Did you ever smoke cigarettes? Did you quit?

[SeaBreeze]

Have you ever smoke cigarettes?
Do you still smoke cigarettes?
Did you quit?? How??????

My story:
I have smoked for the past 40 yrs. 15-yrs ago I increased my smoking dramatically to 1-pack a day. 75% of me wants to quit. The other 25% still enjoys it.

• I have tried quitting many times, yet never did fully.
• I tried cold turkey, but couldn’t make it pass the 2nd day.
• I never tried the patch. Those who used that method seemed to return to the cigarette, or never actually quit.
• I tried decreasing the amt I smoked, yet once something went wrong, or I felt stressed out I reached for that cigarette and chain smoke until I made up for the cigarettes I missed. When I do try cutting back or quitting I find myself eating everything in site, which causes weight gain, which results in disgust, which results to smoking again.

So I ask you all: Did you ever smoke? Did you quit? Tell me in detail your experience.

I smoked for 15 years, 1-1 1/2 packs a day, Marlboro Red. I quit at the age of 30. Although I always liked smoking, it was making me winded going up stairs, etc. I had enough. Quit cold turkey and substituted the habit with exercise like daily jogging to clear my lungs.

I falsely quit a few times before the final one, but cutting back did not work for me. I had to completely quit. Best decision I ever made, and glad I made it before there was permanent harm like COPD, etc.

I hope you can quit for good, it's the best thing for your health, both physically and mentally, IMO. Using exercise to occupy your time will fend off weight gain.

Have some baby carrots or small pieces of celery in the fridge for something to put in your mouth when you have a craving, the craving usually passes in five minutes if you are serious about quitting.

One thing I know, you have to want to do it for yourself personally to be successful. My husband didn't smoke and always hounded me to quit for my own good, but I didn't leave that bad habit behind until I was ready. It is just that, a bad habit. Love yourself.....hugs.

 

[jet]

i smoked from 14 till i was 70,i had to pack it in or loose my right leg as i had no feeling in it and i couldnt walk more than 10 yards, quit cold turkey,they then put a stent in leg from groin to foot,so far its still ok after 10yrs,i take thinners so less chance of clots ,still have my ciggie makeings in the garage,i would love another ciggie.

 

[Uncle Bozo]

Quit in '72.

 

[chic]

You're not supposed to inhale cigar smoke

Thank you. I didn't think so.

 

[chic]

Yes, as a teenager I was a veritable chimney.
No, I haven't smoked in decades. Why? Well, first, I stopped because my religion prohibited it.
Later, when I tried smoking again, I developed an inability to tolerate cigarette smoke.
So I was forced to quit. However, not before managing to inflict myself with asthma.

Your religion prohibited it? What religion is that may I ask? I'm sincere. I can't imagine Jesus rejecting someone over such an insignificant thing. So maybe it's a non Christian religion?

 

[Timewise 60+]

My parents smoked cigarettes' and I learned to HATE the smell! As an adult I tried smoking cigarettes, and I HATED, the smell. So after a while I started smoking a pipe, I actually found a Tobacco that did not burn my mouth/ tongue, accordingly in time, I got hooked on the pipe.

I completely inhaled every time I smoked. After about ten years, I was driving to work one morning, puffing away on my best pipe and a guy on the radio was talking about how "really stupid we are when we smoke"...he was going on, and on, about how stupid it really is. "putting a burning weed in our mouth and inhaling the smoke, regardless how harmful it is"...his story was something like that.

He got me to laughing about it and suddenly I opened my window and threw out my pipe, tobacco pouch, and lighter. Now this pipe, pouch, and lighter probably cost around $200, but without a second thought I threw them out. Of course I felt bad about the littering, but I just had, had it! That night when I got home I threw out all my pipes and everything that went with them...

That was in 1986 and I have never so much as touched any tobacco product since...Thanks God!

 

[David777]

NO

 

[Michael Z]

You're not supposed to inhale cigar smoke

You are correct. I think I knew that. As I said, I did dumb things!

 

[willnbugs]

I smoked for over 45 years and it helped me relax when I was stressed or had time to spend. I soon became tired of lying to the Doctors when they asked about it. I am not good at lying and when I saw a Vascular Surgeon, he asked me if I smoked. Of course I lied and told him no, not any more. I knew then I HAD to quit. NOT THAT I WANTED to.

So I focused on something else. I thought about the weight I had been gaining, even tho I had been smoking. I looked up recipes, spent a long time shopping and learning new ways of cooking, eating and losing weight. I would weigh myself multiple times a day !
If I needed a "fix" I would chew on whole cloves. I still had dreams that I was smoking and woke up in a sweat.

I quit in 2005, and yes, I still miss it , but now if things go bad ( I am losing my eye sight ) I have a few alcoholic drinks instead....by myself and feel sorry for me, ( cry lots of tears ) about what is happening to me, but I still do not smoke. Simply because it is too damn hard to ever give it up again. You know when it is time, and you do it no matter the hard times that come.

Easy? No, not for me, and I tried 20x or more before this. Wishing you easier times, but it is an internal mind set, dependent on nothing else than your determination and your fierce and singular mind set. .

 

[JustDave]

I quit 48 years ago. It was hard.

 

[Uncle Bozo]

My parents smoked cigarettes' and I learned to HATE the smell! As an adult I tried smoking cigarettes, and I HATED, the smell. So after a while I started smoking a pipe, I actually found a Tobacco that did not burn my mouth/ tongue, accordingly in time, I got hooked on the pipe.

I completely inhaled every time I smoked. After about ten years, I was driving to work one morning, puffing away on my best pipe and a guy on the radio was talking about how "really stupid we are when we smoke"...he was going on, and on, about how stupid it really is. "putting a burning weed in our mouth and inhaling the smoke, regardless how harmful it is"...his story was something like that.

He got me to laughing about it and suddenly I opened my window and threw out my pipe, tobacco pouch, and lighter. Now this pipe, pouch, and lighter probably cost around $200, but without a second thought I threw them out. Of course I felt bad about the littering, but I just had, had it! That night when I got home I threw out all my pipes and everything that went with them...

That was in 1986 and I have never so much as touched any tobacco product since...Thanks God!

When I quit cigarettes in 72 I did so by going to a pipe.
INHALING Mixture 79 is like swallowing fire!
So I just quit it all.
But then about 6-7 years ago I started the pipe again. THIS TIME without inhaling. Still smoke it.
Tobacco is a mild cavendish and I do not inhale.

Asked the doc about pipe smoking without inhaling. He said he couldn't ...endorse... smoking of any sort but he said it was probably relatively harmless.

At MY age, smoking hand grenades should be ...relatively... harmless..

 

[Timewise 60+]

Funny, as I have actually never thought about starting to smoke a pipe again, or smoking anything else for that matter. I agree with you that at this point it is not likely to do much harm.

But, I no longer miss the pipe. Additionally, I am glad I no longer have to deal with all the mess and paraphernalia and the taste in my mouth...I just got over all of it...not to mention the cost of it all.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts...

 

[Murrmurr]

If you see me not smoking, I'm asleep.

 

[debodun]

NEVER! I can't stand the smell of tobacco smoke.

 

[Della]

I smoked for over 45 years and it helped me relax when I was stressed or had time to spend. I soon became tired of lying to the Doctors when they asked about it. I am not good at lying and when I saw a Vascular Surgeon, he asked me if I smoked. Of course I lied and told him no, not any more.

I always told my doctors I smoked, even adding "two packs a day!" I was always hoping for a really motivating lecture, but they were usually very nice about it. One doctor liked to tease me and would blame every little thing on the cigarettes. "Lot's of ear wax here. Probably due to the smoking."

 

[debodun]

 

[Rose65]

Never smoked, it's never appealed to me.

 

[Aunt Bea]

View attachment 362354

I enjoyed those hard sugar candy cigarettes with the red tip but this was my preferred brand.

 

[Aunt Bea]

I became a regular smoker when I was a tweenager.

My friends and I would hide outside of the local firehouse and sneak in when the coast was clear to buy a pack from the vending machine for thirty cents, including matches.

It was a heart pounding adventure for a bunch of little country bumpkins!

 

[astralcat]

Never smoked but I do feel for the people trying to quit. I have heard it is a a very difficult thing to successfuly do.

 

[EmptyCup]

No, never was interested. I spent a lot of time outside at family gatherings to avoid the smoke.

 

[Llynn]

Was never a cigarette smoker other than the occasional "one off" while in the Navy when someone offered and I was in the mood.

I became a brother of the briar in my 20's and although I've given up smoking my pipes, I still own around 70 quality Briar's and many tins or jars of favorite blends. They still call out to me from time to time but I've not given in.

 

[Vicky]

No, no, I don't smoke anymore, use edible capsules. Thanks!

What are "edible capsules"? I never heard of this. Does it help one quit? Is that a prescription drug that I have to go to doc for? Sounds interesting.

 

[Vicky]

I started smoking at age 13 and kept smoking til the age of 60! Let me tell you how i did it, I was in the grocrey store and all of a sudden i got a coughing jag and could not stop ! i felt a hand on my shoulder and a man said to me,,"are you ok?" i told him no and the ran out the door to my car and drove home coughting most of the way home, got home and i sat down and said to myself , I have to quit smoking, !! Well let me tell you how i did it,!!
I went to the store and bought a bag of those little rapped candies, and any time i had the urge to smoke ,, i would pop one those wrapped candies in my mouth and suck on them and my urge for a cigarette stopped, it took me only one month to stop the urge to smoke and even gain some weight ! Also my sense of smell came back too!! You do not realize the damage smoking can do if your a long term smoker,,.. Im now 81 years old and i thank God for everyday he gives me,,

Wow! This is encouragement for me. Thanks!

 

[Vicky]

I smoked for 15 years, 1-1 1/2 packs a day, Marlboro Red. I quit at the age of 30. Although I always liked smoking, it was making me winded going up stairs, etc. I had enough. Quit cold turkey and substituted the habit with exercise like daily jogging to clear my lungs.

I falsely quit a few times before the final one, but cutting back did not work for me. I had to completely quit. Best decision I ever made, and glad I made it before there was permanent harm like COPD, etc.

I hope you can quit for good, it's the best thing for your health, both physically and mentally, IMO. Using exercise to occupy your time will fend off weight gain.

Have some baby carrots or small pieces of celery in the fridge for something to put in your mouth when you have a craving, the craving usually passes in five minutes if you are serious about quitting.

One thing I know, you have to want to do it for yourself personally to be successful. My husband didn't smoke and always hounded me to quit for my own good, but I didn't leave that bad habit behind until I was ready. It is just that, a bad habit. Love yourself.....hugs.

Thanks SeaBreeze. Your story will stay with me as I go through the agony of withdrawal.