[coolboy007]

No cig from the last 13 hours, understood that reducing intake wont work and cold turkey method is the best. Using center fresh when i have huge cravings and for next few days would avoid the company of non smokers, was tough to resist with dad smoking in front of me but i did .

Have told my mom and sis about it and both were extremely happy with my decision, infact when i couldnt sleep at night, mom sat besides me to talk through it.

Wish me loads of will power.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Ahh, it would be nice if we could share that with each other! The will power has to be entirely yours. Decide absolutely that you won't smoke, whatever the craving and whatever the justification.

What we can share is the hints that help, and the support. You'll find plenty of that in this thread. All the best! It can be done. Honest!

[Racer_X]

Completed 6 month of quitting the cancer stick. Left with absolutely no urge ever to touch the deadly stick.

Funny thing is I am having a persistent throat irritation and intermittent cough since quitting and it has not gone off.

[Notyetgrey]

@coolboy007 If it helps, I used to smoke for nearly as many years as your age and quit cold turkey. Slowing down/cutting down helps to achieve a false feeling of control, and that you are well on the way to quit, but believe me, it's a mirage. I used to always come up with some rationale to go back to my original level. Nicotine gum *could* help to get over the initial cravings. It's been nearly 10 months since I quit and haven't touched a cigarette since then. Don't give up hope and am sure you'll be a non-smoker too, soon.

[noopster]

Originally Posted by Racer_X

Completed 6 month of quitting the cancer stick. Left with absolutely no urge ever to touch the deadly stick.

Funny thing is I am having a persistent throat irritation and intermittent cough since quitting and it has not gone off.

Congrats racer X. That is quite a feat. the hard work is done, it will only get harder ffrom here

You'll know what I mean when you start getting weird dreams of yourself smoking and wake up with a start then have relief flood your body when you realise you haven't actually smoked!

After nearly two and a half years "clean" I still have these.

As for the throat infections etc. it's probably the effect of pollutants in the winter. Pune (and Bangalore) have this effect.

[Thad E Ginathom]

coolboy, the first few days are really, really the worst. Just remember that, every time you give in to "just one" the reset the whole effort and all those dreadful symptoms back to square zero. If you do succumb to a "just one" don't give up giving up --- but you will have to go through those first few days again. I found out all this the hard way.

[coolboy007]

@ Thad E Ginaton and notyetgrey,

So its more than 24 hours now since i have lit one up, yes its impossible to control the urge but am doing it for now, having chewing gums when the need arises but just not carrying my box with me anywhere i go, infact i gave it to my father

Almost "had one" in the afternoon, took it out, was about to light but then just took it out and threw it, nicotine really controls the brain.

Can already feel how fresh i felt when i woke up, can feel the cold air and every one around are boosting my spirits to quit smoking.
If it wasnt for this thread, i would have kept on and on, from 3-4 to a pack a day over a few years, thanks to all who contribute.

Would report after a few weeks now, till then ciao.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Good. I'd be kidding you if I didn't say that the worst is yet to come, but you can get through it.

[huntrz]

Originally Posted by coolboy007

@ Thad E Ginaton and notyetgrey,

So its more than 24 hours now since i have lit one up, yes its impossible to control the urge but am doing it for now, having chewing gums when the need arises but just not carrying my box with me anywhere i go, infact i gave it to my father

Almost "had one" in the afternoon, took it out, was about to light but then just took it out and threw it, nicotine really controls the brain.

Can already feel how fresh i felt when i woke up, can feel the cold air and every one around are boosting my spirits to quit smoking.
If it wasnt for this thread, i would have kept on and on, from 3-4 to a pack a day over a few years, thanks to all who contribute.

Would report after a few weeks now, till then ciao.

After 15 years I quit or was forced to quit on 12th May this year when I slipped and had a little fracture in my leg. Smoking was last of my worries when even daily activities became a challenge. When I recovered after about 2 months I stopped getting any urge to smoke by then. I even tried to light twice but felt even more repulsed to the cigarette after that. I never really thought I would be able to give up smoking ever. I din't feel any withdrawal symptoms or urge when I was forced to stop smoking probably because I was still in a state of shock. So the trick I guess is in putting up a greater challenge before one's self such that smoking becomes an insignificant activity. But again its easier said than done. I am glad that it happened finally. Don't worry you will get through this, you are destined to do even greater things in life.

[Mr_Bean]

Like how Hero Honda had a tag line “Fill it, shut it, forget it”, my advise to someone looking to quit would be "kick it, throw out all the cigs, forget it"

The journey after quitting is like a counter, if you smoke again, the counter will resets itself to zero .

My mindset after quitting was that if I ever succumb to the stick again, I will never try again to quit in life. That was enough to stop me from picking up a cigarette.

[smokin_crab]

Wow!!!!!!!!

Well, quit smokin after 17 years and 60 a day by the end of it, well, its been 4 months now and I'm enjoying it.
Can run, can walk and can breathe better. Thats the most important, you can feel your insides, its amazing.
But, my view, anyone who can quit smokin without getting addicted to anything else is going places in life, the wil power, WOW!!!!!!!! The Will Power to STOP, WOW!!!!!
Goodluck guys, go for it, cos at the end of the day, its us who are going to suffer and "WE WILL BRING SUFFERING ONTO THOSE WE LOVE", if we carry on smoking.
Pledge " Lets go another day without one"

[Racer_X]

When I quit smoking I also quit all allied things and am completely vice free now. Just got hooked on to exercising regularly and spending all the money I used to spend on vices on trying out different cuisines at different hotels.

Social life has taken a hit as I am now the "Bhagwan ka aadmi" who does not do anything cool anymore and hence the misfit! I really don't care anymore as my life has changed for good, food tastes better, feel fresh throughout the day, stamina has increased 3 folds, better focus on work as "sutta time" has been eliminated all together.

I used to enjoy smoking but now the smoke irritates me and feel nauseatic & repulsive, I am never ever lighting up one ever again!

[Ketan]

Originally Posted by Racer_X

Completed 6 month of quitting the cancer stick. Left with absolutely no urge ever to touch the deadly stick.

Funny thing is I am having a persistent throat irritation and intermittent cough since quitting and it has not gone off.

Generally, after about 6 months, your cilia will start to regrow (this is a hair like structure in side the lungs) and its main function is to clean the lungs by moving around, it catches those dust and other particles, helps form the mucus in right fashion. You should see a regular pattern in the mucus and is no more called cough which is present for those whos cilia not working and mucus comes out in bursts, mostly around morning. So, if you are observing that regular pattern,

Originally Posted by coolboy007

Almost "had one" in the afternoon, took it out, was about to light but then just took it out and threw it, nicotine really controls the brain.

Can already feel how fresh i felt when i woke up, can feel the cold air and every one around are boosting my spirits to quit smoking.
If it wasnt for this thread, i would have kept on and on, from 3-4 to a pack a day over a few years, thanks to all who contribute.

Would report after a few weeks now, till then ciao.

Like Thad said, its just one puff that can beat your will power (are you that weak!), so know about it, and dont take it knowingly. Awareness of staying quit is most important, more you aware, more will power you will gather.

Its been 9 months since I quit and feeling really good! I could see quite a few changes happenign to me/my body! good to see and feel them!

First 48 hours may be easy, the will power stays strong and cravings not so strong, but after that is when you see latter becomes stronger and will power sinking, so dont let that happen. The best thing is to keep yourself busy all the time and you want feel that craving. I was smoking for about 15+ years (mostly referred as chain smoker in my internal circles) and could easily quit, without any patches or any symptoms, its really easy!
Its better to quit yourself before your doctor tells you to.

[huntrz]

Just wanted to add here that for me clove works wonders. I am addicted to having cloves, it leaves a very strong sensation and stimulates the mouth better than cigarettes, beetelnuts, nicotine patch and chewing gums etc etc. It kills the urge to smoke to a great extent as it is a stronger stimulant than others. Those trying to quit can give it a try. I usually carry it always and have packets of clove stocked even in office desk drawer.
Frankly i don't believe in the theory of nicotine being addictive and that one can overcome it by taking it in another form like patch or gum etc to help quit smoking. My personal view is that smoking is just a habit of inhaling flavored smoke and one would be willing to do it even if the smoke isn't coming from nicotine. One just have to give up the habit of inhaling smoke. Its about smoke and not nicotine.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by Racer_X

When I quit smoking I also quit all allied things and am completely vice free now....

Whoa! You didn't need to go that far!

Originally Posted by huntrz

Frankly i don't believe in the theory of nicotine being addictive...

Unfortunately, it is not a theory, it is medical fact.

Some drugs are addictive. This means that your body chemistry actually alters, and you then "need" them, sometimes even just to feel normal. Some are just habit-forming, often reinforced by group behaviour. Habit-forming is not the same as addictive: one may encounter psychological problems in leaving off, one may encounter social pressures, but not physical problems.

Just because a drug is addictive does not mean that a person will become addicted to it. There are plenty of drinkers that are not alcoholics, and a few occasional smokers who are not addicted to nicotine. However, alcohol is undoubtedly addictive to sufficient numbers of people to make this a real problem, and nicotine is rated as one of the most addictive substances. And these are the two drugs that are legally and socially acceptable in many countries. As the Americans say, go figure! But that is a different story altogether.

It is good to have an overview of these things. (Err, practical research is not obligatory!). One day some youngster (perhaps one's own offspring) might appreciate a better explanation than the ignorant prejudiced nonsense that the media spews out.

So yes, nicotine is addictive. If it isn't for you, you are lucky, and don't really need to be in this thread at all, because you won't even notice not smoking. I've known just a couple of people who could smoke one cigarette every few months and not even think about it in between. I think they are rare!