Smokers/ExSmokers

[minneman]

For you Smokers,Last Wed.Am I had a real I opener, 6:am sitting right here, cup of coffee, havin a smoke, reading the best fishin info around, I feel kinda clammy/hot. I reach up behind me to open the window. after opening I feel as tho I pulled a muscle in my chest. nothing major, just irratating, 10 min. later its more of a heavy feeling, I go lay down next to the wife to strech it off. NOT!
30 sec. of that I wake her with the Scarriest words to ever come out of my mouth.. "I think you should take me into the hospital, "I think im having a heart attack??"

With pain that feels like an elephant standing on my chest we get to emergency and although relieved to be there, I still am in pain. 2 little sprays of nitro and the pain is gone. the next day im shipped to Fargo for an angiogram, and ultimatly angioplasty and a stent for the blockage they found. lucky for me there was only minor damage to my heart, the blockage was not in a major artery.

Here is the thing, Im male, 42 yrs young, and there is no heart disease in the family, None. my Cholesteral level is 164, Im not over weight, 6'3" 205lbs, and am phisically active. My downfall is that ive Smoked for 26 years! !!Quit Now!!

Ex Smokers, please share with me the ways you found things to do to avoid the urge, I havent smoked since 6am wed. and am doing the patch, so far so good, but today I return to work (selfemployed const) and in this biz smoking is the norm. Yes, they will all get an earfull!!

Thanks for your time! I have a totaly new outlook on life now, and sharing this is part of it, hoping that atleast one of you great people will Kick it!! Ted

[upnorth]

It is great to hear of all you guys taking the plunge and saying goodbye to cigarettes.

It is a bit difficult in the beginning, but after a while it really does seem the normal way to live.

You will feel better, be able to breathe, you will not smell like a cigarette butt, your mouth will not taste like dump and have that burning feeling, you will save a ton of money, and the biggest thing in my book you will not be a total slave to those dang cigarettes

Hang in there!!!

[fivebucks]

I've been away for a little bit but it's great to see that a bit of support and encouragement from the FM family can get a bunch of us to quit a nasty habit. It's 3 weeks tomorrow for me and it's easier every day. Great to see you on board Valv and Rick and the all the others. We're doing it and it feels great! GOOD LUCK TO ALL!!!

[MT Net]

LOL - Springy Spit Snakes. When I quit chewing, I chewed up a lot of McDonaldland soft drink straws as well. It didn't settle the nicotine craving, but it gave me something to concentrate on. Straws and paper wraps all over in my car. Eww, a few soggy chewed up ones. They were almost like a pacifier.

Congrats, good luck!

[Jim W]

I hate to crimp the flow of positive feelings and all, but I caved people! I haven't returned full force, but I have smoked after almost 3 months with out.....no goood!

You should see me try to hide it now!lol

Jim W

[minneman]

You can do it Jim!

sure, I had an eye opener to get the thing rolling. its realy just like everyone has said, you have to be as serious as a heart attack about quiting.

Please dont give up.

I thought about the whole "if I start again, how to hide it thing" there is no way! I can smell a smoker a mile away now. besides you cant Hide it from YOURSELF. remember,.. its all about YOU!

On one of my more trying times since quiting I heard myself saying ..."Im am DIEING to have a smoke!"

then I thought, ...How stupid is that!

[rmh2o]

I havnt been on here for a while but I quit smoking 6 weeks ago and find this post very helpful just knowing I am not the only one struggling to quit these nasty things.One thing that helps me is I keep telling myself it is easier not to smoke then to start and have to go thru the quitting process all over again.Now if I can get those burn marks out of my boat carpet!Good luck guys one day at a time

[upnorth]

Jim W

I wouldn't fret too much, just don't totally give up. If you keep at it you will make it, just don't forget the reasons that you quit in the 1st place. If you keep those in the forefront of your mind you will stand a much better chance of staying quit.

IMO the biggest thing with quitting is motivation and if you forget what motivated you in the 1st place it ain't gonna be long and you will be smoking again. It is just about that simple

I smoked from the time I was 11 to 39 and was at 2 packs a day when I quit. I would get up in the middle of the night to take a leak and have a smoke while I was up, it was the last thing I did before sleep and the 1st thing I did in morning, I was hooked. It has been 6 years and 27 days since I last smoked one of those smelly things.

The reason I made it? I never forgot why I was quitting

[minneman]

How are you all doing?

Im hanging in there, day 32, I do find myself wondering what to do with all this extra time. But Im enjoying exploring new things to do.

have a great weekend all!!

Ted

[Muskienut]

This is one unbelievable forum for smoking help....I am currently a smoker, but at 34 and having trouble keeping up my 2 kids, I have to give it up.

I hate the cough I get, the smell an the fact that it is killing me.

I have Zyban ready to go, smoking gum, and bought a supply of sunflower seeds for when I may have a craving...

I have made up a list of pro's/con's and need to set a realistic date to quit.

Is there anything you can add I may need to do in getting ready to quit?

I am ready to quit!

[irvingdog]

"Is there anything you can add I may need to do in getting ready to quit?"

Yes I can, but you already have it. The support of friends, and the wisdom we're trying to impart, and hope you are heeding. IMHO the most important one to remember is "Cravings only last for a minute or two......" Don't blow it over not being able to put up a fight a few times a day for this short of a period of time.....

[upnorth]

Muskienut

Sounds like you have what you need to do the job. I used gum instead of sunflower seeds, but to each his on that

You won't regret the decision to quit. If zyban don't work try the patch. It is a nasty, sneaky habit, do whatever it takes to beat it.

Good Luck!!!

[B-bear]

Muskienut,
You have most of the bases covered. Like Irvingdog said make it through one minute at a time.
Also try to think of things to do when you would normally burn one. Like "instead of having a smoke first thing in the AM when I get up I am going to go out to the garage and tie a few new bucktails." Find rewarding activities in place of when you would smoke.
Above all don't quit on quitting. Try again-- right away.

[This message has been edited by B-bear (edited 10-19-2003).]

[Guest]

I quit cold turkey after 35 years! At the last I was smoking almost three pacs a day and at the end of the day they would make me gag, but the nicotine devil made me smoke that last one more each day. My DAD taught mem how to STOP !! I watched him die a slow,slow,slow death because his heart failed, due to the fact that his lungs were so far gone, that they would not supply enough oxygen and his heart just gave up !! Dad was only sixty two yuears old when died and the last thing we talked about was MOM and fishing !! Thanks DAD for showing me how not to DIE!!!

Richard Smith (Smitty)

[Granny]

Rick,
I must say that this has got to be the most successful quit smoking/chewing program ever. We are looking at over a 95% success rate so far. I can see it now quitsmokingminnesota dot com. Let us know when the site is up and running.
Granny

[minneman]

any of you experiance headaches as part of your withdrawl symptoms? or maybey its the meds im on..? just been haveing them regularily when normaly I dont ever have them at all.

Just curious..

day 34, the monkey is loosing this game!!

[upnorth]

Minneman, I went through some pretty good headaches and irratible times when I 1st quit. I don't think what you are going through is abnormal, withdrawl from that dang nicotine is a pain, but it is really worth it in the long run. You will wonder why you didn't do it sooner, but as Rick pointed out it is all about motiviation, if you don't really want to quit you won't.

[irvingdog]

Never had a single headache. And if I did, I'd take aspirin, not a cigarette.....

[fivebucks]

Quiting is like riding a horse. Jump back on the non-smoking filly. You can do it. Good job everyone out there. I'm still on board on day 28. Almost a month Yea!! Here is an exerpt from my 50 day Health Partners plan.
Day 18 - "Stopping smoking is a deal you make with yourself, for your own special reasons. It generally won't work if you're doing it for someone else. YOU are the winner. YOUR life gets better. Be strong, and YOU get the prize. It's worth it. (You'll undoubtedly have to stop smoking sometime-why go through all this misery again later?)"

Day 23 - "Remember, if you start smoking again-even if it's just one cigarette, even if it's a year from now or 10 years from now-you'll be back at the beginning of the addiction cycle."

I can personally relate to day 23 as I'm sure most of us can.

Here is something to look forward to:
Day 44 - "By staying smoke-free for a year, you can reduce your risk for heart disease to less than half of what it was when you were smoking."

Hang in there everyone WE CAN AND ARE DOING IT. To the other smokers out there, this site helped alot to get me to day 28. Join in and help yourself to another day on the water.

PS I already saved $115

[Rick]

If you caved and that's not good - FOR YOU.

The addiction cycle just started all over again for you.

List the reasons why YOU want to quit again (It's all about your own personal motivation).

THEN QUIT FOR GOOD...Your own good.

WE want to see you around for a good long time. I'll bet you want to be around to see others for a good long time as well

JUST QUIT THE SMELLY BROWN ROUND THINGS

You're a strong willed guy...you CAN do it - forever.

It's all about motivation and commitment...the more motivated and committed you are to quitting, the easier it is.

I'm right there with all of you. 2 weeks SMOKE FREE. I'm done forever. Nothing wishy-washy about it...I'M NOW A NON-SMOKER!!!!

I'm done with the filthy and physically destructive smoking habit forever.

[This message has been edited by Rick (edited 10-22-2003).]

[Aquaman01]

Muskienut -
You'll know when the time is right.
Ted -
Holy dump - we're doing it. Glad you survived that cardiac event so that you could get us into gear.
Rick-
Doctor Stoic- that's you! Ha Ha Nice Nute Rockne approach there, coach! "Let's go...girls." Dang, tough guy, at least my drill instructor let me stop running long enough to puke!

Dig this - 4 weeks ago I quit my fat$$ but empty job to work where my heart is for less $$, and it would seem now it's for a LOT less $$. Predictions for the earnings potential were optimistically inflated by my employer's representatives - to say the least. Money is running out, the kids miss their Mom (now we're a 2 job family) and I think I made the worst mistake I've ever made as a father & husband. There are no visions of getting ahead in the near future, and I think I'll be successful if I don't lose our vehicles, our home, or my family's respect before this situation improves.

2 hours since my last explosive crying jag. 15 minutes since my last Jonez. 28 days since my last cigarette.
I will not take common comfort in easy poison. I will not smoke. I will not surrender to addiction. I will not smoke.

You can take all the psychology, pharmacology, physiology and any other ology you can think of, and it all really does come down to courage.
The ability to feel fear yet do what must be done, despite the pain, adversity or fear. Don't say "I'm not scared of quitting" - b.s. - ALL addicts are scared of quitting. Say "I'm scared - but I can handle it".

I'm done here for now. Thanks for listening. If my wife knew I was starting to fracture - she'd be even more scared than she is now.

------------------
Aquaman
<')}}}}}><{
"The bow is set to distant shore,
then loss is gained and gains once more.
When beach is reached and sails are torn,
the journey is it's own reward."

[fishface5]

I CONGRADULATE ALL YOU GUYS OR GIRLS who are extending your lives! I am an "x" smoker, quit the day after my 12 year old son was born. (nic. gum and tons of bubble gum) I'm also an EMT who works wright co. and I would prefer to meet you guys on the water, NOT in the back of my truck, at work! Catch fish. Stay healthy. Turn into an "OLD COOT".

[upnorth]

Yeah, you all want to stick around long enough to be a pain in the a$$ to your kids don't you?

[Paul Rohweller]

Tommorow is day 23! WEEE!!!! I dont miss those evil satan sticks. Kinda funny to be able to smell and taste again.
FunFact. As of tonite I havent smoked about 950 ciggys (holy moley thats alot of smokes!) That equals about $154.37 Man freedom feels good... Keep on keepin on folks!! Paul

------------------
Paul Rohweller
Pine to Prairie Guide Service
218-962-3387
N.P.A.A. 425
http://fishingminnesota.com/pinetoprairie

[Muskienut]

Officially on the Quitting Program with Zyban. Woke up Sun AM, and told the wife and kids - That is it! Only 2 dyas on the program and less than a pack in 2 days when I usually go about 1 1/2 packs a day. Toothpicks, sunflower seeds, gum is all handy! Program states to set a quit date 7-14 days after you start. - My official quit date will be next Tuesday. We just happen to be going on vacation and I figured what a better time!

[minneman]

Glad to here it Muskinut! getting out of your normal routine will definetly help!

Aqua, I sure hope things are smoothing out for ya!!

Paul, glad to hear your hangin in there! Fresh air, ya gotta love it!

the monkey is getting weaker all the time. Im in my 5th week and the patch has helped a lot, however, I can tell, as can my family that I still have a problem with the Nicotine, I can get kinda edgy, not shakey or anything just easily irratated, when I forget the patch. So ive been thinking about the zyban, to rid myself of the Nic. its eaither that or I just go for it!! Im on the middle doseage on the patch, I spose I could just finish it out with the low dose and then see how it goes...?

No matter what, I feel very proud of myself for quitting! My youngest girl (6) and I were foolin around playing games and she said "Dad, lets see who wins, hold your breath!" so we each gulped some air and my god, I went 57 sec. (she beat me) but wow, I could maybe do 25 sec pror to quitting.

Its all good!