SMOKERS... LETS KICK the HABIT!!

[girl_dee]

Originally Posted by Incubus

Good luck to all trying or aiming to give up. You can do it!!

I said I'd give up at 40 and didn't. Bad move! I carried on and was diagnosed with COPD - a directly smoking related disease - approximately 5 yrs ago, not long after I was 40 infact.

I'd tried several times to give up tobacco but never succeeded, I tend to fall down on the 'will power' thang and have always hated being denied something I want....who doesn't?

Earlier this year after what was the worst chest infection I've ever had - me and my girl thought I was going to die, I started taking the tablet we know here in the UK as Champix. I don't think I would have done it without the Champix but oh man fear is a great motivator too and I had my first tobacco free day on 26th April 2010. I'm still going over 8months later!

But...

...Yup there's that 'but'. I still have COPD and pretty damaged lungs which will never go away. I can arrest the disease but I can't heal it by stopping sadly but my daily hacking cough left me from day one of being tobacco free which was weird.

But...

...despite having a respiratory disease I have started cycling again, it's hard but I'm starting to be able to get up 'inclines' again. I also bought and am still learning to ride a unicycle.....the abs workout of the century which is exhausting and leaves me gasping for breath but I'm loving it.

Take heart all you quitters there is life beyond smoking. It's life Jim, just not as we know it!

I hope everyone that reads this gets even more encouragement to quit.. Someone very dear to me was just diagnosed with COPD and thankfully is not smoking but unfortunately it may have taken that diagnoses to get to that point.

It is VERY hard to watch those you care about go through the repercussions of this addiction.. very. It's also hard to watch people smoke killing their lungs consciously when my lungs are in such bad shape..and I was never a smoker. I know it's so not about me but it's hard on my heart.

Originally Posted by sassy_girl

I hope everyone that reads this gets even more encouragement to quit.. Someone very dear to me was just diagnosed with COPD and thankfully is not smoking but unfortunately it may have taken that diagnoses to get to that point.

It is VERY hard to watch those you care about go through the repercussions of this addiction.. very. It's also hard to watch people smoke killing their lungs consciously when my lungs are in such bad shape..and I was never a smoker. I know it's so not about me but it's hard on my heart.

Thank-you sassy_girl. I really do hope that others are inspired to give up if only to avoid being diagnosed with an unpleasant lung disease that can be avoided just by giving up tobacco. Sadly nothing scares a smoker though. It took something pretty cataclysmic to force my hand and make a serious decision to quit instead of 'play at it' like I had done previously. 33yrs of smoking and then COPD had me on course for my own personal oxygen tank before I hit 50, now I'm on course for riding a 29" wheel unicycle before I'm 50!

How's everyone doing? How did the quitters cope with the holiday season? Is anyone giving up tobacco as a New Year resolution?

Despite lots of parties with cigarette smokers and joints being passed around I'm pleased to report I remained a non-(tobacco)smoker.

Keep up the good work to all those in the early days of giving up and good luck to those who've made the resolution and are on day one. It gets easier, it really does!

[WickedFemme]

my sweetie gave me the e-cigarette for the holiday and I'm trying it... I've cut down smoking by about 50% or so since and am smoking less and less everyday. I'm hoping to have completely given up cigarettes by the end of this month or sooner. Good luck everyone!

Originally Posted by WickedFemme

my sweetie gave me the e-cigarette for the holiday and I'm trying it... I've cut down smoking by about 50% or so since and am smoking less and less everyday. I'm hoping to have completely given up cigarettes by the end of this month or sooner. Good luck everyone!

Good work WickedFemme! When I was cutting down in the run up to giving up totally I found just being conscious of every cigarette I had and often chose not to have the one I was about to light but wait for the next time I wanted one. Also developing a very positive 'self-talk' about giving up really helped in preparation too. Good luck throughout the month.

[WickedFemme]

Originally Posted by Incubus

Good work WickedFemme! When I was cutting down in the run up to giving up totally I found just being conscious of every cigarette I had and often chose not to have the one I was about to light but wait for the next time I wanted one. Also developing a very positive 'self-talk' about giving up really helped in preparation too. Good luck throughout the month.

Thanks Incubus! developing the consciousness around the habit has certainly helped. I even counted how many drags I took of a cigarette the other day... something I have never even thought about... hmmmm
I'm certainly thinking it through. This is good advice you offered here - thank you!

Originally Posted by WickedFemme

Thanks Incubus! developing the consciousness around the habit has certainly helped. I even counted how many drags I took of a cigarette the other day... something I have never even thought about... hmmmm
I'm certainly thinking it through. This is good advice you offered here - thank you!

You're very welcome WickedFemme. I'm happy to pass on any handy hints and tips that I helped me. It's one of the hardest habits to break as we all know. I started my own quitting smoking thread on one of the UK based B/F sites and posted pretty much daily for the first two or three months and found that writing it down every day in public helped keep me motivated.