Any advice on getting off these smokes?

[ElumEno]

Originally Posted by Ginger Doll

I tried Chantix, too. In addition to the odd dreams, it made me very overreactive and borderline hostile. And it just didn't decrease my urge to smoke as effectively as I had hoped. (It did help a little, just not enough.)

I had much better success years ago with the patches & Welbutrin. I quit for about 8 months & thought I was over it. Unfortunately, I went through a stressful divorce shortly afterwards and started right back up again.

I wonder if the patches can be used along with Chantix?

Yes - that is what the doctor gave me; Chantix, Welbutrin and told me to use the patch, only took the Chantix for about two weeks, but I was able to quit for over a year with the patch and welbutrin. but damn those dreams where wild.

P.S. I've got to be one of the unluckest guys alive - Both Gingers are in KC and I'm stuck in a hotal in Fort Worth.

[Dondo7]

Maybe I should check in to one of the drugs as this obviously going to be a challenge. I started the "2nd step" patch knowing I should be using the first step, I'm hoping I can experience and get used to the withdrawal symptoms but still controlling them a bit with the patch so I'm not a total psycho. I am experiencing withdrawal even with the patch so that part is working. Pure hell, wish I would have never started. After eating and getting a whif of smoke puts me in to a frenzy. I'm sure after sex will be a challenge too but I wouldn't know guess I'll have to try with Rosy but it's not exactly the same, you know

[Tigerfan1977]

I'll throw out my method. I switched to Ecigs. Specifically, a box mod from reosmods.com. There's a little bit of a learning curve, but I know have several flavors of liquid that I like and almost never forget an extra batter/bottle. I know it still has the nicotine, but I did dump about 4000 chemicals along with the smell and my lungs seem to be getting better after a few months (hard to tell with my allergies always acting up).

As for cost, it varies month to month depending on whether I had to make a larger liquid/cartomizer purchase, but I'd say I average about $30-40 a month where I was buying 2-3 cartons of cigarettes.

If anyone is interested, PM me and I'll provide what help/info I can and point you to some resources.

[Guest082513-02]

This may help you guys....

[ScubaBad]

Like Ginger said, be careful with the Chantix. My now ex got on it and it ruined our relationship. It caused her to go psycho, I have never been with a person that could be sweet one minute and for no reason turn into the devil the next.

If you try it, just be very careful and listen to the ones you love. If they say you aren't you, get off it immediately and try something else.

[BigMikeinKC]

Actually this reminds me of a short story by Stephen King that I read. It is called quitters Inc. a man wants to quit smoking and an organization offers to help him. If he smokes, they kidnap his wife and cut off her fingers, electrocute her etc. At the end of the story, he has quit smoking and he is at a party with another guy who uses Quitters Inc. They comment on how difficult the program was and the man's wife holds up her hand and she is missing several fingers.
This was used in a movie called Cat's Eye which uses a cat to tie together several of King's short stories.

[KCWebGuy]

I used the generic version of commit lozenges available at Walmart. It gave me something to put in my mouth, which helped the psychological withdrawals. Let them replace the smokes, then you can step down off those much easier.

[KCManlet]

I just want to say that the title of this thread is very misleading from when I first saw it.

[Ginger Doll]

Originally Posted by KCManlet

I just want to say that the title of this thread is very misleading from when I first saw it.

Lol! Yes, that's exactly what I thought when I first saw it, too. And I have plenty of advice in that department. The other, not so much.

[Waitt]

After 30 years of smoking I haven't smoked in 4 years. You have to finally decide you are going to do it. You are stronger than the urge. Count to 10 when you get the urge and it will pass. I carried an unopen pack in my shirt pocket for 3 months. Had a pack on the bar at home. If you really want to you can do it. Until you really want to you can't. I still want one from time to time, but don't. Motivation is your health. For me it was my kids. Visit the cancer center at the VA. Good luck

[Area Man]

I just passed 15 months cig free. After 20 years of smoking I quit cold turkey and haven't had so much as a puff since. It was my first attempt at quitting. I attribute my success to what I learned watching so many other people fail.

In my opinion the #1 way to quit smoking is to NOT MAKE A BIG DEAL OF IT. Don't talk about quitting ever; not before you do it and not after. Don't count down the days. Don't plan ahead. Just pick a day and do it cold turkey. Don't tell anyone you're quitting. Don't count the days since your last smoke (until you hit about 3 months). The more attention you give cigs the more you'll fixate on their absence and the more likely you'll break down.

You'll have tough times, but rarely do they last more than a few minutes. During those fits, which become shorter and happen less frequetly as time goes by, you need to focus on why you're quitting. My reason wasn't to be more healthy or to save money or anything specific, it was everything combined. I simply didn't want to be a smoker any longer.

I wouldn't use the patch or Chantix. I'm not saying it hasn't happened, but I've seen a lot of people fail and none succeed with those aids. Easing into a cold pool sucks. Just jump in and get it over with.

Good luck. Oh, and stay off the booze for a few weeks.

[KCJoe]

I'm glad I never started smoking. Had many friends who did and are still smoking. My phisolphy has always been that if you have to learn to like something (cigs, coffee, scotch), I'll never pick up the habit.

[bud69]

The hardest part in getting off, of smoking, is making the decision to actually quit. Not try and quit, but actually making a decision to stop. Quiting was easy for me. I would do it about every six months, and at some point 30 years ago, I decided I had enough.

[JRLawrence]

The only time I have smoked was after sex!
I know; I looked!!!

JR

[i'va biggen]

if you are married have the wife bitch slap you each time you try to light up.