My life as a smoker
I had smoked for about 38 years by the time I quit. It was getting harder and harder to find a place to smoke that would not disturb anyone, and I also knew I was playing with a time bomb. If I hadn't suffered any damage yet, I was sure to start within the next few years.
Why and how I quit smoking
I went to my doctor, talked about my options and decided on Chantix. This is going to sound strange given the bad publicity Chantix is getting, but it works - at least it did for me. The only catch is that it took me three times to finally quit.
The first time I was able to stay on long enough to recognize what triggered me to smoke and come up with some other things to do when I was craving. The one good thing was I cut a 2 pack-a-day habit down to 1/4 - 1/2 pack a day.
The second time I used it was six months after I stopped and I actually found myself wanting to go back on. This time I was actually grieving about stopping -- I felt like I was losing my best friend. At work I stayed at my desk, did not move around or talk much and was generally withdrawn and sad. Once again, I did not put the cigarettes completely down but I did cut back even more and stay there. I was actually only smoking 4 a day for about two months but I stopped the Chantix again.
The third time as they say, was the charm. I started the Chantix and at this time I was smoking 1/2 pack a day again. By week 3 or 4 I had cut it in half by week 7 I was back to only 3 a day. Week 8 I was scheduled for a two day conference in DC which meant I was away from home for 3 days. When I got on the plane I left my cigarettes behind and have not picked them up again yet. Currently I am at 5 months smoke free and still have moments which I would love a cigarette but I would have to go and get a pack and that stops me.
Advice
- Chantix really works but you might have to use the program more than once to completely quit depending on how heavy you smoke.
- Keep trying, don't give up.
- I actually got to a point that I was gaining weight and still smoking which is one reason I quit. If I was going to gain weight I was going to be smoke free.
- Have patience you didn't start out being a heavy smoker and it will take a couple of times or more to quit but keep on keeping on. It is worth it in the end.
- Find a good strong long lasting chewing gum. It really helps.
Terry Martin, Smoking Cessation Guide, says:
Your story is a good example of the fact that quit aids are just that -- aids. With the right mental attitude, any quit aid has the ability to help us quit smoking successfully. If we're not motivated to stop smoking however, quit aids won't help us.Congratulations on your success with smoking cessation Janet, and hats off to you for keeping at it until you were able to quit. Nicotine addiction lets go of us gradually, so stick with it. By the time a year has passed, most of the situations that trigger the urge to smoke will have been cleared and you'll be closer to that freedom we're all after.
