I'm going to be a X smoker!

[JR]

I've started a stop-smoking program today. It's called "Kick it!"
It's a 5 day program that deals with counter-conditioning.
I've quit a hundred times before, and even though my average was 5-10 cigs. a day I couldn't stay a quitter. Patches and gums keep me cig free for about 6 weeks. But I seem to talk my self into smoking again.

Anybody have experience in being a X smoker... for good? How did you do it?

[TexasBlake]

cool.

I've been Copenhagen free for over a month now.

[JR]

Originally posted by TexasBlakeWFO
cool.

I've been Copenhagen free for over a month now.

That's great! I used to chew Cope to, than I graduated to cigaretts.

[Mo]

I've helped several friends quit.

Here's the plan I put them on.

Get a big glass jar. Plastic works - just need to be able to see the contents clearly.

Everyday, take the money you'd spend on smokes and put it in a glass jar - you should really use single dollar bills. You have to do this every day. If you smoke 2 packs, you put approx $6 in the jar every day.

Every night, take the money out and count it. Several times. Then put it back in the jar and think "This money doesn't exist. I smoked it"

After a month, you'll be have $200 in the jar.
After a year, you'll have about $2400, or the down payment on a new BMW
After two years, you've got a two week vacation to pretty much anywhere in the world you wanna go.

[SanDiegoCJ]

Originally posted by Mo
I've helped several friends quit.

Here's the plan I put them on.

Get a big glass jar. Plastic works - just need to be able to see the contents clearly.

Everyday, take the money you'd spend on smokes and put it in a glass jar - you should really use single dollar bills. You have to do this every day. If you smoke 2 packs, you put approx $6 in the jar every day.

Every night, take the money out and count it. Several times. Then put it back in the jar and think "This money doesn't exist. I smoked it"

After a month, you'll be have $200 in the jar.
After a year, you'll have about $2400, or the down payment on a new BMW
After two years, you've got a two week vacation to pretty much anywhere in the world you wanna go.

Mo, that's an interesting idea. Never heard of that one.

JR, I quit years ago and have never regretted it. Good luck.

[pavelow]

A buddy of mine had an interesting way of quitting while we were deployed....It was also called the "kick it" plan.

Only this one was a little different, he told me, "everytime I want a smoke kick me in the nuts". I gladly excepted this responsiblity. I only kicked him 3 times in 100 days, and he still hasn't had a smoke.

Thats a good way to quit, I think...

[Mo]

Originally posted by SanDiegoCJ

Mo, that's an interesting idea. Never heard of that one.

I say I put them on it, but really I just came up with some of the ideas... but it really did work for 2 friends of mine. One used the money for a trip to Ireland, and the other used the money as the DP on a new Beemer.

[mike]

Good luck JR! I quit cold turkey this past spring. It's been a while since there's been any real urge to smoke. Biggest problem was driving. Dentyne ice gum.... a REALLY minty flavor worked REALLY well for the cravings. I still have a "case" of it, havent chewed any in months now. http://www.quitnet.com is a cool resource, keeps track of how much you've saved, both monitarily and lifetime wise and how long you've been smoke free. This past dec I spent the grand I'd saved at that point on a 60 front. Kinda funny how much $$ ya piss away smoking.

[jdjanda]

Week 7 for me. Didn't think I was going to make it past week 3. I quit using sun flower seeds. For me it was more over coming the hand-mount. I felt cold turkey was the only way to go, I wanted to get the nicotine out of my system.

Bad things I discovered while quiting smoking:

I expected after a week or two to be full of energy and spring out of bed in the morning. Most of the quite smoking literature claimed you'd feel more energetic after a couple of weeks of non-smoking. If I got off my ass and exercised maybe, or maybe the kids just wear me out.

After a couple of weeks you won't crave them. Wrong, I talked to a couple ex-smokers, one told me even after 4 years she still thinks about having one almost every day.

Make your self take a break from work every 2 hours and get out and walk. I find myself sitting and working or surfing PBB for 3-4 hours at a time. I loose track of time.

I still don't consider myself a non-smoker, so I feel I always have to keep my guard up or I'll start up again.

Good things, I've found

I know who is a smoker and who's not cause I can smell it.

I save about $5.00 bucks a day, or about the cost of a basic Atlas every year

In the long run it's better for me and I should help to extend my longevity.

Good luck

[Robert]

Quitters, all of you!!!!!!!!!!

[zachv]

JR, being an artist, I would imagine that your French Horn playing would improve drastically when you quit smoking. I am sure that you play at a high level now, but aren't there some pieces that you would love to play that better lungs would help?

Also, wouldn't your "daughter" find you more sexy if you didn't have smokers breath?

That being said, I do realize addictions. I am way overweight and battle it every day!

[BrianDamage]

after trying to quit my 2+ pack a day habit for 4 years (at one time I smoked over 3 packs a day, when I worked nightshift at a local plant, and we could smoke on the job)

I finally quit using Welbutrin (same thing as Zyban)..the only differance is that most insurance will not pay for the Zyban, because you can write off smoking cessation programs on your taxes...but they will pay for the Welbutrin

I actually had to get the doc to extend my 3 month prescription and after about 6 months was able to get off of the Welbutrin as well. I was having anxiety attacks after quitting the smokes, even after 3 months, so the doc said to stay on the Welbutrin as long as I felt I needed it. This July 7th I will be tobacco free for 2 years (I also dipped Cope & Skoal when I was at work, since tobacco was not allowed, but I could hide a dip easier than sneaking a smoke - of course, now that I quit, they have designated smoking areas set up now )

I tried the patch a few times, but I would do good with them, but after the 10 weeks would staret back smoking. I guess because I still had nicotine in my system (been smoking since I was 9, I was 28 when I quit)

Good Luck!

[JR]

Originally posted by jdjanda
Week 7 for me.

Good job. Keep your gaurd up the next couple of weeks. I went back to smoking a few times between week 6 and 8.

zachv, yeah playing a wind instrument and smoking don't go together and Marilyn hates the smoking.

Day 2. I get to smoke again! Well, 2 cigs anyway, it's part of the program for counter- conditioning. I'll take 10 drags off each one as fast as I can, coughing up the smoke and repeating some turn-off phrases from the book.

[JR]

Originally posted by BrianDamage

I finally quit using Welbutrin

I heard of this. It's an anti-depressant, right?

[R O]

Originally posted by BrianDamage


I finally quit using Welbutrin (same thing as Zyban)..the only differance is that most insurance will not pay for the Zyban, because you can write off smoking cessation programs on your taxes...but they will pay for the Welbutrin
Good Luck!

I tried this too but the insurance companies have started to look at the dosage(which is lower to quit smoking)to determine how to price it.If your Dr. will issue the prescription with the anti-depressant dosage on it you should not have any trouble.

The GF and I both quit 4months ago by using Zyban.It worked really good.Both of us smoked a pack/day for about 17 years.
Smokes are ~7$ a pack here so we are saving 450$ a month mininum .

Here are a couple of things that helped us,
the pysical cravings go away after 3days,
the money(MO's idea is excellent)
the smell
Looking at people smoking and realizing how stupid it looks.
the money

My Dr. told me this years ago."It doesn't matter if you fail when you try to quit smoking,just never quit trying to quit."

Good Luck

[jdjanda]

Originally posted by JR


I heard of this. It's an anti-depressant, right?

Didn't work for me, tried it twice.

[BrianDamage]

Originally posted by R O



I tried this too but the insurance companies have started to look at the dosage(which is lower to quit smoking)to determine how to price it.If your Dr. will issue the prescription with the anti-depressant dosage on it you should not have any trouble.

The GF and I both quit 4months ago by using Zyban.It worked really good.Both of us smoked a pack/day for about 17 years.
Smokes are ~7$ a pack here so we are saving 450$ a month mininum .

Here are a couple of things that helped us,
the pysical cravings go away after 3days,
the money(MO's idea is excellent)
the smell
Looking at people smoking and realizing how stupid it looks.
the money

My Dr. told me this years ago."It doesn't matter if you fail when you try to quit smoking,just never quit trying to quit."

Good Luck

hmmm....I've had a prescription for Zyban (before I heard of getting one for Welbutrin) and it was a 150 mg/pill (purple)...and my Welbutrin has all been 150mg/pill (also purple) - only differance is one says "Welbutrin" and the other say "Zyban" printed on the pill.

according to "The Pill Book"

for depression, the adult dosage is 200-450 mg/day divided into 3-4 daily doses. Normal daily dose is 300 mg.

for smoking cessation it is 150 twice a day.

I'm actually on Welbutrin now because the doc I'm currently seeing thinks I have some sort of sleep apnea thing going.,..taking 3 150 mg /day

[BrianDamage]

Originally posted by JR


I heard of this. It's an anti-depressant, right?

yep..the theory behind it is that tobacco causes your brain to create dopamine, which makes you feel good. The Welbutrin/Zyban also makes your brain create dopamine, making you feel good enough to get you over the hump of the nicotine addicition.

you still have to WANT to quit. There is no magic pill or method that will make you just magically stop. You have to actually use at least a little will power.

believe me, after 4 years of trying, I came up with every excuse in the world to start back every time. Your mind will play tricks on you (one cig won't hurt...a dip will be OK, it's not like a cigarette...you don't inhale a cigar)


if I can quit, ANYBODY can ! I quit and my wife, dad, and all my in-laws are constantly smoking around me. You have to mentally put that foot down and say "enough"

[ScottFJ40]

Originally Posted by JR

I've started a stop-smoking program today. It's called "Kick it!"
It's a 5 day program that deals with counter-conditioning.
I've quit a hundred times before, and even though my average was 5-10 cigs. a day I couldn't stay a quitter. Patches and gums keep me cig free for about 6 weeks. But I seem to talk my self into smoking again.

Anybody have experience in being a X smoker... for good? How did you do it?

How's this working out for you?

[Booger Weldz]

i enjoy the 2-5 cigs i have a day and see no reason to quit. i smoke alot more when camping/drinking, thats when i get what feels like a cigarette hangover and dont smoke for like a week

[camo]

JR,

this blows me away, in all the times we have been wheeling I never recall you smoking....anyhow good luck and be tuff.....

YOU CAN DO IT!!

[Jishory]

i just recently began smoking and the other day found a black thing hanging off my tonsils, went to the doc, whooptedo tonsil cancer. see if you can go to a local hospital inside a room to see the chemotherapy patients, having an iv in you 8 hours a day along with all the side affects will give you some motivation

[affende]

i used to be a pretty damn good rower...led a boat to 9th in the nation my senior year of highschool...started smoking for a few years after that and never rowed again...until about a month ago...i tried a siomple workout and my heart wanted to explode...as soon as the workout was over, i ofund every cigg i owned and threw it away...that was about 2 weeks ago and i ahvent picked one up since...the urge to smoke all the time is fading...and im exercising when i can.

the best way to stop is to have a reason to stop...mine: to be the best again.

[Spawn_X]

Originally Posted by camo

JR,

this blows me away, in all the times we have been wheeling I never recall you smoking....anyhow good luck and be tuff.....

YOU CAN DO IT!!

welcome to 2 years ago

[Grim Reaper]

Originally Posted by Jishory

i just recently began smoking and the other day found a black thing hanging off my tonsils, went to the doc, whooptedo tonsil cancer. see if you can go to a local hospital inside a room to see the chemotherapy patients, having an iv in you 8 hours a day along with all the side affects will give you some motivation

The MI, Dying and then getting Jump started did it for me. They say the more people in the room at ER the worse you are......I couldn't see much of the ceiling little lone the walls. Never had another cig. That was 1.5 years ago. Wish I was smart enough before that to have learned from all my dead relatives and stuff like you posted.

Good luck to you. Sounds like you caught it early and have a good prognosis.