Still winning

I just meant that cold turkey is advocated by most - I didn't do it, I was scared senseless and needed a crutch :) The physical addiction is simply staying on course and not smoking. Easy to do actually, much easier then I ever let myself believe it would be. Chrispy mentioned the two I was told and used as well. Smoking is not on the table today and the only rule is don't put something in your mouth and set it on fire. The mental side. Is a mix, honestly. Some days I was so excited to not be smoking it didn't feel mentally tough at all, it felt like a wonderful free fall to freedom. No I'm not known for being flouncy in my descriptions lol, I genuinely loved the freedom and I hadn't ever considered I would feel like that. Some days sucked and I felt grumpy as all hell. But there it lies..."I FELT" it was only a feeling, a thought. For some reason I assumed it would be so much more, I was genuinely scared it was so much more but the reality is I would think something and then I could choose - would I carry on thinking about it or would I shout do whatever it needed to face that thought, simply tell it where to go or just distract myself with something else to do, End game, a thought can't do me any damage at all, smoking could really do damage in so many ways. I'd rather face a few bad thoughts then some of the illness I've seen smoking cause or the financial hardship I let it cause me. It became a no brainer! Plus that's what this forum is for. When you feel great POST, when you feel rubbish, POST. If you are having lots of thoughts POST or blog, or message someone you trust and let us carry you and support you. Ultimately I quit from almost 40 per day, for over 20 years and I did it - but these guys cheered and we love to do that for you or anyone who wants a quit. We "get the fear, the feelings" and we say jump! There will never be a right time. There will never be a point at which it will feel right. You are going to feel scared and excited at the same time. Jump anyway!! We will hold out a net :) Your slavery will soon be done by the sounds of it and what we offer is to support and help you find your own freedom from addiction to nicotine... you can have more self worth, more money, better health, less fear, it's fabulous!! For now though, no overthinking. You simply wake tomoz and don't smoke. If you want a patch or gum and it feels right for you, then fine. If you just want to get it done, then don't. Face tomoz, don't think any further. Wake choose no smoking today and post...I promise, you will feel good about it. xx

NOPE for me too. x

I'm so happy you had that Doreen. It's so important and sometimes it makes me a little despondant that I am expected to just keep going no matter what. With the quit I chose not to fulfil the champix as I came off it after 5 days and no one at the Doctor or clinic at the chemist phoned to check on me. That surprised me too. The odd thing is they think a clinic with somebody fairly useless is support. For instance, the guy at the docs does one morning a week, each appt is 45 minutes long so he can waffle inanely according to my Mum. All they do is suggest it's too hard without NRT and serve you that with a prescription - the chemist lady had never even smoked lol. Same line tho, patch and gum...or hey there's this new nicotine spray that costs £18! Not once did any professional suggest joining an on line group, or offer me one they knew of and yet here was my biggest save, especially when I SOS'd at 3am! Although I was showed a jar of tar (lovely!) nobody gave me any timelines for recovery, one of the things I held early quit was 3 days and all nicotine was gone - but I knew that through here and not the cruddy support of the medical profession. I was really shocked when I had a docs appt and said I quit for a doc to say oh what date, filled in the screen and moved on. Such a shame! But really why paying it forward is so crucial!

Lovin seeing you Doreen :) xx

Wow Pippa, I just ordered from ebay back in the day. Pips approach sounds better :)

Wow Sam, you're flying!! :) Told ya this site was awesome, but how can you explain the support without feeling it. Enjoying reading your blog. Remember if you want more interaction post on the main boards, everyone loves hearing from others and are here on this board to support and also get support. Is your cough going? By the way, don't worry too much if your sleeping goes a bit wonky for a few days at some point, it levels out pretty quick. xx

HI natalie, Cut back method of smoking, blimey, tougher then quitting and that's my honest opinion. For me, I would spend all day counting the hours and holding on waiting for the next cig. Gradual torture is correct but it seems less scary then a really real quit - but it's not. Here's why... your brain does it's nicotine reflex between about 20 mins to an hour after your last smoke, so from that point you have a craving. It starts mild and builds up (this is probably what's actually waking you in the night!). When you actually quit it's really not the same. Your thinking changes quite quickly. So instead of thinking when you would have a cig, you distract yourself and keep busy and the craves are less (remember now, as a smoker, if you are busy you smoke less don't you) so you just prepare some stuff to do so you think about it less and get the nicotine out of your system, hey presto, then there's less craves anyway and you just have to put in new habits, so when you would smoke you now do xyz instead. A load of guys and whyquit.com is also a great reading site that says it, advocate cold turkey. Others will say they used a patch, or gum, or zyban and so the list goes on...the truth of it is the fact you have posted here means you are really not liking your smoking habit at all. Totally understandable, it steals our health and money and we don't really even notice how bad it is in truth, until we kick it out and our thinking starts to change. A number of these guys also used a book you read while you still smoke called Allen Carr. What works for one won't always work for another so don't worry about a one size fits all approach, go with your gut instinct of what feels right to you. Welcome!! x

Fabuloso!! Amazing work lido Jengel :) Massive congrats, hope there's a happy day and no dog house for you :) x

Sooo bad, imagine if I hadn't been as determined. I do wonder how many people have slipped through the system thinking it was too much stress :(

Hey sus *waving*, let's NOPE :) xx

Wow, mine really were dreadful at the support thing. There is a stop smoking clinic at the docs, they do appts I can't make one morning a week as they all co-incided with school runs and my Mums appts on thursday. So i went to the actual docs, whose policy is not to support you unless you join a clinic. So I went to the chemist, signed up, asked for champix and they can only prescribe NRT without a doc. So I made a docs appt (again) and said I'd now joined the chemist non smoking clinic, but am alergics to plasters, inclusive of patches which is all they prescribe for those who smoked more then 30 a day and could I have a prescription now. I got sent back to the chemist who had to write a letter, that I had to take back to the docs to get a prescription to take back to the chemist to fill it. Unreal it was. I had to use the patch and photgraph the reaction as the chemist didn't believe me!! That was before I even attempted an actual quit!! EDIT to say all of the above process took 10 days as I was constantly waiting for the appts and letters and prescriptions. After I just think they were uninterested, just how long quit and fill in a screen. It was really stressful and I realize I am unusual in my situation of single mum and a registered carer for a disabled Mum but they all have to come before me and my health quite often takes a back seat but I was led to believe the NHS were keen to get you not smoking...not my experience at all!! Same docs are fabulous with my Mum and her conditions, just seemed like they weren't at all interested in whether I smoked or not? Mixed messages from the medical profession!

Thinking of you and your family Chrys. Shout up when you need to, we will be here for you. x

It's tough and I "get it". I took a prop (for me a crystal but you could use anything that feels right to you) to kinda balance me out - maybe try that? It helped to read it only takes 28 days of doing something to make it your new thing so it can be fixed quite quickly. x

Brilliant news Sam! x

Brilliant news Sandy but I didn't doubt you for a minute :) Exactly the right way to handle smokers and how to help them in my humble opinion. xx

nopety nope

Hi, I love that program too - makes me feel good about my house ;) How far along quit are you? You gonna post in the main quit smoking or intro bit so we can chat more? x

Ah wow, congratulations first off!! Wha fabulous timing with your quit, two reasons to hold on now. x

Sus tomorrow...shall I start singing.... oh this is fabulous news and Jackie's already warming the seat and it's a really posh train too (don't get that in england ya know :) ) xx

8 months, pretty freaking cool!! Just like you my friend :) Big up and massive congrats to you. Loves. xx

Meh, I got kids, presents for me are a thing of the past :( Growing up is a trap.... But hey, the kids are way cuter :) At least I have more money through quittin though so not bad news, more DIY stylee..

For sure! Just the little matters of AWESOME FAMILY HOLIDAY and CHRISTMAS to attend too first (can you tell I'm uber excited lol) an then I'm all over finishing this room :)

Sam, it's like the secret garden ere, shhh. Don't tell everyone :) You did great!! day 2, BOOM!! Done an dusted :)

Wow Jimmy. Sending strength my friend, sounds tough! xx

mate, everyone loves a purple pout... that colour changin thing is pretty cool tho. All good news. Lighting, is "post florida", a gels got to prioritise :)