20 September 2005

Smoking

I never mentioned it before in the blog but I used to smoke, well I'm a very recent non smoker as I gave up just about a fortnight ago. So far so good, I haven't really wanted a ciggie though I have thought one would be nice.

Up until Sunday I was using patches but during the day I began to develop nasty side effects, the instructions said stop using patches if this happened so I did. The contraindications have almost totally died away now. Not using the patches hasn't been too bad I'm a bit more irritable but that will die away and again I haven't really felt my will power being tested.

So why did I give up? Not because I was being nagged by anyone, in fact nagging is guaranteed to make me do the exact opposite. No it was because I decided I needed to for my health (I'm sick of having a 365 day cough and I'm sure others were too) and because it is getting so expensive to be anti social.

I just hope that this time it sticks properly I've given up before only to crumble. I also hope that I never turn into one of those awful anti smoking ex smokers.

I'm not going to do one of those slide bars that tell you how long with out a ciggie but if you ask nicely I might let you know how its going from time to time.

13 comments:

  1. Good luck with keeping off the weed - wouldn't want you to go the way of my parents, emphysema and lung cancer.

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  2. Good luck with the non-smoking.

    I guess you are in the hardest part of the withdrawal, as you are coming of the patches and hence the drug, as opposed to the habit of having a fag in your mouth.

    As a smoker, my advice is not particualarly valuable, but the last time I went cold turkey, I found peppermint tea very useful. For one thing it is calming. And it also acts as a diarectic and helps to flush the remaining nicotine out of your system.

    Whatever you do, do not give into temptation.... it takes roughly 2 weeks to clean out your system, and one puff to fill it up again.

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  3. Well done Hon. Keep going!

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  4. I'm very proud of you. :-)

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  5. Good luck, babe. You have more will power than I, obviously!

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  6. Rachel, Becky and Stegbeetle - thanks.

    Charlotte - You've not said how you are doing with giving up recently.

    Eeore - Thank You. Actually your advice is really good cos you know what it's like, I shall try the peppermint tea sometime. I've been nibbling on a lot of crystallised ginger, Sweeties for hard people, that seems to help.

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  7. Well done! Good luck with the cold turkey...

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  8. Does this mean that you are going to be able to spare some money for grouting?

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  9. I am doing very well thanks hon, I just have a serious chewing gum habit now, accompanied with an urge to commit harm on anyone who mentions giving up smoking LOL.

    Why is it when I see an anti-smoking poster or advertisement it makes me crave a ciggy.

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  10. Good on ya! Addiction sucks. (sigh) You do know though, that you don't have to give up being anti-social. There are lots of inexpensive ways to do that. =)

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  11. You never said you smoked!! My ex gave up smoking and she wasn't anti-social at all, she just left me!!

    Good on ya gal, although as a lifelong non-smoker I haven't experienced giving up, I know others who have and although difficult at the start, if you persevere you'll feel so much better in the longer term. Food and red wine tastes so much better!!

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  12. Good Luck - I smoked 20 a day for 18 years and stopped in April. I have to be honest and say that I still do have a couple now and then with a beer in the pub but I feel better and have got loads more money. I'm annoyed but still pleased with myself that I do only have a couple. I saved up the money and have put it towards a new computer. I was after a guitar and still might get it.

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  13. Everyone thank you I do know it makes sense and the cold turkey isn't too bad I'm getting through a lot of extra strong mints (they don't burn very well) but the coughing is already reducing, I'm not coughing through the night any more.

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