# Quit smoking



## Tanis8472 (6 Apr 2016)

Wish me luck.

I'm trying hypnotherapy tomorrow night to quit.
Tried Phoenix (NHS) with patches, zyban and sprays.

Not been very successful so far 

I did manage to quit in 2006 for 3 years, but stupidly started again.
I want to stop for good.


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## Lonestar (6 Apr 2016)

Good luck.....you can do it...I quit on Dec 31 1999 but I had tried many times before.I went cold turkey.The trick is when you give up to never touch one again...I did have an incentive though...it was either the cigs or cycling...


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## steve50 (6 Apr 2016)

As above, good luck , its all about will power!!!
I quit almost fifteen years ago, midway through a nightshift, went cold turkey and never looked back.
Look at it as a mindset, you see a bike you really really must have, you set your heart on it and neither hell nor high water is going to keep you from that bike, look at giving up smoking in exactly the same way, nobody and nothing is going to stand in your way of quitting the weed........go for it!!!


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## ColinJ (6 Apr 2016)

I think it is nearly all in the head!

You can get over the physical addiction very quickly, but if you keep thinking of yourself as a smoker then your mind will keep pulling you back to it.

I smoked for about 4 or 5 years when I was young but I never actually considered myself to be a smoker, just someone who indulged himself in smoking cigarettes on a regular basis.

I know that sounds a daft distinction, but it made all the difference to me. I smoked 60 B&H during one 12 hour party and felt so rough the next day that I decided I would stop that indulgence. So I did ...

I never once felt that I craved a cigarette. I just told myself that I wasn't going to do it any more.

PS I did make a mistake a year later. I showed off to my friends by buying a packet of cigarettes to smoke in celebration of the anniversary of stopping. It took me a couple of years to give up again, using the same thinking. 

Anyway, whichever way you choose to do it - DO IT - you won't regret it! Good luck.


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## tonyg52 (6 Apr 2016)

you will need to cut activities you associate with smoking.
All the best.


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## Tanis8472 (6 Apr 2016)

Thank you guys,

Activities = work  Don’t think I can cut that one out lol.

@ColinJ you’re right, the chap I'm seeing said as much too.
I also have a financial motivation. Its costing a bloody fortune


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## grumpyoldwoman (6 Apr 2016)

I was a 40 a day smoker two years ago. I now don't smoke. I started vaping instead,if I was still a smoker,there's no way I'd have started cycling again as I was forever wheezing/coughing/short of breath.

Best thing I ever did.I'm better off,health wise,my skin is clear and my house doesn't smell like an ashtray!


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## subaqua (6 Apr 2016)

i found that by "giving up " something i was denying myself something and I struggled. Keith Waterhouse the playwright summed it up better. 


keith waterhouse said:


> Whatever the truth about the efficacy or otherwise of nicotine patches, clearly it is high time I gave my own infallible cure for smoking its five-yearly outing.
> 
> This is what you do.
> 
> ...






its just over 7 Years since i started to not smoke ( Feb 2009 ) and this is the most successful I have ever been in not smoking


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## slowmotion (6 Apr 2016)

I stopped five and a half years ago after many decades. I suddenly realised that I really was pushing my luck health-wise. I just stopped. What really helped was putting away the ciggie money every day and watching the pot to grow to the fabulous sum of £750 which would buy me a nice new bike. That was a really powerful incentive.
It's all in your head. I wish you the very best of luck.


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## Tanis8472 (6 Apr 2016)

Thank you all.
Its the health benefits that i am looking forward to the most.
I suffer from GERD which smoking doesnt help. It also leaves me with inflamed nasal linings meaning I cant breath very well through my nose.
I'm also hoping quitting will mean a subsidence of GERD.


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## Lonestar (6 Apr 2016)

Pretty sure my bronchitis at the time was a result of the smoking.I remember being so short of breath when on the bike that it scared me.


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## tyred (7 Apr 2016)

Go for it. Will be the best thing you ever did.

It really is all in the mind too, even after 2 years there are still the odd occasion where I find myself thinking I'd like a cigarette but I just need to remind myself why I stopped in the first place and it passes.


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## Tenacious Sloth (7 Apr 2016)

ColinJ said:


> PS I did make a mistake a year later. I showed off to my friends by buying a packet of cigarettes to smoke in celebration of the anniversary of stopping. It took me a couple of years to give up again, using the same thinking.


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## ColinJ (7 Apr 2016)

Tenacious Sloth said:


>


Yes, it did humble me somewhat! (My friends had to put up with a year of smugness from me after I gave up the first time, and then I endured 2 years of teasing from them until I gave up for good! )


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## Turdus philomelos (7 Apr 2016)

I'm a plaudit of visualisation.
See yourself as fit, energetic, non smoker rather than a smoker *trying* to give up.

Plus just think of all the cool cycling stuff with the money you'll save


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## Stephenite (7 Apr 2016)

Good luck, @Tanis8472!

It took me several attempts to get over this smelly, expensive addiction. So many attempts that it became annoying. That's what probably did it in the end. That and telling people i am not a smoker NOW, i was THEN (yesterday, this morning, last week, or whenever it was i last smoked). It's all about getting in the right mindset. I think hypnotherapy is a good idea.


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## Tanis8472 (7 Apr 2016)

Thank you all. Its helping.

I'm off in about 30 minutes to see him.

I really want to stop now. As they say in Lethal Weapon, "I'm too old for this shoot" 

I think I upset the naughty word filter LOL


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## Tanis8472 (8 Apr 2016)

Well that didnt work, lol.
Could not get me under (as it were). Trying again next week.

He says we have not failed, but just had a small set back. I need to relax more I think


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## Oldfentiger (11 Apr 2016)

After being a 25 a day smoker since I was 16, I gave up18 years ago.
I did 3 things:
No cigarettes anywhere in the house, nor anywhere else accessible.
Chewed Nicorrette gum as the need arose.
I had a large whisky bottle, and every day I didn't smoke I put the money in the bottle instead.

After 6 months, we had our fortnight holiday in Italy paid for from the bottle money, (the missus gave up at the same time as me).
After a year, all temptation to smoke was completely gone, and I could no longer understand why anyone would want to smoke.
The health benefits need no explaining.
In the first few months after you first stop smoking, you may develop a cough. This is fairly usual and will gradually disappear.
I believe it's something to do with the fact that your airways are no longer plastered with tar, and the little hairs are springing back up and doing the job they're supposed to.

Good luck with your efforts!


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## Tanis8472 (11 Apr 2016)

Thanks guys. I'm going again this week. I think I wasn't sure what to expect from it. I think I was expecting to be "uncontious" if you know what I mean. Awake but asleep. Can't explain it lol.


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## PaulSB (12 Apr 2016)

Good luck with this. I made many unsuccessful attempts but made it in the end. 

For me Nicorette gum was the answer. I chewed almost all day but slowly and surely the need decreased till the desire went. I could still smoke a cigarette and occasionally know I'm tempted. I always have Nicorette around for those odd occasions when I weaken. It's the "just one will be OK" thing for me and I know if I do I'll be back to 10/day inside a week.


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## Nigeyy (12 Apr 2016)

Best of luck mate. I gave up many years ago and fortunately wasn't a heavy smoker, but still found it hard. Cigarettes are amazingly addictive.

The one thing that helped me when I got a craving (and I'd have an excuse such as I'd had a bad day, needed to unwind, etc, etc) was the simple fact that so many other people don't need to smoke to cope. That just made a difference to me. FWIW my wife did hypnotherapy with someone called "The Crazy Russian" (no kidding) and came back telling me it was a complete waste of money, and that he didn't do anything. Guess what? She's never touched a cigarette since


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## *Dusty* (12 Apr 2016)

I gave up 8 years ago. I was turning 30 and my motivation was that I wished to be around to see my daughter turn 30.

Motivation is everything, you have to WANT to quit, you have to feel guilty about even thinking of a smoke. Don't keep any around, don't even keep a lighter in your car. Break your habits and find other things to fill your regular smoke breaks. 

As I said, 8 years down the line and smoking does not occur to me any more. I weigh more, I eat more, I taste things and don't stink around other people.


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## Tanis8472 (12 Apr 2016)

I want to stop. It's causing me a lot of grief. My Mrs smokes and does not want to stop which has been the biggest hurdle. always have cigs about the house. Going Wednesday evening.


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## MontyVeda (12 Apr 2016)

Tanis8472 said:


> Wish me luck.
> 
> I'm trying hypnotherapy tomorrow night to quit.
> Tried Phoenix (NHS) with patches, zyban and sprays.
> ...


good luck... i have a vague recollection of starting a similar thread a few years back (cough).


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## Tanis8472 (12 Apr 2016)

Thank you @MontyVeda

It all helps


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## phil_hg_uk (12 Apr 2016)

ColinJ said:


> I think it is nearly all in the head!
> 
> You can get over the physical addiction very quickly, but if you keep thinking of yourself as a smoker then your mind will keep pulling you back to it.
> 
> ...



Nearly as easy as giving up choccy bars


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## phil_hg_uk (12 Apr 2016)

Tanis8472 said:


> Wish me luck.
> 
> I'm trying hypnotherapy tomorrow night to quit.
> Tried Phoenix (NHS) with patches, zyban and sprays.
> ...



Good luck I stopped 8 years and 4 months ago (not that I am counting or anything ) just remember to stay away from them once you quit it is too easy to start again.


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## Tanis8472 (12 Apr 2016)

phil_hg_uk said:


> Nearly as easy as giving up choccy bars



Dont know about that, I've got an addiction to Peanut M&M's LOL


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## ColinJ (12 Apr 2016)

phil_hg_uk said:


> Nearly as easy as giving up choccy bars


I'm doing this one in reverse ... While I was a drinker, I told myself that I was not a chocolate eater. Once I gave up booze though, I thought I had better take up an alternative vice to keep my mind off drink, but chocolate-munching rapidly got out of hand. There was always a limit to how much alcohol I would drink in an evening (4 or 5 pints) but I have not yet discovered the chocolate limit ... 100 g a session is easy, and sometimes nearer 150 g!


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## Tanis8472 (12 Apr 2016)

I can chomp through a large bar in 10 minutes


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## Gatters (12 Apr 2016)

chocolate and a glass of wine for me


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## ColinJ (12 Apr 2016)

Gatters said:


> chocolate and a glass of wine for me


I would have had a big bar and the full bottle, and if it had been the late 1970s, 20 B&H as well!


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## fossyant (12 Apr 2016)

Gatters said:


> chocolate and a glass of wine for me



Not with red.... no way., red wins.


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## tyred (13 Apr 2016)

I've cut down to just a single chocolate bar after dinner


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## Tanis8472 (14 Apr 2016)

Well its 24 hrs now 
Have been ok all day


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## Tanis8472 (15 Apr 2016)

48 hrs and not wanting one. I know I used to smoke but I dont want one and see people smoking and smell them and it stinks


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## tyred (15 Apr 2016)

Tanis8472 said:


> 48 hrs and not wanting one. I know I used to smoke but I dont want one and see people smoking and smell them and it stinks



I think you go through a phase where you just simply cannot stand the smell of smoke.


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## Tanis8472 (15 Apr 2016)

Kissing the Mrs after she has had one earlier on made me go yuk 
I can smell it in the car, even over the smell of a new Vanilla scent tree i put in three days ago.


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## phil_hg_uk (15 Apr 2016)

Tanis8472 said:


> Kissing the Mrs after she has had one earlier on made me go yuk
> I can smell it in the car, even over the smell of a new Vanilla scent tree i put in three days ago.



I had to clean my house a lot and redecorate some of the rooms when I stopped smoking, you dont realize until you stop.


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## Tanis8472 (15 Apr 2016)

Yeah, I've noticed when I walked in to the house this afternoon.
I think I need some air fresheners


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## Tanis8472 (17 Apr 2016)

Day 4.

Checked my resting pulse this morning before getting up. It has dropped 15-20bpm since stopping  68bpm this morning
I'm feeling cleaner too  
The really weird thing though is i am not getting any withdrawal symptoms and not wanting one.


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## Heigue'r (17 Apr 2016)

Congratulations on quitting.I went the vaping route on new years day.Had a 50 a day b&h gold addiction...vaping has allmost come to complete cessation also so happy days.If you want a little incentive,there are apps that can tot up how much youve saved if you cant be bothered to add up in your head£2343.22 is the amount I would have spent on cigs to this day since new years...I have not had a craving for one yet.The benefits are not simply financial......far from it...it is completely life changing in every possible way...stick at it and good for you.


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## Tanis8472 (17 Apr 2016)

Thank you @Heigue'r 
Got one on the phone. So far £25.85 saved (although spent that on new tyres LOL ) and yearly savings of £2300


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## Stantheman (17 Apr 2016)

I gave up for six years, then, after a very stressful time earlier this year I started again. Stupid thing to do as now I'm hooked again.


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## Tommyboy1289 (17 Apr 2016)

I too gave up via vaping, best thing I ever did, still vape now as when I'm driving (joys of being a lorry driver) my hands feel like they should be doing something, the vaping stops that, 7 months on for me and I don't miss the fags at all, make my own liquid for the vaping machine and it's awesome, got some pink lemonade flavour and jam donut flavours going at the minute, makes me wonder why I smoked in the first place.


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## Tanis8472 (17 Apr 2016)

Thats commendable giving up with vaping, as long as you quit that too.
There is mounting evidence that it causes something called popcorn lung. Not good to have 

Well I went out today and did a 31 mile ride without getting totally breathless. Result


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## Heigue'r (17 Apr 2016)

Tommyboy1289 said:


> I too gave up via vaping, best thing I ever did, still vape now as when I'm driving (joys of being a lorry driver) my hands feel like they should be doing something, the vaping stops that, 7 months on for me and I don't miss the fags at all, make my own liquid for the vaping machine and it's awesome, got some pink lemonade flavour and jam donut flavours going at the minute, makes me wonder why I smoked in the first place.



I also diy my own liquid...since quitting the cigs,its amazing how tight ive become


Tanis8472 said:


> Thats commendable giving up with vaping, as long as you quit that too.
> There is mounting evidence that it causes something called popcorn lung. Not good to have
> 
> Well I went out today and did a 31 mile ride without getting totally breathless. Result




Id love to see this evidence....dont believe the daily mail..etc etc.its vapour,you know the stuff that forms in the bathroom whilst having a warm shower or you know those posh saunas that create vapour,unless you are holding your breath in there you are breathing vapour.Im not saying vaping is good for you but 20 odd chemicals contained in it compared to 7000 in a cigarette has definitely got to be better for you.There are masses of documentation supporting vaping over smoking and for good reason.There are a few negative reviews but alot of these have been dismissed as utter codswollop.Yes it would be fantastic to be free from both but for the moment the odd toot on a "vaping machine"is a million times better for my health and that is fact.


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## Tanis8472 (17 Apr 2016)

Fully agree, its defo "healthier"


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## phil_hg_uk (17 Apr 2016)

I am not sure how you can say vaping is healthier than smoking when no one knows what damage it maybe causing and probably wont for many years to come, in my mind you are simply swapping one addiction for another.


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## Tommyboy1289 (17 Apr 2016)

phil_hg_uk said:


> I am not sure how you can say vaping is healthier than smoking when no one knows what damage it maybe causing and probably wont for many years to come, in my mind you are simply swapping one addiction for another.



In a fashion I kind of agree, but the ingredients I use in my liquids are (and with making my own I know exacyly whats going into them);

Nicotine
Propylene glycol (not Ethylene glycol - which is toxic). Used in asthma inhalers and nebulizers. An experiment using animals determined "air containing these vapors in amounts up to the saturation point is completely harmless". The USA FDA has classified propylene glycol as "generally recognised as safe".
Vegetable glycerol - low toxicity. Used in medications, cosmetic and food items.
The only other chemicals are in the flavourings, which (if coming from a reputable merchant) are food grade and generally recognised as safe. By volume, flavours make up a very small percentage of eliquids.





> In 1976, Professor Michael Russell wrote in the British Medical Journal, “People smoke for nicotine but they die from the tar.” In the near-40 years since that statement was made, very little has changed in the scientific literature.


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## phil_hg_uk (17 Apr 2016)

Tommyboy1289 said:


> In a fashion I kind of agree, but the ingredients I use in my liquids are (and with making my own I know exacyly whats going into them);
> 
> Nicotine
> Propylene glycol (not Ethylene glycol - which is toxic). Used in asthma inhalers and nebulizers. An experiment using animals determined "air containing these vapors in amounts up to the saturation point is completely harmless". The USA FDA has classified propylene glycol as "generally recognised as safe".
> ...



Fair enough I am not one to preach, I have smoked and drunk pretty much everything there is over the last 50 years which probably makes me all the more cautious these days now that I have given up almost everything there is to give up except moving & breathing.


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## Tommyboy1289 (17 Apr 2016)

phil_hg_uk said:


> Fair enough I am not one to preach, I have smoked and drunk pretty much everything there is over the last 50 years which probably makes me all the more cautious these days now that I have given up almost everything there is to give up except moving & breathing.



I will give up vaping one day, alot of the laws/rules are changing in the next couple of years so that will probably be the kick up the backside for me, but wether vaping is safe or not in the short term I don't know, is it safer than smoking, I dare say it is and let's be fair, if it helps anyone give up smoking then fair cop.

I wouldn't be out on two wheels if I was still smoking, so I've got that to thank for it.


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## tfg71 (18 Apr 2016)

Well done on stopping. I had my last cig on 2ND may 2015 the same day I had my heart attack out of the blue. I have a vape which helps me stay of the cigs. I feel a lot better for it.


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## vickster (18 Apr 2016)

Stantheman said:


> I gave up for six years, then, after a very stressful time earlier this year I started again. Stupid thing to do as now I'm hooked again.


You gave up once, you can give up again. Remember non smokers don't turn to cigarettes in times of stress.

I stupidly started again for 6 months after not smoking for over 5 years. That was over 6 years ago 

Good luck


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## Tanis8472 (18 Apr 2016)

Day 5

Wow, still not feeling any needs or urges.
The hypnotist seems to have done a fantastic job.
I was sceptical to start with but am converted now.

So far I've saved £31.65


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## *Dusty* (18 Apr 2016)

Tanis8472 said:


> Day 5
> 
> Wow, still not feeling any needs or urges.
> The hypnotist seems to have done a fantastic job.
> ...




Good going!! Keep us updated


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## Heigue'r (18 Apr 2016)

User said:


> There is little or no reliable peer reviewed clinical evidence for any benefits to vaping. There is increasing evidence of the side effects which, whilst not as bad as traditional cigarettes, are not non-existent.
> 
> The fact that you have to compare vaping with breathing in bathroom vapour just illustrates the paucity and lack of substance in your stance.



Fair point and was tongue in cheek really,forgot the smilies.Could you please point me in the direction of this evidence.I would be grateful. Thanks

Also Im not stupid enough to believe that vaping is not harming me in some way.Just to clear that point up.But it is better than smoking,this is what my body tells me.

Keep at it op and sorry for possibly starting a debate on your thread.Great going,keep at it.


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## Tanis8472 (18 Apr 2016)

Thank you @Heigue'r .

£35 saved LOL
Keep up the discussion guys, just dont start getting personal


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## ColinJ (18 Apr 2016)

phil_hg_uk said:


> I have given up almost everything there is to give up except moving & breathing.


... and CycleChat forum rides!


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## phil_hg_uk (18 Apr 2016)

ColinJ said:


> ... and CycleChat forum rides!



Well now @potsy isnt doing them I have no one to make me look good


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## Tanis8472 (19 Apr 2016)

Day 6

Feel like I've got a cold. I'm led to believe, that's a sign of scillia starting to work again. I'm very chesty today too, probably brought on by doing a 30 miler on sunday.


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## tyred (19 Apr 2016)

Tanis8472 said:


> Day 6
> 
> Feel like I've got a cold. I'm led to believe, that's a sign of scillia starting to work again. I'm very chesty today too, probably brought on by doing a 30 miler on sunday.



Yes, it should start to pass within a few days but a few days in I coughed practically 24/7 for a few days and then suddenly realised I could breathe properly again 

It's good to clear your lungs out and good that you're aware of it as on previous attempts to stop, I decided my breathing was worse without cigarettes and used it as an excuse to start smoking again....


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## e-rider (19 Apr 2016)

Tanis8472 said:


> Day 6
> 
> Feel like I've got a cold. I'm led to believe, that's a sign of scillia starting to work again. I'm very chesty today too, probably brought on by doing a 30 miler on sunday.


After day 10 you should have passed the worst of it, then it's just a case of keep going. After 3 months it will be very easy indeed, and after 2 years you will not remember life as a smoker at all - trust me you will be 100% free of it forever. Smoking farks up many parts of your body not just the obvious lungs/heart etc. There is no good reason to smoke, only the remains of the addiction will make you think otherwise. Well done keep going - it will get easier every day soon

And the best advice I can give is to never go anywhere near a cig again -ever! 2 years down the line, a quick puff on a mates cig will likely start the chain of events that ultimately makes you a smoker again


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## *Dusty* (19 Apr 2016)

e-rider said:


> And the best advice I can give is to never go anywhere near a cig again -ever! 2 years down the line, a quick puff on a mates cig will likely start the chain of events that ultimately makes you a smoker again



I'll second that. I've been off them near enough 8 years and never had a single puff in all that time.

Sounds like you're determined and doing well, keep it up


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## Tanis8472 (19 Apr 2016)

Very determined. Yes I have noticed breathing is getting easier now. Noticed it most last Sunday when cycling.
Just sat down from work and doing some household stuff and thought I would see what heart rate is. 70bpm. I remember it being nearer 80 last week.
The really impressive part for me is that the Mrs still smokes so has cigs around the house and I've not even bothered to look for them or be tempted.
Oh and £40 saved


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## phil_hg_uk (19 Apr 2016)

Tanis8472 said:


> Very determined. Yes I have noticed breathing is getting easier now. Noticed it most last Sunday when cycling.
> Just sat down from work and doing some household stuff and thought I would see what heart rate is. 70bpm. I remember it being nearer 80 last week.
> The really impressive part for me is that the Mrs still smokes so has cigs around the house and I've not even bothered to look for them or be tempted.
> Oh and £40 saved



It is very satisfying to look back at how much you have saved after a long time, I have saved £14,521.47 based on the prices when I quit and they are about double that now so its a lot more than that


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## slowmotion (19 Apr 2016)

phil_hg_uk said:


> It is very satisfying to look back at how much you have saved after a long time, I have saved £14,521.47 based on the prices when I quit and they are about double that now so its a lot more than that


 Oh bugger! I've only saved £9033.75 if I use your accounting practices...


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## Tanis8472 (20 Apr 2016)

Been out on a 23 mile ride after work tonight.
Felt so much easier, even with a quite strong head wind.

Day 7 and £47 saved 

Why on earth did I ever start


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## Tanis8472 (23 Apr 2016)

Still going strong  Had a ride out last night, quite windy but easier


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## Yorksman (23 Apr 2016)

The two hurdles are the cravings for a cigarette and the association with repeated actions. You get over the cravings first and within a relatively short period of time, 10 weeks or so depending on your own personal make up.

Associations, where you feel you should pick up a cigarette at any particular point last much longer. For example, I had not smoked for 10 months and had worked through all the associations, eg when the phone rang, after a meal and so on but I got on the ferry in Hull and watched them cast off and felt I ought to be smoking a cigarette, like I always used to do at this point every year.

The associations are not too hard to resist but you have to remind yourself, _'I don't smoke anymore'_. You must avoid getting into thinking, _'I have given up, just one won't hurt'. _Each and every association, and there are usually a large number of them, have to be broken one by one. Coming back on the ferry from Rotterdam, I didn't have the feeling because I had broken the association. The next time I got the feeling was when I flew somewhere and, normally the first thing you do after landing and getting through immigrations and the bag pick up is, go outside and have a cig. That was two years after giving up and I hadn't thought of a cigarette for a long time. But, they are not cravings, just habits learned in the past.

Best of luck with phase 1 of your quest. It is the harder but it does get easier every week. Don't get downhearted when you get the habit thing. You have many to break but each one is much easier than a real craving.


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## Tanis8472 (24 Apr 2016)

Well I had the best test last night. The hypnotism has worked.
Went out last night and had a few too many 
Didn't want or even think about wanting one.


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## Tanis8472 (28 Apr 2016)

2 weeks and 1 day and still going well


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## Andrew_P (28 Apr 2016)

Tanis8472 said:


> 2 weeks and 1 day and still going well


Was this from one session?


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## Tanis8472 (28 Apr 2016)

Yes it was. I was rather surprised to find I wasn't smoking anymore the next two days


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## Smithbat (3 May 2016)

Well done, if you have gone two weeks then you are over the worse bit. I gave up from 40 a day in 2008 and it is without a doubt the best and hardest thing I have done. The benefits however are amazing. Not hacking half a lung up every morning, food tasting better and being able to breathe when it is frosty without it hurting, and the money, bloody hell the money! within 6 months of giving up I had a new flat and a new car because I was so much richer each month.

Keep at it, you can do it.


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## Tanis8472 (3 May 2016)

3 weeks tomorrow. Starting to get better with the breathing


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## Smithbat (3 May 2016)

Tanis8472 said:


> 3 weeks tomorrow. Starting to get better with the breathing


The breathing will get better and better. For me, about three months in, I started hacking up all sorts or crap, but I figured it was my body starting to clear itself. Unpleasant but cathartic at the same time


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## subaqua (3 May 2016)

Smithbat said:


> The breathing will get better and better. For me, about three months in, I started hacking up all sorts or crap, but I figured it was my body starting to clear itself. Unpleasant but cathartic at the same time


And it lasts about 6 months. I felt so much better after the yakking up dockers oysters stopped . 
Then I got a chest infection as I pushed myself too hard in work. The doc said its a good job I had packed the cigs in . 

Just over 12 months after stopping I bought a bike and started the 3 mile ride to work. That was 2010 and I am still off them , and am still riding but lots more on the distance ! 

Well done those who have given up


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## Tanis8472 (4 May 2016)

Dockers oysters, eugh that's a term I've not heard before


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## Tanis8472 (22 May 2016)

6 weeks this coming Wednesday


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## Tanis8472 (22 May 2016)

Finding cycling a LOT easier now


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## ChrisV (22 May 2016)

I replaced it with vaping, but want to give that up. Finding there's not such an incentive to give up, which is making it harder to stop.


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## Lonestar (22 May 2016)

I replaced it with a new years resolution on Dec 31st 1999.

Haven't touched one since.Of course I had given up before and failed.The trick is don't think you can get away with smoking the odd one/or cigarillos.


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## Tanis8472 (23 May 2016)

Yep, it's been cigarillos that screwed me before.


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## vickster (23 May 2016)

ChrisV said:


> I replaced it with vaping, but want to give that up. Finding there's not such an incentive to give up, which is making it harder to stop.


Costs money (probably comparable to smoking as I understand it), the potential long term ill effects haven't yet come to the fore and it looks ridiculous. 

Save money, buy bike stuff, look less daft, job done


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## Tanis8472 (23 May 2016)

Popcorn lung seems to be coming up frequently. Like @vickster says, looks stupid  and have you seen the clouds of vapour coming out of some of the bigger ones  The batteries also seem to be exploding on a regular basis too.


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## ChrisV (23 May 2016)

What's popcorn lung?


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## slowmotion (23 May 2016)

Well done @Tanis8472. There will be a day in the not too distant future when you suddenly realise that you hadn't thought about a cigarette for the last week. An amazing feeling of achievement...and freedom.


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## Tanis8472 (23 May 2016)

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/...-flavouring-chemical-linked-to-deadly-popcor/

I don't actually think about them. Funny thing about hypnosis, I had no withdrawal symptoms or other problems.


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## slowmotion (23 May 2016)

Tanis8472 said:


> http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/...-flavouring-chemical-linked-to-deadly-popcor/
> 
> I don't actually think about them. Funny thing about hypnosis, I had no withdrawal symptoms or other problems.


Brilliant!


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## Tanis8472 (23 May 2016)

It is. I very occasionally feel like something is missing. Can't really describe it


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## slowmotion (23 May 2016)

Tanis8472 said:


> It is. I very occasionally feel like something is missing. Can't really describe it


For the love of God, don't fall for the old "I'm a non-smoker..... just a couple of puffs won't matter" scam! Therein lies Doom.


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## phil_hg_uk (23 May 2016)

Tanis8472 said:


> It is. I very occasionally feel like something is missing. Can't really describe it



I sometimes have dreams about smoking or a thought of back when I used to smoke, but I know the reality is that they taste like shite and make you stink even worse but I think you never shake that feeling it is always there lurking somewhere.


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## Tanis8472 (23 May 2016)

slowmotion said:


> For the love of God, don't fall for the old "I'm a non-smoker..... just a couple of puffs won't matter" scam! Therein lies Doom.


Sorry, should clarify. I don't feel a need for a cig, it's more a feeling of I should be doing something but don't know what.


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## slowmotion (23 May 2016)

Tanis8472 said:


> Sorry, should clarify. I don't feel a need for a cig, it's more a feeling of I should be doing something but don't know what.


Splendid.


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## ColinJ (24 May 2016)

slowmotion said:


> For the love of God, don't fall for the old "I'm a non-smoker..... just a couple of puffs won't matter" scam! Therein lies Doom.


Indeed ...! 



ColinJ said:


> I showed off to my friends by buying a packet of cigarettes to smoke in celebration of the anniversary of stopping. It took me a couple of years to give up again ...


Oops!


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## Tanis8472 (2 Aug 2016)

16 weeks now.

Feeling much better but getting a lot of phlegm at the moment. Feel like I have lumps of the stuff stuck at the top my throat 

Cycling has become a lot easier.
I can actually hold 20mph over quite a few miles now. Couldn't get anywhere near 15 last year.


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## guitarpete247 (2 Aug 2016)

The first time I gave up I had the same thing. Coughing up gunk for several months. I gave up for 2 1/2 years in the late 90's but started again a couple of years after. 
Gave up for good  Feb 2010 before first granddaughter was 2. She doesn't remember me or GF smoking and it's going to stay like that.
I've no intention of going through the giving up again.
Keep at it. Don't weaken. Get off this thread and stop thinking about it..


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## glenn forger (2 Aug 2016)

I think only 2% of smokers who give up with no help succeed. It really helps if you use something like gum or patches or hypno or that Chinese thing with needles.


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## guitarpete247 (2 Aug 2016)

I used gum then some lozenges for a few weeks. GF went cold turkey from the start.


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## glenn forger (2 Aug 2016)

What, no crutches?


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## Tanis8472 (2 Aug 2016)

No intention of starting again, don't think about it.  Just wanting opinion on the phlegm as its doing my head in at the moment, stops me sleeping


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## Slick (4 Sep 2016)

Tanis8472 said:


> Sorry, should clarify. I don't feel a need for a cig, it's more a feeling of I should be doing something but don't know what.



I know exactly what you mean, I'm 18 months clear and can still get caught out from time to time. Still my best achievement to date though. Thank God for Champix and cycling.


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## Tanis8472 (4 Sep 2016)

5 months in a couple of weeks


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## Slick (4 Sep 2016)

You've cracked it, still the odd small obstacle to get over depending on your social circle, but well done.


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## stoatsngroats (5 Sep 2016)

That's grat well done!
My oh has been vaping since 1/1/16, and has had great improvemnts with her breathing too. It will no doubt improve further, but golly, think of thte money you have saved for more bike parts!


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## Tanis8472 (5 Sep 2016)

Probably in the region of £1000 so far


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## screenman (5 Sep 2016)

42 years since I packed up, I was lucky in that I had shock treatment to help me pack up. The shock was being 17 and finding my girlfriend was expecting our first child, I have not smoked since.


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## Lonestar (7 Sep 2016)

Dec 31 1999 for me.Worth it though.


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## Old Steve (7 Sep 2016)

I just got up one monday morning about 13 or 14 years ago and thought why am i still smoking and then didn't bother smoking again.... the wife followed suit about 4 years later... I would say there has been a massive improvement with my health since..
Good luck to anyone that is going through it or thinking of giving up at the moment.


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## gavroche (7 Sep 2016)

31/10/1950. That's the day I was born and never smoked since, nearly 66 years ago.


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## Slick (20 Sep 2016)

SamK said:


> It's very difficult to quit smoking for me. Every year I quit and start smoking again! I hate it! Don't know wat to do



Only one thing for it, try again. Very few manage on the first attempt.


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## ChrisV (20 Sep 2016)

I have a different problem.

I quit for years then started smoking last year. In November 2015, I bought an ecig. I gave vaped ever since and I'm pretty sure it is not doing me any good, but it's almost harder to stop. If I don't have it for a few days, there's no real sense of achievement. Beating fags is a mission, but a real tangible fight to get your teeth into. Vaping is easier, more convenient, and as a result harder to bloody stop!!


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## 2Loose (23 Sep 2016)

I stopped after many tries by first switching to ecigs too. Then switched to non fag flavours like blueberry and started to treat the vape like medicine - 3 pulls every 45 mins kind of thing. Dropped the nicotine level and then kinda just kept missing 'doses’ and just stopped altogether. Had urges every few days that soon passed... Still get them although very rarely 2 years on. Keep it up, youve certainly done all of the really hard work


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## Big foot (17 Nov 2016)

Well Done! I stopped 43 days ago today. Decided I'd had enough of the booze and cigarettes so stopped both after 28 years of drinking and smoking regularly. 
I've bought another bicycle for touring as well as my mountain bikes. I now don't think about drinking or smoking just where I'm going to ride when I make time with the money and added health bonuses. It's a win, win like being reborn lol ☺


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## tyred (17 Nov 2016)

Big foot said:


> Well Done! I stopped 43 days ago today. Decided I'd had enough of the booze and cigarettes so stopped both after 28 years of drinking and smoking regularly.
> I've bought another bicycle for touring as well as my mountain bikes. I now don't think about drinking or smoking just where I'm going to ride when I make time with the money and added health bonuses. It's a win, win like being reborn lol ☺



Excellent. This is one thing you will never regret


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## Tanis8472 (17 Nov 2016)

Indeed. 
It's 7 months for me now
Feel so much better in a lot of ways


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## MarquisMatsugae (28 Nov 2016)

tonyg52 said:


> you will need to cut activities you associate with smoking.
> All the best.


Well this is going to sound crazy,but I associate cycling with my smoking .
I do about 4 miles of farm roads,and when I get to my trails about 4 miles more before I decide to have a break.

I always go on a certain route,so I can get to a certain spot.A spot of juice,cereal bar and the very thing I have been thinking of since I hit the trails .The dreaded weed.
It's the first thing I think of when I get to the trails.Getting to my spot for a ciggie.
It's almost as if it's a reward for doing 8 miles  .
Decided this morning that I have no need for cigarettes and it's time to get a grip.
It's going to mean major routine breakers,as really,my day was broken up into ciggie breaks.
Time to change that.


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