Robbie

Thanks so much everyone, you are a great support and I really appreciate it! I'm now heading for 90 days which is 3 months...woo, hoo! I've been warned about 3 months though as it can feel like we have it under control and maybe could be tempted, so I'm very wary. I was talking to a woman last weekend who is three weeks quit and she said "Oh I can just have the occasional one." and I said "No, it doesn't work like that, you just can't smoke! One will lead to many." So it's the same for me. NOPE. I'll post again here when I have reached the 3 months mark. Cheers everyone!

Great work Steven, two weeks is excellent! Yes it doesn't take long for the benefits of quitting to show. I'm still amazed at how much better food tastes and I enjoy smelling lovely things everyday...this didn't happen when I was smoking. You will notice that too! And knowing that you don't stink of cigarettes is a great feeling. Here in Australia, cigarettes are outrageously expensive; I was paying $63 for a packet of 40 and it made me want to cry! (Have a look at my counter). Not even good quality either, rubbish cigarettes from overseas. Welcome to the Quit Train and freedom from that horrible addiction.

Wow great work Gus, 100 days has a lovely ring to it! Sorry that you have job stress to deal with, but once you find a job, you will have less time to think about smoking. I'm retired and find that being bored some days can be a challenge for quitting. One of my friends quit for more than 200 days and I was so proud of her and then along came a strict Covid lockdown and it brought her undone. I was so sad when she told me and she is still smoking. That and other kinds of stress can make us think that a cigarette will calm us, but we all know now that smoking actually sends our blood pressure up! All the best Gus, you're doing great!

I have just been re-reading some of my earlier posts...man, it's been a rocky road alright! So pleased that I feel I'm over the worst of quitting, no way would I want to go through all that again. Of course there will still be challenges, but the days of crying seem to be past. Some days I deal with seasonal depression as the sun doesn't shine for a week or more and my spirits plummet. Fortunately there is more live music around again, so for now I am out there enjoying myself! Who knows, we could be in lockdown again any day...this pandemic certainly makes us 'seize the day' and make the best of the good times when we can. Glad to be doing this without a cigarette in my mouth!!!

Thanks everyone! Mac#23 I was just reading your ticker and it says you have saved $893.98 in over a year...that surprises me, you must have been buying cheap ciggies!! Reckon with the cost of them here in Australia, I'll be looking at thousands of dollars saved by the time that I hit the one year mark.

I am keeping my own tally of days quit and my calendar says 80 days today! Double my longest quit to date. I told someone yesterday that I was fairly confident that I would never go back to smoking and she was so pleased and said that she'd never heard me say that before! I guess I still hesitate a little as I haven't really had much in the way of outside temptation as yet, but I'm going well. I seem to be hitting the mid winter depression that I often get and that's tough too but 80 days make me feel more confident. Thanks everyone!

Posted in wrong section, silly me!

You are on your way Kris, congratulations! It does get better as the days go by, you will just have to trust us all on this one. All the best.

Gosh, you did so well Dianne, I'm not sure if I would have your strength if I found a pack of cigarettes in my bag! I hope that I would, but really, that is so confronting especially being on your own with no one to help you stay strong. None of us would want to go through quitting again, but you certainly dealt with a big temptation...WELL DONE for not getting trapped into that horrible cycle again! All the best.

Great news Jillar, you go girl!!!

I found myself surrounded by smokers last night, for the first time since I quit! Went out to a cafe to listen to music and people were walking past me smelling of cigarettes, then I went outside to chat to a friend (the music was loud inside) and there were about 6 smokers and packets of cigarettes all over the table. I was pleased that I only took a mild interest in it all and that it didn't set off some mad, frantic craving. It would have been too easy to ask for cigarette, but it didn't enter my head. It was good for me to confront this as I go to listen to live music whenever I can and there are always smokers where there is music, I find! Think I passed my first 'socialising' test quite well! Proud of myself!

Great post Jillar. It's different for everyone.....

This is a timely reminder Abby. I've had those thoughts when I feel in need of comforting, cigarettes were a comfort to me. Those times when you are feeling low and sorry for yourself and there's no one around to say "sorry things are so tough for you". Not even a dog around to pat and hug! I don't really understand what is actually comforting about cigarettes, probably that mind numbing surge of nicotine through the system. A friend of mine who had quit for a long time had a bad car accident and she said that all she wanted after it was a cigarette. I'm exploring these ideas and trying to find a healthy substitute that brings 'comfort' in frustrating, sad, hard and lonely times.

Welcome Lawrence, quitting is a tough gig at the start but you can do it! Never thought I'd be able to, but here I am more than two months down the track. Some do 'cold turkey' but I use nicotine spray...helps with those really tough cravings which can still pop up even after a few weeks. Reckon it's heaps better than smoking anyway. All the best!

Wowsers, can't believe the money I would have spent on cigarettes, just mind blowing! Oh and I don't think I've ever tasted shrimp!

I am Robbie, female 66 years old, live in a country town close to many beautiful beaches and a bigger city in Victoria, Australia. I had to quit smoking and tried many times without success, I have breathing problems now and probably couldn't even smoke a cigarette if I tried....but I'm definitely not going to try! I love listening to live music, which comes and goes during this wretched pandemic and I play guitar, mandolin and ukulele. Love to sing, but that's not allowed at the moment...sigh. Quitting has been tough as I am on my own and always become depressed during the early stages so I basically cried for the first three weeks. Those chemicals mess with my head big time! Doing better this time with the help of Quit Train and a few squirts of nicotine spray during the day; I know that I have to stop that too but not while my quit is still new. This pandemic and now the Winter months have added an extra layer of challenges to my quit but I'm much more confident this time around. Cheers everyone!

Well done Nana20, what a wonderful milestone!

I'm still holding it together thankfully! The Covid pandemic has made everything hard, not just quitting smoking. Things are slightly more normal here now, we were allowed to meet for our ukulele class this morning however we all had to wear masks in the room and were not allowed to sing together! I found that hard, but at least I was with other people. The isolation can do your head in! There is live music this weekend with very limited numbers allowed in each venue, masks have to be worn and we all have to check in, in case there needs to be tracking of people if there is an outbreak. I am so grateful for these small freedoms as it means there is something to look forward to again. These events and the Quit Train have helped me enormously to maintain my quit so far....

Good work Linda, way to go! All the best...

Wow, thanks everyone for the lovely comments and encouragement, it's really appreciated! I feel like I'm doing ok again after the 'ice cream night' incident, that was a struggle but I won thankfully. In my other life, no one really cares if I quit and stay quit or not....I'm so grateful that you all care, it means a lot to me.

Thanks for your advice and encouragement everyone. Well it wasn't just any old ice cream, it was Queensland mango and coconut covered in white chocolate!! Certainly did the trick, so I have three more in the freezer in case I need some comfort again! Seriously, it was quite tough working through all of that last night on my own, but this morning I am so pleased that I didn't buy cigarettes...I would have been very disappointed in myself. Like you Gus, I can't bear the thought of going through the early stages of quitting again, that is very good motivation to keep going. Hopefully the severe lockdown is easing up and things will be more 'normal' this coming week.

I had quite a strong desire to buy cigarettes tonight; I think it was brought on by this week and the horrible COVID lockdown. Stayed home most of the day and by this evening I was quite depressed and needing some comfort. It persisted for a while and I used my nicotine spray more than normal. Went to the super market and bought an ice cream! Yes, cold Wintery night but it seemed to help somehow. Made me despair a bit, I am 60 days smoke free and when the going gets tough, I'm still wanting to smoke....sigh. Hope these feelings of wanting to smoke pass, as the weeks go by. I find it discouraging.

Yay, some restrictions have been lifted in Regional Victoria (where I am) but not the whole state as yet. I was finding lockdown hard to handle this time around...too much time to think about everything. Anyway we are able to drive with no restriction except to Melbourne and the shops are open again. I'm going to head into the city, visit a friend and generally reconnect with life outside my home! Need to make the most of these times as they may not last....

NOPE today!