Today I am 3 months smoke free!

[Phillycat]

I smell great, I look great, I feel amazing.

I've gained a little bit of weight, but I attribute that more to being immobile with this ankle sprain than anything else. And it will come off as soon as I'm able to be active again.

Every day, I find at least one new reason to be grateful for being a nonsmoker. I am still hoping to inspire my mother to quit. She's 60 and smokes nearly 2 packs a day; she has COPD already. She is one of the big reasons I quit - I wanted to be a good example.

Anyone who is still smoking: quitting is not as hard or as traumatic as you think it is. And I'm a stone addict, believe me. Do yourself a favor and get the book I used: The Easy Way To Stop Smoking by Allen Carr.

For every smoker, I wish you this nonsmoking life. It is AWESOME.

[blueknight]

1. congrats!

and good luck! hang with it!

[Phillycat]

5. Thank you!

Oh, I will. This is the first time I've ever quit that I can say with confidence that I'll never smoke again. I think that book brainwashed me.

[unpossibles]

2. good for you!

I'm doing well also, although I did have a drunken FAIL or two. But otherwise, been fine and even got to the point where I was stressed (car died) and did not even cross my mind to have a smoke until hours later I realized I had not even thought of it. A great sign.

Also, think of the money we're saving!

[Phillycat]

7. Thanks!

How long has it been for you?

I love when I realize how long it's been since I even thought about smoking. My whole life used to revolve around it!

Let's see, I quit smoking March 26th, I smoked a pack a day, and cigs are about $4.80 a pack here...I've saved around $432! Damn, that's a lot of money!

[unpossibles]

19. it is a lot of money!

My wife quit April 1st, and I quit April 19th (had to wait til after my vasectomy for stress reasons), although both of us cut down before that.

As relatively light smokers (about a pack or two a week each) I figure we've saved about $200 or so, give or take.

[yellowdogintexas]

3. Fantastic for you!

my best wishes on getting your mom to stop. It is amazing how the COPD improves w/o the smoke constantly irritating the lungs.

[Phillycat]

8. Thank you!

I believe it completely. I hope so much she quits. I know her health could still recover, at least in part. She is at the point now where she can't walk more than about an eighth of a mile before she can't go on. She's only 60! It's just horrifying to watch.

[yellowdogintexas]

21. oh I know. My mother in law just deteriorated before our eyes.

She was managing OK until she had a colossal cold or flu that degenerated into a nearly terminal pneumonia because she didn't go to the doctor soon enough, resulting in 6 weeks on respirator to heal her lungs (not life support , therapy) She also checked herself out of pulmonary rehab way too soon.

When the COPD has established itself a person is literally a bad bronchitis away from lifelong oxygen dependency. In fact if your mom's stamina is that low, she may be a candidate for O2 already.

She probably is already on an arsenal of meds but if not, she really should be worked up by a pulmonary internist which of course she won't want to do because the first thing the doc will say is 'quit smoking'.

[Phillycat]

22. That's it, that's right.

She won't listen to the doctors or take hardly any of the medication she's prescribed. She uses her steroid inhaler and that's all she'll do. She should really be on oxygen at night, at least, to give her at least 8 hours a day when she's getting enough O2. But she won't do it because she says she's not that bad yet. She says she can't walk because she's just "out of shape". Meanwhile, she's gasping for breath and we're walking at a CRAWL. I could literally crawl faster than we walk.

My mom got a cold this past winter and she STILL has residuals from it. She was so bad still by Easter, that's when I got inspired to quit. I held my husband's hand in the car on the way home and cried. "I can't end up like that at 60!" That's when I came home, read the book, and quit 3 days later!

My mother watched her own mother die a screaming heinous death from lung cancer that had metastasized to her brain when my grandmother was only 62. My mother is only 2 years younger than her mother was when she died! This terrifies me. My biggest fear is watching my mother die the way my grandma did.

[Dogtown]

4. Damn!

Now I want a smoke....

[Phillycat]

9. How long have you been quit?

Hang in there!

[Dogtown]

11. *This* time?

[Phillycat]

14. Get that book I mentioned.

I swear it will help you. I've had many, many failed quit attempts before, too. This was the only thing that ever worked for me - and I tried gum, patches, Wellbutrin, everything.

[Dogtown]

18. tx for the device.

reefer helps...

[flvegan]

6. Congrats, janesez!

I hope others take your advice and at least check out that book. If it worked for you, surely it can work for others.

[Phillycat]

10. Thank you!

Dude, seriously. I'm a recovering alcoholic and drug addict - I like to say if it weren't for my addictive personality, I'd have no personality at all! And it completely worked for me. Of course, I made the decision to buy into his ideas completely, too. I was ready.

[malta blue]

12. Congrats

I am one year, 4 months and 23 days smoke free too!

[Phillycat]

15. Woohoo!

I can't wait til I've been quit for a year. Imagine how good my lung function will be then!

[Schema Thing]

13. go you!

[Phillycat]

17. Thank you!

[PBS Poll-435]

16. And you look fabulous!

At least from the weekend video.

[Phillycat]

20. Aw, thanks!

I actually do think my skin tone has improved ALREADY. Isn't that amazing??

[Rambis]

23. Well done!

two years since I stepped out of the pub for my last one! I can't believe I ever started!

[Phillycat]

25. You're telling me!

I wonder how much money we would have saved if we hadn't smoked! Congrats to you!

[Rambis]

27. f***** hell

don't like to think about it-

[Tikki]

24. See nonsmoker...you did it...Congratulations..

and even though I quit smoking over 4 years ago...I still have some
COPD issues. But, Dr, said as long as I never smoke again...shouldn't get worse..
and maybe better....AND IT HAS GOTTEN BETTER...


Tikki

[Phillycat]

26. I'm so glad you've seen improvement!

Gives me hope for my mom. Thank you!

[CottonBear]

28. That is awesome news! I quit in mid-April and I feel great! Good luck!

[Phillycat]

29. Thank you, you too!

[LNM]

30. Congratulations, janesez!

I'm just about 4 1/2 months smoke-free. I've also gained weight, but I was somewhat underweight anyway. I'm also noticing how wonderful things smell now. The lilacs haven't smelled this good since I was a kid.

[Phillycat]

34. Peanut butter!

I opened a new jar of peanut butter recently and couldn't believe how...peanut buttery it smelled!

Thanks, and congrats to you too!

[lost-in-nj]

31. yeah you!!!!

CONGRATS!!! it's getting easier, right?






lost

[Phillycat]

35. Thank you!

Actually, it was NEVER HARD. I swear! That book, I don't know how the hell it worked, but quitting was just painless after I read that book. It was a miracle!

[Richardo]

32. Mazel tov, janesez!

Congratulations

[Phillycat]

36. Thank you!

[terrya]

33. Congratulations, janesez!

Woo-hoo!

[Phillycat]

37. Thank you!

[Westegg]

38. Congrats. I WILL check out that Allen Carr book.

[Phillycat]

40. Oh, please do.

I so rarely shill for any product, but this book actually changed my life. Check out the reviews on amazon.com, too. So many people had the same experience...smoked for years and years, tried everything to quit, bought the book, and quit painlessly, even happily. It's like freaking magic or something.

[Westegg]

45. I've never tried to quit before except via willpower...

...And I can do that for periods of time, but it never keeps. And I'm getting to the point (let's face it, I'm totally AT the point) where quitting is the only sane thing to do. So your post struck me at just the right time. I'm happy to have this book be the first one I try. It worked for you, and that's good enough for me.

[seaglass]

39. Congrats janesez! I am on day 4 - which is actually the longest I have

ever gone without smoking in over 30 years I know it doesn't seem like much but to me it's amazing.

The only difference I can feel at this point is that I don't get winded on my walks and my face is breaking out quitzits. I'm also watching my cholesterol so hopefully I will not be gaining weight.

Looking forward to feeling as great as you do!

[Phillycat]

41. YAY! Go go go!

4 days IS amazing!! The first bit is the hardest, it just gets easier and easier after that. Try to remember that you will NEVER have to go through what you just went through again, and that there WILL come a day when you won't think about smoking at all, for 24 hours or even longer. Won't even cross your mind! It's happened to me already - ME, who was always either smoking or planning my next cig!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

42. My dear janesez!

Oh, good for you!

You have made an outstanding move towards exceptional health!

AND...you're sticking it to those Republicans who run the tobacco companies!

[Phillycat]

43. Thank you!

I do like the fact that I'm not contributing toward the Repuke's coffers anymore!

[NewEnglandGirl]

44. That is a huge accomplishment !

Congratulations !!!

[Phillycat]

46. Thank you!

And welcome to DU.