Confession!!!

SurfinAmy · 22-Mar-04, 10:01 AM

Hey All,

Well, thought I'd let you know I'm a pack a day smoker since age 12! I didn't want to say anything because I knew you guys would chuck rotten tomatoes at me! But I would appreciate your support and encouragement. Seems like everywhere I go I run into someone I know smoking a cigarette!

Well, what my plan is that I'm going to taper off.
Today I'm going to allow myself 15 cigarettes, then 14 and so on.
I've got to kick it!!! It's this big monkey on my back!!! And I hate it!!!

On the bright side I've been weaning myself off the caffeine in the same way. I've been mixing my coffee w/ decaf for a couple of weeks now. Today I hardly put in any regular coffee so hope to be totally finished with caffeine by Friday.

I'm thinking maybe I should wait till I totally taper off the caffeine before I start tapering off the nicotine as well. I don't know.....

-Amy

AnnaD - TX · 22-Mar-04, 10:12 AM

Man, thats a lot of cigs. but i know people that smoke and workout. Damn, I know people that light up right after spinning class! Anyhow your just being honest, cause you really did not have to say anything, but you did! Good for you! Do you plan on quiting at all?

benman2002 · 22-Mar-04, 10:15 AM

good luck with quiting smoking!!i know it will be really hard to do but you can do it...its good you have a plan...set a goal like you would in weight-training..maybe somthing like a month from now youll be down to 10 a day, 2 months-5 a day, 3months none...i dunno..
Good luck!

SurfinAmy · 22-Mar-04, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SurfinAmy

Well, what my plan is that I'm going to taper off.
-Amy

ya, I want to give it a go pretty quick here. Feel like it's really holding me back from everything I'm trying to do here....

**cursor** · 22-Mar-04, 10:17 AM

Best of luck in your efforts! Soon you'll be able to look back and see what a positive change it is/was.

**midgetcop** · 22-Mar-04, 10:27 AM

I wish you the best of luck.

:

I've been in your shoes. I was an on again off again smoker since 13, but I'm now proud to say that the smell of cigarette smoke makes me want to be sick.

It can be a difficult process, but I have faith that anyone can do it if they put their mind to it.

ajarvis · 22-Mar-04, 10:30 AM

Good Luck, My BF is quitting right now hes having a hard time, but he is quitting cold turkey, I think the tapering idea would work better.... for everyone involved

Octagon · 22-Mar-04, 03:28 PM

Good luck. I think I've got everybody beat in the Dumbass Sweepstakes because not only am I a 1-2 pack a day smoker, I didn't start until I was twenty-freaking-five.

So don't expect any tomatoes from this direction

**MAURER** · 22-Mar-04, 03:31 PM

i would say just don't pick up another cigarette. my mom used to smoke 2 packs a day until i was born. and then, she just decided she didn't want me to be around smoke so she just stopped and hasn't picked it up since. well, anyway that you go about it, good luck!

arbit · 22-Mar-04, 04:28 PM

Holy carp, since ager 12????????????????????

Amkey · 22-Mar-04, 04:34 PM

Amy,
I smoked since I was 10 ( older friends ) and I smked about a pack a day. All I can say is screw the tapering! Invest in the patch and wear that sucker all the time and go through the naseau in the mornings and the horrible mood swings after you eat. My biggest problem was drinking so I stayed out of the bars until I was comfortable. I smoked my last cigarette on November 21st 2000. I never went back. It was one of the hardest things I ever had to do but looking back on it I could not have done the tapering thing.
When i first quit I would have dreams that I would just be sitting chilling at the blackjack table in a casino and out of habit light a cigerette and half way through it I would realize that I was smoking and I would cry and cry and just could not believe that I did that after all I went through and then I would wake up and realize it was a dream.

Octagon · 22-Mar-04, 04:54 PM

Man, I only wish all the times I've cried at blackjack tables were just dreams

Amkey · 22-Mar-04, 05:17 PM

Ha! Octo,
That is not joke! This last Christmas I should have cried =)

**MissG** · 23-Mar-04, 06:32 AM

how do people start smoking so early?? i actually cant believe that people are smoking at 10 and 12!! my dad would have absolutely killed me, actually he would still kill me, just the thought of that was enough to keep me out of those things lol.
Anyways good luck with the quitting, i hope the process isn't too hard for you! But be strong and i'm sure you can achieve it!! Just keep thining how much more healthy you will feel after!!

23-Mar-04, 08:12 AM

Best of luck Amy! It won't be easy, but the cravings eventually do go away. It seems like it takes forever, but in reality it is only a short period of time. The first two weeks were the most difficult for me when I quit (2 packs a day). As for being cranky when going through this, well, if your family cares for you they will deal with it. You will probably put on a little bit of weight but in the end, getting off the smokes is well worth the effort. Keep us informed of your progress!

PS - I have to agree with Amkey about the tapering. I went cold turkey, not even using the patch. Worked the best for me as I got the nicotine out of my system.