quitting smoking...

[SpecialKaye 0]

i'm curious of how many of us have managed to stay nicotine free from approximately a month and a half ago? i quit on april 17th (my birthday) and have now been without 36 days. it's been tough but i'm sticking to it.

kaye

[PikzeeVikzen 0]

That's awesome! Congrats! I watched my hubby struggle for over a year to quit.

I'm the twist that turns your key....

[BillyVance 34]

Staying smoke-free is tough enough already. Good job. Be careful what you do to deal with the withdrawal. You don't want to start up a new vice to replace smoking.

Examples:

My dad smoked 4 packs a day when he was in his late teens through college, then quit because his hacking coughs were getting worse and worse. He ended up sucking on hard candy for the next 30 years and now has adult-onset diabetes and middle stages of congestive heart failure. He has been taking his meds and walking a couple miles every day, and finally got his BP rates down.

My mom smoked for 40 years at a much slower rate, maybe half a pack a day. Near the end, she suffered the same thing, hacking coughs. Quit cold turkey. Gnawed on straws for a while to deal with the withdrawal symptoms. Her new vice is wine... Too much of it every day. She is probably heading down the same road as her mom (who became an alcoholic because her husband died after 50 years of marriage), but at least her mom (my grandmother) recovered and her mind is as sharp as its ever been at 94. So there is hope yet...

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[SpecialKaye 0]

I've actually been going and doing rigging projects to keep my hands busy at times (built some risers, did some mods on a baserig for Bridge Day use), yard work is also helpful. It's a daily struggle, but I refuse to go back to day one. I was ready to quit, this summer would have been 25 years since I started, with a couple extended breaks but I hadn't quit for me or because I wanted it.

Thanks for the support guys.

Kaye

[IanHarrop 42]

I was off cigarettes for 10 years 1996 - 2006.

Got drunk at the bonfire after jumping one Saturday last spring... bummed a smoke... it was all down hill from there. By the end of July, I was a full time smoker again.

I quit smoking again on March 18th. I don't dare have even one drag after what happened last year. I am obviously an addict. I can't touch cigarettes.

I do however refuse to become a "born again non-smoker". When friends come to my house that smoke, I pull out an ash tray. Same thing in my car. My addiction is my problem, not theirs, and I am not in a position to judge others for smoking having done it myself.

"Where troubles melt like lemon drops, away above the chimney tops, that's where you'll find me" Dorothy

[RkyMtnHigh 0]

Good for you! That's great

_________________________________________

[JENNR8R 0]

Quote

I'm curious of how many of us have managed to stay nicotine free from approximately a month and a half ago?

I haven't smoked in a month and a half. Of course, I didn't before that either.

Food is my drug of choice. I had some pineapple/coconut ice cream at lunch today. Oh well, back on the horse tomorrow.

Congratulations on your abstinence! May you reap so many health benefits that the desire for another drag pales in comparison.

What do you call a beautiful, sunny day that comes after two cloudy, rainy
ones? -- Monday.

[bodypilot90 0]

I know a lot of ppl who have stoped smoking using
CHANTIX. Everyone i know who has tried the med is no longer a smoker

http://www.chantix.com

[martimarr 0]

Just remember all those who quit the hard way ,,ie Death.

its almost been 2 years for me and I still have cravings. I still think its the best thing I ever did for my self, my family, my friends.

Congrats and keep going.

My Mother is awaiting biop's from her lungs, She is as far as we know cancer free for almost a year now and we hope these biop's will tell the same tale.

I like many others have lost many of my fam to lung cancer and I refuse to do that to any one when I have the power to stop it.

You can do it. --- you already have

[SpecialKaye 0]

thanks for the med info, however, I did this cold turkey and a lot of will power. I'm afraid if I use anything else, I'll just be transferring the addiction. I also admit I'm a nicotine addict. Just glad I'm not much of a drinker, I'm sure that would make it much harder.

[weegegirl 2]

Good for you! Other than a celebratory cigar for a friend returning from Baghdad, I have not touched nicotine since mid-January. And I crave the hell out of it all the time! Keep up the good work!

[doug925 0]

Congrats!


Well it will be two years for me come August.
I smoked 1-1.5 packs per day for at least 10 years, and probably a 1/2 pack a day for 5 years before that.

It does get easier, but (for me at least) it will still haunt you every once and a while.

Being at a bar, just after dinner.... you know what I mean.

I transferred my addiction to dried pumpkin seeds
But after two months and 10-15 lbs of (buying in bulk) seeds, I found out they are the most FATTENING off all seeds! So, stay away from them....

Anyway, CONGRATS and stick with it.


Doug

I have never developed indigestion from eating my words.
Winston Churchill

[skinnyflyer 0]

i smoked for about 8 years and was up to a pack and a half a day. i quit cold turkey, although it took me 4-5 serious tries (two weeks or more) before i got it. in august it will be 4 years since i quit. i don't have any cravings, even when i'm with friends who smoke heavily the idea of having one doesn't enter my mind. quitting was one of the hardest things i've ever done.

i found this website helpfull;
http://whyquit.com/

i was the smoker in the group that you would bet money on that i would never quit.

edit; the being in a bar and especially being really full were the worst and probably took well over a year to go away.

good luck

"Death is more universal than life; everyone dies but not everyone lives."
A. Sachs

[SpecialKaye 0]

the one i really miss is the one in the morning with my coffee. so, i stopped the coffee and moved back over to tea, sit on the patio with the 22 rifle within hands reach and take out the squirrels that feast on my bird feeders...it gets rid of the frustration and keeps the birds happy. yes, i live on a large piece of property (10 acres) ...more than 265 ft to the nearest neighbor according to fl law. the other wild life gets the benefits of my frustration relief and it gives a little pleasure to know that the mamas are getting a break from the feeding frenzy necessary to accomodate the family.

[Slappie 9]

I went two years smoke free April this year. This after 21yrs of smoking a pack aday of cowboy killers (Red 100s).

I will admit it was hard and I still crave a smoke now and then. I do relax with a cigar once in awhile. But never ever again will I smoke a cigarette.

Keep up the will power, it can be done.

"Find out just what any people will quietly submit to and you have found out the exact measure of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them."

[Lastchance 0]

It will be 3 yrs. on July 29. Hardest thing I ever had to do. I've quit alot of dependancys but cigs were by far the worst. I did it cold turkey. I was at the dropzone one day and was puffing one in the packing area and a seasoned jumper made the comment that if I burned a hole in somebodies parachute that there would be hell to pay. I had been wanting to quit for sometime anyway so I went home that night and sat down and weighed the good and bad. I could come up with thousands of good reasons to quit but couldn't come up with one good reason to continue. I smoked my last butt that night. I had tried before but always thought that I can smoke just one. WRONG. If I ever smoke just one I know that I will be a full time smoker again. Good luck and good job. One day at a time. It's one of the best things you will ever do for yourself. By the way, I smoked for 27 yrs. before I put them down.

I may be getting old but I got to see all the cool bands.

[SpecialKaye 0]

It's funny how many of us had smoked for so many years (20+) and managed to quit cold turkey. It comes down to being ready to quit, for sure. I was finally quitting because I was ready and it was for me, not for this person or that person or someone being offended by my smoking. I just needed to do it and was ready to do it.

Thanks for the supportive stories...I know I'll be the one returning the words of support in the near future. I'm finding ways to get around the urges and I think that's going to help me be successful this time.

[Slappie 9]

Quote

I'm finding ways to get around the urges and I think that's going to help me be successful this time.

Get an uncleaned ashtray and take a deep whiff of it whenever you crave a cigarette. It'll remind you of what you smell like. Was a very strong motivation for me.

"Find out just what any people will quietly submit to and you have found out the exact measure of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them."

[stratostar 5]

I'm on week 5 as of Monday and doing ok, still hack'n up black crap now and then and that helps to be a real good reminder as to why I quit and need to stay a non smoker, 25 yrs of cowboy killers is enough.

you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo

[RALFFERS 0]

Hey Kaye,

Congrats on quitting! We are all proud of, and happy for you. Remember, you can do it! It's just a matter of will. Before you think I sound like I'm talking out of my ass.......yes, I did smoke; from 16 to just about 6 months ago (now almost 26) I smoked a half a pack when here in the States and a pack to 2 packs a day when in Poland (where everybody in my family smokes). 1 day, I just got tired; tired of worrying about my health, tired of blowing money ($7.50/pack here) and overall, tired of being enslaved. I now hate the fact that I ever willingly did that much damage to myself...point is......it is possible to quit. I can't even say I remember having withdrawals. Best of all to you
Ralf

Dialogue/commentary between Divot, Twardo & myself -

"from your first Oshkosh when the three of us were riding to or from one of

[Lastchance 0]

You are right. You just have to be ready to do it. One plus out of many is look at all the money you can save for jumping. 1 pack a day at $4.00 a pack= $1460.00 a yr. 1 pack a day = 7300 cigs a yr. Thats if you smoke only a pack a day. I did 1 1/2 to 2 packs a day. And just wait till your sense of smell gets keener. you will smell a smoker a mile away and will realize that you smelled like that. I remember that when I was down to half a pack I was running to the store because of the fear of running out.

I may be getting old but I got to see all the cool bands.

[bmcd308 0]

I quit after 20 years on Feb 12, 2006. I still have days when I really want one.

Just hang in there, and take it a day at a time.

Just don't smoke today. Repeat tomorrow.

----------------------------------
www.jumpelvis.com

[pwln 0]

I don't think that using something else (Chantix) would cause a transfer of addiction problem. I used it and was off of it before my first 4 weeks were up.

see here
http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=2611755;#2611755

[DeNReN 0]

I am working on my 1st year of not smoking in 27 years.....Quit July 18th the day after I turned 40.

Used nic gum for about a week..then off that too...

I still want to smoke...when people ask me how its going with the non smoking...I look them straight in the eye and tell them I would slit their throat for a cig....gota keep em guessing

[SpecialKaye 0]

I've actually left the ashtray on the patio, uncleaned. It does smell nasty!