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Smoked...then vaped...then back to smoking Cancel

1. tomcain

   

   6 posts
   Registered:
   20 Jan 2021
   19 Jan 2021

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   New person here from Cambridge Ontario.  I was smoking up until 2017, then switched to vaping.  Quit vaping in December 2019 when I had a minor stroke (actually a TIA).  Then started smoking again in March 2020 and have been at it ever since.  I did quit for 3 days last September.  I should mention that my wife smokes also, but this time we are committed and she seems to have a stronger constitution than me.  Vaping was cheaper, but I seemed to vape more and more, because I could vape indoors.  Getting off vaping was harder than cigarettes; so I know I can do it.
   
   I am 62, a retiree and need to quit.  Being on a 'fixed income' means that I have to spend my money wisely.  And smoking is foolish spending.  I HAVE to quit and will need everyones encouragement.  With this online support, I know I can beat this filthy, despicable habit.
2. lesleyaf

   

   37 posts
   Registered:
   23 Nov 2020
   20 Jan 2021 in reply to tomcain

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   Hi Tomcain,
   
   Keep the faith! I know you can beat the habit! You've done it before and you can do it again! It's fantastic that you and your wife are doing this together!
   
   Did you quit cold turkey or are you using nicotine replacement therapy?
   
   The support here is great.  I really enjoy reading the posts and getting tips from fellow non-smokers.  Also, make sure you register for the quit to win as you could be $500 richer!
   
   Take care and remember Not One Puff Ever (NOPE).  
   
3. emily, quit coach

   

   247 posts
   Registered:
   28 Nov 2017
   Answered

   20 Jan 2021

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   Hi Tomcain, 
   
   I can hear how determined you are to quit smoking! I have no doubt that with that determination you will be able to do it! 
   
   You have great support at home and we will all be here to encourage you along the way. Looking forward to hearing about your quit journey. 
   
   Emily 
   
   
   
4. wandam

   

   241 posts
   Registered:
   05 Feb 2019
   20 Jan 2021

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   Hi tomcain,
   
   Welcome to our little community! Sounds like you have some experience with quitting like most of us here! I’m on my 4th quit & like you determined to quit! Although I haven’t had any health issues yet, I’m motivated to stay quit for better health, along with so much more like fresh clean breaths, great tasting food/coffee & the list of benefits goes on! Glad to have you join us! Support & educating ourselves is so vital for our quit! Glad to here you have your wife joining you on your smoke free journey! My husband who never smoked is a good support for me too! However, I would encourage doing the homework on this site, calling a quit coach if you haven’t done so already & googling all the stop smoking sites to gain more insight about our smoking addiction! Quitting is hard but you are doing it! Keep up the great job!👍

   Last modified on 20 Jan 2021 16:15 by wandam
5. wandam

   

   241 posts
   Registered:
   05 Feb 2019
   20 Jan 2021

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   Hi lesleyaf,
   
   Glad to hear from you, I was wondering how you were doing with your quit! Keep up the great job! 👍 How many weeks/months for you now? 

   Last modified on 20 Jan 2021 16:10 by wandam
6. lesleyaf

   

   37 posts
   Registered:
   23 Nov 2020
   Answered

   20 Jan 2021

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   Hi Wandam,
   Nice to hear from you!
   Yup, still smoke free. I just passed 8 weeks on Monday. I’m pretty proud of myself as I never imagined I would make it this far. 
   you must be coming on 4 months now? That’s such an accomplishment. Do you find that your cravings are more manageable/ you have less of them the longer you are smoke free?
   Take care,
   Lesley
7. wandam

   

   241 posts
   Registered:
   05 Feb 2019
   20 Jan 2021

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   Hi Lesley,
   
   Wow 8 weeks/ 2 months that is awesome! We are not that far apart, It was 3 months for me on Jan 12! Yes to the cravings being less & more manageable! Keep rocking your quit, so proud of you!
   
   Take Care, Wanda 

   Last modified on 20 Jan 2021 23:17 by wandam
8. lesleyaf

   

   37 posts
   Registered:
   23 Nov 2020
   21 Jan 2021 in reply to wandam

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   Hi Wanda,
   
   Wow, 3 months.  How fantastic is that! You must be feeling so great!
   
   
   
   
9. wandam

   

   241 posts
   Registered:
   05 Feb 2019
   22 Jan 2021

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   Hi Lesley,
   
   Thanks I’m feeling so much better since I quit smoking! I’m definitely more happy with myself for being smoke free again! Love the fresh clean air I breathe, taste of food/coffee, extra energy....... However, I’m not gonna pretend for a minute I’m out of the woods with this awful addiction! I’m hoping to become more stronger as time passes & especially when I reach that 1 year mark!
   
   PS Glad your on this journey with me Lesley 😀 day by day we are doing it! Take Care

   Last modified on 22 Jan 2021 14:03 by wandam
10. tomcain

    

    6 posts
    Registered:
    20 Jan 2021
    24 Jan 2021 in reply to emily, quit coach

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    Hi Emily.  Thanks for you concern,  It is day 5 without a cigarette for myself and my wife.  We would split a pack of cigarettes a day.  12 cigs/day.  At $15 per pack, times 30 days = $450 a month I was spending on cigarettes.  Doing this 'cold turkey' but chewing regular gum.  I have stopped coughing and no more phlegm in my throat in the morning.  Gross!  Besides the savings of $5,500 per year; my health is most important.  I want to draw from my company pension plan as long as I can.  Also have a 1 year old grand-daughter who l likes when I play piano for her by clapping her hands.  I want to keep playing for her.  That's my motivation.
11. tomcain

    

    6 posts
    Registered:
    20 Jan 2021
    24 Jan 2021 in reply to wandam

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    I have quit before in the past.  Longest was 18 months.  So far...so good as we are on day 5 now..  Chewing gum.  My wife & I go for walks.  If I want to go to the store for smokes, my wife says "NO".  And vice versa if she says the same.  We are a good support for each other.  No mood swings for either of us.  If I feel like a cigarette, I practice on my piano. 
    
    I was spending $15.25/day on cigs.  That's over $5,500 per year!  Out of my pension, that is a 'fixed income'.  That works out to 6 weeks of my pension a year going on smokes!  What the hell was I thinking!?
    
    Question for you:  'Do you get a strong urge for a cigarette that is like a huge wave crashing over you?  But then passes in 5 minutes?'
12. tomcain

    

    6 posts
    Registered:
    20 Jan 2021
    24 Jan 2021 in reply to lesleyaf

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    8 weeks!  That is fantastic!  Keep going.  I hope I make it that long.
    
    I have heard that you should give yourself a small financial reward every now and then.  Do you do that?  Or know of anyone that does that with the money they save?
13. wandam

    

    241 posts
    Registered:
    05 Feb 2019
    24 Jan 2021

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    Hi tomcain, 
    
    Great to hear you & your wife are on day 5 of your quit & working at supporting each other! Cravings/huge urges to smoke are very common when we quit & only last minutes then pass. Keeping busy & distracting ourselves is the best thing to do in getting through the cravings/urges. Take care & keep up the great job 👍
    
    
    

    Last modified on 24 Jan 2021 23:29 by wandam
14. tomcain

    

    6 posts
    Registered:
    20 Jan 2021
    02 Feb 2021 in reply to wandam

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    14 days today without a cigarette.  Woohoo!
15. lesleyaf

    

    37 posts
    Registered:
    23 Nov 2020
    03 Feb 2021 in reply to tomcain

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    Hi Tomcain,
    
    Congratulations on 14 days smoke free! What an accomplishment! You and your wife should be so proud of yourselves.  
    Keep going, you're doing awesome! I know it's not easy but if so many people before us can quit, we can too!
    Take care,
    Lesley 
16. treepeo1

    

    255 posts
    Registered:
    06 Feb 2020
    03 Feb 2021 in reply to tomcain

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    Hi tomcain,
    
    You have now passed the two week mark.  Yippee!  Way to go!
    
    Yes, cravings can hit you like a ton of bricks.  Try to distract yourself.  Keep busy, and drink lots of water to help flush out the toxins.  And really pay attention to any benefits you notice.  You said that you notice you don't have a lot of phlegm in the mornings any more.  Do you notice that your mouth feels fresher when you wake up, too?  Do you find that you are starting to breathe a little easier?  Maybe you are not getting as winded as you used to when you climb a flight of stairs?  It is important to mentally make note of those improvements, no matter how small, because they can encourage you to stay on track.
    
    I used to give myself little rewards along the way as positive reinforcement.  I figured that I was saving so much by not smoking that I could fork out a few bucks for something that would make me happy.  I play hidden object games, so I would buy myself a new game,, or I would buy a ready made meal for myself so I didn't have to cook.  Anything just to make sure that I was giving myself a pat on the back for staying smoke free.  I think it is important to reward yourself for all your hard work and dedication.
    
    You and your wife are doing a fantastic job.  Keep up the good work!  And remember to live by N.O.P.E. (Not One Puff Ever).  If you never take that first puff, you will remain a non-smoker forever.
17. tomcain

    

    6 posts
    Registered:
    20 Jan 2021
    13 Feb 2021 in reply to treepeo1

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    Thanks for the encouragement.  Today is February 13.  It has now been 25 days without a cigarette.  The urges are getting fewer and fewer with the duration between them longer.  They are less intense now also and only last a few minutes, or a minute.  We can do this.  When I want a cigarette, my wife will say, "Do you really want to put on winter clothing, walk 5 minutes, waste $15 and smoke a cigarette that tastes absolutely awful?"  When I think of it that way...it does seem idiotic; but it works for the both of us.  Next stop...one month of quitting.
18. lesleyaf

    

    37 posts
    Registered:
    23 Nov 2020
    13 Feb 2021

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    Hi Tomcain,
    You are almost at the 4 week mark! What an accomplishment. You and your wife should be so proud of yourselves. Quitting smoking is the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life and I’m sure you and your wife feel the same. 
    Congrats. You got this! 
    All the best,
    Lesley 
19. lesleyaf

    

    37 posts
    Registered:
    23 Nov 2020
    13 Feb 2021 in reply to wandam

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    Hi Wandam! Yesterday was your 4 month quitversary! Congratulations! 

    Last modified on 14 Feb 2021 07:38 by lesleyaf
20. treepeo1

    

    255 posts
    Registered:
    06 Feb 2020
    14 Feb 2021 in reply to tomcain

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    Hi tomcain,
    
    WooHoo!  Congrats to you and your wife.  You are both doing great!
    
    One of the best things about being a non-smoker is the freedom.  It's wonderful to no longer have to go out and find a place to smoke.  To no longer be ruled by cravings.  I know given the pandemic, this seems like a distant memory, but I remember the first time I went to the airport as a non-smoker.  I was so much more relaxed,  because I no longer had to deal with cravings.  So I could have a coffee and a meal without breaking out into a sweat.  And I didn't care how long my flight was, because I wasn't consumed with thoughts of getting my next fix.  It was so freeing.
    
    Keep up the good work, tomcain.  And remember to live by NOPE (Not One Puff Ever).  If you never take that first puff, you will be a non-smoker forever.
21. wandam

    

    241 posts
    Registered:
    05 Feb 2019
    14 Feb 2021 in reply to tomcain

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    Hi tomcain,
    
    Huge congratulations on being 26 days smoke free! Love, love your wife’s words of inspiration, discouraging you from smoking, those wise words of hers would certainly be helpful in making a person think twice about lighting up! So glad you didn’t, so awesome that you two have each other for support & yay to the cravings/urges becoming less! Keep rocking your quit! You guys are doing great 👍 

    Last modified on 14 Feb 2021 10:37 by wandam
22. wandam

    

    241 posts
    Registered:
    05 Feb 2019
    14 Feb 2021 in reply to lesleyaf

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    Hi Lesley, 
    
    Thanks, yes it was 4 months for me on the 12. Hey it will be 3 months for you on the 18, right? Congratulations to you too Lesley! Yay for us, all of us! Despite the struggles we go through in quitting this awful addiction we are hanging in there, one day at a time we are rocking our quits! Huge congratulations to us all on this journey!

    Last modified on 14 Feb 2021 11:00 by wandam