[NoRules]

I was a chain smoker for more than 20 years, Goldflake Kings being my brand. I started smoking during my school days and became a regular when I joined my engineering. I used to smoke 3-4 packs a day. Obviously my wife, friends and doctor never liked it and kept asking me to quit.

As I was approaching 40 (I am 40 now) even I felt I had enough fun and that it was time to think about my health. During March 2010 one day I decided to just quit it. Once I decided to quit, I searched all over my home for any smokes lying around, smoked them all off, threw away the lighters and matches and one evening had my last cigarette and quit.

It has been over a year now and in last 15 months I smoked only twice. One time I smoked a full cigarette and on 31st Dec of 2010 I took a drag from a friend's cigarette.

Wife and kids are very happy and friends are pleasantly surprised. Even now I sit regularly with friends who smoke regularly but I am not tempted at all. I indulge in an occasional paan now and then but thats it. And my doctor is very happy too.

[Thad E Ginathom]

I did it at 40, too. My birthday is in July: in April, i decided that, by my 40th birthday, I would be a non-smoker. I was, and continue to be

There were some serious health issues for me at the time, and yes, genuine fear does help. It would have been better if I had not let things get to that point, but we all know the difference between I really ought to give up and I am giving up.

[NoRules]

Thad,

Better late than never. :-) By the time a person reaches 40 the life style starts to catch up and the early symptoms show. It needs a strong resolve and support from family and friends to quit smoking. I have several doctor friends and all of them tell me only one thing: Just quit smoking. It is the most dangerous of the life style habits.

[harit]

Originally Posted by SajiNSalin

It is interesting to see smokers try to give up, may be quit for a few days and then go back to the usual pack(s) of cigarettes. It takes solid will power to give up this addiction..............So I thought, let me quit. Told her I will not step out of the house on the weekend and kept my word. Believe me it was very difficult; this withdrawal symptoms, but I was determined. Monday I went to office and declared to all that I had quit and stayed in my room all day and avoided all smoker friends...................
So, how do you stop?

1. You have to be convinced about quitting
2. Plan ahead to stop and fix D Day
3. Finish all the cigarettes in your stock
4. Inform all friends and relatives about your decision and ask them to support you; should have a trusted person to support you and encourage you in your 'distress'
5. take each non smoking day at a time; don't think of the end of the world
6. Avoid smoking friends for a couple of weeks and all parties for a month
7. At the end of each triumphant day reflect on the good health you have obtained by not poisoning your lungs.
8. The importance of smoking should be given very little weightage, eg. don't think or brood about it.
..............All the best in your efforts to quit. I know it can be done, cos I have been there and done that.

Hi see
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/shifti...ml#post1195538 , my post 291. Notice any similarities? Only I did that before marriage, before I even met my wife.

Cheers harit

[SajiNSalin]

Yes, Harit, the similarities are striking. Just proves that all failed attempts to quit smoking are alike and the few who really quit do require a massive amount of will power.

[Mr_Bean]

After quitting, I registered myself on Quit Smoking All Together: the Web's Largest Quit Smoking Community, this is my current status

Your Quit Date is: Friday, May 27, 2011 at 9:00:00 PM
Test Time Smoke-Free: 41 days, 7 hours, 58 minutes and 31 seconds
Cigarettes NOT smoked: 124
Lifetime Saved: 22 hours
Money Saved: $22.05

[noopster]

Hey thanks Mr. Bean, I had completely forgotten I'd registered on that site as well.

My Qstats:
392 days, 13 hours, 29 minutes and 21 seconds smoke free.
1963 cigarettes not smoked.
$156.80 and 14 days, 23 hours of your life saved.
Quit date: 6/14/2010

Wow it looks great looking at it.

In fact I hadn't updated my quit date from the first serious attempt back in 2006, in which case it was some 1685 days smoke free- WOW!

Can't wait till I actually get that far.

[supremeBaleno]

Originally Posted by NoRules

As I was approaching 40 even I felt I had enough fun and that it was time to think about my health.

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

I did it at 40, too.

Hmmm. 40 seems to have a strong connection with quitting. I hit 40 this year and one of the thoughts was that I had had enough fun over the years smoking and should quit. But while the intent was there, it did not seem to be getting translated into action. Finally last Wednesday (6-Jul) I quit and the 5 days since then has felt like years (explains my signature) - by God's grace have been able to hold on and withstand the cravings till now.

Side-effects of quitting :
1) Anger : It does not take much to make me angry - I am like a snake that is shedding its skin. I chewed off my manager's head for some trivial thing. Slammed the phone on my wife for some minor thing she did, leading to her taking offence (can't blame her - she did not know I was quitting smoking) and not speaking to me for a day after that. This is waning, thankfully. Else, I might find myself out of a job & thrown out of the home.

2) Insomnia : Unable to sleep - it is midnight as I type this. I wake up at odd hours of the night with cravings to eat either something sweet or something spicy.

3) Discomfort : I would expect my body to be happy when I quit the stick, but it looks like the reverse. I never had smoker's cough, but now I am coughing. My throat is irritating and paining. Can't believe this.

On the good side, I have resumed my normal exercise routine and am careful about the diet, have loads of time on my hands, feel generally healthy etc etc. I hope I never return to this filthy habit again.

[gautamkhadse]

I happened to this thread last month and I'd seen one entry , where someone just quit one day and then I said to myself , if he can why not me . I went home . Smoked the last few fags I had and threw away all teh lighter and ash trays that I had . Been smoke free for almost a month now and I feel really really nice now . Life without Ciggys is awesome . Using all that ciggy money for filling up petrol in my car now . The minute you start looking at it from the money point of view it starts making more sense to you . So now I put a 50 Rs note infront of the God or I put it in my piggy bank to utilize it on a rainy day or use it for petrol . But its just been a month . But none the less am loving it .

And whoever it was whoe entry I read , I love you sir . Your post was inspiring and made a lot of sense that day and am happy now . All credit to you .

[NoRules]

Originally Posted by gautamkhadse

And whoever it was whoe entry I read , I love you sir . Your post was inspiring and made a lot of sense that day and am happy now . All credit to you .

I am hoping it was mine Glad to know your story, Gautamkhadse and I am very very happy that my story could inspire atleast one person to quit, if it is mine you were talking about. Keep it up. Not easy but not impossible either.

@ SupremeBaleno - One of the things I did during that initial period was, for couple of weeks I stayed way from my smoking / club buddies. It helped. I also started having dinner early (7.0ish) and tried to keep myself busy by watching lots of TV and sleeping early.

As I said above - Not easy but not impossible too.

[bblost]

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

3) Discomfort : I would expect my body to be happy when I quit the stick, but it looks like the reverse. I never had smoker's cough, but now I am coughing. My throat is irritating and paining. Can't believe this.

Drink water. Preferably luke warm. Dry itchy throat after quitting is a common symptom. Green tea also helps.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

I would expect my body to be happy when I quit the stick, but it looks like the reverse. I never had smoker's cough, but now I am coughing. My throat is irritating and paining. Can't believe this

This, and the other symptoms you describe, is fairly typical. I hope your wife/boss understand now that it is nicotine shouting at them!

Those regular cigarettes have been suppressing the action of your lungs to cough up the rubbish. Now you have stopped, all those tiny hairs can start work again. Welcome the cough!

Oh, and... Congratulations!

[supremeBaleno]

Originally Posted by NoRules

One of the things I did during that initial period was, for couple of weeks I stayed way from my smoking / club buddies. I also started having dinner early (7.0ish) and tried to keep myself busy by watching lots of TV and sleeping early.

For the last few days, I have not even once gone to the office basement (smoke zone). Apart from having food on time, have been indulging in exercise too. Feels good.

Originally Posted by bblost

Drink water. Preferably luke warm. Dry itchy throat after quitting is a common symptom. Green tea also helps.

Yes, am drinking tonnes of water. Just that it was ice-cold - maybe this worsened my throat. Am switching to warm water. BTW, your quitting this habit and your previous signature were indeed quite some inspiration to quit. Thanks.

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

This, and the other symptoms you describe, is fairly typical. I hope your wife/boss understand now that it is nicotine shouting at them!Oh, and... Congratulations!

Thanks, Thad. Did not tell the boss yet, but wifey knows and she is happy.

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Those regular cigarettes have been suppressing the action of your lungs to cough up the rubbish. Now you have stopped, all those tiny hairs can start work again. Welcome the cough!

That explains the cough - had me worried since I have been coughing my lungs out at night - for some strange reason I am not coughing during day.
----------------------------------

BTW, this thread and those who quit this habit have been an inspiration - so thanks to all of you. However, I am taking 1 day at a time, just being thankful that I have quit. Reason being that I have previously quit for varying periods including once for 2years and then relapsed. So, hoping for the best this time.

[Thad E Ginathom]

One of our passing docs might comment on whether you should do anything more about the cough. I think it is a common symptom though, as previously explained.

I am taking 1 day at a time

Yes, you have to do that for years!

Wait... make that two days at a time: that way, you will never start smoking again "tomorrow"

[harit]

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

Hmmm. 40 seems to have a strong connection with quitting. I hit 40 this year and one of the thoughts was that I had had enough fun over the years smoking and should quit. But while the intent was there, it did not seem to be getting translated into action. Finally last Wednesday (6-Jul) I quit and the 5 days since then has felt like years (explains my signature) - by God's grace have been able to hold on and withstand the cravings till now.

Side-effects of quitting :
1) Anger : It does not take much to make me angry - I am like a snake that is shedding its skin. I chewed off my manager's head for some trivial thing. Slammed the phone on my wife for some minor thing she did, leading to her taking offence (can't blame her - she did not know I was quitting smoking) and not speaking to me for a day after that. This is waning, thankfully. Else, I might find myself out of a job & thrown out of the home.

2) Insomnia : Unable to sleep - it is midnight as I type this. I wake up at odd hours of the night with cravings to eat either something sweet or something spicy.

3) Discomfort : I would expect my body to be happy when I quit the stick, but it looks like the reverse. I never had smoker's cough, but now I am coughing. My throat is irritating and paining. Can't believe this.

On the good side, I have resumed my normal exercise routine and am careful about the diet, have loads of time on my hands, feel generally healthy etc etc. I hope I never return to this filthy habit again.

Originally Posted by gautamkhadse

I happened to this thread last month and I'd seen one entry , where someone just quit one day and then I said to myself , if he can why not me . I went home . Smoked the last few fags I had and threw away all teh lighter and ash trays that I had . Been smoke free for almost a month now and I feel really really nice now . Life without Ciggys is awesome . Using all that ciggy money for filling up petrol in my car now . The minute you start looking at it from the money point of view it starts making more sense to you . So now I put a 50 Rs note infront of the God or I put it in my piggy bank to utilize it on a rainy day or use it for petrol . But its just been a month . But none the less am loving it .

And whoever it was whoe entry I read , I love you sir . Your post was inspiring and made a lot of sense that day and am happy now . All credit to you .

Welcome to the club. Small step for mankind, huge step for yourselves
Side effect is not anger, you may have become more irritable. Remember, you are making a big change in your habits, your body has to get adjusted. That includes mind, throat, lungs, stomach, and go a bit further down.
As an added force on you, be free and go ahead, tell everyone that you have quit. Maybe shame if you were to start is an added pressure.
And yes, a bit of money does get saved too.
And the breath of fresh air!!!

Keep it up, cheers harit