Are there and seniors here who smoke or have smoked cigarettes?

Question

I am 39 years old and have smoked since i was about 21 and I am trying to quit. I need some suggestions on how to kick this bad habit and was wondering if there are some ex smokers here and can you really tell a difference once you stopped. Thanks

Answer 1

Congratulations on your decision to quit. Here's a few suggestions and what to expect:



1. Carry a toothbrush at all times. When you get a craving, brush your teeth. Brush your tongue too.

2. Gum, lifesavers, mints---as much as you want. It's just a temporary crutch. Keep your mouth busy.

3. Put your cigarette money in a separate jar so you can get yourself a special present.



When you quit, the first day is the hardest. After 2-3 days your sense of smell comes back, and you will be entertained by the new sensory experience. Taste returns too. Eat whatever you want. Don't worry about weight gain while you are getting over your addiction. Expect to have more time because you are not busy lighting up, fiddling with your lighter, emptying ash trays, or looking for a location that permits smoking.



After a week you are on the home stretch, and after 2 weeks all is accomplished. No more cigarette burns on your clothing or the furniture! Be prepared for an occasional craving years later, in an inappropriate place like shampooing in the shower. But you can laugh at yourself because you have WON!



Yes, you do feel better. Less anxious, more energy, sleep better. You smell better. Your lungs work easier. Your capillaries are not so constricted, so circulation is better. You are no longer hooked; you are free and independent. Be sure to thank yourself for your great accomplishment.

Answer 2

I started smoking when I was about 16 and smoked until I was 35 when I was given a pet (a small rabbit) and one night while I was sitting there chain smoking I noticed him sitting there breathing in all my second hand smoke. This was before second hand smoke had become an issue. I figured that he couldn't get up and leave if the smoke got too much for him, couldn't even make me stop smoking. How unfair. I loved the little guy. So, I just stopped. I was always a night smoker and smoked mostly just a home. It took about 2 years for me to stop having cravings but I never went back to smoking cause I acquired another pet (and then some others later) and it felt good knowing they weren't having to breath in my smoke. And there really was no usefulness to my smoking. I remember always checking to make sure I had enough cigs to get me through until the next day when I could get more and the few times I hadn't bought more having to do some pretty low things like digging through the trash trying to find old butts that could still be smoked down to the filter. Once I had not smoked for a bunch fo months, when I would borrow a cig and smoke, I'd get a headache (since I wasn't used to the carbon monoxide anymore) and it just didn't feel worth it to me anymore. The price of cigs also went up significantly and I know I wouldn't be able to afford to smoke anymore. I once pointed that out to a friend who was barely able to live from paycheck to paycheck; he quit and was able to take a 2 week vacation to Europe on the money he saved that year alone.

Answer 3

I am 62 and have smoked since I was 18. I get so tired of the excuses I make to myself. I would enjoy the cleaner home. The better health and more money in my wallet. Yet I keep hanging on. New rules at work made it a smoke free work place. When I bought a new car two years ago I promised myself I wasn't going to smoke in it and so far I haven't. People ask me how it is that the car still smells new! I just can't make myself stop wanting to smoke with coffee, after meals and when I first get up in the morning. I believe quiting would help, just cutting down because of all the places I can't have helped the breathing

Answer 4

I'm 50. I've smoked since I was 12 with a 2 year break around 19.

I wished I'd never started back.

The only reason I stopped the 1st time was b/c of Grace. I had prayed many times to quit. I don't know why it was that time, but after prayer, I was just done.

I started back when I was home alone & smelled neighbor smoking a cigarette. I was bored, walked to the store for something to do & got a pack & started right back up. I was hooked B4 I'd even finished the pack.



You always hear about lung cancer, but that doesn't run in my family & I've only had one doctor ever think that I might be a smoker, but she later changed her mind b/c everything was clear inside.



I think the bigger hazard is the heart. I don't think enough emphasis is put on the heart strain caused when your red bloods cells (designed to carry oxygen to EVERY part of your body) will latch on to a carbon monoxide molecule from smoking & leave no room for oxygen. That's why 1st time smokers become "light headed." They are oxygen deprived.



STAR - I need the answer too!

Answer 5

Becoming a non-smoker was the hardest thing I ever had to do, but I did it after smoking 3 to 5 packs daily over more years than I care to remember. Stopping was the best thing I did for myself. I didn't think I could ever do it and never wanted to quit and didn't intend to quit until my doctor asked me why I smoked & I thought about that and nothing seemed a reasonable explanation why I smoked so I just said I can't stop. My doctor asked if I would be willing to try something that was proven to work so I became a nonsmoker from that moment on. I know you think you will never do it, but she put me on a pill and it was killing me to not smoke, but I did it because I made up my mind when I left the doctors office with those pills and a prescription I was never going to smoke again. I also rearranged my furniture because I always sat in a spot next to the phone and smoked and drank coffee. I did quit coffee for a while because I associated that with smoking. In fact, I stopped everything that I enjoyed a cigarette with. It has been 14 yrs. now and it is truly the best thing I ever did for myself. If I can do it, I have faith in you that you can too. Now, get to the doctor.



Forgot to tell you my doctor told me that smoking cigarettes is a harder addiction to quit than Heroin. I'd asked if she would prescribe Heroin for me then, but she said no. By the way the first 3 days she put me on Zyban (sp?) & then put me on Wellbutrin which did and does work for me for other issues I have also. I cannot say that the drugs kept me from smoking, but it helped me enough with my will power I did stop. Just let me know if I can help in any other way.

Answer 6

I started as a kid to look cool and worked to keep my habit down. I quit around 1985 when I went into the hospital for something else and found out my heart was skipping badly. I was told that I would probably end up having some type of heart operation in the future and the fact that I smoked could kill me. I threw my cigarettes in the wastebasket and that was it. I still want one but I will never put one of those filthy things in my mouth. I had a hysterectomy at the same time and I was really buzzing and then this dumb doctor put me on meds that made me want to kill. It wasn't a good time for those pills. And then I watched that man from the tobacco industry testify before congress and that ********** said that cigarettes were not addictive. I could have killed him. Just to know that that industry added things to cigarettes to make them even more addictive really still makes me mad. My brother-in-law died because he was still smoking those butts when he went in for heart surgery and died on the table. The doctors said he probably would have made it if he had just stopped smoking. Smoking tears up all parts of your body. You will notice a difference immediately. I really noticed about a week after I quit and went swimming. I could swim so much further and that continued to improve. Your body will start healing immediately but it takes 25 years to say you are a non smoker. You will get your sense of smell back and you will realize just how bad you smell. . .your breath, your clothes, your hair, your house, your car. You will be able to pick out those people that smoke when they walk by you. Just do it. Best advice: Smoking is psychological as well as physical. When you change a habit, you need to substitute another crutch for smoking. It's the action of smoking too. . .the ritual. . .the relaxation. . .find something and don't let it be food or something with calories. I don't care if it's run around the block singing at the top of your lungs. . .do it. Your appetite will also return. Be very careful to not gain weight. The easiest way to quit is realize you are paying companies to slowly kill and disable you. Get very mad. Think of all the kids that they addict for the mighty profit they make. Think of all the people that die everyday from complications. And if that doesn't make you mad, think of all the taxes you pay and probably will be paying in the future so that smokers get the health care they need. Just say no or hell no. Good luck.

Answer 7

I started smoking off and on when I was 16 and quit about ten times before finally quitting completely in 2000 at age 54.I got a prescription for Wellbutrin which is the base ingredient in some better known medications for stopping smoking. It worked within a month and I have not had any problems with respiratory ailments since. I feel better and am happy to be free of that nagging desire to pursue nicotine. I am also a bit better off financially without that expensive habit. You can quit if you find the right method and motivation. If one thing doesn't work, keep trying.

Answer 8

My dad didn't smoke at all. My mother only took up smoking during her divorce, when she was a nervous wreck. She quickly turned into a chain smoker, and among my early memories are of playing on the living room floor and seeing a layer of cigarette smoke floating over my head. I also remember that whenever I heard the crackle of cellophane I would get excited and turn around, thinking that I was going to get some candy. Only it would be Mom opening a bright red pack of Pall Malls. What a disappointment! Whenever she had a cold, Mom would switch to Salem because she thought that a menthol cigarette was soothing to the throat. Later she switched to filtered Tareytons. She smoked well into her 70s and only quit when she was hospitalized for a broken pelvis and then had to move to a care home, where smoking wasn't permitted. I inherited all of my mom's old cookbook recipe cards, and many of them still have that lingering smoky smell. The aroma of cigarette smoke still makes me think of her.

Answer 9

I stopped smoking over 20 years ago and yes I can tell a difference. I feel better and seem to have more energy. When ever I am around some one smoking the burning cigarette makes me feel sick. I try to avoid these people and with so many restrictions on where a person may smoke is very helpful. Poppy

Answer 10

Started smoking at 18 quit at 27 for ten years and got started up again.

Smoked another ten years and quit for good.



My take on smoking is that it's horribly addictive like heroin or cocaine or alcohol. I don't think you ever totally get over it.



I don't think there's an easy way. You just have to stop smoking and put up with the cravings until you stop craving cigarettes every moment of the day--just on rare occasions.



I never did patches, nicotine gum or lozenges because I wondered about substituting one addiction for another.



I like not coughing every morning and every night. I like breathing and my physical endurance increased tremendously after I quit smoking.

After I got over wanting to strangle my family, I felt better. And, the stuff you hear about food tasting better---it's all true.

Answer 11

I guess most 'seniors' have smoked,it was the done thing in the past.

I smoked around 60 untipped strong cigs a day.just decided to stop,so did. Fely a little mazey for a couple of weeks,but fine after.

For an incentive,look at the pictures of the lungs of smokers,see the filth come off the ceiling when you wash it,that's in your body.

Yes you can tell the difference,you can smell things,you can taste things,your breath doesn't stink of stale tobacco,you can exert yourself without wheezing,your fitness level will improve beyond recognition

Answer 12

I started to smoke when I went into the service at 18. I quit in my 40's by going to a class that was at a local hospital. It is not easy and you must have the will power and really want to quit. I wish you well on your attempt to quit

Answer 13

I started smoking when I was a teenager. Quit cold turkey when I was 23 years old. The day I quit was the day I found out I was pregnant. Powerful motivation and it worked for me. I haven't smoked a cigarette in 36 years.

Answer 14

after 40 years had to quit for good because they would not allow me to touch my premature born grandson. A fighter for life like he is, me smoking would have killed him, when hen was having so many lung infections & having to wear tubes. I used Chloreseptic spray to kill the graving and it worked. Especially in the mornings. Just I did not know what to do with hands. It took 3 years to keep from getting sick from all the nicotine coming up as my lungs started to heal. After 7 years now, never felt so good, and water taste so much better.

Answer 15

I quit about 7 years ago after smoking for approx. 30 years & every now & then I do get the urge for a cigarette although the urge is short lived.

Answer 16

My inducement to quit was a heart attack 9-25-06, after the Cardiologist that saved my life told me to find another Cardiologist if I didn't quit smoking. Never had another one, don't miss it. Smoked for forty years. Quit cold.

Answer 17

Quit my worst habit over 20 years ago drinking - still smoke.

Answer 18

My favorite Mark Twain quote "It's easy to quit smoking. I've done it dozens of times."



I've quit twice, both times tapering off until finally I was down to just one a day. Then I just quit the one a day.

Answer 19

Easy way to quit for good! Use Chantix...get prescription from doctor, two a day/morn and night .... blocks nicotine receptors in brain. I smoked for 50 years, would try and try to quit, never could...then used Chantix...piece of cake! When the urge to smoke came weeks after I quit using Chantix, I just dropped a pill and the urge left within minutes! I tried the patches (waste of money), I tried the gum (waste of money), I tried cold turkey, etc.....Chantix was the only thing I found to ease the mess I put myself into. It is very expensive, but considering the cost of cigarettes today, the drug is cheap! Talk to your doctor to see if you can take it....not everyone can.

I tried Wellbuterin, did nothing! Good luck

Answer 20

i started when I was 14 yrs old but quit when I turned 22 yrs old

smoking is hard to quit the secret is you HAVE TO WANT TO QUIT



you need to stop cold turkey try those nicotine patches they have now



& yes you will see a big difference in the next few months

food will taste better, you won;t be out of breath as much



good luck to you

Answer 21

I started at 14 and quit at 64 been off them 15 years now.

Answer 22

If I had suggestions I could back up with successful cessation.. I would ...sorry! Yes, I smoke and have regularly since college.

Answer 23

I am a disabled 68 year old who has smoked all my adult life and still do. I wish you luck in stopping if you want to.

Answer 24

i am an Indian in which country women don't smoke.

Answer 25

I picked up the habit on and off now, 3 times since I was 18. I'm 41 now and I've been off this time around since last November. And I know now that the 3rd time is the charm. :-D

But here are some things I picked up along the way:



1- Don't quit for others (even loved ones), quit for yourself. As you are the source and need to take care of yourself first before you do others.

Simple Golden Rule of Self-Empowerment that most people tend to brush aside waaay too often. Again, You first, then others...In everything even...not just quitting smoking.



2- The chemical addiction is not what you have to worry about, as it will disappear rather quickly anywhere between 3 days to 3 weeks depending on how many cigs you smoked a day. (And this is the stage where the nicotine patches and gums might help, as you can choose to decrease the dosage of nicotine over time). Myself, I was up to 1 to 1 & a half packs a day. All 3 times I quit, it took me about 3 days to get over the nicotine withdrawals. The more you are diligent about eliminating the toxins from your body, the faster your body will take to stop the chemical withdrawals.

And some ways of doing so are: Drinking a lot of H20, frequent showers, diuretic suplements or nutrition, exercise/sweat, etc...



But again, as I said: That's the easy part.

The hardest part is the deprogrammation/reconditionment of your brain in relation to the "ritual of smoking".

Your brain can be either a powerful Demon or Angel, or your greatest Friend or greatest Foe. It all depends what intent you habitually feed it.

The brain Thrives on reinforcement of ANYTHING. Wether good or bad.

If you feed it everyday with the same emotions, experiences, routines everyday and decide one day to stop doing so. It will throw you the biggest temper tantrums EVER...literally...lol... You'll see yourself going through the motion of incoherent actions and behaviors and not even know why or how...

So my biggest advice to you is: DEVISE A VERY GOOD PLAN THROUGHOUT YOUR WHOLE DAY TO TRICK YOUR BRAIN OUT OF THE SAME HABIT & TEACH IT TO GET USED TO NEW, HEALTHIER HABITS...UNTIL YOU FEEL YOU HAVE THE POWER, NOT YOUR BRAIN...

I called my own plan: The REPLACEMENT plan, where every time I felt my brain was trying to dictate my behaviors into the same old direction, I would jolt it, by substituting the "painful/alienating" feeling of deprivation, with an extremely pleasurable experience like fully immersing myself in the delights of a TRUELY decadent dessert or snack. DEATH BY CHOCOLATE....HMMMMmmm....

So eventually, what your brain learns is, it's actually not bad at all to feel deprived of the old/familiar thing. And it will also eventually stop tyrannizing you with its OBSSESSIVE NEEDS...



3- Even after it does leave you alone for a while, every so often it will badger you with its memories of the pleasure it used to associate certain triggers, with the act of smoking. Like the way you got it used to associate the pleasure of coffee/sex/eating/rest etc... to the act of smoking. Me, my biggest pleasure triggers that my brain associated smoking with were: the occasional alcoholic drink, and friendly socializing. The combination of both together has engaged me, several times, in an excruciating power of wits with my own brain, until I've had to sometimes physically remove myself from the scene... But when it got to that, I knew that it was just a temporary fix, because all I did when I did that, was Repress the feeling of "Memory craving".

Repressing the feeling is Not necessarily the best thing to do when it comes to quitting. Or when it comes to anything for that matter...



You have to aknowledge the feeling and allow yourself to explore how, when, and in what hidden ways your brain tricks you into going back to the habit, but yet learn where you can get a foot in the door as far as teaching/reconditioning it with new healthier habits.

It's an ongoing process. BUT, I promise you, it gets easier to trick your brain out with TIME (could take up to several months, if not years if you are not diligent about that reconditioning--That's why smoking is the hardest habit to let go of).

But again, it will get to the point where your brain will even learn that the very thing it used to associate with GOOD/PLEASURE, is the very thing that completely REPULSES IT...

I'm like the worst ex-smoker EVER....LOL....

Even the slightest sniff of second-hand smoke makes me ill now, with allergies, sinus, upset stomach etc...



4- Be Very Honest with yourself, as to what method of quitting will work the best for you. I'm sorry, I don't care what anybody tells you, but the "Progressive" approach just as well as the "cold Turkey" approach doesn't work for everybody. Myself, I've found that if you have addictive/obssessive tendencies in your personality like I do, the progressive approach JUST DOESN'T WORK.... To me, it just makes the agony of devising new ways to trick your brain out, WORSE as the brain wi

Answer 26

You'll feel worse before you feel better. You'll hack(cough), feel tired, wanna eat, and be just plum b*tchy. Stick with it. Eventually you'll feel 10 times better and you won't smell anymore;-)