Hi starting tomorrow

[AgaveGirl1]

Hi,

 

As if soon to be summer in the AZ desert isn't hot enough, I'm going to turn up the heat on myself and quit smoking. I call myself Agave Girl because I have lived in the desert now for 10 years and am an avid gardener of SW plants, cacti, aloes and yes...you guessed it, agaves. I share my home with two wonderful souls.  One is my wonderful fur child named Zoe. She's a 12 year old retired racing Greyhound and the other is my supportive and loving husband and best friend of 13 years.   

 

I'm also nearing my 49th birthday. I decided to give myself the best present ever and one I've been wanting for a long time now.  I'm going to quit smoking. 

 

I'm  on my last pack of smokes. I put tomorrow as my official quit date as I expect to be out of smokes either tonight or early tomorrow a.m. I'm just sick of smoking. I'm sick of how it makes me feel and I've been doing it for so long it isn't even enjoyable anymore. I'll be 49 in a few weeks and I've realized I've smoked off an on since i was 13. YIKES. That's a lot of years. I quite for 3 years then started again. I quit for 6 and took up running and then started again. I quit for 3 and then started.

 

I'm tired of stopping and starting. I'd like to just stop. Period. End of sentence. So here I am and I'm halfway through my last pack of smokes and I don't feel panicked about it----yet! LOL. We'll see what happens when I put the last one out, throw out the ash tray and a few hours go by.

 

BTW....what's the verdict here on daily e.-cigs (NJOY) for help as nicotine replacement therapy? Good, bad, or ugly? I don't want to replace one bad habit with another but then again I'd like to be able to take the edge off the first two or three weeks too.

 

Opinions and help please. Looking forward to meeting, talking, and working with everyone real soon.

AG

[Reciprocity]

Big Welcome AgaveGirl1 :)

 

Yes, you're doing the best thing possible for yourself by quitting smoking and it's understandable you're a little apprehensive as you come closer to cutting the cord on smoking. But what you will gain by remaining quit is some much better, it's worth a little discomfort going through the process. Please come here often and participate as much as you can. I've noticed that those who participate a lot, seem to do much better with their quits.

 

In terms of the e-cig thing; I'm leaning toward the bad & ugly options you mentioned; certainly not the good. Quitting smoking really consists of two separate things in my opinion. Getting the nicotine out of you system then, reprogramming your brain to handle mundane day to day things without smoking. If you are putting nicotine into your system in any way, that defeats the first issue I mentioned. If you are breathing in vapor through a plastic tube, you are going through the same motions you did when you were smoking cigs. To really free yourself, the sooner you get rid of both those things, the better and the sooner you will rebuild your metal attitude toward smoking in general. That's my opinion only, I'm sure you get other opinions here as well.

 

You've done a great thing by joining our group as well. It REALLY helps to have others around you who are going through all the same things you are so, be sure to come here often. Read all the material you can and watch the videos to. Understanding that smoking is an addiction is critical to moving on without it and being happy about it.

 

Welcome again and hope to see you around often. Go to our Daily NOPE Pledge thread every day and pledge your NOPE (Not On Puff Ever). This helps to reinforce your quit commitment daily :)

[MarylandQuitter]

Welcome, AG! 

 

Nicotine Is Nicotine Is Nicotine

Video discusses how nicotine delivered by any source via any route of administration has the full potential of causing relapse to any former smoker or user of any nicotine product.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KViTfIfHUv0&list=PL4F05C03D0F9B86DB&index=6

 

"Miracle" Aid For Quitting Smoking

Video addresses the situation where former smokers are offered or recommended to try using electronic cigarettes or other nicotine containing quitting aids in order to somehow help them to secure their quits. The consequences of introducing nicotine via any source after having successfully quit smoking are discussed.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyhfRm5nev0&index=45&list=PL4F05C03D0F9B86DB

[AgaveGirl1]

Hey guys,

Good to hear from some of you. Thank you. Yes, feeling apprehensive, anxious, spastic, and a whole lot of other things negative. But also feeling good, happy, and in some weird way calmer then I ought to or should right now.  :huh:  Calm before the flip out storm maybe? Maybe I'm still feeling  this way because I still have cigarettes left in my pack?  We'll see tomorrow.

 

Any way, gonna get through my evening and tomorrow I'm going to watch some of the videos, put up a picture, do some profile things, and really explore the site. And yes....most likely lean on all of you real heavy in earnest.

 

Thanks for making me feel welcome. It is appreciated. :) Also thanks for the advice on the e.cigs. I didn't know.  I've heard a lot of mixed things about them, so I figured I would ask before I started this endeavor. Everyone have a nice night and I'll get with you all tomorrow. I'm nibbling my nails now that I looked. I have 11 left in my pack.

 

AG     

[bakon]

Learn Nope

Get some juice

Learn Nope

Find activities to keep you busy at times you smiled

Learn Nope

No vaping. Bad bad

Learn Nope

Post and read

 

You quit before. You know the drill. But education to why things WERE hard makes them easy this time. Attitude is everything

[Doreensfree]

Hi and welcome aboard..

Read all you can here...you have already had some great quits..so let's make this your sticky...

Stay close to the board..we will support you all along your journey...

Take our daily pledge...it really does help you along...

You can do it..

[Boo]

Welcome aboard AgaveGirl.  Congratulations on starting down the path to freedom.

 

It sounds like you've hit that point with smoking where the futility of it all is setting in.  You smoke because you need a nicotine fix; you need a nicotine fix because you smoke.  It is a vicious cycle that takes a lot and returns nothing.  Good riddance.

 

It's perfectly natural to feel a bit of nervous anticipation before starting a quit.  It gets better when you realize there is absolutely nothing to fear and frankly, nothing to fight.  The addiction can only make suggestions, you have all the power.

 

The minute you ash out that last one, your freedom from nicotine begins.  Proceed.

[Runfree]

You have all the power.  

[Jackie]

Hi AgaveGirl - how are you doing on your first day?  The first few days can either be easiest (kind of a personal challenge, feel good about it, etc) or the hardest (hating every second, having a mental break down, etc)....either way - STICK TO IT and know you can do this no matter what that little voice in your head is telling you.  I promise, it will go away!!!!  When it feels like it never will...remember it does! :)  Good luck to you lady!

[AgaveGirl1]

Good Morning all,

Have one cigarette left. Went to bed about 9:30 last night as I was super tired. Had a busy morning so didn't smoke much. Only had 2 out of the 3 I had left in my pack. Now I have one left.  That's it. Just the one and then no more.  Had no clue what I was saving it for so I just chucked it along with the ash trays. :D

 

Now I can hit the Ticker! 

 

Uh-oh....really did it didn't I?

 

Right this moment got to get ready to go but did watch the video above. Thanks for that.  Very cool and very useful! And yes, will check out all the videos. 

 

I'll be back a little later in the afternoon. I just want to say you are all so great and wonderful and I thank you for being here and for helping me. Looking forward to getting to know all of you a little better and sharing a little more. Oh...and getting ready to share the first flip out as I'm sure it will come soon. :rolleyes:

 

​Have a great day.

AG    

[Doreensfree]

Good for you..

You are now a non smoker...one important rule to quitting...

Never stick anything in your mouth,and set fire to it...NOPE !!!

Let's get this done..

[Boo]

Now I can hit the Ticker! 

 

Uh-oh....really did it didn't I?

 

Yep, you did it.  Congratulations.

 

This process will reward you many times over.  

[Dee]

Hello Welcome Agavegirl this place makes a big difference in helping with your quit. Glad you found the train. I agree about the getting the nicotine out of the system.  To know that in three days it is all gone is kinda of a great thing. It makes you stop take a deep breath before you have to deal with habit of the routine. After some time passes that doesn't even seen so strange. I have to admit that is the part that takes some work in the early weeks. Soon though you realize that you have a new routine and that starts to feel like the new norm. Post often and read all the information they have.

[Reciprocity]

Embrace the quitting process by understanding that you are finally in control of that addiction and calling ALL the shots. It has NO say in your life any longer!!

 

Yes the addiction will try and persuade you to give up on quitting and feed it again but you're not going to do that because smoking only brings harm to you. Be sure to join us tomorrow for the Thursday N.O.P.E. pledge. Start your day right by telling your addiction who's in charge :)

[AgaveGirl1]

AAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! I want to killlllllllllll someone. :hunter: Gee....I don't think any of you ever heard that before now have you? ( UH...that's figurative not literal so nobody get panicked...o.k. )

 

So, let's see here. I've been doing o.k. Threw out cigs. Threw out ash trays. Very smart on my part as I 'know me' and how I work.  

 

Body aches, mind spinning, and discomfort comes and goes. Sat out back and made a list of a whole bunch of reasons for and why I'm doing this and that helped. Did some deep breathing. That helped. But I'm miserable and I'm  just feeling like.....I dunno.

 

Not sure how to put it into words but feeling like I know why I'm doing this and why I need to do this and what I'll get from this but just irritated beyond belief like I want to jump out of  my skin. Am I supposed to be this God awful physically miserable?  Is this some kind of twisted punishment for 'abusing' my body all these years?

 

And this is just the first few hours of stopping smoking??? OMG.

 

YES. I know it will be worth it. I keep telling myself and reminding myself of that but is what I'm going through normal? I mean we're talking withdrawal nic-fitting extraordinaire to the nth degree of miserable human being sitting here. Any one else go through this? Is this normal?

 

Now, I'm not worried about relapsing. I can't. I have no smokes. I have no butts because I have no ash tray. Very proud of myself for taking that pre-emptive strike. I know me. None of the neighbors that I know smoke so I can't bum one. Not driving presently as my Epilepsy isn't cooperating so it isn't safe for me to do so and it is too hot for me to walk to the store. So I'm good in this regards.

 

Just flipping out. AGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGARRRRRRRRRRRRRGH!!!!      

 

I need time to really sit and read. I want to go through the "10 Ways To Effectively Use This Forum To Help Yourself..." and all of Joe's videos, and read Mr. Carr's "Take Your Freedom Back" and get a pic up (btw...how do you do that please?). You know how it goes. So much information.

 

So tomorrow I'll try to post a picture and a ticker and read the NOPE pledge and a few other things as I'm off and free tomorrow.

 

You can all laugh at my rant here. I'm sure this lunatic babble sounds familiar. :rolleyes:

[Reciprocity]

We're not laughing AG1 because we all went through it too. We know how unbelievably unsettling those first days can be. Experiencing all the things you mentioned and it's exhausting just dealing with it all but; it won't kill you whereas smoking just might so, grit your teeth and power through those first days.

 

Come on here and rant all you want. It's what you need to do while your fighting this addiction. Please do read all you can and watch the videos. It will help you develop & keep the right  perspective on this addiction.

 

I think the first few days that's pretty much all I did. Stayed inside, hid away from the world and binge watched TV, these videos, read forums etc. Anything to keep my mind off what I was going through.

 

I know I don't have to tell you this but, it does get better - much better. You just have to go through the hard part first. You CAN do it!!

[Doreensfree]

Stay strong..

Scream NOPE..louder ..NOPE...

Try some deep breathing..get a punching pillow..dance to loud music..all around the house...

Do what it takes...keep coming here...

[Stewie]

Sounds like you´re in withdrawl. Embrace it. It disappears in a few days and then it gets better.

[AgaveGirl1]

Hi guys,

 

OMG....I'm so freakin' miserable. Yesterday I actually sat down and wept. Yep. So sick and achy and miserable and tired and crabby I just sat down and wept. I literally slept 11 hours. This is not getting easier. I still feel like crap this morning. I feel worse then I did the day before. Kicking myself for not having got an e-cig.

 

Every little thing is frustrating me. Every little thing is making me ready to cry. Every little thing is exhausting me and making me angry. I'm afraid I'm going to go off on the wrong person and get in trouble.  

[Reciprocity]

AG1; this is all normal and will not last much longer with the intensity that you are experiencing now, providing you do not smoke!!

 

That is the key ingredient here - NO SMOKING. That includes e-cigs. Smoking those is virtually the same as cigs. You are going through all the same motions as smoking, even if you have no nicotine in them. Breaking that mental process of smoking is harder and takes longer than just getting the nicotine out of your system. You are 3 days into your quit now? That's pretty much max. discomfort time for most. Just focus on getting through each hour at a time right now. It will get better soon. You are just in the worst part of the process right now. By the way, it's OK to cry and sleep as much as you want during these early days. I know it's tough to function at work and elsewhere in public during these early days. You just have to do the best you can.

 

The only way through this is, you have go through this part. It will be worth it after you're there. This won't last forever, that I promise you. Stay strong Girl and just don't smoke!!

[Doreensfree]

Our friend R !!..is so right...

This is as bad as it gets..you have done most of the hard part...it can only get better...

You know if you smoke...you will be right back..and wishing you hadn't bothered...

Get a straw cut it into a cig lengh and suck in fresh air..

Your body is free of nicotine... Why put a list load of chemicals back in...

Stay strong...

Read more here...remind your self you wanted to be smoke free..

Stay close for now...we are here...

[Stewie]

Stay strong darling and dont smoke, the worst is the first 3 days then it gets better. Drink cold water and deep breathing, showers, punch a pillow - make it through the day! Im with you been there!

[AgaveGirl1]

Hi,

You guys are the best. Yes. This is tough, tough, tough but the more I listen, read and hang out the more I feel like I can do this. I can't thank you all enough for being here. It means so much. Slept another 11  hours last night. WOW! Who knew I'd be so tired. Oh well, I guess when you sleep you don't smoke. Today will be super challenging as I am home all day and don't have a lot of gardening activities. So....looks like I'll be hanging out riding the train a lot today. :wub:

 

​O.K. so you guys think I've done most of the hard part. That's good. I'll keep telling myself that. I'll have time for some videos from the library today which will be a treat. I've enjoyed the few I've seen. I'll also have some time to explore more of this website and make some friends. :DOh....can you smoke pizza? I had a dream last night I was smoking pizza. If I manage to get the pepperoni lit does that technically count as 'smoking'?

 

​    

[sgt.barney]

Miserable is a state of mind, not a condition.

 

Change your mind to not be miserable and you ... won't be miserable.

 

Embrace and live The Suck and it no longer sucks.

 

 

 

Easy Peasy

[Reciprocity]

AG1 - you're doing great and yes, everything you are feeling is very normal. If your quit date of 4/26 is correct then you are in day 4 now? Typically the first  few days and even the 1st week is pretty miserable. That's why they call it hell week. Yes, state of mind does play a big role in it but it's tough to be all cheery when that addiction is screaming at you to feed it!! Just keep fighting through the craves, the anxious feelings and do whatever makes you feel good.

 

One of the things I remember most about the early part of my quit is how exhausted I was each day, even though I had done virtually nothing :unsure: So yes, getting as much sleep as you can will serve you well during this early quit part.

 

By the way; I loved Az. when we toured that state by car some years ago. We went from north to south, east to west and loved it :) Very dramatic change in climate and vegetation from north to south. Absolutely beautiful place!