Psycological or Real??

[Toptwo]

Well, after 35 years of being a 1.5 pack a day smoker I have decided its time to give it up. I am tired of the constant cough, and congestion, and not being able to do the things I want without having to stop and breath so hard I am sucking birds out of the air! I read here about your guys excersizing and getting in shape and I think I would like to do the same.  I also would like to be able to run a 5k with my wife next year. Neither of which is possible if I have to stop and wheeze every couple of minutes.

I didn't want to say anything here until I had more then 1 day of not smoking under my belt, so the only people up until now that know about my decision is ST and C2. Well, I am now going on my 5th day smoke free, so I thought it might be time I could post something up. I KNOW I still have a LONG way to go, as I am currently on the patch, and lozenges, to help me along. So I have to wean myself off of those. 6 weeks at the highest str of patch, then 2 weeks at a lower dosage, and finally 2 weeks at the lowest dosage, then done. The first day I needed 8 lozenges to get through the cravings, and now I am down to 1 or 2 a day. (before anybody says I shouldnt be using both please remember I have a 3rd year Pharmacy student as a wife, and its OK, and even prescribed)

The first couple of days were so bad that I dont know why people that get through them ever go back to smoking. It seems to me it is easier to quit the first time then to put yourself through that hell over and over to finally be able to quit!

Anyway, to my question...Psycological or Real??.  Everything I have read (and I have spent HOURS reading about quitting smoking) says it takes months to get lung function back. Is that for sure?  We have lived here in Laramie (remember Laramie is at 7220ft of elevation) for a little over 2 years. So, for 2 years I have been mowing my yard, and for 2 years I have had to stop once or twice and suck some birds out of the air before I get the yard done. Today was the FIRST time ever I have started the mower and plowed through the yard  (in record time I might add) without once stopping..in fact without even sucking 1 bird from the air. Has lung function improved that much in less then a week, or am I just having great thoughts that made me get through the yard so well??

Anyway...

Any of you out there that smoked for a time, then quit....I am up for ANY suggestions you can give me that will help! For any of you out there that do smoke, and have been thinking about quitting, I will be more then happy to post up how I am doing every week or two so you can see how its going.

Thanks!

[12TimesOver]

Congratulations on the decision Toptwo!! Quitting smoking was one of the hardest things I've ever done but it was also one of the most rewarding. I was smoking two packs of Marlboro reds when I quit cold turkey about 15 years ago, I'd been smoking for about 12 years.

I believe firmly that even a few days without cigs will definitely have an impact on your ability to perform even "small" tasks like mowing the yard. I remember when I noticed I didn't have as many issues even walking up stairs within a week or so. I also had a doctor that once told me that when we quit smoking our lungs IMMEDIATELY begin the long process of repairing themselves and will typically do so within 90% of their original state in 10 years or less.

Not that you asked but I'll mention that one of the things I did that helped me was to take my daily cig money and put it toward something else. When I quit they were about $2/pk so I took $4/day and bought baseball cards on my way to work. My wife, who quit with me, put hers in a jar and took a 3-wk paid vacation to visit family in Florida after a year. We both ate a fair amount of Sather's Sugar-Free Sour Candy to boot LOL.

Again, congrats on your choice and good luck!! For what it's worth, the obsession goes away. It might not be overnight or even in a week but, for me, after only a few months the obsession went away almost completely. That doesn't mean a craving didn't (or still doesn't now and then) come up, but a craving and the obsession are totally different animals! Cravings are pretty easy to deal with.

I'm happy for ya dude!

X

[Xclio]

Congrats!  I did this a few years ago and dropped it cold turkey.  I couldn't be happier with the decision.  Food tastes better, running is a ton easier, working out in general became much easier.  I also felt immediate impact when I quit and the longer your are off of it the better you will get.  Stick to it.  I found that chewing gum helped out alot when I needed something to occupy my craving some.

[Pearls]

I've quit smoking last year after smoking about 20-25 cigarettes a day over 10 years. No patch or anything. Had my mind set to quitting and only felt annoyed for the first two days. I didnt really have much trouble quitting to be honest. I honestly think i was sick of smoking at the time and i just kept imagening myself that it would just taste awfull if i restarted, pure poison... But i started smoking again 3 months ago so the fight is never really over Just felt like smoking again so its all about the mind imo I'm probably going to quit again soon cos my wallet is hurting hehe. 6 euros for 27 cigarettes, *7 = 42 euros/week, *4 = 168 euros/month, *12 = 2016 euros / year not including the fact that i smoke even more if i go to the pub and drink . So thats a nice holiday a year that your wasting away on tobacco which is surreal. Anyways keep focussing on the negatives about smoking and that should help u forward a lot. Best thing i felt about quitting smoking was the abscence of daily coughing and not waking up with a foul taste in your mouth

[onlyindreams]

Congrats man! I've never smoked myself, but my dad has for nearly 40 years now. At one point a few years ago the doctors found cancer on his tongue. They were able to remove the cancer, but he still continues to smoke.... Quitting now is not only good for you but it makes your family worry less about you!

Make sure you drink a ton of water too!

[TrailMyx]

Great to hear TT!  I'm one of those fortunate people that nearly choked to death with my first cigarette back when I was in 6th grade and never tried it again. 

But here's to your continued avoidance of those nasty things.  Next you'll have to ween yourself off all that support crap and also avoid that contact exposure in restaurants.  California is nice because smoking is verboten in most public venues. 

[Toptwo]

Thanks for the encouragement guys!!!  I plan on this being the only time I ever have to stop smoking! Like you guys said, its not only the health thing, but the money thing. When I first started smoking a carton was only $5, and while I was in the Navy you could buy a carton at sea for $2 Big difference between $5 a carton and $5 a PACK!

[Paulonius]

Congrats brother, and to you ST, for putting up with him while he quits!!!

[Paulonius]

Its $10 a pack in C$icago.  We have to be moving ahead of Taxechussets...

[SunTigress]

Congrats brother, and to you ST, for putting up with him while he quits!!!

 
Thanks Paul. He's actually doing very well.

[Masscre]

Well the fight is never over.  The first time I quit i was quit 10 years the second 1 year and the third about 6 months but I am quit now for 2 months and going to stay that way.  My LORD number 1, my family number 2, and my health number 3.  After the first few days you will feel alot better but you will also cough up alot of crap for the first few weeks and then on out you are just healing up.  Just be stronger than the temptations.  Always for me it was that i liked the taste,  I was never addicted and when I decided I wanted a cig I went and smoked one. But like it was said think of all the negatives about smoking and it will keep you up front.  Also everything starts smelling better after the first few days also and then you realise how lowsy those cigs make everything smell.

[TrailMyx]

...while I was in the Navy you could buy a carton at sea for $2 Big difference between $5 a carton and $5 a PACK!

Wasn't that back when boats were powered only with oars and then later with the magic of steam?  lol

[Toptwo]

...while I was in the Navy you could buy a carton at sea for $2 Big difference between $5 a carton and $5 a PACK!

Wasn't that back when boats were powered only with oars and then later with the magic of steam?  lol

Steam??? What the hell is that!!! Man, I still got whip marks on my back, and caloused hands from all the rowing though!

[Hoby]

Congrats!!  I quit cold turkey a couple years ago.  It got to the point I was waking up in the night coughing, wheezing, couldn't breath.  It scared the hell outta me.  Plus a pack was going for four dollars.  What really helped me was focusing on the something else.  I started going to the gym on a regular basis.  Kept busy so I never had time to think about smoking.  Haven't smoked since then.  My girlfriend now smokes, and when I smell the smoke it makes me nauseous.  You gotta take it day by day and before you know it you'll have many, many days behind you.  Good luck!

[jtw1984]

I quit several years ago after about 8 years of smoking. I had been on and off the patches and was down to about 4-5 cigarettes a day without them. Then one day I didn't feel like quitting but tried it anyways. That was the day.

Too be honest though I still have dreams about smoking. It's somewhat frightening.