Still winning

Capitals NOPE from me.

Great photos! x

Wow, you did really well then! Good job passing the smoking/drinking test.

The chantix did have side effects for sure. Like you I felt like I needed a "crutch" if you will. I don't regret taking it with all it's side effects, I'd do it again if I needed too. Where I am today was worth a few weeks of feeling a bit barmy :) That said I totally understand and endorse herbal remedies (totally I make them from my garden so do agree0 just the lack of info worried me when I wanted to quit so desperately! Either way if you try can you feed back to here as I'd be interested for other people I try and help. 6 days was a good start though! We call them practice quits here, or one guy did and I'm totally stealing it haha. I think to steal another quote quitting is a journey, not a place. You will go through some stuff and staying close to a forum will help as much as any other crutch you choose to use as people have been exactly where you are at that point. Look forward to hearing your plan when you've thought it through. x

Hi Zelda, Massive congrats on your wonderful news. I am very sorry for the sad and lonely place you must of ended up as a hurt 16 years old. I won't skirt past it because it's not my way. Gentle hugs for what was and totally understanding your need to protect this baby/bean. So: You're quitting for the baby. Absolutely to be commended for sure! However I'm thinking we need to shift this quit to the mama too :) After all, bean is now in protection, there is no doubt of that... so we can support you Zelda. Could you start by asking yourself what benefits you have seen so far? Has there been any? At 18 days I think the cough had gone at least? If you let it your brain won't give you all the bad sides and we can maybe explore some of the good sides together. So you feel a bit more in balance about your quit? Either way massive congrats on your 18 days, that's absolutely fab!! xx

(((jen))). xx In my house copd heart failure - left side high blood pressure receeding gum which led to tooth filling and then extraction Dodgy pre cancerous cells Actual change in those cells eventually to enough cancerous to medicate, radiology and hysterectomy My 8 year old was picked on at school because her coat smelled :( It was in the kitchen hanging where we smoked. Same 8 year old stopped letting me kiss her bye, had to kiss the top of her head Wrinkles Yellow stained teeth and fingers Inability to focus on a task, constantly thinking about smoking And still we smoked!! Jeez, actually we are not so bright here!! Never again!

This is exactly where you get too in no mans land. It's actually the catalyst I've used in helping people decide to quit. I bait them with "the craves were hard"...and they always respond with once you've quit.... no the all day every day craves of being a smoker!! It's utterly true. It's actually easier to quit then to smoke. I think romancing and forever fears are the things that come up in this stage and make people fall off. Sometimes it was easier to just bring my brain back to base and go "not today" then let it wander off into the forever ether as that felt unmanageable. xx

I can quit, you can quit, everyone who posted here can quit. The reason being is simple, you make a choice not to smoke anymore. Our brain is a powerful tool, we simply spend some time giving it new "not a smoker" instructions. People are telling you that you can't quit? Shhhh they told me that too!! That it was "so hard" and why not "just smoke less" and that people who didn't smoke "got ill too". Someone even called me a lifer, as in someone who would smoke for my whole life...he was a school friend of 20+ years and had a 7 year quit so shoudl of known better! You know what, actually who cares what doubt anyone has...only you and your thoughts matter! You get to choose your life and whether you live it chained to nicotine or whether you will go through some mental discomfort and unease to be free of it. I absolutely believe in you!! xx

It's one of those invest your time things I think. We are so used to have a million thoughts flying through our heads we find it hard to hold one train of thought. Even more difficult to empty our brain. It's worth persevering. I spent a lot of time early days practising before going to sleep whilst laying in bed. Then if I fell asleep, no harm done lol. Just went to bed half hour earlier.

Utterly sound advice there!! Awesome point, well made, don't over think it! x

Brilliant, keep em coming with ideas, I know a few of us meditate and I'd like to tell people "how to" as it's such a win for me and so amazing!! But it took me months of failing before I found "my way" and then it clicked for me. I'm just not a dolphin music kinda chick I guess :) Then people ask me how I started and I can't find a start point to say try this? So it's good to hear other peoples takes on it.

Step one - Brilliant you posted. How to quit step one complete!! Step two - Listen to the answers. So we talk of leaping, just jump etc. No one is ever ready, ever, it's addiction! Step three - Put your last cig out and tell yourself you are a non smoker. Then don't think of that for frikkin months and simply wake each day content not to smoke for that day! Make it through each crave and later each day thinking today I won't. Step four - educate. So you end up understanding what you've done by smoking. See money grow. Hear the cough simply dissapear and marvel. There will never be a right time and you felt so good about your practice quit. Remember that and get excited too! This is freedom we are searching for here, goodness, you know about a fight for freedom IAM! Get a plan for what to do instead of smoke if craves hit. Have many early nights and loads of nice food like Sue said, that helped most of us a lot! Jump!! We will catch you!! xx

Jeez this place makes me cry lol. So pleased you got the support you needed here,there and everywhere Lace. Too many of us carry our burdens alone and there is no need to do that with smoking, the support is here and ever willing. It's a great thing!! ((Lace)) xx

Aww I'm sorry. But great to have experienced quitters with us here. x

It seems there is some crazy energy floating about at the moment and a number of folks are feeling pressured. Other then that someone asked me last week how to get started. I view meditation as a prize. If I can get my head to shhh long enough it calms me and my mind and also allows me to connect with my gut instincts. However my method for getting there is unusual and I play really loud music first, often like metallica or house classics lol. This shuts up my over active brain so that it's empty for me to start and I just sit comfortably and let thoughts come and go (or not) as they choose. So how do normal people start this? Has anyone used the beginners ones off you tube or got a favoured method? Interested in the answers to be honest :)

Epic work!! solid two month quit culminating in shark week - well played :) Massive congrats. x

Brilliant news Mason, massive congrats on your two months :) xx

-5

lol cross post -3

-2

Awww so sorry you had to go through all those horrible feelings, alcohol is evil if it takes you the wrong way and is the cause of a lot of peoples dangerous thoughts. Pleased you made the better choice lady, the title worried me for a second. Big up to Rez for trying to hunt down his drunken ranting woman too lol. Love to both. x

One of the mums at my daughters school quit using it. (she had tried and failed on nicotine patch and gum). I considered it then went chantix route as it was more tried and tested and I was desperate to quit. I believe when we chatted she said it had a herbal component called labeelia? (Saying that how it sounded, will need to check spelling lol) which is similar in plant make up to nicotine but not addictive? Sounded plausible to me tbh but like you I couldn't find more then her and got nervy. Don't know if that helps or not actually. Maybe ask your doctor?

Bakon was being tricky, the ladies count down by 1 number at a time, the gentlemen count up. 0

"Coooeeee" Doreen, which world should I come and retrieve you from? :) Serious here. We are never going to be in a time and place where there is zero risk! It's always going to be about keeping our junkie under control. Just because we can go days, weeks, months with him quiet doesn't mean he's ceased to exist - he will occassionally remind us he is kicking around (a thought) and then we will have to make a choice. Now that sounds more scary then it needs to be to me now. We CHOOSE to not smoke because we have learnt it was a really bad plan and made us sick! Actually if there were no rules on things that are bad for you I'd be eating ice cream rather then smoking today :) But another day will be smoking that takes my thoughts. We are all the same and the trick is to say something when we feel like it. Sometimes we hide too much in trying to assure newer quitters life is "fabulous all of the time" and it's quite a dis service, to ourselves and to them. For you my sweet sweet (well recently a little dirty lol) Doreen know that your quit is secure. Trust yourself and just stay vigilant. xx

Wow, school in another country is so brave!