ahhhh I hate fags

[Mydreamlife]

I had no problems either, Madlin was a surprise so at 17 I decided that was the end of that. Never looked back and thank god she was ok. Nick has stopped intermitantly but says it 'coz he's stressed. Hoping a bit of the good life should cure that. Although this brings it's own stree i'm sure it's just different.

[snapdragon]

I've stopped twice - first time was when i was pregnant - I suddenly couldn't stand ciggies - a week or so later I found I was pregnant (this was in the old days before available testing kits, scans etc etc)

The next time (I re-started years later when I returned to work) was after having an operation and sleeping for 24 hours or so after anaesthetic, I woke up and wasn't desperate for a ciggie so that worked .

But I have no wish to repeat either of those experiences, so will have to find another way. Can't abide oranges so i doubt if that will work.
I stick to winding my own cigs - at least they're small - and buying as much baccy as I can carry when visiting mainland europe keeps the cost down a little.

[Andy Hamilton]

Blimey, what a myriad of experiences.

I have lost count how many times I have given up, I have tried patches, Alan Carrs Easyway (twice), biscuits - eating a packet a day, Chewing gum, eating them. Almost everything really.

I just got bored of hearing myself say "yep must give up soon". I realised that soon had been around the corner for 2 years. The reason I wanted to give up this time was really a vain reason. Once this book is out there is a chance I might be known as an environmentalist and baccy is generally GM, hightly sprayed and flown for miles. In fact if it were a vegetable I would never go anywhere near it. I did not want to embarrassedly be sneaking off for a fag when giving talks etc. Or to be stinking of smoke when talking to kids, not exactly a good role model. Probably get a little full of myself there but sod it, if it keeps me not smoking.

The having a packet available is the method I have been trying, the trouble is after 5 pints they start to look too good. I got Emma to get rid this morning about 2 days worth of tobbaco, she gave it to a Big Issue seller who was most chuffed.

Right now, 7 days 3 smokes. Not bad.

[chookwoman]

Hi Andy. I'm on my 23rd day now, woo hoo! and I couldn't have a packet in the house. It would be pushing my limited willpower a bit too far I think. I was terribly addicted, had a fag on all the time. I'm using patches, and also Paul McKenna's CD. It came with a book which I didn't find very helpful, but the CD has been - very. I didn't get on with Allen Carr either. And I'm eating a lot of fruit cos I really don't want to get fat, but I do very much want to be a non smoker.

[Martin]

Must say from experience, be VERY careful with patches - somehow I managed to be filled with all sorts of intravenous antibiotics and other drugs whilst in hospital with no reactions - but one hefty nicotine patch had me bouncing off the walls - a real mega-reaction! - The nurses told me it was "quite common"

[chookwoman]

They are the strong ones. All I'm getting are very whacky dreams, but I was warned. As soon as I feel able I'll go down a strength or at least take it off at night. Nicotine is such a horrible drug.

[oldfella]

Andy? I smoked for for twenty odd years and gave up at least ten times.
One day I had a very bad coughing fit, you know where your insides try to get on the outside, it was a very bad attack and I threw the fag away. I started back to work and after a while I found myself putting another in my mouth, This is bloody stupid I thought, and went into a corner closed my eyes and relived those moments of heaving and gagging until I felt ill all over again, this I did for a week or so, until I could handle the withdrawal. It worked for me 28 years ago. Good luck but believe us all when we say endure the pain now and live the good life to the full.

[Andy Hamilton]

Still amazes me how many ex smokers there are on here!

Still not had one

Patches gave me strange dreams too, in fact vivid nightmares would be a more accurate description. Almost waking dreams about living in a post apocalyptic world being chased by zombies. Most odd. I started to become quite an insomniac.

I ended up ripping them off my arm after a few days and gave up for a while in spite of the patches not because of them.

What is working for me at the moment I think is a variation of your experience old fella. I am focusing on being able to breathe more clearly and the other health benefits.

[ina]

Maybe you'll have to give up those 5 pints, too... Just to prevent the willpower to get too weak!

[Shirley]

Well done Andy - have to say that I didn't know about the GM element of baccy - will have to tell my daughter that - she smokes... and talks of giving up but hasn't done so yet... always a reason not to!

[Arimiel]

Quitting is realy the easy thing... I stopped 4 years back.. I was 15 ... i smoked for four years with an 2 year pause in between... do not ask..
I get urges to smoke every time i am passing the cigarette mashine in our street... I am telling myself everytime how expencive smoking is... a student once told me that he payed around 300 Euro a month for cigarettes..... he was really low on money then and could barely support himself...
And i still see my uncle's black atery.... he still smokes like a chimney.. but it stopped me from giving in ^^

[chookwoman]

Andy, my son is doing this with me, and is having nightmares too, so he's started taking the patch off at night. For the first time last night I couldn't sleep, had about two hours, but even those sleeping hours were really disturbed. I might have to do the same and see how it goes. But. It is getting better all the time. Honestly.

Good on you for not having one though!

[ina]

Well done Andy - have to say that I didn't know about the GM element of baccy -

You can get "decent" tobacco: a friend of mine in Germany smokes the occasional one; she is one of those enviable people who can have just one a day, or go for a few days without. She buys her baccie in a health food shop; it might even be organic - not sure about that - but it definitely doesn't have any of those fillers etc that you get in an ordinary fag.

[Millymollymandy]

What about these new drugs to help you? I have a prescription for a course of them - just I am not ready to quit yet . You have to start taking the drugs about 3 weeks before the date you set to stop and they are supposed to reduce the cravings, even during the time you are still smoking before you stop.

I googled a bit and apparently there's a 30% (or maybe more) success rate with this drug.

Anyway I have to give up before I'm 50. I keep telling myself because I just know if not I'll have a heart attack like my Mum. I still can't get over the fact that my Mum doesn't smoke any more!!! Yet she still loves the smell of fag smoke - she must be wierd because every other ex smoker hates it. I bet she's OUTSIDE the pub with the smokers these days, getting a good lungful!

[Millymollymandy]

Found the prescription - it's called CHAMPIX. There's another drug too but has a lower success rate.