A welcome to newcomers

[Abby]

Please introduce yourself . 

 

My name is Abby , fairly new to quit train but have been for quit for some time . I smoked 28 years and was up to two packs a day . Eh  I am Canadian . People here from around the world with one common goal . Love to know where you all are from . 

I never thought I could quit . I came upon joining a quit site as a last resort when I was deathly sick ( a do or die situation ) and after several failed attempts to quit decided to just do it , no more trying . I was scared , had little hope , depressed and didn't know where to start . Everyone helped me , welcomed me and voila I'm still here .

I would say the experience is a good one . 

 

I owe my quit to the help and support of fellow ex smokers like those here at quit train . I attribute my quit to their patience  , understanding , to their keeping me on track and on the rails , to keeping me distracted through games and humour , teaching me through education and videos , testimonies and a much needed kick in the butt too when needed . Sometimes things hurt , oh yeah , that truth sometimes hurts , but sometime it was the whistle I needed to hear . 

 

With that , and the education I learned researching about addiction on my own ; learning from those who went before me and those who devote their lives to helping others quit like Joel Spitzer videos , books written by many , the administrators and founders of such sites it was a complete recipie .  From there it was daily practise . 

 

I am grateful I put the work into making it all come together . It wasn't easy , but something worth having sometimes doesn't come as a hand out . I learned that when I took my first easy eight year quit for granted and blew it away with one puff . 

 

Quitting smoking changed my life .  It was all worth it . Every crave , every struggle .

 

Glad you are here , glad I'm here too , glad we are all here . That's it from me. Anyone else want to share ? Newcomers  , elders ? 

 

Ps . Likes music , loves being smoke free , dislikes shrimp . 

 

 

[Reciprocity]

10 hours ago, Abby said:

Ps . Likes music , loves being smoke free , dislikes shrimp . 

Pretty sure I could change that dislike of shrimp for ya  

[Cbdave]

He......

first dibs on the prawns buddy

[Abby]

Got my serious doubts bout that @reciprocity and @Cbdave  

 

So , looks like we have to go to everyone's profile to know a little more about people here . I thought it might be welcoming for us to introduce ourselves to others . Why or how you came to quit , why did you personally finally make the decision to quit or like me did health make the decision instead  . What part of the world is everybody from ? Just share what you are comfortable with .  We know @reciprocity and @Cbdave are kinda strange . They like shrimp , isn't that strange ? ( Just kidding , or maybe not ) Maybe I guess I'm kinda strange lol but who in the world would like shrimp .. or salmon . No fishy fishy for me , I'll catch em fish , but not gonna make me eat em . 

Edited June 11, 2021 by Abby

[Reciprocity]

There's lots of info. elsewhere on the site indicating my little corner of the world  - Canada; the town next to Niagara Falls lol

 

In terms of why I quit, I think my story is pretty boring and probably similar to many others. I had finally had enough of getting bronchitis every winter that would last for weeks if not a month and a half or so. Not to mention the ever increasing cost of smokes, finding places to smoke and generally feeling like a social pariah. It was Sat. morning Jan. 28th and I was standing in a cold damp parking lot having just come out from grocery shopping and as I lit up a smoke, to 'get me fix' I launched into a coughing fit to end all coughing fits. After managing to regain some control over this coughing fit, it just dawned on me; "what the hell was I doing to myself?' This was insane and I decided at that moment to quit the very next day. I went out and bought some stage 1 patches 21mg I believe and slapped one on after having my last smoke at about 8:30 AM the next day, Sunday. I ended up forgetting to replace it after my morning shower on Monday so decided to go cold turkey at that point.  

 

I didn't join a quit smoking forum until about a week later, as I was researching addiction and quitting smoking. I really didn't expect much to come from joining but as I went along and read all the posts from others experiencing the same things I was going through, the site became my home almost 24/7 while I rode the monster (the early days of quitting). Surprising to me, I found being a member and staying active on the site helped me immensely! Can't recommend it enough to new comers and I am not a social media person normally - not at all.

Edited June 11, 2021 by reciprocity

[jillar]

10 minutes ago, reciprocity said:

 

I didn't join a quit smoking forum until about a week later, as I was researching addiction and quitting smoking. I really didn't expect much to come from joining but as I went along and read all the posts from others experiencing the same things I was going through, the site became my home almost 24/7 while I rode the monster (the early days of quitting). Surprising to me, I found being a member and staying active on the site helped me immensely! Can't recommend it enough to new comers and I am not a social media person normally - not at all

^^This^^ 

@Abby, the whole forum you posted this in is filled with introduction threads from pretty much every member so you don't have to go to each profile

[Mee]

I am from Ohio known for it's crappy weather and Rock Hall of Fame.  I smoked for 42 years and finally was able to quit with the support of this forum.  I wanted to quit for many years and was so ashamed of my smoking.  I found myself so isolated because it was just easier to stay home and smoke.  Though I knew it was robbing me of my life, I just did not seem to have the power to quit.  I stumbled across this forum looking for some form of help.  I will be three years quit in August.  I love that I have met people around the world that have helped me and shared my journey.  

[Gus]

Life long, small rural town,  Georgia girl here! Peaches, dirt roads, and sweet iced tea. Farm country, peace, and quiet. The closest city would be Augusta,—Home of the Masters! I quit smoking because I was so tired of the stench. I was tired of blowing all of that money into thin air. I was tired of ostracizing myself from life. I am a bit of a social misfit. Oh and I. Love. Shrimp.

[johnny5]

I'm Johnny and I live in the Raleigh, NC area.  I quit in November 2014 with the help of a site similar to this that shut down a couple of years ago.  A number of people from that site are here now.

 

I smoked for roughly 20 years.  I picked up the habit (addiction) my freshman year in college.  It was initially a social thing (buming a smoke during a party or hanging out with friends drinking beer) but it didn't take too long for me to start buying smokes on a regular basis and becoming a true addict. I never thought that would happen but it did happen rather quickly.

 

Over time, I started feeling more and more sluggish, out of breath, coughing like crazy, downright sick, etc.  I was ashamed of how I smelled around non-smokers in an increasing anti-smoking society, sick of the money I was spending on smoking, etc.  

 

I wanted to quit and made several attempts but failed each time.  It wasn't until I joined an online support forum like this that I got the support and education that really helped me see that smoking was a lifestyle I truly needed to leave.  Places like this, if you read up on nicotine addiction and reach out for help, really do help you quit for good.

 

Also, other than QuitTrain, if a newer quitter hasn't read Allen Carr's "Easy Way to Quit Smoking," I highly recommend giving it a read.  Some successful quitters didn't like the book but it helped put me into the mindset that smoking does nothing positive for you.  The book might not make quitting easy but I do believe it helps a lot.

 

PS, shrimp are great.

Edited June 11, 2021 by johnny5

[Abby]

Oh come on , lol am I the only one that doesn't like shrimp ? There has to be someone like me please please , there has to be someone! I'm gettin beat up here bad lol ! 

Thanks for sharing everyone .

There is lot of you I don't know yet both elders who've been here a while and newcomers , so thank you .

It's nice to know a bit of your background and how you came to quittrain and your reason to quit . 

I also don't like those little cabbages .. what do they call those ..  Brussel sprouts . 

[Reciprocity]

8 minutes ago, Abby said:

Oh come on , lol am I the only one that doesn't like shrimp ? There has to be someone like me please please , there has to be someone! I'm gettin beat up here bad lol ! 

Thanks for sharing everyone .

There is lot of you I don't know yet both elders who've been here a while and newcomers , so thank you .

It's nice to know a bit of your background and how you came to quittrain and your reason to quit . 

I also don't like those little cabbages .. what do they call those ..  Brussel sprouts . 

OK - So now you've redeemed yourself!!!

Brussel Sprouts 

[AceWhite]

On 6/10/2021 at 7:51 AM, Abby said:

 

 

Quitting smoking changed my life .  It was all worth it . Every crave , every struggle .

 

 

 

 

Amen sister what a great statement!!

I second that

[Robbie]

I am Robbie, female 66 years old, live in a country town close to many beautiful beaches and a bigger city in Victoria, Australia. I had to quit smoking and tried many times without success, I have breathing problems now and probably couldn't even smoke a cigarette if I tried....but I'm definitely not going to try! I love listening to live music, which comes and goes during this wretched pandemic and I play guitar, mandolin and ukulele. Love to sing, but that's not allowed at the moment...sigh. Quitting has been tough as I am on my own and always become depressed during the early stages so I basically cried for the first three weeks. Those chemicals mess with my head big time! Doing better this time with the help of Quit Train and a few squirts of nicotine spray during the day; I know that I have to stop that too but not while my quit is still new. This pandemic and now the Winter months have added an extra layer of challenges to my quit but I'm much more confident this time around. Cheers everyone!

[Robbie]

Wowsers, can't believe the money I would have spent on cigarettes, just mind blowing! Oh and I don't think I've ever tasted shrimp!

[Gus]

3 hours ago, Abby said:

I also don't like those little cabbages .. what do they call those ..  Brussel sprouts

I love Brussel Sprouts!

[d2e8b8]

5 hours ago, Abby said:

Oh come on , lol am I the only one that doesn't like shrimp ?

I also don't like those little cabbages .. what do they call those ..  Brussel sprouts . 

Love shrimps, exp. jumbo ones.  Enjoy brussel sprouts in small qty.

Sorry.

[Katgirl]

I’m from NJ, moved to wine country, CA, after my second husband suddenly passed away. My first husband and the father of my children, is alive and well, that &$#@*! Looks like I will  get to see him in a few weeks. Can’t wait!   Anyway, I smoked most of my adult life, quit in 2009, for 6 years, then picked up the habit again, after a bad breakup. Stupid, I know… When I turned 70, in April, I started thinking about quitting. I have 4 kids, 12 grandkids, and #13 is on the way. I want to stick around for awhile, and enjoy my legacy, as long as I can. So,  I started to cut down my smoking, and on May 10th, at 8:00 PM, I smoked my last cigarette.  I joined this group about a week later. Oh, and Sorry, Abby, I love shrimp!

 

KAT

Edited June 12, 2021 by Katgirl

[Doreensfree]

Ok...

Hi I'm Doreen ...I come from Liverpool ...Home of the fab 4....

I started smoking age 11....and Quit at 64 ...too many failed Quits to Remember...

Joined another forum for a little while before jumping on the Train ...

This was my last chance ....Myself and my feet were about to be parted if I didn't Quit this time ...

I was having trouble walking my ankles were black as coal ....no circulation....

It wasn't long before I started to notice a big difference ..pain was easing ,walking getting better ..

Now I power walk miles a day....I still have some slight bruising left ...but I think God has left me those as a reminder...

This Train ..Allen Carr ...and my determination...I quit for good ......

Lost Hubby to Emphysema 2years now ...Smoking done a good job on us ....

I haven't tried Shrimp..but love sea food....Love sprouts ...

Been having a cyber Mrs Robinson affair with my Boo Boo here since he joined ....

Quitting with friends is so much more fun ,than trying to tackle it alone ...I've made some wonderful friends here..that will stay in my heart forever ...❤

 

Edited June 12, 2021 by Doreensfree

[Mac#23]

Hi, I from Buffalo,NY. I live very close to Niagara Falls myself. I quit cold turkey in the early days of the pandemic. I was debating on quitting for awhile and when the pandemic hit and it was time. I was sitting there one day having a cigarette and thinking that it was stupid to continue smoking with a disease out there that is attacking your lungs. So, I just quit. It's been over a year now. I am also a big fan of shrimp and seafood but not Brussels sprouts.

[Lawrence]

From Nova Scotia, about an hour or so from Oak Island, which you may have heard of. I haven't quit smoking yet but on my way to do so as strongly advised by a doctor (never been on any medications, next day, three, so yeah I need to quit). I'm down from a pack a day (for 35+ years) to 12 cigarettes a day now; doesn't seem like much of a change but it is to me.

 

Shrimp, no thank-you. Brussel sprouts: I won't ask for them, but if they are on my plate I'll eat them.

 

Edit: my first post on this site, good to get that out of the way.

 

 

Edited June 12, 2021 by Lawrence

[Gus]

Hello @Lawrence! One of my sisters drives me insane telling me all about this show she watches about this hidden treasure on Oak Island. lol It is intriguing, but she is beyond obsessed. Anyway, it’s nice to have you join our forum. If you would accept any advice I would like for you to know that this will all be so much easier if you learn what to expect when you finally quit beforehand and no matter how bad it gets, push through it; it gets better. It really does!

[Abby]

 

 

 Welcome to Ex train @Lawrence. Glad you hopped on the train and will be riding the journey with us and I'm especially glad you don't like shrimp lol . 

 

YAY a second nay for shrimp . Come on you nay and yay sayers . I can honestly take it if you are a yay sayer  but I know there's gotta more on the nays out there )  

 

We all Welcome you to quit train where you get to be the conductor, be in the control room , be the yard master , ride in the dome car and sleep those first few weeks in the best sleep car ever ! There is entertainment all day long , right into the evening or wee hours of the morning all provided by friends of quit train and special guests .  We have comedians , singers and artists of all kinds and talents . You will feel right at home . 

 

Oh  .... btw, I forgot to mention the most important part ....

 

I can't forget,  we have a fabulous dining car where we meet nightly for dinner and have good conversation about our day . Note : Shrimp is not on the menu two nights of the week . ( Subject to change )  . 

 

 

Sent from my iPad

[Reciprocity]

14 hours ago, Robbie said:

Wowsers, can't believe the money I would have spent on cigarettes, just mind blowing! Oh and I don't think I've ever tasted shrimp!

You may know them as Prawns? Basically the same thing and interchangeable in recipes. There's just some slight anatomical differences between shrimps & prawns.

 

And yes. From what I understand, the cost of smokes down under is crazy 

[jillar]

Welcome aboard @Lawrence and congratulations on taking this first step to quit smoking. I recommend that you stop smoking in your normal areas so that when you do quit you won't associate those places with smoking and cause a trigger. 

You may also want to stock up on sweets. A lot of us find a craving for them in the early days of our quits. I was stuck on soft peppermint puffs my entire first year lol.

I think you probably already know that cutting down doesn't work. Its really just an excuse for the junkie in us to keep getting our fix. 

Hope to read soon that you've quit

Ps. I like shrimp but prefer crab or lobster and I've never had a Brussels sprout I buy big girl cabbage

Edited June 12, 2021 by jillar

[Doreensfree]

Welcome aboard Lawrence...

Why put more Nicotine in ..just to take it out again ..Jump now ...

 

 

You may know them as Prawns?

Why did t you say ...Love Prawns ....

Edited June 12, 2021 by Doreensfree