To: People Who Have Quit Smoking

To those who have quit smoking, I would like to know a few things:

1. Did your sinuses improve a lot?
   my main reason for wanting to quit is my sinuses... my neti pot works well, but I *expect* I would be a lot better off yet, if I put away the smokes.
2. How long did it take for any detox or withdrawal symptoms to finally go away once and for all?
3. Did you use any NRTs? The inhaler, especially? How did they work?
4. If you had some sort of oral fixation, what did you use instead of cigarettes, to keep your busy mouth occupied? [please do not suggest cinnamon sticks, I tried this, and ended up inhaling pieces of the things all the time...]
5. What did you do to keep weight off, and even with measures to keep weight off DID you gain any and how much?

There will probably be more later, but thats all for now. I really want to quit, and I want to prepare myself for everything, so that THIS time it is SUCCESSFUL.

 

1) yes my sinuses did improve, so did my energy and overall health, and now I do not get sick as much.


2) it took about 2 months for the big cravings to go but I will admit that I still sometimes crave a smoke and it has been 5 years, but that does not happen to often.

3) I used Zyban to quit. I tried 2 times before using zyban but it really helped alot when I started taking it. It is an antideprsent and during the testing they found out alot of the people taking it quit smoking. I think it works really well it supposed to trick your brain into thinking that you have had nicotine and being an antidepresent made me alot less angry going through withdrawl. also alot of people I knew who also took zyban had wierd reactions, my brothers feet swelled up so much he could not put his shoes on.

4) I smoked pot

5)I never gained any weight.

 

1- Did your sinuses improve a lot?-yes, an extreme amount. I feel so healthy and can hold my yoga breathes a million times longer and deeper and it hasn't even been two weeks yet.
2-How long did it take for any detox or withdrawal symptoms to finally go away once and for all?-still gone gone away. I want one everyday
3-Did you use any NRTs? no, I went cold turkey and I smoked around a pack a day, sometimes more. I have used the gum in the past but became very addicted to it and it ripped out all of my dental work. I would reccomend the patch if you can't do it cold turkey.
4-If you had some sort of oral fixation, what did you use instead of cigarettes, to keep your busy mouth occupied? I have a huge oral fixation and I used cinnamon and liquorice flavored altoids. I am a snacker so I keep all snack foods away from me, don't buy them and I live in a very health concious house so there is never junk food ever in the fridge. My challenge was I would snack when I was drinking or smoking pot-smoking pot really helped me quit cigarettes and now I am quitting smoking pot.

GOOD LUCK!!!

5-What did you do to keep weight off, and even with measures to keep weight off DID you gain any and how much? I went from jogging to running so I actually lost weight. It is very hard to quit smoking if you do not exercise or start exercising.

 

Oh I am on Zyban as well for other issues and I think that is why I was able to do it cold turkey. Just to warn you they won't give it to people still in ED recovery and it will make you not hungry. I spent a night in the ED ward last spring because of Zyban/wellbutrin

 

thanks lynsey!! VERY helpful; and I already know that about Welbutrin, actually... When I had to go on medication last year they mentioned how I had to stay away from that because of my eating disorder

 

No problem good luck!

It's horrible and demented but I actually like that side effect of it

 

i would really like to quit smoking. i've attempted several times and i always fail. i think possibly because i really don't entirely want to just yet... i enjoy having a cigarette after sex or when i'm stressed out or drunk... so i guess i have to wait until i'm totaly ready.

 

Thats the real trick, you have to 100% want to quit, for yourself, not for any other reasons other than you yourself want to rid smoking from your life. That was my mentality and it was simple, just didnt buy any more cigarettes. I do miss a cigaratte on the occasions mentioned above. Almost an orgasmic experiance in itself in those situations.

I know a retired guy that smoked 2 packs a day, drank and is overweight, he went to the doctor and the doctor told him within 5 years something was going to happen to his heart so he immidiatly weened off the cigarettes. I went to restuarant with him and we ordered some beer, and when he drinks he CRAVES cigarettes, he proclaimed very loudly "I would Kiss that man on the mouth for a puff of his cigarette"

In short anyone can quit, if one wants to quit.

 

Did your sinuses improve a lot?

Never had sinuses. But I did find I actually REALLY enjoyed breathing fresh air once my lungs were healthy enought to notice it. and that only took about a month or two.

Did you use any NRTs? The inhaler, especially? How did they work? I'm not sure what an NRT is but I used the patch to quit if thats what your asking. I had to literally tape it to my arm to keep my from scratching it off. It sucked but I kicked the habit. That and I didn't hang out with any of my smoke friendly friends for awhile.

If you had some sort of oral fixation, what did you use instead of cigarettes, to keep your busy mouth occupied? blow jobs. haha. I never had the "oral fixation" so I dont know.

What did you do to keep weight off, and even with measures to keep weight off DID you gain any and how much?

I don't remember gaining much weight. I was depressed at the time so any weight I may of gained was probably more from loafing around than anything else....

I quit when I was 18 but I was very much addicted, having smoked a pack or more a day since I was 14. I'm very happy I quit. I work in a bar and in Virginia you can still smoke in them. I hate the way I smell when I get home. and my eyes burn whenever we're really busy and there's alot of smokers. I hope they make it illegal one day. I know I damn well don't want cancer because bar assholes have to smoke inside.

 

1- Did your sinuses improve a lot?- Absolutely! Also, less fluid in my ears (from sinuses) also my allergies and of course my cough all seem to have nearly disappeared...so much of an improvement.

2-How long did it take for any detox or withdrawal symptoms to finally go away once and for all?- Probably a month.

3-Did you use any NRTs? No. I used Zyban for four months.


4-If you had some sort of oral fixation, what did you use instead of cigarettes, to keep your busy mouth occupied? Herbal teas and gum.

5-What did you do to keep weight off, and even with measures to keep weight off DID you gain any and how much? I have not gained. I have always fluctuated within five pounds, nothing different after quitting the cigs. I do exercise occasionally, but I just try to eat a balance diet and that's about it.

 

I find I smoke WAYYYYYYYY more pot than before I quit. It has helped me a lot I think.

 

started running til it felt like my legs were gonna fall off. go run outside and enjoy huge lungsfuls of air, and breathe slowly even if feels like your gonna suffocate, the terrible suffocation feeling will open up your sinuses QUICK, have lots of paper towels or tissues handy too! give it a try n tell me what you think!

 

I agree I was paying bills this morning, which I always associatte with chain smoking outside afterwards because it stresses me the fuck out. I ran about a mile as fast as I could outside...got an asthma attack for the first time in forever but at least I didn't go buy a pack like I really wanted to.