Rena!!! Congratulations!

   Had to post a seperate congratulatory post for the quitting smoking thing.  Wow, 218 days, good stuff!!  Keep it up!!

   Erica

[Amyloo]

That is amazing.  I know the struggle, it will be three years for me next month.  I STILL chew the nicotene gum.  God bless you, keep it up.  Love, Amy

[Rena705]

Thanks ladies...I feel somewhat better in that at first I had no shortness of breath etc. but recently I have developed a problem with my right lung and I am waiting to get into a (SP?) Pulmonologist?  

I will not pick it up again...can't stand the smell, hubby still smokes but has been banished outdoors till he quits!

Amy...three years is great...I used the patch but don't need it anymore...if the habit strikes I have replaced it with a cup of coffee or I just wait five minutes and it goes away!

Anyway, thanks for the kudos...feels really good like a warm fuzzy!

Rena

[ELT]

   Rena, I went through a time after I quit where my lungs kept getting 'clogged'.  I guess stuff built up, the insides of my lungs getting used to the fact that I was no longer inhaling tobacco.  It cleared up, after a bit.  I did smoke from 15 to my early thirties, a carton a week.  But, I quit a little over ten years ago, and now I can't stand the smell.  No chance I'd pick it up again.  

   Good on you, girl!!  

   Erica

[biowham]

Congrats! I stopped in August 2000, right when I became pregnant with our first son. I had smoked for about 15 years. It was REALLY hard not to smoke, took me at least two or three years to stop thinking about it, especially if I tried to have a beer (those two things were mutual vices for me). Now, 6.5 years later, NO PROBLEM at all. I don't want to, I don't think about it, and I can have a martini or a beer without wanting to smoke, too. It DOES get easier, so stick with it!

E

[ELT]

   Just wanted to add, my friend and neighbour quit a few months ago.  She was a smoker, for sure.  She tried laser therapy, and the only reason it worked for her, was because she was buggered if she was going to waste having paid so much money to quit.  

   It took her months to stop feeling kind of sick, and just wrong.  It also took her months to sleep properly, but, she now is over it.  No desires to start again, no more withdrawal, but hers is the worst story I've heard.  She was pretty tobacco dependant, but, now she's all set for saving millions!  Well, okay, maybe not THAT much. lol

   Erica

[LLWB]

Wow, good for you, I'm 33 days!!!! I took the Chantix, it worked great. And I was a 2 pck a day smoker. But I haven't cheated once. I wanted to take it another month, but insurance won't pay for it, $125.00 a month. Will need that to pay the ENT dr for my sinusitis. Congrats to us all! .Maggie

[ELT]

   Woo hoooo good for u tooo!!!   Keep it up, before u know it you won't miss it, honest, lol.


  Erica

[dowma]

Congratulations on the quitting smoking!!  I have to say I quit a few years back but recently started again.  I cant tell you how frustrated I am with myself.  My husband doesn't smoke and I am a "secret" smoker if you know what I mean.  I think the worst part about it is I am so disappointed with myself.  Just wondering if anyone else has the same problem: I have recently been dx with having seizures and have noticed that smoking makes me feel worse, crazy as it sounds I still smoke.  I only smoke 1-2 cigs per day but cant seem to stop.  Not sure if it's the combination of the meds or what.
I was taking Wellbutrin which has a double function of treating depression and smoking cessation but stopped because of headache.  Not sure what to do but feel horrible about myself.  Its a double sword, cant seem to win.  Proud of any of you who quit because it is one of the hardest things I have done in the past.  Everyday I say thats it no more... then just cave in.  Maybe one day I'll stick with it.  congratss.  
Mary Beth

[LLWB]

Daaaaaaaaaaaammmmmmmmmm. I bought a pack tonight. Shame on me! Guess I'll smoke the rest of it, and call dr tomorrow and see if I can get another perscription of the Chantix. I was afraid of going off it to soon, but it's so expensive.  Kick my bu--. I need it!  Mary Beth, don't be so hard on yourself. it is the hardest thing I've ever tried to do, other than bury my husband. And I promised him I'd quit.yes, he died of lung, lymph node, 2 brain tumors, spinal tumors, liver, and bone cancer.  In 12 weeks. You would think I'd know better, wouldn't you.

[ELT]

   Ohhhh, not good.  But, at least you are still in the wanting to do it mode.  That means you will keep trying.  Good for you.  We'll keep on at you. LOl
  
   Erica

[dowma]

Thanks for the encouragement.  I'm so sorry to hear about your husband passing away.  Believe it or not I worked with cancer patients before I went out on disability so I certainitly can understand the "knowing better".  I saw so many patients who suffered from a variety of cancers caused by smoking yet still smoked on occasion myself. Go figure.  It's an addiction I'm sure we all would quit if it was just a matter of not smoking anymore.  LLWB do you live in the Northeast?  
Mary Beth

[Rena705]

Just one question...did the insurance company pay for your cigarettes?  

If you can afford to buy the cigarettes, you should be able to come up with the money for Chantix yourself shouldn't you?  I know that you still smoke for a few days while the Chantix kicks in, try and shorten that so you are not doing both for so long for starters.  If you really want to quit, isn't there something that you treat yourself to every month that you can live without for a while, a movie, a shopping spree etc.

Trust me honey IT IS WORTH IT!!!  It's not even that you should know better because of what happened to your husband...it is because you want to, plain and simple!

If you are not really sure that this is the time that you will be able to succeed, do yourself a favor and put it off for 1 MONTH.  No Less, No More!  You have to set a quit date and work your way up to it.  You have to really work HARD to work your way up to it!

Chantix is no magical cure for smoker's!  You have to WANT IT REALLY BAD!!!  These drugs companies will advertise that this is the only way you will quit and it will work!

I am sorry but that is B.S.!!!! You are the one that is going to quit and you are only going to do so because you WANT TO and you ARE PREPARED TO DO SO!!  If these two emotions are not in place you will set yourself up for failure.!

SERIOUSLY...don't try it again right away!  Give yourself sometime to work up to it again...if you don't you are setting yourself up to fail!  Get on to a quit smoking support group on the Net.  I joined the Canadian Cancer Society and they have several ways to help you help yourself on the journey to quit!

Personally, I climbed the 100 day mountain and there were sooo many of us on that climb it made it a lot easier...THEN I climbed the 100 days DOWN the mountain...much easier than going up and having someone in a chat room to talk about the problems you are struggling with, especially for the first few weeks, is a godsend.

But my advice for today honey is DON'T TRY AGAIN SO SOON!  I know that you are anxious and angry with yourself because you feel like you failed...you didn't fail, you just dipped your toes in the water to check out the temperature and it wasn't to your liking!!!  Dip your toes in again in one month from today, work your way up to it, work your way into a winning, quitting situation, you CAN DO IT!!

You can message me personally as well if you would like any help, I am here pretty much all the time and I would be willing to help you if I can, just let me know ok?

Lots of Hugs,

Rena

[BloominHeather]

Congrats!!!!!  Quitting smoking is such a huge deal. I quit not even a year ago and honestly never thought Id ever be able to! It's the best thing I ever did for myself. I used Chantix though.
Wanted to jump in and say congrats too though. It's sure nothing to sneeze at!
Dawn

[LLWB]

Thanks for the boost...but I DO want to quit! NOW!! I called the dr and got a refill on the Chantix $137.50. That's more than the cigs cost.but then add in dry cleaning, painting house, clothes stink, car stinks.you get the idea. But I'm primed now to quit, so am going to give it another try. If I wait I'm afraid I'll make up more excuses than just being dumb, and not quit at all. I didn't join the quit smoking helpline they have for the Chantix, think I'll do this tonight when I get home from work. Easier with  some support, as in all things. We have to remember that whatever challanges we are facing, we are not alone....keep up the good words, thanks, Maggie