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#54

08/19/05

Hi there. I have quit for over a year and a half and I am truly happy I made the choice. I smoked for 15 years, a pack a day. First of all we all make mistakes, no shame in it.

I tried everything, patches , gum, pills and it did not work. After my close buddy confronted me and said I should quit because I stink I gave it some thought. I went to quitsmoking.com (http://www.quitsmoking.com/info/articles/spitzer/ntapind1.html) and read every article on the webpage. After each article it said "never take another puff again" and that is exactly what I did and am still doing today. I got rid of all my cigarette stuff like packs, lighters and ashtrays and went from there. The first couple of weeks were hard and now I can do it without thinking about it as much. The worst is when there are people in your life that want to keep you the same way and tempting you to smoke. Now I see these phonys a mile away and stay away from them.

You have one life to live. Forget about the past and begin a smoke-free future where it will not only benefit you but all the people in your life as well.

Breathing easier,

Mike Ross
Ontario, Canada

#56

08/21/05

I started smoking when I was 17 years YOUNG. I knew better because my mother DIED as a result of smoking - she was 35 years YOUNG and had advanced heart disease. She was a 3 pack a day smoker.

Because of my mother's medical history I had been ADMONISHED by every single doctor I ever had to see to stop smoking. Even my gynecologist told me I had to quit.

What did they know? I "enjoyed" smoking, it kept me calm, took the edge off. But really, what did I know? I had no clue that active smoking was the result of nicotine addiction - prior to that I believed it was a "habit". A cardiologist actually told me that I was addicted. I did not believe him. I was 32 at the time, and I knew that all these people were right - I needed to quit smoking. I didn't want to die young. But I didn't know how. Any doctor I ever had to see told me I NEEDED the patch or something to "help". NO ONE ever said "cold turkey." No one in the medical profession ever said "you can do it cold turkey."

I did a Google search for quit smoking. That was how I found WhyQuit. The very first story I read was Noni Glykos' story. I could NOT believe that she was my age and had been died with lung cancer. I kept reading. I could not get enough of this website. Furthermore, I could not believe that REAL PEOPLE WERE QUITTING COLD TURKEY - no pill, no patch, no gum, just QUITTING ON THEIR OWN!!

But I wasn't ready to just quit, to just quit cold turkey? I believed in my mind that I could not do it. I was very envious of their magical powers.

In July of 2003 I quit for 8 days. I had set up myself for failure. I was not believing that I could do it, I could survive. I sold out at day 9 and went back to smoking. I quit again in November 2003 when I had to have major surgery. I lasted for 5 days. I needed my cigarettes!!

In 2004 I came back to WhyQuit, and then I started reading the threads at Freedom from Tobacco. I poured over the long-term quitters threads. I would just sit and cry 'cause I felt like they were special and I was a loser and I just couldn't do it.

But I had decided that no matter what, I was going to do this, and make it. I was going to do what I needed to do. And I was going to survive. I didn't know when, all I knew was that it was going to have to be on my own.

Then on August 17 I felt a wheeze in my back. Not the regular asthma type wheeze but a deep in your lungs wheeze. It scared me so much (think Noni) that I smoked my last cigarette on August 19, 2004 @ 7:42 p.m. I did it cold turkey. I wasn't scared, or nervous or anxious anymore. I just knew that it had to be done. And I was going to make it. I changed my self messages from "I can't" to "I am." From "I won't make it" to "I am healing." The list goes on and on. It's hard to be defeated when you're armed with facts.

I lived at Freedom from Tobacco for the first couple of months. I stayed focused on the messages. Other people who had succeeded were not more special than me, and I was not a loser. We had that one thing in common. We wanted our freedom from nicotine.

It's that simple. I wanted to be free from the fear, the worry, and the cost! I am on the "other side" now. I have been living in comfort for quite a while-and I'm only "1". I do not spend time thinking about smoking, I do not miss it, I do not need it. I never did. Last night was my official birthday and this time when I cried I cried tears of pride.

If you are thinking about quitting, quit wasting your time and just do it. Get educated. Visit WhyQuit. It also helps if you send yourself KIND, LOVING messages about how much you deserve to be free. You will survive. You will not "lose" anything, not even your mind.

Chevet' Mondragon

#62
09/14/05

It's been 5 years and five months today. I was 44 at the time. I smoked two packs a day but was thin and very active. Anyway I always had a bit of a cough, you know the kind. I really didn't feel sick but the cough got worse and I knew I should see a doctor, but I knew he would tell me to quit smoking and lecture me etc.

Well that night I just didn't feel good and my lower right back hurt terribly. My husband had already gone to bed and I was going to have one more cigarette and then try to lay down and sleep and hopefully feel better. I don't know if it was my guardian angel or what but something made me know I had to get to the hospital and now. I practically crawled up the stairs and got my husband up and my daughter who was 7 at the time. We got to the hospital and I just knew I had pneumonia. They took a chest x-ray and it was worse. With pneumonia your lung fills with fluid, well somehow the fluid had perforated my lung and was fillling my chest cavity.

I had to have a thorencotomy where they opened me up from my back to ribs beneath my armpit and then they sucked a gallon of thick horrible fluid out and taped my right lung to my chest cavity. I was in the hospital for twelve days and in lots of pain. The lung doctor, an older man, said he had never seen a worse lung infection and that I was very lucky to be alive. My right lung will never be 100%. The doctor also told me now would be a good time to quit smoking and that if he ever saw me again he would not treat me if I smoked.

I quit. My husband still smokes and it makes me mad off but I still love him. I took up running again and have run 5 half marathons and next week will be my fourth marathon. If I can quit anyone can, but it's not easy.

Jennifer

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#61
09/14/05

I had tried quitting several times in the past using the patches and cutting back. The patches worked but they where so expensive I couldnt afford them and when I ran out of patches I would start back again.

Donald's lung cancer surgery scarI was diagnosed with lung cancer in June of 2001. On August 9th of the same year they removed my right lung - the upper and middle lobes. I had cancer in two places right on top of each other. I was told that I had to quit smoking for 30 days prior to surgery. This time I decided that the only way to quit was to do it cold turkey. I'll bet I ate a ton of candy.

Seriously people, if you want to continue breathing you have got to quit smoking. It has been four years since my surgery. I go back in December for a CT scan. Hopefully I will be free of cancer. To quit cold turkey sounds like it would be awful but I promise you that awful is what likely awaits you if you don't.

Imagine not being able to walk five feet after surgery without tiring. Imagine having extreme difficulty breathing for the rest of your life. Imagine your remaining lung capacity not being able to handle getting upset, lifting, and curtailing romance. Physically I'm shot to heck. I just wish I'd never picked up that first smoke.

You can do it. It's easy to quit smoking. What's hard is what happens when you don't quit. Good luck and I do hope you decide to quit.

Donald Spence

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#60
09/11/05

I didn't think I would ever be able to stop smoking. I had heard how horribly hard it would be for a woman my age, in fact, not a snow ball's chance in Hades. But I was a chain smoker, my dad died of lung cancer, a favorite aunt is dying from emphazema, I was waking at night with dread running through my veins. In the middle of the night I got on line and after going here and there I found WhyQuit. It's like an awakening...Oh! I get it now. I set my date, I quit.

It's of course the best thing I'll ever do for me and I am proud. So to all the women over 50 I want to say YES YOU CAN. Pick your date, read at WhyQuit and get ready for quite a fun adventure. Laughter helps.

I've been quit for 1 year, 9 months, 14 days, 11 hours, 12 minutes and 57 seconds (653 days). I've not smoked 19604 death sticks, and saved $3,121.71. I've saved 68 day(s), 2 hour(s) of my life.

Good luck to all,

Debra Flower

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#59
09/09/05

1 year, 9 months and 22 days ago I took my life back. I feel emotional writing this, more emotional than I have felt about my quit in a long time. It makes me sad to think that people feel trapped and that NRT will help free them. NRT's are just another trap. You have the power to free yourself and all the to

ols you need are with you everywhere, they are your mind and body and soul. Those are the tools that give you logic, motivation, ability to reach out for help, ability to make it through day by day, hour by hour, minute by minute when necessary. Freedom can be yours starting right now!

Jane Crimmins, MS
Early Childhood Education Field Coordinator
Teachers College, Columbia University

#64

09/28/05

Five years ago today I threw away my last cigarettes and quit for the upmteenth time. However, this time became different because within a week I stumbled across www.whyquit.com and read everything on the site. Knowledge is power and at Freedom there is plenty of knowledge to be gained.

I started sneaking a few cigarettes before the Russians put up Sputnik. As time progressed my addiction became full blown and of course when you are young and dumb nothing can harm you. The first time I seriously tried to quit was in the early '70's and after a few months I was back at it. As a pilot in Vietnam I remember shutting off the oxygen and pulling the mask off my face and lighting up...not only hard to light but when you did get it lit you had to suck like crazy and then in the thin air would almost pull the fire right into your mouth....what a dummy! But I was an addict and addicts are not known to do well thought out actions.

For those of you who are still smoking....STOP. Not tomorrow but right now and NEVER TAKE ANOTHER PUFF. You can do it because I did after being stupid for 40+ years. We were just like you a few short years ago....you can do it.....

You have taken the first step or you wouldn't be reading this. Now be brutally honest with yourself and admit you are an addict and then get involved with Freedom. Oh, I know that real men handle their problems without outside help. All my life I thought that way, fancying myself as macho as they come. Then 5 years ago I swallowed my pride and found FREEDOM and the wonderful folks there. Joel, John and crew are world class and I owe them my life. Be like me and owe your life to them as well. Good Quitting and Best Regards,

Stan King
Forever smokeless in Dallas, TX

#66

10/03/05

I'm very happy to be posting this message to the Turkey's Triumphs page for being smokefree for a whole year (!) NOT ONE PUFF.

Thanks to the education I've received at Whyquit, I've come to understand how insidious an ADDICTION nicotine really is. I never understood this before and I lost many quits due to my lack of understanding. I now understand that my lack of education could cost me an appreciable percentage of the years God gave me. I'll never be able to return to the ignorance and denial that helped keep me addicted to cigarettes for 27 years. I know too much now. This is a good thing.

However, even after a year quit, I still need to remind myself daily how precious my freedom is and how easily it could be lost. I'm still challenged to remain smokefree: my mother passed away two weeks ago (from heart problems caused by smoking and diabetes) and my husband, who quit with me, relapsed a month ago. He continues to smoke.

I tell of these challenges to say: they have not and will not be allowed to affect my quit. I quit for me and no one else except myself can make me lose this quit. I've been quit for a year because I nurtured my quit and put it at the forefront of my mind. I've read and re-read all the materials available on the Whyquit site several times and I read on the Freedom boards often. I will continue to do whatever it takes to keep this quit because I truly believe my life depends on it.

People who have never smoked sometimes say "You're still talking/thinking about quitting? Aren't you 'over it' by now?" They don't really understand that I will never be 'over it' in the sense that I could ever be a 'casual' or any other kind of smoker or user of nicotine. We say Never Take Another Puff because we know that one puff means relapse. Staying quit means I can never be complacent and I can never drop my guard.

This quit has NOT been particularly easy for me (and this is a good thing too), but it also has not been as hard as I had built it up to be. I HAVE achieved a measure of comfort. I'm so grateful for it; it's an incredible improvement on the stress and worry I had every day as a smoker. I used smoking as a way of dealing with my emotions for so long, I had to relearn how to deal with my own feelings. But what I feel now, more than any other emotion, is CALM. My mind and emotions had been hijacked by smoking. I'm so glad I took them back! My whole body thanks me everyday for quitting; my lungs say they are especially grateful :-) For anyone who may be lurking and wondering whether the time is right for them to take the plunge, it is. In fact, the time doesn't get any better than right now J

Thanks so much Whyquit and Freedom for all you do...

Bernadette

I have been quit for 1 Year, 23 hours, 23 minutes and 57 seconds (365 days). I have saved $1,829.87 by not smoking 7,319 cigarettes. I have saved 3 Weeks, 4 Days, 9 hours and 55 minutes of my life.

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#65

10/01/05

Hello! I started smoking at 20 years old.....so stupid, as I knew that nicotine was addictive, and I hear that if people do smoke, they usually start in their teens. But of course, I was "different"....I started smoking after my daughter was born to "lose weight"... yes, I did lose the weight, and gained an addiction. Cigarette smoking slowly but surely worked its way into every aspect of my life - I would sneak cigarettes carrying my second and third child, just terrible. Fast forward 12 years of nicotine bondage...I stumbled across the WhyQuit.com website and began reading. I probably lurked at WhyQuit for about 4 months, educating myself on my addiction. Finally, on January 1st, at 3 o'clock in the morning, I smoked my last cigarette. And that was it.

I visited everyday at WhyQuit and educated myself and applied its teachings to my own recovery. Every day as I awoke I said to myself, "I will be free from nicotine, just for today"...and at first, it was very challenging. Sometimes I would have to stop myself and say, "I will be free from nicotine, just for 5 minutes" and before the five minutes were up, the craving for nicotine was gone.

Nicotine was losing the battle with my will, and my mind. Every day got a little bit easier, as my body was ridding itself of nicotine, nicotine was physically losing its grip over me. The only grip left was in my own mind. That is where education and support here at Freedom is really key. Its great to have a no nonsense place to come to that doesn't cater to ridiculousness...it caters to truth. And the truth is that one puff from a cigarette has me quickly on the road to active nicotine addiction once again. Its that powerful ...one single puff. NRT's do NOT work. Would you give an alcoholic whiskey? I don't think so.

It's been 2 years and 9 months...and not one single puff. It's ironic, I started smoking at 20 to lose weight and look good, but now I have 3 kids and am 35 years old and look better than I ever have in my entire adult life. This is because now that I am no longer chained in bondage to my addiction to nicotine, I have the lung power to enjoy inline skating (which I love!!!). I can skate for two hours and feel great! Plus, I work out with weights 4 mornings a week. I actually am in a gym at 6 o'clock in the morning 4 days a week...something I NEVER HAD THE STRENGTH OR ENERGY TO DO WHEN I WAS SMOKING!!!!

My advice to you - look into yourself, find that little special something (its in there, don't tell me it isn't!) inside of yourself and believe. See yourself free. See yourself waking up in the morning, eyes bright, lungs clear, and not even thinking about smoking.....and GO FOR IT! You are one-of-a-kind, with all your own gifts unique to you. Come, leap off the cliff and soar with us in Freedom!

Valerie Sorensen
I chose to be free from nicotine for 2 years and 9 months

#69

10/13/05

I stopped smoking on August 22nd 2004. I had been smoking for almost 20 years by the time that I succeeded in quitting, and like many others on this site, I had tried several other methods in the past without success including patches. In the past I had found that within 24 hours I was at fever pitch and the longest that I'd ever lasted was 3 days. I have to say that the main difference this time was that I really wanted to quit, where as in the past I'd been trying to do it because other people wanted me to.

During the early days I searched for sites about quitting smoking and came across this one, and I've lurked in the background regularly since.The thing that has really helped me stay stopped is the true stories, I was particularly touched by Noni's story as I at the time was also 33 and that really hit home. That could be me!

I have to say that the actual quit was much easier than previous attempts with NRT. I can't say that to start with I was supremely confident that I'd never smoke again, and I didn't tell my parents that I'd stopped for a few days, in case I fell at the first hurdle. But after the first few days it did get easier. I found that taking it day by day was easier to handle than thinking about the implications of never smoking again. In a strange way I did feel like I'd lost some part of my identity for a while, after all I had been smoking since I was 14 and every major event in my adult life had involved me trying to work out when I could have my next cigarette. But now I'm free and you can be too!

Just remember, "NEVER TAKE ANOTHER PUFF"! Believe me, you will think about it. You will tell yourself that just one won't do any harm, but do you really want to go back there again? I know that I don't! I deserve better than that and so do you!

I really thought that I was one of those smokers who would never quit because it was too hard. Even some of my friends have said that they didn't think I'd do it. But over twelve months later I can say with pride, that although I will always be a Nicotine Addict, I am no longer a smoker.

So please, if you are in the process of quitting, stick with it, it really is worth it. And if you're just thinking about quitting, read all the good stuff here and go for it! What have you got to lose????

Debbie
Southampton, England

It is amazing how many quitters eventually master the law of addiction through the school of hard-quitting-knocks. The beauty of Freedom is that knowing exactly what it takes the first time can mean lasting success with your very first attempt.

Oh how this body and mind wish they'd discovered a resource such as Joel when I was struggling extremely hard at 19 and 20 to kick this thing. Unlike the roughly half of adult smokers who fail to see, understand and arrest their dependency before it costs an average of 13 years of life (15.3 here in SC, USA, home of the state with the cheapest cigarettes in America - Eagle, $1.39 a pack) I shouldn't feel too badly remaining captive for 30 years as I've now been free for healing for over 6 years.

I received the below letter from Helene whose self-taught lessons helped her appreciate and come to terms with the the power of the contents of a cigarette 9 years before WhyQuit and Freedom were born. But each time I read a letter such as this I can't help but wonder how much sooner the write could have tasted lasting victory if those with insight had only been able to remember and share what they'd learned.

Still just one rule for for Helene, you and me, no nicotine today, Never Take Another Puff!

John (Gold x6)

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Hi John,

It's been about 15 years since I quit smoking cold turkey. Have to say It was the most difficult thing I've done in my life. Think it helps to have, or develop, a stubborn streak about the situation--when cravings struck, I reminded myself the tobacco companies were literally banking on the addiction's hold.

No "tricks", other than putting a few butts and some water into a baby food jar. (Cutting back hadn't worked--found myself rooting through my garbage for old cigarettes.) Wore clothing with pockets so I could carry it everywhere. Can't tell you how many times a day I needed to look at it!

One last thing--I would never have succeeded if I'd thought of quitting in terms of weeks or months. I could only handle the withdrawal hour by hour.

Good luck to everyone.

Helene

Australian Pharmacist Celebrates

1 Year of Freedom from Nicotine

#94

03/26/06

Nicotine… A drug that has caused more grief to mankind than any of its rivals. It has been classed "the most addictive drug" on earth due to its malicious affect on receptors found on our nerve endings. No other drug will cause your body to reject its very own neurotransmitters like nicotine will. Nicotine will turn your body against you!!!

As a pharmacist, I see many people come into the pharmacy for an answer to their smoking addiction. I can sympathize with them as I too was a smoker and repeatedly tried to kick the habit (instead of arrest a true chemical dependency). The reality is, people don't know how to go about quitting. Giving up smoking is like staring down the barrel of a gun. On one hand, you are waging war against your own cravings, smoking related habits, your own body!! On the other hand, you are overwhelmed by pharmaceutical giants preaching that their nicotine products are your one-stop answer.

I see people come back after completing their 8 week course of patches asking for another answer. Others have been buying nicotine gum, on a weekly basis, for the past 3 years - and some are still smoking! The only answer these products provide is less dollars in the piggy banks of tobacco companies, other than that, there are only broken promises.

Sadly there is no quick fix to quitting smoking and there is no real answer in their products. In actual fact, nicotine replacement products prolong the suffering as your body will STILL experience nicotine withdrawal when you stop using them.

I am constantly bombarded, by pharmaceutical reps, as to the benefits of nicotine replacement therapy… "It's your best chance at quitting" and "You will relapse if you don't use it." In my personal battle against smoking I have tried every brand of patches, gum, inhaler and microtabs. I have also tried the Zyban (bupropion hydrochloride) course on 4 separate occasions over 4 years and all I experienced was a state of psychosis (this is one of Zybans most frequent side effects due to its high dose anti-depressant nature).

After 5 years of active quitting and sampling everything on the market, I was still a smoker. I tested every stop smoking method I was taught at university, put all my medical knowledge into practice and still failed to quit. The only person I knew who had successfully quit for over 20 years was my father and he did it "cold turkey."

In my desperation, I started my research and came across WhyQuit.com. Now I have been a non smoker for over 1 year and it is all thanks to the team at WhyQuit. The most valuable tool to quitting smoking is understanding. By understanding what nicotine is, how it can affect your body and recognising when it takes hold of you, is the best weapon and greatest hope a smoker can have of quitting. You must realise how serious your addiction is and just how easy it is for your body to fall back into a nicotine dependent state. Already there is a serious, potentially fatal, physical addiction taking place inside your body and your mind and willpower WILL be swayed by this addiction.

Frankly, your ONLY chance is to never take another puff. It has been and will be for the rest of my life, my only chance. If you are serious about quitting smoking for your self or your families' sake, another cigarette (lit or unlit) can never touch your lips. If you can do this, you will beat nicotine and reclaim your mind. Until you accept this you will remain a smoker. I can make that statement with the utmost of confidence as I have seen thousands of smokers relapse. I now give out WhyQuit's URL to every Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) patient that comes into my pharmacy. There simply is no other answer.

Regards

Nima Alavi