This is the Quitting Smoking Comiseration Thread. [Winter/Spring 2005 Edition]

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Hi guys, I'm home with my parents for a week so I'd have to sneak around to smoke. So it is a good time to quit.

I have coughdrops to eat every time I want to smoke. I have weed if I get desperate; I have heard it helps.

Here we go. I'm approaching 24 hours with no cigarettes.

Should I get coffee from the corner store in the morning? Or will I associate it with cigarettes too much?

― green uno skip card (ex machina), Saturday, 5 March 2005 03:55 (twenty years ago)

Hi Jon, me too. My professor of sitcom writing (cuz I have one of those) caught me smoking and yelled at me for twenty minutes the other day. Note: she's a pothead.

― Remy (null) (x Jeremy), Saturday, 5 March 2005 03:57 (twenty years ago)

I didn't smoke, for a week, last week.

I am at my parents', for the weekend. I think I am going to go outside, to smoke, now.

― RJG (RJG), Saturday, 5 March 2005 03:58 (twenty years ago)

I found I drank coffee less, but it didn't make me crave. Cough drops are a good idea -- strong mints helped me, too, the ones that are strong enough that your throat feels a little funny (the esophagus relaxes the same way it does from smoke).

And Nicorette gum really, really helped do the trick for me. Mileage varies, but one of the little eight packs of it, or whatever the smallest size is, couldn't hurt to have around.

Good luck, man.

― Tep (ktepi), Saturday, 5 March 2005 04:01 (twenty years ago)

i'm trying to cut down on caffeine without cutting it out. so i've been drinking a shitload of caffeinated tea, but goddammit i want a double espresso and a gallon of diet coke.

― jbr (Jody Beth Rosen), Saturday, 5 March 2005 04:03 (twenty years ago)

Is there a good way to smoke weed semi-discretely in semi-public areas? I think if I could get high more, I would be cooler.

― green uno skip card (ex machina), Saturday, 5 March 2005 04:07 (twenty years ago)

are you asking or telling?

― Remy (null) (x Jeremy), Saturday, 5 March 2005 04:09 (twenty years ago)

jon, you ever heard of a "dugout"?

― Stormy Davis (diamond), Saturday, 5 March 2005 04:34 (twenty years ago)

Don't try to quit Jon. You obviously don't really want to. Every time you try to quit and fail, you lessen your chances of actually quitting for good some day. So I dunno, make sure this is it, I guess, or don't bother. I thought the same thing as you over Christmas and I realized I was just setting myself up for a fall. There's nothing like a prohibition on something to make me want it more.

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Saturday, 5 March 2005 05:23 (twenty years ago)

I've never tried to quit; I have been smoking less than 6 months. I figure I better do it now before I have regular easy access to cigarettes. (As opposed to 1/3 of a mile walk in the snow)

― green uno skip card (ex machina), Saturday, 5 March 2005 05:57 (twenty years ago)

http://www.smokingwithstyle.com/applespark.jpg

― green uno skip card (ex machina), Saturday, 5 March 2005 06:22 (twenty years ago)

Tracer speaketh the truth. If you dont want to quit, you just wont. I started smoking at 28, because I am a grade A nong. And now, although I know it is shit and tastes bad and makes me feel like poo, I still smoke. Glaargh.

― Trayce (trayce), Saturday, 5 March 2005 06:38 (twenty years ago)

You guys are totally killing my buzz.

― green uno skip card (ex machina), Saturday, 5 March 2005 07:29 (twenty years ago)

I quit last fall and I feel pretty good about it. I actually can't stand the smell of cigarette smoke now, which is kinda crazy. And no one was more addicted than me.

You DO have to want to do it — I "tried" a whole bunch of times before I did it successfully. You have to be serious about it, and acknowledge it will suck. I just associated smoking with pussing out, and that helped. I also used the nicotine lozenges, which have a longer acting time than the gum. The main point is, though, it sucks and sucks and sucks, but then you don't care one day. Then you feel like the awesomest person in the world for doing it.

Is there a good way to smoke weed semi-discretely in semi-public areas? I think if I could get high more, I would be cooler.

My brother and I smoked weed all the time on the streets in Denver. I think the important thing is to not act like you're doing something illegal. Dugouts aren't a bad idea, either.

― sugarpants (sugarpants), Saturday, 5 March 2005 16:28 (twenty years ago)

BTW, I would continue to do the same things you always do. You might want to avoid some triggers for a while, but it's important in the long run that you learn to do things like going out for drinks, getting coffee, etc. without smoking. Otherwise you never get used to it, and you risk starting again whenever you DO go out to do that stuff. If you don't break the association, it will be problematic a lot longer.

― sugarpants (sugarpants), Saturday, 5 March 2005 16:31 (twenty years ago)

i sorta started again but thanks to this week-long cold i think i stopped.

― hstencil (hstencil), Sunday, 6 March 2005 05:33 (twenty years ago)

nearly 5 days, still craving a little. Smoking a ton of pot and wasting money on tons of food.

Should I go to the tiny townie breakfast place alone tomorrow morning?

― green uno skip card (ex machina), Wednesday, 9 March 2005 06:54 (twenty years ago)

I still smoke at least once a day, but the trick that helped cut down from half a pack per day was to stop inhaling and take fewer drags.

― Gear! (can Jung shill it, Mu?) (Gear!), Wednesday, 9 March 2005 07:17 (twenty years ago)

Yea, I was at that point I think ... .5 pack or so. I think I will probably start "social" smoking again but I am making myself wait a few weeks.

― green uno skip card (ex machina), Wednesday, 9 March 2005 07:28 (twenty years ago)

You should start up the 'I Love Smoking' board and ban yourself from it.

― Mike Dixn (Mike Dixon), Saturday, 12 March 2005 09:11 (twenty years ago)

I haven't smoked in six days. And prior to that, in eleven.

― Remy (null) (x Jeremy), Saturday, 12 March 2005 09:15 (twenty years ago)

i'be been smoking for almost 5 years, but i used to smoke half a pack to a full pack a day, and now i go 2 days without one, then i have one a day for two or three days, then i smoke like a chimney for a day, and then we begin again. what is this? i dont know if i count as a smoker since i dont do it every day...but i have certainly not quit...the grey area of cigarettes!
(i mean, besides the grey area that is our lungs.)

― amy (amy), Saturday, 12 March 2005 09:29 (twenty years ago)

69 days without a cigarette. I wonder how I should celebrate this milestone...

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Saturday, 12 March 2005 09:57 (twenty years ago)

i am going to kick on monday!! I AM GOING TO GO TOTALLY APESHIT. i got the nicorette at the ready. good luck jon.

― s1ocki (slutsky), Saturday, 12 March 2005 17:32 (twenty years ago)

also i am going to totally get fat.

― s1ocki (slutsky), Saturday, 12 March 2005 17:32 (twenty years ago)

tomorrow is the big day!! jon how are you doing?

― s1ocki (slutsky), Monday, 14 March 2005 04:26 (twenty years ago)

I'M STILL HERE I'M STILL STRONG

I'm really high right now and I feel like the hulk...

― green uno skip card (ex machina), Monday, 14 March 2005 04:29 (twenty years ago)

yeah i'm afraid i'm going to start chaining joints!!

― s1ocki (slutsky), Monday, 14 March 2005 04:30 (twenty years ago)

I think I'm going to keep my "party" cigarettes locked up in my office or at the post office. I will only remove them on weekends.

― green uno skip card (ex machina), Monday, 14 March 2005 04:33 (twenty years ago)

so you're allowing yourself party smokes? i can't do that, it's too much of a slippery slope

― s1ocki (slutsky), Monday, 14 March 2005 04:34 (twenty years ago)

I'm waiting on that.... I do not own any cigarette not have I made any allowances so far.

― green uno skip card (ex machina), Monday, 14 March 2005 04:40 (twenty years ago)

do you usually roll up tobacco in your joints?

― s1ocki (slutsky), Monday, 14 March 2005 04:41 (twenty years ago)

Do I look like some sort of Eurofaggot?

― green uno skip card (ex machina), Monday, 14 March 2005 04:42 (twenty years ago)

I DONT KNOW

― s1ocki (slutsky), Monday, 14 March 2005 04:45 (twenty years ago)

*dazntsmoke!dazntsmoke!dazntsmoke!sincelikefebr04!habloodyhaa!*
:))))))))))))))))))

― t\'\'t (t\'\'t), Monday, 14 March 2005 10:35 (twenty years ago)

wooo

― s1ocki (slutsky), Monday, 14 March 2005 17:20 (twenty years ago)

I went without a cigarette for like 50 days, and then on Friday night I buckled and had a couple when I was drunk. They were really gross, though. I don't plan on having any more, mostly I just feel like a big failure.

― jill schoelen is the queen of my dreams! (Homosexual II), Monday, 14 March 2005 17:22 (twenty years ago)

I've tried everything. The patches help, but they didn't help me quit totally. I switched from coffee to tea, and for some reason, it makes me crave cigarettes less. I just tried to have one, and it tasted like shit, and I had to throw it away.

― Shatterproof Glass (dymaxia), Monday, 14 March 2005 17:22 (twenty years ago)

i spend the same amount i usually spend on smokes today on a bag of licorice root

― s1ocki (slutsky), Monday, 14 March 2005 17:23 (twenty years ago)

Good luck Jon.

― Pashmina (Pashmina), Monday, 14 March 2005 17:28 (twenty years ago)

― jaymc (jaymc), Monday, 14 March 2005 17:30 (twenty years ago)

DONT DO IT

― s1ocki (slutsky), Monday, 14 March 2005 17:31 (twenty years ago)

Jay, yeah, I switched to Ultra Lights and now the Lights really taste harsh. But I just tried an Ultra Light and even that tasted like shit. I used to smoke Carlton's for the same reason.

― Shatterproof Glass (dymaxia), Monday, 14 March 2005 17:35 (twenty years ago)

s1ocki, don't worry, I won't. Telling myself "my body is already plenty fucked up in inexplicable ways, let's not exacerbate it" has been working for a while now.

― jaymc (jaymc), Monday, 14 March 2005 17:38 (twenty years ago)

dude gave me 100s when i wanted regs. didn't notice til i left. bastard. they're gay. i am embarrassed to smoke them in public.

― toykish glud, Monday, 14 March 2005 17:39 (twenty years ago)

today has been really hard! so many people outside smoking lovely cigarettes + stress of schoolwork :/

― green uno skip card (ex machina), Monday, 14 March 2005 17:46 (twenty years ago)

When I was a beginning smoker, I smoked Benson & Hedges Ultra-Light Menthol 100s! Talk about gay!!

― jaymc (jaymc), Monday, 14 March 2005 17:48 (twenty years ago)

Eeewww, menthols. I've smoked my moms menthols when I've wanted to quit. How can people smoke those things.

― Shatterproof Glass (dymaxia), Monday, 14 March 2005 17:50 (twenty years ago)

i'm totally going bonkers. i have been singing at the top of my lungs and dancing around and yelling at inanimate objects.

― s1ocki (slutsky), Monday, 14 March 2005 17:53 (twenty years ago)

eat some bacon.

― helps me, Monday, 14 March 2005 17:54 (twenty years ago)

Menthols are gross. I'm not sure how I smoked them for as long as I did. I think it was around the same time that I drank flavored coffee, like hazelnut and cherry and shit like that.

― jaymc (jaymc), Monday, 14 March 2005 17:55 (twenty years ago)

Is it true that menthols leave crystals on your lungs or some shit? A friend of mine told me that.

― Shatterproof Glass (dymaxia), Monday, 14 March 2005 17:57 (twenty years ago)

all smokes leave crap on your lungs

― s1ocki (slutsky), Monday, 14 March 2005 18:03 (twenty years ago)

the hardest part right now is eliminating it from my routine, erasing a part of my life, you know what i mean? i just finished with a meeting and the automatic response was "smoke." it is interesting to notice where these little tugs are.

i can't write for shit right now.

― s1ocki (slutsky), Monday, 14 March 2005 18:10 (twenty years ago)

the hardest bit for me was learning to quit smoking on the commute to work.. man, that was rough.. still, I nearly fall asleep on my morning drive. I was used to the cigs keeping me awake.

I nearly got in a wreck this morning - I think I fell asleep for maybe half a second.

― jill schoelen is the queen of my dreams! (Homosexual II), Monday, 14 March 2005 18:14 (twenty years ago)

I JUST HAD LUNCH

― s1ocki (slutsky), Monday, 14 March 2005 19:50 (twenty years ago)

i am having the most miserable fucking day ever and am seriously considering STARTING smoking, so help me god.

― mark p (Mark P), Monday, 14 March 2005 19:51 (twenty years ago)

Jon, don't try to quit smoking. Being less of a pansy ass mama's boy is much easier!

― Mr. Harvey Weinstein (mr harvey weinstein), Monday, 14 March 2005 19:52 (twenty years ago)

don't!!

did you finish that article?

― s1ocki (slutsky), Monday, 14 March 2005 19:52 (twenty years ago)

yes, only five fucking more to go, grumble grumble.

― mark p (Mark P), Monday, 14 March 2005 19:53 (twenty years ago)

I JUST ATE VERY MANY OF THE CANDIES.

― s1ocki (slutsky), Monday, 14 March 2005 19:55 (twenty years ago)

-- s1ocki (slytus...) (webmail), March 14th, 2005 10:10 AM.

true, true, true. this is why i always fail. i'll quit for weeks, months, whatever and then i'll be in a writing conundrum and i'll smoke non-stop over my smith-corona.

― Remy (null) (x Jeremy), Monday, 14 March 2005 21:50 (twenty years ago)

slocki update? is he ok?

― mark p (Mark P), Monday, 14 March 2005 21:51 (twenty years ago)

the nicotine gum-type stuff will help surprisingly with the little "tugs."

switching from coffee to tea is also good. dunno why.

― sugarpants (sugarpants), Tuesday, 15 March 2005 00:37 (twenty years ago)

you really think so? I feel (swear to god) healthier and more ready to kick cravings when I have a coupla coups of coffee and am naturally wired.

― Remy (null) (x Jeremy), Tuesday, 15 March 2005 00:38 (twenty years ago)

well today was a hilarious day! but for my first-ever kicking day, after a decade almost of smoking, i have to say that so far it went well.

consumed:

3 licorice root sticks
12 gobstoppers
8 sour cherries
2 hot dogs
1 coca-cola
1 piece of nicorette
plate of linguini bolognese
"to live and die in LA"
0 smokes!!

― s1ocki (slutsky), Tuesday, 15 March 2005 03:54 (twenty years ago)

go with the soda! the caffeine jolt is a good stand-in for nicotine.

― Remy (null) (x Jeremy), Tuesday, 15 March 2005 04:06 (twenty years ago)

the problem is drinking coke within an hour of sucking on licorice root produces a VERRRYYY unpleasant sensation of super-sweetness!!

― s1ocki (slutsky), Tuesday, 15 March 2005 04:07 (twenty years ago)

my friend lent me his playstation so i can take out my aggression on something. but the funny thing is the only thing that's gotten me aggressive/frustrated is fucking ratchet and clank

― s1ocki (slutsky), Tuesday, 15 March 2005 04:09 (twenty years ago)

oh god, this book review is killing me.

― green uno skip card (ex machina), Tuesday, 15 March 2005 04:34 (twenty years ago)

what book

― s1ocki (slutsky), Tuesday, 15 March 2005 06:27 (twenty years ago)

fuuuuuuuuuuuck.

― s1ocki (slutsky), Tuesday, 15 March 2005 17:36 (twenty years ago)

GRRRRRR

― s1ocki (slutsky), Tuesday, 15 March 2005 17:45 (twenty years ago)

fuuuuuuuuuuck.

― s1ocki (slutsky), Tuesday, 15 March 2005 17:46 (twenty years ago)

Remy otm. I still drink coke twice as much as I used to since I gave up smoking, but at least I'm not smoking anymore, just jumped up on caffeine!

The rage is the worst part, I had so many arguments, but am now off them, give or take a few minor indiscretions, for almost a year.

― Ronan (Ronan), Tuesday, 15 March 2005 17:51 (twenty years ago)

Really? I drank way less coffee when I quit.
I think, probably because coffee and smokes go so well together I just didn't see the point of having coffee as much.

― Thermo Thinwall (Thermo Thinwall), Tuesday, 15 March 2005 17:56 (twenty years ago)

ok like aren't most of you guys 18-25? WHY are you doing this to yourselves??

― SMOKER, jeff qb, 8th year, Tuesday, 15 March 2005 17:58 (twenty years ago)

Yea, drinking coke helps me stay awake

― green uno skip card (ex machina), Tuesday, 15 March 2005 22:31 (twenty years ago)

will i ever experience pleasure again?

― s1ocki (slutsky), Wednesday, 16 March 2005 02:16 (twenty years ago)

yes but you won't be able to smoke afterwards

― jones (actual), Wednesday, 16 March 2005 02:19 (twenty years ago)

― s1ocki (slutsky), Wednesday, 16 March 2005 02:19 (twenty years ago)

I am on this sort of temp job thing in a great office that just happens to be a smoking office! I had no idea such things existed anymore; everyone can just smoke at their desk. I don't smoke and they kind of put the nonsmokers in their own area so my clothes don't end up smelling like smoke when I come home (there are only like 8 people in the office and only three or so smoke anyway) but it is still weird, and although I've never been a smoker, I find myself tempted. Particularly when I go in the supply closet which also has the HUMIDOR.

― teeny (teeny), Wednesday, 16 March 2005 02:20 (twenty years ago)

is that legal??

― s1ocki (slutsky), Wednesday, 16 March 2005 02:25 (twenty years ago)

If you go out, and when you're still sober, make your friends promise not to give you any cigarettes when you're drunk. This is my hard-earned advice.

― Remy (null) (x Jeremy), Wednesday, 16 March 2005 02:28 (twenty years ago)

i know. i'm djing tonight which means i have to stay at the bar basically from opening till closing time (~3AM). it's gonna be tough.

― s1ocki (slutsky), Wednesday, 16 March 2005 02:29 (twenty years ago)

can you smoke weed @ work

― Dr. Eldon Tyrell (ex machina), Wednesday, 16 March 2005 02:38 (twenty years ago)

I have not tried. Also I am running a political campaign so this might not be the best move.

― teeny (teeny), Wednesday, 16 March 2005 02:40 (twenty years ago)

hmm!

― Dr. Eldon Tyrell (ex machina), Wednesday, 16 March 2005 02:45 (twenty years ago)

haWOOGah

― s1ocki (slutsky), Wednesday, 16 March 2005 19:22 (twenty years ago)

bar last night not as tough as i thought!!

― s1ocki (slutsky), Wednesday, 16 March 2005 19:22 (twenty years ago)

you guys have no idea how many gobstoppers i've ALREADY consumed today.

― s1ocki (slutsky), Thursday, 17 March 2005 17:26 (twenty years ago)

still standing

― s1ocki (slutsky), Saturday, 19 March 2005 20:32 (twenty years ago)

I also work in a smoking office, but we are trying to phase it out gently in preparation for Jack McConnell's big banning of smoking in all Scottish workplaces next year. I strongly suspect my boss will end up retiring, or working with a laptop and a mobile from the car park.

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 19 March 2005 20:42 (twenty years ago)

yay s1ocki u can do it mang

― jones (actual), Saturday, 19 March 2005 20:47 (twenty years ago)

go s1ocki!

― cozen (Cozen), Saturday, 19 March 2005 20:50 (twenty years ago)

man oh man.

― s1ocki (slutsky), Saturday, 19 March 2005 20:56 (twenty years ago)

i recommend ratchet & clank: going commando as a stop-smoking aid

― s1ocki (slutsky), Saturday, 19 March 2005 21:03 (twenty years ago)

almost three weeks! god i miss those little fuckers*

*cigarettes

― s1ocki (slutsky), Saturday, 2 April 2005 02:22 (twenty years ago)

i'm gnawing at my nicorette like it's an overcooked steak

― s1ocki (slutsky), Saturday, 2 April 2005 03:11 (twenty years ago)

I'm on week #4, slocki, and I feel leagues better than I did 6 days ago.

― Remy Ulysses Fitzgerald (x Jeremy), Saturday, 2 April 2005 03:12 (twenty years ago)

it's actually been much easier than i thought. i had a stressful 24 hours though and the cig-love came back!

― s1ocki (slutsky), Saturday, 2 April 2005 03:13 (twenty years ago)

i should try nicorette next time, or something, because going cold turkey hasn't quite worked out.

― Amateur(ist) (Amateur(ist)), Saturday, 2 April 2005 03:23 (twenty years ago)

I am doing ok except when I drink and eat too much.

― absolutego (ex machina), Sunday, 3 April 2005 03:00 (twenty years ago)

3 months! This is the best I've done for years, I've even started getting annoyed with people smoking around me!

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Sunday, 3 April 2005 10:32 (twenty years ago)

1 month

― s1ocki (slutsky), Tuesday, 12 April 2005 01:33 (twenty years ago)

when do you start stopping to be wanting to be smoking cigarettes?

― s1ocki (slutsky), Tuesday, 12 April 2005 01:35 (twenty years ago)

i let you all down

― Open your eyes; you can fly! (ex machina), Tuesday, 12 April 2005 02:15 (twenty years ago)

100 days today.

I started stopping to be wanting to be smoking cigarettes after a month or so.
I don't even crave one when I'm drunk any more, though I still occasionally have to fight off the notion that I could just have one and it wouldn't make me want another.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Tuesday, 12 April 2005 09:36 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, I think a month or so is usually the turning point. Everyone's different, tho'.

I noticed not too long ago that I really don't like the smell of cigarettes now — especially if more than one person is smoking. It makes me want to gag. I'm a thousand times more sensitive than I used to be. I used to love the smell, even before I smoked! Weird. But I'm not a jerk about it — I don't lecture people for smoking around me or anything.

― sugarpants: bea arthur's secret lover (sugarpants), Tuesday, 12 April 2005 11:30 (twenty years ago)

I quit two years ago with the help of Nicorette's but started again last year. I think i'm ready to quit again but was wondering if we could have a lil':

TS: Nicorettes/Patches/Other devices

I'm pretty tempted by those fake plastic cigarettes that contain nicotine.

― Baaderonixxxorzh (Fabfunk), Tuesday, 12 April 2005 12:11 (twenty years ago)

two weeks pass...

I intend to stop, for lots of reasons, as soon as I've finished the last box of packs I bought - that should be the beginning of next week. My history: smoked for many years, gave up Dec '01, used ten patches spread over a little more than a month. Tough, but far from unbearable. Didn't smoke at all for four months, then had the occasional one, holding to a rule that if I had one, I couldn't have another for at least two weeks - so I would just nick one from a friend in the pub every 2-4 weeks. Then almost exactly two years after stopping I went through some appalling stresses (I moaned enough here, and won't rehash it) and consciously made the decision to start again, for stress relief. It did help, but the intention to stop again when the stresses went away didn't materialise - the trouble with being depressed is that there is never a right time.

I've tried the gum, and it made me nauseous - perhaps it's improved? The patches certainly helped. I also picked up a card for the NHS quit smoking service. Any UK people know if that is any use? Do they prescribe patches so they come cheaper? What else do they offer? I know I'm going to find it hard, so I am wondering what might make it easier.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 20:43 (twenty years ago)

did you chew the gum properly? meaning one or two "chews" and then just let it hang around in your mouth for a few minutes? i found the gum extremely helpful. i used it for my first 4-5 weeks or so.

i'm now on week 7, i guess. certainly it's getting better though i do miss smokes a lot--especially my "reward" or "relaxation" smokes.

good luck martin!!

― s1ocki (slutsky), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 21:18 (twenty years ago)

ive been a non smoker for 114 days! fucking insane!

Martin you know I was a pretty heavy smoker and I just gave up cold turkey.

I was easier than I thought!

― jill schoelen is the queen of my dreams! (Homosexual II), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 21:29 (twenty years ago)

My tactic last time was to use a patch every few days, when it became really hard to resist, and gradually space them out more each time. I don't know if I could do it cold, and don't see any reason to reduce my chances, I think, by doing so.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 21:42 (twenty years ago)

i have mentioned this before on other smoking threads, but a lot of ppl i know have had much success with Allen Carr's books. my sister, best friend and best friend's father (who smoked his way through cancer and still couldn't get up the nerve to quit) all managed to stop, with no patches or cutting down or horror stories etc. i don't want to sound like i'm shilling for the guy, but in my experience it's worth looking into.

― Dave M. (rotten03), Wednesday, 27 April 2005 00:05 (twenty years ago)

Im on day two of my 100th time trying to quit. Being out of work for the past month i basically was smoking close to three packs a day. DISGUSTING. $15 a day on smokes....$105 a week...plus my wife smokes so around $200 a week on smokes. Thats $10500 a year....DISGUSTING. We've also come to the decision to quit because we have been trying to have a baby for almost a year to no avail...best guess is the cigarettes are not helping the fertility matters. This time i am really going to do it. Suprisingly it hasn't been bad, Im using a combo of the lozenge and the inhaler which i got from my doctor. Both taste like shit, but no worse than an actual cigarette. I've also upped the dosage on my vitamins, and i feel ok. A little hazy here and there, but so far so good. Hopefully I can come back here in a month and still be smoke free. I really want to be this time.

― Chris 'The Nuts' V (Chris V), Tuesday, 3 May 2005 11:42 (twenty years ago)

i just realized that i've posted on basically every quit smoking thread on ilx and said "IM REALLY GOING TO DO IT THIS TIME". What a failure.

― Chris 'The Nuts' V (Chris V), Tuesday, 3 May 2005 11:46 (twenty years ago)

I'm reading the Allen Carr book. It says not to quit before finishing the book but I've run out of tabs and I don't want to buy any more therefore I'm cheating a bit by giving up before I'm supposed to. Hope the consequences of this aren't too dire.

I've survived the morning with little or no cravings and minimal tetchiness and it's only by writing to this thread are the cravings happening so I'm off chzthxbye!

― dog latin (dog latin), Tuesday, 3 May 2005 11:49 (twenty years ago)

so... 9 weeks as of last night/this morning.

i feel largely over the hump, though drinking/parties/social situations can be tough.

i think the hardest part--the last hurdle--is getting over my self-identification as a smoker. in my mental image of myself i'm still holding a cigarette! when i think about, say, travelling, i imagine myself in a new city, having a butt. it's really difficult to shake. maybe i'll never shake it!

― s1ocki (slutsky), Monday, 16 May 2005 17:27 (twenty years ago)

(any thoughts/advice on this matter would be appreciated)

― s1ocki (slutsky), Monday, 16 May 2005 17:27 (twenty years ago)

two weeks

― RJG (RJG), Monday, 16 May 2005 17:31 (twenty years ago)

it's tough

― RJG (RJG), Monday, 16 May 2005 17:32 (twenty years ago)

courage!

― s1ocki (slutsky), Monday, 16 May 2005 17:38 (twenty years ago)

one month passes...

three mos.!!

― s1ocki (slutsky), Thursday, 16 June 2005 02:32 (twenty years ago)

two months pass...

8 months! I had a couple of ciggies in August when I was very drunk but I didn't go back on them the next day.

I keep finding myself using my pen as a fake cigarette, I can live with that.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Thursday, 15 September 2005 09:51 (twenty years ago)

Hurrah! Do you dream of smoking? My dad still does after more than a decade.

― nathalie (stevie nixed), Thursday, 15 September 2005 09:56 (twenty years ago)

I occasionally dream about it, though it's often a cigar I'm smoking - which is strange as I rarely smoked cigars.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Thursday, 15 September 2005 10:01 (twenty years ago)

i haven't smoked a cigarette for 14 months now and when I dream of smoking it's never pleasurable, more like an anxiety-stricken "ohmygod what have I done??"

― Ward Fowler (Ward Fowler), Thursday, 15 September 2005 10:25 (twenty years ago)

I stopped for eight weeks then went to the czech republic

― RJG (RJG), Thursday, 15 September 2005 13:42 (twenty years ago)

Chris V otm, these threads are truly depressing if you've been posting on them since, say, 2001.

that said, three weeks yay!

― yuengling participle (rotten03), Thursday, 15 September 2005 15:27 (twenty years ago)

two months pass...

I quit!

― GET EQUIPPED WITH BUBBLE LEAD (ex machina), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 16:25 (nineteen years ago)

ugh it sucks

― Allyzay must fight Zolton herself. (allyzay), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 16:29 (nineteen years ago)

I made a game of seeing how long I could go in between smokes.
Then I stretched my last pack out.
Then I would see how long I could avoid bumming one.
Then I stopped smoking during the daylight.

― GET EQUIPPED WITH BUBBLE LEAD (ex machina), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 16:31 (nineteen years ago)

I've got NOTHING ELSE TO DO right now which makes quitting smoking about 40x more unbearable. I can't even distract myself with TV as our cable has been fucked about 4 times now on the installation, and I get really intermittent cell phone signal in the house...but why go outside to make phone calls if you aren't going to smoke! Arggh. I'm not even drinking wine anymore with dinner right now as it makes me miserable.

― Allyzay must fight Zolton herself. (allyzay), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 16:33 (nineteen years ago)

this might not be a good time to quit, then. in addition to willpower i found that you need a pretty complementary set of circumstances, though i guess you could spend all of your free time reading alan carr.

― lauren (laurenp), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 16:36 (nineteen years ago)

ha ha ha ha

I think the biggest problem is that I am having extremely severe withdrawal symptoms more so than anything, despite a whole week or two of the gradual less-and-less then the stretching out the pack thing. I've basically developed some low level flu; I even look like I've gotten ill.

― Allyzay must fight Zolton herself. (allyzay), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 16:40 (nineteen years ago)

The only time not smoking actually bothers me is when I'm at home, I don't get any urge to do it at work and I don't think about it in the morning when I'm leaving, so maybe the smoke vampire technique is the final step and John is correct.

― Allyzay must fight Zolton herself. (allyzay), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 16:42 (nineteen years ago)

JON jesus. See what it's doing to me! Typos!

― Allyzay must fight Zolton herself. (allyzay), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 16:42 (nineteen years ago)

that happened the first few times i tried to stop. it made me furious, because aren't you supposed to feel like a brand-new, much better you when you quit? instead you become irate over the most minor things and feel like death for several weeks, plus if you're not careful you'll inhale everything in sight. working out, doing something fussy with your hands like knitting or organizing books, and taking hot showers all help.

― lauren (laurenp), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 16:44 (nineteen years ago)

That's the thing, I don't understand why I've developed like flu-like symptoms, FAR longer than it seems like it should take for the nicotene to be out of my system, and I look like HELL. I've even broken out! I know I'm not actually sick, no one else around me is actually sick and taking meds that would help with a cold haven't done a damn bit of difference. I expect a day or two of withdrawal but for fuck's sake. THIS IS WORSE THAN SERIOUS DRUGS! I have actually purchased a knitting set and plan to start doing that but the other thing is that, really, I think I'm going to have to start avoiding Tom for the next week or two.

― Allyzay must fight Zolton herself. (allyzay), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 16:48 (nineteen years ago)

i guess the way to look at it is that you've spent years loading your system with a bunch of highly toxic chemicals, so it's going to be more than a few days of purging. tranquilizers are a lot more helpful in this situation than otc cold medicine.

― lauren (laurenp), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 16:54 (nineteen years ago)

The immediate order-of-magnitude increase in stress of the withdrawal from nicotine does much, much more damage to your immune system and general health in short order than the smoking does.

Physical withdrawal from smoking according to everything I've read takes about 10 days to 2 weeks. I don't know why people think getting all the active ingredients out of your system means the end of withdrawal!

― TOMBOT, Wednesday, 14 December 2005 16:55 (nineteen years ago)

I wonder if I could make you that cayenne pepper black molasses lemonade and that would help.

― TOMBOT, Wednesday, 14 December 2005 16:55 (nineteen years ago)

that's a good idea. perhaps it would be better to just continue the cutting back thing, until the house situation is sorted out better and then cut out completely in a week or two. and get some sleeping pills.

xpost ARE YOU RETARDED I REFUSE TO DRINK THAT CRAP WHY ARE YOU SO BORING STOP STARING AT ME

― Allyzay must fight Zolton herself. (allyzay), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 16:56 (nineteen years ago)

Tom are you secret smoking still? Because there's not a damn thing wrong with you.

― Allyzay must fight Zolton herself. (allyzay), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 16:56 (nineteen years ago)

you'll inhale everything in sight.

dicks, food, drugs.

― GET EQUIPPED WITH BUBBLE LEAD (ex machina), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 16:56 (nineteen years ago)

http://zanyvg.overclocked.org/kirbysuperstar/kirbyss-inhale.JPG

― TOMBOT, Wednesday, 14 December 2005 17:02 (nineteen years ago)

That was a great game.

I am not secret smoking at all! I went out today with my coffee just to talk to people but I didn't light up or even bum a drag off of anyone.
I'm drinking the 20oz coffees though with hell of sugar in 'em.

― TOMBOT, Wednesday, 14 December 2005 17:04 (nineteen years ago)

I don't drink coffee.

― Allyzay must fight Zolton herself. (allyzay), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 17:07 (nineteen years ago)

RED BULL GIVES YOU WINGS

If I continue to act arrogant about how much trouble I'm not having, it will goad you into sticking it out. Ha. Though the fact that you just told me "there's not a damn thing wrong with you" is pretty solid evidence that you have lost your mind.

― TOMBOT, Wednesday, 14 December 2005 17:10 (nineteen years ago)

I meant physically, not mentally. And no, it'll probably just goad me into smoking some more and then rubbing it in your face that I am going out for a smoke but, oh no, hang on, who dat asking me if they can have one? Oh snap, fuck off!

― Allyzay must fight Zolton herself. (allyzay), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 17:11 (nineteen years ago)

I stopped in January and I was on-and-off bunged-up/flu-like for weeks at a time for pretty much the whole year. I think smoking must scare off hundreds of shitty little bugs that all come back to gang up on you once you stop.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 17:11 (nineteen years ago)

I don't drink Red Bull unless you buy me some, usually!

xpost don't say that otherwise there's no way I can quit for like another 5 months!

― Allyzay must fight Zolton herself. (allyzay), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 17:12 (nineteen years ago)

it's more like your body is clearing itself out and taking about two months to do it, I think.

― baby i'm waiting (cis), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 17:14 (nineteen years ago)

Haha, I'm glad Ally hasn't read "Easy Way To Stop Smoking!" Enjoy your misery, lass!

― Fearless Dawg, Wednesday, 14 December 2005 19:55 (nineteen years ago)

(Reverse psychology)

― Fearless Dawg, Wednesday, 14 December 2005 19:56 (nineteen years ago)

i was there at the beginning of this thread & i haven't had a smoke since! 9 months! here's my tips for the quitters

-NICORETTE. not a lot--as few as 2-4 pieces a day did me for my first month or so. kept me from going completely insane.
-TOOTHPICKS. use 'em
-USE THE CASH YOU DIDN'T SPEND ON SMOKES ON ANYTHING YOU WANT, GUILT-FREE.

this all worked for me. & i was a pretty heavy smoker. ultimately, after the initial insanity, it ended up being a LOT easier than i'd feared.

you can do it!

― s1ocki (slutsky), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 20:11 (nineteen years ago)

saving the cash from the smokes is one of the biggest incentives I have.

― Allyzay must fight Zolton herself. (allyzay), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 20:13 (nineteen years ago)

seriously, that was a big deal for me. like fifty extra bucks a week! it also helped make the process even remotely "fun"

― s1ocki (slutsky), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 20:14 (nineteen years ago)

I wish I had quit before I moved to NYC.

― GET EQUIPPED WITH BUBBLE LEAD (ex machina), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 20:17 (nineteen years ago)

To be fair, I let myself have a few smokes when I drink.

― GET EQUIPPED WITH BUBBLE LEAD (ex machina), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 20:17 (nineteen years ago)

Gah the amount I spent in NYC. pack and a half to 2 packs per day X $8 per pack...omg. We are definitely talking like $50 extra dollars a week for me here, $100 if it's Tom and I both.

xpost yeah I am sure I will be smoking on weekends occasionally still for a while.

― Allyzay must fight Zolton herself. (allyzay), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 20:18 (nineteen years ago)

We'll bro down and smoke out on saturday.

― GET EQUIPPED WITH BUBBLE LEAD (ex machina), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 20:21 (nineteen years ago)

GET EQUIPPED WITH LUCKY STRIKES

― Allyzay must fight Zolton herself. (allyzay), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 20:25 (nineteen years ago)

six months pass...

revive. i am at 11 weeks and feelin' good but that 7-11 thread has lured me in FOR THE LAST TIME. more talk about how crappy you feel when you smoke and how smoking doens't make you feel better plzzzz

― yuengling participle (rotten03), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 18:42 (nineteen years ago)

I quit smoking six years ago and can now play in the 7-11 thread and be somewhat nostalgic but have no desire to ever smoke again. Ever. I like breathing.

― Party Time Country Female (pullapartgirl), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 18:56 (nineteen years ago)

when i smoked i would wake up everyday with a nasty tasting film covering my throat and tongue. it was a good way to meet people but those meetings never really led anywhere. good riddance.

― lf (lfam), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 19:00 (nineteen years ago)

I haven't smoked for eight weeks except for three cigarettes, on a satruday night, about three weeks ago

― RJG (RJG), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 19:03 (nineteen years ago)

I'd like to quit, but every time I go a couple days without a cigarette, I start craving again. I like to pretend that I don't really smoke, since I only have one or two a day, maybe more if I'm drinking, but that doesn't seem so plausible these days. I thought dating a non-smoker would help me, but it just means I sneak smokes when she's not around.

― jaymc (jaymc), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 19:05 (nineteen years ago)

The first few months after quitting felt like mourning the loss of a friend. This passes, and it gets easier and easier. This is because smoking feels very unpleasant and once you get past the physicial adiction and break the habit, this becomes abundantly clear. So stick with it, and you will totally prevail.

― Party Time Country Female (pullapartgirl), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 19:11 (nineteen years ago)

I never smoke anymore, and when I do have the occasional cigarette, maybe once or twice a month, I'm so not used to the harshness that it's not really all that pleasurable. But last night, I bummed a Marlboro ULTRA LIGHT from a friend, and it was soooo easy on the throat that I was like, oh man, I could totally start smoking again with these.
-- jaymc (jmcunnin...), March 14th, 2005 11:30 AM. (jaymc) (link)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DONT DO IT
-- s1ocki (slytus...), March 14th, 2005 11:31 AM. (slutsky) (link)

I did. :(

― jaymc (jaymc), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 19:14 (nineteen years ago)

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