For those of you who are ex smokers, how did you quit?

Sorry for your loss. That motivates me even more. Thank you.

My wife stoped when she could no longer take a breath. They sent her home from the hospital saying they could no longer help her. My best friend found her on the floor in the hallway, cold, alone, and dead.

What a lousy way to quit. I still cry, years later.

I found nicorette gum helpful. But you have to want to quit, too. I smoked for about 15 years, but when my mother died a horrible death from lung cancer I finally could not continue to smoke and still look myself in the mirror. That was about 10 years ago. If a person is willing to look at even 10% of the truth about smoking and what it does to your body then they will be compelled to quit. There is just no way to justify that level of self abuse. It's only through extreme denial that a person can continue smoking.

It's strange to hear an ex-smoker say that if smokers faced the facts about smoking they would automatically quit. That's an absurd statement IMO. First, you do have to want to quit, but it's not as easy for some people as it is others. Nicotine has proven to be more addictive than heroin, so it's rough for people to just stop because they want to. I am an RN and know better than anyone what smoking does to me, but I am still struggling to stay off of them. I have smoked since I was 15 years old, long before I became a nurse. However, it can be done and I'm working very hard to stay off of them.

There are medications that can help you quit. One of them is Wellbutrin, which is the same thing as Zyban only much cheaper and paid for by most insurance plans. There is also a new medication that's supposed to work twice as well called Chantix. I have tried the Chantix and didn't find it more helpful, but my pulmologist says it is. So, right now I'm taking Wellbutrin and using nicotine patches together. The combination works very well for me. I was on the Wellbutrin for 2 weeks before I attempted to stop, but after that, it has not been as difficult as I thought it would be. As I said, I'm still struggling, but I'm very proud of myself for making the effort.:clap2: I know I'm gonna make it this time!

I quit two years ago using a variety of nrt patches, gum and the inhalator. I used as much as I needed when I needed it. When socailizing I used the inhalator, I had a patch on all the time and I used gum when I felt the need. Gradually I cut down on it all but not before I was ready. I have quit twice this way. It is staying quit I have a problem with. Two years now though

You have to want to, use the Patches and Wellbutrin (if you can) and make your last cig in the afternoon. I don't know why that helped me. It's been 3 weeks, 2 days for me.

Hi,

I quit 2 years post banding ironically. I used Welbutrin only and was completely off the cigarettes after 2 days and never touched one since. Its been 1 year and 8 months now that I am cigarette free. It is true that you have to WANT to quit. I didnt want to, but my plastic surgeon wouldnt touch me with a ten foot pole if I smoked, so in the end, I buckled down and did it.

Babs in TX

334/190 ish

Congratulations to all the non-smokers!!!!!!! I'm going into my 18th hour without a cigarette. I'm putting off going to lunch because that's when I usually have one. Have gum in the car, should help. I've been on Chantix since last Saturday, it's supposed to be the newest thing in a stop smoking aid. They say 44% of users have stopped smoking after 3 months. They have a web-site and they e-mail you tips and tricks and stuff everyday to help keep you motivated.

Wish me luck!

Best wishes to all of you

Lets see. the way that I ended up quitting was going to the bar and getting so drunk that my hangover lasted for 3 days. During those three days i couldn't even look at a cigarette without getting nausious. After the 3 days, I just carried on without smoking.

wootsie73

To stop smoking is the hardest thing I've ever tried doing. The only way my husband would take off the condom for us to get pregnant was if I quit smoking, well of course after the babies were born, I started again. Stupidest thing I have ever done, twice! I quit using Nicoderm patches both times.

My dad has has two heart attacks, has tried any and all things to quit, he cannot.

I had a stroke 1/1/2005 at the age of 36 and my Dr. told me you need to quit smoking or I guarantee you that within 5 years it will happen again and the outcome might not be so good this time. I have a husband and two kids, you'd think this would be motivation enough, thinking about them growing up without their mommy....It's not. It is the most controlling thing, it plays with your mind and has you in a choke hold. I have never been addicted to drugs, but that is exactly what nicotine is, a drug.

I quit for around three weeks after my stroke and have been smoking ever since. I was on Cymbalta for mild depression, and decided to use the patch to try quitting again....wrong! These two combonitations of drugs in my system made me psycho! I had to call my mom for an intervention one night, I could not get a handle on my emotions. So, stopped that and Dr. put me on Wellbutrin XL, I haven't quit while using that. So trying Chantix this time, with the possibility of a surgery date in Feb/March.

I really want to succeed this time. Dissappointing my husband and kids again would break my heart and theirs.

Oh, I'm now 20 hours without that nasty nicotine!!!! ha ha I'm winning!

The day I went to the the clinic for my consult for WLS the surgeon told me to stop smoking for 3 months, that was January 28, 2006 and I put them down on the 29th. Cold Turkey!! I had to just tell myself what did I want more the cigarette or the Surgury, that was a no brainer for me. Believe me it was hard, and I am surprised I have a family, friends or job left. They were all very supportive of me and now we laugh at how stupid I was, I know I will still have a rough time once in a while but I think the worse is over for me. Good Luck to all of you smokers, "BE STRONG"

Good Job Cheryl

I don't smoke, but my parents did and both quit cold turkey with the help of a medication called Zyban (Bupropion hydrochloride). With the exception of an annual cigar my father has to kick off the fly fishing season, they've both been smoke free for about 8 or 9 years now. I don't remember a whole lot, but I know it's not a "forever" medication, they quit taking it not that long into the process.

I can't say it's a great or the best tool, but they were lifelong smokers and it worked for them and they haven't looked back since.

Zyban® and Wellbutrin® are both brand names for the generic drug, bupropion hydrochloride. While bupropion is not for everyone, it does have the advantage of lessening the discomforts associated with nicotine withdrawal. This can make cessation much more manageable for those people who haven't been able to successfully quit smoking using other methods.

Originally marketed as an anti-depressant drug, bupropion is available by prescription only. Its effectiveness as a quit smoking aid was discovered when smokers using it to treat depression also lost interest in smoking. People not planning to quit smoking found themselves stopping with relative ease. Nicotine withdrawal symptoms usually associated with quitting smoking were minimal.

In 1997, the FDA approved Zyban to be used as a quit smoking aid, and since then, bupropion has become a popular method to help smokers kick the habit.

zSB(3,3)

Bupropion, when used in combination with other nicotine replacement therapies (NRT's), such as the nicotine patch or nicotine gum, increase the chances for long term success with smoking cessation.

wootsie73

To stop smoking is the hardest thing I've ever tried doing. The only way my husband would take off the condom for us to get pregnant was if I quit smoking, well of course after the babies were born, I started again. Stupidest thing I have ever done, twice! I quit using Nicoderm Patches both times.

My dad has has two heart attacks, has tried any and all things to quit, he cannot.

I had a stroke 1/1/2005 at the age of 36 and my Dr. told me you need to quit smoking or I guarantee you that within 5 years it will happen again and the outcome might not be so good this time. I have a husband and two kids, you'd think this would be motivation enough, thinking about them growing up without their mommy....It's not. It is the most controlling thing, it plays with your mind and has you in a choke hold. I have never been addicted to drugs, but that is exactly what nicotine is, a drug.

I quit for around three weeks after my stroke and have been smoking ever since. I was on Cymbalta for mild depression, and decided to use the patch to try quitting again....wrong! These two combonitations of drugs in my system made me psycho! I had to call my mom for an intervention one night, I could not get a handle on my emotions. So, stopped that and Dr. put me on Wellbutrin XL, I haven't quit while using that. So trying Chantix this time, with the possibility of a surgery date in Feb/March.

I really want to succeed this time. Dissappointing my husband and kids again would break my heart and theirs.

Oh, I'm now 20 hours without that nasty nicotine!!!! ha ha I'm winning!

I'm so happy to hear you are making it even though you posted a few weeks ago. I haven't checked this thread in a while. After I posted back in December, I started smoking again, but I've been smoke free for 3 days now! I'm doing very well with it this time, but I'm not happy today. My mom has been smoking out in the garage all winter, but my dad was griping about the gas bill, so she started smoking in the house today. It makes it twice as hard to stay off of them and it pisses me off since she knows what a hard time I'm having with it. Anyway, I'm still smoke free for now.

Joan