Hotspotoutdoors

I quit cold turkey 11 years ago. was about a pack and a half a day guy.
Only had the urge real bad when I was drinking.

I bought a few cigars and would puff (I did not inhale ) on one of them "occasionally" when drinking and it got old. The farther away it got from my last ciggarette--the easier it got to forget about smoking all together.
After about 3 months I had no cravings, no cigars and i felt a lot better, like my lungs had gotten bigger or something.

Oct 4 2009 will be 6 years for me smoked for oh alot of years 2 to 3 packs a day one day I just crushed all my smokes and went to work with sunflower seeds and have quit ever science no mor dailt seeds either

This may sound terrible but start smoking to get off the chew and then quit the smokes. A joke? yes but somewhat true. I started smoking when I was 13 and quite when I was 18. then at collage (21) my roomate chewed and finally got me to start. Worst thing I ever did! I honestly believe chewing can be as hard or harder to quite than cigs. Finally quite the chew when I started smoking cigs again (hense the advise above) Between then and when I finally quite for good 10 years ago (18years) I quite 3/4 times ussually for a week or so and once for 6 months but I just kept trying and trying and finally kicked it for good. the final motivation that did it for me was my new baby girl. The only craving I get anymore are for a fine cigar after a great meal and a glass of maker mark. But all I have when threw all those years to quit I would never risk it again.

It'll be 6 years in January for me. I went cold-turkey. Just got tired of not being able to do physical things as much, the smelly clothes...the whole thing.

The main thing is that you really have to WANT to quit. I loved smoking...beers and smokes went hand-in-hand. If I wasn't drinking, I'd have maybe 3-4 cigs a day. If we were in party mode, I'd pound a pack in a night. Then, over New Year's...I just decided that I didn't want to any more.

Since that time, pretty much all of our friends have also quit, which eliminates that element of temptation too.

The cravings are always there, but it gets better. I hate to say it, but walking into a restaurant or bar now, with the no smoking laws, is really pretty nice.

When I see that a carton is going for over $50.00, I'm really glad I quit. I figure I'm saving about $500.00 a year.

Hang in there - You'll be happy you did this.

i used to smoke and chew alot and one day i just decided to through them out the window. best thing i ever did. it was hard though espically when having some beers. that was a little over 4 and a half years ago. good luck hope you stick with it.

after smoking for 16 yrs. bout pack and half a day, quit cold turkey. what did it for me was on the day before my sons third birthday he came up to me and said all he wanted for his birthday was for me to stop smoking.(I'm sure the wife had nothing to do with that one.) but i'm glad they did that. it was hard at first as you always get the cravings and it didn't help that everyone i knew and hung out with smoked but i took it one day at a time. its what you have to do. if you look at it long term it seems like its too hard and hopeless but if you take it one day at a time its more manageable. I hope you the best to kick the habit, and stay strong.

Yesterday, (09/29/09) was my 1 year mark of when I quit. I had quit before for 17 years, but started after 9/11. Feeling better and don't miss them at all. Good luck, and just get through one day at a time.

leech --- still at it and going strong?

I stumbled across this thread the other day -- I'm on day 2 of being chew free....this thread has given me a ton of motivation....especially the post about Golden Eagle non-tobacco tobacco.

Today is harder than yesterday -- hopefully tomorrow will be easier than today.

i put the chew down for a week and after having surgery, needed the "fix". the docs limited my food intake now so i guess i need to quit the chew all together. good luck and i hipe i will be posting next that i am done

I actually found some fake chew at a gas station last night (couldn't wait for the Golden Eagle stuff in the mail)...and this stuff (Smokey Mountain) is good! Not the real thing, but taste and texture are close - at least good enough to harbor the craving...
Day 3 -- here we go....

I've gotta get me some of that Golden Eagle. My wife has been getting on me to quit since we got married (4 years ago) and I've quit a couple of times ( 3 months, 4 months, and 7 months) but I keep getting back into it, either during hunting season or around fishing opener. I keep telling myself "just one can won't hurt, I'm strong enough" then it starts again.

Kind of forgot about this thread, but I made it through elk camp and am still going strong. I forgot to mention in the Golden Eagle post that I would mix half the Golden Eagle with Grizzly when I first started to quit. After a couple weeks I started mixing more Golden Eagle less Grizz until it was just Golden Eagle. I figured it was kind of my own Chantix but without all the side effects.

Keep going guys and gals, it's worth it!!!!!!

Nice job making thru camp --- I bet it was a real challenge. I keep thinking, "this isn't so bad....but know that there will be times ahead that will suck"...such as your elk hunting example.
Nice to hear you're forging ahead....

Still waiting to hear from Leech ---

Day 3 almost over for me...so far so good.

I quit for little better than 5 years and deer camp was tough and thats when i started again and just cant seem to quit again I know I need to but just cant do it. I did it cold turkey.
I guess mom was right she didnt raise a quitter I hope to prove her wrong some day.

today is day 36 for me, I chose a day two months ahead. Quit on d-day, used patch for two weeks. At two weeks I got a nasty sinus infection, I figured if I were still smoking I wouldn't smoke because I feel like carp, so i took the patch off. Haven't missed a beat. Ya, there are times that I would give my right arm for one but each day a little better.

It will be 1 year in march for me, did the chantix thing and it worked.. I've tried them all but that stuff really made smoking taste like %#@&..The night mares were something .... still have a craving once in a while,but not bad...its the hardest thing ever to kick.. good luck

I think that the first year that I quit I had sinus infections,colds about twice a month.
you guys are going to inspire me to quit again I think I need to pick a day and start NOT smoking again

Once you do quit you should NEVER EVER take another drag or chew because just a taste will get you hooked again. It has been about 10 1/2 years and the smell of a cig or cigar always smells great but I know that one taste and I would be hooked again. I learned the hard way and quit for 2 years and decided to have 1 cigar which lead to 1 cig which lead to 1 pack and it took another 5 years before I was able to quit for good.

Nicotine is a VERY ADDICTIVE drug.

Good luck to all that try and it will get easier to live without but the urge may never go away.

Ditto!!!!! it's been since the 4th of july since I had a smoke. It's a tough job but wow is it worth it, no more hacking up lungs, I have more money, and I don't stink like an ashtray!!!! Good luck to all who try to quit, read these messages for inspiration!!!!!

I quit on the 19th so this is day 3 for me. On the pill and I do not crave a smoke at all. However now that I am thinking about it I would like to have one because I N Joyed the taste as well at the addiction I guess. Just think, we have already saved over 15 bucks since Thursday. Good luck one and all!!! Take care and N Joy the Hunt././Jimbo

Keep on saving buddy! Don't listen to the devil on your shoulder! It helped me to take walks/jogs when I first quit, took my mind off smoking and put it on being healthy.

yup as silly as it can be, that commercial about the incentive to save $ is true. Amazing after almost 7 weeks, closing in on almost $300 saved

I tried quitting about a dozen times like many of you on here.
One day about two weeks b4 getting married I quit cold turkey.
Nothing since. No cheating. That would only get me started again. No Swisher Sweets on fishing opener. There again I didn't think that would work for me in my quitting challenge. This was 20 years ago. Haven't looked back. I had the three day hump, three week hump and 3 month hump. Those days were very tough as I recall. After 6 months the cravings weren't very bad. After a year I was at the point of being very turned off at the smell of cigs. Couldn't stand it. I am better now with toleration but really want no part of being around it. Had to make sure of being careful at the bar scene back then. The beers and being around it back then in the bars when smoking was prolific was hard. Now that there is no smoking in the bars here in MN, that would be better/easier. But, avoid the social scene for a bit to get you over those initial humps I believe will help.

Now, fast forward to the last year & 1/2 and seeing the FIL going through throat and tongue cancer attributed to nearly 50 years of 2-3 packs a day cig smoking and that life he is living now is not for anyone. Chemo, radiation, etc., etc. and now no eating real food (all thru a tube) it just reinforces my decision to quit. Can't go very far because of the tube feeding which means no fishing trips any longer. Deer camp is over. Anything taking some hours that you used to do is now out because of cancer resulting regiment. Anytime you need a refresh of why you quit just let me know. We will take a visit there. So far he is still with us. But, it will just be a matter of time. Quality of life in the meantime is not very good.

The other thing 20 years ago besides thinking about what my future bride would have to live with if I had continued smoking was that she had lived that while at home for too many years already. So doing it for the kids is a good reason to stop as well. Primarily you need to do it for yourself. We can sit here until we are blue in the face preaching to ya things you already know. But, you have to decide for yourself to want to quit. Use all the tools you can to get there if need be. Cold turkey was for me and worked.

The cost factor on so many levels is mind boggling. The health cannot be measured. If you wish to put a dollar value on it take the monthly cost you are at now and plug it into a amortization schedule based on your current age to let's say age 65 using a reasonable interest rate of return. If that isn't enough please read above.

Leech, you are on your way. Congratulations. Keep it up.

Elwood, make that date now!

One of the, if not thee, best decision you can make.

WG

Think of smoking as a relationship with a girlfriend that that went sour. Initially you are infatuated with her and over time she starts to stink and not appear to be so good. She doesn't treat you like she used to and the romance is gone. When that happens it is time to get rid of her. Smoking works in the same way a relationship works at least a bad one. Once you quit you need to develop primary relationships in your life with positive people and activities to replace your habit. You need to replace that relationship. It is hard to do because your smokes are reliable and always there for you. They give a result that you can count on every time. So you have to break this cycle. This post is part of breaking the tie that binds someone to cigarettes. It is an online support group-at least that is how I see it. I have not smoked, drank or done other things that Willy did for almost almost seven years. It took me 17 years and numerous times to get it right. I would not change a thing about quiting. So hang in there it only gets better the world becomes clearer-you need to develop relationships that support your choice.

Break a pencil in half and use that to keep your hand busy when you are going through cravings.

Stay away from places or people that do not support you.

Develop new friends and contacts

There are many self help books that address these issues take a look and shorten the learning curve to stop. Reading a book about addiction is like hiring a quide to catch fish. It can help you learn some of the things that work and lessen the struggle and the pain associated when you stop any type of addictive behavior.

Remember to keep an eye on replacement addictions such as exercise or less severe drugs, caffiene. Remember that to much of anything is a problem. So keep balance in mind when looking at your replacement behaviors.

Stay strong and remember that addiction to anything is not about weakness it is about a pattern of behavior that needs to be broken.

today is day 50 for me if my count is right. I hate to throw out the ol' "if I can do it anyone can" but everything i did revolved around cigs, once you break the habit and break the habits with it, its down hill. That said, today, right now I would have one in each hand and smoke them down, these moments pass quickly and are becoming farther and farther apart.