surgeonstone

58 yoa, never smoked, never tried it, always thought it looked perfectly idiotic.

davehbuffalo

I switched to nicotine gum and then quit the gum cold turkey. I found that once I made up my mind that I really wanted to quit it was pretty easy. The key is really wanting to IMO.

ahsposo 

aprevo15

alright i got a pack left. when i am finished with this pack i will try to quit. i have never tried to quit in my life.

Gene465

Only quite once or twice in over 30 years, currently a pack a day smoker and getting ready to quit cold turkey, I told myself when I pick up my new road bike that's it. So it's going to be painfull! Hoping increased cycling and exercise will help that and a whole lot of gum! Regards Gene

halfspeed

If you're just going to "try", don't bother.

bsektzer

I smoked on and off, more on than off for probably 40 years. I had been in a 'tapering off' mode of a couple years, gradually getting down to less than 10 a day. But I couldn't make the final step. Kept telling myself I just wasn't ready. Right up until the MI I had June 3rd last year... Haven't touched a cigarette since, and I'm feeling waaaaay too good to ever got back.

M_FactorX19

ive heard those work well. my brother in law used one to stop recently. i think he still uses it but its just water vapor.

K&K_Dad

Quit cold turkey. Had a new baby in the house and didn't want her to be 'affected' by my smoking. Cold turkey. Was a complete a$$ for 2 weeks. The wife put up with me. Now if I'm around a lot of smoke or cats(I don't understand that one) I start to have asthma attacks and I'm not an asthmatic. Now I run and ride. No reason to smoke. To darn expensive.

5/pack a day * 7 = 35$ * 4 weeks is 140$ that's a lot you could be putting elsewhere.(sorry didn't read the whole thread so if thats a repost I apologise sincerely)

vledaD

Guys, this thread is amazing inspiration and so timely!!!. I'm 27, just finished my first build today, and went for a 12 mile ride to test it out, have some fun finally. Been bikeless for a year, decided to put together my own and did.

Today just happens to be the first day of me quitting smoking. Been smoking for over 10 years. Quit a couple of times for some months at a time, but nothing serious. I'm doing this cold turkey again, and this will be my last time.

Seeing this thread today, the day I chose to quit (actually I chose yesterday, started today) is inspirational. Yea I hit some hills today and they completely killed. Need to get back on my game!

Wish me luck.

Nachoman

Then I'm not a smoker either.

Nachoman

Good luck!

downtube42

Never smoked in my 50 years. Growing up I watched my next door neighbor slowly die of emphysema, smoking to the end. Pitiful when he couldn't even yell at me to get off his yard. No thanks.

El Conquistador De Amore

I smoked for about 13 years. Anywhere between 1-3 packs a day. Towards the end I was getting reoccurring throat infections, I would wake up with my heart racing, and I was coughing up blood in the shower. In January 2006 I caught a regular cold. I never could smoke when I was sick. For several days I couldn't smoke even if I wanted to. So when the cold ended, I just never smoked again. The fiancée (then girlfriend) quit about a month later. When you are ready it's much easier. I'd say I knew I was completely done about 6 months in. But there are so many excuses and stressors along the way. I looked at it as a serious drug addiction. You never allow yourself any excuses. No slip ups. You will backslide into addiction very quickly.

WHOOOSSHHH...

rollin

Correct.

"Quit or quit not. There is no try young Jedi"


Seriously one thing that helped me was a setting a (random) date and time to quit. No excuses. I happened to be in Dubai airport smoking when the time arrived. Gave away a couple of packs to another guy in the smoking zone. Stubbed out the last butt and walked away.

Good luck.

UNLTD1487

I am just curious. How can you smoke 3 packs a day? Thats 60 cigarettes in 24 hours. That's one cigarette every 4 hrs. But lets say you chain smoke.

Now take out the time you can't smoke. Like school, work, shower, and sleep. How can you smoke 3 packs a day? Please tell me. Thanks.

rollin

Commitment.

(Your maths is suspect. 60 is around 4 per waking hour)

UNLTD1487

I meant hour. I guess I was just amazed at 60 cigs per day.

AdelaaR

My aunt lights her cigs with the buds of the previous ones ... that'll get you at 3 packs a day in no time

ahsposo 

Ya'll are right about the quitting. You have just stop. No try. You. Stop.

El Conquistador De Amore

For myself it was days when I didn't have many classes, weekends, nights where I would stay up late and chainsmoke while drinking. On days when I had work, heavy school schedule, obviously that amount would go down. I just remember how much I would think about the next cigarette. I'm glad that's over.

surgeonstone

You can't try. To "try" gives you the option of failure. You must do it. It can be done. I have counseled thousands of patients to quit. The most successful were the ones who picked a day and then quit cold turkey. President Eisenhower quit a 4 pack a day, 50 year habit cold turkey. Asked if it was difficult , he answered, " Not when i decided to quit".
Interesting fact- combining exercise with smoking can be deadly, even if young. Don't do it. Within 24 hours of quitting, the chance of you dying from a cardiac arrest is reduced 50%. Good luck, I know you can do it.

surgeonstone

I know many 3 pack a day smokers. I even know some 4 pack a day smokers. It can be done.

RT

It ain't that easy. It's not about physical addiction for me, it's about psychology: I still enjoy it. Try quitting something you enjoy, like cycling, or sex, or coffee. Truth is, anything can be addicting, just some things aren't addictive in a healthy way. I'm not justifying smoking, I'm just being honest about the part it plays in my life and was curious to see how/why others had success with cold turkey.