posted November 12, 2013 05:05 AM            

It can be quite difficult in the begining with the cravings and mood swings from withdrawl but after two or three weeks it won't be as bad. The cravings will subside but that's from my own personal experience.

You may need a substitute for smoking. Start a new hobby or anything else you may enjoy.
The tempting time for me was when I was stressed..that was when craving smokes was at it's worst. If you can bite through that without caving then you're almost home free.

I wish you the best of luck! You CAN do this.

posted November 15, 2013 10:28 PM            

I had been a smoker... nervous-Gemini hands. I quit Sept 2, 2000... Took me FIVE YEARS to do the Final time, but it happened! yay...

I'm laughing (and feel sad that you had to 'post' to your self.... awwww ). You were talking about the 'mood'...

For my final quit (the one that worked) I was just 'browsing' through yellow pages in phonebook when my eyes caught a tiny little listing for a quit-smoking support hotline.

So I called it.... told the woman I had quit for 10 days now. She says to me in this funny drawl, 'Have you keeled anybody yet?' I LMAO!!!

She WARNED me of Day 21 of a quit. She said that on Day 21 ALL the worst symptoms of withdrawal can rush on... just something that happens. It can feel "just like" the first seven days all over again. Many people fail at THIS point because it's not widely known. This is the chemistry (something about the brain releasing?)...

My mind reviewed its past quit efforts that failed.... yep, for me it was that Day 21!!

Of course, you KNOW that the 'addiction' of cigarettes IS the Nicotine? Nicotine is a drug. The smoking-part is a 'habit'.... like drinking carbonated drinks, or hot chocolate can become a habit. Not a drug addiction, a 'habit'....

By Day 30 of a quit, you are 'done' with the nicotine addiction.... What's left is the 'habit'... comfort for the body.

Then you'll go through all the seasons of the year... each change brings trigger of memory, and little pleasures.... of lighting up.

So NOW, Twirl, you're doing the Nicotine part of the quit... withdrawals. If you need to take yourself down very very slowly, then let it. But you're prolonging your 'torture' perhaps?....

You'll be SOOO GLAD when you're free of all this, believe me! You'll save money, and free up the "time" you once devoted to cultivating the habit.... so much simpler!

(I go out and take "air" breaks, when my friends need to go do smoke breaks. Doesn't mean that I don't 'miss' it.... because I had really enjoyed it-- but it's healthier for body! and saved money....)

Like Charmaine suggested, have a plan for stress releasing--- like playing with a pencil, or piece of silicone to fumble with in your fingers and hand, instead....?

posted November 17, 2013 11:03 AM            

Yes, I did prolong (I am prolonging, lol), but it was HORRIBLE. So I think I'll prolong as long as necessary, before I actually "keel somebody" (Lol! That's so funny).
Day 21, huh? Oh dear...
Well, it was day 5 completely without nicotine where I thought I was losing the plot.
I did bring in other habits & actually take a 'moment' outside with this sweet wood sticks (lol, I'm not sure I translated that correctly, it's like 'healthy candy').

I think I did clear out the habit mostly... Or so i hope, because I really don't fancy a cigarette. But now I'm still on the tablets... (honestly, worst withdrawal ever. Then again, I was/am really one of the hardcore people. Which is odd anyway, because of the meditation - yoga - tralala oh so zen & organic food attitude, which doesn't really match (because at heart I am a wild, nervous, let's do all we shouldn't, coffeedrinking, tralala-Gem-Asc <--- see, less nicotine = losing the plot, lol)

Thanks for the support!
PS: Does is really take 30 days to get all the nicotine out of the body? :-0

posted November 18, 2013 02:16 PM            

Read somewhere that the mercurial jittery (especially Gems) can have the hardest time quitting a cigarette addiction.

Transiting Saturn must be crossing your 6th House of Daily Habits, Routines, Heath Routines, now? The Taskmaster~~~ hehe.... NO SHORTCUTS. Gotta do it, and do it the hard way? (oooooo nooooooo!)

But you've got transiting Mars in Virgo working to encourage you to 'take action'

okay, here's a kick-butt slogan for you....

"Try-ers are liars: Just Do It!"

30 Days?.... Actually, I think the quit-smoker's hotline told me that the nicotine is cleared from your body SOONER than the 30 days.... ---- I'm not exactly sure, but I think she said about 14 to 15 days? (Sorry! Maybe an "addictions" person reading your thread could comment?... or maybe you could call an addictions hotline and just ask?)

While we have all these planets in the SCORPIO heavens right now, why not take advantage? PLUNGE IN! Do it!! It's TEMPORARY...... Be Bold!!! Give yourself the Gift!!

Like a person going through Labor pains, or if you have panic attacks.....? Just WAIT IT OUT when it hits--- lasts just a FEW minutes at a time, then the craving or urge LEAVES you.

Reward yourself with a pat on the back, and an atta girl! Be PROUD "for your SELF" --

Big pat on your own back "burns calories"?? Heck Better than candy!!

posted November 21, 2013 01:03 PM            

DALLAS, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Some cigarette smokers over 65 years old who kick the habit may be able to reduce their risk of dying from heart-related problems to the level of those who never smoked far faster than previously believed, according to new research presented on Wednesday.

Previous research found that older former smokers who had consumed less than 32 pack years of cigarettes could reduce their risk of dying from heart disease to the level of lifelong nonsmokers after 15 years.

The pack year measure is derived by multiplying the number of cigarettes smoked per day by the number of years a person was a smoker. For example, 32 pack years would be 3.2 packs a day for 10 years or two packs a day for 16 years.

"The new finding is if you smoke less than 32 pack years, you might become like never-smokers much sooner than 15 years," said Dr. Ali Ahmed, who reported the findings at the American Heart Association scientific meeting in Dallas.

Many people in the study lowered the risk of developing heart failure, or risk of dying from heart failure, heart attacks and strokes to the same level as those who never smoked in nearly half the time as previous research had indicated.

"For half of them, it was eight years after cessation," said Ahmed, a professor of cardiovascular disease at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine.

"Even for the heavier smokers, who smoked more than 32 pack years, compared to current smokers, they will significantly reduce the risk of total mortality by 35 percent (by quitting), so there's a positive message for everybody," said Ahmed.

Cutting the risk to the level of never-smokers was a much higher bar than comparison with current smokers, Ahmed added.

Researchers compiled their data by analyzing 13 years of medical information from the Cardiovascular Health Study begun in 1989 and sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. They compared 853 people who quit smoking 15 or fewer years before with 2,557 people who never smoked cigarettes. Of the former smokers, 319 had smoked less than 32 pack years.

Smoking remains the most preventable cause of early death in the United States and elsewhere. So the main message remains: "If you smoke, quit and quit early," Ahmed said.

But even those who do not stop smoking until they reach the Medicare-eligible age of 65 appear likely to derive heart health benefits from stopping.

posted November 23, 2013 12:41 PM            

Take care of your immune system! Now that the little hairs of your respitory system are working better (cilia), you'll have an advantage to get yourself healed from that Cold you caught.... awwww. All that sludgy black tar was paralyzing your 'cough' reflex! This is clearing away from your body with EACH day that goes by.... which means you have more chances for your body to fight the invasion of illness-causing bacteria, which could lodge more deeply into your human breathing apparatus... and cause bronchial infections that could move further down the pipes into the direction of pneumonia and pleurisy.... (Watch and care for your precious Gemini Lungs, sweetie!)

oh yeah, let's get all "graphic" about the yukky mucous "lodging" in places it doesn't belong in the human airway, haha! .... (a little 'aversion therapy?'

Mentally "see" AND REWARD YOURSELF inwardly.... See how much ground you have GAINED in quitting the tar-habit!..... NEXT? The nicotine!

So fun to read your posts! You ARE Brave....

(An ostrich?! HOh--- I'm still LMAO!! PLEASE, don't be afraid: I am your MOST empathic, gentle & encouraging fan... who is ALSO willing to 'kick' that butt--!! omg... hahahahhahaha! --- I'm harmless.... I just Care, and going with the Fun you bring!)

REALLY Hope you feel better soon!... (hugs!)

posted November 30, 2013 02:27 PM            

(article) "Horoscopes Within" - Quit Smoking with Astrology! by Cornelia Jones
http://www.horoscopeswithin.com/quitsmoking.php

posted December 03, 2013 12:25 PM            

quote:

---

Originally posted by mirage29:
Another resource for you!

(article) "Horoscopes Within" - Quit Smoking with Astrology! by Cornelia Jones
http://www.horoscopeswithin.com/quitsmoking.php

---

That's so cool! Thank you! Haven't been checking my transits, but Saturn is been running up & down the 6th house & is on top of my NN, so it was bound to happen, the quitting (still on those tablets though)

& thanks for the other encouraging words
I'll reread when it's difficult (rereading it now, lol).

posted December 03, 2013 09:13 PM            

Anyway... I know a guy at work, 39 years old, with lung cancer. He just got done having chemo and is having a half lung removed. His surgery was today in fact!!!

My mom used to smoke. She quit just a couple of weeks ago! I made a deal with her that I would sell my fast car (because she worried) if she quit smoking. I held up my end of the deal also. I sold it last April! So she's a little late, but she did it!

posted December 04, 2013 05:36 PM            

Hope your friend's surgery goes okay, and that he totally heals...

Good for you on making that sacrificial your "deal" with your mother!

posted December 04, 2013 10:41 PM            

quote:

---

Originally posted by mirage29:
Thanks for those "FACTS" Deep Freeze!! It's 'good' to know the health science facts... VERY valuable!

Hope your friend's surgery goes okay, and that he totally heals...

Good for you on making that sacrificial your "deal" with your mother!

---

Thanks!
And you're welcome!

They had to take his whole lung instead of half because they found more that was wrapped around an artery inside the lung. So the whole thing had to come out.