[ilocano]

The news of Ely Buendia undergoing a heart surgery at the age of 35 (?) scared the $h!# out of me. This might be old news for you all- not for me.. thing is, I was so busy at work that I didn't have the time to watch tv, let alone read the local news (I am based overseas)via internet.

I've been smoking for 17 years now.. lately, it's a pack and a half of Marlboro Lights a day. Im so addicted to it to the point that while others go to the john after a good night's sleep, I'll be rushin to the balcony for a quick nicotine dose!

Stopped smoking yesterday. It has been 24 hours now, with a nicotine patch in my trunk and a box of tic tacs, I am resolved to being smokefree for another day..


Naghahanap ako ng kakampi kaya ko pnost ito!

[deenoh]

Kaya mo yan! I've been (almost: bwisit na gun show) clean for almost 1 year.

I think may ibang BOGs who have successfully stopped also.

[ilocano]

Thanks deenoh.
Just ate lunch and i am munching a handful of tic tacs as i reply to this post. Jeez, i feel like a junkie!

[labuyo73]

Originally posted by ilocano
Thanks deenoh.
Just ate lunch and i am munching a handful of tic tacs as i reply to this post. Jeez, i feel like a junkie!

Goodluck Sir, kaya mo yan

If you feel like puffing a stick, just remember the number of hours or days that you've been smoke-free - sayang naman if you have to go back to square one.

[HEAVY]

from 2packs a day i quit cold turkey 7 years ago.

you can do it. what worked for me is finding a reason why it's worth quitting.

[ilocano]

Originally posted by HEAVY
from 2packs a day i quit cold turkey 7 years ago.

you can do it. what worked for me is finding a reason why it's worth quitting.

Yesterday, i felt this pain in my chest. Then find it difficult to breath. Was it a mild stoke? who knows?

Then it struck me.. what if it was? My reason would be primal- live longer!

[Django]

I also quit cold turkey a couple of years ago. Before quitting, nagyabang ako and told eveyone that I will stop smoking on a particular day. When that day came, I again announced to all and sundry that I am quitting. Then I stopped. Pride and will power kept me from taking another puff until this very day.

[Eye Cutter]

Stopped smoking 4 years ago. I felt like drowning and slept sitting down. Akala ko nagka SARS na ako. If you feel that you are sliding back, go see your pulmonologist, there are medicines to help you cope with the nicotine withdrawal. I used Zyban tablets, made by Glaxo. Its not available in the Phil. anymore. I don't know why.

Good luck! You can do it!

[ilocano]

Thanks Eyecutter!

Have not used any prescription drug as yet.i bought an OTC nicotine patch this morning though.. made me a bit dizzy at first, felt some palpitations as well- but now its ok.. im not sure if it is helping though.

I have an appointment with a cardiologist tomrw as the chest pains really bothered me. Wish me luck..

[antediluvianist]

I also quit cold turkey. Seems to be a popular method on this forum.

For the first six months, I used a pacifier. Just kidding. But some people feel that chewing gum or some other things to keep your mouth busy helps. Like sucking on a nipple.

[ilocano]

Originally posted by antediluvianist
I also quit cold turkey. Seems to be a popular method on this forum.

maybe because its the only method that will work?

Before, i just tried to cut it down by halves. was almost successful with it until i attended a party with a lot of booze..

'guess i better shy away from alcohol as well- - how boring can life get!!??

[nrmcolt]

i felt this pain in my chest. Then find it difficult to breath.

Eto rin ang dahilan kung bakit ako tumigil, sa tingin ko hindi tayo titigil hangga't walang tayo narararamdaman.

Oh, and it's been 3yrs now since my last smoke.Kaya mo yan.

[vega]

I quit Aug 2002 after finishing all my baon from Phil. Cigarettes here are so expensive at $3.49 per pack (kaha). Yung dala ni VICARA na tabako 2 lang ang ginamit ko. Yung iba pinamigay ko. Kaya mo yan.

[Kingsun]

Good Luck to you !! I still smoke and reading your post reminded me once again, I NEED TO QUIT TOO!! O sige, maykakampi ka na!! Tataposin ko lang ang half a pack left and will give it one more try!!Maybe, just throw that half pack and start right now..

[Putok-Glock]

wish you best in the road you chose. I want you to believe that you can do it. But I dont know how because I dont even believe that believing it is enough. First off, dont fight or control it, the more you struggle the more the chance of not achieving your goal. Ang lumaban, sigurado talo. To explain this, I will share w/ you my personal take on this.

I used to smoke 1-2 packs of marlboro red a day. I quit this dirty habit 2 yrs ago, and I can say w/ all certainty today that I beat it and did it w/o much difficulty. The usual method almost all wanna-be quitters usually use is just stop smoking for plausible reason(s) and fight all the urges and withdrawals w/ all their determination and self descipline. I had tried this several times but after a week or months, and even a year, I lose the fight. This I think is the usual result for most ex-quitters. After several attempts, I quit trying and accepted the fact that this approach will never work as long as I force this change into my being. The next step came so natural and reasonable to me. I pondered on the reasons why I need to stop smoking. I went further into details of these reasons. For example, I know and believe that this habit is destroying my physical health; that this is literally a dirty habit - like my cigaret ash falling on the papers Im signing, w/c irritates me a lot. And everyday, every time I experience these negatives, I emphasize these to myself and the more I found a reason to quit the habit. But I never put a deadline to this process as to when I will quit. With this set-up, there was not any pressure on me. Ive been in this stage for more than a year w/o even thinking of really quitting, though I wished for it. But in the later part I begun to really hate the habit but could not decide or believe if I can stop it. Then it just happened. It was 10am. I was in the middle of my 1st pack of the day, I put the half-consumed stick on the ashtray and told myself that this is it, I dont like to smoke again. Hours passed. I was expecting the urges to come strong but there was almost none. Days passed, I was expecting my irritability to surface thats associated to w/drawal as I felt in the past. Again, almost zero. It was very strange and unnatural. I was expecting a struggle but ther was no adversity. There was nothing to fight off nor control for, ano ang lalabanan ko kung wala naman akong kalaban? This was the opposite of my experiences! After several months, I tried to rationalize my strange experience as to how and why it was so. As I see now, the change I underwent came so natural and w/o much effort, unlike my past experiences, because it started inside me. I completely brainwashed myself into quitting w/o forcing it into myself. I am so confident of this that I can light a stick now and know that I will not be back to the dirty habit again. Hth.

[OB1]

It's been 10 years since I quit. Started when I was 12 and quit at 58.
IMHO there's no such thing as "trying to quit" It's a state of mind, if you quit, then you quit!! Every day without smoking is a winner. I'm not saying you would/will "sneak" a smoke, but if you do, you'll waste all the days of self inflicted torture from the withdrawl you've been experiencing, and then you'll have to start over.
Remember, if you've quit, then you've quit!! There's no turning back.
God help you be strong.
OB1

[Kingsun]

Well said, Putok Glock!! I will print your post and read it over and over agsin because I believe you have hit the nail right in the head.. I like your your rationale and approach!! Golly, you know what it is really amazing that the "gun -toting population" are predominantly very intelligent group of people. This is from personal experience whether I hang-out w/ my U.S. gun loving shooters and now my new found Pinoy online shooting buddies!!!Take care ya'll!! I am already enjoying my stay here at BOG!!

[BabyG]

I decided a couple of weeks ago to quite smoking. My doctor gave me a prescription for Chantix, its a fairly new medication. It works great!! I don't crave them anymore. The worst part for me is the habit itself. Having one at break time or after a meal. I figure if I put the money back that I spend every month by the end of the year I will have my christmas money and that will be a good thing!!

[antediluvianist]

Think of retirement ! By the time you reach 65, considering the compounding of your savings - from not buying cigarettes - through many years - you will have hundreds of thousands to a couple of million Pesos more, depending on how much you would have spent on cigaretes ( how expensive is the brand you smoke X number of sticks/packs per DAY) and how early you stop smoking (how many years of compounding.)

In addition to that add in the health costs for higher blood pressure, effects on the heart and lungs, possible emphysema, maybe cancer.

On financial grounds alone, quit!

[ilocano]

Thanks for all your replies guys.

I kinda felt what putokglock described back there- and i agree, changes should start from within.. that will be your resolve..

48 hours have past, no lit sticks let alone puff. Changed my linens today; this will be my first night to sleep in a bed without the stench of smoke.. cooool.

[TTPower]

Originally posted by ilocano
Thanks deenoh
Just ate lunch and i am munching a handful of tic tacs as i reply to this post. Jeez, i feel like a junkie!

ilocano take it easy on the tic-tacs.... bka diabetes nman makuha mo.
my uncle who quit smoking got diabetes and complications from it bcoz he popped candies whenever he felt like smoking.... di pa ata uso sugar-free candies at that time. kaya mo yan bro!

[ilocano]

Originally posted by Titi-Power
ilocano take it easy on the tic-tacs.... bka diabetes nman makuha mo.

Thanks for the heads-up TP. That crossed my mind.
Anyways ubos na stock ko tic-tac, I'll ditch the patch for now, iba amats sakin nakakahilo, i'll stick with the gum for now(sugar-free na)

[charlie-xray]

Lucky for me, I never LIKED but did try smoking in my high school days. Pero I like the suggestion of Ante a lot....as in a lot.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by antediluvianist
I also quit cold turkey. Seems to be a popular method on this forum.

For the first six months, I used a pacifier. Just kidding. But some people feel that chewing gum or some other things to keep your mouth busy helps. Like sucking on a nipple. /QUOTE]

[batangueno]

How many days now, are you still smokefree?

I quit 7 years ago after smoking for 20 years. The most difficult time would be the first 3 weeks after that madali na lang. Good Luck.

[Allegra]

I'm thinking of starting smoking
Ano po ba magandang brand?