Farewell My Filtered Friends

If you're asking me if you can call me "Snuffy" then, I think I'll decline.

OK, just had my last one. Here we go.

I expect that I'll get at least one warning in the next couple of days and maybe even get my hiney kicked completely off ATS - just 'cause my temper will get really short for a while.

I just hope my wife doesn't kick me off her board, too. ;-)

HELP!

Less than 12 hours and all I can think about is just having a few puffs!

I am getting absolutely nothing done today because I can't concentrate - that frustrates me and the frustration makes me want to "you-know-what"....

Day One - I cheated just a little bit. Altogether, I smoked about 1/2 of a smallish cigar. Just enough so that when I felt the nicotine hit my bloodstream, I stopped. I made it about 14 hours before I cheated at all. I'm pretty sure I can make it another 14.

That's kinda how I quit last time. Almost cold turkey - counting the hours between "nic hits" and continuing to stretch them by a couple of hours. Once you get past 24 hours, you've basically quit anyway. At least, that's what has worked for me in the past.

I got my wife on board and she's very supportive. She knows I have an addictive personality so, her first question was "so, what will you become addicted to next?" - she wasn't being mean. It was a fair question and I had no answer. It won't be drugs or alchohol, though because that would prevent me from functioning.

AL

I was just kiding about Snuffy.
I was just thinking about you snuffin those things out forever..!

Anyway, I congratualte you on your attempt.

Like a lot of others, sometimes it takes a few tries..

Have you been to the Doctor?

Thats the first thing I did,,so I could keep track of my vitals..as they changed..And report my progress back you you good folks..

SO, what kind of things trigger the feeling that you need a good smoke?

ahhh - I knew you were kidding. Just wasn't sure if it was me you were kidding.

It's all good.

I just cheated again - 5 puffs. Nice thing about cigars - you can put them out and go back to them so, it may be easier to cheat but also easier to regulate. ;-)

I have not been to see a doctor but I will be going soon for a physical with my new job which starts on Monday. My new job is also a big motivator for quiting, though. I'll be doing a lot of meetings where I have to make a good first impression (kinda like sales but it's not a sales job, per se). I figure I won't make a very good impression if I go in reeking like stale cigar smoke.

I like the idea of the monitoring that you've been posting but I don't think I can do it like that. Too many trips to the doctor. But, I also have a dentist appointment next week and my hygenist has been on my ass to quit smoking for almost 2 years. I'm really looking forward to walking in and telling her that I finally decided that she was right! Smoking is really bad on the gums and bones around your teeth. My salvation is probably that my teeth have abnormally long roots so, if I quit now, I'll probably be OK. I saw my X-rays last time and it was pretty clear that I've had some bone loss, though.

Let me say that posting here and getting some feedback is very helpful! That's just one of the things I really like about ATS - the community thing and the support!

How's it going for everybody else? We can do this!

Oh, yeah. You asked how I could tell when I "needed" a smoke. Well, for me it's this tingling thing - kinda like a physical anxiety. It's not severe. I can ride it out - I did that several times today. It's distracting as hell, though! To paraphrase the immortal words of Yogi Berra, "half this thing is 90% mental".

[edit on 5-1-2006 by Al Davison]

I had my exercise test today, and they ran my heart up to 161 bpm.

I'm sure that's faster than it's been in a couple years, but I survived the test, even though they made me sign a waiver that said the test could cause a heart attack.
Two guys shaved patches off my chest, (I might shave the rest just to surprise my better half), and hooked me up to a bunch of wires, and then ran my white ass into the ground.



The machine started off flat at a brisk walk, but then started speeding up after a couple minutes, and then it started to rise up to a higher angle.
It was kinda cool to watch all the stats on the screen, and see my heart rate increase.
(I've never been on a treadmill before)

I asked the guys what the meaning of all the lines were, but they just said that they run the test, and they don't diagnose the results.

We'll see next week when I see my doctor.


I'm still trying to cut down, so I think I'm on the right track..............
Anyone got a light?

AD,

I'm very proud of your for going through all this..
Anyone else reading what you wrote in the previous post, should be proud too..

If you are reading these posts, I encourage you to join in..
It will be SO worth it..

I, myself had a really crappy day today, for various reasons.
I'll write a post about it tomrrow..


Way to go AD!

I know we'll all get through this together, and we'll come out the other side so much better.

I find myself looking forward to being smoke free.
Free of being dependent on that next cigarette or cigar.
Free from always dumping ashtrays and cleaning ashes out of my keyboards.

Life will be better.


Blood and urine tests in a couple hours... Yippeee.... :shk:

AnxDis and SpaceDoubt:

I think you guys must have it a lot tougher than me but this is not easy for anybody. Smart, smart moves getting your doctors involved.

I liked the story about finding the stale cigs and how bad they tasted but how they still delivered the buzz. That's what I'm getting, the buzz I mean. When I'm smoking all the time, I never really feel the buzz. But, any time that I had to go without smoke for more than about 4 hours, I would always notice that I could really feel it, like a junkie, when the nic hit my bloodstream and delivered it to my brain.

CAUTION: I just remembered an episode from about 10 years ago when I hadn't been able to smoke for about 8 hours. I sat down at a friend's house where we lit up some strong Cuban cigars and got the rush. Then, I stood up quickly to go get a beer and passed out. It was very scary for everybody else in the room - a lot more than for me because I just came to on the floor with all my friends around me asking if I was OK. Never had another incident like that but I've never forgotten to remain seated until the initial nicotine rush has subsided.

YOW!

Thats one potent cigar!
And you passed out BEFORE you got the beer!

Heheheeee...yes, it was a potent cigar but the point was about how the nic hits you - especially if your body is of the opinion that you've been deprving it of it's normal supply. I'm sure you got that.

OK, so, Day Two:
well, I've been cheating a bit more than I thought I would but I'm not overly concerned. I made one cigar (a small one, at that) last me for more than 24 hours by only cheating the minimum amount. That is, just keeping to the "5 puffs and out" cheating regime. I'm still quite confident that I'm making huge strides!

See? that's a positive spin on cheating. Don't look at your cheating as failure or a reason to quit quitting or stop stopping. You just stumbled a bit - no biggie - stay in the game!

This is starting to feel a bit like "blogging" with my writing a kind of personal journal here and nobody but my new friend SpaceDoubt responding. Still, I'm hoping this helps somebody else as much as it is helping me by writing it. I guess I'll keep it up for a while unless a mod tells me to stop.

It's not cheating, It's practicing..because you'll eventually get it right..right?!

I caused myself a nicotine induced dilemma yesterday..

I bought some nicorette gum. If you've ever used it, you know that it's hard as a rock, like hard cadle wax or something...I guess they don't want to make it TOO appealing..

SO I was on my third day chewing this stuff..and it works well, by the way..
That is, unless you have a piece of popcorn hull, trapped between your tooth, and gums..

I started getting really really sore, then it REALLY hurt..I turned very pale, it hurt so bad..and I was sitting in a meeting at work..

Meeting over, I went to nmeet my wife for one of her Dr.'s appointments..
I notived the doctor kept looking at me, and I was holding my face up with my hands...I finally got up and started rummaging through his cabinets, looking for a paper cup, for some water.. Long story short..he rustled up some novacaine (he is not a dentist, by the way) And he gave me a free shot, on the house..LOL

Then I talked to my real dentist, and he called in some anti-biotics.
And a woozy headed painkiller, Vicoprofen..not too strong, but it really helps.
MAkes it hard to type though.

Turns out that little popcorn hull, created abrasions, and a massive infection..
MY face was swollen, on the lower right side, something awful..

SO I am healing...I cannot "BITE" or put my jaws together for a few days, until the infectiion goes down, which it is..

But here is a trick I figured out about the gum...Chew two pieces..One Nicorette, and one Dentine or something......It softens it it up a little..

And in my case..keeps my jaws apart...

I cheated a little until I figured out the gum thing.
And I cannot mix the painkiller, with his other smoking cessation pills..


:bash:

hello spacedoubt and everyone else posting, I think I am going to jump on this stop smoking "butt"wagon too!
All joking aside, I never really took the time to research smoking and related diseases until I saw that Anxiety was trying to stop too,which lead me to this great thread started by spacedoubt!
I got to thinking it is definetly time to stop after I veiwed the cdc's website HERE
talking about the different diseases possibly being related to smoking. I really had no idea and to tell the truth did not care at the time.
Like others who have posted, I am feeling more every day the effects this habit has had with the shortness of breath, to the wheezing in the morning, and quite frankly I don't like that feeling so I am going to do something about it! With other stoppers help that is, 'cause I don't have enough willpower to do it on my own! So without furthur ado(spl?) I will consider myself a stopperer of smoking from this point on!!

COLD TURKEY BABY!!!(if that doesn't work there are other alternatives to.)

(notice how I never said the word quit? I believe it helps not saying that because we are taught not to quit at anything,IMO.)

I want to applaud everyone who is trying to quit this filthy habit!
you're all doing a wonderful job, no matter the hiccups, you're still well on your way

Al, have U tried patches or gum ? Just curious, your story about passing out scared me lol

Space I hope you're healing well, let me know how you're doing hun.

I have cut back to between 1-6 a day, am gettin there!
I shall buy some patches/gum soon.

[edit on 7-1-2006 by ImJaded]

SpaceDoubt - ouch! I hope you don't mind that I had to chuckle while reading your account. I don't think it was at all funny that you had this problem or that you're in pain. I just relate so well to this kind of series of unfortunate events - stuff like that happens to me all the time. Hang in there, man! You'll get past this.

Dust - Welcome aboard the "pain for gain train"! It ain't easy but I'm already beginning to feel quite a bit better and stink a lot less. Keep coming back here and post your progress and your pratfalls. I like the honesty of everyone's postings - if you backslide then just admit it. Nobody thinks you're failing or you're weak. We all know it's tough and some days are just better than others.

Jaded - Thanks for the encouragement! Nope, I haven't gone gum or patches or anything. So far, I'm doing OK without them. I don't have any issues with trying them in the future if it looks like I need the assist.

So far, I've adopted a method of holding out as long as possible and then holding out a little more. If it gets too bad, I take just enough puffs (usually 4 or 5) to get the nic rush and then put it out. That may not sound like really quitting to some people but my opinion is that I've made HUGE progress because I've gone from 3 or more cigars per day down to less than 1/2 cigar per day in only 3 days!

I have not yet blown up at my wife or friends (at least not while they were around) and I even went to a bar last night and drank a few beers without even thinking about stepping outside for a smoke. Overall, I'm feeling very good about my progress and your support is helping!

Let me tell you all - you CAN do this and coming here and posting helps you and helps all the rest of us, too!

Thanks Al for the welcome, It is noon where I live and the wife and I just got out of bed,Stayed up a little to late last night!:w:
Time for some coffee and a smo....hold on I almost forgot what I posted at 3 am this morning :bnghd: ,good thing I came up here to read threads before going outside(wife does not smoke,so no smoking in the house),It is a little chilly and rainy out so this will help with the want for a cig I think. We are going over to my parents (both smoke) for dinner tonight, this will be the first test in this smoke-free jaunt I am partaking in, I am going to have to look past my dad's taunting to make it throught the night, I am not going to drink tonight either because that will just worsen the want to light up. I will let you all know tommorrow how I did.

Good luck to all that are participating in this ATS MEMBER SMOKE-OUT!

I think I will go TAGG'N to kill some time and keep my mind off cigs!




[edit on 7-1-2006 by DustintheWind]

This autopsy photo is the cross section of a healthy lung.




This photo is from a smoker that died from lung cancer.





When you start to look at how complex this system is, these interconected organs that keep our bodies running, it makes me wonder why I ever started.




I kinda felt that I needed to make a post here today because it was a busy day with people coming and going, and I smoked like a chimney.
I notice that a couple drinks make me want to smoke that much more.

I think I'll start keeping a writing tablet on my desk, and every smoke I light, I'll add a big black mark to the page. Each page will be one day, and I'll never smoke more than I did the day before.
If I can drop down by even one or two smokes a day, the last page I write in the tablet will have a big zero on it.

UPDATE:

I woke up in a pretty bad mood this morning.
Everything is setting me off,the dog whining,the kids
fighting,the wife trying to be the wedding planner for
her brothers wedding that will be at our house in 2 1/2
weeks....grrrrr
gonna reread the other posts here to see if it helps with
this spitefulness I am feeling right now.


Anxiety thanks for those lung pics,everytime I scroll past those
I want to !!
What a wake up call!

[edit on 8-1-2006 by DustintheWind]

Just wanted to say, I'm glad I found a great place, and group, to work with..
There are others who aren't even posting, we are doing it by e-mail..
It's a nice non-preachy, and supportive environment.


but still, let's quit smoking that crap...the Go've is getting too muhcch of my money, anyway!

And, I am pulling an all nighter..server upgrade, and have just had a few hours nap..Feel like a smoke..yeah, just a smoke........TOO BAD I DON"T HAVE ANY.

Hang in there, SD! You've got quite a challenge ahead of you tonight.

Yep, those lung pics are a wake-up call! I honestly fear the throat/oral cancer stuff a lot more than the lungs because I don't inhale. That doesn't make me safe because dead is dead - no matter what part ends up killing you!

I'm doing about the same. My urges have just about disappeared. Not quite - but almost. I'm down to owning only a piece of a cigar big enough to get me through about 3 more "cheats". Will I buy another tomorrow? I hope not but I bet I will. Even so, I'm not afraid of it because I think I can make one last about 3 days now. The piece I'm working on now was one I started on Friday afternoon!

I'm getting there. Let me know if you want some help dragging you with me. Happy to do it!