I have not smoked in a week

Quitting has been surprisingly easy. I chew the gum, but not as much as they tell me to. I am around smokers all the time but it does not faze me. Strange.

On side effect is that I have affected the haughty ex-smoker "Those things will kill you" rap easily. I can do it with the best of them.

Does it get harder? I have never quit before.

I quit 6 years ago. It was one of the toughest things I have ever done. But it is also one of the best things I have ever done.

Congratulations!

If it gets tough, don't forget how good you feel now.

there is nothing like a convert to make a true believer. You don't get to use the "those things will kill you" line until you have been smoke-free for 7 years and cleaned all the toxins out of your body. And stop the gum, you're still an addict, only to gum not smokes. and no one thinks chewing gum looks cool.

I used nicotine gum to stop smoking. Addiction to the gum won't kill you; addiction to cigarettes will kill you.

Eventually one's need for nicotine diminishes. I tapered off the gum until I didn't need it any more. I couldn't taper off cigarettes; it had to be all or nothing.

For a smoker, one week without cigarettes is a major victory. You shouldn't minimize the accomplishment.

I applaud you, and offer you hope for continued strength to avoid those toxic killers. And not only are they dangerous, but every one you buy gives money to assmunches like Strom Thurmond &tc.

Keep on not smoking!!

I visited with my twin brother who is a heavy smoker, and I didn't smoke.

It's been surprisingly easy for me too. Almost too easy... :scared:

But I haven't adopted the anti-smoker stance. I hope I never do. Anti-smoking rants just make smokers dig in. I know. I was one for many, many years.

The ex-smoker stuff came so easily. I could not stand it when I did smoke. But it pops out and I realize what a jerk I am.

It might as well be freedom to be a jerk! ;)

:toast: Congrats! And good luck.


PS: Unsolicited advice. Carry a cigarette-shaped straw with you, if you need to, if you want to get off the gum. I didn't use gum, myself. I just sucked on the straw as though I were smoking whenever the urge came. I also sometimes had to just sit down, close my eyes and listen to surf or rain (via Rykodisk CDs) or soothing Chopin nocturnes.

It shouldn't get harder. The only thing you lose as you go along is the newness and attention of having just quit. But, if you're through your first week, you should have the worst of the cravings behind you.

Don't let down your guard, though. For years after I quit, I'd get an occasional hankering -- mostly at the ballpark for some dumb reason. I still dream that I've been smoking from time to time, and I must have quit almost 20 years ago. I can honestly say that in my waking state I no longer want a cigarette, and I'll never start up again.

Keep at it.

That's great :) My dad just quit smoking also, I believe he's going on two weeks now. He's using the patch though. He received a prescription from his dentist. After smoking for 30+ years though (many of those years were spent chain-smoking), if he can quit, I believe ANYONE can quit!!

Good luck to you!!!! One thing that I learned, when hubby had quit before, is that after you quit, it's next to impossible to become someone who only has an occasional cigarette. Hubby tried to do that after quitting for so many months, and he ended up a smoker again.

:hi:

When you're off the cigs and the gum, treat yourself to something! Congrats for taking such a healthy step!!

Don't let that get you overconfident, especially because of that gum. Spit it out now, and take the withdrawals up front, because the gum and patches are just keeping you addicted to the drug, so you have not kicked anything yet except the method in which the drug is delivered to your system. Check the manufacturer of that gum...you will find it is the same company that produces your smokes.

Trust me I know. I smoked 2 packs a day for 30 years, ever since the age of twelve, and quit twice, once for 6 months, and another time for a year, and did all the tricks: tapering down, the gum, the patch, hypnosis, and got that same confident feeling that you just described. Confident enough in fact to think I could have just one smoke when I got stressed. Guess what, within a week I was back to the two packs.

Throw all that crap away and quit cold turkey. It's the only way to completely withdraw from the drug. I did the cold turkey thing ten years ago, and never looked back. It takes a while for the cravings to subside, but once it is out of your system, you never want to go through that again.

Oh, and stop that "Those things will kill you" stuff right now, because you will find that there is nothing more embarrassing than lighting up in front of those same people again in a month.

for Easter!

Plus I'm starting to cure some meat to smoke some bacon in 10 days or so.

But I guess that's not what you meant...


Congrats

October 25, 2001

I did not have a hard time either, although it really took living with a militant anti-smoker to help me quit. And I only wore the patch for a couple of weeks. I did, however, steer clear of smokers for a year.

I loved the money saved more than anything else.

tip - if you are about to light up, run a post in the DU telling us first and read the responses before you proceed!

Your body will thank you for the rest of your long life. Stay quit. You will never regret it.

Hey, a week is a big deal! Go do something to celebrate!

:thumbsup:

:yourock:

It might get harder. A lot of people say so. But others say they've had no problem. I think it depends on the individual... Keep up the marlboro-celibacy though!