GeddysMullet Posted March 15, 2013 Share Posted March 15, 2013 Good for you, Mara! Best of luck with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tx_rush Posted March 15, 2013 Share Posted March 15, 2013 Good luck! I have had friends use chantix, just a heads up most of them said they had some really bizarre dreams and sleeping habits. I dont smoke but I do use chewing tobacco, not any better of a habit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sullysue Posted March 15, 2013 Share Posted March 15, 2013 I'm glad to hear you're quitting! I quit a long while back. Honestly, it was easier than I thought it would be. I had tried Chantix before, with no success. As a fair warning, be prepared for some mondo bizzaro side effects. The last time, the successful attempt, I took Welbutrin for a week and simply used every ounce of willpower I could muster. After that first week, I was able to stick to it using a mantra of "Mind over matter." I reminded myself with each craving that it would pass, which they all did. My best advise is to find things to keep your mind busy during those times that might be your triggers, like after a meal. Read, clean, go jogging or walking, take the doggies out, drive your spouse up a wall. Anything to keep your mind occupied. I'd also recommend not drinking alcohol for a while if you're used to lighting up while you enjoy a glass of wine or whatever. That turned out to be a HUGE trigger for me. You will be SOOOOOOO glad you quit when it's all said and done. You can do this! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mara Posted March 15, 2013 Author Share Posted March 15, 2013 (edited) Well, I got the prescription. :D My sinusitis still isn't completely cleared up, though. I still have some serious shortness of breath and if snot were a biofuel, I could sell the mineral rights to myself for $$$$$. She did give me a breathing treatment and an inhaler to help with all of that. I am anxious to get started, but am going to wait a couple days more to try to get rid of the rest of the symptoms from the sinusitis. It doesn't really feel like I am making an excuse to delay quitting, since I''m currently not smoking anyway - if I tried I'd probably implode from coughing. I just want to start this process in as healthy a state as I can. Dr. agrees with me. Edited March 15, 2013 by Mara 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MMCXII Posted March 15, 2013 Share Posted March 15, 2013 You won't have a hard time quitting.. Now that the TRF army is on your side! :) I've been thinking of quitting too. I'm 42 but only been smoking for two years (I know I know.. It's kind of embarrassing to admit I started when I was 40!) I wish you the best Mara! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skin Bag Posted March 29, 2013 Share Posted March 29, 2013 Hi Mara ~ How are you doing? If you feel for any reason you need to try an alternate method to stop smoking, I highly recommend Allen Carr's "The Easy Way to Stop Smoking". It's nothing short of a miracle how easy it really was for me to quit smoking with this program. Had smoked for nearly 40 years and then quit the day I listened to their webcast. No cravings, no tricks, no nicotine replacement, nothing. It's been almost 2 years and I still have no desire to smoke, which stuns me everytime I think about it, LOL. Best wishes to you and let me know if I can help in any way. ~ Becky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mara Posted April 1, 2013 Author Share Posted April 1, 2013 (edited) OK, now on Day 9. Quit date is Wed. 4/3 (coincidentally that is exactly one month before I see Rush at the Raleigh PNC). I had part of a cigarette on the way to work this morning. Then around 11:30, I started thinking I wanted one (previous habit had me outside around 10 am every morning). But I really didn't - I just wanted to get out from behind my desk and go outside for a few minutes. So that's what I did. :) The Chantix does definitely reduce the craving in addition to making smoking much less pleasureable. It does not taste the same, and after about 3-4 puffs, I find I do not want to finish. I'm getting ready to sign up on their support program as well. Edited April 1, 2013 by Mara 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rushfanforever! Posted April 2, 2013 Share Posted April 2, 2013 OK, now on Day 9. Quit date is Wed. 4/3 (coincidentally that is exactly one month before I see Rush at the Raleigh PNC). I had part of a cigarette on the way to work this morning. Then around 11:30, I started thinking I wanted one (previous habit had me outside around 10 am every morning). But I really didn't - I just wanted to get out from behind my desk and go outside for a few minutes. So that's what I did. :) The Chantix does definitely reduce the craving in addition to making smoking much less pleasureable. It does not taste the same, and after about 3-4 puffs, I find I do not want to finish. I'm getting ready to sign up on their support program as well. Mara,Glad to hear that you are winning the battle thus far!!! Keep it up, we all know you can do this!! :ebert: :) :clap: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wulfhrafnr Posted April 2, 2013 Share Posted April 2, 2013 I recently turned 45 and realized that this smoking habit, which I picked up at age 20 while thinking "oh, I'm young, I can quit before I've totally wrecked my health" needs to go. I have an appointment tomorrow with my GP and hopefully will leave with a prescription for Chantix. I desperately want to quit, but I know I will need some help. I've known a few people who've had great success with Chantix. It is expensive, over $200 month (and my insurance won't cover it), but hopefully I will not need it for longer than 3 months. Plus I got a coupon for $75 off/month for up to 4 months. So there's that. Why am I quitting? After all, I'm not a heavy smoker (about 1/2 pack per day), can go extended periods of time without losing my shit over a craving, and can honestly say I really DO enjoy the ones I smoke. Several reasons, really. - I now cough like a fiend sometimes after a hard cardio workout. That's kind of scary and is telling me something.- My chest x-rays on a recent physical were clean. I'd like to keep them that way.- At the grocery store the other day, I saw a blue man. Seriously - he was on oxygen but was so compromised that he was bluish in color. I don't want to get that way. I now have a pretty good idea of what people with COPD and congestive heart failure feel like. This past week I've had a horrendous case of sinusitis leading to bronchitis. I'm still improving but now have experienced that scary feeling of not being able to get enough air. In my case the shortness of breath is due to the illness, but it is really really frightening and exhausting sometimes - I've had to sit down and catch my breath after doing something so mundane as getting dressed for work. It is not something I want to become chronic as a result of smoking. (And no, I haven't been smoking at all while I've been sick with the sinusitis. I am fairly sure that my head would come off if I were to try). So wish me luck! This is probably going to suck. Good luck, I've been considering cold turkey, hope nobody kills me... Lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mara Posted April 2, 2013 Author Share Posted April 2, 2013 (edited) This thread means a lot to me. I'm referring back to it often for the encouragement! Official quit date is tomorrow, but I am trying to finish out today with no more cigarettes. I had 3 puffs of one on the way to work and want that to be the end of it. It helps that those 3 puffs came from my last cigarette (I did put the remainder back in the pack), and I flatly refuse to buy another pack. I am donating my lighters to one of the smokers in the office. Hardest part now is mental - learning to think and function as a non-smoker. I suspect I'll be more productive, as I now don't have the excuse of "I'll go have a cigarette and then deal with it." Edited April 2, 2013 by Mara 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Principled Man Posted April 2, 2013 Share Posted April 2, 2013 Hardest part now is mental - learning to think and function as a non-smoker. http://i.qkme.me/4d8y.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
librarian Posted April 2, 2013 Share Posted April 2, 2013 This thread means a lot to me. I'm referring back to it often for the encouragement! Official quit date is tomorrow, but I am trying to finish out today with no more cigarettes. I had 3 puffs of one on the way to work and want that to be the end of it. It helps that those 3 puffs came from my last cigarette (I did put the remainder back in the pack), and I flatly refuse to buy another pack. I am donating my lighters to one of the smokers in the office. Hardest part now is mental - learning to think and function as a non-smoker. I suspect I'll be more productive, as I now don't have the excuse of "I'll go have a cigarette and then deal with it." Keep up the good work! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thesweetscience Posted April 2, 2013 Share Posted April 2, 2013 I quit November of 2001. Had smoked for 15 years. Beating the nicotine was easy. It was the act of smoking I missed. Driving without a cigarette in my hand. The first one in the morning. The last one before bed. Those were the hard ones to get over. I wish you luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lost In Xanadu Posted April 2, 2013 Share Posted April 2, 2013 This thread means a lot to me. I'm referring back to it often for the encouragement! Official quit date is tomorrow, but I am trying to finish out today with no more cigarettes. I had 3 puffs of one on the way to work and want that to be the end of it. It helps that those 3 puffs came from my last cigarette (I did put the remainder back in the pack), and I flatly refuse to buy another pack. I am donating my lighters to one of the smokers in the office. Hardest part now is mental - learning to think and function as a non-smoker. I suspect I'll be more productive, as I now don't have the excuse of "I'll go have a cigarette and then deal with it." Good luck!! Tomorrow I will be sending you good thoughts. Why give away the lighters? Don't you have candles? :) Just asking because nobody in my house smokes, but I just went and bought a 5 pack of those bic lighters for my wife Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mara Posted April 2, 2013 Author Share Posted April 2, 2013 (edited) This thread means a lot to me. I'm referring back to it often for the encouragement! Official quit date is tomorrow, but I am trying to finish out today with no more cigarettes. I had 3 puffs of one on the way to work and want that to be the end of it. It helps that those 3 puffs came from my last cigarette (I did put the remainder back in the pack), and I flatly refuse to buy another pack. I am donating my lighters to one of the smokers in the office. Hardest part now is mental - learning to think and function as a non-smoker. I suspect I'll be more productive, as I now don't have the excuse of "I'll go have a cigarette and then deal with it." Good luck!! Tomorrow I will be sending you good thoughts. Why give away the lighters? Don't you have candles? :) Just asking because nobody in my house smokes, but I just went and bought a 5 pack of those bic lighters for my wife We light the candles with an electric match! I just joined a message board - the Quit Smoking Message Board. There is tons of good information and support on there. I especially like the "SOS" feature - if you find yourself considering lighting up, you are to post an "SOS" on the main forum page, and people will jump in with encouragement and billions of reasons not to take that puff! Edited April 2, 2013 by Mara Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lost In Xanadu Posted April 2, 2013 Share Posted April 2, 2013 This thread means a lot to me. I'm referring back to it often for the encouragement! Official quit date is tomorrow, but I am trying to finish out today with no more cigarettes. I had 3 puffs of one on the way to work and want that to be the end of it. It helps that those 3 puffs came from my last cigarette (I did put the remainder back in the pack), and I flatly refuse to buy another pack. I am donating my lighters to one of the smokers in the office. Hardest part now is mental - learning to think and function as a non-smoker. I suspect I'll be more productive, as I now don't have the excuse of "I'll go have a cigarette and then deal with it." Good luck!! Tomorrow I will be sending you good thoughts. Why give away the lighters? Don't you have candles? :) Just asking because nobody in my house smokes, but I just went and bought a 5 pack of those bic lighters for my wife We light the candles with an electric match! I just joined a message board - the Quit Smoking Message Board. There is tons of good information and support on there. I especially like the "SOS" feature - if you find yourself considering lighting up, you are to post an "SOS" on the main forum page, and people will jump in with encouragement and billions of reasons not to take that puff! My mom quit smoking when she was getting short of breath. She started putting on a lot of weight due to lack of activity. She did it cold turkey, and it's been 5 years now. She lost all the weight she put on + some. She said she has worn jeans for the first time in nearly 40 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
priest_of_syrinx Posted April 3, 2013 Share Posted April 3, 2013 My mom just had a lobe of her lung removed due to cancer in a patently gruesome surgery just under two weeks ago... The chances of the cancer coming back are very low, and we're lucky that we caught it unusually early. It was only stage 1A, and we found it coincidentally through a CT scan. Seeing her in all this pain makes me support your decision all the more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mara Posted April 3, 2013 Author Share Posted April 3, 2013 Made the drive to work today through a gauntlet of convenience stores, a grocery store, and three pharmacies without being tempted to stop and buy a pack. I have a clicky ballpoint pen I'm carrying around in those situations where I'd normally be smoking. Walking the dogs last night and this morning: "click, click, click, click". Driving to work: "click, click, clickety-click-click". This pen is like a pacifier (though I'm not chewing on it - it's just something to occupy my hands).. Once I can claim success, I may get it bronzed. :D 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sullysue Posted April 3, 2013 Share Posted April 3, 2013 Made the drive to work today through a gauntlet of convenience stores, a grocery store, and three pharmacies without being tempted to stop and buy a pack. I have a clicky ballpoint pen I'm carrying around in those situations where I'd normally be smoking. Walking the dogs last night and this morning: "click, click, click, click". Driving to work: "click, click, clickety-click-click". This pen is like a pacifier (though I'm not chewing on it - it's just something to occupy my hands).. Once I can claim success, I may get it bronzed. :D Whatever works! :ebert: How are you doing on the Chantix? Have you had any weird dreams? And, by "weird," I mean pornographic and seemingly directed by Salvador Dali? 'Cause I sure did. Freaked me the hell out... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mara Posted April 3, 2013 Author Share Posted April 3, 2013 Made the drive to work today through a gauntlet of convenience stores, a grocery store, and three pharmacies without being tempted to stop and buy a pack. I have a clicky ballpoint pen I'm carrying around in those situations where I'd normally be smoking. Walking the dogs last night and this morning: "click, click, click, click". Driving to work: "click, click, clickety-click-click". This pen is like a pacifier (though I'm not chewing on it - it's just something to occupy my hands).. Once I can claim success, I may get it bronzed. :D Whatever works! :ebert: How are you doing on the Chantix? Have you had any weird dreams? And, by "weird," I mean pornographic and seemingly directed by Salvador Dali? 'Cause I sure did. Freaked me the hell out... No porn dreams! Hah, that's hilarious. I already have weird dreams, though, because I take Lexapro; I will let you know if they get any weirder. Chantix is working great so far; I did have to start eating a small meal of protein before my morning dose as it was making me a little bit nauseous on an empty stomach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken hawk Posted April 3, 2013 Share Posted April 3, 2013 Mara i wish you luck and strength! You can do it....we all are supporting you...but if you slip...try try again till you get it right! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sullysue Posted April 3, 2013 Share Posted April 3, 2013 Made the drive to work today through a gauntlet of convenience stores, a grocery store, and three pharmacies without being tempted to stop and buy a pack. I have a clicky ballpoint pen I'm carrying around in those situations where I'd normally be smoking. Walking the dogs last night and this morning: "click, click, click, click". Driving to work: "click, click, clickety-click-click". This pen is like a pacifier (though I'm not chewing on it - it's just something to occupy my hands).. Once I can claim success, I may get it bronzed. :D Whatever works! :ebert: How are you doing on the Chantix? Have you had any weird dreams? And, by "weird," I mean pornographic and seemingly directed by Salvador Dali? 'Cause I sure did. Freaked me the hell out... No porn dreams! Hah, that's hilarious. I already have weird dreams, though, because I take Lexapro; I will let you know if they get any weirder.Chantix is working great so far; I did have to start eating a small meal of protein before my morning dose as it was making me a little bit nauseous on an empty stomach. Coolness! Chantix is great because it does more than just get you through the cravings. You will notice that having a cigarette becomes offensive. That's why they have you smoke during your first week on it. I would have stayed on it, but I didn't tolerate the side effects very well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILSnwdog Posted April 3, 2013 Share Posted April 3, 2013 Made the drive to work today through a gauntlet of convenience stores, a grocery store, and three pharmacies without being tempted to stop and buy a pack. I have a clicky ballpoint pen I'm carrying around in those situations where I'd normally be smoking. Walking the dogs last night and this morning: "click, click, click, click". Driving to work: "click, click, clickety-click-click". This pen is like a pacifier (though I'm not chewing on it - it's just something to occupy my hands).. Once I can claim success, I may get it bronzed. :D Whatever works! :ebert: How are you doing on the Chantix? Have you had any weird dreams? And, by "weird," I mean pornographic and seemingly directed by Salvador Dali? 'Cause I sure did. Freaked me the hell out...I don't take Chantix, and I have dreams like that! :o Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILSnwdog Posted April 3, 2013 Share Posted April 3, 2013 Keep fighting the good fight Mara! :ebert: Gotta let us know if food starts tasting better. Who knows...maybe you'll start liking eggs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LyndseyG Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 Good luck Mara!! Thinking of you! :hi: :ebert: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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