Stop Smoking CAL- REVISED-Revival post #94

[a_stitchintime]

, Nikka -

 

I am thinking of you... You CAN do it! Just be true to YOU! I wish I was on earlier, to see your post. Don't give up, just start again, ok? Does your brother live with you? Is there a place that you can deem "SMOKE FREE?" The next time you want to light up, just sit down and instead till the feeling passes. It's a healthy substitute, right?

 

Tomorrow is it... my quit day! :cheerI will be here with you all. It will not be easy, but nothing worth the prize ever is.

 

I have my gum, a couple of crochet projects, and I want to dedicate some time to learning to knit (something I have always wanted to do). My crochet projects are bookmarks for charity (for one of my friends here at C'Ville). They will be made with thread. I also found a pattern with motifs that might be fun to do one each day that I don't smoke. I have lots of other WIPs and WIMs, but think I'm gonna start with those.

 

So, good luck my friends ... let's make the most of this adventure:yay

[RoseRed]

I do want to join. My doc told me I really have no choice but to quit. I'm not into adding things into my siggie (it won't change when I try anyway)

 

Do you guys mind if I just hang out and do my best along with you?

 

Triggers - getting in the car, getting up in the morning, eating, sex and stress. UHG!

[a_stitchintime]

, RoseRed! Of course you can hang with us!!! It will be nice to have the company:hug (P.S. my list of triggers is just about a carbon copy of yours! I just need to add:phone, boredom, and and you've got it!)

 

 

, everyone!

 

Well, today is the first day (officially) for me... I had cut down to a couple over the weekend, and had spaced what cigarettes I had left to last me the weekend.

 

Today has been really hard, but I am not willing to give in

I cried A LOT this morning... not even sure why? Anyone else have that issue?

 

I am trying to be much more aware of my triggers and behaviors... and need to be more faithful about picking up something I WANT to do, when an urge hits... I keep focusing on the "gotta do" list, and I don't think that is turning out to be so good today.

 

 

 

I hope that today is successful for all of you girls, :cheer:hug

 

I am thinking of you all, and would like to say Thank YOU, for helping ME!

 

Check in and update us when you can, ok?

[Miss Madeline]

Yay! I was so looking forward to logging into the 'Ville today and reading how everyone is doing!

I finally finished my dress but it didn't turn out....I knew it wouldn't, which is fine because now I can start something that might actually work.

I will remember to try my wearables on as I go...not OVER what I am wearing at the time.

Maybe then they won't be too big.

I started a new top from the Caron Natural's website. (http://www.naturallycaron.com/projects/aqua_aloha/aqua_aloha_1.html)

 

I was able to finish a skirt that I was sewing (not my forte) and it turned out super cute, so I have that to be proud of.

 

I had 3 cigarettes on Saturday, one on Sunday and none yet today.

[RoseRed]

Congrats Madeline! I am so impressed!!!!!

 

Hubby has an extra day off this week. His weekends are screwy anyways - he has Mon and Tues off all the time and Wed this week too. I won't even attempt to go smoke free when he's home.

 

For the last 3 weeks I've been counting (and not cheating even tho I was tempted too) to stay around half a pack. I even started taking 10 ciggies out so that that's all there was in the pack.

 

I'm actually really proud of myself. I've been smoking a pack a day since I was 12 1/2. I'm 36 now so that's (wait a sec - let me count) almost 25 YEARS! That in itself just blows my mind. Hubby doesn't think I'm doing it fast enough. When Dad was up for the weekend I told him that I'd been at 1/2 a pack for 2 weeks and he was soooooooo proud of me. I think that helped Hubby get a different view.

 

Then I told him "...and for my next trick I'm going to cut that in half and go to 5/day" probably for a week. After that I'll just put them down.

 

I know for a fact my cut off point is $5 a pack. I just refuse to pay that much for something that'll give me cancer before it kills me. (Like paying less makes that sentence sound any better, right?) I know this cuz it hit $5 and I was done. Then the stores dropped it to $4.25 and I was like "Welllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll, ok"

 

I was so stressed last night. Even threw quite the tantrum. And chain smoked during it. My lungs actually hurt today from smoking a whole pack! This is great!!! I'm actually happy about this!!! It proves to me that what I'm doing IS making a difference.

 

I don't wheeze when I lay down at night anymore.

 

I quit once before for real. Without pharmaceutical help. What I did was take all my 1/2 and 1/3 size butts and save them up. When I desperately needed a nicotine fix I would take one from my little bag. Those things taste so incredibly horrid that it didn't take long to just hammer thru the craving.

 

Since that worked for me before I'm going to go with that again. I've tried everything that's ever been on the market and none of it worked for me.

 

So, what's been helpful for you guys?

[auntel]

This Quit Smoking CAL is a good idea. I'd love to "join", but I know I'm not

quite ready to quit today... Been thinking about quitting for too long. I need to get my ducks in a row, pick a quit date, and stick to it.

 

Have to go through the mental preparations, and do the gradual cutback on smokes first.

 

For me, it isn't like saying, "Oh, I think I'll just skip breakfast today"- wish it

were that easy. I've been smoking since age 13, and I'm 57 now. It's a lousy, expensive, smelly habit -(I refuse to say addiction). Health has suffered because of it, budget certainly has, clothes have gotten burnt, the "outcast syndrome" has gotten irritating(when you have to constantly go outside to have a cigarette, and everyone knows why you're outside)-

the list of reasons to quit goes on and on, yet here I am, still smoking.

 

Triggers: Morning coffee in front of computer. 2 cups= 6 smokes.

Talking on phone. Driving car. After dinner cigarettes. Sitting in front of

the boob tube. Stress. Life, in general, right now.

 

Non triggers: Having a crochet hook in my hand.

 

So, can I postpone joining until my quit date? July 1 sounds good.

 

Ellen

[Super Granny]

This Quit Smoking CAL is a good idea. I'd love to "join", but I know I'm not

quite ready to quit today... Been thinking about quitting for too long. I need to get my ducks in a row, pick a quit date, and stick to it.

the only problem with this is the longer you think about it the more reasons you can come up with to keep smoking

 

Have to go through the mental preparations, and do the gradual cutback on smokes first.

 

For me, it isn't like saying, "Oh, I think I'll just skip breakfast today"- wish it

were that easy. I've been smoking since age 13, and I'm 57 now. It's a lousy, expensive, smelly habit -(I refuse to say addiction).

Ellen as much as you refuse to say addiction that is what it is.... nicotine is more addicting than most drugs ... the reason it is hard to quit is because your body craves nicotine and you can get severe withdrawals... I got headaches but besides tylenol I could take nothing for them...

Health has suffered because of it, budget certainly has, clothes have gotten burnt, the "outcast syndrome" has gotten irritating(when you have to constantly go outside to have a cigarette, and everyone knows why you're outside)-

the list of reasons to quit goes on and on, yet here I am, still smoking.

 

Triggers: Morning coffee in front of computer. 2 cups= 6 smokes.

switch to tea or hot cocoa something besides coffee at the computer... have your coffee in the kitchen..... remove the cigarettes and ashtray from the computer

Talking on phone. make it a rule you can't smoke on the phone....

Driving car. already gave my tricks there

After dinner cigarettes. brush your teeth and use mouthwash .... cigarettes taste nasty after mouthwash

Sitting in front of the boob tube. pick up your crochet ... find something to do with your hands..

Stress. Life, in general, right now.

 

Non triggers: Having a crochet hook in my hand.

 

So, can I postpone joining until my quit date? July 1 sounds good.

 

Ellen

I hope I don't sound too preachy but these are all things I've found that worked for me but as I said before they won't work for everyone

Stitch in time.... yes crying and out of control emotions can be from not smoking.... nicotine is a drug .... when you're trying to get those drugs out of your system your body will exhibit all kinds of weird things.... I got headaches... sometimes the shakes.... my husband said if he didn't know better he would have thought I had a hangover

[Super Granny]

well, I confess, I bought a pack today. its really hard when my little brother still smokes. i really really REALLY want to have a cig right now, but i don't want to disappoint Jake. he knows i used to smoke, but its still hard. like, really hard. *sigh* plus, i havnt been able to crochet at all today! i cant find my purse for the swap hope you guys are having an easier time

 

Nikki .... my husband still smokes although not like he used to... of course he had the surgeon tell him in no uncertain terms there was to be NO smoking around me AT ALL .... he goes outside ... have you talked with your younger brother and explain to him that you really are trying to quit and ask him to please help you by not smoking around where you are....

[Daugherty4inNC]

I can't help but to reply to this thread as I am a recovering smoker myself. I smoked anywhere between half a pack a week to 1and 1/2 packs a day since I was 19. Last year a number of things in my life went wrong and I realized that I was trying to live my life my way instead of the way the Lord wanted me to live my life. I turned my life over to Jesus and still continued to smoke. Not long thereafter, God showed me that my prayer life would be more effective if I surrendered the cigarrettes to the Lord and prayed or read God's word instead of having a ciggarette. At that time in my life I needed my prayer life to be more effective. So I got together with some Christian friends who didn't smoke and they prayed over me while I prayed to the Lord and surrendered my addiction. Since August 20, 2008 I have been smoke free. That doesn't mean that I am not still tempted to have one, especially when life gets stressful or when I am around people I know who smoke, but it does mean that when I get the temptation to light up, I hand it over to the Lord again. I pray each time I get in my vehicle(one of my triggers), I prayed over my porch (where I smoked) and it is now my place for doing my devotions. When I have the urge, I pick up my Bible if I can, and if I can't I pray.

For those of you who are trying to quit, figure out what your triggers are and avoid them or do something different. For those of you who smoke indoors, change to smoking outside of your home so that you have to go to a little more effort to smoke. Some of you will be able to quit cold turkey, others of you will have to quit over time. Keep encouraging each other. Exchange phone numbers and call each other also instead of just posting here. For those of you that are Christians, call on God for help and replace the cigarrettes with prayer and reading God's word. I will be lifting all of you up daily in my prayers because I too know how difficult this can be even when you strongly desire to have this habit gone from your life. Just remember it is a lifelong committment. to every one here.

[Nikka_hotpinkpixy]

Good morning everyone!

 

Rose Red: its ok that you dont want to put anything in your siggie. just try to keep us updated in what you're doing and how you're doing ok? i think its awesome what you're doing. the 1/2 butt thing worked for my grandmother too. but for me i'm 'trying' to go cold turkey.

 

Daugherty: that's wounderful that you turned your life over to the Lord. and even more so that you gave up cigarettes with his power. i admire that.

 

Shelly: thank you for your support. having you around will help many others. i have talked to my brother, but, well, he doesnt listen. my room is now 'smoke free'.

 

Auntel: why dont you take the same rout that LeaAnne is taking? she's pacing herself, setting up a schedule and having little projects. you dont have to necisairly tell yourself that you're 'quitting'. you're cutting back, and before you know it, you dont want to smoke anymore.

 

Mary: welcome! i'm so happy that my little thread is able to help lifelong smokers. It makes me feel very happy, and i'm proud of all of you for wanting to quit with me!

 

Madeline: yey!!! I'm so happy for you!! again i'm very glad that my thread is helping others. i was just hoping to get a few people but this is turning out to be a lot bigger than i imagined.

 

one thing that i've found is things such as grapes, cherries, anything you can just quickly pop in your mouth helps qith the cravings. sometimes i cant pick up a hook but i have snacks in my purse because i'm hypoglycemic.

 

anyone else tried insence? i've found that putting insence in my room helps reduce cravings. and it smells really good too!!

 

I admit, i had 3 cigarettes yesterday but i'm not going to have any today! today i'm going to clean up my room with my boyfriend

[Miss Madeline]

Whew! Another day and I didn't smoke yesterday and none today. This is working out! I am nervous about when DH comes back from his trip tomorrow night. He quit about a month ago...but we bicker constantly and that is the worst for me. I can run away and smoke and he doesn't follow me.

Now I am going to have to clean or find something else to do.

Rose Red, I feel you about men making you feel like a smoke.

I just keep thinking...no one FORCES me to feel a certain way...I am the only one in control of my feelings...no one can make me do anything I don't wanna do!

Nikka...I did buy some incense and it totally helps to calm me down! That is great you tried it too...I thought it was all in my imagination!

I am not using any pharmaceuticals...just cold turkey...but I did cut back a lot first and that for sure helped....cutting back one habitual smoking place a day. Instead of 2 on the drive home, I would smoke one. Things like that helped ....so far.

Great job everyone!!! Thank you so so so much for all your support!!

Love!!!

[a_stitchintime]

hi, all-

 

sorry I haven't been around... it's been really busy for me... I will catch up tomorrow. I am and need BAD!

 

Keep up the good work, all

 

[Super Granny]

Nikki... I'm glad you have a smoke free zone.... you will find if you clean and wash down the walls and get some fabreeze stuff and spray the furniture you will get rid of a lot iof the recidual smoke smell which can be a trigger too.... also your little boy will be better for it too... second hand smoke is bad for kids... it causes a lot of ear infections and asthma problems

[Nikka_hotpinkpixy]

speaking of ear infections shelly, i went to the emergency room last night because i fainted on top of my boyfriend jake. i was only out for like fifteen seconds but it scared him enought that he insisted that i go to the emergency room. they diagnosed me with an inner ear/ sinus infection. which, of course, i didnt think i had. part of me thinks its a bunch of bull puckey because the dr that diagnosed me doesnt speak much english and you could come in with your arm hanging out of its socket and he'll say its a sinus infection, but hey. taking the antibiotics wont hurt me at all. i didnt smoke a single cig yesterday, though i was tenpted to last night.

 

so today i'm going to take it easy and relax. crochet. i need to get working on my purse for the swap!!

 

hope everyone else is doing ok

[Nikka_hotpinkpixy]

Nikki... I'm glad you have a smoke free zone.... you will find if you clean and wash down the walls and get some fabreeze stuff and spray the furniture you will get rid of a lot iof the recidual smoke smell which can be a trigger too.... also your little boy will be better for it too... second hand smoke is bad for kids... it causes a lot of ear infections and asthma problems

 

btw, i dont have a kid!! i have a nephew, who's over here a lot, but i dont have any children of my own, thank goodness. kids are wounderful, but not at 18.

[a_stitchintime]

Good afternoon, everyone!

 

First, I want to say that I am PROUD of ALL of us! :cheer:clap

 

Everyone is doing so WELL!

 

Nikka- I hope that the antibiotics kick in soon, and that you are feeling better:hug

 

Hey, Miss Madeline! WAY TO GO, GIRL! You are on a roll! Keep up the good work!

 

RoseRed - I hope you're getting through DH's days off ok! Less is better than lots! Keep up the good work!

 

Thank you, Shell & Daugherty - for all of the encouragement! It's nice to know that there's someone here for us who's "been there"

 

Mary - see you as soon as you're up for it... it won't be long!

 

AuntieEl - I am glad you are here... remember that it's a journey... and when it's your time, it's your time! You can do it!!! It looks like you've thought your triggers out carefully. Just lengthen the list of "non-triggers" and you've got a starting point! I am praying for you:manyheart

 

Well, all, this is certainly no smooth road... but that's good. I am learning a lot about myself (now that I am taking the time to ponder things at all!) I have added to my list of triggers... and have slipped. I did not beat myself up over it, I just thought through what happened, made a correction or two, and got straight back to it!

I have also found new things that are good for substitute... I am "getting" the importance of a positive mental attitude, and how much Endorphins play in this process! I hadn't thought about it before . But, when I was at my kids' school the other day, another mom looked directly at me (she doesn't know the journey I have just begun) and said "you seem so stressed out! You should go for a walk and get some endorphins going and cheer yourself up!" :scrachin... I thought long about what she said, and it's so true! It has worked for me already yesterday... I didn't go for a walk, but DID put my :ipod on and danced around while I did my chores... the difference was amazing! So, girls, along with that incense, add some music that makes you smile:U

 

So far so good today...

 

Thanks again, Nikka, for putting this chance out there! You are CHANGING LIVES for the better! Be proud!

 

I'll check back in later tonight, as I won't have much going on. Tomorrow and Friday I will not be around much, and they are going to be hard, emotional days for me... my 2nd daughter is "graduating" from 5th grade. Tomorrow is the field trip, and Friday is the ceremony.

 

I'll be thinking about you all!

[Miss Madeline]

Ugh! As much as I hate to say it...I bought a pack today and I have had 2 so far. It doesn't feel as good as I wanted it to....so I think I am going to keep on trying to quit.

Excersice for sure helps me not to smoke. By the end of this week I have a goal to buy some good shoes and get out for some walking and running.

[Nikka_hotpinkpixy]

just pace yourself, otherwise you'll overdo it. its good that the cigs takes bad, that means your body doesnt crave them anymore! way to go!

[a_stitchintime]

, all!

 

Miss Madeline - don't be too hard on yourself.. It's good that they tasted so bad... just let it go and move forward. You are doing AWESOME!:cheer and should be very proud of yourself!

 

Hi, Nikka - How was your day today?

 

 

today was day 3 for me, and 0 butts! I am very proud of myself! I know this is not a perfect voyage, but I am happy for today, and when obstacles come, I will learn from them and move forward again....

these next 2 days are going to be REALLY hard... I will do the best I can do!

[a_stitchintime]

Good Morning, everyone!

 

Just wanted to say , and let you know that I am :cheer:clap:clap:cheer:cheer for you today!

 

 

:rose :rose:hug

 

GOOD LUCK!

[auntel]

Looks like this is going to be a bumpy ride !

 

Tuesday was good, Wednesday was not - Orange tic tacs seem to be a good

substitute for me - taste a heck of a lot better than cigs.

 

I like the idea of getting the endorphines moving, plus it gets me out and walking a bit!

 

Everyone, keep up the good work, and stay positive - and thank you all for the encouraging words and tips.

 

Ellen

[lisamartinez]

I actually read this CAL last week and decided to join. I'm 42 and have smoked since I was 17. I managed to quit during my pregnancies, but just to start up again. It's definitely time to knock it off!

 

I quit on Sunday and so far this week has been ok. Tonight will be a challenge because I will be golfing (and that entails drinking beer with the girls) and that seems to go hand in hand with the cancer sticks. I will TRY my best not to have one just for this group if not for my own self.

 

Also, I found out today that some of the carcinogens in cigarettes lay dormant in your bladder, causing infections and problems. So, it's not just the lungs that take a beating.

 

We have a hospital in our town that will provide free lung x-rays to help people realize the dammage they've done to themselves and help them quit. I am too scared to try it, but it would be motivational I'm sure.

 

Thanks for the encouragement, you ladies are GREAT!

 

Hugs,

 

Lisa

[a_stitchintime]

, all!

 

I hope that you are having a positive, and happy day!

 

I have been hanging in there... Next week is going to be much less stressful for me, so that will be good .

 

I am thinking of you all, and am here to support you:cheer:clap

 

Keep up the good work, and remember that you are special, you are worth this, and that you can do it!

[snapdragon928]

I was a smoker for a short while, even short term, I was adicted. I smoked for about a year then quit with no problem at 27. Then about fourty three I started smoking again. My father had died, probably due to smoking, we are not sure. It was a traumatic time for me. I quit with medicine then started again at the aniversery of his death, Again, I took medicine to quit, this time chantix. So now I am cigerette free. But before I quit, I lost my voice due to allergies to the smoke. Even though I was allergic I still smoked. Good luck everyone on quiting.

[Nikka_hotpinkpixy]

hey everyone. just woundering if we should abandon the whole points thing. if no one else has their points up by tomorrow, then well, this'll just be a support thread. which is fine. much love and hope to everyone.