May sound stupid, but every time you get the urge to smoke...go brush your teeth!!!! Just a suggestion! And hang in there! You can do it! A FORMER long time smoker! dd

One year, seven months, two days, 17 hours, 12 minutes and 20 seconds. 17451 cigarettes not smoked, saving $4,799.51. Life saved: 8 weeks, 4 days, 14 hours, 15 minutes.



when you quit you can get that nifty program with all the neat data.

You're such a strong woman, you don't need prayers, just Don't Light Up any more. God will help you :)

Brushing teeth worked for me too! I quit smoking almost 4 years ago and it was so so so hard, but I did it. Other things that helped:

-looking at the clock and realizing that I just have to keep busy for 15 minutes, then the craving would go away
-keep busy by doing something with your hands (something messy is good because you can't smoke if you have cookie dough in your hands, or if you're washing dishes or scrubbing the tub)
-when I was desperate, I would have a shower (weird, I know, but you can't smoke in the shower)
-throw the butts away! They are too tempting (I scraped a few together in desperate days)
-chew gum
-eat an orange (it keeps your hands busy and lets you put something in your mouth and it's not healthy)

Now I mostly got over smoking by snacking a lot and I gained 20 pounds (boo) but I don't smoke anymore, so it was worth it.

Good luck!

I had to use a patch myself; I tried the gum and got addicted to it, went back to smoking and then tried that patch, used them just like the box recommended and have not had a smoke since (2 years and counting. Good luck and as always you will be in my prayers.

Love all the ideas!!! Especially the brushing my teeth! I never want to smoke after brushing my teeth! Gonna go do that right now, then the laundry, then paint or something....thanks guys!!!
God bless ya all
Darla

Things I did to help with cravings,Brush teeth, drink plenty of water,had hard candies,gums and the big one.because you need to do something with your hands, I bought peanuts in the shell,
so when I was watching tv or got stressed I start peeling peanuts and eating them. helped alot kept hands mouth and mind busy.Yesterday was my anniversary 10 months smoke free after 25 years.
Also try www.quitnet.com they also help, it is like DS but for people trying to quit smoking.
Hope this helps and good luck will be praying for ya!
Melinda

Hi, I quit a year and a half ago and I still crave a cig now and then but I just remember the smell, it's a terrible smell. I did it first by using the gum then like texasms I got addicted to that so I started chewing regular gum and guess what I am still chew alot of gum. It helps and like everyone else brushing my teeth helps alot too. Also mints helped me and just not thinking about it helped. Also, it seemed like I was the only one smoking that I know that did not quit yet. So good luck and I will say a prayer for you. HUGS, Margaret.

My Rebif nurse 'cured' me. She said 'There's not much point being on a positive drug therapy if you are going to smoke.
Also Darla, and I am not wanting to be cruel here, but I have read where you have children; are struggling financially and that your hubby has high blood pressure - all of those things should give you extra incentive to quit.
The patches are great but you MUST follow the instructions re length of treatment to the letter.
Lastly you have to think of yourself as a NON SMOKER - not someone who is 'giving up'.
Think positive - and live your non smoking life with pride!!

When I want to smoke, I tell myself that I don't ever want to go through quitting again. I also thinki about how horrible and evil the cigarette companies are and how I don't want to give them any more of my money. I also know that smoking isn't good for MS.

New Mexico says its okay for MSers to smoke something else though! haha.. sorry had to throw that in.. too bad I'm in TX ;)

Quit smoking myself 20yrs ago &
it took a few attempts before
I made it. Used the patch for a bit. Found every time that I quit I stayed off them longer.
Try picturing your money going up in smoke & your lungs becoming charred. Read that after 5yrs all damage will be repaired.

WHAT WORKED FOR MY FRIEND TO QUIT SMOKING WAS CHEWING ON A STRAW KEPT HER HANDS BUSY AND HER MOUTH....I USE TOOTHPICKS IN THE HOUSE....I AM NOT TRYING TO QUIT BUT I AM TRYING TO GO LONGER BETWEEN AND SLOWLY QUIT,AND THE TOOTHPICKS HELP ME AND I READ, AND DRINK MINT TEA,CIGS DON'T TASTE GOOD AFTER MINT TEA.
GOOD LUCK
MORGAINE

The one thing that helped me was a change of routen and then chew gum. If I had coffee and cig in am, I quit having coffee the first thing then I started putting coffee back when the habit was broken. A straw or stur works well. when you go to store to get some,think of the one thing you realy want and grab a coffee stur.

I thought I would Never, Ever, Ever be able to quit smoking, but I did and it is the thing I am proudest of! I used a support group, the patch (only for 2 days), and the gum. The only bad thing is (this is hard to admit) that I am addicted to the gum...still... after 3 to 4 years. I have no desire whatsoever to smoke. I think I was allergic to it as the improvement in my overall health was very obvious within 24 hours. So...if giving up the gum means I might go back to smoking...the cost of the gum is worth it. I'm trying to substitute regular gum and it helps. I also buy the cheapest nicotine gum....but the 4 mg. so I think/know that I still have the nicotine addiction. Anyone have ideas as to how I can free myself of this awful nicotine dependency (besides chewing other gum or eating)? Any and all suggestions will be appreciated.

Darla--GOOD FOR YOU! Stick with it. I believe that within 3 days, the poisons and nicotine are out of your system. You can speech up the process by drinking a lot of water--flushes the system. Try a nice, warm, relaxing bath with soft music, a relaxation tape, jigsaw puzzle, jazzersize or exercise, bike ride, walk, and go places (like the theater or museum) where you absolutely can't smoke. If you find that you can't resist, just remember that you did not FAIL, you will just need to try again. Set a new quit date if this happens.

Actually, I do dream of smoking--sometimes a lot. I dream that I am smoking again--but not concerned about it because I have this amazing ability to smoke or not--quitting is never a problem in my dreams. I do enjoy smoking...but only in my dreams (or maybe they should be called nightmares considering what they do to your body!).

Sending you much, much luck and any leftover willpower that I have (and I don't have a lot). Oh, lots of laughing! Did you know that many people actually go through a mourning period when they quit? It's good to know this so you can figure out why you feel so sad.

I used the patch and then the gum - was addicted to the gum (AKA Nicotine) fr a year - finally shook it and gained some weight. 12 years later, I can actually have a cigarette or two when together w/ old friends and not go back to it when I get home. GOOD LUCK! Diane