One month in..4 torturous weeks ago we pledged our alliegence to give up!!
How is everyone doing?????????????
There have been a few empty seats around the 'Giving up smoking' support group's circle, so come out,come out where ever you all are!!! :p

And the Non smokers looking in and checking on our progress,thanks :D and keep up your support!! From recent threads you'll notice a lot of the 'Givver upperers' have had a hard time with other personal problems so I for one appreciate what a doubly hard time its been for them!

So......where is and how is everyone??..Role call:

Im ere! And yes im hanging my head in shame! I havnt stopped, still smoking BUT have cut down! And WILL eventually STOP :)

phew!!!
Just Lou is doing sooooo well I was a bit scared to reveal my smoking status lol!!! So yep Im standing in the 'Naughty corner' with you Michelle :D

Im still swimming in that Egyptian river ;) ;)
Cutting down and not giving up totally....But like you still aiming to get there eventually!!
Im going to try to be a bit more firm with myself for February.
Ive managed to go some days without a cigarette...but must admit the days I have one or two are begining to outnumber the days I have none..so I think Im slipping down hill a bit :(

Have not yet managed a Friday or saturday night out without one yet :( thats my ultimate test.
Have had two today already :( :(

Dont worry you pair :-D You will quit when your times right :-) My time was never right, and thats why now i've managed 5 weeks i wont ever go back to the filthy dirty habit :-) I am so proud of myself.....and i thank Olivia, Ali (Balibee) and everyone else for there continued support :-)

You can :-) and You will do it!

STill not had a single cig...but inhalled lots of other peoples whilst out for a drink :rolleyes:
I must say it is now getting harder and the cravings more frequent..

Yayyyyyy!!!!! :D
Kerry and Pam our success stories so far!!!!!! verrrrry proud of you both (if not a tad envious!! ;) )

Ive found the 'go off and do something else for 10 mins' rule works, Ive also found brushing my teeth at each craving helps as I dont want to lose that nice fresh mouth feel :D

I also found that when in the company of other smokers (always the worst temptation to cave in and just have 'the one'..that leads to 10!!!) I tell my friends that they are not to offer me one but agree that if I want one I have to go into their handbags to get them, so everyone has to keep their packs off the table..... the embarrassment I feel at rummaging around desperately in my friends private property soon puts me off!

The elastic band twang trick given to me by my neighbours 7yr old (nose picking!) son...didnt work (nor for him either I notice!!! ick!!)

Still think I will resort to Hypnotherapy! bought patches at the weekend but they seem to slip off in my sleep..sunday I found it on my ankle after a desperate hunt!
This morning after an even more desperate hunt I found it on OH's back !!!!!!
Bit like the scene from Absolutely Fabulous with patsy sticking patches on Saffy to make her smoke!!
Wish we could just have a complete ban like Dublin and New York..;)
Olivia xx

Hi fellow smoke busters,
still hanging in there but still  having cravings ,and boy when they strike they are unbelievable. Think I would feel more inspired if my food didn't taste so weird. Things I usually enjoy ( like chocolate) taste greasy and things like mint, which I didn't use to like taste good. Any one else had this problem? Can hardly believe that's five weeks tomorrow! Defiinitely one day at a time though. Really looking forward to the ban starting on the 26th March here. Funny to think a few months ago I was dreading it.
Best wishes to you all
DD.

I too must hang my head in shame. I tell myself that I'm stressed and need it with the house move and thats how I started after years of non-smoking before TUT TUT!.

Oooh my sympathies Viv... moving house (Im still searching for things lost when I moved a year ago!) good luck with it all hope it goes smooth in the end :)
I havent had the taste thing yet DD (probably because Im cheating soo much :( ) But I have noticed my sense of smell is better (sometimes wish it wasnt tho' after Storm has had tripe!)
Well another week down now,phew! continued good luck everyone :D
think I may move up your way DD come March ;) room for a small one??

Have you guys tried TFT?

http://www.skyone.co.uk/mckenna/tapping/

Apparently it works well for cravings for both food and smoking.

Ha,hahahahahahaahahaha..thats Hyyyyyyyyysterical Nikita!
Im stuck in some odd pretzel shape now
well..I'll give it a go but my coordination is about as good as a newborn Giraffe!

Thanks tho' Nik! at this stage I'll try anything :D

Just had a read of the , "tapping and spinning ".Guess if nothing else it would distract you trying to do all of the exercises . My coordination isn't too good either, always say it's cos I'm left handed. Moving house, we're in the process of seriously considering a relocation to France . It would be in the next few months, and must admit at the thought of it I feel like lighting up, but will tap instead!!! Any CDs' from France logging on here? Tap tap, spin , spin.

I have started again today after I spoke to the vet and have smoked about 20 already, will stop again soon but at the monemt I need something.
Mary

Have read what's been happening to you on the other boards. Nothing I can say that hasn't been said. So , so sad for you all. At  least you know that when you log on here people really do understand what you're going through. Losing a much loved pet is hard, and the only thing that kept me going through the pain of it was knowing that I was doing it for my dog because I cared and loved him so much. Cliche I know , but time is a great healer. Abby will always be with you, hold on to that tomorrow,
yours sincerly DD.

When your ready Mary.... we'll all be here for you xxxxxxxx

Getting a horrible craving which 10 jaffa cakes havent managed to stop.
(Misssssssssss it soooo much with my coffee :( )
So here I am... still havent cracked a perfect completely cigarette free week.
Hows everyone else?
Viv.. how did the House move go?
DD... have you turned green and thrown up yet with all the tapping and spinning!? ;)
:D

Hi HuskyGal and fellow sufferers,
I should look green but don't! ~Ate an entire pkt. of chocolate raisins while driving the car earlier today. Now cheewwwiiinnnggg gum, which gives me sore jaws but I'm quite manic about it. Need to go back to the spinning and tapping def. Did you see that programme with the man who weighed half a ton? It was so awful for  him but you just couldn't help thinking how was it ever allowed to get that far. Anyway I digress, we are going to move to France in a couple of months, oh! starting to panic already. Have to get doggy passports, have to do lots of things ,Yikes. Am a dodgy driver at the best of times, how will I get on there??? France is a No Smoking country already isn't? How's Justlou doing? Don't you all just wish we had never started Bl***y smoking! The one big plus is that I can honestly say that I have a much greater understanding of what the word " addiction " really means. Think I'm def. a bit manic today, anybody else experience moods like this since they quit smoking?

I'm here DD :-) Still trodding along :rolleyes:

I haven't been to bad with mood swings this time :-) I still get a lot of cravings, but then i just tell myself "No way am i going back down that route" and the cravings pass :-D

I have put on a bit of weight since quitting :rolleyes: and lately my ribs have been hurting (aching) so now i'm on the slim fast diet :rolleyes:

Good Luck with your move to France :-)
Take care xx

Hello fellow sufferers! ;)

Well today the 'Smoking ban' for the UK is on all the News as the Vote is tonight, you would think it would give more will power to crack this.....but its just making me want one all the more..aaaargh!
    wonder which of the 3 options they'll go for? Blanket ban, members clubs only, non food serving pubs.....

still suffering the mood swing DD! esp when we are in a bar and OH says "arnt you doing well, dont you feel like a cigarette?"... as my nails dig in the wooden table,and my cheeks ache from the false 'Im ok..enjoying myself really' smile!

aaaaaaargh..dont mention the 'c' word!!!

DO NOT SMOKE !! MAKE LOVE!!!
You won't put the wieght on

;) :D :D :D :D ;)

Well done you :D  You should be very proud of yourself.  Kerry  (Just Lou) is still off them aswell.  She is doing fab.

xx

Hi

I'm new and want to wish all well in their quest to give up smoking.  I used to smoke on and off, usually when I've had a few drinks (whoops), but generally don't like it and I take my hat off to those who are trying to give up, it'll be worth it in the end, just think of the money you save and your health of course.

I hear now that a total ban in public places will come into affect next Summer so I should think most of you would have succeeded in giving up by then.

All the best and let me know how you go as I am interested.

Hi John :-) I quit on 1st Jan :-D after smoking for 16 years......at first i found it so difficult, but now it doesn't bother me atall :-)

I wish i'd have quit ealier, i could never be an occassional smoker, it just wouldn't work for me :-) It was either 100% quit or smoke, and i chose to quit :-)

Hi John, like justlou I quit on the 1st. Jan. It seems like a life time away now! Unlike justlou, I am still finding that at least once a day I have a really bad craving . I'd been smoking for about 30 years and like justlou I could never be an occassional smoker. Can't wait for the ban to start up here on the 26th March, it's just a pity we're moving to France in a couple of months time and it's not a non smoking country. Hopefully by then I will have got way past thinking about smoking. ............... It will all be a distant memory that I ever smoked.

Hi Dippy :-) I still have cravings everyday, but i've promised myself not to let them beat me :-D

I hope you'll still come on here, when you move to France :-)

Hi justlou,
def. will try and log on when we make the move to France. My french is poor so I won't be able to talk very easily in the park to other doggy people. It's easy for the  dogs, lol. Woof , woof !  I am starting to get a very healthy appetite now, not too bothered about putting on a few pounds but don't want to have to change my entire wardrobe!!!! Can  you believe it will be 50 days come Monday that we've been non smokers??? I'm quite amazed when I think about it like that, and makes having to put up with  the cravings not so bad. Has any one you know told you that you seem more alert and look  a better colour? A few people have said that to me, makes me think I must have looked pretty awful before! My taste buds and tongue are less sensitive as the weeks go by and food is starting to taste normal again, thank goodness!! Did you get to the dentist? I'm still chewing gum relentlessly, my jaws are sore right up into my ears and I'm sure my fillings are getting pulled out but I just can't stop. Need these ghastly mercury fillings replaced anyway,ha ha.
Best wishes DD.

>Has any one you know told you that you seem more alert and look  a better colour?

All the time :-)

Yes, i went to the dentist, and i have an appointment to have my last wisdom tooth removed on 8th March :-D I'm scared!

Don't worry too much about the old wisdom tooth. I have had both of them removed and it was no problem.  That was when I had a big fear of dentists too!!! Tiimes move on and every thing is so much more sophisticated and painless! Modern drugs are a wonderful thing in the right place, spoken by some one who loves to use natural , herbal remedies when ever pos. but who hates/can't stand pain at all. I'm a big wimp basically!  lol.

LOL DD :-D I had my right top wisdom tooth out at the dentist last May :-) I hate the crunching sounds i hear while he's taking it out

Then i also had the 2 bottom wisdom teeth out last June in hospital, but they said my top left wisdom was fine :rolleyes: but lately it's been driving me silly :-(

Roll on March 8th :-) Get it done and over with :-D

Well stopped smoking, BUT started eating........................... help, I've got the permanent munchies. Are any  other ex- smokers haiving this problem? When I'm not eating I'm chewing gum, and of course I've had to go to the dentist as a  hugh filling came out the back of my  mouth on Saturday morning.  What's every one else doing ?
Regards DD.

ha,ha,ha :D Yep Dips me too!!!
I dont like chewing gum, but wish I did now, as no one warned me about eating too many 'sugar free' mints and how shall I say..their laxative properties Not good!!! and boy! I ate alot of em'
    At the moment I have neat little rows of cadburys mini eggs all lined up infront of the key board,for every minute I dont think about having a cigarette I reward myself with one....but Im cheating!!!! if it was a particularly difficult minute I might have 2 or 3 mini eggs as compensation :D then I get engrossed in work or CD and eat them all and forget the whole principle :rolleyes:
If its not thing its the other!!!

Mmmm! Neat little rows of cadburys' mini eggs, sounds divine, lol. Yes , the "mint thing", no-one tells you these things do they !!! Didn't like chewing gum either, and at first it gave me , how shall I put it, oh well , flatulence!!! Very embarressing, obviously swallowing lots of air while chewing created it. But hey! my skin looks clear, no more grey smokers' palor. Infact face rather crimson due to all the flatulence!!!!! Where's the rest of our little group got to, and what are they up to? Actually it was  me that did the robbery so as I can eat nonstop and by Cadburys, Thorntons' and Lindt. Hee Hee.