Quitting Smoking Tips

[raymondpickens]

I am going on day 4 and having a tough time. What do you do with your bored time. What in the heck to keep my hands busy. I have not slept much at all since I have not smoked. I plan on starting an exercise routine to help me out with spare time, what else to do....... Maybe I should buy a aluminum boat and restore it. Seriously though, I know its good for me but damn. I can already breath soooooo much better and have 10x the engergy i did just a few days ago. I wish there was a happy medium. I can already hear the non smokers say, Well just quit, I dont see what the big deal is..... If only it was that easy. Tips and Tricks are welcome please! I am about to pull my hair out being around smokers all the time that are not helping, just making fun.

 

[chriscraft254]

Re: Quitting Smoking Tips

I am going on day 4 and having a tough time. What do you do with your bored time. What in the heck to keep my hands busy. I have not slept much at all since I have not smoked. I plan on starting an exercise routine to help me out with spare time, what else to do....... Maybe I should buy a aluminum boat and restore it. Seriously though, I know its good for me but damn. I can already breath soooooo much better and have 10x the engergy i did just a few days ago. I wish there was a happy medium. I can already hear the non smokers say, Well just quit, I dont see what the big deal is..... If only it was that easy. Tips and Tricks are welcome please! I am about to pull my hair out being around smokers all the time that are not helping, just making fun.

Keep bottles of water at reach! The nicotine is actually completely out of your system already, now its just the habit you will be fighting. By day ten, your lungs will feel healthy again. Everytime you want to smoke,drink water instead. Its working for me. By the way, I never drank water before now, so thats two good things! Good luck man.

 

[raymondpickens]

Re: Quitting Smoking Tips

Thanks man, I have been Drinking more friggen Water than I had ever dreamed possible, Its my way to indulging in something that doesn't make me fat also. Lots of habits bro, after doing to so long it half *** rules your life. Everything revolves around it. Good luck to you too brother!

 

[chriscraft254]

Re: Quitting Smoking Tips

Same to you man. I still slip, but I am quiting. They say my lungs are still 98 percent, so I will take that and run after smoking 25 years. The water has helped me more than anything, other than that,i'm cold turkey.

 

[ngt]

Re: Quitting Smoking Tips

my buddy always had an unsharpened pencil in his hand and he's just kind of twiddle it around in his fingers.

 

[veritas honus]

Re: Quitting Smoking Tips

Well, let me start by admitting to you that I am a nonsmoker; but not the type you described. I will not say, "Well just quit, I dont see what the big deal is....."

It IS a big deal. You're taking a huge step in the extension of a healthier life for not only yourself, but those around you, who'll no longer be exposed to the noxious smoke you used to share.

Not a big deal??? That's a load of CARP!!! Let me start by informing you (if you didn't already know...) Nicotene is the most highly addictive substance known to man. That is HUGE. That's a BAD Nama Jamma to have to overcome.

Only 4 days and you already feel far better. That's fantastic. Keep up the good work!

I've got what I feel may very well be a really good method of "coping" for you. Well, the truth is, it may be more of a simple and very impactive reality check. I'll give you a little backround on this... When I was in paramedic school, I was fortunate to have a brilliant instructor. He gave us incredible insights on many different subjects which helped us to be more empathetic with our patients; to better, and more fully, even truely have an understanding of what some people are experiencing.

Now, here's my suggestion to you. Get some coffee stirrers. The kind that are like a very narrow straw. Now that you're breathing better, you'll have an even deeper appreciation for this... Put the coffee stirrer in your mouth and seal your lips around it. Pinch your nose closed with your right hand, and watch the seconds on the wristwatch on your left. Breathe only through the coffee stirrer, while holding your nose completely sealed for one full minute... After one minute, understand, that this is EVERY single minute in the life of a person with moderate to severe COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulminary Disease).

You said you're breathing better after only four days... Raymond, this is a powerful sign that you were well on your way to COPD.

All I can say at this point, other than BRAVO!!!, is try to find many distractions. Excercise is a great one. You've already stated that working on boats is another. I'd expect your boat to be perfect by the Spring.

Again, Raymond, keep up the good work... And please, keep us posted with updates.

PS: Keep a couple coffee stirrers with you at all times. Any time you have the urge to smoke... "One full minute..."

 

[Cofe]

Re: Quitting Smoking Tips

Start carrying round tooth picks in a small container with you. Gives your mouth something to do, and will help keep teeth clean.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Quitting Smoking Tips

I quit cold turkey 18 years ago. Chewed lots and lots of Juicy Fruit Spearmint gum for the first year or so.

 

[raymondpickens]

Re: Quitting Smoking Tips

Now, here's my suggestion to you. Get some coffee stirrers. The kind that are like a very narrow straw. Now that you're breathing better, you'll have an even deeper appreciation for this... Put the coffee stirrer in your mouth and seal your lips around it. Pinch your nose closed with your right hand, and watch the seconds on the wristwatch on your left. Breathe only through the coffee stirrer, while holding your nose completely sealed for one full minute... After one minute,



Now that might be the single most convincing way to get somebody to quit I have ever heard. Thank you very much for your appreciation of the feign, and not just acting as its not a big deal. The tooth picks are a GReat Idea! I dont know how practical the pencil is but I will for sure try it.

 

[GasCan II]

Re: Quitting Smoking Tips

When I quit everytime I got the urge I would eat some peanuts. Worked for me.Hope this helps.
Good Luck

 

[Fly Rod]

Re: Quitting Smoking Tips

Will power and cold turkey and seems you have both.

A friend of mine spent lots of money on all the gimmicks to quit, he was a three packer per day, nothing worked for him till he had a heart attack and quit cold turkey and has not smoked since.

My son has tried and can't seem to quit, he does not have the will power.

 

[GTS225]

Re: Quitting Smoking Tips

Have attempted to quit, (unsuccessfully), more than once. My biggest deterrant to success is the muscle problems I develop in my hands and arms after about the first week.
I get the overwhelming urge to reach out and strangle stupid people, (and there seems to be an awful lot of them).....so, yeah, I'm still fogging up my lungs.

Roger

 

[raymondpickens]

Re: Quitting Smoking Tips

I am glad you have faith in me Fly Rod, almost more than I have in myself . Thanks for the support, It is welcomed. Dang this is tough, but the worst part is her in a litle while I will go eat a breakfast taco. Immediately following that will be one of the worst craving times of the day. So far so good. 4 days exactly as of........ right now.

Happy Saturday everbody! I am going shooting.

 

[bigdee]

Re: Quitting Smoking Tips

Electronic cigarette with the 0% nicotine juice.......my wife and I were heavy smokers that tried and failed to quit many times. We both quit the day our E. cigarettes arrived in the mail. That has been over 2 years ago and I have even quit the E-cig but my wife is still hanging on to hers but her health(mine too) has improved dramatically. The mechanical habit is harder to break than the nicotine.....this device will still allow you to go through all the motions and give you something to fiddle with.....I highly recommend it. Good luck!

 

[halfmoa]

Re: Quitting Smoking Tips

I too used toothpicks and chewing gum...lots and lots of sugarfree chewing gum. I had to constantly remind myself how much better I felt, how much easier I was breathing and how my fingers, clothes, and breath didn't smell like a bar room any more. Quitting was not the most difficult thing I've ever done but it's pretty high up there on the list. As stated, the drug is out of your system at this point and it's all in your head.

I still crave one on the boat, when camping, and after a big meal...never did like to drink and smoke...thank God!

 

[royal0014]

Re: Quitting Smoking Tips

I'm right there with you friend. Yesterday was three weeks for me.

My quit date was, by coincident, moved up a day. My Dr. gave me Wellbutrin, told me to take it for a week, get the nicotine patches, pick a day and stop.

The day before my chosen quit date, I ended up in the hospital with a collasped lung. During my 10 day stay, I was started on the patches anyway. Once I got out, I continued the patch treatment.

I don't recommend this option, BTW :redface:

I still have cravings. I even dreamed of smoking last night. But thus far I have resisted temptation. Still had smokes in the house the first few days, until I put them in the garbage so they would be gone when the trash truck ran the next day

Lots of chewing gum. Pretzels help. I've been on a junk-food binge, but I also lost about 10 lbs that I did not need to.

But I digress. In the end, it is totally up to you to continue the commitment. So, hang in there. I'll be rooting for 'ya!!


<<)))(((>>

 

[southkogs]

Re: Quitting Smoking Tips

Bravo Veritas - great stuff.

Congratulations Ray. My Dad was diagnosed with cancer several years ago. The day the doctor told him the diagnosis - he stopped smoking. Probably smoked a pipe better than 40 years, and never picked it back up - just stopped. I'll never forget about 3 weeks later he was still dealing with wanting a pipe after dinner. He beat it, but it was a LOT of work - - and cancer.

Fight it out brother. It's worth it to you and the people who love you.

And probably go shooting more often ...

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Quitting Smoking Tips

Good for you! Look forward to a healthier life. I know so many smokers that hit their 60's and they are pretty much a basket case with many many health problems. Of course they don't attribute it to their smoking as they seem to be in major denial.

 

[levittownnick]

Re: Quitting Smoking Tips

What helped me 20 years ago was a book that I had read. It pointed out that an addiction is something else that I was coerced to do. That means that I was not really smoking of my own free will and since I already are doing so many things that peturb me, I don't need cigaretts to force me to smoke them.

 

[Cap'n Chaos]

Re: Quitting Smoking Tips

Jigsaw puzzles and card games help, they keep your mind (and hands) occupied.