help quitting smoking

[Guest guest]

I know there are some of you out there who are wanting to quit smoking for

surgery. Possibly some of you even have surgeons who *require* that you quit

smoking. Well, I quit smoking Oct. 1, 2001 and have been able to keep off

cigarettes since then. I thought I would pass on some hints that you might

find helpful. First of all, I tried years ago to quit smoking just using the

patch alone. I couldn't do it. So, this time, I used the patch and the

nicotine gum. Now, if you read any of the info that comes on the gum or the

patch they say not to use both of them together, however, I went on the quit

smoking site and a counsellor there said if you smoked a lot, you might have

to supplement the patch with the gum. This is what I had to do, since I

smoked 1 1/2 - 2 pks a day and have smoked since I was 17 - a LOOOOOONG time.

I honestly didn't even think I would be able to quit smoking and I still

won't boast that I am done forever, since I am still nervous about it. But

using the gum helped during the times the patch just wasn't stopping the

cravings. I would chew the gum each time I wanted a cigarette.

The patch works this way - first 6 weeks you use the 21 mg patch. Then you

step down to the 14 mg patch for the next 2 weeks, then you step down to the

7 mg patch for the next 2 weeks. Even stepping down to the 14 from the 21

brought on more cravings. The gum helped me through them. I did the 14 for

2 weeks and then bought the 14 mg but cut them in half and used half a patch

for a week. I had some of the 21 mg left over, so also used them cut in half

for 10 mg, never went to the 7 mg. These patches are EXPENSIVE and if you

cut them in half, you save half the money, because the step down patches cost

the same as the 21 mg (about $25 a week). It cost me *more* to quit smoking

than to smoke, but I stuck with it because I knew I would have a better time

after surgery if I didn't smoke.

So, I suggest that you use the patch and the gum (gum only when those

cravings come on, and as often as they do). This past week, I could only

afford to buy the gum so was forced to stop the patches, and so far, the gum

only is working.

I know that I have slowly cut back on my dependence for nicotine. I know

that I am not totally through withdrawal, but I feel that I should be able to

eventually cut back more and more and use less and less gum, as that has been

what is happening.

I use the gum only when I still think the old " I need a cigarette " craving

-reminding myself I don't smoke anymore and popping gum instead of lighting

up. The gum (regular) tastes awful. Go with the orange to begin with. I

then went back to the regular when I *needed* more of a nicotine kick (sick,

I know, but what are ya gonna do?). Target has the patches and gum in their

brand, for less, but their regular is really disgusting.

Thought you might want to know. If you have any questions, feel free to

email me.

Someone on this list steered me to the quit smoking site and even tho I only

went there a couple of times, just going there seemed to put more resolve

into my mind.

So a BIG THANKS for that tip!

Carole

[Guest guest]

Carole- Good for you and congrats. Ellen(Pam

[Guest guest]

Congratulations Carole, on quitting smoking!! I, too, quit this year,

since my surgeon of choice requires it. I got a jump on things, quit

way early just after the first consult (before Insurance problems),

so I'd have plenty of time for relapses if there were to be any, but

*knock on wood*, I'm a quitter!

One thing I found that helped me quit this time was a free meter I

found from an organization called SilkQuit. The url for the meter is:

http://www.silkquit.org/meters/

This meter is great! After you download it, you enter your name,

approx. how many cigs you smoke a day, your quit date and time and

how much cigs cost per pack... It keeps a running count, on your

toolbar, of:

1) how long since you quit... Your SMOBER time (smoking-sober)...down

to the second!

2)How many cigarettes you have NOT smoked!

3)How much money you have saved! and

4)How much of your life you have saved since quitting.

It really makes a difference to see these numbers stacking up. And

WOW! I would NEVER have realized how much I spent on cigs, not

really, not consciously, if I hadn't seen it add and add and add up!

My numbers as of right now are:

Smober time

8M 3W 1D 45m 16s. 5320 not smoked.

a saving of $931.11. LS 2W 4D 11h 20m

It's not too late for you to download and use this meter, Carole. And

for anyone else who needs to quit, you'll love it, too! Having this

to watch day by day is great!

Huggles,

P.S. Now I feel the need to toot my own horn... I quit smoking

cold turkey, without patches or gum, even though my husband and

roommate remain smokers. It was tough, that first month

especially... I sure was a bear to be around at times! But since I

made a deal with my hubby that I get to spend the money I've saved

from not smoking for a new wardrobe after surgery... well, let's just

say it got easier to take... LOL!