Stop Smoking, Helping Each Other to Quit

[ThaiPauly]

I Don't know rabbit, but if you were smoking that many it would not surprise me.

I envy you, how did you do it, through the project or just through sheer willpower. Early days for sure but you are over the worst, now its just a case of one day at a time.

Well done you- keep it up

[Soph]

I would say, if you were anything like me, the next step would be gaining about 10 pounds in weight!!!

I gave up once and turned into a whale, I had to re-start and power smoke for a month and the weight eventually went back down.

Bit of a nightmare really. Now I wont stop smoking until i fall pregnant, cos then im going to get fat anyway

[Prudent_rabbit]

Got to say it was will power, and when I read that Im nicotine free after 72 hours, keep on thinking about that evertime I have the crave. Plus now, I dont want to gop through all this stuff agian, Ive stopped!!

I know what you mean about putting on weight, now eating a lot more so its down to the gym every other day, keeping the same weight at the moment and the sore throat feels better every day

[malcolminthemiddle]

Dont know if this is still a live topic, but would be interested to hear from other people who have stopped.  I was a 40-60 a day and stopped on  September 1st , (so early days yet I know!) now my cough stopped after about 2 weeks, my sleep pattern was stuffed up for about a week, but my throat still hurts (and it feels more like swollen glands than a sore throat).  The worst thing is in the morning, my mouth feels horrible and looks horiible, Im brushing my teeth about 5 times a day and getting through Mouthwash like its going out of fashion...is this normal side effect?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Actually, your mouth always looked and felt horrible, smoking maintained that status. Now that you have stopped you are beginning to really appreciate that.

Many long term smokers also have gum disease which can effect oral hygene.

When I stopped I bought one of those electric tooth brushes, that coupled with Lysterine solved the problem after a week or so. Don't forget to brush the gums and tongue.

The other symptoms you are feeling are quite normal and will subside.

Welcome to the free world.

[Abandon]

I havn't found any benefits of not smoking. I thought it would change things, but I feel, look, and weigh the same as before (which is to say - pretty darn good )

I know that technically it is better not to smoke, and after nearly 5 months, I can handle any urges that occasionally come up. just wait 5 minutes, and the urge has gone anyway.

I hoped it would feel better so that I had more reason not to start up again when I get back to Bangkok at the end of the year.

[MistaDorn]

Hello, I like this topic, long time ago I was post about this. So happy to know that you are stop from smoking. I recommend you to suck the Chuppa Chubb. Do you know? it's a candy. It will reduce your saliva, Will not let your neck get dry. try that man. CHEERS 'CLAP CLAP CLAP' yes, it is normal side effect.

Dont know if this is still a live topic, but would be interested to hear from other people who have stopped.  I was a 40-60 a day and stopped on  September 1st , (so early days yet I know!) now my cough stopped after about 2 weeks, my sleep pattern was stuffed up for about a week, but my throat still hurts (and it feels more like swollen glands than a sore throat).  The worst thing is in the morning, my mouth feels horrible and looks horiible, Im brushing my teeth about 5 times a day and getting through Mouthwash like its going out of fashion...is this normal side effect?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[zata_in_bangkok]

I have been off ciggies for a couple of weeks now and am actually surprised how easy it is. Before quitting I thought I simply couldn't be without them, but now I realize I can... Of course there are times when I would like to have one - especially when I am going out having a drink.

Three weeks ago it was raining and I had been trying to get a taxi for over half an hour. Then I finally got one and after anohter half an hour (we made less then 1km) he gave up and dropped me off. Then... oh boy, I really needed a ciggie. I went to the next 7 Eleven (through the pouring rain) and bought a pack. Feeling like such a loser but being really exited at the same time. I guess I told myself that I deserved one after all this taxi, rain, no way to get home sh**. Well, I smoked a ciggie and started feeling very strange. I felt sick to my stomach, started sweating like crazy and just wanted to throw up... It's then that I realized that ciggies are pure poison. I threw away the pack immediately - found a taxi and was home an hour later... Ever since then, I have only had a couple of cravings. Needless to say that I only have to think of how sick I felt to not give in.

[Abandon]

Good on you !

You probably felt like you would after inhaling any poinonous, noxious, concentrated polluted fumes.

[Prudent_rabbit]

"Well, I smoked a ciggie and started feeling very strange. I felt sick to my stomach, started sweating like crazy and just wanted to throw up... It's then that I realized that ciggies are pure poison."

Got to say, every time I have the craving (less and less now) I think about this, I remember going without ciggies for 4 days when in hospital and when I was finally allowed out of bed, first thing I did was go to the smoking room and I experienced the same symptoms as you, crazy idiot that I was, I just carried on, looking back on it now I cant beleive I was that stupid.

What makes it worse, a guy was in my ward who had his leg cut off due to very bad circulation caused a lot by smoking, didnt give it a second thought.

33 days and winning!!!

[zata_in_bangkok]

I would say, if you were anything like me, the next step would be gaining about 10 pounds in weight!!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ok, WHY exactly do we gain weight when we stop smoking? I know many people substitute ciggies for snaks, chupa chups, chocolate or other things.

I haven't really done any of this, actually, I have been especially careful not to give into cravings, but still, I have gained about 3 kilos in the last 5 weeks since I stopped smoking.

Somebody once told me that it had to do with how the body produces insulin and that smoking gets your insulin production out of balance and that usually within 6 months you're back to normal again.... But that seems kind of vague... Anybody have a medical explanation?

[donx]

I have been cigarette free now since the middle of April (almost 6 months). I used the Commit nicotine lozenges for 13 weeks, so I have been nicotine-free for about 3 months. The cravings are gone, but I have gained about 20 lbs. which I am working on getting rid of through exercise and limiting/eliminating snacks.

No going back to smoking for me. Anytime I even consider it, I think about Peter Jennings.

[Guest endure]

I used to smoke 40 a day. I had an hour's worth of hypnosis in 1991 and haven't smoked since

[malcolminthemiddle]

I would say, if you were anything like me, the next step would be gaining about 10 pounds in weight!!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ok, WHY exactly do we gain weight when we stop smoking? I know many people substitute ciggies for snaks, chupa chups, chocolate or other things.

I haven't really done any of this, actually, I have been especially careful not to give into cravings, but still, I have gained about 3 kilos in the last 5 weeks since I stopped smoking.

Somebody once told me that it had to do with how the body produces insulin and that smoking gets your insulin production out of balance and that usually within 6 months you're back to normal again.... But that seems kind of vague... Anybody have a medical explanation?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi Zata,

From www.whyquit.com

Weight gain following smoking cessation can be due to several factors. Smoking can have an effect on a person’s metabolism and thus quitting can account for a small weight gain in some individuals. Gains of 5 to 10 pounds over a number of months can be attributed to metabolic alterations in some individuals. But once weight gain exceeds 10 pounds, other factors are more probably responsible.

The full article can be found at

http://whyquit.com/joel/Joel_06_01_weight_control.html

I put on 10Kg after I quit 2 years ago and am still having trouble getting rid of the extra weight. My fault really not doing enough exercise.

[Abandon]

Heart Foundation's ads set out to scare with Sinatra's help

Anushka Asthana and Gaby Hinsliff

Sunday October 23, 2005

The Observer

It is an image that has stuck in the nation's mind; thick globules of white fat dripping off the end of a cigarette. Within days of the shocking image appearing on billboards and television, attendance at smoking clinics had doubled.

Now the group behind the advert is rolling out Part Two. The British Heart Foundation will today launch its 'Under My Skin' campaign, which will focus on what happens when the build-up of fatty deposits in the arteries rupture to form a blood clot.

It features images of a dark mass pulsing through a smoker's veins. The TV advert moves from the hand of a young woman in a fashionable bar to the neck of a suited man in a train station, ending with a close-up of a clot working its way towards the heart of a chef on a cigarette break. It runs under Frank Sinatra's version of 'I've Got You Under My Skin' and ends with the words 'A blood clot kills a smoker every 35 minutes' flashing on to the screen.

The £4 million campaign is designed to instill fear rather than disgust, says Professor Andrew Steptoe, the BHF's head of psychology. 'When it comes to smoking, most people are at the "tipping point"', he said. 'They know they shouldn't, but find it difficult to make the decision to stop at this moment. Like the previous campaign, these adverts were developed to tip smokers over the edge.'

The campaign will form part of a wider plan to curb smoking to be unveiled by Patricia Hewitt, the Health Secretary, this week.

Cabinet ministers will meet tomorrow to decide whether plans for a limited ban on smoking only in pubs that serve food should be replaced by an outright ban on smoking in all pubs and restaurants, or by a compromise that would allow pubs to set aside rooms for smokers. The decision is expected to be outlined in a white paper to be published on Wednesday.

The Department of Health approached the BHF to devise another anti-smoking campaign after the success of the previous award-winning ads, which led to 30,000 hits on its website to find out how to quit and thousands giving up.

That advert spurred Katy Leggate, 25, to give up after 13 years. 'It was horrible and disgusting,' she said. 'I never realised that was what was happening to my arteries. I saw [an ad] the evening before I quit and I think that gave me the extra kick that I needed to quit and stay quit.'

The government has set the same targets for today's campaign, which will see 2,200 billboards go up across the country. It is aimed at smokers aged between 30 and 50 who have tried repeatedly to give up.

The more subtle campaign uses the Cole Porter song because of its appropriate lyrics that include: 'I've got you under my skin, I've got you deep in the heart of me ... I've tried so not to give in ... I'd sacrifice anything come what might, for the sake of having you near. In spite of a warning voice that comes in the night, and repeats, repeats in my ear.'

'We expect this one to have a slower burn,' said Betty McBride, policy and communications director at the BHF. 'But, thanks to Sinatra, every time they hear that song the smoker will bring to mind the unseen damage.'

Professor Peter Weissberg, medical director at the BHF, said smokers were significantly more likely to have the 'furring of the arteries' caused by the build-up of fat and more likely to have blood clots. If that occurred in the heart, it would cause a heart attack, he said; if it happened in the brain, it would prompt a stroke. Every 35 minutes, a smoker dies needlessly from a heart attack when a blood clot blocks a coronary artery.'

The launch comes as the BHF revealed that more than half of Britain's 12 million smokers mistakenly believe it is nicotine that causes heart disease, rather than tobacco smoke. The new campaign will aim to get across the link between smoking and heart disease, and persuade smokers to use government cessation clinics and nicotine replacement patches.

'Today's survey is worrying, because it suggests smokers think nicotine is the killer but it's the other constituents that damage arteries,' added Weissberg.

'Nicotine replacement therapy is an ideal way to give up smoking, because it satisfies the craving without causing the damage.'

[Prudent_rabbit]

Just thought i would share this, I stopped smoking on the last day of August and was not particularly fit. Since then Ive been a regular down the Gym (mainly to get rid of the excess ponds!!!...sticky toffee pudding never tasted so good!).

Last weekend I did the Terry Fox Run round Lumpini Parkand apart from it being a fantastic cause, I managed to run the whole 5k in 36mins (ish). Two months ago, to walk this would have caused me pain and I feel really chuffed to have run it, so if your still umming and arring about giving up, think about running 5km next year for a very worthwhile charity

http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/fox_terry/

[Lenn2005]

"Stop Smoking Project" - Thaivisa.com online self assist programme

JOIN UP NOW - just reply to this topic and stop smoke!

This thread has been established to run a step by step programme over the next few weeks with the objective of trying to help as many smokers as possible become non smokers.

I am not a doctor or hypnotist and do not guarantee success, however I am a reformed smoker who hopes that his experiences will help some one else quit the smoking habit.

The first step is registration; if you would like to join this online programme please submit a post giving your age, sex and brief details of your smoking habit.

Registration will be open only for a limited time, once registration is closed, only registered members will be allowed to make posts within the thread. This is necessary to maintain the continuity of the programme which will follow a pre-determined step by step process and thread rules which the registered members will be asked to follow.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

hi,

i'm 50 and have been smoking since 14. tried quitting numerous times without much luck. am chewing nicorettes at work now and smoking around 20 when i get home. have to keep trying because my lungs are screaming out for mercy. hope it's not too late to join. thanks

[Ijustwannateach]

I just wanted to say good luck to everyone, as this is one of the best general things you can probably do to improve your health and increase your life span. When I become aware that one of my (high school age!) students is a smoker, I usually take him aside and tell him that if he MUST have a vice to be cool, try drinking- that smoking is much, much more dangerous.

I don't know if this will help anyone, but an acquaintance of mine who is a smoker (who has quit sporadically for periods of years at a time) once told me that his secret (when he was successful at quitting) was that he never quit. He simply decided to put off, one day at a time, the next cigarette. In that sense, the psychology of it was never one of deprivation, but one of an active, day-to-day decision.

"Steven"

[Thug]

I would like to join. I am also quitting smoking for good.

Started at around age 12 ( Used to go hide on my roof with a friend and smoke with him all the time ) but I don't know if I really inhalled it and smoked properly.

Now i'm 20 and have been smoking since those early times.

Haven't touched a ciggie in 3 days and now I really wanna quit.

Add me in.

(Feel much better without it already in just a few days).

[MilkPlus]

I was smoking Camel Straights (no filter, cut out the middle man I used to say),

I am now a nicorette addict.

Funny thing about nicorette addicts, they can spot the tell tale packaging in your pocket better than a smoker can a pack of cigs.

Anyway its better than smoking, kind of harsh on the teeth so be careful with it.

One thing I noticed after I quit smoking was how much of my stuff Id damaged, and it really pissed me off. Little burns here and there, and everywhere.

The one thing you will notice in a few months time is how much better your face looks. I dont know what it is, but smoking really, really makes you age faster.

That should be enough reason right there.

Here is an idea to help those struggling, take a pack of cigs and throw them in a large jar of water. Keep it on the kitchen table, or your desk. When you see the chemicals and utter crap floating in that bottle you wont smoke. Just for kicks open it up and take a whiff every so often.

Good luck, nah luck has nothing to do with it, just dont smoke, its that simple.

[malcolminthemiddle]

Installing Cancer

[Bizz]

The hardest thing i ever accomplished in my life and hopefully will save me 10 years of my life.

I smoked for the best part of 35 years 40 a day in the end.

This is how I gave them up.

When I first saw my grandson I held him in my arms looking at the tiny hands and my son said to me Dad you will be able to teach him how to fish when he grows up just like you taught me.

Yes I said.

Traveling home and 4 cigs later on a 20 min drive the one time in my life that I realized that there was no way that I would see not to mind teach that child how to fish when he was older.

That was the moment with 15 cigs left in the box I binned them now I have a fighting chance.

I was 50 now nearly 16 months later I am still off them.

I was told that it was willpower Yes but also the power to live to at least leave some memories.

Life is so short live it don’t burn it away.

Never quit you are only quiting on yourself

[evadgib]

I just ran into this forum by incident. It reminds me of the fact that I did quit smoking more than 17 years ago, being a heavy smoker at the time. Two months before I did quit smoking I did quit drinking alcohol, never had any drop alcohol ever after.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I stopped 5 years ago while house-sitting for a friend. He asked me to look after his dog & i found it easy to stop because the dog didn't smoke:)

(i stopped drinking too but my weight has balloned as a result)

[cdnvic]

Some see these as a joke, but anyone who's seen the look on the face of a chemo patient who knows they're dying will probably find them too real to be funny.

cv

[Prudent_rabbit]

I presume these are actual ads from the USA?

[cdnvic]

I presume these are actual ads from the USA?

Its a Canadian based outfit but they ran the ads in the US too.

http://adbusters.org/

cv

[Buff-horns]

Smoke gets in your skin

Cigarettes fuel the risk of psoriasis and vision problems, studies find

By ANDRÉ PICARD

Tuesday, December 20, 2005 Page A23Key

PUBLIC HEALTH REPORTER

The list of health problems associated with smoking was already long and detailed enough to make your skin crawl. Now comes news that lighting up can make your skin crawl all on its own -- or at least make it scaly, itchy and flaky.

New research, published in today's edition of Archives of Dermatology, shows that smokers are more like to develop psoriasis, a potentially debilitating skin condition.

And the more a person smokes, the worse the psoriasis symptoms. "Specifically, patients who smoked more than a pack of cigarettes [in excess of 20 cigarettes] daily had twice the risk of more severe psoriasis, compared with those who smoked 10 cigarettes or less per day," said Cristina Fortes, a researcher at the Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico in Rome.

She said the data suggest that one of the first things dermatologists treating psoriasis should do is urge patients to quit smoking. Dr. Fortes said physicians should also help patients with smoking cessation before prescribing powerful drugs to treat the skin condition.

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The exact biological mechanism that increases the risk of psoriasis in smokers is unknown, but researchers speculate that some substances in tobacco smoke stimulate the overproduction of tiny proteins that play a key role in the immune system. Some of these small proteins, or cytokines such as interleukin and tumour necrosis factor, have been associated with severity of psoriasis symptoms.

An estimated one million Canadians suffer from psoriasis. While it isn't fatal, it can be devastating. The disease -- which is treatable but often persists life-long -- is characterized by inflamed patches of skin topped with silvery-white scales. As such, many sufferers have a poor self-image and are socially isolated, making them more likely to adopt an unhealthy lifestyle, including smoking, drinking, poor diet and lack of exercise. In fact, a second study, also published in today's Archives of Dermatology, found that psoriasis sufferers are more likely to be overweight or obese.

Mark Herron, of the department of dermatology at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, found that as psoriasis increased in severity -- as measured by the percentage of body surface affected -- so did the likelihood of obesity. (Furthermore, the more extensive the psoriasis, the more likely the person will smoke and drink alcohol, particularly binge drink.) Dr. Herron said these unhealthy behaviours appear to be due largely to poor body-image perception among psoriasis sufferers.

He said while psoriasis is often dismissed as a cosmetic issue, the new data demonstrate that there are important health repercussions that are more than skin-deep.

Another, unrelated study published in today's edition of the British Journal of Ophthalmology, shows that smoking also sharply increases the risk of age-related macular degeneration, one of the leading causes of blindness in the industrialized world.

The research shows that long-term, pack-a-day smokers are about three times as likely to develop the eye disease as those who do not smoke.

People exposed to second-hand smoke are also at higher risk of macular degeneration. Their risk is almost double that of non-smokers, according to the study.

John Yates, of the department of medical genetics at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom, said smoking appears to increase the risk of both principal types of the eye condition -- geographic atrophy (also known as dry macular degeneration) and choroidal neovascularization ( or wet macular degeneration).

While the mechanism is unclear, he speculated that smoking causes cellular damage that leads to the buildup of waste products in blood vessels to the eye.

Dr. Yates said someone who has quit smoking for 20 years or more appears to have about the same risk as a non-smoker.

An estimated one in 10 people over 65 and one in three over 75 suffer from age-related macular degeneration. As the population ages, and specifically as baby boomers reach retirement, the incidence of the disease is expected to increase sharply.

The long-term health effects of smoking tobacco

A growing body of medical research shows that smoking damages the body in different ways. Separate studies, released yesterday, add two more smoking-related ailments to the list -- psoriasis and macular degeneration.

Circulatory System

z Heart diseasez Heart attackz High blood pressurez Coronary artery disease (poor circulation in the legs causing ulcers, pain, and the possible death of tissue in the feet and legs, requiring amputation)

Reproductive System

z Decreased sperm count and movementz Lowered sex drivez Egg damage, irregular menstrual cycle and altered hormone levels z Cancers of the cervix, penis and anusz Early onset of menopause

Pregnancy and babies

z Lower than average birth weight.z Higher risk of sudden infant death syndromez Increased risk of miscarriage, premature birth and still birthz Increased risk of impairment in mental and physical developmentz Nicotine carried to baby in breast

Brain

z Increased risk of brain hemorrhage (stroke)z Women who smoke and take oral contraceptives are at even higher risk of stroke than other smokers

Eyes

z Macular degeneration

Mouth, lip, throat, larynx

z Increased risk of cancerz Inflammation, laryngitis

Respiratory System

z Bronchitisz Emphysemaz Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (The term COPD is used to describe chronic bronchitis and emphysema. These two diseases often occur together z Lung cancer

Breasts

z Increased risk of breast cancer

Pancreas, kidneys

z Increased risk of cancer

Bones

z Increased risk of cancer

Skin

z Increased risk of psoriasis

Bladder

z Increased risk of cancer

Immune system

z Depressed immune resposez Increased infections

SOURCE: AUSTRALIAN DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND COMMUNITY SERVICES

27 December 2005

PASSIVE SMOKE FEAR

PASSIVE smokers face as much damage to their skin as those who smoke, experts have revealed.

Dermatologists say there is a definite link to passive smoking and a type of skin damage commonly known as "smoker's skin".

More than three-quarters of Britons will passively smoke on average three times a week in bars and clubs during December and January.

Tom Mammone, head of research at Clinique Laboratories, who carried out the study, said: "We found that second-hand smoke is extremely harmful to the skin

[rio666uk]

DAY 9

Am I on my own - or did anyone else giveup

Hi all - Im feeling rather pleased/smug with myself this morning - after getting through my first weekend since New Years Eve without smoking.. even when drunk! Ive been known to get through in excess of 25 smokes in a single evening if drinking.

I had my last smoke around midnight as the clock ticked over and a handfull of fireworks hailed the arrival of 2006.

To date Ive not used anything other than willpower.... no patches, no gum, no hypnotists, although I must admit that after several drinks Saturday night, while watching a DVD I was climbing the walls for a couple of hours....

I was sure I would crack - there are, stupidly, about 50 cigarettes on the bookshelf and a further 10pack in the car that were calling me, but I didnt fail - I got through it.... not sure about all that "take deep breaths and have a glass of water" business... it didnt help at all.

It should be noted that although Im on Day9 - i fear the night that I have to go out for a drink in a bar or worse still "eating out" somewhere.

[Prudent_rabbit]

Great good effort, same as me, pure cold turkey, www.whyquit.com is a good site to look over each day, get the urge to smoke look up some of the horror stories, takes your mind off. Keep up the good work

I’ve still not smoked and according to my quit counter (http://www.xarka.com/freeware/)

My name is Steve, and I am a nicotine addict.

I have stopped nicotine for 4 months, 10 days, 3 hours, 34 minutes and 57 seconds (132 days).

I've not smoked 5286 death sticks, and I've saved 18 days, 8 hours and 29 minutes of my life.

[Thairish]

I too have done the New Years Resolution! I have been out for drinks almost everyday since though. I found I only had to leave one bar as the secondary smoke was too much too handle there! Every time I'm hanging for a cig I try to do something, or even walk aimlessy for a while... Keep it up..

[rio666uk]

Great good effort, same as me, pure cold turkey, www.whyquit.com is a good site to look over each day, get the urge to smoke look up some of the horror stories, takes your mind off. Keep up the good work

I’ve still not smoked and according to my quit counter (http://www.xarka.com/freeware/)

My name is Steve, and I am a nicotine addict.

I have stopped nicotine for 4 months, 10 days, 3 hours, 34 minutes and 57 seconds (132 days).

I've not smoked 5286 death sticks, and I've saved 18 days, 8 hours and 29 minutes of my life.

Ahhh finaly someone has acknowledged my sucess... thanks man

Im off to check out those sites now then...

PS i may be PMing you about withdrawal as it only seems to be you and me on the whole forum that have quit.

thanks again

PPS sorry thairish - your reply has only just shown up - cheers