Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Well, that's it...

How anyone ever got past the sick feeling when you started smoking is beyond me. I couldn’t finish a single cigarette without getting sick, so I never smoked and never understood how someone would continue after getting that sick…

Stand firm, you’ll beat it. It’s all will power

I quit four years ago. Never ever thought I would. I’m sure glad I did.
Only time I miss it is when I’m listening to my beagles run.
Hang in there! You can do it!

Started at 15, quit about 40 years ago. Tried many times. What finally worked for me was quitting one at a time. Still carried a pack around, but each time I wanted one I’d tell myself, “No, I can get past this one. Maybe I’ll have the next one, but not this one.” Then I’d get busy until the urge passed. Same thing every time I wanted one. Knew I was just playing games with myself, but it worked. Finally got to the point to where I only had the urge a couple times a day, then a week…by then it was easy to just let it go.

It isn't easy, but damn sure worth it
Hang in

Seriously - Take it at 5 minute intervals. Then extend it gradually. You can do anything for 5 minutes... even quitting smoking... I know.

I love the taste of Camel shorts and I've never felt sick. I don't want to risk the health dangers so I don't smoke. But chewing tobacco, I love that but it messes me up

Good luck to you!

Don’t know how long you smoked, but may I suggest you talk to your doctor about what you can do about checking your current health status, maybe some imaging, to make certain you don’t have anything going in your lungs already that may develop into cancer later. My brother quit at about age 50, but the cancer still got him several years later. He had a huge inoperable tumor in his chest that spread throughout his body. Not a good way out, trust me. When he was diagnosed, my father, who had smoked for 63 years, quit, and lived until minutes before he would’ve turned 96, but COPD plagued him throughout his remaining years, though never to the point he had to live on a oxygen tank.

Again, good luck.

Hang in there and don't give in to temptation.
I saw several friends who were going to have "just one" to curb the cravings. It lead to them being hooked again.
If you have just one you are most likely going to give in and start up again.
My late wife could never give them up and she eventually got lung cancer and passed.

Please hang in there. . . I'm rooting for ya

I did the same thing but when I quit I put a whole pack, unopened, in the glove box so at least I'd have a fresh cigarette if I failed. (👀)

If you feel like you're going to give in, buy a cheap or expensive cigar and take a few drags off of it. It will take the urge away and you don't get that defeated feeling that you would by smoking a cigarette.

Good luck brother that’s a big move

When you really want to quit you will. I started a number of times only to backslide. Oxygen sat. is never above 90 on my best day now due to 35 years of 3 packs a day, but quitting was the best thing I ever did.

Surgeon that did my knees was a roommate to my liberal-ass brother the Dr., and he allowed as to how he had to put me into deep sleep, and me being overweight to begin with, as a smoker I stood a real chance of stroke from the procedure. He told me if I paid 'em down just 6 weeks before the surgery it would reduce that chance by 50%, if my dumb ass wanted to start back up later, that was my choice, but as my friend and Dr. it was good advice. I had known him most of my life and he was not prone to be a bullchitter, so I thought yeah, I have saved up for that elk hunt and wouldn't it be a bitch if I died during getting my knee fixed...I still have that partial pack of Marlboro Lites, have not had one since.

Some people are lucky and the smell of a cigarette will be really offensive once they stop, not me, my mouth waters every time I get a whiff, and a stiffy if someone is burning a good cigar.

I have not had an upper respiratory infection like I got every year when I smoked since I quit, twice that crap turned into pneumonia, so immediate betterment of life and health was apparant.

Hang in there RR, you can do this.

Some good suggestions above. Just take it one day at a time. Have faith you can do it.

Prayers sent.

Similar story with my dad. He quit but it was too late as he got cancer couple years later. He fought it for years but finally lost. Won’t say he lived for a while with the cancer, he existed.
Good luck to the OP.

I smoked 3 or 4 packs of Camel straights a day for decades until my daughter was pregnant with my first grandchild. I decided that I wanted to be around to watch him grow up. I quit cold turkey 25 years ago. It's tough to quit, you can do it. The urge to smoke eventually passes.

Pharmseller is right. Single best thing you can do for yourself. You may inspire others and save their lives as well. Make your home and car into smoke free environments. Some of the meds and nicotine products can help a little. Deaths sucks. COPD and stroke might even suck worse. Just win.

Hang tough, RR! It is a monumental task ahead of you! I quit 20 years or so ago. Hardest and best thing I ever did!

Good luck! Nicotine gum helped me quit. Someday I'll quit the gum...