Thread: 1st time over a decade I have gone 24 hours without a cigarette

OK ... I made it 5 straight days at work without a cig. And I've been having 4-5 in the evening after work.

It's almost midnight here and I have one fag left. Tomorrow is Saturday and the real test begins.

Originally Posted by ENT

Where did Storekeeper say he "puffed away like a good'un " when not at work, then after 10 hours at work rewards himself with a cig?

I'd like to read what he has to say about it.
A good method of quitting tobacco is to first reduce consumption, your own way, then quit entirely.

....He's obviously trying to quit and looking for some positive feedback to help.

Good point.

OK Storekeeper, you CAN do it. Just don't give up! Good work on not smoking at work.

Don't worry if it doesn't come easy. It didn't come easy to me to. Do whatever YOU need to do, or think you need to do to quit. If it means gently reducing your smoking amount by not smoking at work...then do it. You are doing SOMETHING. And that's a start. If you are able to go through work without having to smoke...that's better than alot of people can do.

If you need to, then just gradually cut down your smoking levels a day. If you need, then do nicotine replacement--nicotine gum, nicotine patches, nicotine losenges, electronic cigarettes, ...whatever you think you need. It helped me to make the transition to not smoking cigarettes at all. Whatever it is that you think you need to do to help you, do it. We're not judging you here. We're encouraging.

By the way ... It's only because I opened this thread that I even decided to try quitting. I've been smoking a little less than a pack a day average since December 1999. Before that I had quit for 2 years. Oh yeah, I once quit for 5 years from 1989-1994.

Actually, he does. People have posted on this very thread saying that method of going cold turkey worked, for them. And I can verify from talking to smokers (including my father) that the psychological addiction never goes away.

Originally Posted by ENT

You're talking shit and preaching hopelessness, typical of a second hand info salesman with no experience of the situation.

Ah, but I'm not. Me and my ilk are talking good sense. You just have to be stronger than the addiction.

Originally Posted by DrAndy

As I said, the mental addiction is far stronger and lasts forever; you just have to be stronger. Up to you.

And I do have experience; I gave up smoking in 1978 or thereabouts, after smoking for 5 years. It was difficult, and I didn't even have what I would describe as an addiction to nicotine....more a habituation to the physical act of smoking, particularly when drinking.
Also the experience of seeing my father's battle with it, together with frank conversations about it.

Originally Posted by Latindancer

"......and I didn't even have what I would describe as an addiction to nicotine....
.

So you don't know what your talking about.

Of course.....you are the Teakdoor firsthand expert on substance abuse. And general all around know-it-all.

How's it going with you Pseudolus? I hope you're still persisting in your quitting of tobacco.
It's 6 weeks now since you quit around New Years!
Your method of using the Allan Carr method and straight cold turkey reputedly works, a step by step program and will power.
It'd be great to get feedback about the effects of that method and how you handled them.

It's only been a week and a bit. I had tried using e-Cigs over xmas and when I ran out of them, I ended up smoking double the normal amount of smokes I had done before.

It's not cold turkey method because implies it is hard work. It is not. It's a mind set that I am now a non smoker. I don't smoke. I am like other people who don't smoke.

There are no true withdrawals symptoms - it's all in the mind. Nicotine withdrawal feels like being a little hungry and that is all. A century of smoking adverts tell us that smoking is good for all situations, and TV / movies showing people relaxing and relieving stress smoking means we believe it is true, but it is not. non smokers don't need a smoke to relax and relieve stress.

So I now have no physical craving for smokes, and mentally occasionally my mind goes into automatic telling me it's smoke time after a meal or when I get out of a taxi / shopping mall or anywhere where you can not smoke. But it is very rare and it's nice to walk around fashion island without thinking about needing a smoke all the time or being at Central Rama 9, running out of smokes with no where near to buy them, and having to worry about it or leave early.

After smoking LM dang and Marlboro red the past several years I can tell you that right at this moment I want to take a deeeep ass drag. My method of smoking was sorta like killing an entire cig in about 3-4 deep drags. So this time quitting is way more difficult than in the past.

But, I'm tired of spending about $275 a month on smokes ... I'm tired of having no sense of smell ... I'm tired of not being able to breath properly ...

I'm doing this cold turkey and I'm going to make it through the weekend ...

You can do it. Hell, you're stronger than me if you can go cold turkey. I had to use the gum and electronic cigarettes as a crutch. Anyways, way to go man! Keep it up.

And Ent,

My thoughts:
I don't think the Chantix/Champix worked for me. It is supposed to block the receptors in the brain for nicotine, which would mean that there would be no cravings. Many people who have taken it before told me they had no cravings, and smoking made them sick. For me, that didn't happen. So I think that I may be one of those that Chantix/Champix may not work for, or I may need a higher doseage. Like other drugs in smaller dosages don't usually work for me. I wanted to try the Lobelia to see if I just took a larger dose of the active ingredient if I would loose all cravings. Unfortunately, I have been unable to find the plain leaf where I live. I would have to buy the plant and then cultivate it, and then pull the leaves...etc. So, I have not tried it yet.

Because I still had cravings I needed the nicotine gum and the electronic cigarettes. The nicotine gum did/does give you the nicotine feeling. But it's not quite the same, and the gum is more expensive.

What I really missed from smoking was the "burning" sensation on the lungs and throat. What helped me was the electronic cigarettes, because it does give you that burning sensation (and gives you nicotine).

Before, all you could get where the e-cigs that you had to buy the manufacturer's cartridge before (like blu or Xhale e-cigs). Those were getting expensive. I guess there was a new generation (look up eGo-T) of electronic cigarette that you can add your own nicotine juice for. The E-cig was $22 and the juice was $4.95 (and the bottle lasts at least a week for me). That helped alot to cut the cravings.

The first time I quit smoking was after I had to have my gallbladder removed, and I was stuck in a hospital bed on demoral. The demoral really overpowers the nicotine craving (it is synthetic morphine), and the gallbladder surgery cut through my stomach muscles so that it hurt to sit up. As a result, I quit smoking. I stayed "quit" for a few years and then I went back to school. What caused me to go off the wagon was that I would smell someone having a cigarette, and it made me miss the sensation. I just wanted the burning sensation every now and then, but to do that you had to buy the pack of cigarettes...and when you have the pack, it makes it easier to smoke.

I think I have that problem beat with the electric cigarettes. I am keeping one available in case I ever have strong cravings. The advantage of the e-cigs is that they are cheaper (like i said, less than $5 for a bottle of nicotine juice), and there is no evidence that it causes cancer, and it doesn't stink, and doesn't make me cough.

Pseudolus, what type of e-cigs did you try? I mean I don't think that they are necessarily "bad"....the "bad" is the soot and carcinogens from actually smoking that causes health problems. Nicotine and water vapor aren't bad for you.

Fail ... Made it to 9:40 PM and had to rush out of the house down to the gas station for a pack of smokes. Argh!

Giving up smoking is easy I must have achieved it 20-30 times.

Originally Posted by Storekeeper

Fail ... Made it to 9:40 PM and had to rush out of the house down to the gas station for a pack of smokes. Argh!

Just at that point when you are about to give up and run down for a smoke, just stop and ask yourself out loud

"Do I want to be a smoker. Yes or no".

If the answer is no, follow up with

"Why do I want to be a non smoker"

Say the reasons out loud.

"What is the actual feeling I am going through. What are the physical symptoms of needing a smoke"

Say them out loud.

....and you will see, they are nothing. You are building it all up in your mind. It's easy. Just stop.

Originally Posted by Storekeeper

Fail ... Made it to 9:40 PM and had to rush out of the house down to the gas station for a pack of smokes. Argh!

It's ok. If first you don't succeed try again. Do me a favor. Get some e-cigs. Next time you try to stop have the e cig available. Before you break down and go to store, puff on e cig first. That should kill the desire. And really the
E cigs are cheaper and much much safer.

Originally Posted by DrAndy

thing is, you never quit, you just stopped for a while

as I said, the mental addiction is far stronger and lasts forever; you just have to be stronger

up to you

Originally Posted by ENT

You haven't a clue about it, slime ball.

Originally Posted by Latindancer

Actually, he does. People have posted on this very thread saying that method of going cold turkey worked, for them.

Originally Posted by ENT

LD, piss off, it's clear that you've got no interest in and nothing of value to contribute to this thread other than stalking me and being an attention seeking self flattering wowser. Go away.

How's it going with you Pseudolus?
Your method of using the Allan Carr method and straight cold turkey reputedly works, a step by step program and will power.
It'd be great to get feedback about the effects of that method and how you handled them.

Thanks ENT for saying one thing, then it's opposite. DrAndy and I were promoting the cold turkey method, not asking YOU to be a turkey ! You really are a controlling and manipulative jerk. But since you want to seem like the expert in this thread, I shall leave you to dazzle everyone with your learning, and empathy with your fellow human beings.

Originally Posted by pseudolus

How's it going with you Pseudolus? I hope you're still persisting in your quitting of tobacco.
It's 6 weeks now since you quit around New Years!

It's only been a week and a bit. I had tried using e-Cigs over xmas and when I ran out of them, I ended up smoking double the normal amount of smokes I had done before.

...It's a mind set that I am now a non smoker.

There are no true withdrawals symptoms - it's all in the mind. Nicotine withdrawal feels like being a little hungry and that is all.

So I now have no physical craving for smokes, and mentally occasionally my mind goes into automatic telling me it's smoke time

OK. You quit for a short period around Xmas, smoked again, then decided to give the Allan Carr method another go.
Great stuff, and as you say, you must have the mindset that you are now a non-smoker.

Withdrawal symptoms for you are only slight feelings of hunger and occasionally your mind goes automatic suggesting that you want/need a smoke.

Similar to my withdrawal symptoms, although I didn't get the hunger pangs, but I got a wee bit tired, so took cat-naps.

In my case, I was taking a little lobelia leaf occasionally which not only works on the dopamine receptors as nicotine does, but caused my breathing and blood circulation to improve instantly.

I don't cough at all any more, I think I did a lot of lung clearing in my smoking reduction phase prior to quitting, then for a few days after starting on lobelia.

What about the coughing phase many ex-smokers have reported? Are you going through that?

Well, as you say, you're now a non-smoker, don't look back!

Originally Posted by Storekeeper

Fail ... Made it to 9:40 PM and had to rush out of the house down to the gas station for a pack of smokes. Argh!

NOT A FAIL!

You're still in the process of adjusting to becoming a non-smoker is what's happening!

As Submaniac said,
"You can do it. Hell, you're stronger than me if you can go cold turkey. I had to use the gum and electronic cigarettes as a crutch. Anyways, way to go man! Keep it up."

Pseudolus gives you some good advice too, Allan Carr method.

If you've got to use something to help QUIT, I strongly advise against any product containing nicotine. They can help you cut down, but the final act of quitting is nicotine free step.

Will power is essential, so is a positive mind set, that you are a non-smoker now, not a smoker, and you can really only say that to yourself when NOT smoking.

Don't feel ashamed to use something like lobelia, it works, and in my case also helped me cut down on alcohol drastically, apart from boosting my breathing and cardio-vascular system.

A small plant in a pot is all you have to gropw to supply all your lobelia supply to get over the first few weeks without nicotine.

Good luck mate, don'y give in, even if you backslide, that's just part of adjusting, so QUIT!

Originally Posted by Submaniac

I don't think the Chantix/Champix worked for me. It is supposed to block the receptors in the brain for nicotine, which would mean that there would be no cravings. Many people who have taken it before told me they had no cravings, and smoking made them sick. For me, that didn't happen. So I think that I may be one of those that Chantix/Champix may not work for, or I may need a higher doseage. Like other drugs in smaller dosages don't usually work for me. I wanted to try the Lobelia to see if I just took a larger dose of the active ingredient if I would loose all cravings. Unfortunately, I have been unable to find the plain leaf where I live. I would have to buy the plant and then cultivate it, and then pull the leaves...etc. So, I have not tried it yet.



Because I still had cravings I needed the nicotine gum and the electronic cigarettes.

The first time I quit smoking .... The demoral really overpowers the nicotine craving (it is synthetic morphine),

I think I have that problem beat with the electric cigarettes.

Pseudolus, what type of e-cigs did you try? I mean I don't think that they are necessarily "bad"....the "bad" is the soot and carcinogens from actually smoking that causes health problems. Nicotine and water vapor aren't bad for you.

Sure,one of the bad part of smoking is the soot, ash and tar that clogs up the lungs and act as carcinogens.
E-cigs are cleaner, give you a nicotine shot, but the harm that nicotine does is to constrict your cardio-vascular and pulmonary system, thus giving you poor blood circulation and a decreased oxygen supply.
Nicotine is a stimulant initially then acts as a central nervous system depressant, a "downer".

Lobelia does the opposite of what nicotine does to your lungs and blood supply, while targetting the same receptors as nicotine does, so that the urge for nicotine is gone.

Champix contains two main active ingredients, and lobeline is the one that really works as a nicotine substitute while the varenicline tartrate acts simultaneously as an anti-depressant, which I think is unnecessary, and probably doesn't really help at all.

Demoral is an opiate, acts on the same receptors as nicotine and lobeline do, so has a similar effect. Only minute doses of lobeline (a small piece of leaf) are needed any time you want a ciggy. Taking nicotine at the same time as lobelia makes you really feel bad, slightly nauseous and dizzy, but by using lobelia instead, the feeling of well-being you associate with smoking results, and a calm sensation follows, no anxiety, or withdrawal symptoms, and it's non-adictive, while nicotine and demoral are.

Only oine small pot of lobelia growing on your window sill or verandah is necessary to give you more than enough lobeline to get over nicotine. It's no problem cultivating at all.

You can also control your own dosage, just keep the amounts small, but take it more frequently if need be.

If you can't get the plant from a garden nursery, leaf and tincture are available on the net or at a herbalists or at some pharmacies, but here are some suppliers;

buy Lobelia Extract organic - high quality Manufacturers,Suppliers and Exporters on weiku.com

Natural Products Insider Buyer's Guide : Ingredient Suppliers : Herbs/Botanicals/Food : Lobelia


Whatever you do, mate, don't give up trying, just QUIT SMOKING!

Good luck.

Originally Posted by pseudolus

You are building it all up in your mind. It's easy. Just stop.

Not giving up ... making another run at it today.