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So many help options out there, what helps? What doesn’t?

Question asked by Tsherman1971 on Jan 24, 2021
Latest reply on Jan 28, 2021 by elvan

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Hi my name is Tammy I’m 49 years old and I have smoked 98% of the time since I was in the 8th grade. I have had periods of non smoking, months here and there. I like smoking. So it’s hard to quit. I have been diagnosed with P.A.D. (peripheral arterial disease). October 14th 2020 I had the pinkie toe on my right foot amputated. And the pinkie toe on left isn’t a happy customer. Sad it took losing a toe to realize as much as I like smoking I love flip flops and toes better. Smoking doesn’t cause P.A.D. By its self but it makes it worse. I can’t explain what losing a part of your body is like. When they took bandages off after 2 weeks I busted out crying first time I saw it. Now that y’all have my background let’s talk options.

there are patches. And my insurance pays for 2 different types of prescription stop sensation medications. I haven’t ever tried prescription meds. cold turkey has never worked.
i feel overwhelmed and my stop date is February 10th

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sweetplt Jan 24, 2021 4:32 PM
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HI and Welcome to Ex’s...Tsherman1971
I am so happy you are making the decision to quit smoking...we all liked smoking, but usually due to failing health, many of us had to make the choice to quit smoking. You are not alone and we are here to help you out. I quit cold turkey. Many here used NRT’s and will be along to help you out. May I suggest, you read at My EX Plan | BecomeAnEX there you will plan for your quit date like no other. Make A Plan To Quit Be sure to rid all smoking paraphernalia before quitting. Also, keep close to the support site for help. YOU can do this...I smoked over 30 years and December 3rd 2020 I celebrated two years quit. Life really has become better without the smokes...~ Colleen

Ps so sorry about the loss of your toe...my heart hurt when I read this...
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indingrl Jan 24, 2021 4:36 PM
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Quit smoking Quit-smoking basics - Mayo Clinic
HOPE this HELPS and thank YOU so much for sharing
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anaussiemom Jan 24, 2021 5:08 PM
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tsherman1971 i am so sorry about your toes and disease.
Read lots"
No magic cure for sure!

You have to pick and choose what works for you.
That being said. I wear a low mg patch most of the day also chew on 2 mg nico gum" If I feel strungout on liking smoking"
Cuz I do. !! Logically a slow suicide is not the way to get out of living. Cigarettes do nothing for us. We only think we like smoking.
So many options, to choose from! That is a blessing!!
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YoungAtHeart Jan 24, 2021 5:11 PM
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Welcome to the community!

When you do the reading I will recommend, you will understand that all you think you like about smoking is an illusion of your addiction. The calm you feel was set up by the anxiety relief created by the last cigarette you smoked! That break you take when you smoke? You can take it still - smoking is not required. I hope you will avail yourself of the tried and true reading materials and tips I will share with you I have PAD, and quit BEFORE losing a toe...matter of fact, the fear of that is what set me on the path to this freedom from addiction.

The important thing you can do right now is to educate yourself on what nicotine does to your body and mind. To that end, I highly recommend Allen Carr's “The Easy Way to Stop Smoking.” This easy and entertaining read provided a world of good information about nicotine addiction, most of which I was not aware. I credit it in large part with my success at quitting. You can search for it online or at your local library.

You should also read the posts here and perhaps go to the pages of folks who you think might be helpful. You might visit whyquit.com, quitsmoking.com and livewell.com for the good information contained there. @https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/groups/best-of-ex has lots of blogs written by members of this site with their experiences and guidance. Here is a video to inform you further about nicotine addiction: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpWMgPHn0Lo&feature=youtu.be.

After you have completed the recommended reading, it will be time to make an informed choice of the quit aid, if any, you will use. If you go that route, I personally recommend the aids that don't let the addict control the dose such as the available prescription drugs or the patch. If used properly, gum, lozenges and inhalers are fine, but they need to be used only as a last resort after you have tried to delay and distract. I have seen folks become addicted to them if they substitute them for every cigarette they used to smoke - just trading one addiction for another. You need to start out with a plan to reduce use of them over time - which the patch does by decreasing the dose contained in them.. For the gum, you can start by cutting each piece in half, then in quarters, then sub regular gum of the same flavor in between, adding more and more regular gum. For the lozenge, you need to start subbing a mint in between to begin, increasing the number of them over time. I do not recommend the e-cigarette for obvious reasons.

It will be informative if you do the tracking and separation exercises recommended here on the site. As you track each cigarette smoked, note its importance, and what you might do instead. Put each one off just a little to prove that you don't NEED a cigarette just because you think you do.

The idea is to change up your routines so the smoking associations are reduced. Drink your coffee with your OTHER hand in a place different from when you smoked. Maybe switch to tea for a bit. If you always had that first smoke with your coffee, try putting your tennies on right out of bed, going for a quick walk, then taking your shower and THEN your coffee! Rearrange the furniture in the areas you used to smoke so the view is different. Buy your gas at a different station. Take a different route to work. Take a quick walk at break time where the smokers AREN'T.

You need to distract yourself through any craves. You can take a bite out of a lemon (yup - rind and all), put your head in the freezer and take a deep breath of cold air, do a few jumping jacks, go for a brisk walk or march in place, play a computer game. Keep a cold bottle of water with you from which to sip. Don't let that smoking thought rattle around in your brain unchallenged. Sometimes you need to quit a minute or an hour at a time. You will need to be disciplined in the early days to distract yourself when a crave hits. You might visit “Games”: https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/groups/games. The active ones are at the top of the list going down the left side of the homepage. Here is a link to a list of things to do instead of smoke if you need some fresh ideas:
https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/blogs/Youngatheart.7.4.12-blog/2013/02/25/100-things-to-do-instead-of-smoke

The conversation in your head in response to the "I want a cigarette" thought needs to be, "Well, since I have decided not to do that anymore, what shall I do instead for the three minutes this crave will last?" Then DO it. You will need to put some effort into this in the early days, but it gets easier and easier to do.

Stay close to us here and ask questions when you have them and for support when you need it. We will be with you every step of the way!

Nancy
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Hannahkim12345 Jan 24, 2021 5:27 PM
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Everyone gave great advise. For me, it’s my desire to not be a smoker. I know myself and if I failed I wouldn’t try again anytime soon and I didn’t want to go through the process of quitting again. It’s about fighting the cravings and fight yourself. It’s also accepting that it’s hard but being committed to not give up! Good luck to you. You will never regret that you quit smoking. If you don’t, there will be a day you may wish you quit.
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Giulia Jan 24, 2021 8:31 PM
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Glad you're here. Though sorry that it's taken the very hard lesson of your missing toe to come to this important awareness. I'd burst into tears too realizing a piece of me is gone. Heck, I've had a tooth pulled and though I didn't cry over it - it's still a part of me that's missing and I don't like that! There are those who have lost parts of their lungs here to help them breathe. It's different, though when you can actually see the loss. Fortunately we can still live with pieces of us gone.

You know what I think helps most? Well certainly what helped me most - was understanding that smoking is not a bad habit, it's actually an addition. It still amazes me that I thought I was in control of it, that I just "didn't want to really quit" and that's why I continued on, even though I knew (logically, intellectually) it wasn't good for me. The fact that the first thing I did every morning was to chain smoke, the fact that I'd make sure - no matter how late it was - I'd go out and buy myself a pack of cigs before bed so that I didn't have to run out before my first cup of coffee... I don't know but I really think that seeing it as an 'addiction' enabled me to understand it in a way I couldn't get a handle on prior.

What helped me most, actually, was joining my first on-line quit smoking group. Those people taught me (because they'd "been there, done that"), not only about all the excuses I was making, but through their own experiences I learned HOW TO and what NOT TO. Stick around. You'll learn that too here. I smoked a pack and half a day for over 35 years. I "get it" now. And I also "get" how to prevent relapsing. But that's for you later on.

What helps is positive thinking. What doesn't help is dwelling in smoky thoughts. Whether it's the "I can't," or "I like smoking so much," or "I'll never be able to do this," "I can have just one under certain circumstances...." Positive thinking, on the other hand, says "I CAN do this and I WILL." "This will be a great challenge but I'll learn so much.." "It's okay to feel uncomfortable, it won't last forever..." "Hello self, just stop whining, woudja!" (A sense of humor about yourself and your AGONY helps a lot! lol)

I didn't WANT to stop smoking when I quit back in 2006. I knew I should, I always knew I should, each time I attempted quitting. Support is what enabled me to get to the other side. Support gave me the education, the understanding that I wasn't alone, and the ability to VENT, to whine and complain and share what I was going through. And that support continues. Even though I'm not on that original site that helped me achieve my "forever" quit, I'm on this site with this amazing group of people (some of which I've had the joy of meeting in the flesh at the EX reunions).

You will know what works for you and what doesn't when you try something. So try all different methods if need be. The only thing you have to really understand is that ultimately it's not the "things" the drugs, the "quit plan" that make your quit a success. It's how you approach quitting in your mind. You have to be willing to go through whatever it takes and you have to commit to the journey. And you have to do your homework, i.e. read. The "things" help, but you have to listen more to the strong, quiet voice inside that speaks from that Best of you, rather than the one that's SHOUTING "I NEEEEEEED!"
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Barbscloud Jan 25, 2021 10:05 AM
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Welcome to the Ex. Sorry you had to experience that, but I'm glad it influenced you to quit smoking. The important thing is to educate yourself about nicotine addiction and create a quit plan. These two steps made all the difference for me after smoking for 50 years. There are successful quitters on this site that have used every aid or none at all. So do some some research and decide what's right for you. Chantix, Welbutrin and nicotrol inhalers require a prescription. For for final quit, I used Welbutrin, nictrol inhalers, a smoking cessation class and I was fortunate to find the Ex a week prior to my quit. No matter what you decide, they are aids and you still have to do the work. Having the support from fellow quitters can be a invaluable. Join the group. We're here to support you, so just reach out anytime you need encouragement.
Barb

This is some research I did on NRT. I hope it helps with your decision.
Nicotine Replacement - Yes or No?
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smiling_accountant Jan 26, 2021 9:15 PM
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Welcome! For me, it was a combo of using Wellbutrin and this site. I also used lozenges as needed. I had tried cold turkey and only lozenges on prior quits and they didn't work. Adding the Wellbutrin ( that's the generic for zyban) really helped me. The support from everyone on this site was also a big factor. You still have to put in the hard work, but keep trying until you find something that helps.
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Tsherman1971 Jan 26, 2021 11:22 PM
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Thank you all for the welcome and the support . I met with my family Dr. today. After talking for a while she put me on two different stop smoking sensation meds one for the am one for the PM. I was also able to join KickBut thru my husbands work and got 2 Boxes of nicotine patches. I go back to my Dr March first to do blood work just to make sure the meds are doing okay I have health issues. Plus she said I can come in any time I need some support. I really feel better about this then I have felt about any other time I have tried. I always had this sense of dread like Omg I’m quitting , this is going to be horrible, blah, blah,blah. Not this time. I feel more in control and calmer and that I can do it this time. Luckily I am the only smoker, my parents, kids, and hubby are non smokers so I won’t be hanging around anyone smoking with this quarantine. I look forward to taking this journey with all of you.
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- Barbscloud @ Tsherman1971 on Jan 27, 2021 10:05 AM
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  That's great news. You're on your way to becoming an Ex. I had a wonderful doctor that supported me also. He had me scheduling an appointment every 3 months to just keep me motivated. Exercise is a great tool when you're quitting--I know walking really helped me a lot. Glad you're starting off with such positive attitude.
  One day at a time.
  Barb
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- Hannahkim12345 @ Tsherman1971 on Jan 28, 2021 2:18 PM
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  I find attitude is so important. If you’re positive then you’re outcomes are also positive. Yes, you can do it! Don’t let it beat you. You are not a slave to the nicotine. You are in control!
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elvan Jan 28, 2021 2:46 PM
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So glad that you found this site & that you know you do not have to do this alone. It is going to get easier as long as you do your part.
Welcome to EX.
Ellen
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So many help options out there, what helps? What doesn’t?

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