Quitting Smoking

[Tommy Boy]

I realize that a lot of the people on here are younger and probably don't smoke, but for the people who do and who currently do, how many have quit or are trying to quit?
I have recently quit smoking after about 6 years, I didn't really smoke that much, a pack last me a 1 1/2 days to 2 days. I have now been smoke free for almost a month and I have decided that I'm done forever. But, about 2 weeks after I quit I started getting headaches, what felt like sinus pressure, dizziness and a foggy mind and has been going on for almost 2 weeks now. I looked it up on the net about nicotine withdrawal and found that my symptoms are in line with that. Sometimes called "quitters flu" because the symptoms resemble flu symptoms. I have to say, this is terrible, I don't feel good at all, I feel tired, headaches, can't think nor concentrate very well and I'm wondering how much longer these symptoms will last. I've adjusted my eating habits so that they are more spread out during the day, I've been drinking a lot of water and have been deliberately breathing deeper from time to time, as per what I read. So far it's been continuing, not quite as bad as it first was though.

Anybody have any insight on this? Anything helpful would be appreciated.

 

[wozelbeak]

i quit when i developed a lung disease!!
two weeks in a ward full of cancer sufferers convinced me.
i spent a year on steroids to beat the disease, and i also beat the smoking habit.
woz

 

[GlasseyeUK]

I have always had problems with smoking after starting at the age of 11, and well I am now 30 years old. I had very similar symptoms, and the headaches were blinding, I have a tendency to start smoking again when I am stressed, or having difficulties.

I stopped for nearly a year, and used Nicotine replacement treatment, patches, and an inhalator (fake cigarette with nicotine capsules) unfortunately due to some real life pressures I have started again, and am dreading quitting again, I have all the stuff already as we can get them on prescription in the UK, (or they are quite expensive).

When I started taking the NRT the symptoms were lessened somewhat, but your body is always going to go through some withdrawal symptoms, as nicotine is highly addictive. They say that the physical symptoms should last from 7-10 days but the mental addiction is the killer, and for some it can never truly go away......

 

[Tommy Boy]

Well, I didn't use the patch, gum or inhalers or anything like that, I just quit. Threw them in the trash one day and said "thats it". I must be having late symptoms because I didn't have any of this in the first 2 weeks. At that time it was just the irritability and the cravings.

Well, the cravings are gone now, and I feel that I have a hold on my mind that says I'm not going to smoke anymore. I'd hate to have to go through this again the next time I try to quit. It's hell....sometimes I want to say to myself "I'd be better off smoking again, I didn't feel this bad when I smoked".

 

[~K-Pow~]

It's all in the Mind, try meditation or relaxing if you can take your mind off of it you'll never need to smoke again.

I know it's hard, well actually i don't know since i never smoked, but from what i hear i would say it's not easy but the human mind is the strongest power and if you can put your mind to it i'd say you can easily quit smoking.

And if your still having trouble carry water with you everwhere you go when you get a craving take a drink of water, it's worked for a few people i know.

i wish you the best of luck Tommy Boy, were rooting for ya.

 

[GlasseyeUK]

Keep at it man, it won't go on forever, and well the way I am trying to look at it, it maybe a month or so of feeling hellish, but its nothing compared to the damage its doing to the insides of you

 

[Tommy Boy]

Oh, I totally agree, the nonsmoking life is so much better. Not having to stand outside in the cold and finish your cigarette like a social outcast, not worrying about wheither you have enough smokes to last the day, stuff like that. Plus the damage the 500 or so chemicals that are in cigarettes are doing to your body.

If I don't feel better by next week I'm going to go see a doctor to make sure the symptoms aren't something more serious, just as a precaution.

 

[GlasseyeUK]

The cost as well, over here in some places its £5.50 a pack of 20........saved a fortune when I stopped smoking

 

[Bahawolf1]

To quit smoking is not an easy task at all.
My mother quit smoking and my father is in the process of trying to do so.

I never began because I was raised to be against the use of ciggerates in many ways, and I barely ever drink alcohol (which unfortunately is abused by now more than ciggerates with the teen population of the US, I believe).

All the same, hold strong for yourself.. You'll be proud for doing it.

 

[Nik00117]

I don't smoke, I used too, thing that keeps me from smoking is not my parents. When I did smoke they bought my cigs. But what keeps is my fitness. I got into weight lifting and sports and I look at like this, sure I may drink every once in a while, not doesn't affect me If I get drunk every few months at a party or somthing but smoking cigs does. When I stopped smoking and began working out shortly after holy crap did I notice a difference. And I had only smoked for 6 months. My mile huffing and puffing like mad was 11:15, the same mile in the same gym 3 motnhs after not working out but quitting dropped to 9:30 and I COULD BREATHE.

How I started? Just wanted to give it a test drive started out in school, finished in home, mom found out thought I was crazy paying what I was paying so she bought them for me. Never critized me about it or anything. Was even allowed to smoke in my room which all my friends thought was weird. Well then spring break hit, I had nothign to plan so I pretty much stayed in my roomplaying on the computer, working on my spring break project, I had finsiehd off about a half back in that week. Well I never intended on quitting but one day after smoking one, I decided i'll stop. Wasn't difficult because without me relieasing it I had weend my way off it. But stop smoking is good. I suggest you take up a hobby that smoking seriously hurts like working out.

However I do still somtimes have a cigar, or a black or somthing. But thats not because i'm stressed addicted just because its somthing to. In fact the last time I had any tobacco was at my friends house on dec 15 (only reason I remembered is because it was the day before I left) we gotten a few blacks and some flavored cigars we sat on his pounch smoked them, said our good byes and I went home. But since then I haven't done a single cigs, black, cigar or anything.