Quitting smoking cigarettes! A to you! Keep up the good work.

"I know how easy it is to quit smoking, I've done it a thousand times."

Congrats bluescribbler.

No 1001 for you.

I’ve never seen link before. Looks like something so absorbing that you could get completely lost in it.

It's a quote by Mark Twain

I've never smoked, but I've always heard that once someone does and then quits, their senses of taste and smell improve considerably. I'm curious if that has that been your experience? Are there any other beneficial changes you've noticed?

While I've never been a smoker, I can see how hard it is to give up. My dad smoked for years and finally gave it up, but he still was diagnosed with emphysema. He lived 20 years after being diagnosed, but the damage had been done. Still, quitting, gave him more time to be around for us!!

I don't know you, but I'm so proud of you!!

Like you say...the damage is done none the less. He ended up with lung cancer that metastasized to his spine but he lived to be almost 85. Him stopping added at least 10 years to his life.

.... the story of quitting.

Point one...Question: Where and when did you start smoking? I can tell you the exact day, almost to the hour: October 25-26, 1965, sometime (sunrise) on the early morning of my first full day in USAF boot camp. A bunch of strangers stood outside what turned out to be a WW II two-floor military barracks. Where our new "angry" drill sergeant is asking who would like to be on the first floor? A bunch of hands went up. Not mine (I remembered the warning I heard from my dad and uncles NEVER VOLUNTEER). The DI then said you "idiots" are on the second floor. The next question was, who smokes? Up went the hands. The DI then said, "Idiots," get two 15-minute smoke breaks a day OUTSIDE; the rest stay in the barracks and polish boots, etc. During the first break that day, I was outside getting ready to light up my first-ever cigarette.
So the question how many smokers or former smokers start smoking during military boot camp? I think it will be lots.

Point two... I also remember the exact day I stopped smoking and never looked back. April 21, 1973. My son was born that day; he is now 51 years old. I'm now 77 and ticking, so I'm guessing it was a great time to quit.

I also Stopped and started again a few times over the years.

Was, at the age of 16, doing my first 'proper' inhalation of the smoke. I was hooked from that moment.

WWII and he often said that they all smoked. He said it helped them survive. I can understand that.

Keep on keeping on.

Something to look forward to!

(I'm only 2 years short of that now) and that might be the cse if i didn't have other respiratory allergies. Unfortunately, I do, and I have no idea to what extent smoking may have intensified them or even caused some of them.

coming up on three years now...still addicted to nicotene (pieces of lozenges) but still not smoking...whatever works!...keep up the good fight, bluescribbler...cheers, OSD

Ariel, Chantix, Susan's love and YOU, bluescribbler! Those are great accomplishments all around. It's so wonderful to be loved and loveable.

Stay encouraged.





❤️

You will not be sorry you made this decision. I did after 50 years and I couldn't be happier.

But finally quit on my 40th birthday. I feel so much better and cannot stand the smell of cigarette smoke.

I thank you on behalf of your lungs.

keep believing in yourself~

So glad you had VA access and connected with the right person to support you throughout

I struggle daily with the nicotine withdrawals. I give in to them sometimes but regret it immediately. I cannot control my addiction to nicotine and the joy I had in taking a break to have a smoke. I smoked for over 35 years non stop but I quit again last week.

I even tried hypnotism, and I think I took every stop smoking class that was offered where I lived or worked. It wasn't until they came out with patches that I finally achieved my goal. This was over 30 years ago, and if if it weren't for the patches, I'd probably still be smoking today. I never liked smoking, never got any enjoyment out of it, but I couldn't stop.

I never knew how smoker’s smell is in everything you own until I quit.
I have a bionic sense of smell despite my history. It repels me most of all.

You've done yourself and your health a great service by making that decision!

For me it's been 42 years.

Thanks for sharing!😁💗

I KNOW what a big deal it is! I quit 35 years ago and to this day, it was one of the hardest things I ever did. The 2nd year is easier, but temptations still nag even after a decade...but if you made it through the first year, and you remain committed, you'll do fine. Just don't let the addiction sneak up on you and convince you just one cig won't hurt. I still dream of smoking every now and then, but that first year was full of those kinds of dreams.

I say that I am not smoking. I have "quit" before, only to succumb to temptation. I simply don't trust myself to remain smoke-free without determined effort to decide not to smoke. Hell, I didn't even smoke a cigar when my favorite team won the NBA title last spring.

Your lungs and overall health will thank you. As for the cravings? They last for awhile but slowly fade.

Quitting is hard but in the end? So worth it.

I remember how stinky cigarette smoke smelled after I quit. I'd never noticed that before. But wow, we're talking gag city particularly if you're inside with dedicated smokers. The odor is nasty and lingers on clothing, hair, everything. Who knew?

Best wishes.

But finally quit on my 40th birthday. I feel so much better and cannot stand the smell of cigarette smoke.

Smoked for 12 years (plus six where I “dabbled), been quit for 24. I still get the urge for the physical parts, but it’s easy to say no once I smell it on someone else.

I quit a little over three years ago. I made many attempts. The longest was ten months.

I am over the hump now. There are occasional temptations, but I resist them. You will resist them, too.

Keep checking in with us!

I quit June 1st, 1980. 10 am I had my last cigarette. Didn't take long to feel 15 years younger. Black licorice helped take the edge off. Kind of tastes like nicotine lol.

Hang in there. You're worth it. 👏👍

Myself,my brother and seven cousins...ALL of us never smoked a day in our lives because our parents did all the smoking for us. I was born in 1953. The BULLSHIT and LIES perpetrated in ads by those cigarette companies (in the 30's---60's) in my parents days were criminal.

was such a heavy smoker. In the end she got COPD, and I wouldn't wish that on anyone.

Not that there aren't other vices - alcohol, even too much sugar, etc. can be nearly as bad for your health. And I agree on the lies, marketing, trade groups. My mother had this idea that if smoking was so unsafe the government wouldn't allow it. I think by the time she aged and got more ill she understood the deception.

My mom quit like that when the price of cigarettes went up. She then put the money she had been spending on cigarettes into a fund to fix stuff up on her house...new appliances, deck, stuff like that. She did that for the last 15 years of her life.

Hope you can keep it up.

I quit tobacco (excepting the very rare cigar) about ten years ago. I will say one thing that I always remember a good friend telling me when I complimented him on being smoke free for five years. He smiled and nodded. A friend then said, "Do you ever want one?"

My friend grabbed the table edges and leaned right in towards the other person's face and savagely whispered, "Every. Fucking. Day."

Stay strong. I am pretty much over it now and don't even want one when I am having a drink, which was when I used to go full 'chimney'. Good on you for stopping.

and I didn’t want to waste my retirement $$$ on smokes……so I quit. Hardest thing I ever did. I had Wellbutrin to help me, and I swear if I didn’t have that I wouldn’t have been able to quit. So my smokeless friend, welcome to the smoke free world.

I quit smoking 38 years ago from an 18 year addiction. It was probably the hardest thing I ever did.

And I did it pretty much by myself. But it was only because I had a really bad
bought of flu for a couple weeks where I couldn't smoke and the had no wish to. So when I got better I just never bought any more. Congrats on your achievement and take the credit. I've known people with all the help who still didn't quit. So fortitude and desire is the biggest part of making it.

I quit when I found I was pregnant with my first child. I was surprised how it wove into my dreams sometimes. I would dream I succumbed to the lure and lit a cigarette, was disgusted with myself, and then woke up only to be relieved it had all been a dream.
May you continue to be a none smoker!

I used to dream that I'd lost a lit cigarette in bed. And I never smoked in bed. I never even smoked in the bedroom.

When I quit we didn't have anything to salve the cravings.
A guy on a radio show said about 10 deep breaths when you have a craving and the craving goes away. Worked for me!

And you can do them anywhere, anytime. They can't stop you from breathing.

Keep us informed and Congratulations!

This means a lot to me personally since my brother died from lung cancer in 2009, just 4 months after I helped him quit. He would be so happy and proud of you. His little kitty, now 21 years old, is sitting on my lap watching me type this.

It's such a victory to quit! Keep up the good work! Post every anniversary, even half and quarter years!

I now cannot stand the smell of cigarettes but the smell of a good cigar have almost made me slip!

for in a non judgemental way telling me it was time to quit as I hit 40. I remembered that when I quit at 43. I owe him big time.

What health benefits have you noticed from not smoking? I'm not and have never been a smoker, but I did drink socially until about 3 years ago. I thought I would see a lot of health benefits, but I didn't. Even so, I have maintained it because I know in the long run it's for the best.

I smoked for ten years and quit for 25.

Good job-- congratulations!!!

For me it was October 2020 but I didn't note the date so it's four years ago this month. After fifty years of being a slave to nicotine, I can say it's truly over.

My sincere and hearty congratulations on this feat. You will never look back.

Well done.

I quit the day Trump came down the escalator and never looked back.

I availed for myself of every feature that was set up to help me quit.

Higher priced cigarettes, no places to smoke in public, no more lectures
from my Doctor, my two grandchildren never remembering
me as a smoker, my husband ecstatically happy, never smoking in the car or house....
I could go on and on.
I quit 20 years ago.
The days go on, on, on..you just don't smoke... you are a non-smoker.
Works for me...works for you.

Tikki

That is quite an accomplishment!

Good job!!!

True, you had help(ers), but you were the one in the driver’s seat. CONGRATULATIONS!!!

It is a terrible addiction. Kudos to you! How long did you take chantix.

I'm on my 2nd round of it. Stopped it after 3.5 months a year ago. I'm going to stay on it a good long time this time. LOL

I need to follow your example, but with sugar.