[mcorton]

After my heart attack my doctors have told me I have to quit smoking. This has been too hard for me to do. I'm now realizing I have to either give up smoking or give up singing. Now when I sing I get dizzy. With God's help and hopefully the support of my friends here today will be my last day as a smoker. If anyone else is quitting and wants to be a quit partner let me know. It's always easier to quit with another. It won't be easy and my wife may have to rent a motel for a few days :laugh: but I believe I'm determined enough to succeed this time.

 

[Old Rich]

Good luck with it . . it's not an easy thing to do and I admire those who have given it up.

 

[Basementgeek]

Best of luck. The worst thing I ever did was take up again.

BG

 

[joeten]

Best of luck I 'am sure you will succeed

 

[Rich-M]

Just remember never look back and beware the thoughts that you can have just one after you quit now and then because if you want to succeed, you just can't have just one.

It has been 15 years for me and I quite hundreds of times before finally making it but the deal I made with myself that finally worked was not so much as even 1 puff once I quit!

 

[JohnthePilot]

Good luck.
That's good advice from Rich-M. I also have given up many times and usually managed to get to abouit 4 in the afternoon before begging a ciggy off someone. Ten years ago I nearly lost my legs through blocked femoral arteries (atherosclerosis) and was rushed into hospital for an emergency aorto-bifemoral bypass. Fortunately the op. was in time and I now have full use of my legs. The surgeon said he wouldn't tell me I had to stop smoking, but that if I didn't I could end up losing my legs, or worse. That, for me, was enough and I haven't smoked since. Most of the time I don't even think about cigarettes, even when people around me are smoking, but occasionally I get the odd urge to have one. I find that if I force myself to think about something else the craving very quickly goes away, but I'm afraid that like alcoholics, once a smoker, always a smoker and it would only take that one cigarette to start me off again. Don't let this put you off as you get over the worst in the first couple of weeks and the benefits are well worth it. A couple of tips for you. First, use a nicotine substitute if you find the craving unbearable. I used nicorette chewing gum and it was a big help, although I'm now addicted to chewing gum. :grin: Second, don't think of yourself as an ex-smoker, but as a non-smoker. When people offer you a cigarette don't say you've given up because they will keep pressuring you to have one. If you say "I don't smoke" they don't bother any more. I hope that is some help and once again, good luck.

 

[Rich-M]

I agree with Johnthepilot's thought to avoid being asked but as for thinking of yourself as a non smoker I would disagree. I always made the distinction of being a smoker, who at the moment isn't smoking. I would sit in the smoking sections of restaurants, walk towards smoke and even had a small jar filled with used cigarette butts I could smell when I needed reinforcement...but you need to realize you have the weakness and that is why I still think of myself as a smoker today! Everyone is different though.

 

[Tumbleweed36]

Best of luck, for the health of you and your loved ones, I hope you stick to your goal of quitting.

 

[jcgriff2]

Good Luck -- I hope you do kick it.

I once quit - 33 days, then thought I could have just one; then 2, then....

 

[WereBo]

Good luck with giving up mcorton, I wish I could, despite repeated attempts

 

[Geekgirl]

I've been a non-smoker for 3 years now, don't miss it either. The only thing I need to stress is that you have to want to quit. If you don't, you will not be successful.

 

[speedster123]

i had to..also they arent cheap.

 

[AlbertMC2]

As someone with extremely bad lungs due to a genetic lung disease, I have always wondered why someone would start smoking and willingly destroy their lungs.
I have also watched one of my friend's fathers have his one leg and then 2 years later his other leg amputated, also due to blocked arteries. The doctor implied it was due to smoking and also urged him to stop smoking - needless to say he didn't. During his 2nd leg amputation he fell into a coma and died. All this due to smoking.
You always hear the effects of smoking and what it can do to you but like any addiction the reply is always "it will never happen to me", until it does.
Therefore mcorton I really do wish you good luck. And for the rest of the smokers I would like to say it is not worth it and to urge you to stop as well.

 

[krappo]

Best of luck with quitting, Ive been smoke free for nearly 5 years now, One of the best decisions i have made

 

[Rich-M]

I forgot to mention that although I have now been off 15 years one of the things I felt on my final quit was a lack of understanding as to why I ever did. That was the first time I ever felt that way.

 

[Redeye3323]

I am just glad that I am part of this generation where smoking is seen as money wasting and uncool (I.e. No pressure like in your generation)

Load still do it but it's because they don't care, not that they felt like they have to.

I will never smoke, do drugs or play a potentially fatal game (e.g. The game called "chicken"). Alcohol is something to be enjoyed in moderation and my only vice is food and sweets

 

[sandman55]

All the best mcorton I have always been a non smoker but I had to endure the smoke of others including my parents because smoking was the normal thing back then, but they found the strength to give it up and I hope you not only manage to follow through with it but you get some quit partners here to join you. :4-clap: :4-clap: :4-clap:

 

[SABL]

Best of luck on quitting the smoking habit......not easy. I quit for 4yrs back in the 80's.....then in a moment of duress I bought a pack of cigs. Lit the first one up and commented to my coworker about how bad it tasted and I would be hard pressed to take the habit up again. But, I paid good money for that pack of smokes and would not waste them........the rest is history and by the end of the pack I was hooked again. All the work from 4yrs prior went up in smoke........pun intended because it is so true.

 

[Ninjaboi]

Good luck with trying to quit. I know too many people who say they will and then yell at everyone a few days later when they pick it up again and are being lectured. If you have the will power, you will succeed. Just remember the downsides of smoking:

1. Expensive.
2. Increased chance for lung cancer.
3. Constricts blood.
4. Tar build-up inside the lungs.
5. Smoker's cough.

The list goes on. Just remember the downsides and that should help with you putting it behind you.

 

[sandman55]

Good luck with trying to quit. I know too many people who say they will and then yell at everyone a few days later when they pick it up again and are being lectured. If you have the will power, you will succeed. Just remember the downsides of smoking:

1. Expensive.
2. Increased chance for lung cancer.
3. Constricts blood.
4. Tar build-up inside the lungs.
5. Smoker's cough.

The list goes on. Just remember the downsides and that should help with you putting it behind you.

Also is a contributing factor to increase the risk of heart disease