Newbie

[I can do this]

I've been lurking for a week. Bought my last pack NYE. Had last one morning of 1/3 when I finished the pack. Bought an e-cig to use as a crutch. Tried it a few times and I do not like the way it makes my mouth feel, very odd sensation. I last used it 1x on Friday. Thought about it this morning but it's freezing and I would need to go in the garage so I've skipped it so far. Have eaten 2 large bags of peanut butter cups in a week. I'll probably gain 100 lbs. ;)

 

This is my 3rd quit. First one was with my first pregnancy, quit the second I found out and started back up 3 weeks after birth. Second was second pregnancy. Also quit the second I found out and stayed quit for 3 years. I got cocky and assumed I could just be a social smoker. WRONG! That was 6 years ago. Both of those quits were SO easy. Got the positive test and never looked back. I get so mad at myself bc they were so easy and I was at the point with both quits that I never even thought about it anymore. So I know it absolutely CAN be done. But I was lured into the "I'll just have some tonight. . . "

 

This one is more mentally challenging. I was one of those smokers who would smoke a pack some days and then none for 2 days. Ebbed and flowed with activities and alcohol. I was a semi-closet smoker. Never did it around certain people, including most family and my kids, certain friends or work. I know I CAN drink alcohol without it bc I have in so many different situations but this time my mind is messing with me in that sense. So I've not had any alcohol since NYE bc I don't feel secure yet.

 

DH quit on NYE. It's been pretty easy for him, which makes me very jealous.

 

Anyway, that's my story!

[Doreensfree]

Hi and welcome...and yes you CAN do this....we all have..

Read all you can here...its full of helpful tips...

Stay close here ,and post often ,do our daily pledge ..it all hells..

Congrats on your great decision.... And hubby too....

[BAT]

Welcome to the QT and congratulations on quitting. Feel free to post anytime and stay glued to the board. It will get better :)  

[sharonsiff]

Nice to cyber meet you.

 

I agree with you, you can do this :)

 

Stick close to the board, check out old posts as a distraction. I don't know if you like games? A few games in the social thread...loads to read and do.

 

Get a craving? Get on here and post, or read xx

[Runfree]

Congratulations!  3rd time's the charm :)

 

Keep in mind that the mental tantrums are temporary in nature and short-lived in terms of the quit.  You got this!  And how great that hubby has quit as well.  2016 will be a good year in your home.

[joe]

Hello Can Do!! ... Welcome aboard!!

 

Your first quits you did for the health of your (unborn) children....

 

This one is for YOU!...

 

maybe it could be made a little easier to grasp if you could realize your health IS just as important to you as your kids health is to you.

 

It is a terrible addiction, but with knowledge and support, it can be conquered.

 

The best advice I can offer is to read anything you can on how nicotine grips us and how to break that grip.

 

Good luck and come here often to post.. There are a lot of good people here willing to help you break free....we are all former smokers, so we have all been where you are......

[Devil Doll]

Welcome, your name says it all, you CAN do this. Browse the site, play our games, SOS when you need extra help. We are all here for you.

[Colleen]

Welcome:) We have all been where you are and are here to help. Feel free to ask questions or just vent if you need to.

[Sunnyside]

Welcome to the forum, post, post, post. You can do this and we will help you anyway we can.

[Nancy]

Welcome, Can do!  If we can, you can, too! Let us know how we can help!

[Runfree]

Your first quits you did for the health of your (unborn) children....

 

This one is for YOU!...

 

maybe it could be made a little easier to grasp if you could realize your health IS just as important to you as your kids health is to you.

 

 

Astute and brilliant.  

[Petra]

Hello and WELCOME!!!  

 

There are so many great articles you can find here.  

 

Also, many people found The Easy Way to Quit Smoking by Allen Carr a helpful read.  Helps your head get into the positive mind set of being happy to be free instead of dreading having to give something up.  You truly are gaining everything and losing nothing!

 

Any struggles are TOTALLY worth being rid of the addiction.

 

Post often about anything - if you're happy, mad, bored, celebrating.  We are all here to support you and celebrate your successes!!!

[buMbLeB]

Bought an e-cig to use as a crutch.

 

Wow. Listen, no offense, but how tall are you?

 

HA!! Seriously though, I hope you finally learned your lesson - there is no such thing as "one cigarette", not for us, not anymore, not ever. Drilling that truth into your head, heart and soul is most of the battle, and this board is here so we can help remind each other. The more you can read, learn, participate and help others, the better your odds of this being the last time you ever have to go through this particular wringer. If you still haven't touched the e-cig I recommend you just forget about it, you need to get the nicotine out of your system sooner or later and the longer you drag it out (no pun intended, much) the harder you will make it seem.

 

Welcome to the board!

[Still winning]

Hi and welcome. x

[I can do this]

Thanks for the welcome!

 

Today is 9 days off cigs, 4 days off the e-cig. All nicotine should be gone, right? Having craves but guessing they are all mental at this point? Trying deep breaths. . . And way too much junk food.

 

I'm a little nervous about Friday night. Hubs and I are going to the casino with some friends. . . Lots of smoking and alcohol there. Gotta face it head on as I can't be a hermit forever.

[Nancy]

Thanks for the welcome!

 

Today is 9 days off cigs, 4 days off the e-cig. All nicotine should be gone, right? Having craves but guessing they are all mental at this point? Trying deep breaths. . . And way too much junk food.

 

I'm a little nervous about Friday night. Hubs and I are going to the casino with some friends. . . Lots of smoking and alcohol there. Gotta face it head on as I can't be a hermit forever.

My advice is to make a plan....what will you do if you think you need just one?  Will you walk outside for a moment?  Will you go to the restroom and do some deep breathing?  Do your Hubs and friends smoke?  Can you enlist their help?  Will you pull out your cell phone and post here, or just read?  Just visualize all the different triggers, and make a mental plan for each one, so that you are prepared.  You are doing great!

[I can do this]

My advice is to make a plan....what will you do if you think you need just one?  Will you walk outside for a moment?  Will you go to the restroom and do some deep breathing?  Do your Hubs and friends smoke?  Can you enlist their help?  Will you pull out your cell phone and post here, or just read?  Just visualize all the different triggers, and make a mental plan for each one, so that you are prepared.  You are doing great!

Hubs quit NYE. He is doing amazing and has even been able to enjoy an adult beverage without being tempted. I've avoided all alcohol and smoking situations since quitting bc I was worried about temptations. We won't be with any other smokers so I would actually need to buy a whole pack to have just one, which I refuse to do. Aside from the fact I quit, they charge $10+/pack there. Yuck!

 

I think I'm making it a bigger deal in my head than it needs to be. I tend to overthink things. If we were doing this last weekend, I don't know if I would have made it. I feel like I have a better grasp heading into this weekend.

[Nancy]

Hubs quit NYE. He is doing amazing and has even been able to enjoy an adult beverage without being tempted. I've avoided all alcohol and smoking situations since quitting bc I was worried about temptations. We won't be with any other smokers so I would actually need to buy a whole pack to have just one, which I refuse to do. Aside from the fact I quit, they charge $10+/pack there. Yuck!

 

I think I'm making it a bigger deal in my head than it needs to be. I tend to overthink things. If we were doing this last weekend, I don't know if I would have made it. I feel like I have a better grasp heading into this weekend.

Sorry, I forgot you told us about your Hubs quit.  Better to overthink than not plan at all!  You will be fine...just remember Not One Puff Ever!!

[Petra]

Maybe try to go into Friday night with an attitude of excitement about being free.  Look around at the people smoking and know that they are still trapped and you aren't.  You will see in their faces that they aren't really enjoying it, and really it looks kinda silly, right?  Dragging the smoke in, blowing it out.  Crazy!  Aren't you happy you're done with that?  I sure am!

 

I also wouldn't overdo the drinking.  The temptation may be a little too strong if you are in a surrounding like that so early in your quit and you have a good buzz going.  

 

Also the first two weeks really are the hardest as your body adjusts.  We all promise that it will get easier.

 

Great job ditching the e-cig.  Those things are useless and just keep us addicted and add a nice mix of harmful chemicals (even though they say there aren't any!).

 

We'd love to hear how your night is going.  Check in with us! :)

[Sunnyside]

look how well you are doing I can!!

 

Work out a plan, Remember to embrace your quit, Smoking is not an option. The drink and food will taste much better without a cigarette and if you do have some alcohol, there is another positive from quitting, hangovers are not as bad when you don't smoke. I promise you that is true, but you won't get to test that if you smoke.

 

 

 

[buMbLeB]

You are absolutely not making too big a deal out of this - this is a huge deal! I actually think it's a potential trap to understate it, and this opens the way for your junkie lizard brain to start screwing with you. I mean, if it's not really that big a deal, then what the hell maybe you can just have one or two and then jump right back on the train and quit again. Nuh-uh.

 

There's great advice above, so I'll just add this: if you need to bail, bail. Do what you gotta do, and don't apologize. By the way I'm really glad to read about you ditching the ecigs too, you're doing great!

[I can do this]

11 days quit. . . Haven't caved to the e-cig and don't plan to. I've been trying to keep busy and it seems to be working. 1st thing in the morning crave has seemed easier, I've thought about it but am able to push it out of my head. Worst crave so far is when I get home from work. That was the one I looked forward to the most.

 

I was out shopping today and this woman was browsing near me and she STUNK! Like she locked herself in her closet and smoked a whole pack. I actually found myself wanting to get away from her and then felt awful wondering if I really smelled that bad. I never really noticed it much before but today it grossed me out.

 

I'm feeling confident that I can make it through tomorrow night. My sister and her boyfriend decided to join us and she was someone I hid my smoking from. I've been out with her lots of times socially and never caved so I'm hoping I don't even think about it.

[Nancy]

11 days quit. . . Haven't caved to the e-cig and don't plan to. I've been trying to keep busy and it seems to be working. 1st thing in the morning crave has seemed easier, I've thought about it but am able to push it out of my head. Worst crave so far is when I get home from work. That was the one I looked forward to the most.

 

I was out shopping today and this woman was browsing near me and she STUNK! Like she locked herself in her closet and smoked a whole pack. I actually found myself wanting to get away from her and then felt awful wondering if I really smelled that bad. I never really noticed it much before but today it grossed me out.

 

I'm feeling confident that I can make it through tomorrow night. My sister and her boyfriend decided to join us and she was someone I hid my smoking from. I've been out with her lots of times socially and never caved so I'm hoping I don't even think about it.

You are doing great.  It is so awful to realize how bad we smelled....my brother in law still smokes, and I can smell him 10 feet away!

Having your sister there will help tomorrow night, since you never smoked around her!

[Petra]

Have a great time tomorrow night!  You will do great.

 

A while back one of the ladies at work came into my office to talk to me.  She was a heavy smoker.  She smelled soooooo bad.  My office reeked for like a half hour after she left.  Ick!

So happy I'm not a stinky smoker any more! :) 

[natalie_3]

Hi!

A little too late but... welcome! Nice to meet you.

Congratulations on your quit and good luck tomorrow.

Hug

 

-Natalie