I quit smoking on July 1st, after a rather scary heart attack. I am really jonesing for a smoke right now, and I can't do candy or snacks on my new (ugh)diet! So I am asking... Any other quitters? How'd you do it?

If this is too far OT, Board Bosses,just delete it.

Can you eat a carrot stick?
I've heard they're somewhat effective...

No personal experience here, though. I snuck a few smokes when I was a TBM teen, but never much liked it.

Good luck!

OK, it just clicked for me! In the Twin Peaks series, the character named Benjamin Horne is a cigar smoking, wheeling, dealing bad guy. Later in the series he turns "good" after a mental breakdown and is always pulling a carrot out of his jacket pocket and eating it, offering a carrot to others, etc. No more cigars.

I alway wondered, why carrots? You just solved the riddle for me! The carrot fix is probably just what David Lynch was thinking. Thanks for that :)

My mom was also forced to quit for similar reasons. After about a month, she didn't miss it. Hang in there! I am rooting for you.

I went thru a bunch of sugarless gum and denta-stix. You may also feel a little "lost" now and then if that makes sense...you spent a lot of time smoking and you now have it back!

After quitting though, I know part of the jonesing is the oral fixation of smoking combined with the chemical craving. Maybe you could try drinking a glass of water or I've heard grapefruit juice is supposed to help. Go clean something or organize, go for a walk, do a mini workout like sit-ups, crunches, jumping jacks (if you're allowed right now), just find something to occupy yourself until the craving is slows down.

What kinds of crunchy fruits and veg can you have? You could cut up a bunch of celery sticks, bell peppers, carrots, apples (you core them, then slice, and wrap some plastic wrap or a rubber band to keep them from oxidizing, it's work for up to 4 days for me with Pink Ladies!), jicama, and eat with a healthier dressing or just some lemon juice and EVOO.

Good luck! It WILL get better, it just takes a few weeks for the worst of the jonesing to dissipate! You're not shameless, you fighting the pleasure centers of you brain that are convinced that you need the cigs to survive.

Sugar free 'cough' drops do great: Try 'Halls'; or 'Ricola-sugar free triple soothing action' with 'Green Tea with Echinaea' Cough Suppressant-Throat Drops.

Drug stores have a nice variety of these to choose from---all, of course, are over-the-counter (no prescription needed).

Good luck!

Oh yes, keeping something in your fingers to satisfy the 'need to hold something' syndrome, also helps (like, for instance, a pencil or pen).

PS: I have never been a smoker, but my poor father-in-law suffered from this problem. He took up reading an encyclopedia, as he said he "couldn't quit"--even after he lost one leg due to this awful habit.

My brother, who was an alcoholic and a smoker, said that cigarettes were by far the harder bad habit to quit. He finally quit--but not before the habit cost him a leg (even as it did my father-in-law).

IMO: People who work for tobacco companies--and the companies themselves--ought to be ashamed of themselves.

teach yourself self-hypnosis. Lots of books and online resources.

I smoked 2 packs a day plus pipe and occasional cigars for 12 years. I learned self-hypnosis from a book to help with graduate studies. On a whim decided to see if it could help me stop smoking. I put myself "under" and half an hour later threw out my cigarettes. That was several decades ago. since then I have never had the urge to smoke. I sometimes dream that I am smoking again, but it is always like a nightmare.

Try it -- you have nothing to lose.

MAy I ask how old you are?

Good luck to you!

I am 63, Kathleen. Big problem I have is bad teeth, I can't do crunchy things like carrots or any raw veggies... or cookies or chips... or gum.

I always used to have a cigarette first thing when I woke up every day. I considered it a nice way to start the day and all that. The thought that I was killing myself did not sit heavy on me at all, to tell you the truth; I blew it off. I always gave a mental shrug and thought, Who wants to live forever anyway?

So, one heart attack later, I guess I better find a way to fight this craving. I'm pretty sure that all the nicotine should be out of my system after three weeks, so I'm sure "the patch" wouldn't help. But the psychological jonesing just won't quit. One thing I can tell you is that the more I want a cigarette, the more determined I get to not slip and not fail. I'm a stubborn old broad… and the harder something gets, the stubborner I get!

I wish they still made candy cigarettes…

When I was at the stage you are now I remember taking deep, deep breaths of air. Breathing in, then exhaling slowly, filling up my lungs with fresh air in place of smoke.

You're doing the best thing you can do right now for yourself. Health is important. The best time to quit smoking is right now. So it's never too late to stop.

Don't give up, and don't give in! :)

I started smoking at 16, it was the "sophisticated" thing to do way back then in the 1950's. Like you I always thought having a cigarette was a great way to start the day and never gave any thought to the health risks involved...until I was two months shy of my 70th birthday and had a bit of a health scare. I have now been totally cigarette free for seven years and the health and financial benefits have been wonderful.

I initially started off with patches but had to give them up after ten days when I developed an allergy to them, but the two things that helped me the most were Sheer bloody determination to quit and a no longer extant online support group. The mantra of this support group was - NOPE! Not One Puff Ever!

Every time I had a craving for a cigarette, I would say Nope, not one puff ever and after about three weeks the cravings disappeared before I had finished saying (or thinking) this little mantra.

By three weeks of non smoking all of the nicotine is out of your system, and then what you are up against is the psychological addiction which becomes less and less with every cigarette free day.

So hang in there - it DOES become easier, but googling and joining an on line quit smoking support group will help immensely just like exmormon.org/phorum helps people to recover from Mormonism.

I forgot to tell you this the other day- What about frozen fruits like blueberries, strawberries, raspberries? You pop one in your mouth and as it warms up it's soft and squishy.

I was an irritable @$$hole for six months, and the incentive to quit was a relationship that ended, but I stay stopped.

I put on a lot of weight, not right away, but eventually... The good news is, most of it's gone (on the order of 60 lbs.), courtesy of a fantastic doctor and a health scare of my own (early stage Type II diabetes).

Go slow; what helped me were some "meditation/relaxation techniques" and the suggestion you "take a passive attitude" toward most aspects of your life for as long as possible.

I'm in my 60's now, 27 years nicotine freed, and sadly, a lot of my incentive came from watching friends die (many a dozen or more years younger than I am now). Cancer does cure smoking...

Cabbie, darling, don't feel bad. I've been an irritable @$$hole all my life.

It wouldn't be so bad if my "cardiac diet" wasn't so tasteless and blah. No salt, no fat, no caffeine, no macaroni and cheese which has ALWAYS been my #1 comfort food. I've already lost 6 pounds.

Yup, I'm sorry. I've been using a pseudonym because I'm hiding from someone.

I apologize.

But I really did have a heart attack and quit smoking...

I was able to quit when I went back to church and committed my life to God.

Was a Mormon then. Have been through various denominations since leaving Mormonism, and still have no desire to take up smoking again.

It was hard at first. Be patient with yourself. It is a PHYSICAL addiction, like a BALL AND CHAIN. That's why it is so hard to stop. Doesn't mean you can't or you shouldn't.

The addiction will wane the longer you're off of it, like a hard drug. You're still going through withdrawal.

If you have triggers that make you long for one, like having a cup of coffee or a beer (as in can't imagine having one without a smoke,) don't do the triggers. Avoid places where there are smokers. You don't need temptation staring back at you.

These days I cannot be around cigarette smoke, as it's a trigger for asthma and makes me feel nauseous. I've had weakened lungs for the past ten years, even though it's been 40 years since I stopped smoking. Growing up in second hand smoke didn't help either. Three out of four of my siblings have respiratory problems, and none of us smoke. Our parents were smokers when they weren't active TBM.

Dad was able to quit along with my step-mom. They went cold turkey. It added to his life-span I'm convinced by a good 15-20 years.

My mom couldn't give it up, and it contributed to an early demise for her, like her father before her. He died at 62 from smoking. She went at 67.

If you have quit since July 1, that's been more than three weeks. You are breaking the addiction! Don't give up now!

My sister, a life long smoker, took up knitting/crocheting to give her fingers/hands something to do. She does socks, purses, etc.. She learned the craft in mutual as a teenager. She claims it's the only positive thing she got from being raised in the cult.

She avoids people / situations that are toxic. She focus's her attention on having fun and laughing, (deep breathing) and light exercise like walking or swimming.

Re: 'I wish they still made candy cigarettes'.

Polly: You're in luck--they do! Try 'City Walk', in Los Angeles (a fun place to go).

Also, try candy stores in general (if you don't live near L.A.).

Again, it's not 'you' that should be ashamed, Amyjo,--it is the creeps that make the stuff so habit-forming, on purpose! They appear not to have a conscience.

Best Wishes on winning over their evil-selves.

You're right, Pollythink about that. The addictiveness levels has increased by tobacco makers over the past decades too, by increasing tars and nicotines & other chemicals to make it harder for someone to quit.

It should be criminal what tobacco makers do to hook people for life. One of my old now long deceased boyfriends worked for Philip Morris/Nabisco. He told me the secrets that goes on within its walls are carried to their graves. He likened it to the "Code of Omerta" silence.

Note that if you have a moment of weakness, don't panic. You haven't lost the battle.

Keep on going cold turkey until you've got it out of your system.

When I finally was able to quit I'd cut down to one cigarette a month for about three months. And that was when I was drinking a beer sitting in a bar.

Well, I kicked the beer habit too. My point is that the beer triggered the desire for a smoke.

Plus, going back to church got me out of the bar. I credited God with taking away my desire for both alcohol and tobacco.

Stopping smoking is the best thing you can do for your health. I know you know that, just here to reassure you you're doing the right thing. :)

Thank you, all, for being so encouraging! I keep reminding myself what a stubborn old woman I am, but I think positive thoughts and messages help even more. My husband is weaning himself off of cigarettes, and doesn't smoke around me. He goes out to the garage or walks the dog when he wants to smoke.:-)

Thanks again, everyone, it means a lot to me.

Congratulations! You've passed the worst part and the desire will diminish further as time goes by. Drink water, enjoy new smells and tastes that become evident, and expect to find that the smell of burning tobacco offends you within a year or two.

Well, that was my experience. Good luck.

I used nicotine chewing gum about 5 years ago, after smoking for 36 years.

It worked. The only thing is, I'm still addicted - but to nicotine chewing gum. I consider this less than ideal, but better than screwing up my lungs any more.

Tom in Paris

Remember, the urge to light up will go away whether you smoke or just ignore it, either way it will go away.

Hang in there.

Shummy dear one,

All things considered, the urge to light up and then doing so does how exactly diminish the addiction for tobacco by feeding it?

It's a toxic, highly addictive drug. Or drugs rather.

"Cigarette smoke contains over 4,000 chemicals, including 43 known cancer-causing (carcinogenic) compounds and 400 other toxins. These include nicotine, tar, and carbon monoxide, as well as formaldehyde, ammonia, hydrogen cya-nide, arsenic, and DDT. Nicotine is highly addictive.

What's In a Cigarette, 599 Ingredients in a Cigarette
www.quitsmokingsupport.com/whatsinit.htm

When my 21 year grandson came in and confessed to being suicidal, and had quit smoking three weeks previous, I gave him money and told him to go buy cigarettes and beer. I know he will feel better soon and conquer his demons, but right now, he just needed to relax. I'm not the TBM I used to be. Also not sure if I did the right thing. I just love him so much, you know, and he was suffering. I believe he'll quit again, successfully. You have to be in a good place emotionally to quit though. You don't try to wean a baby when he's sick. You can't learn stuff when you're upset. Maslow and all.

I'd like to confirm the posters who talked about the three/four week point. This can be a bit of a pivot point for a quitter: most of the addictive toxins have been purged from the body, but for some people, the psychological aspects of the habit reawaken.

What you're going through, Doxie, is really psychological, SO HANG IN THERE!! You're more successful than you think (or feel) you are.

The substitutes and gimmicks people suggest are all very individual. Give them a try. One or two might just help you. Here are mine:

*prayer and/or meditation (Fighting the habit helped me reconnect with God.)
*fresh fruit (for you, soft things. How about nibbling on a package of blueberries or strawberries, one at a time?
Concentrate very consciously on the flavor.)
*Call and/or text people
*Print out this thread and re-read it.
*Constantly remind yourself: "I'M BEATING THIS FILTHY HABIT--I REALLY AM!!!!"

What kept me sane and off cigarettes was Tootsie Pops. I kept a supply with me at all times. I started smoking back in the 50s, when it was cool. Actors in "doctor coats" on TV advertising Kent for their patients, because it is "mild." A real, actual doctor advised a neighbor of ours to "take up smoking because it will help settle your nerves."

I "tried" to quit a couple of times, with gum and with the patches, but I was allergic to the adhesive on the patches, so I ended up looking like a burn victim from neck to waist and shoulder to elbow, and I couldn't stand the gum.

Developed COPD but kept smoking. I smoked when my grandkids were at my house, but always in a different room, and told myself that was ok. Same thing in the car with the window down part way. Then--my cousin and his wife (both smokers) tried to adopt a baby. They were in their 40s, but the birth mother chose them. Problem: the adoption agency would not allow a baby to go to smokers. So they both quit. Cold turkey. Which woke me up. I asked myself, "Do Mike and Nikki love a baby they have not even met more than I love my grandchildren? Answer: no, not possible. Solution: Stop smoking and do it now. Cold turkey, no excuses. None of this whining around about how "I tried, but I just couldn't." You will never quit if you say you're going to "try to quit.' You have to tell yourself that you're going to quit. Period. I took the cigarettes I had, broke them all in half and dumped them into the dumpster at the apartment complex where I lived. I ate a lot and cried a lot and cussed a lot. A couple of times, I took a hit off the cigarette of a friend who smoked, but it was one hit, or two hits, once a week or so for a month. Then never again. But man oh man, you never saw me without a Tootsie pop in my mouth! When the urge hit me really badly I just said, "If Mike and Nikki can both quit cold turkey for a kid they didn't even know yet, I can quit for children I love." Sometimes I write it: "Why is having a cigarette right now more important to me than anything else? What's going on in my mind? Do I really want to spend that much money on something that may be killing me and may cause the people I love to get sick? No? Then get it out of your mind! Take a shower! Take a walk! Eat an orange! Cry a little. Do what you have to do but do NOT smoke!"

And here's the truth: it was easier than I had thought it would be. No, it was not easy. One time I was at the store, and the checkout kid asked me if I wanted paper or plastic and I slammed my fist down and yelled, "I don't give a damn! I just want a bag that I can carry these damn groceries in!" then I felt so bad that I started to cry, and said, "I'm so sorry! I quit smoking, and I'm having a hard time." Everybody laughed and said, "Hang in there. You'll make it."

And I did. And that was June 5, 2004. But I got lung cancer anyway, and here's the irony: the type of cancer I got was NOT CAUSED BY SMOKING. In fact, it was operable. The problem was: I had smoked so much for so long that my lung capacity is now down to like 40%, so they can't take out part of either lung. I did have radiation and it did help. That cancer spot is now just scar tissue. But cancer is devious, and it will be back. I have to have cat scans every 3 months for the rest of my life--which could be a year--or less---or more, if I'm lucky,

QUIT. Don't make excuses for yourself. Don't say, "It's too hard! I can't do it! Yes, you can, but not if you say, "I'm going to try to quit," because by saying that, you are giving yourself an excuse to fail. Say, "I'm quitting." Then just do it.

I worked with another nurse years ago that used an incentive spirometer when she decided to quit. It's that breathing exercise thing they give you after a surgery. It worked great for her. It gives you the whole something in the hand put it in the mouth and inhale experience. But instead of damaging it exercises your lungs. If you don't have one Amazon has it for about 8$.

I can only speak for myself and what worked for me. My best friend was a three pack a day smoker and I was catching up to him smoking sometime 2 or more packs a day. His doctor prescribed the 3 month patch program for him and he was successful. I decided to follow suit , and found my company's insurance supposedly paid 100% on the patches. As I was finishing month one ( of the three) , I found out they only covered one month. I was not best pleased as my bosses at work were the ones pressuring me to take the patches. That finished it for me, I decided at that point to go cold turkey and just stop the patches and smoking all together, and I was successful. I understand one should not take one's self off the patches without doctor approval, I did anyway. I was sick for the first few days but I never smoked again and more importantly never had the desire to , unlike the many times when I'd quit and then go back because the desire was still there. I know the patch system has worked for others. I have been off the cigarettes for 22 years now. It might be something that would work for you, but by all means consult your doctor.

I am on my 7th week of my quit. That is 7 weeks totally nicotine free. Mediation is helping as is having a thought block. Every time I get a craving as soon as it starts I start saying "Not one. Not ever."

Good luck D. I want this to be my last quit.

What's kept me from smoking is knowing an industry is willing to to destroy my heart and lungs just to get $6 from me. And then another $6...

Think of it like the Mormon church grabbing your soul just for your money.

female you could have your boyfriend wear a nicotine patch and then fellate him. It gives your mouth something to do and if your coach him to a happy ending you'll get a liquid rush of residual nicotine.