![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 23 of 23. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by TamaraJ on February 27, 2005, at 18:10:46
Yipes! But, I think it's really time. Am I ready? Yes and no. I just find that I wake up every morning feeling tired and "hung over", if that makes any sense, and I think it is zapping my motivation somewhat (which is strange because I always thought nicotine was a stimulant). Does anyone have any tips on how to ease the pain and suffering of withdrawal? I have lots of gum on hand . . .
Tamara
Posted by rainbowbrite on February 27, 2005, at 19:52:26
In reply to I'm think I'm finally going to quit smoking . . ., posted by TamaraJ on February 26, 2005, at 12:20:35
GUM GUM and more GUM, I mean nicorette and sugarfree gum! The more minty the better. Also sugarfree hard candies, I say sugarfree to save the teeth. Another thing you will need to cosider are your hands and what they will do not holding a cigarette....so play with a rubber band constantly, anything for that matter....Im thinking....avoid coffee only becasue of the associtaion with smoking, although if you don't avoid it you can learn to drink it wihtout the cravings. As much as i hate to say it take a really really small amount of some kind of benzo when really stressed for a smoke. get alot of baby raw carrots so you can constanty munch on them. Umm I will keep thinking STAY AWAY FROM SMOKERS!! that is the best bit of advice I can give. If you want to stop it is sooo hard to do it when you are around others who do. I am so happy for you that you are going to try to stop!!!! YAY!! Good Luck, keep you mouth and hands occupoied with other things :-)
rain
Posted by rainbowbrite on February 27, 2005, at 19:56:19
In reply to I'm think I'm finally going to quit smoking . . ., posted by TamaraJ on February 26, 2005, at 12:20:35
how many are you smoking a day?? it may be easier to wean then go cold turkey, when you are at a few a day then go cold turkey. just a thought.
Posted by Dinah on February 27, 2005, at 19:58:57
In reply to I'm think I'm finally going to quit smoking . . ., posted by TamaraJ on February 26, 2005, at 12:20:35
Posted by rainbowbrite on February 27, 2005, at 20:05:46
In reply to I'm think I'm finally going to quit smoking . . ., posted by TamaraJ on February 26, 2005, at 12:20:35
Posted by anastasia56 on February 27, 2005, at 20:33:34
In reply to question??? » TamaraJ, posted by rainbowbrite on February 27, 2005, at 19:56:19
Posted by TamaraJ on February 27, 2005, at 20:52:23
In reply to GOod news!!, posted by rainbowbrite on February 27, 2005, at 19:52:26
Wow! Thanks for all the GREAT suggestions. I have tried the cutting down thing, and it doesn't seem to work for me :-( I am going to have to go cold turkey and hope for the best. I smoke about a pack a day (< blush with hanging head >). I have lots of sugar-free gum on hand. I know about staying away from smokers. I had quit smoking many, many years ago (I won't say how young I was when I started smoking), and, when my parents split up, I went to stay with my mom to help her out and so my dad could use my apartment until he found a place of his own. Well, my mom is quite a heavy smoker at the best of times, so you can imagine. Anyway, after a couple of weeks of keeping her company while she cried and talked and smoked and smoked and smoked, I finally broke and started again. Bad move on my part :-(
Thanks again, and take care,
Tamara
> GUM GUM and more GUM, I mean nicorette and sugarfree gum! The more minty the better. Also sugarfree hard candies, I say sugarfree to save the teeth. Another thing you will need to cosider are your hands and what they will do not holding a cigarette....so play with a rubber band constantly, anything for that matter....Im thinking....avoid coffee only becasue of the associtaion with smoking, although if you don't avoid it you can learn to drink it wihtout the cravings. As much as i hate to say it take a really really small amount of some kind of benzo when really stressed for a smoke. get alot of baby raw carrots so you can constanty munch on them. Umm I will keep thinking STAY AWAY FROM SMOKERS!! that is the best bit of advice I can give. If you want to stop it is sooo hard to do it when you are around others who do. I am so happy for you that you are going to try to stop!!!! YAY!! Good Luck, keep you mouth and hands occupoied with other things :-)
>
> rain
Posted by TamaraJ on February 27, 2005, at 20:53:12
In reply to That's Great! I'm rooting for you!! (nm) » TamaraJ, posted by Dinah on February 27, 2005, at 19:58:57
Posted by TamaraJ on February 27, 2005, at 20:54:47
In reply to and add hynosis, it worked for me (nm), posted by anastasia56 on February 27, 2005, at 20:33:34
Posted by rainbowbrite on February 27, 2005, at 21:16:49
In reply to Re: GOod news!! » rainbowbrite, posted by TamaraJ on February 27, 2005, at 20:52:23
YOur welcome!!! Ive never smoked before in my life :P
If you can do it once you can do it twice! It gets easier everytime, so Ive heard. (but Ive never smoked before OK? shhhhh... Im a smoker virgin and Im sticking to that story)
But this girl I know (hahaha) smoked a pack a day for 5 years!
Posted by rainbowbrite on February 27, 2005, at 23:07:34
In reply to I'm think I'm finally going to quit smoking . . ., posted by TamaraJ on February 26, 2005, at 12:20:35
I think you may want to wait on quitting till you get over the worst with work. I think it is a useful crutch at times like this. Don't get me wrong I think everyone should quit smoking but at the right time for them.
take care
rain
Posted by saw on February 28, 2005, at 6:18:25
In reply to I'm think I'm finally going to quit smoking . . ., posted by TamaraJ on February 26, 2005, at 12:20:35
I gave up cold turkey a year ago 22 March. Not a day goes by that I don't miss it. Being in hospital has not helped much either. Everyone smokes and I am finding more and more that I want to too.
But I shall keep my distance and strength.
I fail at so much, I am not going to fail at this as well.
Good luck and if you don't get it right first time, don't worry, it will happen for you.
My thoughts are with you.
Sabrina
Posted by gardenergirl on February 28, 2005, at 9:35:56
In reply to Re: I'm think I'm finally going to quit smoking . . . » TamaraJ, posted by saw on February 28, 2005, at 6:18:25
Posted by Broken on February 28, 2005, at 10:22:47
In reply to Re: GOod news!! » rainbowbrite, posted by TamaraJ on February 27, 2005, at 20:52:23
Tamara,
On March 11th and 12th I'll be trying auricular therapy. It's pretty weird, they direct electrical impulses to certain spots on the earlobe, and that is basically it. Takes about a one hour session. If you still have cravings the next day, they do what they call a booster treatment. Three people I work with have already had the treatment, all three have stopped. 2 women, which smoked about 1 - 1 1/2 packs a day, and one man, who is a good friend of mine that smoked about 2 1/2 packs a day. That is what I smoke also. This has been about 6 weeks ago for them, and they're smoke free. Might be worth looking into, and I'll let you know how it works for me as well. BTW, They claim an 86 percent success rate, which is far better than anything I have seen.
Chris
Posted by TamaraJ on February 28, 2005, at 11:11:35
In reply to may I be bossy?? » TamaraJ, posted by rainbowbrite on February 27, 2005, at 23:07:34
That's not bossy. It's good advice. I had thought about that. I guess I am really wanting to quit now because I think it is making me feel so lousy and it has really been aggravating my already badly blocked sinuses. So, I guess I'll just have to bite the bullet and hope that I don't get too b*itchy and stressed.
Thanks Rain - for everything.
Tamara
> I think you may want to wait on quitting till you get over the worst with work. I think it is a useful crutch at times like this. Don't get me wrong I think everyone should quit smoking but at the right time for them.
> take care
> rain
Posted by TamaraJ on February 28, 2005, at 11:17:31
In reply to Re: auricular therapy » TamaraJ, posted by Broken on February 28, 2005, at 10:22:47
Thanks Broken for the tip. That sounds really encouraging. I wonder if such a treatment is available in Canada? I'll have to look into it. I know the accupunturist I go to sometimes does a quit smoking treatment that involves these little magnets or something on the earlobe I think combined with accupuncture treatments. When you get a craving, you rub the magnet thingy and it stops the craving. It has to do with the pressure points I think. If it works, and minimizes the distress of withdrawal and maximizes the chances of success, then I am all for it! :-)
Good luck to you with the treatment. I can't wait to hear how you make out.
Take care,
Tamara
> Tamara,
>
> On March 11th and 12th I'll be trying auricular therapy. It's pretty weird, they direct electrical impulses to certain spots on the earlobe, and that is basically it. Takes about a one hour session. If you still have cravings the next day, they do what they call a booster treatment. Three people I work with have already had the treatment, all three have stopped. 2 women, which smoked about 1 - 1 1/2 packs a day, and one man, who is a good friend of mine that smoked about 2 1/2 packs a day. That is what I smoke also. This has been about 6 weeks ago for them, and they're smoke free. Might be worth looking into, and I'll let you know how it works for me as well. BTW, They claim an 86 percent success rate, which is far better than anything I have seen.
>
> Chris
Posted by rainbowbrite on February 28, 2005, at 11:52:47
In reply to Re: may I be bossy?? - Of course :-) » rainbowbrite, posted by TamaraJ on February 28, 2005, at 11:11:35
Ive been called bossy on a few occasions so I am just covering my butt lol :-) I know the feeling, In a way is there ever a good time to quit? get a toy to play with it really makes it easier (sounds silly I know)
good luck
rain :-)
Posted by rainbowbrite on March 1, 2005, at 22:40:48
In reply to I'm think I'm finally going to quit smoking . . ., posted by TamaraJ on February 26, 2005, at 12:20:35
Posted by TamaraJ on March 2, 2005, at 18:14:45
In reply to HOws it going?? (nm) » TamaraJ, posted by rainbowbrite on March 1, 2005, at 22:40:48
Ugh! I decided to take your advice, and start by cutting down over the next week and then quit. I'll just have to discipline myself. Hope you're not disappointed :-(
Posted by rainbowbrite on March 2, 2005, at 20:42:48
In reply to Re: HOws it going?? » rainbowbrite, posted by TamaraJ on March 2, 2005, at 18:14:45
> Ugh! I decided to take your advice, and start by cutting down over the next week and then quit. I'll just have to discipline myself. Hope you're not disappointed :-(
NO way!! how can I be disapointed when someone takes my advice lol
Cutting down I found really helpful, only it is harder to do.
Good luck with it :-)
Posted by rainbowbrite on March 3, 2005, at 14:34:50
In reply to Re: HOws it going?? » rainbowbrite, posted by TamaraJ on March 2, 2005, at 18:14:45
If you smoke inside....a way to help cut down without actually saying I am cutting down (which can be stressful) is to just not allow yourself to smoke in certain places. So for ex if you smoke at home all over reduce it to one room only. If you don't smoke that much inside cut it down to never smoke inside. If you smoke in the car (this ones hard) stop smoking in the car. Anyway Im sure you get what im saying....I have odd things come into my head at all times of the day lmao so I thought id post it. :-)
Posted by TamaraJ on March 3, 2005, at 18:53:55
In reply to just thought of something » TamaraJ, posted by rainbowbrite on March 3, 2005, at 14:34:50
LOL. You do the same thing as I do - Oh, ya, I just thought of this or that. I am always doing that too. Thanks so much for your great ideas. I really only ever smoke in one room in the house. Can't cut down in the car because I don't have a car and I don't even drive. But, maybe what I will try is going out on the deck when I want to have a smoke. That way, with the weather the way it is now, I will have to put on a coat and shoes. That should put a dent in the smoking :-) A friend of mine and her husband only smoke outside or in the garage (when it is cold). I am determined to do this, so I am going to make a really big effort, even if I just start by cutting down.
Thanks again Rain.
Tamara
> If you smoke inside....a way to help cut down without actually saying I am cutting down (which can be stressful) is to just not allow yourself to smoke in certain places. So for ex if you smoke at home all over reduce it to one room only. If you don't smoke that much inside cut it down to never smoke inside. If you smoke in the car (this ones hard) stop smoking in the car. Anyway Im sure you get what im saying....I have odd things come into my head at all times of the day lmao so I thought id post it. :-)
>
>
Posted by rainbowbrite on March 4, 2005, at 14:47:52
In reply to Re: just thought of something » rainbowbrite, posted by TamaraJ on March 3, 2005, at 18:53:55
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Social | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.