Cycling Away From Smoking

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dynamictiger
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Re: Cycling Away From Smoking

Postby dynamictiger » Wed Jan 09, 2013 11:25 am

im_no_pro wrote:Me too :(

Have done the champix thing before, as well as hypnosis. Hypnosis did diddly squat. Champix got me off em for 6 months, even with GLW still on em. Would like to go down the champix path again, but my god..... the nightmares. I didnt know my mind was capable of such thoughts and at one point very nearly considered taking myself down to the local cop shop and telling em to lock me up :(

Did I manage to squeeze 'em' in there enough times to make me appear more boganish? :lol:
When I did the champix thing, I did not recall any unusual dreams, however I don't usually remember dreams anyway. What I did do though was extended the course of drugs out of my own pocket. So rather than 3 months it was subsidised I took an additional 2 months tablets I worked on the assumption that as I had been smoking for 20 + years that 3 months didn't seem long enough to be sure I kicked the habit for good. So far so good its coming up to 3 years in May.
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Re: Cycling Away From Smoking

Postby im_no_pro » Wed Jan 09, 2013 11:41 am

dynamictiger wrote: When I did the champix thing, I did not recall any unusual dreams, however I don't usually remember dreams anyway. What I did do though was extended the course of drugs out of my own pocket. So rather than 3 months it was subsidised I took an additional 2 months tablets I worked on the assumption that as I had been smoking for 20 + years that 3 months didn't seem long enough to be sure I kicked the habit for good. So far so good its coming up to 3 years in May.
Nice work. I normally dont have dreams (or more likely I just dont remember them) but these were horrific to put it mildly. I would wake up in a full cold sweat, heart racing, wondering how the hell I could conjure up such things. I knew this was a possible side effect of Champix which affects some, but not all people who take it. This was a couple of years ago now, I cant remember exactly what they were now but I still sends a shudder down my spine just thinking about it.

edit: fixed your quote tags for you as well :wink:
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Re: Cycling Away From Smoking

Postby fionahills » Thu Jan 10, 2013 8:32 am

Mulga Bill -

so so sorry :cry: :cry: - my commodore slur was unforgiveable!!!! Does it even it up if I also admit to owning a navara ute - previously used on the farm and to tow horse floats - now set up to take six bikes..... :) :)

Back to the thread I used Champix and did not have any luck stopping but did cut down a lot - until I went to Spain where you can smoke everywhere and I succumbed to my addition. Also tried hypno therapy thinking that would help with the weight worries - no luck at all.

Also tried the nicorette plastic cigarette thing but chewed so hard on it I broke a tooth......

Have tried 'smokeless' cigarettes - sold on planes in europe - did not work either.

considering the electric ones now - a friend said her dad had a good experience with them - i think they are based on same principle as nicotine substitute.

I seem to have a myriad of excuses available as to why I have not managed to give it away and why the usual solutions don't work...I think I will have to take responsibility and say that I just don't try hard enough. always some drama or crisis that means NOW is not the right time.

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Re: Cycling Away From Smoking

Postby Mulger bill » Thu Jan 10, 2013 10:04 am

All good Fiona, I'll even overlook the Navara as it's had an honest history of doing the work them vehicles were built to perform rather than being consigned to a sad existence of urban terrorising. Loading six bikes in one hit is gravy :D

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Re: Cycling Away From Smoking

Postby im_no_pro » Thu Jan 10, 2013 11:11 am

Anyone tried the smokenders program? Had a chat to my health fund last night, they will contribute up to $150 towards the cost, but they only do it for this particular program or for NRT which im not really interested in. Program is 7 weekly sessions of up to 2 hours, considering GLW and I will be aiming to do it together that may prove to be a bit of a challenge. They do a home course kit now that would only cost me ~$120 out of pocket for 1 program, which I daresay could be used for both of us. Upside: easier to manage the time input, significantly less cost than 2 of us signing up to the course. Downside: I daresay a little more self motivation would be required to do it at home. Keen to hear if anyone has tried it.
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Re: Cycling Away From Smoking

Postby DavidI » Thu Jan 10, 2013 11:46 am

I started smoking during the time before my wife became my ex-wife - she was a smoker and used to spend a great deal of time outside smoking so the only chance I had to talk to her was while she was smoking, eventually I tried one and it became a regular thing. due to having never bene a smoker before I actually got quite a "buzz" out of it, like being mildly drunk only the "high" cleared quicker! After we separated and I was out on my own I found taking a few minutes for a quiet smoke was a way to fill in the evenings, I pretty much did it to pas the time - If I'd had a hobby I might have not needed the distraction!
I quit when I met my new partner, as she is not a smoker, I hate to say it but I just basically went cold turkey with no issues. Sorry guys!
I ended up buying another pack in October while waiting for the divorce hearing, smoked a few then, and been gradually working my way through the pack since then (a terrible excuse, but I can't stand waste so I figured I'd have one now and then when the new gal wasn't around - she can't stand the smell!). I finally threw the damned pack out yesterday, still with 2 in it. The last couple we actually unpleasant, I couldn't stand to open the pack because the smell made me choke!
I guess my main contribution/advice would be, find something else to distract you, the main eason I smoked was boredom.

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Re: Cycling Away From Smoking

Postby sogood » Thu Jan 10, 2013 11:52 am

When it comes to quitting the cigarette, Dave Allen told it best! Good luck folks!

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Re: Cycling Away From Smoking

Postby bardygrub » Mon Jan 14, 2013 6:50 pm

Im going to find it hard to quit at the moment as i am living between the royal childrens hospital and the ronald mcdonald house. Last Monday My family and i came down to Melbourne for day surgery on my son.Complications during surgery and now it looks like we are here for two weeks.
Im punching the darts at the moment so the quitting thing will have to wait.
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Re: Cycling Away From Smoking

Postby foo on patrol » Tue Jan 15, 2013 5:55 am

Hope all goes well for your son Barbygrub. :(

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Re: Cycling Away From Smoking

Postby Semar » Tue Jan 15, 2013 9:12 am

Great hospital to be caring for your little one, Barbygrub.

But in the long run you need to give up for him, both as a role model and to be able to stick around longer.
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Re: Cycling Away From Smoking

Postby goneriding » Tue Jan 15, 2013 12:27 pm

How I gave up was that I'd set in my mind that once a pack of cigs hit the $10 mark I'd give it away. I guess it rattled around in my head for a couple of years and then all of a sudden the price started to get near and I started thinking about it more and more.

Once it happened, I started to reduce the number each day or 2 over a couple of weeks until I was down to a couple a day and then just went cold turkey. In retrospect the 2 weeks of cutting back were probably worse than the cold turkey.

The other thing I did was leave a half packet out of sight just in case. I never went near and after a couple of months threw the packet out.

Every now and again I pass someone smoking and really, really want one but it passes pretty quickly. Most times it is a case of wanting to get away from the smell!

Having thought about it, I think the mental preparation was the big thing as in wanting to be a non smoker. The cycling obsession came later :) It also gave SWMBO something to complain about as after I gave up she was complaining that she didn't have much to complain about :)
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Re: Cycling Away From Smoking

Postby greyhoundtom » Tue Jan 15, 2013 7:25 pm

Putting my GLW on the plane for Tassie on Thursday morning and she will be away for ten days..........will do my very best not to have a cigarette during that time.

The bike will be on the trainer, and the plan is to jump on the bike every time I wan't a smoke so I should get plenty of time on the bike. I have warned the neighbours not to take any notice of any swearing they may hear, and to keep away from me. :oops:

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Re: Cycling Away From Smoking

Postby RonK » Tue Jan 15, 2013 7:32 pm

greyhoundtom wrote:Putting my GLW on the plane for Tassie on Thursday morning and she will be away for ten days..........will do my very best not to have a cigarette during that time.
Remember, no tea, coffee or alcohol, or activities that you habitually associate with smoking. Drink only water or unsweetened orange juice.
Good luck and stay strong.
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Re: Cycling Away From Smoking

Postby DavidS » Thu Jan 17, 2013 6:28 pm

No coffee is a bridge too far. I reckon if I prepare properly I can give up the smokes, but not the coffee.

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Re: Cycling Away From Smoking

Postby JessicaAlba » Sat Jan 19, 2013 12:25 am

I also quit a few years ago. Had nothing to do with riding, as such, just decided one day I didn't want to smoke anymore.

My method was simple and I share it with everyone I meet that is "trying" to quit...just don't buy any smokes. Simple. Don't got 'em, can't smoke 'em. Next time you find yourself wanting to go to the shop for a pack, don't. Sit right there on the couch. Better yet, go for a ride.

Used the same method with the green...why go running all over town, making phone calls, waiting for hook ups and being short on money every week? Meh. Easier just to not bother, imo. I have to admit to going on the occasional bender though. Gave myself a three week leave pass over Christmas, but now that's over, I'm good for another 12 months :mrgreen: I love how that smiley is called "mrgreen"!
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Re: Cycling Away From Smoking

Postby RonK » Sat Jan 19, 2013 8:47 am

DavidS wrote:No coffee is a bridge too far. I reckon if I prepare properly I can give up the smokes, but not the coffee.

DS
Well, if your habit is to smoke when you drink coffee, then you will find it difficult to stop smoking.

Breaking the smoking habit means also breaking those other habits you associate with it, temporarily at least.
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Re: Cycling Away From Smoking

Postby greyhoundtom » Sat Jan 19, 2013 9:24 am

Saturday 9.00 am .......... day three today and it’s not getting any easier.......... have not had a smoke since 10 pm Wednesday night.

Kept waking up last night about every hour not feeling the best and have both a headache and a pain in the stomach even though I did have breakfast about 3 am this morning.

Went for an hours walk this morning, about to get on the bike & trainer don't trust myself out on the road the way I feel.

Not having a smoke no matter what happens.

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Re: Cycling Away From Smoking

Postby dynamictiger » Sat Jan 19, 2013 9:39 am

greyhoundtom wrote:Saturday 9.00 am .......... day three today and it’s not getting any easier.......... have not had a smoke since 10 pm Wednesday night.

Kept waking up last night about every hour not feeling the best and have both a headache and a pain in the stomach even though I did have breakfast about 3 am this morning.

Went for an hours walk this morning, about to get on the bike & trainer don't trust myself out on the road the way I feel.

Not having a smoke no matter what happens.
Good going. Drinking iced water helped me a lot through this stage.
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Re: Cycling Away From Smoking

Postby foo on patrol » Sat Jan 19, 2013 9:39 am

Come on Greyhound you can do it. You need to push that barrier a bit hard and say !&(#&*#+ (AT)#(*^%$#) mongrel things you're not going to win. :evil:

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Re: Cycling Away From Smoking

Postby greyhoundtom » Mon Jan 21, 2013 10:24 am

Saturday and Sunday were pretty tough days with just about a continuous feeling for the need to light up a cigarette ...........but didn’t.

This morning so far it’s not too bad other than having had another night of night sweats and finally getting out of bed at 2 am to have a shower and freshen up.

While I’m totally convinced that I have had my last cigarette and won’t light up another one ever again, I guess my primary reason for giving them away is probably making it harder.

While to a non smoker, or even to an ex-smoker it may sound unbelievable, but the reality for me is that I actually liked smoking and would not be quitting right now other than for financial reasons.

In my younger days when I still believed that my chosen path in life would see me retire comfortably at 55, some of my most enjoyable moments of time out from work involved putting my feet up, having a good sip of home made espresso coffee, followed by a small piece of dark Cadbury chocolate, and then as that was melting in my mouth, a puff on a rum flavoured wine dipped aromatic Panetela cigar.

So somehow or another, and rather unfortunately, smoking for me has a really close association with relaxing and enjoying the moment.

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Re: Cycling Away From Smoking

Postby dynamictiger » Mon Jan 21, 2013 11:47 am

greyhoundtom wrote:While to a non smoker, or even to an ex-smoker it may sound unbelievable, but the reality for me is that I actually liked smoking and would not be quitting right now other than for financial reasons.
I completely understand this sentiment. I said the same and quit for identical reasons.
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Re: Cycling Away From Smoking

Postby RonK » Mon Jan 21, 2013 12:16 pm

greyhoundtom wrote:So somehow or another, and rather unfortunately, smoking for me has a really close association with relaxing and enjoying the moment.
Then you are no different than former smokers, encouraged no doubt by years of cigarette company advertising which promoted this idea.

"I enjoy smoking." Yes, I can remember when exactly these words passed my lips.
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Re: Cycling Away From Smoking

Postby fionahills » Mon Jan 21, 2013 5:16 pm

Go TOM

I am crossing all my fingers and toes that you manage to quit the dreaded drug -

I too love to smoke.....to my eternal shame.... and even thinking about stopping makes me smoke more - since this thread started and I started thinking about stopping I have gone from a pack a day to 1.5 - this only occured to me today (I buy cartons) and looked at how quickly I was going thru them..... spooky thing how your behaviour, sub conscious whatever takes over to protect the addiction....

good luck TOM you can do it......

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Re: Cycling Away From Smoking

Postby RonK » Mon Jan 21, 2013 5:38 pm

As I've mentioned in this thread, I gave up smoking with the aid of hypnosis. Thinking about this discussion, it's just occurred to me that at around this time that I noticed I was drinking much less too. I made no conscious decision, I just started finding half-empty stubbies I'd left lying around the house, and concluded that I'd somehow lost interest in beer. For a long time I didn't bother to drink at all. This was quite a revelation - I grew up in Darwin where non-drinkers are pariahs. Now, I have no interest in drinking the usual brewery swill, but do occasionally enjoy a glass of pinot noir or good craft beer. But only one or sometimes two.

So it leaves me wondering how much all these addictive behaviours are related, and if the hypnosis was actually the reason why I spontaneously stopped drinking.

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Re: Cycling Away From Smoking

Postby gorilla monsoon » Tue Jan 22, 2013 9:20 am

I gave it away seven-and-a-half years agp, two weeks after my 50th birthday. A work colleague had had surgery for throat cancer and, the day I had my last stogie (I smoked cigars, not cigarettes) my wife rang me to tell me our much-loved dog had just been diagnosed with throat cancer.

I stubbed that sucker out there and then and vowed never to light-up again.

The pains in my chest and the shortness of breath went away after a while and a year after I stopped smoking my doc took me off one of the two heart medications I was on and that saved me $50 a month. The savings that came with the smoking amounted to about $40 a week so basically enough money saved annually to buy myself a new bike every year if I wanted.

When I did get cravings I simply told myself smoking is the longest, dumbest and most expensive way ever devised to commit suicide. These days the smell of cigarettes makes me feel physically ill (although I still enjoy cigar and pipe smoke a bit) and I really hate that smokers like to gather near doorways to enjoy their habit.

To those who want to quit, can I say: just do it, work at it and know that it will get easier after the first 10 or 12 weeks but, like any addiction being dumped, you will have to work at it for a very long time.

To those who want to stay smokers, that's okay because you only have yourself to answer to. Just do it with some sensitivity to the growing majority of people who do not smoke.
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