I did it. I kicked the habit. Scout is now a non-smoker.

[Scout1071]

I've quit before, but this time feels entirely different. I knew I'd crossed over this week with a visit to a smokey bar (to see a friend's gig) and dinner at a smokey French restaurant and nothing. Nada. Zip. Barely a desire to have one and it was easily rebuffed in my mind. At a time when I have traditionally struggled the most and fallen off the wagon more than once, I made it thru with flying colors.

It's still a day by day process, but I'm sure I'm done.

Hang in there smokers. If I did it, you can too.

[GOPisEvil]

1. Congratulations!

Here's to being a non-smoker! :toast:

[Scout1071]

5. Grassy-ass.

It feels great.

[bigwillq]

2. Good for you!

Best of luck to you on this mission! :hi: :hug:

[Scout1071]

6. Thanks BigWill

Been a tough road, but I think I'm there.

[bigwillq]

13. Did you go cold turkey??

:shrug:

[Scout1071]

17. Not exactly.

I have been taking Wellbutrin since Feb. 1st. But about a week into it (before it had a chance to start working), I got my annual bad ass sinus infection. Three weeks later, I'm still kind of recovering from it. The sinus infection was so bad that I didn't want to smoke anyway. Then by the time I started feeling better, the Wellbutrin had kicked in and I was able to resist the urge to start again.

The Wellbutrin has been extremely helpful.

[bigwillq]

19. That's good to know.

I was wondering about Wellbutrin. I really need to stop smoking.

[Scout1071]

22. A quick note if you are considering it -

I took it years ago when it first came on the market and I had a bad experience. Back then it was only available in one dose. It is an anti-depressant/anti-anxiety medication. If you don't have those sypmtoms, it can create them - quickly and exaggerated. Depression, panic attacks, suicide have been well documented with such drugs. Back then it was only available in one dose - one size fits all.

HOWEVER, it is now available in much lower doses. Despite my serious mis-givings, I succumbed to my Doctor's wishes to try it again at the lowest dosage. It has been terrific. It's helped alleviate the anxiety I normally feel about giving up. That kind of panicked feeling when you don't have a pack. For instance, during the day I would look at the clock and think "OK, I will not smoke this hour. I'll hold off for 2 hours before I can have one." Then 2 hours would go by and I'd say to myself, "try to make it another hour." It got easier and easier. Before I knew it I was having one at lunch and one at home after dinner. Then I just kind of stopped all together.

I would recommend talking with your Doctor. Zyban is another name for it.

[bigwillq]

23. Thanks for the tips

I've had some experience with panic attacks. Don't want to take anything that can bring them on.

[Scout1071]

25. Actually, I think it would help alleviate them.

I had never had a panic attack or anything of the sort, so when I took Wellbutrin it had the opposite effect.

Anyway, talk with your Doc. I'll just say that my experience with a low dosage version has been great and I credit it for truly helping me kick the addiction.

You still have to exercise willpower, but Wellbutrin just gave me a little extra power to resist.

[SeattleGirl]

3. Congratulations Scout!!!!

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :yourock:

[miss_american_pie]

4. Good for you!

:toast:

[WCGreen]

7. I quit smoking 23 years ago....

And I still crave one now and then...

It's hard....

But after the first week, it's pretty easy from there...

[Scout1071]

9. Yea, just went a full week without so much as a puff.

But I had been weening off for 3 weeks prior to that and had no more than 2-3 per day during that time. Down from a pack a day.

[WCGreen]

12. Your home baby,,, You're free.....

[Strong Atheist]

8. Way to go!

:toast:

:yourock:

[Scout1071]

10. Thank you!

:woohoo:

[arwalden]

11. Congratulations!! It's been nearly 4 years for me... and there's

definitely a point in time where you KNOW FOR CERTAIN that you've made it and that you'll NEVER GO BACK! It's tough work... but it can be done.

:thumbsup:

~Allen

[Scout1071]

21. That's it! I KNOW I'll never go back.

It's not even a question in my mind. I would never, ever want to go through th process of quiting again.

[Tikki]

14. Hey, YAY....that-a-person.

Congratulations.....

Monkeys belong roaming freely through the jungle.....not stuck to our backs...



Tikki

[hyphenate]

15. Congratulations!

That is definitely a significant milestone to pass! :D

[liberaltrucker]

16. Good for you!!

I need all the inspiration I can get

:woohoo:

:toast:

:grouphug:

[Telly Savalas]

18. Welcome to the club!

It's really a zen sort of thing to let go of that jones-fix cycle and float freely with your life no longer chained to the addiction.

[Scout1071]

20. Wow...very well put.

There is a sense of self empowerment.

[Benfea]

24. Now for the hard part: STAYING a non-smoker.

That's the part I keep having trouble with. :(

[Scout1071]

26. I once read that the average smoker quits 8x's before fully succeeding.

So, hang in there and don't give up.

[Benfea]

27. Oh, I will.

I enjoy the sensation of banging my head into walls repeatedly. It's really soothing in a violent sort of way. ;)

[In_The_Wind]

28. Congratulations

[proud2BlibKansan]

29. I quit in August

lasted three months, then my car got totaled, my mom got sick, I got stressed, etc etc

Now I have been smoking again for three months. I was just thinking if I had stuck it out it would be 6 months now.

[WritingIsMyReligion]

30. Congrats!

:toast:

[EstimatedProphet]

31. Good for you! Keep it up!

I gave up cigs 5 years ago, although I still smoke cigars/pipe/hookah occasionally. I don't miss cigs a bit.