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Giving up the fags

donnyaddickdonnyaddick
in Not Sports Related
Please be gentle - this is my first thread!
Basically our lass has decided after 14 years at 20+ a day to try to give up. She has already found she is allergic to patches but is going to the anti-smoking clinic for first time tonight. Just wondered if any other lifers had tips to help her, what the best treatment is and for me what is the best way to support her as I know she's gonna find it really hard.
All help gratefully received!
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Comments

  • Leroy AmbroseLeroy Ambrose
    Volunteer work with a cancer charity. Specifically, one where you get to sit with people dying of lung cancer. That ought to do it.

    Seriously though, the most important part is wanting - REALLY wanting to do it. That's more than 90% of the battle there. Take a look at the 'Losing weight' thread on here. Its not exactly the same, but pretty similar when you've been fat for as long as some of us on that thread are/were.
  • man_at_millettsman_at_milletts
    Alan Carr - How to Give Up Smoking. Read it, read it and read it again, and then give up.
    Worked for me. Leroy's right, she must want to do it.
  • BlackForestRedsBlackForestReds
    As Leroy points out and it's like losing weight/getting fit for a marathon - she must really want to do it otherwise giving up smoking will be fad.

    There are numerous methods - patches, hypnosis, going cold turkey or just cutting back/restricting the number of cigarettes a day until the number reaches zero, whatever unless the desire is there it won't work.
  • stonewallpenaltystonewallpenalty
    I went cold turkey 9 months ago today. Alan carr is good. I used à website called 'why quit' which is excellent, its à bit like Charlton life without the bitching. But you get to see What other People go through as well. I educated myself on smoking so i knew exactly how to take it on.

    As said before you have to want it.
  • cafcfancafcfan
    edited May 2013
    It is true that you must have the will to give up. My problem was that I found "giving up" relatively easy, to the extent that I'd start again 6 months later in the knowledge that I'd have no trouble giving up again!
    Eventually, and I admit that it helped that I used to smoke Gauloises Disque Bleu, which were truly disgusting anyway, I waited until I had a very bad cold and couldn't have smoked if I'd wanted to, and used that as a springboard to giving up completely. It helped that Mrs Cafcfan used to beat me with a big stick to encourage me.
  • kentaddickkentaddick
    Stay away from soho and don't use POF.

    Oh you were talking about cigerettes? :)
  • AFKABartramAFKABartram
    Leroy and BFR offer the perfect advice. I wish her luck.
  • MrLargoMrLargo
    Alan Carr is good, but only if the willpower's there to support it.

    Electronic cigarettes are very good, particularly for those occasions when ex-smokers' cravings tend to be strongest - after a nice meal, accompanying a drink etc.
  • LincsaddickLincsaddick
    I went cold turkey 30 months ago and have not had a smoke since .. the bad news? .. EVERY day I get some kind of pang for lovely cool nicotine, The secret of course is not to succumb to pangs
  • AFKABartramAFKABartram
    Lincsaddick said:

    I went cold turkey 30 months ago and have not had a smoke since .. the bad news? .. EVERY day I get some kind of pang for lovely cool nicotine, The secret of course is not to succumb to pangs

    Strange ol thing how the body / mind operates. There is no way there is any form of nicotine / chemical influence after that degree of time, so that pang must purely be a pyschological thing.

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  • donnyaddickdonnyaddick
    Thanks guys - feel quite positive as she does seem to really want it. She's seen two grandparents die of smoking related conditions - one this year and think that has hit her pretty hard. She was doing really well on patches until it turned out she was allergic to them. Think maybe the tablets will be the way forward. Think the hardest park will be breaks at her work cos all her colleagues smoke.
  • LincsaddickLincsaddick
    AFKABartram said:

    Lincsaddick said:

    I went cold turkey 30 months ago and have not had a smoke since .. the bad news? .. EVERY day I get some kind of pang for lovely cool nicotine, The secret of course is not to succumb to pangs

    Strange ol thing how the body / mind operates. There is no way there is any form of nicotine / chemical influence after that degree of time, so that pang must purely be a pyschological thing.

    I think you're right, however, chicken or egg .. does the body control the mind or vice versa ? .. answers on a (small) postcard (:->)
  • kentaddickkentaddick
    AFKABartram said:

    Lincsaddick said:

    I went cold turkey 30 months ago and have not had a smoke since .. the bad news? .. EVERY day I get some kind of pang for lovely cool nicotine, The secret of course is not to succumb to pangs

    Strange ol thing how the body / mind operates. There is no way there is any form of nicotine / chemical influence after that degree of time, so that pang must purely be a pyschological thing.

    Addiction is a life long disease and nicotine is up there with heroin as far as levels of addiction are. Obviously not as life ruining (in the short term) but it's still very easy to go under the spell.

    Some people have cravings every day, others don't for a long time, let their guard down and then they'll be a trigger and the cravings will come in spades.

    Keep working at giving up! It can be done. The power of the human will can be extraordinary
  • StigStig
    AFKABartram said:

    Lincsaddick said:

    I went cold turkey 30 months ago and have not had a smoke since .. the bad news? .. EVERY day I get some kind of pang for lovely cool nicotine, The secret of course is not to succumb to pangs

    Strange ol thing how the body / mind operates. There is no way there is any form of nicotine / chemical influence after that degree of time, so that pang must purely be a pyschological thing.

    There's a number of strands to any dependency: chemical/habitual/social. If your sure the pangs aren't triggered by chemical dependency anymore, it might be worth considering what you can do about the other aspects. Do they accur at the same times, in the same places or situations, or with the same people?
  • BoomBoom
    You dont have to have the willpower. I wanted to give up but knew I wouldnt have the will power. Despite being very sceptical, I went to a hypnotist (5 or 6 years ago). One two hour session later, I 'd given up.

    Smoked 20 marlboro reds a day (40 if out on the sauce) for 20 years. Since the hypnosis, I've had two ciggies and a cigar (at Carlisle) and none of these gave me the urge to start again.
  • guinnessaddickguinnessaddick
    Boom said:

    You dont have to Since the hypnosis, I've had two ciggies and a cigar (at Carlisle) and none of these gave me the urge to start again.

    Remember seeing someone with a cigar walking along outside the ground after the game.
  • MrOneLungMrOneLung
    Gave up in 2009 after finishing the duty frees brought back from honeymoon.
    Just cold turkey - didnt really wanna give up but missus who was an occassional smoker nagged me to do it.

    Couldnt afford it these days anyway at nearly £8 a pack.

    why dont you put the cigarette money into a savings account so you can get a treat from giving up.
    That is £240 quid a month if smoke 20 a day or £2880 a year.

    could get a nice holiday for the two of you for that.
  • donnyaddickdonnyaddick
    MrOneLung said:

    Gave up in 2009 after finishing the duty frees brought back from honeymoon.
    Just cold turkey - didnt really wanna give up but missus who was an occassional smoker nagged me to do it.

    Couldnt afford it these days anyway at nearly £8 a pack.

    why dont you put the cigarette money into a savings account so you can get a treat from giving up.
    That is £240 quid a month if smoke 20 a day or £2880 a year.

    could get a nice holiday for the two of you for that.

    I think thats a really good idea - will put that forward for what an amazing honeymoon we could have with all the money saved - Cheers!
  • east terrace peanutseast terrace peanuts
    MrLargo said:

    Alan Carr is good, but only if the willpower's there to support it.

    Electronic cigarettes are very good, particularly for those occasions when ex-smokers' cravings tend to be strongest - after a nice meal, accompanying a drink etc.

    Have used electronic cigarettes for a month and haven't even thought about lighting up. I was pretty light smoker so can't vouch for the 20+ a day.
  • madaddmadadd
    Try and identify time / occasion / what makes her want a cigarette and then is she really enjoying the taste of it or just the act, try and separate these and if she can get to a stage where she realises the taste isn't actually all that pleasant this will help her greatly

    This is how I eventually packed in after 2 separate failed attempts, I literally one day lit up had a couple of puffs, realised Id lit up because I was bored, then realised the taste was a bit stale and not nice and that was it... Last cig hue I ever had after smoking for nearly 18 yrs 20 a day, that was 25 yrs ago !
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  • McBobbinMcBobbin
    what Leroy and others said... I've failed a few times, but currently haven't smoked for about 4 months. It really is a mental thing. As soon as you consider yourself a non-smoker rather than someone who is trying to give up, you are a lot of the way there. you just then stop thinking about how nice it would be to smoke. I was never a heavy or long term smoker, so I don't know what use this will be. My problem is getting complacent and thinking it will be fine to going back to being occasional smoker. Doesn't work.
  • aliwibblealiwibble
    My mum tried giving up several times, and eventually got prescribed Zyban by her GP which did the trick. It's not suitable for everyone, but if she struggles with going cold turkey it may help. Being aware of the times that she's more likely to smoke, such as when she's pissed, or after a meal, and having things to do with her hands instead of picking up a fag may help.
  • grumpyaddickgrumpyaddick
    man_at_milletts said:

    Alan Carr - How to Give Up Smoking. Read it, read it and read it again, and then give up.
    Worked for me. Leroy's right, she must want to do it.

    Totally endorse this. I had tried patches, clinics, acupuncture, drugs, hypnosis and then Alan Carr just explained that I was addicted to an expensive drug (nicotine) that made my breath smell so I decided to stop. All the rest of the bullshit about it being cool/relaxing/anti-authority/sociable/enjoyable etc etc is just inside your head.

    Surprisingly simple and easy in the end.

  • BoomBoom
    guinnessaddick said:

    Boom said:

    You dont have to Since the hypnosis, I've had two ciggies and a cigar (at Carlisle) and none of these gave me the urge to start again.

    Remember seeing someone with a cigar walking along outside the ground after the game.
    ah well @cuff bought three just in case. We were all sober and all looking devishly handsome that day so could have been any one of us...
  • RobRob
    This will be the single most beneficial thing your lass could do for her health. Whenever I see people standing around smoking I just feel like shaking them. As you get older the prevalence of cigarette smoking health issues are enormous. It just ain't worth it.
  • uncleuncle
    I smoked from a really early age, nearly 30 years later I was on 60 a day. I couldn't do the gum or the patches so was told by the chemist to try a tablet called Champix. It involved taking a small pill everyday for a bout 4 weeks, changing the dose as you go along. Well I took them for less than 4 days and from the first day I took them I never had or wanted another cigarette. Even in the company of smokers I never get the urge to smoke. If you are not allergic to the tablets, they are absolutely fantastic.
  • donnyaddickdonnyaddick
    Thanks for all the advice on here. The clinic appointment yesterday went well - despite the woman giving her a certificate with a gold star on it!!!! Not allowed tablets as trying for a baby but got different patches and a spray so fingers crossed!
  • GravesendAddickGravesendAddick
    Go for the lowest strength patches and keep busy and maybe a low strength e-cig and if she really wants to give up she will . Worked for me and I'm now 5 months non smoking
  • uncleuncle
    donnyaddick said:

    Thanks for all the advice on here. The clinic appointment yesterday went well - despite the woman giving her a certificate with a gold star on it!!!! Not allowed tablets as trying for a baby but got different patches and a spray so fingers crossed!

    Ahh see I never had that problem... Well good luck with both.
  • McBobbinMcBobbin
    trying for a baby will be an enormous incentive, especially if she's becomes pregnant. I can't believe pregnant women smoke. My mum did and I turned out all wrong :S
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