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Post by sandyf on Jan 20, 2005 21:47:14 GMT -5
Congrats Anne! Wish I could send you a nifty picture but I don't know how. But a big thanks for still helping all of us at the early stages of our quit. Your postings are so inspiring. Thanks for your dedication.
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Post by sandyf on Jan 20, 2005 21:47:14 GMT -5
Congrats Anne! Wish I could send you a nifty picture but I don't know how. But a big thanks for still helping all of us at the early stages of our quit. Your postings are so inspiring. Thanks for your dedication.
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Post by sandyf on Jan 20, 2005 22:05:25 GMT -5
Wow,Wow and Wow. How profound is this. I need to read it again very slowly...
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Post by sandyf on Jan 20, 2005 22:05:25 GMT -5
Wow,Wow and Wow. How profound is this. I need to read it again very slowly...
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Post by sandyf on Jan 9, 2005 20:13:34 GMT -5
Today I visited a friend in the hospital. As I was leaving I passed an old guy out a ways from the doors. He was hanging onto his I.V. pole with one hand and trying to hold up his p.j bottoms and smoke with the other hand in between bouts of a coughing jag that threatened to topple him over. His slippers were deep in the snow and he was cold, wet, desperate and embarassed. He wouldn't look at anyone, h is head was hung in shame. I could have cried. More and more I am noticing these type of incidents. Moments of lunacy that we, as smokers, engaged in. And each time I say a prayer for the poor junkie that he/she may see the light and say a prayer of gratitude that I am no longer a member of the club.
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Post by sandyf on Jan 9, 2005 20:13:34 GMT -5
Today I visited a friend in the hospital. As I was leaving I passed an old guy out a ways from the doors. He was hanging onto his I.V. pole with one hand and trying to hold up his p.j bottoms and smoke with the other hand in between bouts of a coughing jag that threatened to topple him over. His slippers were deep in the snow and he was cold, wet, desperate and embarassed. He wouldn't look at anyone, h is head was hung in shame. I could have cried. More and more I am noticing these type of incidents. Moments of lunacy that we, as smokers, engaged in. And each time I say a prayer for the poor junkie that he/she may see the light and say a prayer of gratitude that I am no longer a member of the club.
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Post by sandyf on Jan 9, 2005 20:00:42 GMT -5
You will have learned something from each previous attempt. You will remember how much you regretted breaking each attempt. That feeling is worst than any craving so hang tough and tell yourself you don't want to go through this again! I found that as a smoker, I couldn't have one half the time I wanted one anyways ,since most places are nonsmoking and most people don't smoke and don't want it around them. So I was often in a mini state of withdrawal and could never relax and enjoy the moment. Smoking and the urge to smoke ruled my life. I knew if I was ever to have any quality of life or be able to relax and enjoy the moment I'd have to give it up.So now when an urge hits I tell myself this is getting easier and easier and eventually will go away and I'll be done with this crap once and for all. It feels like I'm reclaiming my life and the freedom is sooo sweet...
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New
Jan 9, 2005 20:00:42 GMT -5
Post by sandyf on Jan 9, 2005 20:00:42 GMT -5
You will have learned something from each previous attempt. You will remember how much you regretted breaking each attempt. That feeling is worst than any craving so hang tough and tell yourself you don't want to go through this again! I found that as a smoker, I couldn't have one half the time I wanted one anyways ,since most places are nonsmoking and most people don't smoke and don't want it around them. So I was often in a mini state of withdrawal and could never relax and enjoy the moment. Smoking and the urge to smoke ruled my life. I knew if I was ever to have any quality of life or be able to relax and enjoy the moment I'd have to give it up.So now when an urge hits I tell myself this is getting easier and easier and eventually will go away and I'll be done with this crap once and for all. It feels like I'm reclaiming my life and the freedom is sooo sweet...
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Post by sandyf on Jan 7, 2005 20:26:15 GMT -5
A cigarette will not help you or change the antics of dumb and dumber. A cigarette is not your friend and will never really help you in any situation. How bad you will feel if you give in is nothing in comparison to how you feel now. I know you're just venting and kudos to you for using truly effective ways of combating stress. If you start smoking you'll have dumb,dumber and the dumbest(nicodemon) to contend with-quit while you're ahead
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Post by sandyf on Jan 7, 2005 20:26:15 GMT -5
A cigarette will not help you or change the antics of dumb and dumber. A cigarette is not your friend and will never really help you in any situation. How bad you will feel if you give in is nothing in comparison to how you feel now. I know you're just venting and kudos to you for using truly effective ways of combating stress. If you start smoking you'll have dumb,dumber and the dumbest(nicodemon) to contend with-quit while you're ahead
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Post by sandyf on Jan 9, 2005 19:45:33 GMT -5
I've had at least four serious quits that I can recall. My first attempt was cold turkey and it was brutal. I should have been in a detox centre. I literally couldn't get off the couch for days. My lips cracked, my mouth was full of sores and every muscle in my body ached. I cried and raged. I started again because I felt so guilty about how terribly I was behaving. I was a monster! My second attempt I used the patch. It was a little iffy at times but so much easier than the first attempt. Lasted 3 mths. Can't remember why actually but started up again. Third attempt I used zyban. It was like a miracle. I followed it as prescribed. Had a couple of severe itch attacks but took an antihistimine and carried on. Quite enjoyed it actually but found I could be spacey at times and had a tendency to follow the car in front of me and took a few wrong exits. Did get a lot of headaches and could be antsy. Still had some moments ,of course, but it really beat the cravings. Went off, thought I had it beat, started having the odd smoke ,thinking I'd just be a social smoker,HA.....you know the rest...That brings you upto date to my fourth and final attempt. I started off with both the patch and zyban. Stuck to both for about 2 mths(only 1 zyban) started getting a lot of headaches so went off the zyban. I'm on 7mg. patch at present. Quit Sept.2/04. Luckily, the patch doesn't make me itch or give me welts. I stay on each dose until I feel ready to go down. When I go down I wear it at night for a couple of days before and after I adjust the dose to ease the transition. Otherwise I leave it off at night. Stephen King would love me to send him some transcripts of my dreams on the patch. Bizarre,weird I could handle but my nightmares are in a league of their own. I'd wake up in a cold sweat, panting in terror! I'm in no hurry to get off. I feel I'm doing my own custom plan and toy around with it ie. leave a patch on for 2 days. Cut it in half, only wear it a few hours etc. as I taper off. I feel I'm battling for my life and will do whatever it takes to win the war. Good luck to everyone
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Post by sandyf on Jan 6, 2005 20:20:03 GMT -5
I have heard that most people who quit smoking cough a lot the first few weeks and that this is a good thing. A way of the lungs clearing themselves. I've quit a 30 year habit of over a pac a day and never experienced this and have wondered why. I have been quit a little over 4 mths. The past three weeks I've had a sore throat. Seems worse in the a.m and late in the p.m. but o.k. during the day-not sick in any other way. Could this be a recovery symptom?
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Post by sandyf on Jan 6, 2005 20:20:03 GMT -5
I have heard that most people who quit smoking cough a lot the first few weeks and that this is a good thing. A way of the lungs clearing themselves. I've quit a 30 year habit of over a pac a day and never experienced this and have wondered why. I have been quit a little over 4 mths. The past three weeks I've had a sore throat. Seems worse in the a.m and late in the p.m. but o.k. during the day-not sick in any other way. Could this be a recovery symptom?
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Post by sandyf on Jan 6, 2005 20:48:07 GMT -5
Hi! I took the zyban for awhile and thought I'd stumbled across a miracle. Smoked for the first 2 wks and by the time I quit the cigs were doing nothing for me and I had no urge to smoke. Felt great but a little high. Be alert while driving,can make you feel a little spacey. This levels off. I'd still be on it but I started to get bad headaches. I'm prone to miagraines. Depression hit after I stopped taking it. If I had tapered off more slowly this may not have been an issue. I've gained weight since I quit. For me,I don't blame it on my metabolism. I know I'm eating way more and this is the factor. Since I've cut out the sugar and started exercising,taking vitamins,eating healthier etc. the weight is coming off and I feel superb. The fact you're feeling positive about quitting is going to make all the difference in the world. I've had many attempts I started with dread and I went back to smoking. But this time I felt like you-positive and ready. This mindset is what will do it. Hang on to it. I 'm into my longest and yes, I'll say it, my last quit. I feel so free!
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Post by sandyf on Jan 6, 2005 20:48:07 GMT -5
Hi! I took the zyban for awhile and thought I'd stumbled across a miracle. Smoked for the first 2 wks and by the time I quit the cigs were doing nothing for me and I had no urge to smoke. Felt great but a little high. Be alert while driving,can make you feel a little spacey. This levels off. I'd still be on it but I started to get bad headaches. I'm prone to miagraines. Depression hit after I stopped taking it. If I had tapered off more slowly this may not have been an issue. I've gained weight since I quit. For me,I don't blame it on my metabolism. I know I'm eating way more and this is the factor. Since I've cut out the sugar and started exercising,taking vitamins,eating healthier etc. the weight is coming off and I feel superb. The fact you're feeling positive about quitting is going to make all the difference in the world. I've had many attempts I started with dread and I went back to smoking. But this time I felt like you-positive and ready. This mindset is what will do it. Hang on to it. I 'm into my longest and yes, I'll say it, my last quit. I feel so free!
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