Take it one day at a time. If you have already made up your mind, don't let anything stop you from doing it. I don't smoke, but I lived with a smoker, and I had the scent of the cigarretes on my clothes and on my hair, so some people that knew me through that I was a smoker. I wish the best and if that's your goal, do it.

Thank you, Delightful! I still don't get how you can be so damned strong to stick to only 3 a day.
My girl told me her dad quit in the meantime too -his diabetics is getting real bad- and he smokes 1 in the evening.
I couldn't do that either. I'd use it as an excuse to have on in the morning, then another one, hahaha. And then before I know it it's full on again.
So you can really be proud of yourself! I think it's quite the feat.

Thank you, Slim! The idea is certainly to hang in there!

Thank you, Diva!
Yes, the smell isn't pleasant. Neither is being short of breath, hihi. It's mostly my health that made me quit again.
And I sure as heck will do my best to keep going this time! (Last year I lost it after some 4-6 months).

A week and a half in, and I do find it difficult at times. I have cheated a few times with the crumbs of tobacco I still had, hihi.
But still going, 275 cigs not smoked so far, possibly more as I did smoke a lot in the end.

Going away without tobacco isn't an issue, not even when I go see my son for instance. It's other moments. When I'm tired/sleepy, after dinner, after lunch.
But I still have the intention strong. And I have nothing left to cheat with anymore either. It now comes to distracting myself and overcoming these difficult moments.
And think of my health, how much better my lungs feel now, and think of the money I'm saving.

Well done so far Crystal. I’m proud of your achievement!

You got this girl…keep going!

Nice to hear you keeping up your resolution... I think your will power will increase as the days go by , as you start feeling better with your self !!! Keep up the good work !!!

Thanks, Delightful and Slim!

You do NOT want to use those AND smoke -very dangerous (unless there is a tapering plan that comes with the nicotine). If you find you are just doubling your nicotine and not quitting, you may not want to quit badly enough.

Well... I decided to quit smoking again. Managed for a week, with patches, then Easter weekend I so wanted to smoke that I lost it :/

But... last Friday I was fed up with it, it didn't taste good. I had 2 cigs in the morning, I think I extinguished the 2nd halfway through, put on a patch and haven't smoked since.
Friday was difficult, Saturday morning I was tempted to smoke 1 or 2 before putting the patch on, but decided against it.
I was okay, not the struggle all day long I'd had Friday.

Today didn't even consider smoking before the patch, I just put it on, at first even forgot as I was talking to my mother.
I had 1 moment today, when I got in my car after a 2 hour Temple event. First thing I thought was, "YESSS! Now I want my smoke!!"
Then recalled I'd quit, haha.

So far so good, but I know from last time that it's going to take long for this dammed addiction to slowly get less. And realise that it may always linger in the background.
After all they say, once addicted, always addicted.

Nevertheless, hoping I'm going to succeed this time!
What helps me to keep going at the mo is this gorgeous red dress that I want to have. So if I manage to not smoke I'm going to buy that beauty with the money I've saved!

Hope you succeed this time Crystal!
I tried the lozenges about 10 years ago, they worked good for the nicotine cravings and the habit, they jumped way up in price and then they disappeared , I don't know how available they are now. Hopefully the patches will work for the nicotine, but I've found the habit part stays with you way longer than the cravings.
Here's a crazy thought... Try swishing a crystal around in mouth to deal with the habit craving???

Thank you, Mike!
And yes, the patches help with nicotine and weaning yourself off of it, but then there's the rest...
That tripped me up last time too, I had no idea really that it'd be like that. It truly is an addiction.
It took me by surprise as I've quit before when I was 31-ish and I didn't have any problems then whatsoever. Nothing. I was fed up with it and just quit. Just cold turkey, no aids. But I didn't have any cravings really, didn't gain weight, didn't eat more. Didn't smoke for 3 years.
Because I had no problems then I hadn't expected to have any now either, but things seem different now, haha.

A crystal in the mouth doesn't seem very safe. I have been told years ago that it could help to take some water in the mouth, swish it around for a bit and spit it out again. That's supposed to help with the oral craving/habit part.
I may give that a try at some point. For now the pencil smoking is okay.

And the lozenges you mentions are like sore-throat sweets? (I had to Google it).
I tend to always have something like small mints or chewing gum. I think that also has to do with this oral personality thing that smoking ties into as well.

Anywho... hoping I succeed! For now both the pencil and the idea of the dress I want help!
And... it's been 3 days now, so the inflammation in the lungs will begin to disappear, lungs begin their healing, the cilia will begin to grow back etc. etc.
Having reached that phase now fills me with joy!!
Soon there'll be no more wheezing and coughing!

Just do it for the grand kid .... that's is one strong motivation !!!

That was indeed the main reason, the 2nd big one. The 1st was my own health as it was giving me more and more trouble and discomfort.
But my soon to be born grandchild sure as heck played a role in it too!

10 days without smoking. So far so good.
Sometimes I have a difficult moment, just briefly.
Not missing smoking, the inhaling & nicotine etc, but it's more about that nice moment for me. Or when I've finished something, sitting down with a smoke.
Or when it's nice weather enjoying a cig outdoors.
Those moments of enjoying a cig.
That's what I occasionally miss. But brief moments only. Yesterday I was almost tempted to smoke, but decided against it.
Just smelling the tobacco itself is gross, yuk!

The coughing & wheezing has gone, breather is easier, and since about 2 days I don't wake up with that horrible 'smoker's taste' in my mouth anymore.
Took a while as your lungs have to clean themselves of a lot of yuk first.
But slowly getting there.

It is different from when I quit in 2021. Then I found it increasingly difficult after about 4 months. Then I missed the smoking itself, inhaling smoke and filling my lungs with it.
I don't have that this time, not yet anyways.
Now it's more like "I can't believe I've done that for so many years!!! It's gross!"

As each day goes by you will miss it less and less. It will get to the point where you will wonder why you ever did smoke. Good job Crystal!

Thank you for the support, Poetry!

This one thing they say when you no longer smoke: you don't get ill, don't get colds so easily, and recover faster from it.

I never bought into that nonsense as I was a heavy smoker and never was ill, and if I had a cold it was always mild and I never felt ill because of it and recovered fast. All in all my health and immune system where really strong!!
I was even certain smoking got me through the pandemic, which is why I didn't really attempt to quit during.
If smoking kills good things it also kills bad things. Even a GP I had agreed with that.
I'll never forget how ill I was when I quit smoking some 25 yrs ago. One sinus infection after the other that didn't heal for months on end. I've rarely needed so much antibiotics in my life!

And now that I've quit for 11 days... I got a cold sore, a bit of a cold, somewhat swollen glands in my throat, dammit.
Almost makes you think it's better to smoke again, hihi.

Not going to do that though. I've already grown fond of me, my clothes, my house not smelling anymore, and breathing better.

2 weeks smoke-free! Today is the 15th day :)

To add to that... I like to set a goal, a dream thing that I can buy with the money that I didn´t blow up in smoke, hihi.
Last time it was going to Scotland, which I still want, but a smaller, easier goal was a red dress with very wide skirt to wear to the upcoming Beltane event.

I found one and ordered it.
But... the top part was too short so I had to send it back. Got my money back and I was looking for another red dress, or skirt. Couldn't find anything in the desired style?! Clearly red is not a fashion colour this year.

Then 2 days ago I saw a gypsy skirt, full circle, in the same shop as where I´d bought the dress? Either I had missed that before or it wasn't online in that colour at the time.
In any case, I thought about it for a few days, and then bought it last night :D
It should arrive tomorrow!! Hope that it is going to fit properly!

I have noticed it helps me to stay smoke-free when I have set such goals in the not too far future. Nice rewards.
I don't intend to keep doing that, I do want to save the money for a Scottish holiday. But for now this helped me stay the course!!