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Old 23rd July 2018, 15:55   #1651
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Re: Help smoking Team-BHP members quit smoking

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Originally Posted by Thumping Soul View Post

BTW, today being 2nd day, i'm sweating even in an air-conditioned office at time and a little restless feeling. Wanted to discuss the experience you guys have had in this journey. What behavior and symptoms to watch out for?
Your situation and mine are fairly similar. I smoked for exactly 12-13 years (since college days) and it has now been 2.5 months that I have quit. The decision to quit came suddenly and not in a pre-planned way. On May 10 of this year, I decided that the after lunch smoke would be my last, and that was it. I have not touched even one since then, and yes, it has been quite tough. For the first few days, you will feel the constant need to smoke, restless at those times when ordinarily you would have stepped out for a smoke either alone or with friends. There is no option but to suppress and fight that urge one time after the other- again and again, till it becomes second nature. As time goes by, the urges will certainly be lesser and lesser, but I will be dishonest if I say that the urges completely disappear. At least, in my case it hasn't and I continue to have the urge to smoke at least a couple of times each day.

Of course, the toughest times are those when friends around you are smoking and you have to decline the offer for one. Or, those after meal times when you and your cigarette had a few minutes of personal introspection and solitude (this was the time I enjoyed the most when I was smoking).

The best advice that I can give you is that this is a battle of your will against your mind- the latter tricks you into wanting to smoke time and again, and your will has to over come this. It is definitely not an easy battle, but tell you what- it is worth the time and effort. The pride that you will feel in yourself each time you manage to hold out against the urge is unparalleled. Not to mention, there will be much more money in your pocket each week, which would have otherwise gone up in smoke day after day

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Old 24th July 2018, 08:44   #1652
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Re: Help smoking Team-BHP members quit smoking

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Your situation and mine are fairly similar. I smoked for exactly 12-13 years (since college days) and it has now been 2.5 months that I have quit.
Very true indeed. So, yesterday i kept myself in the non-smoking group at office and we went out for lunch, had breaks together, walked around the campus, some chit-chats and was able to manage the urge. My drive home is around 2hrs (Electronic City to Whitefield) and that's when i have always smoked for last so many years. Yesterday i didn't. To keep the urge away, i bought some bhajjis on the way. And somehow rains & bhajjis had a similar effect.

Today is 3rd day. I think i will probably keep a strict schedule atleast for the 1st 90days and then see how it goes on from there. Probably will keep coming back to this page to share my experience.
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Old 24th July 2018, 10:00   #1653
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Re: Help smoking Team-BHP members quit smoking

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I use "V2 Platinum Red" which is scarily similar to a Marlboro Red.
I must try this out as I smoke Marlboro Reds.

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Am down from 15 - 20 cigarettes a day to 2 - 4, thanks to vaping.
I started vaping a a couple of weeks ago and reduced the cigarettes from 6-7 to 2-3 per day.

The thing is I picked up 5 liquids. 4 are zero nicotine and 1 is 3 mg nicotine with a tobacco flavour.
Out of the remaining 4, 2 are coffee flavours and 2 are fruity flavours. The problem is when I vape the fruity flavours, I still feel the urge for a real cigarette. I guess it's more the taste than the need for nicotine. The next liquids I pick up will probably be zero nicotine coffee or tobacco flavoured.


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Originally Posted by Sawyer View Post
Now if someone was to post here how vaping allowed them to go to zero nicotine intake, it might be useful for some people to read about that.
Well I hope to acheive zero nicotine intake soon.

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Originally Posted by abhi182 View Post
Encouraged by the experience, I decided to go the whole hog and ordered a moderately powerful vaping mod with a large capacity tank (Innokin coolfire IV/iSUBG sub ohm tank in case you are interested in the details)
I started off vaping directly with a mod. I had a Chief Officer on board who had a basic mod. He explained the basics of vaping and I researched the rest on the net.

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I am glad to report that within a week, I am down to zero cigs with no effort from my end at all
Once I pick up some suitable flavours, I hope to acheive the same.

Quote:
I would gladly recommend vaping (but with the right equipment) to anyone who is trying to quit in the least hasslefree (actually zero hassle) way possible
I have a Smok X-Priv. I'd like to buy some extra tanks and coils so I don't end up mixing flavours. What would be your suggestion? Buy extra tanks for the same mode or buy a couple of extra mods with tanks?
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Old 25th July 2018, 15:10   #1654
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Re: Help smoking Team-BHP members quit smoking

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So, i have finally decided to kick the butt. Today is my 2nd day without a smoke.
Congrats Thumping Soul! Be sure to read Allen Carr's book too (Easy Way). It'll then become less about will power and more about changing your mindset.

@ Thad: You've had the last laugh. I quit occasional smoking too as the urges kept coming back. Been puff-free for a long time now and frankly don't even think about cigarettes anymore. They are history.
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Old 27th July 2018, 04:01   #1655
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Re: Help smoking Team-BHP members quit smoking

Good to hear that, GTO.

Here I am on holiday in the UK, and one of the things that surprises me is how many people one can still see smoking on the streets!

And one of my oldest friends, who has been taking about giving up smoking since long before I actually did it 26 years ago is still... Talking about it. :(
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Old 27th July 2018, 11:51   #1656
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Re: Help smoking Team-BHP members quit smoking

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Good to hear that, GTO.
Thanks for all the advice .

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Here I am on holiday in the UK, and one of the things that surprises me is how many people one can still see smoking on the streets!
I have noticed that folk from Europe / UK are more 'cigarette friendly'. Equally, I have observed a drastic decline in American smokers. Lots of youngsters getting hooked onto vaping though.
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Old 27th July 2018, 13:25   #1657
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Re: Help smoking Team-BHP members quit smoking

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I have noticed that folk from Europe / UK are more 'cigarette friendly'. Equally, I have observed a drastic decline in American smokers. Lots of youngsters getting hooked onto vaping though.
Absolutely correct. I was in fact quite amazed when I went to a few European countries a year back and noticed the high number of people who are smoking in open public places, including on railway platforms (including the ticket attendant herself!!) and other such areas. I also observed roads littered with cigarette butts. Before I went there, I was under the mistaken impression that smoking in public areas in those countries are strictly prohibited and heavily fined etc.

Compared to that, I have noticed in recent years that the number of people on Indian roads and public places who smoke are really less. In fact, I used to feel quite conscious when I wanted to to light up when I was on Bangalore roads/public places because I could hardly see anyone else smoking around me. This is in stark contrast to yesteryears, when it was a matter of course to smoke in public places, trains, stations, cheaters, restaurants etc.

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Old 27th July 2018, 16:56   #1658
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Re: Help smoking Team-BHP members quit smoking

This is on respect in which the streets of my home town in India are cleaner than those of Europe.

We just need to sort out a few other things!
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Old 14th September 2018, 05:21   #1659
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Re: Help smoking Team-BHP members quit smoking

Had been smoking quite a bit since the last month so I decided to stop completely, which obviously did not work. I decided to try vaping, since it seemed to be a 'healthier' option, but now I'm hooked to this
Approximately 2-3 drags gives me a nice buzz and now my craving for nicotine seems to have increased. Hoping to stop completely in a couple months.. lets see how it goes.
Is there anyone here who went from smoking -> vaping -> completely stopping?
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Old 14th September 2018, 10:52   #1660
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Re: Help smoking Team-BHP members quit smoking

I've been smoking for past 25yrs, I want to give up but find it very difficult due to lack of will power. Weekly I used to buy 4 packs od 20s, however for last one month I have bought it down to 3 packs a week. Planning to take up vaping for a while before, I completely give up smoking.

I tried stopping abruptly many times, but couldn't due to various personal reasons.

Looking for suggestions and motivation.

Thank You.
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Old 14th September 2018, 12:30   #1661
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Re: Help smoking Team-BHP members quit smoking

Tough love ...

-- There is no such thing as "couldn't." Only didn't. Don't feel bad about that: many of us failed many times before succeeding

-- Nobody can give you motivation. You have to find your own.

You just have to make a decision and stick to it. That is the tough but essential bit. Once you do that you will become a non-smoker!

The ex-smokers on this thread did it. So can you!

Some people went cold turkey, others used available aids. You can read our stories here. But the how is less important than the decision. Over to you on that one!

Last edited by Thad E Ginathom : 14th September 2018 at 12:31.
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Old 14th September 2018, 15:35   #1662
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Re: Help smoking Team-BHP members quit smoking

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Tough love ...


Some people went cold turkey, others used available aids. You can read our stories here. But the how is less important than the decision. Over to you on that one!
Cold turkey seems and sounds like the most difficult way to go about it. After all, weaning away from the habit by slowly decreasing the number of cigarettes day by day, seems to be the much gentler and easier alternative - but that is simply because it gives you the reassurance that come what may, you still have that last cig to smoke and you do not have to completely give up- till you reach that very last day of your weaning off period, which in turn sounds like a long long way off. Unfortunately, that last day never comes and more often than not, you would tend to relapse and increase your daily intake at some point.

Never tried vaping since it did not sound like a great or harmless option to me, so can't comment on its effectiveness or otherwise.

In short, cold turkey is the best way to quit. I did it just over four months back, and have not touched a single one ever since. Not a day goes by when I do not have a temptation to have a drag, but the intensity of temptation does get lower by the day.
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Old 14th September 2018, 15:56   #1663
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Re: Help smoking Team-BHP members quit smoking

I've quit smoking since a month now (cold turkey obviously) and have switched to nicotine chewing gums (Nicogum from Cipla). Started with the 4 mg gums (3-4 a day esp. after the meal) and now I'm on 2 mg ones.

The 4 mg gums gave me a hard time with the hiccups and the throat constricting itself. Not so with the 2 mg ones. I can say the gums did help - YMMV! The cravings lasted for a week to 10 days. It used to be very very hard for the first week especially after the meal. The hardest part for me was the morning poo which used to be after the tea and ciggie! Friends advised having a glass of warm water with a tinge of lemon. Worked!

The greatest inspiration I must add is GTO himself. If he could do away with the pack of Marlboros completely, I believe anybody can.

EDIT: Before you start picking up the brickbats, I'll eventually quit the gums.

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Old 14th September 2018, 16:39   #1664
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Re: Help smoking Team-BHP members quit smoking

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I've quit smoking since a month now (cold turkey obviously) and have switched to nicotine chewing gums (Nicogum from Cipla).
Congrats Gannu! Proud of you, bro! Get rid of the nicotine gums also soon. Just do it man - you owe it to your body.

Quote:
It used to be very very hard for the first week especially after the meal.
Once you stop the gum, nicotine will be completely out of your body in 3 weeks. Within those 3 weeks, all the cravings will be physical. After that, it's just the brainwashing.

Soon, you'll come to a stage where you don't even think about cigarettes anymore. You know how my social life is; there are always people with cigarettes around at parties, but the thought of puffing doesn't even occur to me.

Quote:
The greatest inspiration I must add is GTO himself
Thank you Gannu. I'm glad I was able to help.

Please also read Allen Carr's Easy Way right away. Order it on Kindle. Even if you've stopped, just read it once. The book changes your whole perspective about smoking.

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Originally Posted by Suraj25 View Post
Is there anyone here who went from smoking -> vaping -> completely stopping?
Me .

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Originally Posted by arindambasu13 View Post
Cold turkey seems and sounds like the most difficult way to go about it.

In short, cold turkey is the best way to quit. I did it just over four months back, and have not touched a single one ever since.
Again, please read Allen Carr's book. God bless that man's soul. He completely changed my attitude toward cigarettes. From a lover of Marlboros, I have completely deleted them from my brain.
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Old 14th September 2018, 23:35   #1665
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Re: Help smoking Team-BHP members quit smoking

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Cold turkey seems and sounds like the most difficult way to go about it. After all, weaning away from the habit by slowly decreasing the number of cigarettes day by day, seems to be the much gentler and easier alternative - but ...
...It isn't actually giving up!

I know one person who has been cutting down for decades, and, as you say, the day of giving up has never actually happened.
Quote:
In short, cold turkey is the best way to quit.
There is, absolutely, only one way to quit: quit!

But interpretation of "cold turkey" may differ. According to mine, it is giving up, 100%, without any kind of nicotine substitute or other medical treatment. It means that you throw yourself full on into whatever withdrawal symptoms may happen, live with it, live through it, just do it. That's fine for some. Others, including me, have used patches, gum, even vaping, on the route to being nicotine free. Welcome Gannu, who is using gum.

The only way to give up by cutting down would be to have an absolute fixed date where cutting down reaches zero. And that date should be, at most, weeks away, not months, and absolutely not "whenever."

Frankly, I think that cutting down is the worst and the hardest way to give up. It is almost self-defeating in that the less one smokes, the bigger the hit and the enjoyment of each cigarette!

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Originally Posted by Gannu_1 View Post
I've quit smoking since a month now (cold turkey obviously) and have switched to nicotine chewing gums (Nicogum from Cipla). Started with the 4 mg gums (3-4 a day esp. after the meal) and now I'm on 2 mg ones. ... ... ...

EDIT: Before you start picking up the brickbats, I'll eventually quit the gums.
A total quit, but with help. Congratulations!

I suggest that you give yourself a final date for the gum. Maybe you are already on a planned reduction to zero? That's how I did it with patches: I gave myself twelve weeks, and it happened in eleven, because I just plain forgot about the patches in the final week. Which shows how helpful they were at reducing and finally eliminating the craving!

Everybody knows what a "born-again non-smoker" I am . And no, I haven't had any cravings for quite a few years. But yesterday, I had a smoking dream! First one for ages, but it just shows how this stuff doesn't leave us alone even after 26 years.

Smoking dreams were regular in my early given-up days, They didn't actually make me want to smoke again: it was just one of the peculiar symptoms of giving up.
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