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I Quit

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jadedmonk
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Re: I Quit

#26

Post by jadedmonk »

I used to tell people that bugged me about it that I quit every time I got done with a cigarette. (Or cigar).

Seriously though, this is one of the most important things you will ever do. Don't give up! If someone like me can do it, anyone can.

P.S.
I know everybody's different, but the patches and stuff seemed to make it a lot harder for me in the long run. Cold turkey worked best. I relapsed around 5 years later, but that only lasted for a few days and it's been longer than I can remember since.
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RVInit
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Re: I Quit

#27

Post by RVInit »

I quit cold turkey back in 1987. I was a heavy smoker, 2 pack a day habit. I didn't even know I was going to quit on the morning of the day I quit. I had thought about it a few times, even made a half assed attempt at quitting when a friend of mine quit. I lasted less than 3 hours that time. But, one day, just out of the blue, I really, truly, honestly, wanted to quit. And I made up my mind to do it. I think that was the key. I really really really really really wanted to quit. I have never had a relapse. It was terribly difficult the first few days. Over time it got less and less difficult. I had to constantly tell myself "I do not want to smoke". The first day that was pretty much the ONLY thing I was telling myself because I "wanted" a cigarette so badly. The physical part of the addiction only takes 2/3/4 days - something like that. But the emotional addiction, oh, that takes longer. Much longer.

Good luck. If you really want to quit, keep telling yourself that - over and over and over again.
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FiveAcres
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Re: I Quit

#28

Post by FiveAcres »

I do know I am grateful that I never started, despite both parents being heavy smokers. My partner smoked for years and I don't know when he quit for good. I do know that I am fairly certain that his last ten years, I may have seen him with a cigarette once. He stopped smoking in our house and in our cars. Because it was Colorado, he couldn't smoke at his workplace, restaurants or bars. He stopped buying cigarettes and became too embarrassed to bum one. I think he finally quit because he ran out of places he could smoke and friends who were smokers. This may have been after his father died of COPD and lung cancer.

ETA: And I do know he quit at some point because I stopped smelling it on him. And he started complaining if I wasn't scrupulous about cleaning the cat box.
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Re: I Quit

#29

Post by Foggy »

When I was still smoking cigarettes, I was often required to go outdoors.

So I told people, "Smokers are the only people who get any fresh air!" :lol:
Out from under. :thumbsup:
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Estiveo
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Re: I Quit

#30

Post by Estiveo »

I tells you my quitting story: like many smokers, I had quit several times before, but one day, not long after my 38th birthday, I realized that I'd been smoking for 20 years. I was shocked and resolved to quit. I had about half a pack left, so rather than go buy more, I went & bought the patch. I smoked until I was out of cigarettes that night and went to bed.

The next morning, first thing, I slapped on a patch, started a pot of coffee, and cleaned the hell out of my apartment.

And I haven't had a cigarette in the 23+ years since, although I do enjoy a fine cigar now and then.

I still have a rare dream about smoking a cigarette, but they amuse more than they annoy me at this point.

So, as I said upthread, if I can do it, you can do it.

Also, no method of quitting is better or more effective than any other method. Everyone is different. The one thing successful quitters have in common? This time, the one that sticks, they're really, truly, determined. I have faith in your stubborn nature.
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Re: I Quit

#31

Post by AndyinPA »

Actually, I enjoy a fine cigar occasionally, mostly Cuban, out of the country.

Other than trying briefly, though, never did smoke cigarettes.
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Re: I Quit

#32

Post by jez »

I will admit, I slipped for a couple of days. Lots of reasons and none at all. I just did. But I'm back on track. Have the patch on. Might go for a walk later, it's a nice day.
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Re: I Quit

#33

Post by neonzx »

jez wrote: Sun Mar 07, 2021 2:06 pm I will admit, I slipped for a couple of days. Lots of reasons and none at all. I just did. But I'm back on track. Have the patch on. Might go for a walk later, it's a nice day.
I'm not telling you anything you don't already know. It's okay to slip and fall. Just get back up and keep going.

I still haven't kicked the habit. I've cut way-way down, but I still have a pack in my drawer. I'm not proud. I managed to get off the morning coffee w/cigarette. But there are still times when there is beer involved, that I'll go sneak a smoke. It's nicotine, highly addictive.

4 years ago, a cousin and his wife were both diagnosed with stage-4 lung cancer. And they both died within three months of each other -- leaving behind a 25yo son. And that wasn't even enough to make me throw those cigarettes away.

Stick with it! YOU GOT THIS!
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Re: I Quit

#34

Post by AndyinPA »

neonzx wrote: Sun Mar 07, 2021 2:38 pm
jez wrote: Sun Mar 07, 2021 2:06 pm I will admit, I slipped for a couple of days. Lots of reasons and none at all. I just did. But I'm back on track. Have the patch on. Might go for a walk later, it's a nice day.
I'm not telling you anything you don't already know. It's okay to slip and fall. Just get back up and keep going.

I still haven't kicked the habit. I've cut way-way down, but I still have a pack in my drawer. I'm not proud. I managed to get off the morning coffee w/cigarette. But there are still times when there is beer involved, that I'll go sneak a smoke. It's nicotine, highly addictive.

4 years ago, a cousin and his wife were both diagnosed with stage-4 lung cancer. And they both died within three months of each other -- leaving behind a 25yo son. And that wasn't even enough to make me throw those cigarettes away.

Stick with it! YOU GOT THIS!
My mother-in-law died of lung cancer. My husband would take her for her radiation treatments. She would leave the hospital, sit down on a bench, and light up. At that point, it didn't really make a difference, but it was just hard to watch.
"Choose your leaders with wisdom and forethought. To be led by a coward is to be controlled by all that the coward fears… To be led by a liar is to ask to be told lies." -Octavia E. Butler
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Re: I Quit

#35

Post by jez »

neonzx wrote: Sun Mar 07, 2021 2:38 pm
jez wrote: Sun Mar 07, 2021 2:06 pm I will admit, I slipped for a couple of days. Lots of reasons and none at all. I just did. But I'm back on track. Have the patch on. Might go for a walk later, it's a nice day.
I'm not telling you anything you don't already know. It's okay to slip and fall. Just get back up and keep going.

I still haven't kicked the habit. I've cut way-way down, but I still have a pack in my drawer. I'm not proud. I managed to get off the morning coffee w/cigarette. But there are still times when there is beer involved, that I'll go sneak a smoke. It's nicotine, highly addictive.

4 years ago, a cousin and his wife were both diagnosed with stage-4 lung cancer. And they both died within three months of each other -- leaving behind a 25yo son. And that wasn't even enough to make me throw those cigarettes away.

Stick with it! YOU GOT THIS!
Even with the slip, I was no where near the number of cigarettes that I smoked normally. Typically, I would burn through 1-1/2 packs a day (pun not intended). The pack I had lasted me for three days. For me it's the last smoke of the evening that I miss the most. I separated coffee and cigs a long time ago since I lived in places I couldn't smoke indoors and didn't have a patio to sit on. But to just sit down at night in enclosed patio, reading a bit of news on the phone while the dog runs around and barks at leaves falling... that was nice. :)

I am going to keep trying.
“What is better ? to be born good or to overcome your evil nature through great effort ?”

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Re: I Quit

#36

Post by Uninformed »

It’s different for everybody. You do it your way. :)
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Re: I Quit

#37

Post by Frater I*I »

jez wrote: Sun Mar 07, 2021 7:02 pm For me it's the last smoke of the evening that I miss the most.
Different from me, what's kept me from quitting is the "get you up, and get you going" smoke first thing after waking up.

Persevere on.
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He's got the answers to ease my curiosity, He dreamed a god up and called it Christianity"

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jez
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Re: I Quit

#38

Post by jez »

Here is a bit of am update for y'all.

Got confirmation of the umbilical hernia a few weeks ago. Went in last Tuesday (3/15) and had laproscopic surgery to place a mesh and whatever else they do. Came home that evening. Have been sleeping upright on the living room chair since. Going to attempt my own bed tonight.

So what does this have to do with quitting? Well I slipped up the weekend before and smoked the weekend away and Monday. Tuesday morning comes, no cigs. Couldn't wear a patch because surgery that day. So pretty much went cold turkey. It has been 5 days. Nobody is dead. I am craving, but cannot drive yet and have the support of my room mate and she is ignoring my grumpiness.

So there is the update. Stomach hurts like hell otherwise good.
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Maybenaut
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Re: I Quit

#39

Post by Maybenaut »

You’re doing great! :boxing: :thumbsup: :bighug:
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Re: I Quit

#40

Post by Foggy »

I say again: You can do this, girlfriend. Iron discipline. You go. :towel:
Out from under. :thumbsup:
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Re: I Quit

#41

Post by Tiredretiredlawyer »

:cheer2: :cheer1: :bunny: except for the sore belly!
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Lani
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Re: I Quit

#42

Post by Lani »

I'm thinking about quitting. I had planned to retire 12/31/22.

I've been working from home with a cold. The congestion and coughing had reduced, basically normal temperature, but increased exhaustion. Still have a few swings throughout the day from 98.0 to 99.8. Not a big deal, I thought. Then I suddenly began struggling to do my job. Felt disconnected, unfocused. I was making stupid mistakes like not noticing that I had an email about a tele-meeting. Which I missed. And I was making dumb typos. I really worked hard to review my emails, like four or more times before sending. But when I looked at some of them the next day, I was shocked by what I sent. (Also having trouble with posts here. Apologies in advance.) So I called my doctor to say I thought I was experiencing sudden confusion because of my dumb mistakes. She told me to get to the clinic as soon as I could.

Turns out, sudden confusion can be an early warning of pneumonia in older people. So, yeah, not a cold. Apparently, I have a functional immune system because it took a long time before I had a detectable lung symptom. :thumbsup: I guess. Also, I'm out on leave for 2 weeks! :biggrin:

My doctor & I get along great. After an appointment is over, we chat about other things. Local news, our kids, covidiots, politics, best restaurant, etc. So after my diagnosis, I told her that I've been assigned new, extra duties due to covid (including dealing with anti-vaxers). I'm in a nonunion professional category which means no raises for at least 3 years due to covid related budget cuts. I'm not happy about more work and no raise, which also means little increase in my retirement benefits. She said medical staff are stressed out, overburdened with additional work, looking for different positions, and retiring if they can't find one.
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Re: I Quit

#43

Post by Tiredretiredlawyer »

Lani-

I was self-employed when I retired five years earlier than I wanted. My body forced me to quit and I am forever grateful. I am now almost 6 years out from retirement. It was worth it! My baseline daily energy level is back to pre-fibromyalgia daily symptom days and my acute pain level is zero.

The money was not worth forcing myself to work. My quality of work was beginning a decline forcing extra CMA duties.

Listen to your body!!!!! :bighug:
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Re: I Quit

#44

Post by AndyinPA »

:bighug: Lani

When hubby came down with pneumonia three years ago (hospitalized for a week), the confusion that came with it was scary. It's not just pneumonia in older people that causes confusion. I had forgotten that I had learned with my mother that it's a sign of just about any infection in older people. She had frequent UTIs, and we had learned to look for a UTI when she started getting confused. I didn't recognize it in my husband as a symptom until after he was diagnosed.

I think you'll do what's best for yourself.
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Lani
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Re: I Quit

#45

Post by Lani »

Thank you everyone who posted. I know two people my age who retired and were gone within 2 years. As my doctor said, life is capricious.

It's too late to resign on 12/31. Well, I could, but there are penalties. So I'm looking into 3/31/22 and 6/30/22. I also discovered that my employment requires being a resident of the state of Hawaii, not a resident of a neighbor island. So I can move to Oahu and continuing working for the county. :biggrin: That's my current plan. I'll find my condo and move to Oahu while I'm employed.
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Re: I Quit

#46

Post by AndyinPA »

:like:
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Re: I Quit

#47

Post by raison de arizona »

Lani wrote: Mon Sep 27, 2021 4:25 am Thank you everyone who posted. I know two people my age who retired and were gone within 2 years. As my doctor said, life is capricious.

It's too late to resign on 12/31. Well, I could, but there are penalties. So I'm looking into 3/31/22 and 6/30/22. I also discovered that my employment requires being a resident of the state of Hawaii, not a resident of a neighbor island. So I can move to Oahu and continuing working for the county. :biggrin: That's my current plan. I'll find my condo and move to Oahu while I'm employed.
My mother worked for a school district and stuck it out before finally retiring on disability. She should have listened to her doctors years earlier. She had hoped to spend time with my children, her grandchildren. Instead she was dead within four months. :brokenheart: Listen to your body and pay attention to what is important. I wish my mother had, I miss her so much even 20+ years later and am still angry (?sad?) that she missed her grandchildren growing up.
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Re: I Quit

#48

Post by Lani »

I'm happy that I can move to Oahu sooner than I had anticipated. Aiming for late January. That gives me time to pack stuff, sell stuff and get rid of stuff and find a new home.

A lot of condos are not dog friendly or limit the dog's size. Ted is a big, 75 lb dog. Also, being near a nice park is a quality of life issue for me (and Ted). And close to the ground so I don't have to walk up & down a lot of levels when the power is off. Hurricanes, fires, other things that cause power outages.

I'm too sick to do much of anything right now, let alone making plans for retirement. However, I will have a remote meeting with the retirement person later this week.
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Re: I Quit

#49

Post by AndyinPA »

:bighug: :thumbsup:
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Lani
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Re: I Quit

#50

Post by Lani »

Love you all -I'm feeling much less stressed. :lovestruck: Know what gets me over anxiety? Facts!

Still have to deal with applying for a mortgage after the 1st week in January 2022 for a weird reason I don't want to post here. I think only Andy knows? Then I have to wait until March to apply for 7/1 retirement. But soon I will know what happens if I can prove I must retire before then, and my doc would certainly support it.
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