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General Banter => The Circular File => The Smoking Section => Topic started by: RuralTom on January 03, 2014, 09:26:07 AM

Title: Anybody successfully quit nicotine?
Post by: RuralTom on January 03, 2014, 09:26:07 AM
I've been a nicotine addict for nearly 25 years... going to give quitting 'the old college try' here starting next week. 

Anybody successfully quit 'round here that was a long time user?  Tips, suggestions, etc, welcome!
Title: Re: Anybody successfully quit nicotine?
Post by: papabearjew on January 03, 2014, 09:43:12 AM
Can't really help other than to tell you research shows that when you do quit your lungs will improve. I smoked during college but quit when I got married in 1977. It's a good thing to as I'm in my 3rd round of cancer with it attacking my lungs this time. My doctors (oncologist, surgeon, radiologist) all said if I was a smoke things would be a lot worse. When I quit I just did it cold turkey. Good luck
Title: Re: Anybody successfully quit nicotine?
Post by: thuffman03 on January 03, 2014, 09:47:31 AM
Can't say that I have tried, but I guess I am not addicted since I only smoke Cigars which I can go days and have gone a few weeks without smoking.

Good luck with your quest.
Title: Re: Anybody successfully quit nicotine?
Post by: bmwr75 on January 03, 2014, 10:33:32 AM
Yep.  Was smoking 1.5 packs a day until December 24, 1991.  Quit cold turkey that day.  One of the best decisions I ever made.
Title: Re: Anybody successfully quit nicotine?
Post by: OldiesButGoodies on January 03, 2014, 10:58:50 AM
Two months ago one of my best friends back in California suffered a heart attack on a Saturday morning.  He goes to the gym daily and is in excellent shape,  but smoked two cigars a day, sometimes three.  The docs were able to save him;  he lives close to a hospital. While inserting the catheter the cardiologist explained to him the statistics on people he does that procedure to and smoking.  He shared that info with me a couple of days later.  I have not touched a cigarette since.  An occasional cigar maybe - but ideally not.  Avoiding a heart attack is the best incentive I have found so far to stay away from the damn things.
Title: Re: Anybody successfully quit nicotine?
Post by: Reverend on January 03, 2014, 12:26:01 PM
I smoked for 15 years.  I tried quitting many times without success.  Finally one weekend I ended up going out to the bar and doing a ridiculous amount of drinking.  I was hung over for two days and the thought of a cigarette turned my stomach.  On the third day I just toughed it out and haven't had one since.
Title: Re: Anybody successfully quit nicotine?
Post by: SunnyDaze on January 03, 2014, 01:37:05 PM
I chewed Copenhagen from the time I was 15 until I was 19. I woke up one day, brushed my teeth, spit out blood, and quit that day...

...only to start smoking cigarettes.

I smoked a pack a day until Thanksgiving 2009 when I quit cold turkey (ironic).

Since then, I have the occasional random cigarette every 2-3 months to remind me how absolutely disgusting cigarette smoking is.  >:D
Title: Re: Anybody successfully quit nicotine?
Post by: Dicky on January 03, 2014, 01:47:21 PM
Smells like happy
Title: Re: Anybody successfully quit nicotine?
Post by: SunnyDaze on January 03, 2014, 02:28:16 PM
Early peaches, long summer.
Title: Re: Anybody successfully quit nicotine?
Post by: bearjew on January 03, 2014, 02:31:36 PM
I'm not old enough to have smoked for 25 years, but I smoked for a couple of years (I don't disclose how long in order to protect myself from PBJ), and when I quit, it was cold turkey. The first week was alright. The second week sucked. The third week was better. I was really irritated all the time, but after the second week, it got better. Still irritated all the time, but it's not because of nicotine withdrawal anymore :p. Also, food tastes way better after 72 hours of not smoking. Someone told me that, and I thought it was crap, but it's true. Good luck man. May the force be with you on your journey.
Title: Re: Anybody successfully quit nicotine?
Post by: BrianT on January 03, 2014, 05:53:05 PM
I smoked in England 2 to 3 packs a day, moved to Canada in 1976 and quit cold turkey.
About 8 years ago, after not smoking for over 2 years, I started to smoke again, soon unto 2 packs a day.
I keep on like that for 4 years, and then quit again.

I do still smoke occasionally ie. Carverfest and vacations when I am around a bunch of beer drinking guys
when I get back home I stop. I do not smoke on vacation with my wife or at home.

Good luck with stopping Brian

Title: Re: Anybody successfully quit nicotine?
Post by: schwarcw on January 03, 2014, 08:11:03 PM
I am not a smoker, but I'm considering to start smoking cigarettes.  Any suggestions? O0
Title: Re: Anybody successfully quit nicotine?
Post by: RuralTom on January 03, 2014, 08:46:29 PM
I am not a smoker, but I'm considering to start smoking cigarettes.  Any suggestions? O0

Nat Sherman's MCDs were my poison of choice.... enjoy in poor health!
Title: Re: Anybody successfully quit nicotine?
Post by: bmwr75 on January 03, 2014, 09:40:29 PM
I am not a smoker, but I'm considering to start smoking cigarettes.  Any suggestions? O0

Yeah, move to Colorado and smoke the good stuff.
Title: Re: Anybody successfully quit nicotine?
Post by: OCCD on January 03, 2014, 10:37:54 PM
 >:D
Title: Re: Anybody successfully quit nicotine?
Post by: OCCD on January 03, 2014, 10:43:41 PM
Cold turkey is the only way to go.   Been off chew for 17 months. The money saved is incredible.
Title: Re: Anybody successfully quit nicotine?
Post by: papabearjew on January 03, 2014, 10:57:01 PM
How about Vintage Hifi and Marijuana of Colorado? ???
Title: Re: Anybody successfully quit nicotine?
Post by: SunnyDaze on January 03, 2014, 10:59:03 PM
Mari... what?

Never heard of it.  :laugh:  :laugh:  :laugh:  :laugh:
Title: Re: Anybody successfully quit nicotine?
Post by: RuralTom on January 04, 2014, 05:07:28 AM
How about Vintage Hifi and Marijuana of Colorado? ???


You won't find any argument here; that's a great combo for Friday night at home listening to tunes!
Title: Re: Anybody successfully quit nicotine?
Post by: RuralTom on January 08, 2014, 09:13:09 AM
Whew, 36 hours of cold turkey.  Not particularly 'happy' at the moment...
Title: Re: Anybody successfully quit nicotine?
Post by: MacGeek on January 08, 2014, 05:55:42 PM
Good for you! You have more courage than I do.
Title: Re: Anybody successfully quit nicotine?
Post by: bearjew on January 08, 2014, 09:55:22 PM
Keep it up dude. If you can clear 2 weeks, you'll feel a lot better
Title: Re: Anybody successfully quit nicotine?
Post by: SunnyDaze on January 08, 2014, 10:22:55 PM
Keep it up dude. If you can clear 2 weeks, you'll feel a lot better

Agreed. Once you get that "These things are disgusting. And expensive." mindset, you're good to go.

Good job dude.
Title: Re: Anybody successfully quit nicotine?
Post by: schwarcw on January 08, 2014, 11:45:33 PM
Good luck Tom!  Keep it up!  Just remember, the urge will always go away.
Title: Re: Anybody successfully quit nicotine?
Post by: Dicky on January 09, 2014, 12:43:09 AM
They say 21 days and any habit will be changed.  Good luck!
Title: Re: Anybody successfully quit nicotine?
Post by: RuralTom on January 09, 2014, 08:19:01 AM
Thanks one and all....  about 60 hours 'sober' now.  I keep finding myself wandering around the house looking for something, until I realize what I was looking for.   I'm hoping by the end of the day the worst of the physical cravings/withdrawal will be behind me.
Title: Re: Anybody successfully quit nicotine?
Post by: bearjew on January 09, 2014, 11:18:39 AM
It usually takes 3 or 4 days before the physical craving goes away. After that, you just have to find new ways to occupy your time.
Title: Re: Anybody successfully quit nicotine?
Post by: Bunni on January 09, 2014, 05:07:58 PM
It usually takes 3 or 4 days before the physical craving goes away. After that, you just have to find new ways to occupy your time.

I quit once for 2 years, and wanted a smoke every single day of those two years.  Now of course, I was living with my ex at the time, who did not quit.  That may have had something to do with it.  Ass even smoked in our bedroom.

I'm working on it again, alternating with e-cigs.
 
Keep it up dude. If you can clear 2 weeks, you'll feel a lot better

Agreed. Once you get that "These things are disgusting. And expensive." mindset, you're good to go.

Good job dude.

I wish.

How about Vintage Hifi and Marijuana of Colorado? ???

Definitely!

lol
Title: Re: Anybody successfully quit nicotine?
Post by: Kingman on January 09, 2014, 08:07:08 PM
Been off the cigs for a good while now...about 22 years. Got hypnotized at local gathering for $49.99. Tossed my pack as I left and haven't had one since. Got healthy, lost weight, and took up heavy drinking as my new vice!!!  :laugh:
Title: Re: Anybody successfully quit nicotine?
Post by: MacGeek on January 09, 2014, 08:51:59 PM
Bunni, how do like "vaping"?
Title: Re: Anybody successfully quit nicotine?
Post by: Bunni on January 10, 2014, 02:19:00 PM
Bunni, how do like "vaping"?

I like it!  You really kinda have to do your homework with vaping.  There's a lot of good stuff on the market, but knockoffs are finding their way in, and screwing the experience up for a lot of people.  That and the terrible info that's being put out there ahead of FDA regulations.  I've been vaping on and off since 2009.

When I started, there were fewer choices as far as hardware.  I learned to make my own e-liquid, which let's me control how much, if any nicotine I'm using.  I also know exactly what I'm vaping.  Being a control freak, that's a big deal.  It's also why I know a lot of the scare tactics being used in the media about them, is BS.  People don't seem to understand how to charge batteries and what to charge them with.  Not surprisingly, that has led to a few instances of battery explosions.  Knockoffs aren't made to the same standard either, which makes that last point an issue.

In any case, it's a great alternative, and uses fewer chemicals than a nicotine patch.  You can vape 0 nicotine if you want.  There are plenty of places now making USA made or UK made e-liquid, and the better vendors will make it to order.  Obviously there is an upfront cost, and that varies depending on what you find you like.  There are no tobacco flavors out there that actually taste like a real cig.  I vape flavors like pralines and cream, chocolate mint, caramel, butterscotch, etc.

Gas station e-cigs are crap, all of them.  The things you get from a mall kiosk are crap.  To find good quality e-cigs, you need to buy online.  If you're interested, I can point you in the direction of some decent vendors.

I had a good run with just e-cigs for about a year, and started smoking again around the holidays of the next year.  So, why am I still smoking you might ask?  Some of you know I have chronic pain issues, and there is just something about a real cig that makes me feel better.  That's hard to get past for me.  I hate the cost, I hate the smell, I hate the taste a lot of the time, and I hate how my walls look in my office.  Anders absolutely HATES that I'm smoking.  It's a process, and I'm working on it.

Title: Re: Anybody successfully quit nicotine?
Post by: RuralTom on January 10, 2014, 03:30:16 PM
Good Luck unto you, Bunni.  It is a hard road to move off of when you've traveled it for so long....

I hoping the terrible part is over relatively soon...  I've been borderline hallucinating, psychotic and homicidal for a couple days now....  I don't know if it's better or worse that I'm 'on vacation'.  On the one hand I might have eviscerated someone by now at work, but I also have WAY too much time on my hands to obsess...  a couple more days until I feel vaguely human again?
Title: Re: Anybody successfully quit nicotine?
Post by: Bunni on January 10, 2014, 04:17:40 PM
Good Luck unto you, Bunni.  It is a hard road to move off of when you've traveled it for so long....

I hoping the terrible part is over relatively soon...  I've been borderline hallucinating, psychotic and homicidal for a couple days now....  I don't know if it's better or worse that I'm 'on vacation'.  On the one hand I might have eviscerated someone by now at work, but I also have WAY too much time on my hands to obsess...  a couple more days until I feel vaguely human again?

I don't know when you'll feel human again, but I can tell you this; food will taste awesomely better, and you will most likely gain weight because it does!  That's one of the killer side effects for me when I quit...I gain, and I can't lose it due to Hypothyroidism.  I have degenerative disk disease, arthritis and fibromyalgia.  Weight is not helpful.

Best of luck to you!!  Take pride in the accomplishment :)
Title: Re: Anybody successfully quit nicotine?
Post by: MacGeek on January 11, 2014, 07:10:42 AM
Thanks, Bunni.  I am about ready to give it a try.  My Doc told me any reduction is a good thing.  One of the few times less is better.
Title: Re: Anybody successfully quit nicotine?
Post by: toddnkaya on July 17, 2019, 04:41:54 PM
1 and a half years since I quit !! Feeling groovy .
Title: Re: Anybody successfully quit nicotine?
Post by: EmperorNorton on July 17, 2019, 09:01:36 PM
Good to hear. 

Congratulations.

It's good to be alive!!!!
Title: Re: Anybody successfully quit nicotine?
Post by: Sir Thrift-a-Lot on July 17, 2019, 09:47:34 PM
1 and a half years since I quit !! Feeling groovy .

That is awesome.   I never smoked but I watched my parents wrestle with it.   My Dad was so good at quitting that he did it at least a half dozen times.   Congrats!!!