smoking

Grandpopajohn · Post by **Grandpopajohn** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 3:44 am

I would like to know what treatments people have tried and successfully quit smoking. I've tried a lot of things but dont think I gave them a fair evaluation because I may not have been ready. I had success with Commit lozeges I quit for 4 months but that is still putting nicotine in your system. I have also tried Chantix and it did stop the urge to smoke but It seemed to increase my anxiety level quite a bit similar to what Welbutrin did. Has any one used Chantix to quit with no increased anxiety? I HAVE to quit due to a diagnosis of asbestosis I contracted while working. Any suggestions you can give would really be appreciated Thank you.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 4:38 am

A friend of mine did something odd. She bought 365 marbles. Yes, you read that correctly. She'd put a marble for each day she didn't smoke into a big glass container. This was on her desk. Her goal was to see how this container looked at the end of one year with 365 marbles in it. It worked. She was about a pack and a half a day smoker.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 4:55 am

i haven't found anything

i've tried:

hypnosis
herbal treatments
laser treatments
the gum
the patch
cold turkey
cut down method

wish i could find something

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 5:15 am

Originally posted by Sporadic:
i haven't found anything i've tried:

hypnosis
herbal treatments
laser treatments
the gum
the patch
cold turkey
cut down method

wish i could find something

That leaves only one possible solution: sewing your lips shut and gluing your fingers together.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 5:31 am

luckyme,
The first book you listed by Shad Helmstetter has an awesome list of positive self talk specifically for quitting smoking. Just wanted to mention that for others.

Wonderful book by the way.

Another to add to the list is You Are What You Think by David Stoop
and yet another is The Power of Intention by Wayne Dyer.
The latter one is a bit intense and takes a while to get through, but fascinating.

Then of course there is that other solution you mentioned.

You'll do it Grandpopajohn!!! We'll cheer you on through the process!
Check out that list in the Helmstetter book - awesome way to go about it!

Hugs.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 5:59 am

Thank you Cindy I do have that book and I will look into it.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 6:06 am

Originally posted by luckyme:
Originally posted by Sporadic:
i haven't found anything i've tried:

hypnosis
herbal treatments
laser treatments
the gum
the patch
cold turkey
cut down method

wish i could find something
That leaves only one possible solution: sewing your lips shut and gluing your fingers together.

haha, but then i'd do what i did when i had my wisdom teeth pulled, chase people around and inhale their 2nd hand smoke, haha.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 10:36 am

HI, my thought and it's just my thought is it all in you mind. I've quit smoking two other times only for about six months. This time I grant you I've only seven weeks not smoking. I have made up my mind I'm not taking anything I just had enough. No health problems no nothing just tired of food not tasting good coughing all the time and the smell. You have to have your mind made up what you think is a big part of it. Sure every once in a while I want a smoke, but I think how much better I am health wise. Breathing better is a plus too. My thought too is you can read all you want it's in you mind and what you think. My mind is made up and I will never pick a cig up again. I can want one if someone is smoking one I'll inhale deeper if I'm in the path of the smoke. That's it though no more. Just my thought I wish you all that want to quit the best of luck. Have a Great Day! Sherrie

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 2:44 am

I have quit quite a few times in the last 25 or so years. There was a pattern of depression following sometimes months later. When I started smoking again I would slowly get better. When I got better I would quit again. It was a roller coaster for 20 years. Then I was given zyban. I was told it would take about 5 days for it to work but I could feel the cloud lift after 3 days. I had been off smoke for about a year but when I quit the pills I was back to smoking in about a week. I am now on the generic long term and have found for me one a day works as well as two. I also use commit to keep my brain up to speed.
A couple months ago I had a couple serious panic attacks in the middle of the night shortly after refilling with a generic from Watson Pharma. After switching back to the old manufacturer I could tell the difference in the way I felt after about 10 hours.
Nicotine has a profound effect on brain chemistry. Some people can quit easily while others die trying. I hope all of you find a method that works for you.
James Rambur

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Jan 02, 2008 12:37 am

My husband is a three pack a day smoker. He's tried tons of methods, including Chantix, patches, patches with Wellbutrin, patches with Klonopin, cold turkey, hypnosis, etc. Interestingly, the longest time he was ever able to quit - a full six months - was by simply going cold turkey. He quit in winter but by summer, the triggers were all there, and he just flipped out and started smoking again.

The second most successful time was the patches with a small does of Klonopin, as the K. really helps curb anxiety, which I can personally attest to, but also which you don't want to get hooked on. However, since the health of your lungs is at stake, I would choose something like an addiction to Klonopin over not being able to stop smoking, if K. happnes to work for you. Frankly, I think the patches are just a waste of time and do nothing for "withdrawal" purposes, as the amount of nicotine in them is nowhere equal to what is in one cigarette. The patches are more of a psychological than physical help, and a HUGE waste of money.
Also, I recall at the time the dr. suggesting that my husband might want to stay on the K. for the rest of his life, as he is a rather restless person in general, which is probably why he smokes to begin with. I wonder now if that was not such a bad idea, as he's back to 3 packs a day after trying Chantix earlier this year. As soon as he stopped the Chantix, it got real rough for him. Couldn't deal with the behavioural changes he needed to make.

I also have two other suggestions: meditation/relaxation, if your days allow for that. I found some helpful FREE meditations and other useful information at this site, which I can't seem to paste the link into right now, so I'll go back, get the link again, and then write another post with it. Also, I see you ride motorcycles. My husband would always just get on his bike and ride whenever he had a strong craving, and that helped him tremendously, of course, until winter hit here in New England. The obvious pattern is finding something(s) easily accessbile to do at any time of the year to help get your mind off the cravings, just like with anything else one is trying to quit. Exercise/working out at a gym is another good idea.

I wish you much luck with this, G., as smoking is extremely tough to stop; experts say it's worse than trying to quit heroin, and I see here that no one who has posted thus far has had long term success with quitting, which is not very encouraging. But don't give up, you will find what works for you!! Good luck!!

-Tracy