Lifestyle Change/Avatar Reminder

[Draco1962]

Please, send your encouragement and wish me luck. As of sunrise Saturday, I join the ranks of former smokers. It is going to be a tough haul but I believe I can do it. Please keep my loved ones in your thoughts and prayers as I make a move towards better health. Keep me in your thoughts and prayers - should you see my photo on a milk carton weeks after not showing up in the forums, you know that my family did me in.

[Adultery]

if I can do it, anybody can do it. Especially you because you have willpower and I don't. Good luck!

[Tempest]

Glad that you are making the effort. Best of luck!

[nullPointer]

Way to go Draco! You've got a tough battle ahead, but you're a tough guy. You can do it!

[KRC]

Wishing you all the best in your quest for a smoke free lifestyle

I for one would like to join you on that quest someday

[hansolo77]

Ah hah! Now we know what you look like! In all seriousness though, it can be tough for some people. It depends on how addicted to smoking you were. For me, I smoked Marlboro Lights, like 2 cigarettes a day, that was it. So when I finally realized I could save myself an extra $5 bucks by quitting, I just quit, cold turkey. It wasn't that hard for me. My dad, who re-started up smoking when I first started, was a lot more difficult. He doesn't work, so most of his day is just sitting around doing nothing. He would smoke about a pack of cigarettes every 2 days, and also smoke a pipe. But he was ALWAYS doing it, whereas I was only doing it on break at work, and then right before bed. Dad tried to quit when I did, but was having trouble. He talked with the doctor, and got a prescription for Chantix. That broke his addiction and he's clean now. Some people can have the will power to just up and quit like I did, but I had the help of not really being truly addicted. Other people, like Dad, need a little more help. I'm sure what you're going through (withdrawl, etc) is rough. It's not going to be easy. Just keep at it and do whatever you can to stop the urges. Chew gum, suck on hard candy, whatever it takes. You'll get there eventually!

[Draco1962]

Thanks for the words of encouragement and humor! I quit once for 5 years cold turkey (worst 2 weeks of my life or so it seemed at the time with the 1st week the hardest) after having smoked a pack a day+ for about 15+ years. I started again after my first wife and I separated, but have kept it to about 1/2 pack per day on average.

I am not a candidate for Chantix, so will probably try the patch for starters and wein myself off from there.

[celly]

Congrats Mike! You can do it! Im 9 years strong myself. Get over the first few weeks and its easy breezey after.

[Adultery]

That's false! I still want one every day and it's been almost two years.

[celly]

Not false. Depends on your addiction i guess, and how bad you want to quit.

[Adultery]

I suppose that's true, but everytime I get in my car I miss it. Or between customers at work. Or after meals. Or when I drink. Or... Well you get the idea.

[Krakerman]

Good Luck! You made the right choice .... I quit as soon as I got out of the Navy (over 23 years now!) and haven't had one since. I started smoking at the age of 14. When I was in the Navy I was smoking up to 2 1/2 packs a day. So if I can do it my friend I know you can. I quit cold turkey no patches, no gum, no anything and I did it.

Ahhhh fresh air ...

[Tempest]

How is it going Mike? (Honestly, you could have the dt's and I wouldn't care, as long as you are still smoke free. )

I'm pulling for you!

[Draco1962]

LOL thanks, Matt... I think?

My last cigarette was last night around 6PM. Right now the cravings are really bad and I am sure it will get worse throughout the day. It is recommended that you try to avoid places or activities that trigger the desire to smoke. How in the hell do you do that? Wake up - grab a cig. My mom calls - grab a cig. Take the dogs outside - grab a cig. Have sex - grab a cig. Go grocery shopping - grab 2 cigs. Get stressed - grab a cig.

Gotta do it though. Hopefully I will make it stick this time.

[Tempest]

It's hard to believe that grocery shopping is a 2 cig event, while sex is only 1. Getting old are we?

[Draco1962]

That is assuming 1 cig for each climactic act - hers or mine. Yeah getting older for sure. Gone are the days of at least 1/2 a pack...

Grocery shopping (especially at a Walmart) is 1 cig before entry to steel the nerves and 1 cig after to calm the nerves. Besides work, Walmart is the biggest concentration of stupid I ever have to deal with.

[Tempest]

I was looking at a girl in Walmart once and thought to myself "She's cute. Well, Walmart cute."

[Adultery]

Bwa ha ha!

Unfortunately Matt I knew exactly what you meant there.

[Draco1962]

So far, other than having the attention span of a gnat, it hasn't been too bad. Who am I kidding. Right now I would severely maim someone for a Marlboro. But it passes so long as I keep myself distracted. Really distracted.

[Adultery]

Just avoid the bar. Or anywhere near it.

The smell literally makes me drool still. Lol!

[KRC]

Why not try an electronic cigarette, I think eventually I'm going to go down this route, It's a lot cheaper and there are plenty of flavor's to choose from.

I know a lot of people who use them and they said the craving's dropped dramatically and they started to feel better after a few days.

It's a UK website but I have read that they are available in the US also.

http://www.ecigwizard.com/

[Draco1962]

I actually tried the e-cigs from blucigs in the past which are some of the better as they do not come from China and are not loaded with anti-freeze (ethylene glycol).

The only thing that e-cigs free you from are 99% of the harm done by the smoke and carcinogens. You are still addicted to the nicotine. I want to get away from it all so trying cold turkey.

Should I relapse, I still have some blucigs I had purchased previously, but I am really looking forward to getting nicotine out of my life once and for all.

[Draco1962]

Made it to day 3. Still craving like mad especially when the stress kicks up. Not sure what the work week will be like. I just hope I can continue.

[Adultery]

Hope? Hope is for suckers. You will do it, mi amigo, because you have free will and strength. You got this!

[Tempest]

This issue is very personal for me. Have you seen this commercial?

http://youtu.be/5zWB4dLYChM
That lady is my Mother. Not literally, but my Mom has had her voicebox removed, has lost all of her hair, and has no teeth due to radiation. She is now facing her third round with Cancer, and the prognosis is not good.

I DO NOT want any replies of sympathy, this is not about her, it is about you.

Do it for yourself, do it for your kids, do it for whatever reason, but no matter what, do it.

I truly am pulling for you.