Post Punk Kitchen Forum

Almost two years nicotine free. For my first day (I went cold turkey, excuse the expression) I sucked on lollypops because I needed something to do with my hands

I've quit for the most part. It helps that I have next to no money, so I couldn't smoke if I wanted to. Occasionally I'll smoke a butt off the ground (I know this is incredibly gross), but for the most part I'm quit.

38 days and the cravings have been almost gone for a few weeks. i've been off the nicotine gum for about 2,5 weeks (although i keep some in my bad for emergencies - IF something should happen that makes it impossible i'd rather chew gum than smoke). it feels really awesome, and i am officially in the "better blood circulation, better heart health and lungs recovering"-stage of my life as a non smoker.

i do not regret for a single minute that i decided to quit. on average it gives me about 130-150 dollars more a month to spend on other things than cigarettes. and i smell better. and my health is better. and i like not being addicted to anything. it's basically a win-win for me. also, it was actually easier than expected.

Newbie here. I have been on the e-cigs for two months and won't even consider going back. They're so much better and my house doesn't stink!

I plan on quitting these as well, but now that I'm off the smoke I feel much better, and that I have a little time.

Yay bugs!

I'm back on the wagon. I gave up for 6 months last year, loved it, then started to have one or two when out for the night, then got stressed and bought a pack, and have been smoking again for a couple of months. Back on the patches today (I just used them for a week last time) so fingers crossed I'll be non-smoking for good this time!

if you're on FB look at George Takei's page, last night he just posted something cool about quitting. I wanted to repost it here but had trouble and gave up. Good for you and keep up the good work!

Thanks, torque, found it

Hi all!

I'm in the process of quitting, that is to say I'm day 4 on Champix (varenicline) (I think it's also called Chantix). It's meant to be used for 1-2 weeks before a quit date and for about 3 months thereafter. I've had this prescription since last June, filled it back in October, and it sat in my cabinet untouched until last week.

This is my second time trying to quit smoking with Champix. The first time was 2010, and I was smoke-free for 2 months - that's the longest I've been smoke-free since I was 18 years old (I'm 33). I got to a point where I could stand outside with my husband or other smokers and not be interested in smoking at all. I felt amazing! I stopped the medication abruptly because I couldn't tolerate the side-effects any longer (bizarre dreams and wicked nausea). I started a very stressful post-grad ICU nursing program that same month, stopped exercising alltogether, and I started smoking again.

I've had several failed cold-turkey attempts since then. But I'm not going to give up on quitting.

In the last few weeks, I've felt particularly disgusted with myself. I smell horrible. I cough all the time. I look sick. I'm dependent on nasal decongestant spray because of chronic sinusitis related to smoking. 6 weeks ago I started running and weight-lifting again, and feel like a total idiot smoking on my way to and from the gym. I just had a conversation with my husband about my committment to working enough overtime shifts between now and August so that I can afford the $3600 for us to go on vacation in the fall; my smoking has cost me that same $3600 in the last year! Worst of all is I'm a health-care professional: I take care of people on ventilators (breathing machines), people living with (if you can call it living) and dying of lung disease related to smoking. I'm ashamed and embarassed that I'm a smoker.

A month ago a very close neighbour and friend of my family died of lung cancer at 42 years old. His 2 kids are in high-school. His wife is battling breast cancer, alone now. At his funeral I was hit with a memory from a year ago... he told me about a conversation he had with my dad, how he's so proud of me and what I've made of my life. It breaks my heart to think of it now.

So I'm done. Or, rather, I'm getting ready to be done. I'm sick of being sick, smelly, and burning my money.

So... day 4 on the meds. Quit-date is April 1. Already, I'm less interested in smoking. When I do, I'm grossed-out and either let it burn-up or butt-it after a few drags. I actually become nauseated now when I smoke, so that helps to discourage me. I'm really looking forward to being completely smoke-free and reminding myself every chance I get that I'm going to feel really good, really soon.

I don't expect I'll check-in here very often, because talking/reading about quitting/smoking makes me think about smoking.

Okay, so this was meant to be a quick check-in, but it turned into a novel... sorry.

So what I wanted to say (before my bout of verbal diarrhea) is to everyone on their smoke-free journey: I salute you! Breathe deeply!

I am still cigarette free - I tried smoking a cigarette once at a party a few months back and it was DISGUSTING. So not planning on returning ever.

Day 2 sans cigarettes.

I haven't taken my Champix in almost a week. I just can't deal with the nausea anymore. By Sunday I felt it almost completely worn-off. I'm not discouraged.

Today I've had a few moments feeling antsy and craving a cigarette, but I remind myself that these moments will pass, and sure enough they do.

I have replaced nicotine with cookies.

it will pass!! hang in there!!!

It's shameful the amout of chocolate I've eaten these last 3 days.

Hang in there!

My mother quit smoking last summer and has been smoke-free for nearly a year, and I feel like if she could do it (as a smoker of 40 years with anxiety, OCD and an addictive personality) then anyone can. I'm so proud of her. She used champix but not for the full 3 months, and there was some motivational book she read that made all the difference, apparently. I can get the name of it if you're interested.

Sure, and thanks. Please don't go out of your way, though.

Day 4. I have not punched anyone. Yet.

Way to go, lady! Keep it up!

Thanks. :-)

I quit in October, and I'm still SUPER happy with that decision! I even smoked a cigarette at a party and another one at a friends place while drinking wine a few weeks back, without even thinking about smoking again when I woke up. It feels like the best decision ever - it was hard, but time passed surprisingly quickly and then it just started becoming the new status quo. I can't even imagine spending that kind of money - or wasting my health! - on that ever again.

AlwaysHungry, stick to it and be super super super stubborn. Cold showers help. So does having an emergency pack of nicotine gum, so if something super hard happens, you can chew one of those instead of smoking a cigarette. Good luck!

Quitting smoking never stops being hard for me! I haven't had one puff in months and months and it's all I can think about. I think a part of my problem is that I have been dealing with my anxiety (which is a huge smoking trigger) by rewatching Mad Men and it's non-stop smoking in that show! And tonight I will be drinking outside with other smokers which is the hardest scenario to be in. I just wish there was something else I could smoke that wasn't toxic. Because smoking is great.

lazy, i keep hearing people say "i never think of it again" but i tell you, every spot on TV, movies, whiffs through the car window, and 6+ years later i still think of it every day.
i always assume it's just because i am really, really connected to smells and tastes and that smoking touches all your emotional and physical needs so profoundly. but i just notice "yeah, that looks/smells really good but i don't do that anymore." period. i do try to keep my hands busy whenever i need to, that helps.

Thanks torque! It does help to know I'm not alone. Maybe I'll bring my yo-yo to the bar!

I don't think of smoking EVERY day, but I do often miss it. The way the air smells at night in the fall makes me want to smoke.

And then I see how much cigarettes cost now and holy jeebus. I will be at 10 years in September and I can't even guess how much money I have no spent on cigarettes.

You should figure it out with an online calculator, I bet it's a lot

The book my mom used to quit is called 'Allen Carr's Easy Way to Stop Smoking'. She thinks the book helped her a lot more than the champix did (said the side effects were vile).

Hang in there!

Just wanted to throw out some support to those who are in the process of quitting. It sucks but you'll be happy you did it. Feel free to throw me some interwebz punches in the face, because when people told me "you'll feel so much better!" all chipper-like, I just wanted to push them into traffic. But alas, they were right. I quit because every time I turned around taxes on smokes were being raised (I feel like I quit for political reasons - no more will you reach into my pocket!) but I actually do feel great and am glad I did it.