Quitting smoking thread

For those that have quit or are in the process of quitting smoking

4 Likes

Maybe this can be a space for those who need something to refer to when cravings get too much / need encouragement.

1 Like

I quit.

I switched to vaping
Then
I switched to high strength lozenges
Then
I quit those

Each step was brutal and difficult.

Switching to vaping was difficult.
Switching to lozenges was difficult
Quitting lozenges was difficult.

It’s not easy giving up nicotine.

7 Likes

I hear ya. For me switching to vaping from smoking was easy but its just getting off the vape which was brutally difficult

My main tactic for this time is to stop drinking and smoking. Because drinking made me compelled to smoke. So going cold turkey 2 In 1.

I just feel quite uncomfortable which I think is normal. Its the type of feeling that can only be alleviated with nicotine. Fucks sake!

2 Likes

I don’t wanna necessarily jinx myself by saying it haha :sweat_smile: , but it’ll be about 2.5 years since I quit cigarettes.

…At my worst, I was probably at around a pack and a half of menthols a day. :grimacing:

What helped was defos chewing nicotine gum— I actually chew a lot of watermelon-flavored gum nowadays as like a new habit.

It’s smart to kinda change your routines— so like how you say you’re done drinking because it leads to the smoking. Anything you associate with the act— just limit your exposure to it.

Smoking cessation aids do help, in my experience. You could always try the gum, spray, or lozenges if you feel up to it.

Stay the course— you got this! :+1:

7 Likes

I’ve luckily stopped smoking cigarettes. But I’m still smoking. Black& milds can’t stopppp

2 Likes

I once snapped at @shutterbug for criticizing the habit of smoking in a thread I was in. I quit like a year later, now I understand the aversion. I’m a convert. It’s the best thing you can do for yourself. I don’t get winded, I don’t ever have phlegm, and those random scary stabbing chest pains totally went away. I save 300 dollars a month too and don’t have to go stand in the freezing cold in the winter. You guys can do it! It’s so worth it.

I find it’s best to have a plan for when you get agitated, like someone you can talk to or exercises you can do. It also helps to have no cigarettes in the house. My mom hid hers while I was quitting.

4 Likes

Yeah it’s a bit tricky, since I would smoke a cigarette after a lot of activities, after a meal, walking to meet a friend, with my morning coffee, before/after work. So I guess it’s about removing that association with those activities and just endure the transition, as hard as it may be!

And thanks for the heads up on the smoking cessation aids, I might check em out if things are getting too difficult :slight_smile:

1 Like

I’m sucking on pouches at the moment. I don’t like them much but it’s helping me quit I think.

2 Likes

Yeah I could use less phlegm in my chest and more money in my bank account. I guess mindset wise, I’m still in the throes of addiction, I just need to break on through to the other side and I might perceive smoking the same way you two do. It’ll take time, but thanks for your encouragement.

1 Like

those types of random “my time has come” chest pains are from smoking?? i never realized but im just now realizing i used to think i was gonna die a few times back when i was at my heeaviest like extreme smoking phase around 2018-2019 but i never linked them together and how it doesnt happen anymore nowadays.

i dont smoke anymore now either but use nicotine pouches and sometimes vape but vapes taste nasty as hell and gunk up juice in my throat recently

1 Like

Oh my god, they were for me, and during my more delusional days I thought it was my heart, but I’m starting to think the pain I was feeling was in one of my lungs. I haven’t experienced it in over 3 years now and it used to be almost a weekly thing.

I’ve never vaped so I can’t speak to what that does to you.

1 Like

Now that your sense of smell is back you’ve noticed that heavy smokers exude the scent of a burning trash barge? It’s a nausea trigger for me. Bad one.

2 Likes

I quitb8 years ago with one hiccup sin e. Went on to vape quit that too. Could not afford it anymore.

1 Like

Using the gum today. Really could use a real smoke, but oh well. Guess the gum will have to do.

1 Like

I totally fell off the wagon.

2 Likes

I did go for a good run today though

2 Likes

Yeah same here. Cravings have been bad today. I think its like 3 weeks until the nicotine is flushed out of the body, it’s gonna be a slog but worth it in the end.

3 Likes

Tapered down my pouches from 6mg to 3mg yesterday and holding firm. 1.5mg tomorrow then extend the spacing out gently over the next week. I’m hopeful that it will reduce the cravings when I get to zero.

3 Likes