The Great DC Smoke Off

[MrsLMB]

Cheers to you Rocket ... it's can be a massive undertaking but it is so worth it.

I stopped October 11, 2012. So while I'm still "fresh" from my quit, I am very happy that I did.

What everyone is saying is true .. you won't succeed until you are ready to stop because YOU want to. If you are doing it for other people it most likely won't work.

I set my quit day. Stocked up on the patch system. Bought the Blu e-cig system. Bought some NO nicotene Blu cartriges.

Then I tossed out my real cigarettes. My thinking was if I have an "emergency back up" pack it will just taunt me and I will cave .. so I tossed them out.

I washed up and put all my ashtrays in a bin outside in the garage and filled that bin with lawn tools, ropes, extra hammers etc. ... basically made it hard to get to them.

I began using my Blu e-cig with the cartriges that came with it .. those have nicotene.

Once those were done I started on the patch and put the NO nicotene cartriges in my Blu e-cig.

I kept a diary every single day ... writing down every single emotion I went through ... the ups and downs .. the anger .. the elation .. some not so nice words .. anything that came to mind.

I began washing all things that could be washed in the washing machine .. and it had to be done more than once to get rid of that smell.

I had my furniture cleaned. I had my carpet cleaned. I had my car detailed.

I found that the patch took care of weaning my body down from the addiction. The NO nicotene e-cig satisfied the "need" to do something with my hands and it actually didn't feel like I was suffering so much.

Once the patch system was complete I found that I was getting bored with my e-cig and about 2 weeks later I put it down and haven't picked it up since.

Do I ever feel like I want or need a cig .. yep ... but it's always associated with stress. I get up and walk around .. grab that diary and re-read it and by the time I am done with that I know there is NO way I want to go back and start over.

I am very proud of what I accomplished and I wholeheartedly encourage anyone who wants to quit to take the steps.

Remember that what works for one person may not work for you. Sometimes it's trial and error.

But the good news is that if you fall ... you can get up and start again.

Just keep the ultimate goal in mind .. you can do it .. it may not be easy .. but it is really worth it.

Kudos to you and to anyone else who works on this addiction .. best of luck and never forget all the great support you have here on DC.

[pacanis]

Originally Posted by forty_caliber

Glad to see everyone taking steps to quit cigs. I've been off of 'em for ages now.

Cigars...that's another topic and I have no plans to quit those. I will smoke one in honor of those trying though.

.40

That's like saying I'll drink a toast to all those in AA

You don't know how close I came to buying a pack yesterday. Like they say, stopping is easy for a while, but then that feeling comes back...
Since I did not smoke in the house towards the end of my smoking days, I thought about the pack directly across from me in the Walmart line, then I thought about the $6 price, then I thought about the 6 degree temperature.

[Mad Cook]

Originally Posted by Dawgluver

Both my parents smoked, though my dad quit for 40 years. He always said he could easily pick up the habit again.

My mother said the same. She hadn't smoked since a false alarm in the 1950s but 40 years on, when she was in her seventies, she told me that when she was near anyone who was smoking she still desperately wanted a cigarette.

[CWS4322]

My grandmother smoked 2 packs of Chesterfield unfiltered cigs from the time she was 16 until she died from complications following a broken hip one day before her 100th birthday (and she BITCHED non-stop while in the hospital following her hip surgery because she was forced to quit).

I am still trying to figure out why she was able to do that and not have lung cancer or heart problems.

[GotGarlic]

Just wanted to say kudos and good luck to you all. I quit in 1990 after 16 years. I can't say I miss it anymore, but it sure took a long time.

[Rocket_J_Dawg]

We got our Ecigs today. What a comical experience. Also what I found out, is that the liquid, or juice as they call it here, is illegal if it contains nicotine.
What??? Isn't that the whole point?? We're trying to quite cigarettes??
The young man that served us was......hilarious. A sample of our experience...

Oh hey man....the battery store is actually next door. Sorry the signs aren't the greatest
me - Oh no, it's ok, we came in to inquire about your ecigs.
him - Oh- cool dude, we have all kinds. What are you looking for?
me - Well, we want to quit smoking so something that will ween us off.
him - Oh dude...you don"t need to quit man. Maybe you need a better growth.
me - (Looking confused at Mrs D) Um..no...I mean we want to give up cigarettes.
him - Ohhhhh.....cool dude.
me - (after about 30 seconds of silence) Do you have something that could help us?
him - What?.......Oh yeh.....sure man.
We then picked out our ecig package and I asked about the liquid
me - So what amounts of nicotine do you have?
him - Oh thats illegal man...well...ya I think.
me - Really? Why is that? It's not in the States.
him - What States?
me - The United States.
him - Really??
me - Well ya.....do you have any with nicotine??
him - Oh sure we do....your not one of those health cops are you???
Mrs D had to leave at this point as her laughter was becoming a bit distracting.
me - I'll take one at 6ml nicotine if you have one.
him - I think we have one with a number 6 on it....I'll be right back.
At this point...some sort of manager came in and our transaction went pretty quick. I still kill myself laughing.
So....we are esmoking now.
No more standing in the cold.

[Dawgluver]

Sounds like something from Cheech and Chong!

South Beach Smoke has a good online e-cig shop, and if any of your equipment fails, they replace it for free, no questions asked. And they do have nicotine!

[Rocklobster]

I smoke about 3 to 5 cigarettes a week. Been doing this for years. Probably won't stop. I enjoy one on occasion with a drink when I get home from work before I start dinner. I have been an on and off smoker for years. Thankfully more off than on. I live in a rural community and am a regular walker. I don't think it is much worse than a non smoker who lives in a major city who breaths in smog and fumes all day. I can live with those odds, I figure something else will get me first....

[Rocket_J_Dawg]

Originally Posted by Dawgluver

Sounds like something from Cheech and Chong!

Yup...it was pretty close to that Mrs D had to leave...she got into one of those laughing fits.....it was really comical..

[Rocket_J_Dawg]

Originally Posted by Rocklobster

I smoke about 3 to 5 cigarettes a week. Been doing this for years. Probably won't stop. I enjoy one on occasion with a drink when I get home from work before I start dinner. I have been an on and off smoker for years. Thankfully more off than on. I live in a rural community and am a regular walker. I don't think it is much worse than a non smoker who lives in a major city. I can live with those odds, I figure something else will get me first....

I can't figure how you do that Rock. Our friends back in Germany are the same. They only smoke when they go out to a restaurant or club. During the week....nothing.