Jan 5th 2010

[Maha]

Thats the day I had my very last cigarette.
I spent most of the day prior reading the Allen Carr book 'Easy Way To Stop Smoking'

One thing I did find weird was, I lit a smoke while reading the book on day two (he says to keep smoking while reading the book) but only had three drags on it and stubbed it out. Then couldn't sit next to the ashtray because it smelled disgusting. I wont credit the book with the absolute reason that I stopped, but will say, I am sure it helped. I was never a huge smoker anyway and had stopped 20 years ago for six years.

So two and a bit weeks down the track and I feel fine, no drama at all about wanting a smoke. In fact, there is still the best part of a two full packets here in the house, which I intend to give away.

Thanks to SARGE for sending the book up, I know it has helped others to give smoking away, even my lovely wife, who stopped smoking the day before I did...

Mark.

[FlangMasterJ]

Congratulations. Feeling better?

[Fatt Max]

Good onya mate,

I gave up in 2004 after smoking for 20 years. It aint easy but stick with it mate.

The most amazing thing I experienced was after giving up for 4 weeks or so, me and Mrs Max went for a curry. Well, the old taste buds had returned and it tasted fecking great, much better than before.

I also found hangovers were less severe and I stopped getting daily headaches. The money side is a given, all that extra cash to spend on pies.

I never knock smokers for being smokers as I remember how much enjoyment I used to get out of it, but I am certainly happier and healthier for giving it away. Put it like this, my Trailwalk team did a 42km walk 2 weeks ago and we are doing a 50km walk on Sunday, no way that would happen if I was still on the tabs.

As for weight control, wouldnt know, have always been a fat bastard.....

So me old trout n toolbox, good the fuck on you and the missus for giving up. Just keep telling yourself you are a non smoker cos that is what you are now.

Oh, and dont bother with those nicotene patches by the way, they are fucking hard to light.

Nice one

[Mikkel]

Thats the day I had my very last cigarette.
I spent most of the day prior reading the Allen Carr book 'Easy Way To Stop Smoking'

One thing I did find weird was, I lit a smoke while reading the book on day two (he says to keep smoking while reading the book) but only had three drags on it and stubbed it out. Then couldn't sit next to the ashtray because it smelled disgusting. I wont credit the book with the absolute reason that I stopped, but will say, I am sure it helped. I was never a huge smoker anyway and had stopped 20 years ago for six years.

Good on ya!

In fact, there is still the best part of a two full packets here in the house, which I intend to give away.

Just chuck them out mate...

[-df-]

Well done!

I've just given up last week myself...after trying many times cold turkey I finally rang the quiteline and got some patches and gum...so far has made it so much easier, I just wish I had tried patches before.

Still feel like one every once in a while (like when I leave work, or after a big meal), but the patches seem to remove the craving for a ciggy, which I find the hard part to ignore.

[Maha]

What a watse of money throwing them out Mikkel, that would be like giving up drinking at tipping the Appletons down the drain, na I would rather the cigarettes I dont need/want anymore go to someone who could use them.

As Fatt Max pointed out...I am a non smoker, I dont look or think differently about those who do smoke. I once smoked but not anymore.
There are some parts of the Book that I dont agree with but would suggest to anyone who wants to be a non smoker to read it.

No I cant say that I feel any better, the coughing has gone so thats a plus, and so has the nicotine addiction, thats a plus plus!

[Maha]

Well done!

I've just given up last week myself...after trying many times cold turkey I finally rang the quiteline and got some patches and gum...so far has made it so much easier, I just wish I had tried patches before.

Still feel like one every once in a while (like when I leave work, or after a big meal), but the patches seem to remove the craving for a ciggy, which I find the hard part to ignore.

Good on you and all the best with the patches.
Now im no expert on the subject, but it has been said that giving up using patches is not the best way, you are still suppyling your body with nicotine which is what you need to stop doing.

Yip I also''think'' of a smoke when I would normally have had one, but my mind says no, and I dont have one or feel like one.
Its a weird feeling, well it was at first not now.

[Gubb]

10 points to you Maha.

[Mom]

I have been frankly amazed at how easy it has been to stop smoking. No cravings, no real withdrawal, and unbelievably I have actually lost weight since I smoked my last smoke. There is no good time to do it, I stopped just before returning to work to what I knew was going to be a very stressful time, handled it no worries. I am carrying an injury that prevents me from getting around properly and is very frustrating to boot and that has not made me feel like starting to smoke again. Infact I can not think of one single thing that would convince me to start smoking.

I was a 25+ a day smoker who had smoked for 35 years and I stopped. Benefits so far, I dont cough. I dont snore. I had a weird metallic taste in my mouth for the first couple of weeks but that has gone.

[Tink]

I have been frankly amazed at how easy it has been to stop smoking. No cravings, no real withdrawal, and unbelievably I have actually lost weight since I smoked my last smoke. There is no good time to do it, I stopped just before returning to work to what I knew was going to be a very stressful time, handled it no worries. I am carrying an injury that prevents me from getting around properly and is very frustrating to boot and that has not made me feel like starting to smoke again. Infact I can not think of one single thing that would convince me to start smoking.

I was a 25+ a day smoker who had smoked for 35 years and I stopped. Benefits so far, I dont cough. I dont snore. I had a weird metallic taste in my mouth for the first couple of weeks but that has gone.

Mom you just made my day reading that.... ! Proud of you... shucks

[rachprice]

Good on you and all the best with the patches.
Now im no expert on the subject, but it has been said that giving up using patches is not the best way, you are still suppyling your body with nicotine which is what you need to stop doing.

Yip I also''think'' of a smoke when I would normally have had one, but my mind says no, and I dont have one or feel like one.
Its a weird feeling, well it was at first not now.

I think it depends on the person, some people do better cold turkey, others need to wean themselves off it....everyone is different!

[Maha]

I think it depends on the person, some people do better cold turkey, others need to wean themselves off it....everyone is different!

Agreed, my first crack at it was 'cold turkey'....I gave up the day my first daughter was born.
It was real easy from what I remember, two weeks later I went to a Public Bar for a jug of beer knowing that the Bar would be full of smoke.
Didn't bother me.

This time round, I slowed down over two days. There has not been a craving, theres been a thought, but no craving for Nicotine.
What works for some wont work for others, I get that.

[Fatt Max]

I have been frankly amazed at how easy it has been to stop smoking. No cravings, no real withdrawal, and unbelievably I have actually lost weight since I smoked my last smoke. There is no good time to do it, I stopped just before returning to work to what I knew was going to be a very stressful time, handled it no worries. I am carrying an injury that prevents me from getting around properly and is very frustrating to boot and that has not made me feel like starting to smoke again. Infact I can not think of one single thing that would convince me to start smoking.

I was a 25+ a day smoker who had smoked for 35 years and I stopped. Benefits so far, I dont cough. I dont snore. I had a weird metallic taste in my mouth for the first couple of weeks but that has gone.

Blardy good onya mate, great effort....

Hey, it is a hard habit to kick but that's all it is now, a habit.

Keep it up, proud of you guys

Tell you what, I'll cook you one of my special curries to celebrate in a few weeks, then you will know what your taste buds are for (as well as your botty I suppose)

Respect

[Mom]

Tell you what, I'll cook you one of my special curries to celebrate in a few weeks, then you will know what your taste buds are for (as well as your botty I suppose)

Respect

See now, I have a bit of a fondness for the hot stuff, though I have to say curries are friggen hard to recover from. I made a chilli chicken dish one night with a bit of help from a friend. Somehow we worked out that 5 teaspoons of dry chilli equalled one fresh one. Wine played no part in this mathmatical genius either for the record *fingers crossed behind back as I type* . So the recipie called for 5 fresh chiilies, we like it hot, you do the maths! 25 teaspoons of dry, crushed chillies! OMG! I was stirring the wok, cooking the chicken and my eyes were watering, my nose was running! Holey sheeit! That is when I wondered if the maths might be wrong We ate it!

[Headbanger]

Been three or four years since I decided to stop smoking, Cold turkey after 17 years of 25 winnie reds a day, Found it easy, Being a lazy bastard I'm good at not doing things.

Funny enough I feel no different, food has always tasted like food. Ive always been fat, Never made me cough. Though hangovers are much easier without 2 packs of cancer in my lungs.