Julz1983

Well I am finally taking the plunge and going to stop smoking, I've thought about it for some time recently, but now I am starting to realise I really need to do it. I'm 22 and been smoking since I was 13 and I don't want to carry on, thats 9 years of my life already where I've been wasting money I might aswell throw straight on the fire. The amount I spend per month I don't even have anyways, so theres no logic in it at all, I mean how come I don't have the money in the first place but I can buy cigs , funny when it's someone who smokes, drinks etc that you can afford to buy but really when you look at it the money isn't there to begin with.

A smoker doesn't realise that things do smell of smoke, but recently I've been noticing it, also I have been smoking 20 a day which I have for the past week been managing to cut down to 10 a day and the thought of someone saying that they smoke 40+ a day makes me feel sick, being a smoker I wouldn't think it would but it's made me think I need to stop, not only for my own health but theres my daughter aswell, and I don't want her starting to smoke coz if I carry on she will be smoking by the time shes 10.

I have an appointment this afternoon with the nurse down at the surgery to start things off on the right path. Anyone else who has quit or are trying to got any advice??

By the way, the receptionist told me that seeing as I get Tax credits that I will be exempt from paying for the prescription, is this correct??

SiPie

As the Nike advert says ......

Just do it

cookstar

iTrader: (6)

If you do Have to pay a perscription, then it will only be once and that will give you patches etc for 2 weeks worth.

Just go to your local chemist they are all doing give up smoking schemes.

Account deleted by request

Good luck


chop

<leaves desk for a cigarette>

Pedro_79

I really think patches/gum/puffer are a waste of time and just prolong the agony TBH.

I gave up 2 months ago after having smoked 10-15 a day for 11 years, and I didn't use anything to help. After day 4 or 5 it gets a lot easier.

IMHO if you need patches to help you, then you don't really want to give up...

RRH

Three years now for me.

It isn't easy, but it is easier than dying of cancer apparently.

Billgtt

Good luck

I haven't had a smoke since New Years eve after deciding to see how long I could go without one (not saying i'm giving up ) and tbh i'm still totally shocked at how easy i've found it. I haven't been using patches or anything as i've heard through someone who knows someone who works for a pharmaceutical company, that they're a waste of time and a way to make money.

I found the first couple of days the hardest but things are getting a lot, LOT easier. I had my first trip to the pub the other night, followed by a visit to the curry house. Some of my mates were smoking all around me but I never really wanted one.

What I find is if I feel like having a smoke I ask myself "do I need one, or do I want one?" The answer is always that I want one, therefore I don't need one, so I won't have one!

Anyway, ignore me. I aint even lasted 2 weeks yet!

King RA

Best avoid the pub and socialising with mates for a few weeks. These are the times when you're mosy likely to fail, so avoid for a while. When you're then in this atmosphere it's easier because you think, 'well I've done 2 weeks now, that'll be a waste if I had a *** now', much easier.

Julz1983

yeah well thats what I don't want to end up with, I mean you don't religiously have to smoke to get cancer but it doesn't help your health at all. My dad died of cancer nearly 3 years ago at the end of this month, he's had it twice in different areas but he smoked and it probably didn't help, he was 55, I don't want the same to happen to me and for my daughter to lose a parent in the way I did, I can't just think of myself in this as it has an effect on everyone around me. I think I only want to try with the help of patches etc, not rely on them as a cure to stop me, I know I can go without them but it helps me to think there is something there to try incase I crave for a cig one day and lose my willpower, but thats just my view on it, everyone is different.

Leslie

Its a lot better than spending your life wondering how soon you will get lung cancer.

Stick with it and good luck.

Les

rossyboy

iTrader: (8)

My first anniversary of giving up was this week. Used patches for a week, but got fed up of the headaches and ditched them.

I am another one who found it surprisingly easy to stop, but you have to really want to. Best decision of my life.

good luck

Norman D. Landing

I'm 34, my dad is 62. Last Thursday my mum called and asked me to come round as my dad's health had deteriorated over the previous few days in which I hadn't seen him. he's been ill on and off with various non-serious chest infections and colds for the past year, never anything serious but serious enough for a gradual weight and energy loss.

I went round and had to stop the shock/fear from appearing on my face in order not to scare either my mum or dad any more than they already were.

My dad had smoked all his life until around 3 years ago. I attribute his current state to smoking.

I have smoked constantly since the age of 14 ! I smoked around 20-25 a day. I have tried to give up only three or four times in my entire life and never for my own benefit, only when others pestered me to try, i.e never with any conviction.

Last Thursday at 21:00 after seeing my dad sat hunched struggling for breath with a startled look on his face as if to say 'How did this happen?' I gave my last packet of **** to a mate in the pub.

Haven't touched one since, now on my 8th day. No patches, no chewing gum, no need.

The sight of a close relative so close to death through smoking was enough.

I have twin 3 year old daughters and just can't do it to them.

If you don't want your daughter to see you like that in years to come, throw your **** away and don't look back.

Hope this helps.

SiPie

Always cracks me up this one (the how to stop smoking successfully debate)

Smoker Hello doctor/chemist, I'm a nicotine addict and I'd like to give up nicotine please.

Doctor/chemist There you go Sir, Have some Nicotine



The Easyway to stop smoking PERMANENTLY by Allen Carr

Julz1983

It does help coz I know exactly what your are on about.
My dad had smoked since a teenager and he had actually given up smoking before being diagnosed with cancer for a second time, he never knew anything was wrong with him and worked up until xmas eve 3 years ago, I got married on dec 28th 02 and he couldn't come coz he had started feeling unwell on the boxing day, I then went away on honeymoon for over new year, I phoned my mam and my dad was in hospital on the new years eve, I came home the following day and straight to the hospital where I spent the next 3 weeks day in day out, I was also 8 months pregnant at the time, it was the most awful thing just sitting there watching and knowing nothing could be done, and especially seeing as I'm an only child and all my dad wanted was to see a 1st grandchild, he spent 3 weks in hospital then died, so in 3 weeks from feeling healthy and working everyday all day he went to being in hospital just disappearing right infront of us. In 6 week we had my wedding my dads funeral and I had my daughter less than 3 weeks after my dad dieing, and I don't want the same for my daughter and family as I know what it is like for all people involved.

paulr

Why did you start smoking at 13?

Julz1983

Why does anyone start at any age???

Now looking back on it I really do not know why I started smoking in the first place, basically I think it's just like most people, mates were smoking, decided to try it myself and then decided I would keep doing it, it's my problem to deal with but to have advice off others who smoke or who have smoked helps aswell instead of going to see a doctor or nurse and getting advice from a non smoker.

Sport160

Like others on here I also tried patches, gum, plastic cigs etc etc etc.

In the end after 20+years I just bit the bullet and did it, 2 weeks of will power and the worst is over. Of course you still want the odd one, but thats just habit, not addiction. 3 years on and I never even think of smoking.

If you really want to stop you will find it not to difficult, if your stopping because other are applying pressure or for any other reason except "you" then it becomes a lot harder

Personally I think the patches prolong the agony, but horses or course we are all different.

Rgds
Neil

SiPie

yup

King RA

Also agree....when you REALLY want to give up it isn't even that hard. It's giving up in the right frame of mind, you certainly sound like you'll do it Julz from what I've read.

It's just unfortunate that people have to see the effects 1st hand to get that strong urge, but if it gets you off the **** then so be it.

I'm on month 3 now and have had the correct frame of mind this time round to make it far easier than previous attempts.

Good Luck!!!

tmo

gave up in August.... still off them

NorthDave

I couldn't agree more. I was up to 30 a day and had no intention of finishing. Havent had one since finishing the book and that was around September.

Even tried to smoke a 'special cigarette' a few weeks back and couldnt because of the foul tasting tobacco. Made my stomach turn.

Every smoker should read it!!

Brendan Hughes

Si, I know you're more of an expert on this than me, but that's a tad misleading. Surely it's more like "Doctor I'd like to give up smoking as the tar and crap in my lungs will kill me" so doc says "OK, here's the drug in a cleaner form which won't **** up your lungs". Some heroin addicts are prescribed heroin, but they don't have to live on the streets, nick TVs, wonder what it's cut with, borrow dirty needles etc.

/pedant

Still, to the OP - yeah, give up however you can!

Julz1983

Thanks for all the replies. I've been to see the nurse who has prescribed me 2 weeks worth of 24 hour patches and I bought some normal chewing gum, I have appointments now to go and see her every 2 weeks and she says she will put me down for the time being as 4 months for needing prescriptions, so there you go I'm now *** free.

Pedro_79

4 Months!?!

The nicotine would be out of your system in a few days without patches... then it's just the habit to cope with.

The Rani

Another tip - most life insurance policies count patches and gum as nicotine products so you have to wait a year after you stop using them for your premiums to go down!

Julz1983

Well I'm obviously not going to still be on patches etc for the next 4 months, but it's to carry on going for check ups for a little while after not relying on any patches, mainly just for the nurse to make sure I am able to do it without patches. As for life insurance, I don't have any anyways so it doesn't effect anything.

SiPie

Brendan

All I do is agree with Allen Carr who claims that people who stop smoking using Nicotine Replacement Therapy have in fact stopped in spite of the NRT as opposed to with the NRT.

Many people are giving up successfully using patches, gum or whatever and Doctors are claiming good success rates, so if it works for you... then,

I know that for 'me', smoking was simply nicotine addiction and Allen Carr's book disproved and explained all the reasons and illusions that as a smoker I would frequently come up with in a bid to justify gunging my lungs to death. He also explained why the only thing that keeps you smoking is 'fear of feeling so feckin miserable when you stop'!

If NRT works for you then but Nicotine itself is still one of the strongest poisons kicking about....I agree that you have stopped filling your lungs with tar and carbon monoxide etc and it's better than smoking, but I just feel that it ain't the best way for smokers to quit.

I smoked for 21 years and I tried gum, patches (could never get them to light), lozenges, inhillator, hypnotherapy, smoking joints only, cold turkey, nicorette microtabs and nothing stopped me for any longer than around 2 months

All I'm saying is that it worked for me when many other ways had failed. He just gets you into a really positive frame of mind and looking forward to stopping as opposed to thinking 'Oh ****, no smoking for me for the rest of my life, this is going to be a total misery'....

Surely spending £6.99 on a book and reading it whilst you smoke as much as you want and stopping relatively easily when you've finished the book is a better idea than spending an unnecessary fortune on NRT and then still having to go through nicotine cravings when you come off your gum/patches/whatever

All NRT will do is keep your cravings going for a few weeks more, whilst making you still miserable because you feel you are being deprived of your 'precious cigarettes/joints'...

Cheers
Si

G-STAR

I've never understood the whole thing behind smoking, so I don't expect to understand what you're going through, however, I'll still wish you all the best.

Julz1983

Thanks, actually I'm quite looking forward to it seeing as I am in the right frame of mind to do it and already been to see about quitting as soon as I decided on it. To be quite honest I'm more looking forward to the fact that the money I save can come in for some more retail therapy ............or should I say some new discs for the car next month , but seriously I'd rather have the money to spend on more needy things than a pack of **** now, which I never ever thought I would hear myself say.

CEL

iTrader: (1)

Didn't read all the posts but, the only way to do it is coldturkey. Forget all those useless patches and gum. Seriously, if you are going to do it why prolong the agony by feeding yourself nicotine?

Get it out of your system ASAP

Chris