Quitting Smoking

I suppose it would be out of the question to have a smoke to celebrate? All joking aside, I am not completely smokeless but all in all have not had one whole cig at a time and not more than one total in 24 hours since aug 31. I don't feel like I am cheating, I just don't want to get to that point where I am going nuts. Believe it or not two puffs will take care of that urge for at least a few hours.

I have discovered that my biggest trigger is talking on the phone. I really thought it would be with my morning coffee or after I eat but the times when I really want one is on the phone so.......I am staying off the phone as much as possible.It is not so much as want one one the phone as my brain is conditioned..talk on the phone/smoke a cigarette.

I hope you guys don't feel like I lied when I said I was doing ok and didn't mention that I am not smoke free yet. I do feel like I am doing great. Last time I tried to quit, with patches, I would take the patch off, smoke a couple cig's and put the patch back on. Did this several times before I just gave up and started again.

I don't think I will ever like not smoking because I like to but I am hoping I will feel better and have more energy. Right now I don't have much energy at all so anything will be an improvement.

Geeze, I just read this and it is full of me trying to convince myself this quitting business is worth it. I can and I will.

I believe I need to set a reward for myself when I have been completely smoke free for 30 days. That will be about $120.00. I am taking myself to the casino (I'll work on breaking that habit when this one is taken care of!)And believe me, if it wasn't so far to the casino I would be calling 1-800-I HAVE-A-PROBLEM. Distance alone takes care of that one.

Now that I have bared my dirty soul I am going to go play pkoer on POGO. At least it is free.

I did finish my gate I was going to work on while quitting and the blasted thing is so heavy it took two men to move it. I'll try and post a picture tomorrow. It is very rustic with spokes of an old wagon wheel in it. And a bell I picked up in Mexico last week. I am rambling like a fool needing a cigarette so I am going now. (struggle struggle)

Thanks again for all the kind words of encouragement

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Life is like a garden. Cultivate it, cherish it, enjoy it and above all, keep the weeds out!

DF, the nicotine was revving you up, it is a narcotic. Removing that narcotic from your system will cause tiredness and fatigue. Start drinking more water and taking some good MultiVitamins and the tiredness should go away in a few days. Take a nap when you get really tired, your body can use the down time to work on healing.
Is the casino smoke-free? If not, you might want to make that trip after you have been smoke free for 60-90 days instead of only 30.

It is good that you have cut back to no more than one per day. BUT the nicotine is still in control of your physical and mental needs. Having one a day is the same as wearing the patches, you still have nicotine in your body therefore your body is not being given the chance to clean itself of the narcotic so it can function normally again....it just gets started and wham there is that nicotine again so it has to start over.
You have gotten yourself down to one per day for a week now is a good time to take that another step up...cut down to one a week.

CK, I know what you mean about all the scare tactics used to make smokers quit. The doctor I used to go to was a fanatic about it, everything I went to see her about was related to my smoking. I kept expecting her to claim that the freckles I was born with were because my Dad was a smoker when I was conceived. I am just stubborn enough to dig in my heels and not do something when I am being harangued by someone about it.