There is a Hell....

[Temple]

I've been there...
I shook
I had muscle spasms
I couldn't sleep
I couldn't eat
My stomach was in knots
I was nauseated
My head ached
I sweat
I had chills
Anxiety? I now understand what a panic attack is.
I felt like I had bugs crawling on me
I couldn't think
It was 36 hours that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy and it is not completely over yet and probably won't be for a long long time. The only reason I am posting this is that the subject came up several years ago on the board and I was shocked at how many board members were just like me. Many times I have thought that although this is a fitness site it really has more to do with looking hot in a bikini than health for many of us - at least I fit into that category. But I turn 40 next month and just last week I told MS that
"When you turn 40 looking hot in a bikini is not nearly as important as living" and I meant it. I tell my friends to listen to what I call "the voice" and without getting all spiritual here the bottom line is that sometimes we are given things that we should darn well pay attention to. In the last month I have had several "wake up and smell the coffee" moments.

I started smoking when I was 15 years old. I have smoked for 25 years up to two packs a day at times. The list of reasons and excuses for not quitting were long and I always intended to do it after I got myself physically appearance wise to where I wanted to be. There was always a work deadline and there was no way I could quit with the stress of tht blah blah blah blah blah. Bottom line was I wasn't ready and nobody will quit until they are.

If you know someone who smokes - cut them some slack, until you have had the addiction you have no frame of reference. In all honesty if given the choice of having a body part amputated or going thru the withdrawal it would have been a very close call. Will I ever go back? No, all the powers of heaven and hell could not get me to have to go back and redo those first hours and I certainly will not let what I went thru be for nothing.

Anyway, I have rambled on here enough. I know there are a few smokers out there who will read this. The point is if I can do it ANYONE can do it and when you are ready (only you will know) you can do it to. Some will tell you the first week is the worst and it is still hard at times but if you can make the first 36 hours it will get better. Use the zyban it help and I have the inhaler - ain't even in the same ballpark as what you are used to but it will get you thru the really hard part.

Powerlifting starts tomorrow. Onward and upward....
BTW, I realize my metabolism is going to change how much of an adjustment do I need to make in calories?

 

[Sassy69]

Temple - I just started working at a company owned by a 67 year old very wealthy retired MD. He is about 5'4", 300 lbs and smokes like a freekin chimney. Worse yet, because he owns the company (only investor -- he is "god" for all intents & purposes), he also smokes in the office. Thank god my office is not near his, but when you go to the other side where his office & the conference room is, smoke smoke smoke. So he lights up in our conference meetings and at least one other guy will light up as well -- usually they guard both ends of the table, so there's no escaping it. They hook up one of those air purifiers, but it still doesn't help me much -- I could never even inhale pot, so I try to just sort of blow the smoke away from me during the meetings. I expect i"ll be ordering one of those Ionic Breeze air purifiers soon, even a personal size one -- I dont' want to offend anyone, but shit -- I have clean lungs and I'd like to keep them that way.

I do however understand your situation. I'm 3 years from the big 40 and nothing seems to come as easily as it did 10 years ago and worse yet, it ain't gettin any easier either. So we all do what we can. Set your expectations to something reasonable and try to select those achievements that will get the biggest bang for the effort. I doubt I will ever influence the bunch of chain smoking goof balls I work with, but I dont' think I should have to develop lung cancer because they like long executive meetings. Still looking a subtle solution to the "protect my breathing space" issue.

And also as you will see from a thread I posted about PL, we all hit ruts. All you can do is dig yourself out. There's always someone there to throw you a rope and help you climb out!

 

[Temple]

Thanks Sassy! I'm gonna make it.
Don't get me wrong - I am not defending smokers especially rude smokers. The situation you are in is bad and I would have said that even when I was still smoking but he is the owner and as such I believe has the right to do whatever he wants in his business. When someone smokes like that it us usually best not to hire nonsmokers but I would also never have called a meeting and locked a bunch of non smoking employees in a room with me while I smoked. What I was directing the comment at is folks who don't understand why smokers don't just quit...until you have experienced addiction you have no clue and there is nothing I can compare it to.

 

[starfish]

Would Wellbutrin/Zyban help you?


Congratulations on quitting

 

[Temple]

Yes, I am taking the zyban. What happened is that I quit on accident if you can do that. You aren't supposed to quit until the second week of zyban so that it reaches theraputic levels but what I had done was systematically started cutting down. Kept a journal of every smoke and there was x amount of time until I could have another. About 4 days into the zyban I went several hours so I thought well, I'll just go another hour and then it turned into another hour and by the time I had gone 6 hours it turned into a "thing" and here I sit several days later. The zyban is starting to help as I'm not having the extreme anxiety anymore. I'm still having to use tylenol pm in order to sleep but will only do that for maybe another week.

 

[fawnmarie]

Temple -

You POOR Thing!

I'm facing this myself. Facing 40 (another 1.5 years) - facing quitting the butts.

I have an appointment on Tuesday for threatening my doctor into the Wellbutin. (Insurance won't cover zyban, and I can't afford it.)

Also, am getting ready - pumping B vitamins and salmon oil. BTW - try adding a couple caps of salmon oil a day. It calms the brain. Also pregnenolone - it can bring contentment (also watch the dose, because it doesn't metabolize, it recycles and too much for too long can produce a kind of "andro-rage". It usually converts to progesterone, but when progest levels are high enough, it can convert to test. 25-30 mgs a day for two weeks is about right for a 40 year old female, then start stepping down to three times a week, then two, then once a week. You can get a good idea from your mental state. You should feel 'zen'. )

I have cut back a lot since adding the oil and pregn., because my mind is calmer.

I know that the life extension gurus Durk Pearson and Sandy Shaw recommend loading up on choline for quitting. Apparently, nicotine fills up choline receptors in the brain, and perhaps filling them with choline will keep the nicotine out.

There is "shot" that is said to completely eliminate the withdrawl symptoms. It's called a anticholinergic block and they give you maintenance meds to keep it blocked until all the nicotine is out of your system. It's about $360. (website is http://www.nosmoke2000.com). Done by doctors and everything.

There is also an herbal called plantago major that when taken in high enough quantities, makes about 90% of people intolerant to cigarette smoke. Me, who smokes like a Monsanto plant, found it pretty effective. It doesn't do anything for the actual cravings or habit, but when you DO light up, you can only stand a couple of puffs before you have to put it out. No one knows why it works, but I found that it worked as advertised.

I'm going to be throwing all my "guns" at this. My next step is the Wellbutin and the plantago major. During those 2-3 weeks, I will be restricting where I smoke. Then my quit day. My kids are going to a three-day boy scout camp in November, and I'm thinking of scheduling quit day then.

I'm scared completely shitless!

I've been smoking for 22 years. I've only quit once or twice. First time in basic training (USAF) and started back again, because those were the days they would give you break if you smoked. Second time, I couldn't concentrate or keep track of time at all. Wasn't jittery - just couldn't focus. Since I had just gotten a new job as a bookkeeper for a company that REALLY needed my help, I had to start again (or felt I did).

Feel free to email or PM me for support or shakes or paranoid visions. I'm there for you! (I'll be there soon enough!)

Fawn

 

[fawnmarie]

Also - I've read in a couple of places that drinking a GREAT deal of fresh orange juice gets the nicotine out of your body faster. Don't know why.

You might want to try it.

Fawn

 

[Intenceman]

You can do it.

 

[JJFigure]

Congratulations! You can do it, girl!

 

[fitmedic]

WAY TO GO TEMPLE!! sounds as if you may have a bit of steelweaver's "column of steel" in you...
by steelweaver..."I have a column of steel in me which I can make grow, it expands from the inside, fills my chest until I'm BURSTING, then EXPLODES in action - I can go harder, faster, endure more pain, close out what I don't need. I. CAN. DO. ANYTHING. I. NEED. TO. " ...anyway CONGRATS!!!

 

[Bikini Mod]

BIIIIIIIIIIIIG HUG.

You never cease to amaze me.... or make me smile.

 

[Temple]

ROFLMAOand thensome
How appropriate
November 21 is my 40th birthday

anyone who wants to do it feel free to pm me. There are some things that helped like the Tylenol pm for sleep, an herbal blend of lobelia and kavakava took the edge off the nerves. The main thing was that I had to develop what I can only describe as
"war mentality" I kept my cigarettes on the counter right where I could see them the whole time - not sure I would recomend it for everyone but it helped me to be able to look at the enemy. I finally had my husband pitch them yesterday.

 

[SteelWeaver]

"I started smoking when I was 15 years old. I have smoked for 25 years up to two packs a day at times. "

Weeeelll then, it's about TIME you quit!

Nice work, Temple - excellent! Now hang in there - never ever give yourself an excuse to have one again. Once they're out, they're out.

It's tough - tougher even than giving up drugs, I found - I also started smoking around 14, 15. Quit in May last year, at 29. I finally couldn't stand how it was interfering with my new bodybuilding obsession.

I had a few false starts, then finally waged all-out war: bought the patches, set a date, crossed off every single day clean til the end of the patches, and have never looked back. Never will. It's a nasty, nasty, dirty, unhealthy habit, and I feel truly sorry for all those people who simply can't quit. It takes a rock-solid decision, an immovable will. Thus I am certain you will be fine

The other side of quitting, for me, though, is I have become a radical anti-smoker - I hate the stink, and will be outright rude to inconsiderate smokers. In fact, I did that just the other day to a colleague. Not too proud, but at least he's being more careful. They have this RIDICULOUS rule in the office that smoking is allowed before 9, between 12 and 1 (when we're all trying to eat lunch ) and after 5. So the stink of smoke is ALWAYS in the air, and the air-con is situated just right for it to blow my colleague's smoke straight into my face as I attempt to eat my miserable lunch. This guy KNOWS we hate the smoke, but the second the lunch bell goes, he lights up - he sits there with the fag in his hand waiting for the bell! I finally couldn't take it anymore and started citing studies and reports on the danger to health of ETS, etc etc ..., and basically told him I was sick of it and refused to have him jeopardise my health any more than I had already jeopardised it myself.

It's been rather awkwardly quiet around here since then .... lol

You're fuckin' amazing - go kick butts!




fm - I'm so glad you found that motivational The last few days when I'm really feeling like this is completely crazy, I've looked at it, and it helps, find my core - I'm glad I put it up there.

 

[makedah]

Go, Temple go!

My mother smoked for about 20 years. She struggled to quit, too, using prescription Nicorette (before it was OTC).

Good for you, and good luck!

 

[circusgirl]

Congrats Temple! I don't smoke but I know it nearly KILLED my dad to give up. I know it must be hard. You can do it!!!!!!

I know someone who took up knitting to deal with the "fingers need something to do" feeling BTW, if that's any help...

 

[Bikini Mod]

I know someone who took up knitting to deal with the "fingers need something to do" feeling BTW, if that's any help...

Ummmmmmmm.... I don't think she needs another hobby to keep her hands busy. I hear her hubby is runnin' for the hills he's been "handled" so much!

 

[Temple]

Ummmmmmmm.... I don't think she needs another hobby to keep her hands busy. I hear her hubby is runnin' for the hills he's been "handled" so much!

Hey now....don't you listen to his whining. He volunteered as replacement therapy.

 

[ariel]

Temple

THis is great.

I had a few false starts but did kick the habit when I was finally ready. I had not had the habit as long as you, but I startes at a really young age, REALLY young, and when you are a pre teen smoking in the school bathroom and you continue to do so through the teen years it feels like such a part of your personality..Smoke break talks at work...It always seemed that the smokers were way more personable.

I used the patch, but I was really ready to quit.

You can do it...The first 2 days are the hardest...

ariel

 

[Temple]

Thanks for the support!!! Almost 6 days. I am fine. Keep having the feeling that I am forgetting to do something and occasionally catch myself sitting down to have a smoke and wonder what I am doing but my every thought does not revolve around cigarettes or the lack thereof.

 

[The Shadow]

Who cares???


I just wanna see pics......






Great choices T.

 

[fawnmarie]

Temple -

Almost 2 weeks on wellbutin - tomorrow is quit day. Wanted to do it on a weekend when I wouldn't have to function at work during the first two days. May even call in sick on Monday if necessary.

I'm loaded to the gills with nutritional/prescription support, I'm prepared to go buy patches if necessary.

I've decided that I'm not going to worry about the weight gain (or lack of loss - I still have 10 I need to drop). The hell with it. I'll worry about when the worst is over. I'll load up on carbs all day if it'll keep me groggy enough to stay away from smokes.

Wish me luck.

Fawn

 

[Temple]

The first 36 hours are going to be the worst...or at least they were for me. The thing you have to keep telling yourself is that even a puff will make it worse not better. Don't know if you got the inhaler from your doctor or not but that made a big difference for me and I switch between gum and the inhaler. The wellbutrin will definitely help and you might want to go get some kavakave...I know there are some liver concerns with it but I talked to my pharmacist and he said if it helps to use it thru the first week if you need to. I think I used it 4-5 days. Also took tylenol pm at night as I could not sleep. Basically I just drugged the crap out of myself for the first couple of days and have been fine ever since. Here is a link to a website that I found helpful
http://www.quitnet.com

If I can do it ANYONE can do it. I loved smoking and if it didn't make you stink and then kill you I would have smoked for the rest of my life... I wasn't a casual smoker...I was as addicted as a person can get. I had some pre melanomas removed a few weeks ago and for the first time I had my name and cancer put together in the same sentence and something just clicked and I knew that instead of skin cancer it could just as easily been lung cancer that we were talking about and if I didn't quit that it was not that far off. I would say good luck but you don't need that...what you need is strength and I have no doubt that you have that.

 

[SouthernBell]

Well good luck to all of you who are trying to quit. I know you all will succeed.

I quit February of 2000. It was the best thing I had ever done for myself. But I was ready, I didn't do it for anyone but myself. All the media telling me it was bad for me wasn't working. My father passed away in November of 1997, he died of emphysema, he smoked all his life. I watched him suffer for a long time, and that did not even do it for me.

When I finally found somethin in my life that I was passionate about but didn't mix well with smoking I decided to quit. It didn't take long to break the habbit, It just took a lot of support and will power. I would have to say the day I quit was my proudest moment not even an olympic medal could replace. The day you quit is the day you will reclaim your life, But you really must be ready.

Keep your self as busy as possible, never allow an opening for a smoke break at least for the first week. The addiction goes away but I don't think the habbit is easy to kick. I sometimes still feel like I am forgetting to do something and it has bee 2-1/2 years.

Good luck all



lovemymuscle

 

[Temple]

Thanks for the encouragment!!! You are right...you have to do it because YOU want to. Today is 22 days for me. It is getting much easier but like you, I still have the feeling that I am forgetting to do something.

 

[SteelWeaver]

Yaay, Temple! You go girl! And fawnmarie too. DEFINITELY, quitting smoking was one of the best things I ever did for myself.

 

[biteme]

I would imagine if there were a hell, It'd be much worse. I've had those anxiety attacks and although they are horrible, there are much worse things.

 

[jenscats5]

Wow!! This is an old thread.....

As someone who has never smoked, but watched both my parents die from smoking & be dead B4 they were 70 a painful death..... ANYONE who smokes -- please stop!

 

[biteme]

Wow!! This is an old thread.....

As someone who has never smoked, but watched both my parents die from smoking & be dead B4 they were 70 a painful death..... ANYONE who smokes -- please stop!

I should say just in case you thought, I have never smoked a cigarette. I hate them with passion and people that smoke disgust me. I have another vice though. Very sorry about your parents, Jen. Everyone in my family has smoked except me, I don't fit in with this bunch.