How to quit smoking???

kc0iet · #1 (**permalink**) 04-02-2009, 10:24 PM

Hi All,

I just wondered if some of you that have managed to quit smoking might share how you did it. What worked for you? What helped? What didn't? Any suggestions at all!

I have smoked for 35 years! I finally got an appointment with a surgeon to review my options for a complex revision surgery, but the nurse let me know in the first phone call that this doctor requires all of his patients to quit smoking before he will consider surgery! Now, I know that I can cut down, I already have, but I really don't know if I can quit. I would like to, but I did quit once several years ago for about six months and I was impossible to live with. Heck, I didn't even like me during that period of my life! So, I quit quitting!

Any wisdom appreciated.

dshobbies · #2 (**permalink**) 04-02-2009, 11:23 PM

My father quite smoking when he had a heart attack and subsequent by-pass surgery, 100% attributable to smoking. However, my mother didn't quit until x-rays revealed a mass in her lungs. No, it wasn't cancer but what a scare. Until the biopsy came back, the whole family was calling to say good-bye. What a wake-up call. BTW, my mother has such poor circulation in her legs, she can hardly walk anymore, also because of smoking.

You always think nothing will happen to you until it does. I've had 2 friends who died from smoking, 1 heart attack, 1 lung cancer. My grandfather died from lung cancer, my other grandfather - a heart attack. I know 2 people that carry oxygen around with them. One has emphazema, a horrible disease because your mind stays sharp until your last breath. Your last months, weeks, days, hours are filled with regret.

I'm pretty sure my asthma (and my brother') is attributable to the second hand smoke we had to put up with for 20 years.

You know all of the above but when it's personal, it's more likely to sink in. Truth be told, you can be an alive bitch or nice... and dead!

Sorry, my opinion is quite tainted.

Terry Allen Blackburn · #3 (**permalink**) 04-03-2009, 03:21 AM

I used the LifeSign system to quit smoking and it will be twenty years this year for me since I quit. It works to gradually withdrawal the nicotine out of your system and should be used as a tool with other methods. I walked 5 miles per day, chewed sugarless gum, went to therapy, read daily meditations to quit smoking, listened to subliminal tapes three times per day that pertained to quitting smoking, kept a list of all of the reasons I wanted to quit in my pocket, held my breath as long as I could whenever I got a bad urge and the craving would go away. the key is to remember you are going to have the craving whether you smoke or not. Then you don't give in to the craving. It gets easier over time. The American Lung Association's line of; "Don't quit quitting" is very appropriate. One of the times you will be successful. It took me five times. I don't blame the surgeon as the surgery is going to be a waste if you continue to smoke. The problem is that you will not heal correctly if you continue to smoke.

Quit Smoking Gradually With QuitKey!

Hang in there.

Terry Newton

Maria · #4 (**permalink**) 04-04-2009, 05:06 AM

For me both times I've quit smoking I quit cold turkey. I have spent more time being a non smoker than a smoker but each time I did have some weight gain involved (like 20 lbs). It's been 15 years since I last smoked.

ans · #5 (**permalink**) 04-09-2009, 01:28 AM

Every time I successfully quit - and for years stretches, I simply told myself "don't smoke" - despite craving. Once I was 7 days out, it got easier. It was kinda a cognitive technique that I used but it's not working now. I think it'll be the fear of surgery that'll make me quit or worse, a terrible health event (gee, maybe I should quit now). It was so easy when in my early 20s to substitute exercise for cravings. Also, another time I wore a rubber band around my wrist and snapped it every time I had the cravings that worked as a cognitive reminder. Duh, maybe I should try this too.

It isn't easy but possible. Let's try together. PM me if you want or if smokers wanna quit we can create a thread and check in and use the honor/honesty system. Self-help group related so spine surgery! Yeah. But I'd have to check with our Mending Dad.

Best, Allan

Nairek · #6 (**permalink**) 04-19-2009, 01:48 AM

Let's see, I quit smoking cold turkey on New Year's Eve & was the designated driver for the evening. Wasn't much fun to be in my car that night! LOL!!

I have to say that I was a "moody" little bugger. The hardest part was when I had my coffee. I always had a smoke when I had coffee. I recall that once I got past the 2 week mark I was a bit less "moody". I was successful because I had something to prove. No one believed that I could quit & I just had to prove them all wrong. I still dream that I smoke sometimes. It's been almost 14 years, you would think that the dreams would stop already!

If you are unsure of being able to quit cold turkey, speak to your primary care doc & see if you can get one of those nicotine transdermal kits. Doctors don't want you to smoke because it can hinder the healing process & it's just downright not good for you. But you don't need that lecture.

If you need support, just give a shout out. I'm sure that folks here can lend some help!