[Urban_Nomad]

Originally Posted by ch.nathan

Extremely anxious, not able to concentrate on anything.

Keep it up Nathan. Its been 8 days since I smoked and although the anxiety has not died down comepletely, it has definitely reduced. Even the "night coughs" have drastically reduced.

I feel the path ahead is getting clearer for me now.

All the best.

[Kairalee]

Originally Posted by ch.nathan

But the good sign is I am trying again. Just now crossed 24 hours - the longest gap in the past 15 years.

Originally Posted by ch.nathan

Thanks for the support, guys!

Have also pinned the printout of that chart at my desk.

Keep at it @ch.nathan. The very fact that you are not ready to give up is itself half the battle won.

Its been a little over 3 months since I stopped and belive me, the benefits of that is very visible not just to me but those who are around me too.

Like I said earlier, stopping is easy, staying away is the challenge and if you stay away successfully for a few days, its easier after that.

[Urban_Nomad]

I can DO IT

A friend dropped in at my place late at night to celebrate me joining a new organization. Long story short, there was "the good kinda poison" and to top it off, he was puffing away one ciggy after another.

I resisted the temptation of lighting up, even after having a couple of drinks (with wifey's permission of course) and after being engulfed in smoke for more than 5 hours.

I am feeling good. Will take this opportunity to thank all the Bhpians here who have .... and continue to be a great source of inspiration for me and last but not the least - the Mrs. For putting up with me and constantly urging (forcing?) me to quit.

Noopster - thanks for sharing the website link. I have registered there and will put up my stats shortly.



PS - the cough does not seem to be going away. I mean its not constant. It would be there one day and gone the next. The throat feels scratchy still. Is this normal? Should this not have died down by now? Funnily enough, I never used to cough so much when I smoked.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Congratulations on a great success. Remember... you have to repeat it over and over

A friend dropped in at my place late at night to celebrate me joining a new organization. Long story short, there was "the good kinda poison" and to top it off, he was puffing away one ciggy after another.

You do have the right to make your home a no-smoking zone!*

I went through two stages after giving up. Unfortunately the second one was permanent:

1. Every whiff of somebody else's cigarette was delicious.

2. Even the faintest whiff of tobacco smokes is irritating and leaves me with some chest pain. I cannot spend time in smoky rooms.

You'll find that, as time as non-smoker (wow, yes, you're a non-smoker now) goes by, you'll realise that the smell and fumes of cigarette smoke extends far further than the smoke you can actually see. It isn't enough that people smoke outside in the garden: they have to be well away from the open door.




*You are no longer making your self, your clothes, your home, stink of tobacco, so why let others do so?

[Urban_Nomad]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

You do have the right to make your home a no-smoking zone!

Very well put. However, everytime he (my friend) wanted to smoke, we walked out (not out on the balcony) to an "open area" of sorts that is well awayyyyyy from the house. The house always was smoke free. To elaborate on this, he had his family with him which included his wife and 9 month old son. Even a remote possibility of smoke inside or near the house was never in question.

I accompanied him every time he went out for a smoke because:

• He is a wonderful friend who had come down to my place just to wish me well for my new job.
• I enjoy his company. One of the funniest, smartest most likeable fellas you would ever meet.
• I myself would have felt high headed if I asked him to walk out and smoke by his lonesome as I now am a "non smoker" and he is a dirty little smoke filled ....... something.
• I had a test of sorts going on in my head. "Will I reach for that cigarette?" Glad I passed. It was not easy though.

Once again Thad, thank you for taking the time out to go though the rant(s) I post on this thread. Your comments are invaluable. Please keep them coming.

[noopster]

Urban, you may just be suffering from a mild chest infection. Check with your doctor: a mild course of antibiotics may clear it up.

You could also take a steam which should clear up whatever lil nggles you have going on- it may also satisfy some of your deep breathe urges

Kidding apart, hang in there man. The first few days are the hardest. This muh I promise you- it gets easier!

[Thad E Ginathom]

Steam is good. Not too close, though, as scolding your lungs is worse for them than smoking!

Also there is those little green capsules, you pour the oil in the water, called K---something???? I always forget the name.

[bblost]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Steam is good. Not too close, though, as scolding your lungs is worse for them than smoking!

Also there is those little green capsules, you pour the oil in the water, called K---something???? I always forget the name.

Karvol.

But I prefer tea powder or black pepper pods in hot water and inhaling that steam.

It works very well and is much easier to use. And does not scold* my lungs for having been a smoker.

* A very rare typo by Thad...I was not able to let it pass.
But then again m-w.com tells me it shares the root with scald.

[ch.nathan]

Jus' completed FIVE days.

3rd day was very difficult and I started using nicotine chewing gums. Probably that's why I am not having much withdrawal symptoms!

[arvind71181]

Originally Posted by ch.nathan

Jus' completed FIVE days.

3rd day was very difficult and I started using nicotine chewing gums. Probably that's why I am not having much withdrawal symptoms!

Hang in there, sir. You will see through this. Five days is good, and in no time it will be 5 weeks, and you would have belled the cat. Keep at it.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by bblost

Karvol.

But I prefer tea powder or black pepper pods in hot water and inhaling that steam.

It works very well and is much easier to use. And does not scold* my lungs for having been a smoker.

* A very rare typo by Thad...I was not able to let it pass.
But then again m-w.com tells me it shares the root with scald.

Karvol, yes. I really like it, although I like the pepper idea too.

Thanks for scolding me. My typos are very far from rare! Oddly, I knew there was something wrong as I typed it --- but couldn't think of the correct word. My spelling in English is actually very poor, and, of course, spell checkers don't tell me I got the wrong word!

[Mr_Bean]

Originally Posted by ch.nathan

Jus' completed FIVE days.

3rd day was very difficult and I started using nicotine chewing gums. Probably that's why I am not having much withdrawal symptoms!

Please try to avoid nicotine gums, you are feeding the body with poison through other means. Try to have grape & orange juice as much as possible, this will keep off the craving.

Avoid heavy meals as it would induce cravings.

from my experience, the real benefit of quitting the bud is felt after 3 months when the lungs clear up & heaviness goes away.

BTW, as of today, I have been smoke free for 4 months.

[azeemhafiz]

Today marks 520 days of staying away from smoking. Do I have the craving for it? - No, Do i Miss it? - Yes, Deeply.

That said, If you ever want to quit smoking take it one day at a time. Every morning wake up and tell yourself - No, Not today. It works, I can vouch for it!

[noopster]

Good show azeem. 470 days for me.

Yesterday something weird happened. I was getting myself a tapri chai from across the road and a friend asked me to pick up a Classic Mild for him. I did and as I was crossing back, it struck me that I hadn't held a cigarette in my fingers in a long time. And then I noticed how easily it stayed there, like the most natural thing in the world, one of those "YOu complete me" Jerry Maguire moments!

Don't worry- nothing happened. I passed the cig to my friend and he lit up and I drnk my tea without the slightest temptation to join him. But th point is: it is SO easy to slip back into the comfortable habits of back when. Thought I should share this experience with you guys to highlight the demon that's always lurking, unbidden.

Stay healthy!

[Thad E Ginathom]

That reminds me... Sometimes I used to roll up a piece of paper (like a handy till receipt) and suck on it for a while!

I had been a roll-your-own man. By the time I actually gave up, my lungs were in no state to accept that unadulterated, unfiltered smoke, but still I continued to miss the whole experience, the whole craft of rolling!