Any ex-smokers on this forum?

[MonsterZero]

Anyone here quit smoking? If so, how did you do it?

After doing a heavy workout, lighting up a cigarette feels like the most counter-productive thing i can possibly do. It also makes me smell like ****.

Only helpful posts will be tolerated....all others will be subject to my ego being bruised.

[twm]

do you really want to stop? if so, great. cowboy up, stop buying packs and mush on when you get some withdrawal. its nicotine.. not heroin. this is meant to motivate you, not hurt your feelings. you're the source of your own upcoming failure.

[slashkills]

avoid others when they are smoking
find something to do in place of smoking(like chewing gum)
constantly tell your self you want to quit and its counter productive to your goals

Its hard but anyone can do it with some motivation. good luck man!

[MonsterZero]

thanks doods.

I figured this would get little/no attention on a health forum, but it is super tough to quit. I'll just remember that one ad from the 80's:

"Kissing a smoker is like licking an ashtray!"

or

"Smoking cigarettes causes your penis to shrivel, your bowels to implode, and your mom to catch you wanking to scrambled cable porn."

[Southern Beast]

I smoked pretty heavy for a couple of years. Quitting was hard but anyone who says it's impossible just doesn't have the willpower.

Personally, I wasn't a cold turkey kinda guy. I found it much too hard. Cutting it out slowly worked like a charm. I wrote down how much I smoke a day and when, and then just started reducing it. For example, I was smoking two on the way to work, one on my first break, and two at lunch. The first few days I cut back to just one on the way to work and one at lunch. Then quit smoking on breaks. It didn't take long for a pack a day habit to go down to about 6-8 cigarettes a day.

The hard part was quitting completely, but that's where the willpower comes in. It seemed I just had to have that first cigarette of the day and one after lunch. Then of course, out on the weekends with friends and drinking. But I stuck with it, chewed gum, and finally it was over. I've been cigarette free for well over a year now and feel tons better physically.

And yeah, lots of girls hate smoking. :/ That's definitely a motivation to quit.

[Sensei]

I quit many times before I quit for good.

Find replacement behaviors. Stop/alter behaviors that you associate w. smoking, at least temporarily. Eat well. Sleep as well as you can. Ride it out - it's very doable.

[Genacide]

Chantix, I've heard very good things.

[mikeaza]

Champix. The wife used it, had no side effects, very few cravings and we never even had a single arguement. I used Zyban a few years ago and my mouth went numb for about 2 weeks, Champix seems to have less active side effects for most people.

You set a quit date, take it for 10-14 days (so it builds up in your body), quit, and continue taking it until you have the confidence to do it without. I belive it is quite common to take for even upto 6 months. One thing you don't do is take nicotine replacement, it can interfere with the drugs mechanisms.

It is not covered by most Canadian insurance co's (but ther are a few) and runs about $60 every 2 weeks. The wife got away with only using it for 6 weeks. So the 2 weeks until she quit and then another 4 and it's been 2 weeks without drugs and she is doing great.

****The wife's friend had a doctor who gave her different directions- quit the same time she started using meds and use a nicotine inhaler- and she quit for 3 weeks and she never went an hour without getting cravings.

[slashkills]

And yeah, lots of girls hate smoking. :/ That's definitely a motivation to quit.

I broke up with a girl before because she smoked and wouldnt quit. It is like licking an ash tray. And lots of people ive talked to said cutting back is the way to go.

[BumperPlate]

#1 Do you really want to quit?. Then the hell with everyone else. It's about you!!! Looking for excuse is just a cop out.
#2 Look at all the people who have quit and ask yourself, "Why they are BETTER than me?" Show some pride.
#3 Zyban or wellbutin. Both will give you ADD, so if you crave your mind can't focus on the craving.
#4 Change your schedule so you're doing something else at the times you normally would smoke.
#5 Make plans for the money you are going to save. Like a trip, or something you always wanted.
#6 Don't freak out about adding a few pounds. Your body's metabolism is changing. Focus on NOT SMOKING. Fix the weight later.
#7 1st week of withdrawals will test you. As nicotin defficiency cleans the body. Just gotta man up and get through it.
#8 Set short term goals 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months. You'll look back and see you can get by without smoking.
#9 Do you really want to Quit? This is the 1st and last thing you need to know


Look if you get to 3 months you can lay off the zyban, and if you get to 6 months your living the lifestyle of a non-smoker. Look in the mirror, be proud and walk away knowing you're not a prisoner to cigarettes. It may be the hardest thing you've ever done. BUT IT IS DOABLE...

Good Luck....

[=Travis=]

I used the Commit lozenges to quit. I then slowly reduced how many of those I took.

[Darcy Tucker]

do you really want to stop? if so, great. cowboy up, stop buying packs and mush on when you get some withdrawal. its nicotine.. not heroin. this is meant to motivate you, not hurt your feelings. you're the source of your own upcoming failure.


Whatever you do..don't take this good intentioned advice. I tried about a hundred times to quit using willpower and each time I would eventually fail.

Read Allen Carr's book "Easy Way to Quit Smoking". It's amazing and really does open your eyes.

[Titanium_Jim]

#3 Zyban or wellbutin. Both will give you ADD, so if you crave your mind can't focus on the craving.


Those are both the same drug, and it is a dopamine and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor. If the OP has ADD, this drug may cause an enhanced ability to focus.

OP, I smoked for several years, but luckily somehow I never got addicted, and can honestly say I never craved a cigarette in my life. My girl, though, smoked for 10 years, and she quit using nicotine patches, gum, AND lozenges together to keep cravings away. She has not smoked for about 5 years now.

[uRA]

Whatever you do..don't take this good intentioned advice. I tried about a hundred times to quit using willpower and each time I would eventually fail.

Read Allen Carr's book "Easy Way to Quit Smoking". It's amazing and really does open your eyes.

I didn't read the book, but watched the 1-hour video. Quit right away