Excited to QUIT for good

[mokajava]

I am a two-pack-a-day smoker and I am ready to leave this horrible habit behind. I am spending so much money and I am destroying my body by smoking so much. I am disabled and effectively stay home all the time, which led to my habit. I am tired of spending all my life moments revolving around a cigarette. As you can imagine, smoking two packs a day literally everything is punctuated with a cigarette. I yearn for the days when I smoked one an hour, but I cant seem to cut down, so I am here to quit for good~! 

 

As a 50-year-old woman, I have tried to quit before. My mother and I share a home and she is currently going through chemo for lung cancer from smoking. My grandmother also died from emphysema and lung cancer, so my chances of dying the same way are high, even if I do quit. I broke my humerus in December and the doctor told me I was at risk for surgery -- that I wouldn't be able to heal naturally -- because nicotine is a vasodilator and interferes with bone growth. Well, 14 weeks in and I am still not healed and now surgery anytime soon is out of the question. My doctor cancelled my appointment this Monday and set it out a month, which is fine really, since I am healing slowly anyway and the orthopedic cant do much now but let it try to heal. I would like to avoid surgery!

 

I've quit successfully before using the gum. I started smoking again after a month off because I was "bored". I don't want to try meds or anything else.

 

I need some help setting a quit day and coming up with a plan for the first couple of days. I plan to use the gum as an emergency standby, not as a substitute since the nicotine in the gum is also a vasodilator. I just need to quit and be done with this bad habit for good. 

 

Please help me set myself up for success.

 

 

[jillar]

Welcome mokajava, congratulations on deciding to take back your life. You will heal so much quicker by quitting. And you've come to the right place for support in your journey. I found my first support forum when I was already a few weeks quit and they were instrumental in my success. 

We have tons of threads and videos to help educate you and if we don't have what you're looking for post about it and we'll do our best to answer from our experiences.

I like that you are only planning on using the gum as an emergency standby but I caution that because pretty much all the nicotine will be out of your system in about three days. Reintroducing even nicotine gum will restart that whole process. Why go through it again?! My trick for emergencies was using my JAC (jillars air cigarette). I just pretended I was holding an actual cigarette in my fingers and then went through the motions of 'smoking' it. I couldn't believe how well it worked on tricking my brain into thinking it was getting the real thing!

Lastly, as far as a quit date....You're here now So why wait?.....

[Sazerac]

Welcome @mokajava and it IS exciting to quit for good.

 

Here is a thread to help you amble about the site and build yourself a strong quit.

10 Ways To Effectively Use This Forum To Stop Using Nicotine

 

You don't need nicotine.  You don't need gum.  All you need is a commitment to NOPE (Not One Puff Ever) and you need to stand by that commitment.

 

You don't need a special 'date' to quit.  Quit NOW and start your new adventure !

 

Here is some Cold Turkey Information to start your education about nicotine addiction.

 

Your body will heal, markedly once your quit nicotine.  Please, quit now, we'll cheer you on and answer lots of your questions.

 

 

[Sazerac]

1 hour ago, mokajava said:

need some help setting a quit day and coming up with a plan for the first couple of days.

 

Here are marvelous resources and plans for the first week of quitting smoking. They helped me understand my addiction.

Joel's Daily Quitting Lesson Guide

 

Joel Spitzer has helped many, many nicotine addicts quit and build lasting quits.

 

[Mee]

Welcome mokajava!  I also feel you should just quit today.  It only takes a couple of days to get the nicotine out of your system , so you  might just think about going cold turkey.

For someone who is stuck at home, this forum is a great place for socializing.  Not only do we support you, but we also have fun in the process.  There is plenty of information on quitting and lots of games.  If you have done this before, you can do it again.  Stay close to the forum and shout out as you need us.  We are here for you!

[Irene]

Hi mokajava and welcome...I'm just over 2 weeks into my quit, and feeling very positive about this one...this forum has so much helpful material, which I read over and over. It helps more than you can imagine.

It does get better

[Doreensfree]

Why pump more poision into your body ..???

The day to Quit is today ....

There is so much info here ....educate yourself ...learn all about this horrible addiction....

You can do it ...we all have ....you just have to want it bad enough ....

Learn by the past ... Boredom ...is not a excuse to kill yourself or give yourself a smoke related illness.....

 

[sgt.barney]

8 hours ago, mokajava said:

I've quit successfully before using the gum.

 

No you didn't. 
If you had "quit successfully", we wouldn't be here having this conversation - right? You'd already/still be quit. 

 

8 hours ago, mokajava said:

I started smoking again after a month off because I was "bored".

 

You started smoking again because you are an Addict.

Just like the rest of us. 

 

8 hours ago, mokajava said:

I don't want to try meds or anything else.

Ummm ... so don't? 
You don't need 'em. 

 

8 hours ago, mokajava said:

I need some help setting a quit day and coming up with a plan for the first couple of days.

 

No you don't. We can't do it for you. Pick a day and go. Today, right now, always being the best choice. 
No "plan" is necessary. Planning is procrastinating. 
There is one - and ONLY one- plan: Put the smokes down and never pick them up again. 
It's the only thing that works. 
It's the only thing that CAN work. 

 

8 hours ago, mokajava said:

I plan to use the gum as an emergency standby,

 

Bad plan. 
Plan on not smoking. 

 

8 hours ago, mokajava said:

I just need to quit and be done with this bad habit for good. 

 

So ... uhh ... do it? 

 

8 hours ago, mokajava said:

Please help me set myself up for success.

Only you can do it. 
We can't really help. 
You already know what you need to do. 
You just need to do it. 



EZPZ

[darcy]

Hello Mokajava,

   Welcome to the Quit Train.  Freedom is wonderful.

   Glad you're here.

Withdrawal is withdrawal is withdrawal.... it  ends when the nicotine leaves your body. 

Then it's  head and habit  reteaching.  Laugh at yourself as the junkie thinking tries to take you back AND do not smoke.

You can do this. I believe in you.

Read and reread the things on this site.  Make sure you read some of the funny things too.

Learn about addiction and recovery. Stay close and USE this board.

I'm in my second week of freedom from nicotine.  I smoked for over 35 years.

 

[Sazerac]

14 hours ago, mokajava said:

I am a two-pack-a-day smoker and I am ready to leave this horrible habit behind.

I am spending so much money and I am destroying my body by smoking so much.

 

Money Wasted On Cigarettes 

Mokajava, I put the dosh for daily smokes into a giant jam jar and watched it quickly add up.  This was a motivator for me.

 

I am disabled and effectively stay home all the time, which led to my habit.

The Isolation of The Windowed Smoker

 

 

I am tired of spending all my life moments revolving around a cigarette.

Boy Do I Miss Smoking

 

As you can imagine, smoking two packs a day literally everything is punctuated with a cigarette.

yearn for the days when I smoked one an hour, but I cant seem to cut down,

 

I Will Control My Smoking Now

Quitting By Gradual Withdrawal

 

so I am here to quit for good~! 

As a 50-year-old woman, I have tried to quit before.

Past Successful Quits

Now is the time to leave words like 'try' and 'maybe' and 'almost' behind. If you choose, you WILL quit smoking.

 

My mother and I share a home and she is currently going through chemo for lung cancer from smoking.

My grandmother also died from emphysema and lung cancer, so my chances of dying the same way are high, even if I do quit.

Feel How Smoking Affects The Lungs

 

I broke my humerus in December and the doctor told me I was at risk for surgery -- that I wouldn't be able to heal naturally --

because nicotine is a vasodilator and interferes with bone growth.

 

Nicotine is a vasoconstrictor Vasoconstriction is the narrowing (constriction) of blood vessels by small muscles in their walls.

When blood vessels constrict, blood flow is slowed or blocked.

Heart And Circulatory Diseases

 

Well, 14 weeks in and I am still not healed and now surgery anytime soon is out of the question.

My doctor cancelled my appointment this Monday and set it out a month,

which is fine really, since I am healing slowly anyway and the orthopedic cant do much now but let it try to heal. I would like to avoid surgery!

Post Operative Complications and Slower Healing

 

 

 

Quote

 

I've quit successfully before using the gum. I started smoking again after a month off because I was "bored".

I don't want to try meds or anything else.

I need some help setting a quit day

Setting Quit Dates

 

and coming up with a plan for the first couple of days.

I plan to use the gum as an emergency standby, not as a substitute since the nicotine in the gum is also a vasoCONSTRICTOR.

Keeping NRT In Case

 

Quote

 

I just need to quit and be done with this bad habit for good. 

 

Mokajava, you are dealing with FAR MORE than a habit. 

You are a nicotine addict and must deal with addiction.

 You Smoke Because You're A Smokeaholic

Nicotine Addiction

 

 

Please help me set myself up for success.

 

Education will help you understand what you are experiencing and why.

I hope you set yourself up for success, we will cheer you on.

We love quitters.  Watching the metamorphosis of the process is astounding.

You will enjoy so many benefits,  aside from the obvious health issues.

 

 

 

mokajava,

I hope you take advantage of the links provided. Education is so important to a quit.

Hope to see you soon as you start your journey to a nicotine free life.

 

 

[Angeleek]

Hi MJ, and welcome! Sorry to hear about your broken arm...

 

It seems like smoking is a big hurdle in your healing, so it would be prudent to quit ASAP to speed your recovery. You know what day is right...

 

Sounds like the only plan you need is how to get through boredom. Write that plan down, and procure your supplies to deal with that, and go for it.

 

You already know what's in your future if you choose to continue smoking.  The longer you wait, the more you will regret it.

 

This Train and the fine folks here are an abundant source of knowledge and support!

 

Just remember that the reward for not smoking is NOT...smoking.  Haha took me a while to get that one through my thick skull.  So, devise a new reward for yourself.

 

Looking forward to hearing you quit. You can do it! You deserve to breathe ...and live!

 

Best of luck to you, Mokajava. You are ready for this.

Edited April 1, 2020 by Angeleek

[abbynormal]

Hey Mokajava,

 

I don't have much to add that hasn't already been said, but I wanted to chime in and add my support! You CAN quit. If you want it badly enough, it is totally possible. It sounds like you have plenty of motivating factors to help you make the right decision!