Gave up

the GALL

I started smoking when i was about twelve/Thirteen That's about 23 year ago I remember standing on the corner smoking with the lad's thinking I was the dogs (6/7 of us on one smoke)
I remember getting caught by me ma and having the sh1te knocked out of me by the ol' man( He's a fit man always was). I couldn't figure out what all the fuzz was about I'll give up tomorrow. Does anyone remember buying loose cigs from the corner shop 10p and that's when it was 70p for ten,(That boll0x should have been given a ganster's baitin, I could put him in the same bracket as the herion(sp) dealer cause of the amount of addicts he produced)
At the moment im working in an old folks village some smoke some dont. Im not sure wheather it's cause im working 'close' to death but it's scared the bejaysus out of me this last couple of month's. The whole fact that we're mortal and do die has made me realise that I have to give up this filty habit I have. Im three days off them and dont have any craving's, Im actually angry with myself for takin up smoking. I have 10ish sitting on top of the fridge and couldn't be arsed to have one.
My wife and I are in the practiceing stage of making a family and ive realised (finally) when my child is 30 I could well be dead or worse one of them old men who cant do f**k all but sit there coughing there lungs up.
Sorry for the rant I could go on all night
Ill keep posting but only on the amount of days Im free.

the GALL

day 5 still going strong havn't slept in ages

Archeron

Well done. Stopping smoking is one of the greatest things you can do.
Best of luck, and keep us posted.

the GALL

ok here we go day 6 in the no smoking house woke up today at 6:00 this morning insomnia has really got a hold of me. Went over to a mate's house and he was smoking and the house stank I thought I would fall of the wagon when I smelt that sweet sweet smoke but no. I was looking at him smoking and his two kids were sitting in the same room as him, How odd I thought to myself, and him in the medical profession. I was talking to him about quitting and he actually seemed jealous (ok maybe not jealous, but envious that i was a week in and still going strong) that gave me more strenght to see the day out.
The missus got home with a few friday night beers drank them. I thought i would be lepin for a straight....not a bother.
I will say that im starvin, had breakfast, had lunch, done a couple of hours work in the garden(love(ed) smokin when workin in the garden),had late lunch, had dinner and now im starvin again
It's strange the way im feeling at the moment
I've more energy, Im not breathing half a heavy, I've also been takeing facial photo's of myself when im feeling relaxed(OH how vain) to see if there's any truth in the roumor(sp) that the skin repairs itself. Day 6 is over bring on day 7

Femgem

Hi The Gall,

You're doing grand and everyday that you stay off is another day forward. Remember there are actually no good reasons to smoke - it's super expensive, it's really smelly and so many people have given up these days that it's just not worth it anymore.

Having said that when I gave up I always said that if I was diagnosed with a terminal illess or when I reach 65 I will smoke again - when it gets really hard try promising yourself that and you'll get through it. At the end of your days you will smoke again and that's something you can look forward to.

People who smoke will always be jealous when you give up btw. Don't worry about that - just concentrate on creating that family you're practicing for!

Let us know how you're getting on ...

the GALL

yea it's day 9 and I feel great but the insomnia is a killer 6hrs last night 51/2 sat night(woke up twice in the night) 6hrs fri night
had afew beers on sat night and no cravings
Im constantly hungry as well I was never one to shy away from a bit of dinner but this is rediculous.
Anyway bring on the day, life is good.:)

Clareman

Well done mate, I'm off them 2 months now, look up http://www.stopsmoking.ie/ it's a great help, gives you a little boost, just take it 15 minutes at a time.

The whole eating thing calms down, don't worry about it, just savour all the wonderful flavours and smells, everything tastes so good now

Ballyman

I'm off them 7 months now. LIke you I had the insomnia and mad food cravings but it all goes away. I put on a small bit of weight but as I was no longer sitting on my hole smoking every night I went out and started walking most evenings and started my new hobby, photography. I'm like a new man............AND I weigh less now than when I was smoking I get so angry with myself sometimes when I think of how many years of my life I wasted with cigarettes.

It is without doubt the best thing anyone who smokes can ever do. Ever. Keep it up and best of luck.

the GALL

I know what your saying lads it's just the days are so long, nearly an 18 hour day. Im 11 days off them now and feel great getting the odd craving and when i do im reminding myself of the health risks and the financial gain (I have a jar in the kitchen and putting €7.50 a day in It doesn't be long adding up) Im on a first aid course at the mo and the instructor was saying it takes 8 years for the lungs to get back to the state they were in before I started smoking, Im probably better off looking at it as 11 days in rather than 7 years 11 months 19 days to go:D.Also there's a guy on the course who's a sport's psycholigist and he was sayin it takes 21 days to break a habit so as we were discussing if I stay off em for another 10/11 days ill be free of the nicotine and the habit(happy days). so i would have no physical or mental reasons to go back on them.
Anyway bring on day twelve, im still confidant I can do it
Thanks for the support,
Roy

Clareman

You are going through the worst stage now, it's like the drugs know you want rid of them and they won't let you, but don't give in.

Just remember, you don't need to smoke, if you have a really really bad craving just think that in 5 minutes it'll be gone and you've already got through 12 days.

I personally don't like the idea of a jar, seems like a crutch, as I said I like stopsmoking.com, 1 of parts I like is it tells you how much you've saved, I've saved 500 euros now, I'm going to go on a holiday once I'm off them for a year.

the GALL

that's day 15 finished and over with and still haven't smoked....I feel great, great cause I havn't smoked. bring on day 16:)

Clareman

the GALL wrote: »

that's day 15 finished and over with and still haven't smoked....I feel great, great cause I havn't smoked. bring on day 16:)

Keep it going, you won't feel it now till a month is up, then 2, then, well you know where this goes

Your doing mighty, 15 minutes at a time

the GALL

day 22 and all's good
had beers on fri/sat night no cravings
the appitite is starting to pan out
starting to sleep more regulary
and some of the mucus is starting to loosen up
out of all the €7.55 ive been saving in my no smoking jar check out what i b uilt on the weekend

Thanks for the support guys

Archeron

the GALL wrote: »

day 22 and all's good
had beers on fri/sat night no cravings
the appitite is starting to pan out
starting to sleep more regulary
and some of the mucus is starting to loosen up
out of all the €7.55 ive been saving in my no smoking jar check out what i b uilt on the weekend

Thanks for the support guys

Excellent
Thats a nice gazebo type thing!
(at first I thought you'd used the money to buy the saw!)

dubsgirl

Really enjoyed reading your posts so far The Gall. Let us know how your getting on.

the GALL

A month off them today and all's well.
Im surprised myself that im still off them
when I tried before id last a day a week
but a whole month im delighted with myself
when I stopped last month I was taking photo's to see if the skin comes back...... and it does.
Anyone else gave up and found their hang overs not so bad?
next week ill be starting back training, six year ago I was running 3k in 12mins crosscountry, If I can get back to that Ill feel in myself ill be repairing some of the damage I've been doing.
I'm still kicking myself that I smoked for all those years
Any Im still there, life is good, my money jar is filling up again, clothes and house dont stink, teeth aint stained (as much)

anyone know when I can start saying
"No thanks, I don't smoke".

Terry

You can say that you don't smoke f you have lasted as long as a month.

Seriously, fair play.
I struggle to last an hour.

It's people like you who give inspiration to those of us who are still struggling.

the GALL

I figured it out today,
finally after a month of not being able to put my finger on it and today it hit me like a bolt of lightining right to the nUts.
I was talking to the other half and explained to her that it was like walking into a room or out of a room(depending on how you look at life), just to build up the courage to put your hand on the handle and turn it, the whole what's on the other side, the adrenilin(sp) rush, stepping through and finding it's not so bad.
All the years of saying 'what will i do if i dont smoke?', 'how can i give them up?', 'I've tried to give them up and can't'.
It's like my eye's have finally been opened after years of listening to the folks "If I catch you smoking blah blah blah" and thinking I was the clever one and listening to the lads "do you want a smoke?" and thinking I was the dogs, looking in the mirror and seeing yellow nicotined stained teeth and thinking "if I don't smile I look alright, kinda, apart from the few wrinkles" which I shouldn't really have at my age. The wakeing up in the morning and coughing up sh1t you could hang a poster with.
Please don't think for one minute that im been condecending im not but I am still mighty p1ssed off with meself for smoking in the first place.
and so concludes another day of not smoking..... 32 now I think.

Tooler78

Read your posts earlier today and decided to register to say thanks! Was so refreshing to read your words, you say what i feel!! Your OP could have been written by me! Am on day 10 and feel great (if a tad pi**ed off with myself for wasting 15 years on the filthy sh*t) anyhoo, keep posting on this please you are really doing great and helping others (well me anyway!)

the GALL

welcome aboard.ie Tooler... pardon the pun I think this is a great site if your board(there it is again) you waste a few hours check out 'know your nerds' and 'know your look alikes' you'll find then in the header ....there good to meet new people I've met guys i went to school there and guys i worked with years ago any way welldone on the smokes keep it up... P.M me If it gets a bit ruff

CharlieCroker

Hey The Gall,
All i can say is respect to you. Your an inspiration, (without giving you a big head ) just read all your posts and its after giving me a kick up the a55 and do something about my own smoking. time for the fags to go!!!

the GALL

How's thing guys,
near six weeks and still going strong,
starting to sleep a lot better,
still eating everthing i can get my hands on,
started to have dreams that ive been smoking and waking up in a bad mood...weird or what?

pclancy

Excellent thread mate, well done to you! I've been off them about 3 monthes now and the one thing that is weird is mood swings and the odd bout of depression for no apparant reason that i put down to nicotene withdrawl. Was on the patches the first few weeks and off them over 2 months so its the home strech now Gall! Nice work in the garden too

the GALL

If these dreams dont stop....... arghhh.

wasper

the GALL wrote: »

I started smoking when i was about twelve/Thirteen That's about 23 year ago I remember standing on the corner smoking with the lad's thinking I was the dogs (6/7 of us on one smoke)
I remember getting caught by me ma and having the sh1te knocked out of me by the ol' man( He's a fit man always was). I couldn't figure out what all the fuzz was about I'll give up tomorrow. Does anyone remember buying loose cigs from the corner shop 10p and that's when it was 70p for ten,(That boll0x should have been given a ganster's baitin, I could put him in the same bracket as the herion(sp) dealer cause of the amount of addicts he produced)
At the moment im working in an old folks village some smoke some dont. Im not sure wheather it's cause im working 'close' to death but it's scared the bejaysus out of me this last couple of month's. The whole fact that we're mortal and do die has made me realise that I have to give up this filty habit I have. Im three days off them and dont have any craving's, Im actually angry with myself for takin up smoking. I have 10ish sitting on top of the fridge and couldn't be arsed to have one.
My wife and I are in the practiceing stage of making a family and ive realised (finally) when my child is 30 I could well be dead or worse one of them old men who cant do f**k all but sit there coughing there lungs up.
Sorry for the rant I could go on all night
Ill keep posting but only on the amount of days Im free.

I started smoking seriously at the tender age of 22, yes I said 22. With the first week I was smoking 2 Marlboro packets a day. Over nine years I was averaging 45 fags a day. On a drink session I would be smoking 5 packets all together.
When I arrived in Ireland 19 years this coming Nov., I began to have chest problems. Coughing at night & whizzing. I reduced my intake to 35 a day. But within one year I had to give up smoking completely. The pain in my shoulders gone. The chest could expand freely & inhale properly. I was climbing the stairs easily & cycling around Cork gave my pleasure & improved my fitness. I did relapse 4 years later for about a week. I was back smoking 2 packets a day. But the chest pains stopped me again. I did the same the year after but again I was bad after 3 days. I haven't touched a fag since. I am very happy. My wife is delighted with me. I have more money in my pocket. I have been using inhalers since I arrived here.
To be honest with you, smoking after a meal is very enjoyable but the other 35+ cigs are just meaningless & a bad habit. I know if I were to pick a cig now I will be smoking 4 in total in a 15 minute work break.
Do I crave for the thing, I do now & then specially in the summer in holidays. But I will not go back for all the money in the world.
My advice to people trying to quit smoking is don't put a target of after the next 10 or 15 cig you will be quitting. No just do it, even if you have a full packet on you. Give it away & don't look back.

the GALL

harolde wrote: »

Women who have never smoked in their lives and are married to smoking husbands face the risk of developing serious heart ailments. Second hand smoking can be disastrous to these women who are married to smokers. Among all the heart diseases, second hand smoking increases the risk of stroke also in these women. http://www.chantixhome.com

While I do appriecate your comments you could have said partners,if you've a problem with your husband or father that's different , If you have an agenda take it somewhere else I don't care about your agenda (if you do have one ) this is my(oh how vein) thread and I have my own issues which I havn't Issued yet and may not.

ali.c

the GALL wrote: »

While I do appriecate your comments you could have said partners,if you've a problem with your husband or father that's different , If you have an agenda take it somewhere else I don't care about your agenda (if you do have one ) this is my(oh how vein) thread and I have my own issues which I havn't Issued yet and may not.

Excellent post thank you. Unless of course female smolers dont cause passive smoking illnesses?

Well done on giving up!

the GALL

off them two odd months now and not a bother
but I've this awful craving for a spliff, it's all i've being thinking about for the last week or so

gstar

I'm a newbie to this forum and to being a ex-smoker Am 27 now, smoked since i was at least 14 Don't really remember what it was like not smoking.....

Really enjoying this thread, i can identify with the crazy symptoms lack of sleep, waking up at 3 in the morning bursting for a fag, dreaming about fags, and craving a spliff too.... it's making me feel very normal right now!! Suppose the addiction demons can't get you while you are awake, so its trying to get you when you are sleeping :eek: I have to say, that I am f'cked if I'm going through that crazy withdrawal stuff ever again.... now that I am beginning to come out of it the other side, i am wondering why it took me so long to make the switch. I'm still taking it hour by hour at the moment, and evading the "smoking" room in the house. slow and safe wins the race

the GALL

man, I really want to
sit down and smoke
Not so much smoke I want to hold it roll it taste it
man, I dont want the tabacco Im looking to roll a spliff
oh this is hurtin on a grand scale ......fcuk this aint funny
so what's a fella to do
walk the house
walk the garden

man, im fcuked up feelin like this
a few biscuits
or a shed load of the gargle wudden go astray

lester76

That was good reading pal.fairplay im off them a yr on the 18th of october & i gotta say my cig jar is over flowing with change near on 2300 bucks from 20 a day habit,plus the spliffs as well lol. but all i can say to you is its better to be a non smoker then a SMOKER,COZ SMOKERS ARE JOKE:PRS.keep it up the gall