smoking !!

[mark1974]

Well i am nearing the end of my duty free baccy courtesy the canary islands last september.
I have read few posts after you guys have quit
couple of questions
what did you use to quit (if anything)?
How did you find your cycling stamina?
Finally well done if you stayed smoke free !!!!

 

[Pjays666]

I gave up for stoptober last year. I still have an electronic one (motives 10) disposable from tesco but hardly use it now. Can't comment on stamina as only started cycling again last September. I believe you can still download certain tools from nhs smoke free website like how much you have saved and other motivational tools. Although I have only been smoke free for 3 months I certainly feel better for it. Good luck with it though and keep posting.

 

[MrJamie]

I took up running as part of my new diet and new life type approach and that encouraged me to quit a little sooner than I had planned. I cut down a bit to lighter cigarettes over a week or so, then just decided there and then to stop, partially because I resented paying full price for watered down weak cigarettes Around 12 years of 20 a day, to nothing, but then it never had as much hold over me as it does to some, I often didn't smoke in the morning anyway. I do occasionally have a cigarette after 2 years without a single one to break the habit, usually if I'm going out drinking, but I wouldn't recommend it.

The main thing is motivation and determination, getting it into your head that the stress and irritability you feel when you quit isn't because you've quit and solved by smoking, it's caused by smoking and will be fixed by quitting. It's why IMHO a lot of ex-smokers enter into a strongly anti-smoking mentality, because you need to keep reminding yourself of all the negatives of smoking to counteract the cravings telling you you need to smoke.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Don't waste time with any other stuff,or that motivation crap, get Zyban from the docs. No pain, all gain.

 

[The Brewer]

For me it was changing my routine, I gave up drinking coffee and stayed away from regular places where I smoked.
You can't buy will power but you'll get lots of support to see you through the worst few days

 

[Pjays666]

Zyban can also have side effects for some people and can have limitations in the use of machinery driving or drinking so not for everyone. Google it to get the full facts

 

[slowmotion]

I have the will-power of a jellyfish, but I just got to a stage when I realised that I was really pushing my luck. I wasn't enjoying it much either. Having read Carr's book decades ago I realised that it was just a matter of "feeding the rat", not getting any real enjoyment. I worked out what it cost me every day, and put that sum aside each day after I stopped. The money was going towards a bike that cost £1000, and that was a quite powerful motivation to hold out for a day longer. The pot grew to £500 in a few months and I saw the "Loved One" was going for £700 in the January end of season sales. I went out and guiltily bought it. I knew that I would feel shame if I started again after cheating on my own deal. I stopped in October 2010. I was quite surprised , and I don't look down on smokers at all. I was an enthusiastic one myself.

95% of the problem is in one's own head. Drugs can help with some of the rest. Good luck

I'm still rubbish on the bike BTW.

 

[Shaun]

Patches for me - however I had a strong motivator (my friend getting cancer) which was the catalyst for me seriously wanting to stop - finally - and I think the patches helped me get over the initial hurdle (most of which I found was psychological).

I did the "last fag on a Sunday night on the kitchen doorstep and chuck the remaining fags in the bin" routine countless times, only to stop off at the garage on the way to work on Monday morning and buy some fags. It took me years to quit and I didn't even stop after the birth of my daughter - which I swore blind I absolutely would!!!

Good luck, and if you don't succeed this time around try again and use something different to support you - eventually it should "click".

8 years off the ciggies for me last October and I wouldn't smoke one now for a million quid - there have been NO negatives from quitting, it's all been positive.

Cheers,
Shaun

 

[Andrew_Culture]

Patches for me - however I had a strong motivator (my friend getting cancer) which was the catalyst for me seriously wanting to stop - finally - and I think the patches helped me get over the initial hurdle (most of which I found was psychological).

I did the "last fag on a Sunday night on the kitchen doorstep and chuck the remaining fags in the bin" routine countless times, only to stop off at the garage on the way to work on Monday morning and buy some fags. It took me years to quit and I didn't even stop after the birth of my daughter - which I swore blind I absolutely would!!!

Good luck, and if you don't succeed this time around try again and use something different to support you - eventually it should "click".

8 years off the ciggies for me last October and I wouldn't smoke one now for a million quid - there have been NO negatives from quitting, it's all been positive.

Cheers,
Shaun

Got it right there, the watershed for me was going from envying smokers to pitying them, which is harsh but largely self preservation.

 

[PaulSB]

Nicolette gum worked for me. I had wanted to use Zyban but one potential side-effect is increased risk of seizures......I'm epileptic!!!!

 

[subaqua]

Zyban was a contrindicator to diving. so it was going to be NRT with the patches for me. went out and bought the whole course in one hit. didn't get to use all the stage 3 patches kept forgetting to pop one on and at that point knew i was smokefree. support from Wife and eldest was a big help though .

well done on deciding to stop , thats the hardest part , deciding you don't want to "feed the rat" anymore. I didn't cycle then - was too unfit .

 

[youngoldbloke]

I got heart disease from smoking, The idea that I would die prematurely provided strong motivation. Just stop now.

 

[jdtate101]

I quit 6 yrs ago. When my wife and I decided we wanted to start a family she quit and I did too in solidarity. I never had much of a habit (maybe 20 per week), but she did (20 per day) so I knew I couldn't continue if she was to succeed. For me it was just a cold turkey stop, but she had some hypnosis/counselling which helped.
I look at the cost of a packet now and thank my stars we both stopped, I hate to think how much money literally went up in smoke over the lfetime of our habits.

 

[wiggydiggy]

Well i am nearing the end of my duty free baccy courtesy the canary islands last september.
I have read few posts after you guys have quit
couple of questions
what did you use to quit (if anything)?
How did you find your cycling stamina?
Finally well done if you stayed smoke free !!!!

Patches/Cold Turkey/NHS Quit Support - this time I have gone cold turkey but I will admit a admission of shock from my parents (they thought I had quit 2 years ago) that I was still smoking led me to want to stop for good this time
Stamina - Dont know TBH I find breathing easier but its going to take a long time (20+ year smoker) to feel full effects

I'd use one of the NHS support centres again anytime, very supportive and very open to listening to you and what you want., I'd go to see them before your baccy runs out and see what they say?

 

[Gravity Aided]

Gave it up 30 years ago after a bad bout with the flu and pneumonia . Dad (a cyclist)and Gf and taxes and the fact I was pretty much quit after the illness put a stop to it in college . State of Illinois put in pretty high taxes on ciggies .