Giving up smoking

[keekeesaurus]

I'm planning on giving up the evil weed as soon as the has arrived and departed. Part of me is quite excited by this as I feel proactive and I know I will feel a hell of a lot better for it. But part of me is dreading it. I have some rancid NicQuiTin minis left over from the last time I tried and an equally rancid inhalator but I was wondering if any of you gals have been through the giving up hell and how you did it and if you have any tips? I've given up before and did the cold turkey thing but I had motivation in that I wanted to run the Race For Life without dying. I know TTC should be a massive motivation but it's so stressful that I can't get my head around it.

Thanks in advance ladies!

I'm smoking a roll up while I'm typing this . God help me.

 

[dachsundmom]

I quit for a long time and picked the habit up again....

First it started only during AF, then it became only until a confirmed OV, and finally it was every morning....

I am back on the gum bc that's the only thing that worked for me...

I have used...Zoloft, Chantix, the patch, the inhaler, lozenges, and countless other methods.

I hate to say and you already know this...quitting sucks.

 

[sarahincanada]

have either of you considered laser therapy? we just started it at our spa....its 2 sessions and really gets people over that horrible first week or so.

Ive never smoked as my dad got emphysema and I saw what it did to him. however I am addicted to junk food (mainly chocolate ) and have not been able to quit even though I know losing weight would be good for TTCing (need to lose 25 lbs to be in normal weight catagory). its a vicious cycle as the TTC makes you depressed so you want more of whatever you are addicted to

 

[keekeesaurus]

Ain't that the truth . ....what's the laser therapy all about? I've never heard of laser therapy for giving up smoking and am intrigued. I'm willing to give anything a go. I'm the same with junk food. And chocolate. And salted nuts. And crisps.

Dmom, I also gave up for a long time and then took it up again two years ago during a very drunken night (I'd just been dumped.) OH smokes too so that's going to make things doubly difficult. Although a friend of mine said she gave up while her OH still smoked and every time he had one she'd think 'well, there's another one I haven't had.' Crazy plan but it might just work.
I haven't tried the patches or the gum or the meds so I guess there are already options I haven't explored. Quitting does suck . I'm thinking I also need a lifestyle overhaul.

Thanks girls!

 

[crystal443]

I used Champix, it didn't work really great but it was enough that the cravings were bearable. I did not want to quit though...I enjoyed smoking and it really did help me destress but I knew if we were going to seriously start TTC again I'd have too. I still miss it in some ways...I have been tempted to have one every now and then but I can't do that I'm one of those people that if I have one I'll want the whole pack,lol. I didn't try the gum or anything and everytime I had a craving I'd do something to keep myself busy so I wouldn't think about it. Thankfully DH has never smoked which made it so much easier to quit

 

[sarahincanada]

.what's the laser therapy all about? I've never heard of laser therapy for giving up smoking and am intrigued.

over here its called 'low level laser therapy' ....try and google it over there! its a laser that triggers acupuncture points ( mainly in the ear) to take away cravings and withdrawals. the person needs to want to quit and prepared to change habits, but its supposed to help. not sure if its in the uk though if you've not heard of it.

 

[Natsby]

If you or the father smoke whilst TTC your child has a higher chance of asthma and leukemia. If that isn´t enough to stop you think about your wrinkles! or did I get that the wrong way round?

I have mentioned hypnosis on here a lot of times, I really like it and think it works well. There are lots of MP3s you can buy and listen to when you want to. I like www.hypnosisdownloads.com ( mainly because he has a nice Scottish accent.) I know they do one to help quit smoking.
Good luck

 

[chattyB]

I can vouch for hypnosis .... Well I could! I gave up in Jan this year, walked in a smoker (after chain smoking my last 3 cigs whilst waiting in the car B4 appt) and came out a non-smoker! The thought/smell of ciggies turned my stomach. I stupidly started smoking again in August after a drunken night out . I'll give up again but this time I'll be stealing way clear of alcohol too.

Good luck - its difficult at first but it does get better!

 

[peacebaby]

If you or the father smoke whilst TTC your child has a higher chance of asthma and leukemia.

Just to add to the terror, the Zita West book says "women who smoke take longer to conceive and have an earlier menopause" and men who smoke "have an increase in abnormal sperm and offspring with congenital abnormalities (because of higher lead concentrations)."

I used this to scare DH last night, he went back to the habit a few months ago after more than 10yrs. Well it worked for all of ten minutes before he snuck out for another. Was thinking of asking my acupuncture lady if a few sessions might help him and will try the hypnosis download.

My addictions are a morning coffee (have been trying to weaken it though), choccies and cakes

 

[Indigo77]

Have you tried ecigs?

 

[Natsby]

Ha ha I misread that and thought Indigo was asking Peacebaby if she had thought of smoking instead of coffee and cake!

 

[peacebaby]

Have you tried ecigs?

for a moment I thought I was reading that wrong but a quick google showed they actually exist!

not so sure they're avail in the EU though, plus wiki says there are health concerns: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_cigarette

DH smokes "American spirit" and claims they're chemical free Is this true, ladies from that side of the pond?

hope you're well indigo

 

[dachsundmom]

PB...they are additive free, but not chemical free, as in you still inhale the chemical compunds found in any tobacco product.

 

[alison29]

D mom I quit and picked the habit up again too. Gawd so stupid of me. It is really a crutch for anxiety for me.

 

[dachsundmom]

I picked it up one morning over the summer...it was raining and I was the only one awake, so I sat on the back porch and had a cigarette.

 

[peacebaby]

that's what I thought Dmom, and his clothes have that ciggy smell when he's had a puff. Haha I think he has classic smoker's delusion! Well, I'm going to put that straight now that you've confirmed it.

the fertility effects scare me no end and I just want him to stop but to convince him I realise I'll have to let my addictions go too and that's a whole other battle!

 

[Milty]

I've never smoked but I have had plenty of friends who did.

Anyway, in Japan ...well actually several Asian countries we use a different kind of product to quit. Basically it looks like putting your cig into a filter and it actually is a kind of filter. How it works is it filters out very small amounts of nicotine so your body does not get as upset that you are getting less. There are 30, 60 and 90 sets. Say you go with the 60 day program you use a new filter thing each day in the right order. Each day it filters out more and more nicotine. This allows for the gradual reduction of nicotine levels in your body and less withdraw symptoms. At the end, smoking does not do much for you anymore and you don't have withdraw symptoms.

 

[Sewergrrl]

A lot of people recommend Alan Carr's quit smoking book, but I don't recall the title offhand. I'm sure you can find it on Amazon.

I cut back right after I found out I was pregnant then just went cold turkey out of frustration. The smell was nauseating to me, so it made it a necessity. It wasn't easy, but I had a lot of motivation (feeling her kick right now ). I knew if I went on to other methods to quit that they are potenitally just as addiciting as cigarettes themselves. They can work well for people and I probably would have tried one of those had I had more time to do so.

While I'm not advocating smoking while TTC or pregnant, when I went for my genetic testing and told the counselor I quit at week 6, she said that quitting is great anytime, but it's ideal to do it before week 12. Risks to the baby are much less if you can quit early in the pregnancy. Don't beat yourself up if you cannot quit before you conceive (but of course try!). You know that will only lead to stress and for most smokers, that stress leads to more smoking. Make a plan and try to stick with it. You can do it if you want to.

 

[keekeesaurus]

You're right SG, I need a plan other than 'when I've done this pouch of tobacco I'm not getting any more.' It's American Spirit btw lol.

It's not just the TTC thing, I feel crap all the time and tired and have a terrible cough - all down to the smokes. So feeling healthier is going to be my biggest motivator. That and the yellow fingers. Since I started on rollies they're fookin luminous. Not to mention the wrinkles. And the smell.
A while ago me and OH went to Egypt and they had a smoking room at the airport which we thought was a bonus. But everybody in there just had that awful smokers look and I thought 'blimey, I'm going to look like that soon'. That kind of put me off. But not enough it seems .

I might give the ecigs a go, they do cherry flavour - yum!

 

[Sewergrrl]

Good luck!!! It's hard, but is so worth it...and you're worth it too.