Quit smoking ideas

[ErinCooley]

I am going through this right now so hopefully I can be of some help!! Sunday evening will be 2 weeks for me. I've smoked for longer than I have not smoked (I started at 15, I will be 31 in November!!)

First, YOU HAVE TO BE READY TO QUIT. I asked the doc for a prescription for Chantix. While it DID help, it wasnt a cureall. Days 3 and 4 sucked ***, big-time. Day 4 was also when I decided to stop taking Chantix. I didnt want to become "addicted" to anything else... kwim?

Once you set your mind to it, do it. My hardest times have been during breaks at school.. we used to all hang out in the parking lot smoking like chimneys. I had to remove myself completely from that. Rather than breaking with them, I hang out with the instructor. I've learned some cool things over breaks.

Its tough. Good luck! If you want a stopping-buddy, email me! Emmcooley@aol.com. I'm Erin, btw! Im a 30 year old stay at home mom of 2 in my first of 3 quarters for EMT-I. I havent completely decided if I am going straight into the medic program or into the field in March.

 

[Greg]

I'm not sure if anybody else has heard of this, but my Grandfather recently told me about a cigarette company he bought stock in. The company is called Quest Cigarettes, and they try to help people stop smoking. There are three levels of cigarettes: low nicotine, extra-low nicotine, and zero nicotine. I think the idea is you're supposed to try to move through the levels until you're not dependant on the nicotine at all. Does anybody else know anything about this? I wonder if it works.

 

[BossyCow]

There are multiple components to quitting smoking. There is the physical addiction to the nicotine, the behaviora addiction to the association of the act of smoking with certain behaviors (i.e. talking on the phone, riding in the car, after a meal, with a drink, being stressed, break time at work etc.) there is also the muscle memory of the process of moving the cigarette up to your mouth and taking a drag.

Successful quitting has to address all of these components. Fix one, like the nicotine, and the others will lead you back to the act of smoking where you will re-addict yourself. Non-nicotine cigarettes address the nicotine issue while reinforcing the act of smoking.

 

[jeepmedic]

I quit smoking 7 years 12 days ago. I still want one every now and again. I still go out to the smoking area at work with the "puffers" and I know it is hard but worth it. My kids are not exposed to smoke in my home or vehicles.

 

[WLSC2008]

Smoking Cessation

Everyone,
I have worked in wellness education and substance abuse prevention for 7 years now and will tell you that quitting anything is not easy.

For anyone who has quite cold turkey-great job but not everyone can do it.

I am currently certified to teach a program through the American Lung Association called Freedom From Smoking. It is an 8 week clinic where a group of people come together and support each other while they are all working for the same goal.

I know some companies not EMS related that will pay for their staff to attend the clinics because the company can save money in health insurance etc. if you are a non-smoker.

As far as a squad doing it I am not really sure. Being that people are so close and have to work together in stressful situations where tempers can rise without substances I think it would be hard.

Just some thoughts; if you want any more info let me know. Be more than happy to give it to you.

Thanks!

 

[Nocturnatrix]

My father was diagnoses with copd recently and was forced to quit after 24 years or smoking at least a pack a day!

he has quit 6 times in the past 3 months.
he tried smoking pot once a day to cut the cravings but my family found out and lets just say we were not happy since he would drive while smoking it!
then he tried other vices like chocolate and lolli pops but didn't help enough!
then he went to codeine and were still trying to get him to stop!

my advice to anyone who is quitting... Don't pick up a bad habit to kill another one!

 

[wolfwyndd]

I have an appointment the day after Christmas to see if I can get a perscription for chantrix. I've also got an accupunture appt. Jan. 2nd to get a 'stop smoking' treatment. I'm HOPING for December 31st being my last day of smoking. That's the plan, at least. Who knows if it'll work or not.

 

[DFDEMS]

Good luck, I have done the Chantix and the "laser" without quitting. As somone above mentioned you have to want to quit and commit to it. I wish you the best of luck.

I have an appointment the day after Christmas to see if I can get a perscription for chantrix. I've also got an accupunture appt. Jan. 2nd to get a 'stop smoking' treatment. I'm HOPING for December 31st being my last day of smoking. That's the plan, at least. Who knows if it'll work or not.

 

[MEDIC213]

I'm currently using Chantix to quit dipping snuff. It seems to be working pretty well. I've been dipping since I was 15 and I haven't had one in a week. The only thing I've had a problem with is getting over the habits. ie. you finish a good meal and the first thing you want is a dip or a smoke. That's the only part that's given me any problems. But their not bad enough to really get to me.

 

[WLSC2008]

I'm currently using Chantix to quit dipping snuff. It seems to be working pretty well. I've been dipping since I was 15 and I haven't had one in a week. The only thing I've had a problem with is getting over the habits. ie. you finish a good meal and the first thing you want is a dip or a smoke. That's the only part that's given me any problems. But their not bad enough to really get to me.

What you are talking about is known as a pairing. Things like smoking/dipping after meal, before bed, when waking up, working out, cutting grass etc are pairing because they are paired with the action. You do the action and you want a dip and have a while those two become connected. Pairings are hard to break but it is a definite step in the cessation process.

I will look and see if I can find some more information on these and post it.

Thanks!

 

[wolfwyndd]

Good luck, I have done the Chantix and the "laser" without quitting. As somone above mentioned you have to want to quit and commit to it. I wish you the best of luck.

Well, so far, so good. My last cigarette was on January 2nd and, knock on wood, have had success with the Chantrix. That's the good news.

The bad news is that I'm not sure which is worse, the disease or the cure. The 'side effects' of the Chantrix are nausau, vomiting, constipation, gas, trouble sleeping and 'changes in dreaming.' The only ones I DON'T have are the nausua and vomiting. By far the worst are the trouble sleeping and the 'changes in dreaming.' It takes forever to actually get to sleep and when I do, I have these HORRID nightmares. I actually cut my prescription down from 1 MG to .5 MG because I can (mostly) sleep on it, my dreams are at least tolerable, and it's still doing a decent job at controling my cravings.

But so far I have been smoke free for 11 days.

 

[Code 3]

I used Welbutrin also. It helped a great deal.

Isn't Welbutrin mainly prescribed as an anti-depressant? It would be interesting to hear how it helps with smoking cessation.

 

[emtbhardy]

I have a "?" We tell everyone that they dont need to smoke because its bad for them. But (this is just a guess) 3/4 of people in EMS smoke. Yes myself included.

 

[Jon]

I have a "?" We tell everyone that they dont need to smoke because its bad for them. But (this is just a guess) 3/4 of people in EMS smoke. Yes myself included.

I'd say it is less than 1/2... but still above the national average.

 

[ErinCooley]

I know its probably too late for the person taking about side effects, but when I quit with Chantix, I used it just long enough to stop smoking... I took it for 10 days. When I realized it wasnt going to do anything for the cravings, I stopped taking it so that I didnt get addicted to something else.

It will be 8 month next week for me... including the death of my daughter. Chantix is a great med IF you are willing and ready to quit.

 

[wolfwyndd]

Way to go!!

I'm still on the Chantix. Today is day 83 according to their support web site http://getquit.com and I'm still doing ok. I actually had my first DREAM of smoking a cigarette the other night. That was a wierd experience.

Still not sure if I'm ready or willing to quit. I still enjoyed smoking, but so far I'm not.

 

[MEDIC213]

I know its probably too late for the person taking about side effects, but when I quit with Chantix, I used it just long enough to stop smoking... I took it for 10 days. When I realized it wasnt going to do anything for the cravings, I stopped taking it so that I didnt get addicted to something else.

It will be 8 month next week for me... including the death of my daughter. Chantix is a great med IF you are willing and ready to quit.

I did the same thing. I quit taking it 2 weeks into it. The side effects were horrible on me. I even experienced a few side effects that they didn't put on the label, but I won't go into those.

I took it til I was off of snuff, then I did cold turkey. Now I'm 3 months into it and I'm doing good. I don't even want one. And the pairings that somebody was talking about earlier are gone now.

 

[wolfwyndd]

I'm still on it. But I cut my dosage in 1/2 after about the first week or so because I had the side effects really bad. The worst was the freaky nightmares. If it was a side effect listed, I had it. Now that I've been on it for a while I've also noticed a general malaise and I'm always kinda tired. Considering I'm up to about 90 days now, I'm considering just nixing the rest of my perscription and seeing how I do without it.