My Introduction/How it's worked for me.

There is one type that is additive free and I tried quitting with them. They have nicotine and are harsh as the missing additives are what makes a cigarette smooth. The additives can contribute to the addiction but they are not the addiction. I grew use to the taste. We smokers are resilient we adjust. That is so sad but truly also very funny.I have heard of herbal cigarettes. They contain no tobacco but smell like skunk weed when burning and taste worse than they smell. There is also another one, comes in healthy flavors but they are now against the law to sell in the U.S. due to the child labor used to make them. Hate to be a downer here but nothing is safe to inhale into your lungs except oxygen. I have my doubts about that also but am willing to chance oxygen. Thats why I quit smoking. Think of it this way you love chocolate, chocolate wouldn't hurt you. Regular cigarettes have chocolate in them among so many other things that have a purpose that can be used to the good but smoking them isn't one of those "good" purposes. I'm not lecturing here because trust me I have no room to lecture any one should I even feel inclined. Every person makes their own trip their own way to the point they quit; its their right. I'm just stating some of my hard learned facts. Fact is folks you smoke or you don't. I don't but will always consider myself a smoker. It is just that I have chosen not to smoke today and pray I never will again. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 2/19/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 25 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 1,540 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $150 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 3 [B]Hrs:[/B] 7 [B]Mins:[/B] 54 [B]Seconds:[/B] 34

A visit from friends who smoke!

I was not forced to quit due to health problems but if I had been I think my family and friends would have smoked outside but they would have also been very curious to my reactions to a forced quit. But my quit, forced or voluntered is just that my quit not theirs. I would not think less of them for their habit and I would reassure them of that. I would do my best to be as considerate of their life style as they would be of mine. My husband smokes and my best friend of 30 years smokes. Hell since I have stopped smoking I think everyone in the area has started smoking (grin) When I stopped smoking I knew these two important people in my life were not going to stop but I also knew they would be my number one supporters. I have not ask that they not smoke in front of me or that they go outside nor will I ever! This is my quit not theirs. Secretly I am hoping to lead by example. So far they are very impressed with how I am doing and are constantly singing my praise. They do offer to smoke outside or another level of the house but I refuse this offer constantly. I can tell by the way they are asking me questions that perhaps they are entertaining the idea that it might be time for them to quit also. Stranger things have happened.

Please Read- Chantrix experience

I read on another post that you had stopped your Chantix on your own, or did I misunderstand what you were saying? I had left my doctor a message that I wanted my dose cut down and she misunderstood me and thought I wanted to stop taking the drug now. She had her nurse call me back and tell me that you did not stop taking Chantix all of a sudden as it could/would make you very nervous. She said it had to be tapered off. She also wanted me to know that the highest success rate for this drug was the full twelve week treatment. Anyone know anything about how the drug is tapered off or if their is truth in my doctors words that it has to be tapered off?

Here I go again!!!

Chantix has worked for me. I'm like you I am the Queen of Stop Smoking. Nothing has ever worked for me until now. I can only urge you to read this board and note all the pit falls that you may encounter and make a plan to meet each one should the occasion arise. Attitude is everything and so is your willingness to be an active participant in your quit. No such thing as a passive quitter. Knowledge is a must and this board has enough wisdom to write a book. You may think you know it all and you very well might but you might not be using that knowledge effectively toward yourself. You know how we do love to decieve ourselvels. Read everything you can on stopping smoking talk to everyone that will talk to you about their quit and keep in mind that it is said that nicotine is ten times more addictive than herion. How true that is I can't say but it truly makes me very angry to hear it 36 years after I smoked my first cigarette. How does it make you feel? [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 2/19/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 23 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 1,415 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $138 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 3 [B]Hrs:[/B] 1 [B]Mins:[/B] 25 [B]Seconds:[/B] 14

Who are the Febuary 07 Quitters?

Count me in. I quit 2-19-07

Day 10 Of My Quit

Day ten of my quit and still no over whelming urge to smoke. I keep waiting on an urge to light up and it hasn't happened. I keep reading everyones post and I live in fear of a sneak attack. I stay busy......today I'm turning all my lovely crystal asktrays into container candles. They will make lovely deck candles for the summer. How cool is that?

New Quitter...

Love Chantix! My quit is rather complicated as I started out with actupuncture. Managed to cut back with actupuncture but found myself trying to smoke all I wanted the morning of 2-19. That really made me angry so I ran out and bought CQ patches put one on; stopped smoking and started munching celery sticks for the next 24 hours. I went to my doctor the next day and she wrote me the prescription for Chantix. I started the Chantix on 2-21 and continued to wear the patch and munch my celery sticks. I think the crunch in the celery truly has helped me with the frustration I feel. The patch was to come off on my quit date. On Sunday,2-25-07, I didn't put my patch on. I suspect that I will not be using the patch again as Chantix is working great and much quicker than I thought it would. I have not had a cigarette since the morning of February 19 and I pray I never will light another. Hey 2-19 until 2-26....thats one whole week. Oh Goody!

Gym goers - thoughts please?

Serenity I have found that celery and peanut butter is the answer for me. I carry both in a little lunch box with an ice pack. I don't leave home without my celery! I cut it into cigarette size. You will find that folks at the gym will be very understanding and supportive. Try to incorporate yoga into your schedule. It reduces stress and will teach you to breathe properly among many other things you will use in your life. I don't know what causes these feelings but I am in complete sympathy with you. Perhaps they come with the life style change we are making. I'm assuming that you have a clean bill of health from your doctor and that he/she is aware that you are trying to quit smoking. If so call them and ask if you should be concerned. If not make an appointment and get checked out. It will help you with your quit and with your exercise to know you are starting with a clean bill of health. Good Luck!

New To The Board

I have spent 36 years smoking, went from several a day through the years to a half pack a day to a pack, pack and a half, two packs, two and a half and my all time low hitting three packs a day. Smoke free 49 hours. I started with acupuncture to cut back on smoking 2-15-07. I agreeded to cut my smoking in half before my next visit. Next vist was to be on 2-20-07. Everything went well until the morning of the 19. I found myself constantly trying to light up. I rushed to the drugstore bought CQ patches and put one on. I have not had a smoke since.I was prescribed Chantix yesterday and started them today. Due to the fact that I am currently smoke free my doctor has agreeded that I may wear my patch until my quit day. Quit Date 2-28-07 This is by far the worst habit I have ever tried to break. The first smoke free night was a trip. I didn't sleep well. I felt like I was having a heart attack, a stroke, a panic attack, my body had aches and pains. I ignored all these discomforts as there was no doubt in my mind that it was the addiction talking. It is funny looking back on it today but please keep in mind that currently my emotional state is in the extreme going from pleasant to quick tempered and then to highly amused. Much like my smoking habit was. Each day is improving but I am taking it hour by hour. The first day was minute by minute. My cigarettes and lighter are lying in my room. I refuse to move them. My first accomplishment was three rules I made to live by. No smoking in the car so don't bother taking them, no smoking on the phone so they are placed in an area away from the phone,no smoking while using the computer so they stay upstairs in their no phone/no computer area. I discovered these areas were my mindless smoking stations. Making these rules alone cut my smoking in half. There is my story up to date. Hour by hour my struggle goes on and I hope to win this time. Yet I know there is still only one thing that would make my day perfect and that would be to lite up. There is only one thing that is going to make me strong enough to win this battle and thats not to lite up. What a sorry world I have made for myself.

New To The Board

I will try to respond to all of you. I stopped smoking Monday after applying my patch. Not one little puff since then. I am to treat the patch as I would regular smoking on my quit day. I couldn't agree more with using exercise as a tool to stop smoking. I have been taking Yoga classes twice a week for the last twelve weeks as I prepared myself for the quit. I'am active as a rule but yoga seemed to be the balance for preparing myself. Not to mention any hobby using ones hands. I have many as I have acquired them through my many other quits. Yes I have tried to quit before. If it is on the market in the US I have tried it. All my failures came from not being an active participant in the quit. I am sure many of you understand exactly what I am saying. You can not be a passive quitter and succeed. I read about Chantix last year online as I was researching my upcoming quit. I faxed all the information to my doctor and told her I wanted this drug. She refused at that time as it was still so new. Please do not be angry with her as I had the option of going to another doctor that would have given me this drug, I did not. That was passive quitter me. She stands behind the last line of her oath, "do no harm" Now she has given it to me and told me what a great drug it is. LOL Yep gotta love that. There are many reasons for addictions and even more excuses but I am taking the blame for this as it was a conscience decision I made and continued to make. I refuse to throw my cigaretts away. I don't feel that they have any hidden meaning. I decided to stop smoking not the rest of the world. If I can't resist my own cigarettes how can I resist others? My husband smokes and I am in the public a great deal. Exposure is something I will have often. I hope this makes everything clearer to you guys. How starnge you really are out there. :-))