Trying to stop smoking.

[Jimmy the Celt]

Of course if you lived in Scotland you could have gotten the very latest smoking cure.

ROFLMAO!!!

I had my last cigarette today--and I'm going cold turkey. I'm also looking at nasty pictures of what smoking does to the lungs and brain. HUGE help, that.

[cessna152towser]

Congratulations, dragoninterrupted. I know what you are going through having quit alcohol two years ago. The fact that you have gone public about your decision will strengthen your resolve and whatever you do, be patient and don't panic, the cravings will lessen and then disappear.

[McClef]

Fortunately I don't need that particular cure and being diabetic I could get them on free prescription if I did!

[Panache]

...I had my last cigarette today--

WELL DONE!

Cheers

[KiltedKnight]

Next month, January will be the sixteenth year since I quit smoking. I smoked cigarettes for 21 years. My wife convinced me to quit. My wife is a radiologist and specializes in oncology. She showed me lungs of smokers and when she fellowed at the City of Hope Medical Center here in California she showed me photos of folks who used chewing tobacco and lost everything from their upper pallet down to their adams apple.

I quit cold turkey and today I'm happy that I put up with the uncomfortable withdrawals. It is always my advice to anyone to quit now. In my opinion cold turkey is the only way, you cannot "try" to quit, if you only "try" you are setting yourself up for failure, I know, I 'tried' a number of times and failed. When I simply quit and determined that I would never have another smoke I succeeded.

My advice is of course is to never start but quit NOW if you're a smoker, the horrors that await you are much worse than any discomfort that you will experience by quitting.

Chris

[Frank McGrath]

I have a good friend that married a woman involved in a 12 step program. That program was formed around a Motorcycle club. My Buddy was invited to join the club, but would have to give up booze and smoking. He did that for his new bride. The money they would have spent on cigarettes alone afforded them the luxury of a big screen tv. Not only can he now watch the tv from across the yard, but he and his wife are closer than ever.
Not having ever started smoking, I have no idea what smokers go thru. But I continue to pray for those addicted to anything except kilts. There is no praying for the rabble.

Good luck with your quest. Quitting will only benefit you and yours.

[chasem]

I only smoked a total of maybe a pack of cigarettes back in high school, if that many, so i don't know the feeling of being addicted. My father smoked for years though, and tried to quit several times.

Once, when I was about three years old, he quit after accidentally putting his cigarette out on my cheek. But he picked them up again later.

I know it can be rough, but you'll be glad you did it. Stay strong!

[arrogcow]

ROFLMAO!!!

I had my last cigarette today--and I'm going cold turkey. I'm also looking at nasty pictures of what smoking does to the lungs and brain. HUGE help, that.

You and me both buddy. I woke up this morning to the first post in this thread. Later this morning I got yelled at by my dentist (and he very carefully checked my mouth for odd growths). So I just had my last smoke, and I'm going to bed. Tomorrow I'm a non smoker (just one week shy of 10 years since my wife quit - she's on my case too).

Adan

[Riverkilt]

Good for you Dragon!

Don't quit quitting. Took me a number of times before it took. I used to smoke up to four packs a day...then switched to cigars but would inhale them and chain smoke them. Got what I thought was food poisoning and went to the doc. He smelled my cigar stink, asked me how much I smoked, drew blood, and found out I had nicotine poisoning!

I used to assist at autopsys so have seen many smokers lungs...they look like large charcoal briquettes.

Not sure where in California you are but the American Cancer Society or American Lung Association may have, or be able to refer you to a free support group. Or there may be some Nicotine Anonymous or Smokers Anonymous meetings...forget which they call themselves now.

It won't be easy since chew tobacco has about 3X the nicotine delivery of cigarettes. But, it can be done. And, its worth it!

When I volunteered with the Phoenix Fire Deptartment they had posters in every fire house of the guys with no jaws from chew tobacco.

Ron

[Jimmy the Celt]

Thanks Ron. Looking at those nasty pictures helps motivate me a lot, and my family and friends are very supportive. When I quit drinking last year I got involved in Alcoholics Anonymous--when I first gave up the bottle I used a lot more chew and smokeless tobacco than I ever had before, and like last year, I'm dreaming about smoking [rather than drinking] quite frequently. I feel like I have the mental preparation to be successful now, and get past the obsession that addicts develop that make it so hard to quit.