simply not motivation enough, how I "was doomed to fail" because I'd honestly admitted that I'd enjoyed smoking. Was called a junkie, told how I needed to have the one specific mindset because it's the "only way" -- which really just brings me back to the post I read last night.... how were people successful prior to support communities? The answer is that they each did what worked the best for themselves, individually. They clutched onto their personal determination to leave smoking behind and they did so by utilizing whatever they felt was the best personal motivation. I enjoy being able to relate with others about the commonalities of what we're experiencing. That's what draws me to the desire to participate in an online community. It brings me some comfort to see other people's success stories, to hear all sorts of ideas about what they did when confronted with early craves or withdrawals. I enjoy hearing what motivates other people.. doesn't mean the same things motivate me, but I still like hearing it. What makes it all the best for me is being able to be exposed to the diversity -- that different things are successful for different people and all that truly matters is that we're quitting smoking here. That's what we're doing, for whatever reason and however we choose to get there -- we're putting cigarettes down. We don't "need" online support communities, obviously... people quit long before they existed, but it's definitely a nice option. Being able to have that kind of connection.

I'm with BKP with the warm weather... we don't often get an actual "Winter" in FL... ok, pretty much never.

And of COURSE I just saw this picture of a Thanksgiving PieCaken

I'm going to need the buffet pants before too long. Despite the making of fresh fruit smoothies, trying to curb my salty cravings to boiled peanuts instead of chips or FRIED CHICKEN which I could eat all day (ok, let's be honest, I'd be happy with just the fried part) -- there may have been candy. A lot of candy. Did your cravings change when you quit? I've always been a salty snack kind of person but have wanted sweets the last few weeks. How convenient we just had Halloween -- or is it the other way around? I know the candy is here so I'm wanting it? All I can say is my jeans were super tight today and as much as I'd love to blame it on "they just came out of the dryer, so they shrunk".... it's the candy.

So far, I am the only person that I know of quitting with the support of peers online. That said, it isn't like I know 5,000 people who have quit LOL I have my husband, both sisters, brother in law, Mom, Dad & Step-Mom. 1 sister and my mom returned to smoking after over a year quit Dad recently quit, I think about 6 months now. Step mom, other sister and brother in law all 3 used vape, tapered off, quit, and have been quit 3+ years for stepmom, 2+ years for sister and BIL Let's see... my Aunt has been quit for over 20 years now and my Grandma quit in 1970 -- she told me how super easy it was. She said she simply decided she didn't want to smoke and therefore she did not, never looked back, no biggie, no withdrawals. I love her -- so, so much -- but I'm not sure she remembers accurately LOL My friends who have quit that I actually have talked to about it (maybe 4-5 of them total) have been quit anywhere from 1-15 years. Couple of vape to quit, couple of cold turkeys, 1 suggested that book... Allan Carr? I don't know if I spelled that right. None of them that I know of either had access to or knew about any kind of online communities. My Stepmom has RA and she's on an RA forum where they discuss quitting smoking, so she may be the only one.

Last night, I wrote it down in my calendar -- my calendar that I used to use for quick reference but has lately become what keeps me from forgetting ALL the things November 15th. Truthfully, the way it's looking now, I think it will be earlier than that. I'm not going to buy an entirely new bottle of 3mg fluid just to "make it to" the 15th. When I stopped smoking cigarettes I had the last pack until it was gone. That was a tough day -- the last one was an early morning smoke and it used to be that in the mornings I'd sit on the patio, have a BIG mug of coffee and smoke a couple. So after that I was like -- well, what now? I really didn't have a plan and that first week was just ugly. Second week wasn't much better I don't know how strong (nicotine wise) cloves cigarettes are. For the vaping you can get nicotine levels at 24mg, 18, 12, 6, and 3 -- I started with the 6. Am I wishful thinking that at this point the worst part is over (physical withdrawal wise)? I hope so. I've been changing up my schedule, my habits. I've had the benefit of reading up and learning more about the actual addiction and that has helped tremendously, just understanding exactly what's going on, how I was dependent on smoking to release dopamine, learning that our brains can and will learn to produce it naturally, we can form new habits that take the place of old ones and soon won't have to think about it. Anyway... I'm on board. Very happy to be

I feel like I hyped it up internally a little bit. The fear. I had some pretty strong withdrawals and cravings after going from the cigarettes to the 6mg level. They were present, but not as significant when I took the 3mg step. I'm scared about the 0mg step. I feel a lot better now, as compared to the first few weeks where I just turned into a zombie pretty much... forgetting ALL the things. Daughter's dance class, son's therapy (which we have had same time same day every week for 6 months -- I just got them off the bus and randomly went for ice cream without a single thought about missing the therapist ). Energy and motivation seemed to be at an all time low, it felt horrible to be honest. I feel so much better now that I'm anxious about what will happen.

Well... hell. Truthfully, I don't have an actual concrete date in mind. My "master plan" from the start was: 1. Take Chantix as directed 2. Wean off the smokes during that first week to 10 days 3. Use e-cig as "step-down" (6mg, 3mg, 0mg, drop the vape) But that kind of blew up directly in my face because the Chantix was a no-go... negative side effects and so day 9 or 10 I discarded those, but then moved forward with the rest. So, the last cigarette was October 16th. 6mg nicotine level bottle lasted approx 2 weeks 3mg nicotine level bottle is looking to be about the same (this is where I currently am) So, November 15th? That would be the zero nicotine and the last step or leaving the vapor behind as well. Still trying to find the exact, correct shade of pink

I saw that! I picked this name because we take promises really seriously in my house... mainly this is something I do with my little girl. We make a promise and she always says "Pinky Promise" and sticks out her little finger, waiting for mine It kind of seals the deal... and we're on a 100% winning streak with the promises over here, so it always gives her a lot of comfort. Re: the vaping. I will spare the long version lol, but before I knew of quit smoking forums or communities, I just had my personal circle of friends & family to chat up about their quitting process and that's how it came about. I feel good about it, confident, prepared to step away from it as well. I can understand and accept that the majority of the online ex-smoking community doesn't consider it a "quit" -- it makes sense. I feel very relieved though, that I'm permitted to openly share that this is part of my process.

Did I give you the impression I was organized? That's a good compliment because I've felt SOOO scatterbrained lately LOL

Hello Tyme2B, just wanted to see how you're doing with your quitting date coming up That's very exciting!! I have been plowing through trying to find things that help me and some do, some don't as much. Personally, I very much enjoy feeling in control of things This quitting smoking... well, there have been a lot of times I have felt completely OUT of control of it... like how my body is feeling, the withdrawals or cravings, what to do while I sit on the patio or while I'm working, I mean, just all kinds of things. And slowly, one thing at a time I'm taking steps to reclaim the control over these things -- some are far more difficult than others lol I went one day and started reading up all that I could about how smoking impacts our brain's dopamine production and just trying to wrap my hands around all of the things I was feeling... scatter brained, fatigue, irritability, sleepless, stressed out. Knowing these things are a relatively normal part of the process still wasn't doing much for me in the way of wanting to have some control over the situation. So, I picked up some tips as far as how to naturally boost dopamine production and thought -- at least I can have control over these things. I got all exited about hitting up the local produce stand with my list of dopamine enhancing fruits and veggies LOL -- watching a beginner's yoga video on youtube every morning and clumsily doing my "sun salutation" -- listening to music that I love while I get things done around the house. So, I have prepared, portioned, and frozen all these broccoli, kale, avocado, pineapple smoothies and I'm not gonna lie -- I have NO idea if any of this stuff is actually physically increasing dopamine production I do feel more in control of what I'm doing though -- I feel like I'm actively participating in my quit rather than just being along for the ride like I was the first couple of weeks. And so if this is all just some kind of placebo affect, well, ok then, but at the very least I know they can't hurt, it's healthy, I feel like I'm doing something.

Good morning I'm excited to "officially" be a member here now; I first became aware of this forum because a lot of members on my first message board experience used the Quit Train ticker and I'd browsed around here a bit. Some things went "awry" over there and it seems I'm not a good fit for their philosophy & methodology. I spent some time browsing your forums, guidelines, help posts, newbie posts and conversations and feel a lot more confident this time around. I just created my account yesterday; my only apprehension is the overlapping membership So, my quit began during September, it wasn't mapped out and it's been quite the ride. I'm much more "type A" than my quit experience has been LOL -- I saw a post here somewhere and someone had posted a GIF of this person in a dinosaur costume running all wild on top of a bounce pillow until he face planted. That's me. I watched it a bunch of times until my 6 year old daughter informed me that my laughing was "disruptive" to her I invited her to come watch it and then we both laughed. Anyhow... I used Chantix for 9-10 days but was having some side effects I didn't enjoy, so I stopped taking those and discarded them. I used an e-cig starting early October and decreased my cigarettes per day... 5 or 6, 3 or 4, then smoked my last one early on Tuesday morning, October 16th. Since then I've decreased the nicotine in the e-cig from the 6mg that I began with down to 3mg, which is the lowest level before 0. I don't currently have a firm date for when I'll put the e-cig down for the last time, but that is the plan. I do know that I have about a half a bottle left of the 3mg and then it's 0 I don't know what other people will accept as my "quit date" over here... I consider myself smoke free since Oct 16th. I'm not nicotine free yet though. The decreased amount felt really rough during that first week, but for the most part seemed to help keep the complete insanity away... until one day I was just pulling my hair out and drove over to my smoke shop. I didn't go in, I didn't buy smokes... I came back home, but felt really bad about that and I still do. In some ways I feel like I have come a long way -- and in some ways I feel like the challenge has just begun. Lots of layers to this quitting deal. I'm happy to be surrounded with people who've been successful and with those who are going through the process now -- I feel like that's a big part of helping this become my forever quit.