If you are an ex smoker, how did you go about quitting the habit?

[Manonabike]

I personally tried several times and on one occasion I was nearly there, so much so that I felt I could handle one cigarette without wanting to smoke again.... WRONG!!!!

The last time I tried it was very different to all the others. I tried a new machine at the gym without knowing how to use it properly and I trapped a nerve on my back. The thing is that I didn't know that so the symptoms I was getting ( similar to angina ) I associated with the pressure I was under at work. Anyway, I ended up in hospital and I spent a week there going through tests etc. eventually the docs figured out what happened.

The day I came home my wife showed me my last packet of cigarettes and said "what do I do with these?" I replied, a bit hesitant , "throw them away!!!" From that day I used two tactics to help me quit the habit. Firstly I needed to set my target and this time I just said "my target is not to smoke today, tomorrow is another day but today I will not smoke" also whenever I was dying for a fag I brought to my head the image of my wife crying when the doc was telling me I needed to stop smoking. It took me 8 long months to feel confident about needing a cigarette ever again. 15 years since then


What's your story?

 

[subaqua]

that" becky taylor " advert. my eldest daughter said to me she wasn't afraid of anything except me dying from smoking. that was the last thing in a series of smaller events that led upto me properly stopping.

I needed to be ready to give up and before that i don't think i was

 

[compo]

I tried for over 20 years, will power, hypnosis, nicotine replacement, you name it I tried it......unsuccessfully.
Nearly 5 years ago I joined a NHS quit group and was prescribed Champix. That stuff rocks. A few days and I was a non smoker, no pangs, no withdrawal and no desire to smoke. I have been smoke free ever since.

 

[Peteaud]

http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/diary-of-a-smoker.92703/

Had enough of smoking and needed to get fit.

Started with the mouth squirter, then sheer pig headed "i will not smoke"

 

[Fab Foodie]

Zyban. More people have quit and stayed quit this way than any other I know.

 

[col]

My wife has been off the fags for 15 days now, hasnt used anything just said no. Her sister is on some tablets but dont know which ones they are, and she is still smoking, but its only been a few days on them yet. Iv got the chewing gum 4mg ones to give it a go when I get the nads to go to work without any fags.

 

[alans]

I stopped,cold turkey, the day my wife was diagnosed with cancer.

 

[guitarpete247]

I gave up for 2 1/2 years about 15 years ago. I had a cough and started to cough blood. I went to Doc's who got my in for a bronchoscopy within a week. It turned out to be nothing more than a damaged blood vessel from my cough, but enough to make me take stock and stop. Unfortunately 2 1/2 years on and stress at work and going to pub with several smokers and I was back on the weed.

This time the GF and I gave up together. Coupled with not wanting granddaughters to see us smoke is incentive enough to keep us off the habit. On holiday she has been tempted a couple of times but I've kept her from fags. I'm sure if I ever got the temptation she'd do the same for me. Us stopping has meant that GF's DIL never started again after her 2nd daughter like she did after her 1st. I also kept a tally of the money I saved. I was spending £50 a week, £200 a month, £2600 a year. So where's my carbon bike? Been smoke free now for 2 years last Feb.

For anyone out there trying to give up. Don't weaken. Take it one hour, then one day, then one week and then one month at a time. Before long you'll be able to class yourself as a non smoker.

 

[bicyclos]

I gave up on my 40th birthday(12yrs ago)sold the car and bought a bike and equiptment with the money and got back into cycling. I was really concerned with my health back then with running out of breath without running, coughing and sore throat all the time. For me it was time to stop. You have got to be determined and want to stop. The nicotine and crap that you have built up in your body does not want you to stop and thats why you crave. In time the craving will ease but a lot of it is up to you to do the rest. What do you love the most, cancer sticks or your health?

 

[subaqua]

Zyban. More people have quit and stayed quit this way than any other I know.

i was advised against zyban as it has contraindicators for diving . which i was doing regularly when i was wanting to give up

 

[MossCommuter]

Nicorette Quickmist; some people can't get on with the scratchy sensation on the back of the throat but as a Marlboro, Golden Virginia and Henry Wintermans Slim panatella smoker I kind of liked it.

 

[Peteaud]

Nicorette Quickmist; some people can't get on with the scratchy sensation on the back of the throat but as a Marlboro, Golden Virginia and Henry Wintermans Slim panatella smoker I kind of liked it.

I used that for my 1st week, it made me hiccup but it did help.

Tasted vile.

 

[The Brewer]

Similar to others and tried most things to kick the weed and found theres just one cure, will power.

Still don't know why but I just decided last June I was going to quit on July 1st. I totally changed all my habbits and for the first month bearly used the PC or drank coffee. The dog lost lots weight with all walks he went on and I dusted off the Tesco mountain bike in the shed.
Goals and rewards I think are important, so I treated myself for being smoke free for a month with a Carrera road bike

 

[MossCommuter]

I used that for my 1st week, it made me hiccup but it did help.

Tasted vile.

Oh, gaaawd, yeah, I forgot about the hiccups and burps.

 

[broomwagon]

I just decided to suddenly stop in early '87. It's the best thing I ever did, I couldn't do what I do now if I'd carried on, ie cycling, fell walking, (Yorks 3 Peaks this thursday, 20 odd miles), I have an active outdoor job working in the countryside too and I thank my lucky stars every morning because I enjoy going to work. I watch the lads in work where I go for my dinner, and they're outside every 5 minutes for a fag, you can't have a long conversation with them, they get out of breath and start coughing and spluttering. Poor feckers