Palin's Bra: Support for Quitters (of nicotine delivery products)

[ALady]

Have y'all looked into those e-cigarettes?  A good friend of mine quit after her mom (also a smoker) had a heart attack last year, and said they really helped...they've both been smoke-free for at least 6 months now. 

Good luck all!

[Ruckus]

My name is Ruckus and I am an addict.  I smoked my first cigarette when I stole a Benson and Hedges 100 from my father and smoked it in my upstairs bathroom.  I got so dizzy I fell in the bathroom.  Ha!  At least I was inhaling!  I started smoking regularly around the age of 14 and have quit to varying degrees at least 10 times over the past 18 years or so.

This year, around mid to end of July, I made a pact with two other friends to quit smoking together.  They have succeeded.  I made it smoke free for over two months but then had a drunken relapse of one or two smokes.  Then I got to NYC for some shows and completely fell off the wagon.

I fear that I am not ready to commit again but oh well, here I am on day 2.  Good luck to everyone!  I'm just going straight cold turkey cuz I don't like my brain chemistry to be mangled more than it already is.  However, I do have two other friends that quit successfully using Chantix.

The key for me is to not have a drink in the initial two weeks or so and if I have a rabid craving, to just go outside, kick some ass and make a citizen's arrest on some loser smoker loitering on my street corner.

[tdb810]

I am so HAPPY for all of you, even though I know how much it SUCKS right now!!

Taterbug -- you are NOT an idiot -you are an addict!  It takes a lot of work to put those smokes down, even when people you are close to suffer with smoking related illnesses.  I am sorry to hear about your experiences with the patches and gum, but there are other options -- lozenge, inhaler, nasal spray.  Most people who quit, have tried at least 6 or 7 times before getting it right.  Each time you learn a little something ,and try to build on that!


JY - those freshman can handle  a little cranky here and there...you will be back to your wonderful self in no time....I usually say 2 weeks to be safe.....withdrawal is a bitch! so that's where the lozenges are key!  Keep up the great work!  I will be checking in on you on 2/12 :)  serious


AMD - it was a slip, and it's just your body responding to this acute withdrawal, in addition to it just being so routine, so habitual.  If you can at all afford to go and pick up any kind of nicotine replacement, it really may help during those difficult times.  Even if you just decided to continue cold turkey, you are doing GREAT, and you will continue to persevere.  Your dependence is getting less and less with each day that passes!

Wizzard -- so happy that Chantix was good to you.  We do studies with that drug here, and people really call it a miracle drug.  They even tell me they forget to smoke -- imagine that?  You did an excellent job of describing what it does, and I think it's so great that it helped you the way it did.  Yay!!

ALady -- Thanks for your input : )  The ecigarette is a hot topic these days in my business.  I will just say this:   E-cigarettes  are absolutely NOT a treatment, just an alternative when a smoker cant smoke (ie airplanes etc).  FDA says there are toxic chemicals, one of which being antifreeze, in the vapor, and it should not be used as a treatment.  The Nicotine inhaler is a safe alternative to that, is covered by many plans, and gives you the hand to mouth thing. 

Ruckus -- Good for you buddy!  That is awesome....day two...keep it up.  Your brain chemistry will be a little mangled as you go through the cravings, and again, you can always just run to the local CVS and pick something up to help with that. It's just the nicotine doing that....our brains really like nicotine, it's super rewarding....and left on it's own, it's safe...its the other toxins and carcinogens that make it unsafe.  And I had to do exactly what you did with the drinking...had to cut it down for awhile, just because the drinking would IMMEDIATELY have me craving. 

Not sure if this is helpful or not, but here is a partial list of cigarette ingredients.  Now remember this cannot be validated because even though that cup of yogurt you just ate needs to list EVERY SINGLE INGREDIENT on the label, BIG tobacco has been able to get past needing FDA approval and is killing over 400, 000 people per year.  Where is the outrage people??? 
FU big tobacco!

Take a puff of this:

Cancer Causing Agents   
Nitrosamines      
Crysenes
Cadmium      
Benzo(a)pyrene   
Polonium
Nickel         
P.A.H.s         
Dibenz Acidine   
B-Napthylamine   
Urethane      
N. Nitrosonornicotine
Toluidine   

Other fun stuff:

Nail Polish Remover
Floor/Toilet Cleaner
Cigarette Lighter Fluid
Cadmium
Carbon Monoxide
Formaldehyde   
Hexamine
Hydrogen Cyanide
Methane
Rocket Fuel
Moth Balls

You guys can ALL do this!  And just keep this thread going, support is HUGE!  big hugs~ 

[Tracy 2112]

I don't see how anyone could drink and NOT smoke. Sort of goes hand in hand.

I had to quit drinking first, THEN quit smoking. It's b/c of the smoking I could quit drinking, ya know?

[Taterbug]

I am so HAPPY for all of you, even though I know how much it SUCKS right now!!

Taterbug -- you are NOT an idiot -you are an addict!  It takes a lot of work to put those smokes down, even when people you are close to suffer with smoking related illnesses.  I am sorry to hear about your experiences with the patches and gum, but there are other options -- lozenge, inhaler, nasal spray.  Most people who quit, have tried at least 6 or 7 times before getting it right.  Each time you learn a little something ,and try to build on that!


Cancer Causing Agents   
Nitrosamines      
Crysenes
Cadmium      
Benzo(a)pyrene   
Polonium
Nickel         
P.A.H.s         
Dibenz Acidine   
B-Napthylamine   
Urethane      
N. Nitrosonornicotine
Toluidine   

Other fun stuff:

Nail Polish Remover
Floor/Toilet Cleaner
Cigarette Lighter Fluid
Cadmium
Carbon Monoxide
Formaldehyde   
Hexamine
Hydrogen Cyanide
Methane
Rocket Fuel
Moth Balls

You guys can ALL do this!  And just keep this thread going, support is HUGE!  big hugs~

tdb810,   Thanks for the encouragement.  I think trying to quit this time with ya'll might help me through the process.  Although, I still need to keep up my cannabinoid levels because I have Glaucoma  and also because Call of Duty Black Ops is NOT as fun to play when my level drops to low  ;)

[Taterbug]

I don't see how anyone could drink and NOT smoke. Sort of goes hand in hand.

I had to quit drinking first, THEN quit smoking. It's b/c of the smoking I could quit drinking, ya know?

I know what you mean,  I think it might be a little easier now with the smoking ban, I remember the last time I quit. I was the WORST non smoker around, every time I would walk out of a bar I would have to walk thru a cloud of smoke and then get the uncontrollable urge to punch a smoker.

[BH]

At the end of this month it will have been 9 years since I quit smoking.  It was one of the hardest but best things I've ever done.   I smoked a pack a day (or more) for about 12 years.

For me, I used the patch.  After one month it was MUCH easier and after 3 months I barely thought about it.  One year in and I had it licked.  NO desire whatsoever.

Hang tough peeps.  You will be SOOO glad you did.   My hangovers are like half as bad now!

[Sticky Icky Green Stuff]

Sticky, you're right on about day 3.  And its my first day back teaching.  My little freshmen are hating me right now!  This is usually when I run to the store, but I AM NOT GOING TO DO IT! 

In the past, I've used Nicorette gum, but it never worked.  I had better luck with the lozenges and a prescription for Wellbutrin, but my insurance wouldn't cover it (wft?) because its an antidepressant being used for something else and my doctor won't lie.

This time, I'm trying to go without the prescription to save money (it was about $100 per month).  I'm replacing the Wellbutrin with this thread.  I just hope I don't hit a kid or swear in class this week.

hang in there.  at least you realize what your brain is doing and trying to convince you of.  regular gum worked for my grandpa.  he quit drinking and smoking at the same time cold turkey after years and years of being an alcoholic/heavy smoker.  it can be done.

[aMillionDreams]

Drinking and smoking do go hand in hand.  The first time I quit I didn't drink for about three months.  Don't know if I could handle that at this conjuncture but I might have to quit for a bit.  I decided to have an after work beer and now I really want a cigarette or four.  Good thing there aren't any around and I'm too lazy to go to the store!

[the_wizzard]

Nice list of ingredients there  :-\  lots of yuck! 
*you may also want to know tdb810's second list includes such lovelies as: ammonia, arsenic, and for the record, hydrogen cyanide is better known as rat poison.

Personally I keep motivated by how underhanded the tobacco industry is and always has been.  Here is a doozy of a fact (care of thetruth.com):

"A tobacco company once gave $125,000 worth of food to a charity, according to an estimate by The Wall Street Journal. Then, they spent well over $22 million telling people about it. I guess when you sell a deadly, addictive product, you need all the good PR you can get."
Wow...just wow.

And since we all love the Muppets here, it should be known that:

"As long ago as 1969, a tobacco company executive stated that they had "taken a great many steps to avoid advertising directed to young people." Yet 10 years later, they supplied their products to be featured in The Muppet Movie."

I think I need to Netflix The Insider with Russell Crowe.  The first time I saw that movie I quit right prompt and that spell lasted a while....

[the_wizzard]

I guess I forgot the first step in recovery, so here goes:

Hello, my name is the_wizzard and I am a nicotine/cigarette addict.  I started smoking at the tender of age of 16.  All to impress my soon to be boyfriend who was 18 at the time.  I thought him and all his friends were sooooooo coooooool.  And they all smoked and actually would mock me because I didn't.  Oh geez, what jerks right?  But it was the early 90's and while smoking was known to be bad, it was still a strong part of the southern Ohio culture.  I smoked modestly, mostly on the weekends when I would have time to shower to avoid getting busted by my folks (they are both ex-smokers, from way before I was born).  But I will admit, even though it was lame to fall for peer pressure and all, I felt so cool and mature and badass when I smoked.  So I had this whole image attached to smoking...

I took a year off between high school and college to see as many dead shows I could and while on tour I became a full fledged smoker.  Rollies and tailor mades, whatever I could get my hands on.  I was a serious smoker for the next 10 years or so.  Then I met the future Mr. Wizzard, a non-cigarette smoker.  So I quit to impress him and snag his affections.  That lasted a while, but not even a year.  I started sneaking smokes whenever I could.  I took showers and brushed my teeth multiple times a day, just like in High School.  So lame.  Over time, he of course found out.  It made me feel like a loser, a cheat, and like I misrepresented myself.  I hated feeling that way. I was no better than my ex-junky friends who, in the midst of nodding off, would tell me they were clean.  Beyond lame.  I attempted to quit over the years with gum, lozenges, lollipops and the patch.  Nothing could help me get past the habitual addiction.  I am still struggling with that this time around. 
I always said I didn't want to mess with my brain chemistry and use a drug.  But really, lets face the facts:  tobacco has already messed up my brain chemistry.  What is 12 weeks on one drug versus almost 2 decades of my life using another?  So I bit the bullet, went to see a doctor and asked for Chantix.  My health insurance was kind of lame and made me wait and jump through some hoops to get the prescription.  Counter-intuitive, right?  I hate my health insurance company for that.  Chantix isn't super cheap, but still less expensive than my habit (which was ~one pack every 3 days).  And putting down a chunk of change for the drug is making me accountable.
The battle has begun, but far from over.  Let's keep this thread alive.  Even if there are moments of weakness, we all can do it. 

[TheBigChicken]

Just think...no more smoking ,no more dragon breath....you can do it folks....dont be a dragon...

[the_wizzard]

[.Walt]

Good luck everyone!

I did smoke for about 6 years, but I quit about 4 years ago or so. I quit cold turkey, but I smoked maybe 5 cigs a day (if I wasn't drinking), so maybe quitting wasn't so hard for me. I had about 15 cigarettes left in my pack, and I made my mind that this was my last pack.  So I made that pack last for about a month. I do have a smoke maybe once or twice a year when I'm drinking , but I can't remember the last time I did have one.  Not smoking while driving was the hardest part for me...although I still crack my window for some reason.

Edit: I did buy a pack of smokes for the Mile High Fest, because I couldn't smoke herb.

[Sticky Icky Green Stuff]

Drinking and smoking do go hand in hand.  The first time I quit I didn't drink for about three months.  Don't know if I could handle that at this conjuncture but I might have to quit for a bit.  I decided to have an after work beer and now I really want a cigarette or four.  Good thing there aren't any around and I'm too lazy to go to the store!

I've quit drinking twice.  once for just over a year and then another for just over two years (doctors orders).  I really didn't have much of a problem not drinking, but again I was getting stoned so I still was sorta buzzin.   if you could cut down to even weekends or like walts said, every once and a while I don't think quitting would be such a mentally destructive process. 

it's like almost like fight obesity or something.  it's up to the individual long run.  it's a matter of priority and brain power.   the public programs put to much pressure on the process itself.  they make it sound like you'll get a tumor if you slip and have a cig every now and then.   realistically all that matters how much smoke is getting into your lungs.  if you can keep it to a minimal amount you'll be fine.  if you go to bar, even if you do not smoke you're going to get that second hand, which supposedly is more dangerous (insert jerk off motion).

quit because you want to.  bottom line.  fuck poison.  take it day by day.  workout, make art or work on music.  go for a walk, do anything other than spend 7minutes starting yourself over back at square one. 

[Ruckus]

Holding strong so far.  Entering day 3.  This place has been helpful.  Any time I had the urge, I reminded myself that I didn't want to admit that I broke here and that this urge was temporary.  Trying to sleep at night is always toughest the first three days when I'm just tossing and turning with crazy dreams and night sweats.  I think after tonight, much of that will hopefully subside for me.

Perfectly normal to give up three vices at once right?  I'm no longer eating after 8pm which is hard to do with my work schedule and not drinking.  I pity my girlfriend.  I must be a joy to be around. ;D

[johnnYYac]

Day 4!  Better than yesterday.  I commend you, Ruckus, for the "no eating after 8pm" piece.  I need to battle the weight gain through this.  Each time I quit, I gain lbs., then start smoking again without losing the weight.  Hence, 255 lbs!!!!  I cut my brew consumption simply because I no longer need a sip between drags.  Keep it up!

[Ruckus]

Day 4!  Better than yesterday.  I commend you, Ruckus, for the "no eating after 8pm" piece.  I need to battle the weight gain through this.  Each time I quit, I gain lbs., then start smoking again without losing the weight.  Hence, 255 lbs!!!!  I cut my brew consumption simply because I no longer need a sip between drags.  Keep it up!

Keep up the great work Johnny!  You are on point as to my motivation for the food intake.  When I tried quitting earlier this year, I gained a good 10 lbs and didn't lose it back when I started again.  Instead, I figure I'll quit and lose weight at the same time. ;D. Baby steps.

[ALady]

ALady -- Thanks for your input : )  The ecigarette is a hot topic these days in my business.  I will just say this:   E-cigarettes  are absolutely NOT a treatment, just an alternative when a smoker cant smoke (ie airplanes etc).  FDA says there are toxic chemicals, one of which being antifreeze, in the vapor, and it should not be used as a treatment.  The Nicotine inhaler is a safe alternative to that, is covered by many plans, and gives you the hand to mouth thing. 

Trish - this is interesting, thanks for addressing it!  So those "fake" cigarettes are just as harmful as the real thing?  I don't know which one my friend was using - she basically used it as a crutch for a few weeks, but eventually gave that up too because she felt stupid smoking a fake cigarette   ;D 

Anyway, great info - we are really lucky to have you "on staff" here!   :)

[johnnYYac]

Day 4!  Better than yesterday.  I commend you, Ruckus, for the "no eating after 8pm" piece.  I need to battle the weight gain through this.  Each time I quit, I gain lbs., then start smoking again without losing the weight.  Hence, 255 lbs!!!!  I cut my brew consumption simply because I no longer need a sip between drags.  Keep it up!

Keep up the great work Johnny!  You are on point as to my motivation for the food intake.  When I tried quitting earlier this year, I gained a good 10 lbs and didn't lose it back when I started again.  Instead, I figure I'll quit and lose weight at the same time. ;D. Baby steps.

Last time I quit, I got my doctor involved in the planning, prescribing Wellbutrin, etc.  He cautioned me not to try and take on too much at once.  In other words, get smoke-free first, then tackle the weight.  I'm not sure, now, if I agree with that strategy.