My last cigarette...

Ok everyone, I just smoked my last cigarette. And by that I do not mean the last one in my pack, I mean the last one ever. After smoking about a pack every two days for about 5 years now I am in for one hell of a ride.

I am fearing it even while typing these words. I have tried a couple times before and each time succumbed to the crippling withdrawal that followed. The males in my family have a tendency to become easily addicted, mainly to cigarettes. My father who is in his 50's has cut down but still smokes. My brother who is a few years older than I quit a while ago but even he breaks down every now and then and has one or two after a couple of drinks.

I have considered getting an e-cigarette with a low nicotine dose if the withdrawal is really bad (which usually it is) but I would like to be off of it all together.

So any suggestions would be appreciated, and I would welcome any hollow internet support as well

ah yes the new years resolutions pangs. they normally work for a couple of months. lol
as for e -cigs they certanly work.
however with e-cigs you may like them more!


but good luck to you. i hope it works out for you

Good luck.
I couldn't tell from your post if you're a man or a woman.
Just remember:
If a woman, smoking gives you wrinkles. Men don't seem to care about getting wrinkled as much.

If you're a man, smoking can lead to needing viagra


Hope that helps.

Take extra vitamin B and C to help with your moodiness.

Good luck.

Remember to keep a bottle of hot sauce with you , whenever you have the urge to smoke , take a few shots

Good luck. I know several people who have tried and failed to stop smoking, and others who did stop. It isn't going to be easy, but show 'em who's boss.

Put it this way:
You are giving your money to get killed, like you're buying your own murder.

dont worry, quitting is easy, ive done it loads of times.

Originally posted by snowspirit
Good luck.
I couldn't tell from your post if you're a man or a woman.
Just remember:
If a woman, smoking gives you wrinkles. Men don't seem to care about getting wrinkled as much.

If you're a man, smoking can lead to needing viagra

Hope that helps.

Take extra vitamin B and C to help with your moodiness.

Yeah I'm a man and I don't want to have to deal with the little blue pill

The women in my family are really strong. My grandmother was the only one who regularly smoked, she quit about 30 years ago. She replaced it with chewing on straws.

Originally posted by yourboycal2

Remember to keep a bottle of hot sauce with you , whenever you have the urge to smoke , take a few shots

Ouch shots of hot sauce, I dont know about that but I'll keep it in mind

I haven't quit completely yet, but am working on it. I need to take that last step like you just did, so I will be following this post as it may help me to quit as well.

Good luck and like what was mentioned above, "Show 'em who's boss!"

I wish you all the best , you're on your way to being smoke free !! It takes a lot of courage , it's not easy but the benefits are numerous !! I have quit for 9 months now , I did it with the help of nicotine gum , it takes the edge off and it's easier to ween off the gum than cigarettes ! A few tips that worked for me was try and have a diversion when you get a bad craving , they last about 5 minutes . Brush your teeth , take a shower , go for a walk , just do something different than your old habit of grabbing for a smoke !! It's was really not as bad as I thought and everyday it gets easier ! Hope You make it !!

Stay strong and stick with it....here are some facts to encourage you!
This is what happens after only 20 minutes of that last cigarette...


In 20 minutes, your blood pressure and pulse rate decrease, and the body temperature of your hands and feet increase.

Carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke reduces the blood’s ability to carry oxygen. At 8 hours, the carbon monoxide level in your blood decreases to normal. With the decrease in carbon monoxide, your blood oxygen level increases to normal.

At 24 hours, your risk of having a heart attack decreases

At 48 hours, nerve endings start to regrow and the ability to smell and taste is enhanced.

Between 2 weeks and 3 months, your circulation improves, walking becomes easier and you don’t cough or wheeze as often. Phlegm production decreases. Within several months, you have significant improvement in lung function.

In 1 to 9 months, coughs, sinus congestion, fatigue and shortness of breath decrease as you continue to see significant improvement in lung function. Cilia, tiny hair-like structures that move mucus out of the lungs, regain normal function.

In 1 year, risk of coronary heart disease and heart attack is reduced to half that of a smoker.

Between 5 and 15 years after quitting, your risk of having a stroke returns to that of a non-smoker.

In 10 years, your risk of lung cancer drops. Additionally, your risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney and pancreas decrease. Even after a decade of not smoking however, your risk of lung cancer remains higher than in people who have never smoked. Your risk of ulcer also decreases.

In 15 years, your risk of coronary heart disease and heart attack in similar to that of people who have never smoked. The risk of death returns to nearly the level of a non-smoker.

Don't give up....I'm cheering for you!

you can do it!!, remember it does kill, I know its a horrible thing to say and you have heard it a thousand times Im sure, but as a child of a Mother who died from smoking its wasn't pretty, it was awful she suffered for 5 years with end stage COPD and if you have kids then they suffer too, I love her and miss her every second of every day.

now that I got the scare in you here comes the easy part

my brother smoked marlboro, the heavy kind, 3 packs a day, 1 pack a day to about 1 1/2 for the first 5 years then 2 packs a day for 15 years and 3 packs for the remaining 3 years, he smoked for 23 years, he started at 13.

He began to hate it, he decided to quit, he knew it would of been to hard if he went cold turkey and did the nicorette gum, followed it and was smoke free in 6 months. that was 8 years ago, he has been smoke free for 8 years, and he said he got off the gum pretty easy too lol.

Please quit, as a child of a Mom who left this world too early thanks to those horrible cigarettes, (I blame addiction, she started smoking in the 50's (when it was cool) she was 15. by the time she realized they were bad it was too late. She tried over and over. I lost her when I was 27, I miss her every day. Please I beg of you stick to it, you can do it.

reply to post by StealthyKat


Thanks for the info its very encouraging. I have had sinus problems for as long as I can remember, and I think smoking has exacerbated them to the point where I have chronic sinusitis. I cant wait to be able to breathe normally again!

reply to post by Openeye

Just a quick story about my own experience:
I quit more than 20 years ago. It was no small thing.
I smoked from 1-2 packs a day for more than 25 years.
Went to the Dr one day. He said he could hear the beginning of Emphysema in my lungs. I knew he was right.
I got the graduated patches, threw away all semblance of smoking paraphernalia including ash trays etc.
It was very hard.
After 2 days I began riding a bike. At first I got out of breath after one block.
soon I was up to 2 blocks then three...then 1 mile 2 miles ..then 20 miles.
I discovered I could smell the Moon Flowers blooms in the evening. Missed that for 20 years...And the Roses? Now I can smell them a half block away....
I discovered Chili didn't need so much spice, and that a steak was far more tasty than I had remembered.

I was able to sleep all night, and when I got up in the morning I wasn't controlled by that pack of ciggs.

Discovered it was not good for something besides me to be in control of me
I continued to ride my bike. Now at the age of 61 I ride Century rides (100 miles) and can do it in 6 hours.

For me substituting riding a bike was my ticket along with a few other things.
For you it will be different perhaps, but you must discover what that might me. One common complaint for people who quit is that they tend to gain weight. hence the need for exercise.....
Keep in mind. If you do decide to exercise which I heartily recommend you should be certain your body is able to do so. If any question at all concerning your heart, lungs, Blood Pressure..Pulse etc. See your Dr first
Be safe above all things and you will do well.
GodSpeed
DH

You will definitely see a difference ! I snored terribly and I could barely walk up a flight of stairs without huffing and puffing !! After 9 months I don't snore anymore apparently ? Not as bad anyway !! And I go to the gym regularily now !! And don't forget to reward yourself for your progress !! You can do it !! I smoked for 30 years and I was smoking at least a pack and a half a day !!

wow congrats on all who quit here, reading these comments really put a smile on my face, great Job guys!!

reply to post by Openeye


That will improve too! (sinus trouble) Not only that, but you'll find after a while, you will have more energy and won't tire as easily...I wish you the best.....

reply to post by rick004 but directed to the OP


Bummer! I quite nearly 2 years ago now, for the second time and apparently I still snore LOUDLY!!

I smoked for 10 years - 50 a day, gave up for 21 years and started again for 10 years. 19 years to go before I begin again???

You know it does not matter how many times people say to you about the money and the health it makes not one jot of difference. It is a matter of will power plain and simple. You have to want to give up and that is not just saying it. Fiddling with e cigarettes or any substitutes, particularly patches, only INCREASES the craving by continuing to reinforce the habitual side.

You stopped. Fantastic. You are NOT a smoker any longer. Stay that way. Just say to yourself "I don't smoke". When someone offers you one say "I don't smoke" not "I gave up". You don't have to go to the other extremes and abhor other people who do smoke. My partner does smoke still but it does not bother me, nor has it once from the day I gave up.

You are a non smoker OK? What are you? Yup, a non-smoker.

reply to post by PuterMan


Yeah I think that has been my problem with quitting in the past. I did not want to stop. I knew I shouldn't smoke but I enjoyed it.

But now I honestly just don't like it. The reason I decided to quit is because a friend of mine is visiting from out of town and he asked me..."Why do you smoke?" I thought about all the reasons I have come up with before to reinforce my habit and could only come up with "Because I'm addicted". That's when I realized that I'm just feeding the addiction and its not going to get magically better.

Reading this thread really makes me want a cigarette....

Thanks alot you guys!

Good thing i didnt have my last yet. I keep saying I will but then i end up in line at the gas station buying anther pack without even knowing it, I could really save the 7 bucks a day...