Any advice for a beginning quitter?

Hey Jaws, Welcome and congratulations on a wonderful decision. Look, you're doing this for yourself and for you son. You know all of the health benefits from being a non-smoker. But, make yourself a list of reasons WHY you want to quit and that list will help to motivate you. My List: I want to live. Life is a precious gift and I've abused my body for far too long. I want to live longer and be with my husband and children. My kids are grown but they still need Mom around. I want to see my grandchildren come into the world. I don't want my family worrying about my health anymore. I want to feel good, more energetic, free from coughing, I want to breathe clearly again, etc. I don't want to smell like nasty, stale cigarettes. I don't want my breath to smell like an ashtray, I'm tired of feeling embarrassed when Non Smokers looked at me with disgust, I want my hair and clothes to smell nice and fresh again. That list can go on. Oh, and I want to take the money I'm saving on smokes and use it for something my family needs, something we want, or wherever it's most needed. That's a start for a motivational list and you can make your own list. But you get the idea. Jaws, have plenty of sunflower seeds, hard candy, gum, toothpicks, straws, peanuts, etc. to satisfy that hand to mouth thing. IMPORTANT: Drink lots and lots and lots of water. It helps with the cravings like you wouldn't believe. It flushes the poisons out of your system and dulls those cravings. Prepare your house and car by getting rid of the smoke smell as much as you can. Throw away any cigarettes and ashtrays. Have nice candles, incense, and spray carpet deodorizer to mask the smell of smoke. Wherever you smoke the most (triggers), change those triggers up. One of my big triggers is my PC so, since I can't move it right now, I rearranged everything on my desk and a candle sits where my ashtray once did. I sit my drinks to the right now instead of to the left. I had to make my desk different to help with those triggers. Think about where you smoke the most and try to avoid those places for a while. When you get a serious craving, remember water, water, water and then do something else during the crave....like take a shower, do 50 jumpi

It's a very tough morning

Get lots of gum too, all different flavors so you can switch around. I found a bag of those roasted peanuts in the shell at Wal-Mart and I love them. I'm not a big peanut fan but I love these in the shell. They're already roasted and salted. AND, it give you something to with your hand plus, they're healthy. Sunflower seeds are too. Oh, I eat Twizzlers too. Remember those? The licorice (Sp?). Of course, I get the strawberry flavored and not the black. Everything I get has to be sugar free since I'm diabetic. If you buy sugar free, be careful because it makes you f@rt like 550 lb. man if you eat too much. Believe me, I know!!! ha ha ha ha See Porky, we're sort of in the same boat here. You have to quit for your back to recover the way it should. I have to quit because diabetes and smoking....not a good mix. Plus, we both want to quit because I like breathing easier and not coughing, don't you? LOL This is feeling good. The cravings don't but breathe in real deep right now and you'll see a difference. Girl, I need to check my quit meter. I've only got one day on you and look at how many cigarettes I haven't smoked and how many you haven't smoked. Surely I didn't smoke that many cigarettes. How many did you smoke a day? I thought we were about the same. Tutti [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 2/18/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 7 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 387 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $19.53 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 0 [B]Hrs:[/B] 17 [B]Mins:[/B] 57 [B]Seconds:[/B] 37

Who are the Febuary 07 Quitters?

Great idea Niks. Count me In. Oh by the way, I did the math so wrong on the cigarettes I smoked. ha ha ha ha I had to update my meter with the actual amount of cigarettes I smoked per day. You drew my attention to that. It's still a whole lot though. Whynot, don't throw in the towel. You CAN do this. It's so hard but I know you can do it. Just keep talking to us, drink tons of water, and move around doing something when the crave hits. K? Tutti [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 2/18/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 7 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 323 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $19.53 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 0 [B]Hrs:[/B] 18 [B]Mins:[/B] 17 [B]Seconds:[/B] 47

Sneak attack on Day 8

Mom, where are you? I can't find a post from you later than the 21st. Of course, my eyes are really tired right now. Post and let us hear how you're doing, okay? Today is my 6th day. Well, I just went into a full week. Yee Haw!! The 6th day was pretty easy but this evening, craves, craves, and more craves. I'm NOT giving in again. Nope, I won't do it. Let me know how you're doing. I'm so sorry you've had a hard day and I wish I had found this post sooner. You hang in there. You're doing great.....SO great. I Need You Here With Me, Tutti [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 2/18/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 7 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 387 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $19.53 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 0 [B]Hrs:[/B] 17 [B]Mins:[/B] 58 [B]Seconds:[/B] 4

Any advice for a beginning quitter?

Jaws, I didn't quite finish. Woops. Over the next few days your quit may be a little different from others. You'll feel that irritability but, if you're going cold turkey, the nicotine will be out of your system in 3 days. You'll start to settle down after that. You will feel cravings but, you have to busy yourself doing other things and drink that water. Lots of water. When you have a craving, get mad at it. Literally gripe at it. You're releasing stress when you do that. Do tell you family and friends that you've quit and ask them to be patient with you. Remember, smoking is more than a habit, it IS an addiction. I bad addiction but one that can be overcome. We'll all help you. With each craving that comes along, tell yourself that your body is making progress. It really is too. Read as much on this site as you can. Really look at the tools over to the left and work them. It'll help you so much. And read, read and read posts and then post as much as you need to. We're all here for you. Take Care, Tutti [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 2/18/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 7 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 390 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $19.53 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 0 [B]Hrs:[/B] 18 [B]Mins:[/B] 0 [B]Seconds:[/B] 34

thought I was going to cave

Susie, How are you feeling now? Post and let us know.....okay? Susie, panic attacks can hit you when you least expect it and it won't matter where you are. I've had them hit me in stores and in my car. I think I pioneered panic attacks (Ha Ha) because when mine started, very few people spoke publicly about them. I'm only 46 but 20 years ago, people just didn't talk about them. Now, you can't swing a cat without hitting someone who suffers from panic attacks. I know how terrifying they are so I really want to read your posts and see how you're doing. My panic attacks come whenever there is a big life change. That's why I started having them. Let's face it Susie, giving up smoking is a big life change. That could be the reason why you had the attack. Then that crave hit you because your nervous system went into "red alert" and I'm sure you probably smoked whenever you were nervous. We all did. I'm having some anxiety right now in my quit. Susie, you may not have another panic attack but, just in case, forewarned is forearmed, right? If you do have an attack, do NOT breathe really fast. I know you want to but inhale slowly through your nose and blow out slowly through your mouth. Make sure you get cooled off...i.e. If your in your car, turn the A/C on full blast and turn the vents towards your face. Time your panic attack. That's important because most attacks only last 15 to 20 minutes and those are really severe attacks. So Time your attack and when you reach the 5 minute mark, you'll take comfort in knowing it's almost over. If you get that urge to cry really hard, do it!! By crying it's like you're releasing a pressure valve. Keep your mind working too by saying your name, where you were born, when you were born, when you married, the names of your children, your husband's name, etc. It's very important for you to stay in control of your mind and not let the attack overwhelm you. Oh, and this is a powerful tool.....Get MAD at the panic attack, the fear. Get mad as hell and literally chew it out. By doing that, you're wearing the pants and by God, you're in control. And you're keeping your mind working. You may not have another attack. This attack may have been an isolated incident. So you may not ever, ever need th

You know it's bad when......

TryAgain, what a wonderful day!! I'm so happy for you. What a great quit!! Tutti [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 2/18/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 6 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 374 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $16.74 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 0 [B]Hrs:[/B] 17 [B]Mins:[/B] 18 [B]Seconds:[/B] 0

It's a very tough morning

Heya Porky, I've been trying to find you and haven't been able to find a thread that you've posted. Finally found one. You really are doing a great job Porky. I'm so proud of you. I know it's hard and not being able to move around much plus your husband smoking is making your quit even harder. But you can still do it. Is your husband still smoking in the main living area or in the room where you're recovering? He can't be smoking around you because the second hand smoke may have a bad effect on the new tissue and bone. Call your doctor and ask him about that. I'll bet you dollars to donuts that he will tell you that your husband is NOT suppose to be smoking around you....Then I'll bet you that your doctor will talk to you husband about the second hand smoke and your health and healing process. Porky, this is YOUR quit but damn, it's YOUR LIFE here. Your quit will improve the quality of your life but you need to get that second hand smoke away from you so that your surgery wasn't all for nothing, your back will heal, and you can live without that constant pain. You have TWO issues to deal with here. Your quit and your back recovery. It's hard but you can do this. If it were me, my quit, and my back....even if it meant staying with someone in my family who doesn't smoke while I recovered and grew new tissue and bone, I'd do it. If my husband wouldn't take the smoking outside, I sure would have to stay elsewhere to heal. That's just me because I'm not a big fan of pain so I'd avoid it anyway I could. I think the Gameboy idea is a great one. Shoot, I'll even try that to use as a distraction. If you can quilt, you really should start making things. I wish I could quilt but never learned how. Do you have your own bedroom that you're recovering in....away from your husband? I don't know how you have everything set up. If you are in a bedroom with a Tv and Dvd player, you should even sign up for Netflix so you can get lost in a good movie. And you wouldn't have to get out to drive back and forth to the video store. Let's see what else......If your pictures aren't too hard to get to, sort through them, and get them ready to scan and burn to Cd so that they won't fade anymore. Give yourself a manicure. Heck, my fingernails are super sh

Think Gas is a side affect?

You guys are going to think I'm imagining things but, Sugar Free Gum, Sugar Free Hard Candy and, Sugar Free Anything when you've eaten a lot of it, gives you gas. I don't know how many of you are using sugar free gum and candies to help with your cravings but, it is true that they'll give you gas if you've eaten a lot of it. And then, if you'll look at the package at that really tiny print, you'll see the warning that says: Over consumption may have a laxative effect. Being diabetic, I have to use the sugar free gum and candies so, I have to vewy, vewy careful. LOL Tutti [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 2/18/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 6 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 380 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $16.74 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 0 [B]Hrs:[/B] 17 [B]Mins:[/B] 37 [B]Seconds:[/B] 57

19 days , whats going on?

redytoquit, You can come down and clean my house!! Giggle just a little because you need to. You're doing a great job on your quit and you've worked so hard. In a few days, you'll have more housework to do but for now, you can take those few days and totally pamper yourself. Do what Monica58 said too. I read her post and found myself getting sleepy and so relaxed. LOL Hang in there and keep us posted. You're doing wonderful. Tutti [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 2/18/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 6 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 380 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $16.74 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 0 [B]Hrs:[/B] 17 [B]Mins:[/B] 39 [B]Seconds:[/B] 24