Tyme2B

Stopping smoking is the best cure. My Doc told me it would take 10 years to reverse my 40 yrs of smoking....that's a pretty good trade off considering .....

Awesome! Have a GREAT time!!!

Got myself a new natural hair colour & style! The new me! Booked a week away in a sunny, warm place! Yes!

Mike thanks! You are right....I am SO close....and I WILL do it! Great chatting with you. Always available if I can help.

I Looked at Smoking Cessation sites to see what I was in for. Tried to cut down on smoking for a month before....unfortunately if I had cigarettes in the house I smoked them. Made a quick Quit Date: once this pack was gone I would not smoke again (and so far I haven't). Told family & friends I had quit smoking so it would be harder to go back without feeling like a failure. Made the choice to use Nicoderm gum....I had failed too many times in past trying going cold turkey....I'm a 40 yr Smoker. Knowing I have mild COPD & only cure is stopping smoking. Losing my 6 yrs younger brother to a horrible death with lung cancer. Looking at my grandbabies & knowing they would be devastated to lose me. I take one day at a time Only use gum if I have to...but use it if I need to....beats a cigarette Sleep when I can...insomnia will go away soon Post on this site & read everything I can...watch videos on the site....keep close to the board was up in morning & say "I am a non smoker" & feel proud Drink lots of water Chew "regular" gum....I am so afraid of gaining weight...this curbs my appetite .

Thanks for the support. I just want to get past this crazy unwell feeling. It helps to know you have all been there. And you're still not smoking. I had to use 2 pieces of gum today so I know I still have nicotine in my system but better than a smoke. I feel a bit guilty. Maybe in a few days I won"t need any gum at all. Started with 6 pieces a day & down to 2. One day at a time. Day 10 tomorrow. Feels kind of like grieving...sad.... but glad to be getting all of this fear of quitting over with. I WANT to quit for good. Never want to go through this again.

Well I'm still in my pj's at 4 in the afternoon today but I'm not smoking. Yesterday was good! Today I feel cranky & tired & have no motivation at all. I know should go for a walk but I'm too tired....the insomnia is catching up. I hope Day 10 is better.

Cravings do only last about 5 min but they can come back again 10 min later at least in my case. The gum stopped that & gave me the strength to quit. I always tried to hold back using the gum though except maybe initially the first day to teach myself how to work the cravings. The cravings decrease & so does use of the gum. Hopefully in a few days I will be totally free of the gum too. I need very little of it now.... Good luck to your friend! She can do this once she loses the fear!

Dental Floss: Did you use a smoking aid?

How is it going Dental Floss? Like you I read sites to finally quit. Are you still managing well?

Thank Heavens for this site! I do not want to go through this again believe me and I am committed to quitting for good. You can't know how much I appreciate your input. I am feeling like a total suck right now.....but after 40 years of smoking, I know I am going to go through some withdrawal.....I just didn't expect this! The cravings for a smoke are not so bad now but I'm beginning to feel like a hypochondriac with all these aches & pains. Thank you for replying to me....ALL of you! You are very considerate & caring. I am going to ride it out before seeing a Doctor....all of this has only happened since I quit smoking just over a week ago. I am proud that I am doing this & I have no intention of ever going back. I know I can do it. I just need reassurance. I am planning to watch videos Joel has put on the site too....suggested by Sonic. Thanks!!!

I have a friend who used the lozenges successfully to quit smoking after smoking close to 50 years!!! Personally I found them to be very strong & they caused some gastric discomfort, nausea & bleeding gums but that can happen no matter what with quitting smoking from what I have read. I started by using the nicotine gum 2 mg & it has helped. The 4 mg was way too strong for me....and I have stopped smoking after 40 yrs. I started with about 6 pieces a day (the package directions will say to use more but everyone has to decide where they stand as an individual...) The gum takes 5 min or so to reduce the craving but it does last for quite awhile. In just one week I am down to only needing 3 pieces of gum. I also tried the 1 mg nicoderm spray. It works fast but does not last as long as the gum. Many will tell you that nicotine therapy is not the way to go...only cold turkey works fast. This is true I am sure but when a person is afraid to try because of going through the side effects of withdrawl & keeps going back to smoking like I did, it's a little more comfortable. And the goal is to decrease the nicotine to not requiring any. For me that decrease is happening quickly. I tried to quit many times before ever getting this far. I was diagnosed with chronic bronchitis & COPD & that sure gives you initiative to get on the Quit Train! We never think it could happen to us....but guess what....it can & does. She will need this forum to help her to quit. People are not judgemental here, just helpful. I am a Newbie too. Good luck!

I am new to this site & stopped smoking 8 days ago. I am experiencing what feels like a pulled muscle in my right lower rib area & a sore, tight right neck like a swollen gland. Also have insomnia which I have read about on this site as being very common. I am committed to not smoking again but man I feel crummy with these weird symptoms cropping up. Has anyone else experienced this type of reaction to quitting? Is it withdrawl? It's like there is a new something every day....and of course one thinks the worst!

Beacon hi & thank you for your support. No I do not drink a lot of coffee or any other caffeine containing beverages. Just 2 cups of coffee in the morning. No pop or other beverages with caffeine during the day or evening.

Being diagnosed with COPD is a scary truth and a good reason to quit!

Most people who have smoked for a long time have COPD. In my job it is easy to hear decreased air entry into the lungs with a stethoscope. A PFT test confirms & diagnoses severity of COPD. After 40 years of smoking I was diagnosed with Chronic Bronchitis last summer....a form of COPD. I feel fortunate to only have a mild COPD. It could easily be much worse after the length of time I have smoked. Stopping smoking is the only cure.

January 28, 2015 tyme2B

Nancy I will deffs look at Quit Smoking Discussion. Thank you.

Thanks so much to All of you for your responses. You all succeeded! I want to succeed too! I have gone from 6 pieces of nicotine gum a day to 3 pieces per day. I do not want to become dependent on nicotine & I realize this could happen. Not even one spray today either. I will try to stop the nicotine replacement therapy....you all say it should be out of my system....it's a crutch right now that is stopping Mr from smoking but my need IS reducing...it's likely psychological....40 yrs is a long time...I'm likely being a suck. What about insomnia? I realize NRT can cause this side effect but so can stopping smoking. It"s awful....Has anyone suffered from this? I find it hard to stay tough without sleep.

I am new to this site & had my last cigarette a week ago today. I have smoked a half pack of cigarettes a day for 40 years. I was diagnosed in Summer of 2014 for Chronic Bronchitis & mild COPD. I finally wanted to quit smoking. So, a week ago I just did it. No planned date...just did it. I had tried to "cut down" in past month but if cigarettes were in the house I smoked them....so much for my vow to only have one a day. I have not had even one puff in 7 days. It has been hell even with the help of Nicorette gum. Every day I tell myself I am now a non smoker, but I have been feeling awful physically with cravings, insomnia, fatigue & depression. I DO NOT want to go through this ever again so I am committed to sticking with my decision to quit. I was SO tempted to buy a pack today....but I didn't. The gum & spray help but this is so hard. How long will this discomfort last? I have failed in my attempts to quit many times before but this time I have gone a whole 7 days without a sneak puff. I need help with willpower right now & have been reading the tips from others who have gone through the process to become ex smokers....or non smokers....that sounds even better! I know I need support. Thanks.