Mac's quitlog

dolliemix

Great stuff!!!:)

One day at a time for the moment.....hopefully the antibiotics will kick in soon.

Hope the doc gave you loads of praise for staying off the smokes!

Orion

We all go through it mate. I'm going through some stressful $hite at the moment myself but I'm not turning to my old friend crutch either. Hang in there.

As for the C25K program - wait until your well again. It's a rule in running: above the neck - take it easy; below the neck - take a break. If you've a chest infection don't run. Wait until it's cleared up then give it a try. It's a great program. I'd never run before this year and started with that. Today I ran 5K in 26:46 - my new personal best. And it all started with the C25K program.

Kazbarr

Yeah Hi Guys

Started feeling so much better today thanks, so it can only get better as the week goes by and then I could perhaps have a go at this running and see how I do.....to be honest though I've never enjoyed running as I always got bored or ran out of puff more likely.....but I'm going to remain optimistic and give it a go...who knows I may get the bug like you Dolliemix & Mac.

Sorry to hear you are having a stressful time Mac, I hope it gets sorted out soon, you can have a rant on here if it makes you feel better we will all listen to you

I'm so far behind you guys in giving up so you must be finding it much easier by now apart from the stressful times....I just wish someone could wave or hypnotise you to say you have never smoked in your life..job done lol

No such luck hey :D:D

dolliemix

I know that feeling of wanting a magic wand to just make you forget you ever smoked! But it does get easier. Although we're never safe!

on a positive note .... I've just had a pretty stressful day in work and before that I arrived down to drive to work to find my car broken into! I actually didn't think about cigarettes once untilI
read thread! I'm amazed....

Well done kazbarr on getting through another day!

Hope things pick up for you mc!

Kazbarr

Oh crikey Dolliemix I am so sorry you've had your car broken into, I hope you had nothing of value in it and they didn't damage your door getting into it....scallywags they really make my blood boil as they wouldn't like it done to them.

It is amazing though like you said when you are faced with a situation to keep you fully occupied that you'd don't think about them...just wish everyday was like that lol

I have been painting our bedroom ceilings today so that kept me occupied for a while. It also kinda gives me some comfort being on this forum that we are all going through pretty much the same things. :D

ceduffy

5 weeks off them now and well worth it anyone needing help let me know if im any help and best of luck

Kazbarr

hey well done ceduffy that's great, are you finding it easy or hard ? and were you a heavy smoker.

It's amazing how it's different for everyone so it's always interesting to find out and I'm such a nosy person

Anyway hope it continues to go well for you and keep the forum updated as to how you are doing

Kazbarr

Mmmm must say today was a bit tough as it was such a hot day today, I was sat in the garden this evening having a glass of wine and boy I could of snapped some ones hand off if they had cigs in them.....I guess it's because it's something me & hubby always do when it's nice outside. TBH I'm stick chomping for one at the minute but I'm gonna get tough soon with those nicotine receptors and tell them to bugger of and leave me alone.

Ohh well have a good weekend folks as it's gonna be hot hot hot, enjoy :D:D

Ouijaboard

Amazing stuff macros42, this thread is inspirational, fair play to you! Keep up the good work!

Orion

Thanks cougar1. It's part of the reason I started it - for myself mainly but, hopefully, to help others too (assuming I managed it )

5 months now. Very happy. Turned 40 yesterday. So far I've not smoked in my fourties

As for the running - I'm off the road for a service for the next two-three weeks - Achilles tendon strain. Just stretching, light walking and swimming until I get the all clear. I've signed up for the Blessington Adventure Race on the 20th June - hope this doesn't interfere with it. I'm already missing out on the Runways duathlon this Wednesday. I'm still on target for Gael Force tho - that's the main thing

westisbest

Well done to everyone on here who has done so well since January, and others who gave up more recently.

Only off them a week myself so far, went cold turkey and haven't found it too tough so far - apart from totally messed up sleep patterns / restless legs / constant cough / headaches etc! Really though apart from the above it hasn't been as bad as I thought but I find the thought of (hopefully) never smoking again pretty daunting - no more sitting in the sun having a cold drink and a cigarette; no well earned smoke break after a hard day at work; no way to round off a lovely meal, and no cigarette breaks on nights out when everyone else is heading out. I need to get these thoughts out of my head, I know my life without cigarettes will be healthier but right now looking to the future all I can see is what will be missing from it...any advice?

calamitysammy

HI everyone, im impressed with everyone's efforts to quit so far. I have been on champix for nearly a month and am at 10 days without a cigarette, However i have this horrible feeling of irritability that pops up for no reason and usually passes within an hour or 2.

am wondering if you guys think this could be a sign of nicotine withdrawal at all? again well done on your efforts, i am inspired by each and every one of you

westisbest, i have the same thought as yourself (its like losing a best mate isnt it?) everyone tells me that with time this feeling goes away, and to keep busy etc (get tired of hearing that one) i wish you luck my friend

Kazbarr

Calamitysammy & Westisbest well done to the pair of you for taking the plunge and deciding to quit

Calamitysammy
I had a male friend who quit on Champix and he said that he found it really easy as he didn't have any bad symptoms with the drug and he's been of cigs now for a year and a half so I hope you continue to get along with the drug and you remain determined to quit because you still need will power. I think the irritability you are feeling is part of the side efforts of the drug and not the withdrawal of nicotine. If it's not that unpleasant then you could try and stick with it.

Westisbest
A whole week without cigs that's brill, you are doing great but you are having to put up with the symptoms that the majority of us go through when packing up during the first week. I know everyone keeps saying that they will get better but they do...honest

You have already said it yourself, you have to get these thoughts out of your head about not being able to smoke again.....we all go through it so you are not on your own but you do have to remain focused and determined at all times.

I've been stopped now since the 1st April so nearly 9 weeks for me now. It is getting better but if I let my defences down it would be quite easy to fall back so I'm having to remain determined.

This forum has helped me greatly as everyone is going through the same things so keep us all posted with how you are getting on.

Keep it up :D

dolliemix

Just dropping in again. Kazbarr 9 weeks - Fantastic!

Well done to everyone. Its hardest at the beginning no doubt about it.

I went off the wagon exercise and diet wise for a week or two....I was sort of annoyed with myself. But I'd forgotten all about my greatest achievement .....a non-smoker for over 5 months! I'm back on track now and really excited about the mini-marathon tomorrow. I'm running for Cystic Fibrosis. Cystic Fibrosis is a chronic disease that effects the lungs and digestive system mainly. One of my students has it. She has to do at least an hour of physio every morning before school in order to get her lungs working properly for the day. Mucus builds up really quickly in her lungs and she is prone to chest and other infections. Her life expectancy is much shorter than the other girls in her class, but hopefully through fundraising this can be improved. The medical facilities for cf patients in Ireland are far inferior than in most other First World countries.

People with CF must wonder why people who have healthy lungs would actually choose to risk the health of their lungs. I'm so glad I made the choice to give up 5 months ago. I really can feel it. When I'm running or cycling breathing is no problem to me at all. Funnily I still have quite a deep chesty cough when I cough (rarely nowadays!). I reckon its still the last of the tar and nicotine toxins hanging on. Does anyone else who has been off them five months or more find that?

Hang on in their guys. Remember the spiral Mac put up earlier in the thread. Its worth remembering because it really does get easier

Oh and Happy Birthday Mac! Life begins and all that.....:)

Orion

Life begins ... my arse. 40 is the new 30

Best of luck tomorrow in the mini-marathon.

That spiral is still holding true. I'm currently on the latest intersection. I haven't smoked but I've had to persuade myself not to head off to the late night garage to get some. Hope this passes soon. Maybe it's being off the road with the Achilles injury but I'm really feeling the temptation. I did cycle from Maynooth to Trim yesterday which at least got me back exercising again. Hope to get back running again this week too even if it's just light 5k runs. Either way I'm more stubborn than my addiction I hope. I've still not smoked in my 40s. That's keeping me going at the moment at least

dcmiami

Hi Mac,
I came across your thread this evening while I was tootling around on the internet looking at different giving up smoking sites. let me start off by saying I read every single post by every single person on your thread (obsessive...me??!) and I feel like the time has finally come for me to join you. for anyone that finds this boring you can skip on ahead but I'm going to follow Mac's example and just use this as a way to chart progress and vent when the going gets tough.
I'm 31 and started smoking at 16. I smoke at least 20 a day, lately more and I just don't think I can do it anymore. I've tried EVERYTHING to quit....patches, gum, hypnosis, zyban, allen carr (read the book 5 times AND spent €250 on going to the clinic!), those new Niquitin little tablets from the ad with the guy and the really knobby accent and have tried cold turkey. nothing has worked to date because I have to admit that I love smoking. I love it like that a**h**e boyfriend who treats you like crap but you just can't stay away from him. smoking has been with me all of my adult life and has seen me through the best of times and the worst of times.
I quit once for three months on the patches...result: depression. completely fell apart and ended up being brought to the doctor by my dad because I was on the brink of suicide. Now, I am not for one moment suggesting that giving up smoking CAUSED my depression. When I look back now it has been coming for years and I always knew it. But losing my best friend (cigarettes) brought everything to a head and there I went spiralling down into full on depression.
the good news is that I am on medication (and have been for the last two years) and I have never come that low again.
and so reading your posts has made me feel like I want to do this. I want to change my life for the better and giving up cigarettes is the first step towards that.
So I am going to piggy back on your thread and post on my progress....starting tomorrow!!
thanks for the inspiration...hope you are all doing well and that I can succeed along with you!

dolliemix

Well done for reading this WHOLE thread dcmiami!!!

Wishing you well tomorrow and in the future. You can be completely honest on this thread whether you succeed/ fail/ feel great/ feel crap. It certainly helped me. We'll be here to support you. Just remember if you feel like a cigarette (which you will many many many times) its okay to come on here and vent. It helps in so far as you begin to identify what your weak moments are and it also helps to look back and see how far you've come. And thats even after Day 1 which hopefully will be this time tomorrow night!

Let us know how you get on so we can tell you how great you are each step of the way!

I did the mini marathon on Monday. Jogged non-stop! I didn't walk an inch! It took me 1 hour 6 mins. I'm now training for the Half Marathon so I'll really be putting in the miles soon. I want to go back next year and do that mini marathon in under an hour!

I have holidays coming up. If I can get through them not smoking it will be a major achievement. I love(d) smoking on holidays when I'm most relaxed. I'm hoping when and if I'm tempted that I can remind myself that smoking does NOT make me feel relaxed. Infact if I did smoke again I'd be devastated!

Next weekend I'm going away with two friends who smoke. It will be hard. Fingers crossed!

Hope everyone else is getting on well!

Orion

Welcome to the club dcmiami As dollie said feel free to vent, rant, anything if it helps. We've all been through it so we know what it's like.

Dollie - well done. 66 mins is a great first 10K. You should sign up for the Adidas series - they'll help with the half marathon training. 5 mile, 10 mile then half.

I've got 68 days left to Gael Force - it's getting scarily close now. I'm just back from injury (achilles) so I'm really going to have to start putting the miles in too. 5K at lunch time is no use anymore - I'm going to use that time for some fartlek training instead. Then some long runs in the evenings. Time to start cycling to work regularly too. 26k each way - that'll help get the stamina up. 68 days though :eek:

dcmiami

so today didn't go quite as planned. I think after so many attempts to quit my brain is wise to my tricks at this point and has covered every eventuality to persuade me not to "let go" (am trying not to think of it as quitting rather as "letting go" as one poster put it!)
so anyway, woke up this morning at 8am (unusual enough....that should have been my first clue!) seized with an unmerciful craving for a cigarette!! I hadn't even properly woken up yet and I was consumed with the need for as many cigarettes as possible in as short a time as possible. I don't know where the hell the craving came from as I don;t even smoke first thing anyway. but I guess the monster knew his days were numbered so he figured attack is the best form of defence!!!
so bottom line is I didn't quit today. I was completely unprepared for the strength of that craving this morning and so I buckled without even trying.
I don't think I have ever felt this disappointed in myself but I am determined to do this. so I won't post again until I have day one down and done and I'll take it from there.
thanks so much for the messages mac and dollie....am only sorry that I have not lived up to them!! but one day this week will be my day one...I just can't say which as I have to mentally prepare myself to kick this monsters a**!!

Orion

dc - we've all been there. Don't beat yourself up about it. When you're ready to quit you'll know

Orion

Just popped in to catch up and add to the log. Approaching 6 months now - woohoo!!!

Did Blessington Adventure Race on Sunday - 2:50:30. Was delighted with that time - target was 3 hours. Was tough though - I really need to get cycling more. Running is fine - but cycling is not good. Gael Force is a lot of cycling so I need to get the thumb out and get on that saddle.

Anyway - still athleticing and not smoking. Cravings have not gone away. Not at all. They're not strong but they're there. I don't actually want to smoke but it's more like a fond memory and occasionally wondering if I could get away with a drag off one. I know I can't get away with that but it doesn't stop the wondering.

This whole time Gael Force has been my driving factor. That started to worry me as that's 2 months away now. What will I do when it's over? Will I go all "Yes I did it ... let's smoke to celebrate"? I don't think so. But it's possible.

So I've a cunning plan. Set a new target for after I survive that madness in Mayo.

And this is it!

Yep. That's the cunning plan :eek: After Gael Force I'm giving myself 8 months to prepare for that. I can do it. I want to do it. Even if that's the only one I ever do I will do it. And there's no way I could even think about smoking while training for that. Seems like a good incentive to keep away from the baccy to me

dolliemix

Thats brilliant Macros. Great idea....looks like you're hooked! I doubt you'll want to celebrate with a cigarette though. You must have felt fantastic getting ten minutes inside your target time.

My training has gone off track at the moment. I'd love to get out but I'm not going to chance it. I went away with friends at the weekend. Everyone around me was smoking inside and outdoors.Was happily hanging around them as a non smoker...infact was barely aware that they were smoking to be honest......guess who came home wit an incredible sore throat? Mise!!! The irony! Normally I would have been smoking my head away with then and been fine! Nobody else had a sore throat after. Anyway I reckon I was coming down with something because I've been home since Sunday night and my throat is still tender and I'm finding it really difficult to cough even though I need to.

Anyway... the main thing is I know it wasn't inflicted by heavy smoking which would always have been on my conscience before now. So even though I feel like s**t, knowing that its not from smoking makes me feel better.

Good luck with the training. I'm dying to get back out there. It will be a week tomorrow since my last run!

6 months!!!! Super. In another 6 months we can tell insurance companies that we're non-smokers!!!

Dc hope you've found another day to start again. I read a quote somewhere at some stage. Can't remember who said it though. They said 'giving up smoking is easy. I should know. I've done it a million times"!

I don't know anyone who manages to give up on their first attempt, so like Mac said....don't be hard on yourself!

Orion

6 months. That is all.

jozi

Sounds like a good mile stone Mac! Fair play and well done, roll on the next 6

Orion

And after that 6 months I'll be able to halve my life insurance premium.

yungwan

Well done Macros!! You have done so brilliantly.

Hows the fitness training go?

Im off them still too! Just past 5 months on 25th June!!
Hard to believe I ever smoked now to be honest. Its just gone from my life.
I think the exercise has definately helped though.

Its great to be free

:):D:):D

Sasquatch76

Excellent stuff Mac... A hearty congrats, and thanks for showing many of us the way

Orion

Thanks guys. Training is going well. Have another duathlon next Wednesday. Hopefully heading to Spain for 2 weeks next Friday but I'll be bringing my runners with me for some early morning runs.

7 weeks left to Gael Force :eek: Once the holiday is over it's time to get serious. No drinking and running, cycling and cross training nearly every day then - need to be in prime shape to face that race.

Kazbarr

Hi to everyone

It seems to be very quiet on here hopefully that's a good thing ;)

How is everyone doing ? is everyone enjoying the fabulous weather ?

It would be good to hear from you all and let us know how you are all doing, whether you are smoking or not smoking, it doesn'tmatter

Bye for now
:D:D

dolliemix

Hi everyone

I'm still a non smoker. Over six months now

I'm going on holidays on Thursday. A few months ago I would have thought holidays would be a big test for me and I expected to be nervous about them. I mainly smoked as a reward to myself. I smoked when I was out socialising or if I'd had a bad day at work so sometimes I might not have smoked for a week or so. But holidays were my relaxation and me time so I would smoke at breakfast, lunch, dinner and in between. Cigarettes are always much cheaper abroad as well, so I could justify myself price wise.

But I am not anxious or nervous at all as I expected I would be. I just can not imagine myself smoking or wanting to buy cigarettes. I had a mini test a few weeks ago when I went away for the weekend surrounded by smokers smoking indoors and outdoors. I barely thought about cigarettes. I noticed at the end of the night/early morning loads of them had run out of cigarettes and had to keep asking others. The rations were getting low! And I was thinking, I'm so happy I'm not apart of that anymore. I remember that 'fear' that you wouldn't have enough cigarettes at the end of the night!

I'm so looking forward to my holiday now and especially because I know I won't be wondering where I can buy cigarettes/ is it ok to smoke in certain areas/ will I be the only one smoking/ when will I get my final cigarette before the flight? - When I look back now, the stress far outweighs what I though was relaxing!

I'm completely free and I'm really excited about my first holiday as a non-smoker!

.....And when I get back.....I'll be training for a Half Marathon!