Here is a small overview of the quit day by day – your quit smoking timeline.
But first of all, I must remind you of a few things you should do in the days leading up to your smoking cessation. A really good idea is to bring together a lot of the last days of cigarette butts, in a glass jar or similar, and fill it just over halfway up with water. So whenever you are in an emergency and close to fall in and start smoking again, you can take a little sniffer, the smell in itself should give you a little extra time to regain the decision to stop … It is very disgusting, I can promise you.
Of course the quit smoking symptoms described below depends on whether or not you use quit smoking drugs, like quit smoking pills, quit smoking acupuncture or similar stop smoking aids. But the stop smoking benefits – they are guaranteed.
Quit Smoking Timeline – Day 1
You’re on the your way, you maybe feel a little strange, but it is quite normal, remember that it is a new feeling for you not to smoke all the time. Quite a few feels, as if they are about to be sick. You might also find it hard to concentrate, but remember that it is quite normal, and enjoy that your blood pressure, your blood circulation and your skin temperature is already normalized, and the risk of heart attack is much less than before.
Quit Smoking Timeline – Day 2
Most are experiencing day 2 as being very restless, thinking often of smoking, and you are probably also a bit annoying to be near. This is quite normal and is just your body’s signals to you, that it is starting to getting weaned from nicotine. Your blood is now flowing virtually unimpeded through the body again, and this can affect you in many ways, but you just have to push it to side – this should not be so difficult at this time.
Quit Smoking Timeline – Day 3
Today you will again begin to taste the things you put into the mouth, and your sense of smell starts improving… Physically however, this is the day where it begins to become difficult, as your mind and your ego will try to fool you into thinking that this is the wrong decision you have taken, and your body will “scream after nicotine” …
Try instead to take a walk or a run, you already are in a better condition, and it would be good for you to get the pulse a bit raised.
Quit Smoking Timeline – Day 4
Now your body really starts reacting to the lack of nicotine, and many have constipation, or the opposite, it will be hard to find peace… Your throat and lungs starts to become cleaner, and will probably cause you to cough slightly in the next day. However, this is a healthy sign, remember that your throat have been really greasy in and sticky for a long time, and you are not accustomed to a full functioning throat. Just hold out, in a few days is the worst is over. Your body is becoming detoxed, and you are well on track to become a non-smoker for the rest of your life.
Quit Smoking Timeline – Day 5
From this day there will be longer between the feeling that you just need a cigarette, and it becomes increasingly easier for you to stick with your decision … You can also enjoy than you are now breathing a lot easier, and now your senses, smell and taste senses are almost perfect and on the level of a non smokers senses.
Quit Smoking Timeline – Day 6 and 7
Less symptoms every day and your smoking cessation is becoming much easier, 7 days is actually a full week, and now the worst is over. Now you can release the emotional energy which has been used for worrying over your cessation. Consider taking up some kind of sports, start taking walks and get some fresh air.
Quit Smoking Timeline – Day 8 – 10
Now you are at a stage where smokers around you are starting to smell awful, all while you begin to smell better … Your breath will be fresh, and your voice will now also be clean and clear in tone. Now you’re almost home free …
Quit Smoking Timeline – Day 11 – 12
Now you should start getting brighter and more beautiful teeth, unless you consume large amounts of cola, coffee or wine. Your skin now has a brighter tone, and is significantly nicer to touch. At the same time the morning coughing leaves you completely, your throat is almost normal, and only very sensitive people still feels some morning cough or similar.
Quit Smoking Timeline – Day 13 and 14
Now you can actually say that you are free of smoking, since you haven’t smoked for 2 weeks, and you should no longer have any physical reasons to start again. You will generally have more energy, simply because your body is not burdened daily of having to extract the extra poison out of your blood, your immune system is in much better shape, and you will now easily avoid colds and the like. Cigarettes will now take up less and less in your universe, and as long as you understand that just one small cigarette, yes just one or two wheezes involves an imminent risk of finding yourself back in the smokers role again, you are good.
Quit Smoking Timeline – Weeks and months after …
Now it will be reasonably easy to be a non smoker, although the withdrawal symptoms may not entirely disappear until after 3 to 6 months. As a non smoker, you may be tempted to smoke just a little – to a party or on a holiday, but statistics show, that only 1 in one thousand former smokers can keep it up as a “party smoker” without falling back into dependency.
Do not let yourself fall into the trap, stay off smoking the rest of your life, and enjoy a healthier and richer life!
Why not treat yourself with a t-shirt to celebrate your accomplishment?
It’s only fair to warn off your social circle 
Good luck with your smoking cessation!
Related posts:
- Quit Smoking Timeline Over The Stop Smoking Benefits What are the benefits of quitting smoking? There are a...
- Quit Smoking Side Effects Most smokers who want to quit fail because of the...
- Quit Smoking Symptoms When you start a smoking cessation, you will experience a...
- Health Benefits of smoking cessation It is well documented that smoking cessation has a beneficial...
- What Happens When You Quit Smoking ? When you start a smoking cessation, you will experience a...
{ 327 comments… read them below or add one }
Next Comments →
I quit smoking six days ago and it has been very difficult. I was hypnotized and while i was very sceptical at first, it has been the best experience of my life. I never thought that i would be able to quit smoking through hypnotism, however, the service was free to me and well worth the $185 it would have cost me if I had to pay for it. Anyone who WANTS to quit, I highly recommend hypnosis a viable means of quitting. If you consider yourself too intelligent to fall under persuasion of a hypnotist, as I did, then I challenge you to do a little research into hypnosis and how it works. A broad understanding of the mechanics of the situation will help your mind to open to all possibilities. But then again, Smartypants, who’s the one that is still smoking?
GOOD LUCK
I completely agree Trey. I actually also thought that hypnosis had to do with intelligence, and thought that I could not be hypnotized, but as it turns out I can
Six days as a non smoker – well done – I am on my third week (23 days, but who is counting?). Keep it up!
Hi
I have been a smoker for 28ys, I have now been a non smoker for 5days and find the quitsmoking timeline very accurate and helpful, it’s very difficult and hard but I am determined not to give up and have always thought the first 3 days are the hardest and that has proved true, I eat more but I’ll worry about that later, I have been on patches and whether that helps or not I don’t know I used them before and failed on the first day so i belive it’s will power only but I still wear patches as they won’t harm me.
good luck all.
I WILL NOT FAIL
Hi, I dont mean to knock hynosis, and congrats on the six days, however I feel that you quit because you wanted to not because you were hypnotised. I feel that cessation is a huge money making scam, which smokers get raped, for a way off. I quit many times cold turkey, and its hell on earth, but its doable, and its the only thing that works, and its free. You must remember it takes more effort to go to the store, and get ciggs then to not buy them and keep smoke free. Ive got 8 days on this current quit we shall see what happens, good luck everyone!!!
I quit and this July 10 it will be 10 years. I know you’ve probably heard this before but it bears repeating. If you want to quit, you can, but you really have to quit because you want to quit, not because somebody else wants you to quit. When you are tired of, waking to a cough that produces multi colored phlem, standing out in the cold (Minnesota) to smoke, having that persistent cough, getting hit in the pocketbook, smelling stale smoke that’s permiated everything in the house……then maybe you’ll quit. Remember, very few people can be a casual smoker, when you quit, quit for good. Start calling yourself a non-smoker immediately, and remain one. Follow a non-smoker timeline and see how your health improves with each day/year…whatever. I am so glad I quit. I met my wife several years after I quit and she tells me, had I been a smoker she would not have given me the time of day. Than I qit drinking, but that’s a story for another time.
When I was buying cigarettes, I was smoking anywhere from half a pack to two packs a day. One day, I ran out of cigarettes and I ran out of money. I suffered for a good eight hours, and then I changed the “smoke/drink: yes/yes” on my myspace profile to “no/yes”. Once I did that, my fight was over. That’s not to say that I by any means enjoyed the next two weeks, but I knew I had already won.
I smoked three cigarettes since I “quit” (one a week after, one three weeks after, and one a couple weeks ago) and one cigar since I quit buying cigarettes two months ago.
I quit smoking almost a year ago, but was on the patch (#1) for the entire year. I tried Champix but that just made me throw up, and gave me a massive headache each day, which I have heard from my friends is common with this.
Anyways, I quit the patch about 3 months ago. I am ok most days as long as I have a good sleep, and I do something active every couple of days.
The mood swings are crazy, and my sugar level plummets constantly, so I feel like Sybil on a good day.
I can handle just about anything, but I don’t know for how much longer I can handle the “crazy’ feeling.
Adrianna
i’ve jst quit smoking and did so cold turkey. I was very surprised but I didn’t seem to have any symptoms of withdrawel or wanting a cigarette. i didn’t even feel anything physically: like a craving. the only thing I somehwat felt, though not very strongly, was the ritual of having a cigarette.
it was really easy and I have been cigarette free for 3 weeks, don’t long for one and haven’t gained any weight I would say.
maybe what heldped me was that with the support of my husband, we started detoxing our bodies right when I started quitting. it seems that the change in food and eating habit cleaned out my kidneys, liver and my whole system so that traces of nicotene were gone much faster. I had more of a reaction to the detoxing than the actual quitting smoking.
maybe this is an individual experience or it could help a lot more out there. I thought it was extremely easy to quit, without medication. only detoxing the body and the support of my husband. he has told me he can’t believe and is amazed I have stuck to it and have been cigarette free for 3 weeks … so you see how addicted I was.
Detoxing: usually done for 4 weeks, change diet to whole grain, brown rice, lots of vegetables and fruits. NO dairy products, white flour, sugars …
I have been a non smoker for 6 days now. I am using the patches and they are making it a tad easier….I still have the habit….certain places, especially the car, but it gets easier every day. I do walk every morning to curb that first cigarette i use to have 5 minutes after i got up. It helps a lot. I have gained 1 pound and I feel i can deal with the weight gain after a couple weeks. One day at a time. I do eat hard candy and that helps also. This is the 5th time i have tried to quit and i think it will be my last. I have such a positive attitude towards this and i don’t want a oxygen tank to be my best friend later. Good luck to everyone.
Nonsmoker
I am on day four. I really don’t have any urges anymore. I find myself thinking about the fact I quit a lot though. My first 2 days was hell considering I smoke so little. I always thought it would be easy to quuit since I smoke less than most people. I did it cold turkey, while coworkers used a patch. Understood since they smoke a lot. But Now I feel I am done and they still have a long ways to go. I wanted to cheat often, but my pride would not allow somebody who smoked 2 packs a day beat me when I smoke a pack every 3 days or so. I hope he makes it. But I am glad I won thhis fight. or am gonna win this fight. BTW. I did a lot of lollipops while quiting so maybe having a toothach helps. :S
I am on day 8 of quitting smoking and feel fantastic!! The timeline above is (for me) very accurate so if anyone is thinking of giving up, remember day 3 and 4 you will probably be climbing the walls for nicotine and your mind will conjure all the excuses you can think of to restart but just be strong (if really struggling, just go to your bed and sleep!!) but hang on in there – Day 5 was my turning point where I felt I had control. I started my first day on a patch and the inhalator but threw it away as I felt feeding myself a little nicotine was actually making my cravings stronger. If you can, go cold turkey and get that nicotine out of your body sooner!! Well done to all those who’ve done it!!
Congratualtions all of you who quit!
I am on Day 8 (Cold Turkey) – and I think that day 6 i felt that I had control. I still get cravings – but I just tell myself that I am a non-smoker and push the thought out of my head. I chew lots of gum. It has been working.
Word of advice to those in the first days of quitting. Avoid your smoking triggers.. for me it was coffee, and smoking right after a meal(I ate lighter at meals so I didn’t get that ‘too full’ feeling).
Make sure to reward yourself with all the money you save. At least here in Alberta I was paying $13.50 a pack and smoking a pack a day. I’ve already boughten myself a haircut and coloring from the money I’ve saved!
I recommend quitting cold turkey – and as said above.. the first days of it are Hell on Earth. But if you can push through it – the benefits you see after that are incredible! And fuel your commitment to stopping smoking.
I quit smoking yesterday around 1PM. It is now 8:25PM. I am seriously craving a cigarette. I will not have one. I have quit before for several weeks using the patch, but i feel that i wasn’t really quitting. It is good to see these testimonials and I hope to update everyone in a week or so and let you know how I feel.
Good Luck Everyone,
Puff Daddy
I don’t know who this will help. Hopefully someone. All i know is that I’m reading other people’s testimonies, and for some reason, it’s helping. It’s 4:52 AM: 52 minutes into my 5th day without any form of nicotine. Let me give you a really brief summary of my experience. I smoked for five years (about 10 cigarettes a day) and quit this Monday at 4 AM. Day 1: The physical symptoms were probably the most intense on day 1 (By the way, i honestly believe that quitting works best when it happens nonchalantly and spontaneously. If you inadvertently get a head start, whether it’s because you’re sick or broke, use that to your advantage. You just got through half of or all of day 1 of quitting and you may have not even realized it.) Day 2: I was in an almost catatonic state. I was depressed, silent, moody, and watched tv all day with my roomates. (By the way, some people say to keep it to yourself that you’re kidding. I say don’t. You need support, and you need to put out that disclaimer “I will be an asshole for a while.” Just know where it’s coming from”…they’ll respect that (to a certain extent) and won’t retaliate when you act moody
Day 3: was a relief. I was elated for some reason. COMPLETELY opposite from the day before. I couldn’t stop laughing (some of it was probably attributed to watching “between two ferns” with zach galifianakis) but also I wasn’t craving cigarettes as much.
Day 4: This day was a little harder. Quitting smoking takes it’s toll, and although the end result is to quit smoking part of you tricks your mind into thinking you’re doing this so that in the end you can treat yourself to a cigarette. NO MATTER HOW REAL it seems that it’s not worth it (you’ll try to dig into yourself about other issues in your life that bring you down so that you can say to yourself “Whatever I should just smoke. I’m already this or I’m already that” “I might as well. Nobody cares. Nobody likes me”. You’re in a war with your body, and your body has infiltrated the enemy base. Your body doesn’t give a fuck about you. It just wants what it wants. It’s like a little child that has only it’s own needs and will do anything as long as those needs are met. Don’t let your body own you. Teach your body, punish it, and you’ll come out a stronger person. By the way Day 5: Feeling good
I posted earlier on Day 8 – now nearly 2 months!! I think I’ve surprised myself but I really just took one day at a time. Feeling great and really pleased with myself that I’ve reduced my chances of heart attack, cancer, COPD etc. Think I started to forget about cigs about week 6 so please keep strong and get each of those days crossed out on your calendar – if I can do it- you can!!
Working on day five today. I don’t want to get too excited about the fact that it’s been easier than I anticipated. Last Wednesday I was hit with a horrible case of the flu. When my cigarettes ran out Wednesday morning I was too ill to go out and buy more. I had been thinking about quitting anyway so I decided just to start it when I felt like total crap and was helpless anyway. Today is my first day back to “real life” after the flu and the first thing I thought in the car this morning was “i’m stopping for smokes”. As I drove down the road I thought about the taste of a cigarette and thought “eh…I don’t really have a taste for that!” so I drove right past the gas station. Had a few brief moments of cravings today, but nothing that didn’t disappear in a minute or so. Loving this!
Day 4, To be honest I have had absolutely no withdrawl symptoms except on day 2 I felt a bit lightheaded, I think it was due to the extra O2 getting into my bloodstream. I am so ready to quit that its not really much of a hassle to be honest. I’m tired of not being able to really smell the outdoors, and I can definitely fell more energy coming back to my body. I sleep deeper, have more vivid dreams, and wake up feeling so much better than I have in the past. That alone makes it all worth it.
I am only on day 2 and the timeline couldn’t be more accurate! My husband and I are doing this together, so that support is very helpful! I know we can do This, we have quit once before,for a year, so we know its possible! I am using the gum and he is using the patch, so fingers are crossed! We have two children this time, so this should be a piece of cake! Good luck to everyone!
What is great about these posts is there are none from people on week 3 or 4! That could translate that once you get past 2 weeks you made it through the suffering stage! It’s been a month and this is the third time cold turkey in ten years. The cravings can be intense; they pass. By week three it’s more like “what cravings?” There is no such thing a a casual recovering smoker, once you start thinking you can have some here and there, its just a matter of time before you’re a full smoker again. I come from experience on this and something that help keep me distracted is going to the gym and dieting! Am I nuts?! No, its a great diversion (trade one pain for another) and I only gained 2 pounds! Good Luck, stick with it, and you’ll be out of the tunnel in days! I have a child now and there’s no turning back for me
I decided 11/05/2010 @ 1:00 PM that I will control of my life once and for all..I kept telling myself “Alrite, if they go up to $8.00 I will definitely quit!!..hmmmm…Well that didn’t work ..This is it!! I swear..NO MORE..”They must be crazy if they think I’m going to spend $10.00 a pack..yeah ..rite”..Well..The sticks are $12.50 in my neighborhood, but whats funny is that I will rationalize it by saying..well if I buy 2 packs by my job($11.00 pk)..I can save $1.50 pk.. so it’s not too bad..I’m actually saving money..But who was I kidding???..I woke up that morning..called out sick..and started to tell myself ..”hurry up finish what you have there becuz this is it for you!!!..Its day seven ..Friday, 11:09AM..by 1:00PM today I will have made a week..8)..cold turkey..over 20+years smoking..I want to say 1 pack a day..but there were days where it was over one pack.. This first week was very hard..HELL WEEK is mild to say the least..but it is do-able..Hope the next week will be easier..Wish me luck as I wish luck to all who are thinking about quitting..God Bless …ttys
I’m on my third full day, but over 72 hours in, and the whole ordeal about your body trying to trick you is totally true. I have been running every day to occupy my time and have been hanging out with friends, who have been a great support system for me. I bought the nicotine gum, but instead of going by the 12 week program, I’m only chewing if I really want to scream at someone. The timeline is true, and I’m hoping once I make it through the week I’ll be ok
Hi
I quit smoking 10 days ago.
and it is my maybe 5th time.
the longest time i was smoke free was about a year.
tho only thing i can say is, stay as far as possible from it, like you escape from a mad dog.
one puff and you are done!
Just remember ” No Nicotine Today!”
good luck to you all and…
God help me this time
Today is my 4th day smoke free and I’m feeling great! What has helped me through these first few days has been to not allow my mind to sit on thoughts of smoking…anytime I start to think about smoking, I quickly change my thoughts to something else and push forward. Working out nearly every day since I quit has been very helpful along with keeping busy when I’m not at work and not working out. I used to sit on my back patio for hours and enjoy a smoke or 10 during the late afternoon/early evening. Now that I’m in the early stages of being quit, I stay away from home until the evening when it’s time to wind down with a good book or TV show. You don’t have to spend money to be out of the house, you can window shop, hike, take a walk, visit a friend or family member. I hope this post helps someone. Good luck to everyone and oh, the timeline above is spot on for me!
It has been 15 days since I quit smoking. The timeline was pretty spot on for me except the last few days I have REALLY wanted just ONE cigarette. I haven’t given in yet, and hope I don’t. Decided to look online to see what others are doing to stay strong. I know the holidays will be tough but I hope I have the will power to keep this going. Good Luck all!!
Its my day 8 and the second time I have quit.
The first time I did it I stayed off for three years and I cannot believe I was stupid enough to start again. There is no such thing as just one, its a very steep slippery slope.
First time I quit I used zyban, and the gum. This time I did it cold turkey and I think cold turkey is easier, the cravings go away quicker.
Im in that dangerous place now where the devil in my head is saying “see, you gave up no problem. If things get tough you can just have another cigarette and then give up again tomorrow”. Of course that doesn’t work.
Good luck all
69 hours abd 45 minutes since my last cigarette. they tell you that you have to have motivation– i am adopting a newborn in about one month- thats motivation for me.. studies show that babies who are around smoke-even on the clothes of their parents have an increased risk of sids. but all the motivaton in the world is not helping me with the sinking feeling in my stomach and the severe mood swings. i sat on my couch today and could not stop crying, then i got angry at the dog for cuddling up next to me. this has got to stop before i turn into sybil. i have fatigue lack of concentration stomach cramps and a cough far worse than before. i know that i am supposed to think of the benefits but i cant stop thinking about smoking even if the craving is not that strong, its almost like its all i think of. when i feel like i am overwhelmed a quick prayer helps me
we can get thru this everyone.. we just have to hang in there–God will help, i just wish he would hurry up lol 
I like to see other are quitting and supporting eachother while doing it. I’ve tried to get friends do kind of make a competition out ot quitting but it never lasted.
So I’m now on day 8 of no cigg. I used a little jump start from recent dental surgery, ( u know u cant/shouldnt smoke for a few days after) well so far so good, none of the usual feeling I once had when attempting to quit. So next time u get a tooth pulled use it as ur lil boost lol. Good luck all and keep it up
Im on day 8 also i used the fact that i had oral surgery as a little boost lol. You know how ur not supposed to smoke for a few days well i think its working i feel good about it and so far not missing it much Good luck everyone Joe
15 days clean….
Hi all,
I’ve been smoking for 5 years. 1 pack/day, sometimes more sometimes less. Last year The manager at my company said that we should all stop smoking
(Everyone smoked: Imagine!!). We did only last for two days. the manager was the first to give up..
Again, this year with the tough financial and health conditions, I decided to quit by myself. I planed to decrease the amount of smokes per day by controlling the time from one smoke to another. It was relatively easy- with the fact that I will be able to smoke soon. Such was some sort of training. I increased the time from half an hour to 3-4 hours within 3 weeks easily.
I kept this on for about another month with days able to remember to delay my smoking and days just as usual with no thought or any regulation.
I read a lot about neuroscience . This makes me aware of many of the neural (psychological) origins of habits (like smoking). This experiment made me aware that the only thing i need to do to be able to stop smoking is to hold on. make the delay longer and longer. One friday I woke up with 2 Ciggs. I decided that they are the last. and from then I have not smoked a bit. Have not craved a lot.
.
Just some anger peaks at my family and coworkers.
By the way: dont expect anybody to support or be impressed by your smoking cessation. I thought for once my mother will be proud. she did not care.
My father, was like: alright now you’ve stopped smoking lets start fixing you, quit your job and work for me
Everybody else never gives a Shiit!
Anyway, some sort of depression kicks in from time to time. But generally I begin reading something or watching something on the TV. and it slowly wears off.
There is though this wicked thought that smoking is some sort of meditation. For some people it proves to be much more helpful to smoke to move on with things. I also think smoking has made me a better programmer. Not sure though.
Best of Best for you all
Adham
I smoked my last cigarette 50 hours ago. I had been smoking almost a pack for the last 12 years-since I was 18. I had quitted only once before, with my ex-, but we both were not successful. I am a graduate student, and I kept complaining that I am paying 1/6 of my stipend every month for cigarettes, which is as much as my monthly grocery spending. I started feeling that I was not feeling better after smoking anymore. On the contrary, I was feeling depressed, filthy, and tired very recently. I tried to cut it down, but then I smoked more. I puked one morning when I smoked a cigarette after breakfast. Finally I noticed that my skin does not look fresh anymore. All these reasons and feelings came together and two days ago I felt very lazy to make it to the gas station to buy cigarettes in the morning, cause it was cold outside. I wanted to wait and see how long I could go without smoking that day. I was lucky that the semester just ended a few days ago, and I could just stay at home and relax. So it has been 50 hours or so. I had small headaches, cravings right after each meal, but none was strong. I keep thinking that I was a nicotine addict, and I want my freedom back. I drank a lot of water, it stops the craving! Indeed, a craving doesn’t last more than 2 minutes. I believe that thinking positively helps a lot! I feel that I am more sober, energetic and freer! So, drink a lot of water, stay away from smokers and cigarettes and if necessary do not leave your bed/home in the first couple of days-which helped me a lot! I possibly slept like 12 hours in last two days, but I feel good!
I quit smoking a month ago and I thought I was free. Tonight my wife went to work and I stayed home because the contractor was doing some work on my home. This guy smoked every 20 minutes. My cravings are going through the roof. God, I hope I don’t give in.
I have smoked for 3 years, average of 7 cigs/day or so. It might not sound much compared to some smokers, but I calculated that I have smoked around 8000 cigs! Now imagine collecting the tar from 8000 cigs and rubbing that dark sticky poison around inside your lung and throat! I have spent nearly 100,000 mins of my life smoking! That is 1600 hours! (and that does not count the time I’ve spent to go to the store to buy them, and is an optimistic estimate, as it takes longer than 10-12 min to smoke when I am at work and have to walk downstairs and leave the building). Finally, I have spent $2000 on cigs (again not counting the money for gas to drive to store). That is enough to buy 1000 meals for hungry African kids! I could have saved many lives with that money instead of trying to kill myself with it!
I am on my 5th day on patches now. I skipped step 1 and 2 patches and jumped right into step 3 (7mg). I should admit that the patch has made it much easier. Hardly any sympthoms, except than day 3 which I was edgy and agitated the entire day. Now that is gone too. If I go to a party or hang out with my friends, I tell them from the begining (before I get drunk or any thing) that I am quiting and they need to stop me if I ever asked them for a cig! I tell them that even if you have to kick me out from your home, don’t let me smoke if I ask for one! Fortunately, that has not happened and I never asked for a cig. The good thing is that cravings usually only last for a few min, and they spread farther apart by each day, and become weaker and weaker.
So, I commend all you guys for trying to quit, keep up the good work, and keep reading about advantages of not smoking and dangers of smoking while you are in this phase. Keep thinking about the value you are adding to your life, and the sense of accomplishment and respect you will have for yourself to fight the urges. Good luck, and never ever try even as much of a puff again, ever! Your brain has a memory for nicotine and you can easily slip down if you even touch a cig.
I had quit for 6 months last year and then a combination of someone dying / getting dumped sent me to bars frequently and about a week after that I started smoking again. I have decided to quit smoking again, cold turkey. I’m a little over 24 hours right now and I have to say I’m enjoying the challenge. It’s like a little game I’m playing with myself to fight off the cravings.
Having quit once before though, I know it all goes away in a few days. I know that my hands will stop going numb while my arms rest on a computer desk (improved circulation), I know that I can walk up my hill and I won’t need to catch my breath, and I know that I will have over $150 extra in my pocket every month!
Good luck all you non-smokers!
This is Alex again. I am two weeks into quit. I stopped the patch also 2 days ago just to align my total tobacco cessation with the new year start. So God willing, 2011 is the nicotine free year for me. It feels great. So keep up the effort, it is well worth it.
I quit smoking a week ago tonight. Spontaneous decision, however I have been wanting to quit for years, I ran out of cigarettes that night and paid 20 dollars for “two” at a restaurant. I smoked the two when I got home and haven’t smoked since. I am occasionally using the nicorette gum and mints – it has totally helped me and feel that this replaces my habit of holding a cigarette. The timeline is pretty true. I will say that from day 1-4,5 I was definitely short with anyone around me. I hope my family understands as I haven’t told them I quit yet. They will be happy. I am the only one that smokes in my family. My boyfriend knows, I told him on Saturday. I was more of a closet smoker and didn’t really enjoy smoking around anyone. It was a bad habit and I am going to try my best to not smoke ever again. It may be hard at work – several of my co-workers smoke and they are one of the few people I would smoke with. I am going to tell them today. I have played tennis, ran on the treadmill, walked, weights and have to say the 4th-6th day I felt my lungs healing and it was a really great feeling. I did feel like around day 3 that I was getting a sore throat and did get constipated. Sorry I had to write that… but that is part of the reason I would always smoke again. I will stay strong. I hated smelling of cigarettes! And my hair, skin feels better already. I have to go and detail my car, it smells of smoke. I never smoke in my house so that is not a problem. I have to stick to it. I also have to come up with another stress reliever, I was a stress smoker and that will be a challenge. Good luck to everyone!
Annie
It is almost 11pm, my last cig was at 1pm. So I have been awake and without nicotine for close to 10 hours. I am completely out of cigarettes right now and with no job I cant keep asking my non-smoking husband to continue to fund my habit. I really want to quit. It is past time. I’m experiencing anxiety. Allot of it. I have cried several times and my chest hurts. I feel terrible and I wonder if Im gonna go crazy. But these are only moments. Then relief, then crazy, then relief. Im worried about the next few days. Some people on here are saying that it wont stop feeling this horrible for four days. I hope I can make it. I will update yall tomorrow.
Going to bed.
I am 31 years old and have been a smoker since I was a teenager. In Nov 2009 I lost my mother to heart disease, which occurred from smoking, and then my father passed in Feb 2010 from Oral Cancer, which also was from smoking. Oral cancer is no joke. I have never seen someone suffer like that before, especially someone you loved so dearly. We were very close. I think of my father everyday and what I witnessed him go through. The radiation effected his swallowing so he had nothing to eat by mouth for almost 2 years..it was all through a feeding tube. The cancer ate his whole mouth away. I loved my parents just like any other child and there gone now and it is all from lighting up a cigarette day after day. I feel like a fool for still smoking, but with the depression of losing them, I continued to smoke. I have attempted to quit, but failed between that and everyday stress. Well, I have made it till day two and with support from my boyfriend, whom is also quitting, I think I can finally get this monkey off my back. I write all this because when you smoke you think, I have time it won’t happen to me..but it will happen. Time always catches up to you. I learned the hard way…they truly are poison. Good luck everyone!
So its been two ful days. I still have the cravings but I have found that Dr Pepper. Really Really cold. Helps me allot. Sounds wierd but it is helping me to deal with the intense cravings. I still cant believe that I went an entire day without smoking. I have smoked since i was 14 years old. I am 39 now. This year I am going to be a Grandmother for the first time and I am going to turn 40 in May. I dont want my grandchildren to know me from that smell. I am going to do this. I am really going to quit. I have already thrown out all the ashtrays and washed sweaters and things that I would wear to go out and smoke. I dont allow smoking in the house so its not allot of cleaning but I really want things fresh. My breath already seems different. I actually woke up this morning and didnt have to go brush immediately. I also noticed that I have sparklies around my eyes every now and then. I think that it is because I have more oxygen than I am used to having. Yesterday, I actually quick walked for 25 minutes and I actually felt for a few minutes that I had trouble breathing but after a short time I actually felt like the breathing was becoming easier. Anyway, I will check in again in another day or two.
Good Luck Stay Positive.
Carol
I quit on January 1, 2011.. How ironic right? It has been 4 days and I feel as though the physical urge/need for a cigarette are nearly completely gone. Now, I believe I am fighting the actual habit of smoking. I find myself getting the urge to reach into my purse and grab one while driving, and on the phone. I have to stop and tell myself I do not do that anymore! This is the second time I have quit, the first just 5 days. I am determined to kick the habit this time though! Reading this website and others has really helped. Also if you have a smart phone with apps search for “quit smoking” the apps have helped me by showing how much money I have saved, the quit time line, etc.! Also, if you have any social networks POST IT, the support from my friends and family on Facebook alone has help keep my on track this time
GOOD LUCK!
Day three……AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH
I understand your frustration Carol, im on day 3 too!!! It is tuff for me right now but I know I dont want to go thru days 1 AND 2 AGAIN!!. I am a pack and a half a day smoker and I know if i dont quit now, then I MAY NEVER QUIT. I crave a newport but I know at 36 and with 3 kids that i’m playing with fire. could i get lung cancer in 5 years?? What about the example I set for my kids?? Man this is just getting old and I am standing up for myself!! I know that it must get better, heck everyone on this post says so. Im giving myself at least 1 month of cigg free and then I will decide if its something I want to do. We’ll see, good luck to all you non smokers out there!! See you in the non smoking section where we can talk smack about the smokers. haha
Day 5…. still going strong. I find that my weak points in this journey are; my morning coffee and after dinner. I chew a piece of nicorette here and there when I feel like I’m about to freak out and it seems to be doing the trick!! Staying focused and positive!! And trying to avoid going in a gas stations at all costs…lol
Good luck guys!!
I’m on day five, its been a little rough but I haven’t slipped up yet. I’ve found the last couple nights to be hard. I constantly wake up during the middle of the night, sometimes as much as 10 times per night. Does anyone else have this problem? As far as having the actual urge to smoke, they have been minimal. I’m actually quite surprised its been this easy so far. Although, I do want a cigarette, seeing as how I’ve come this far makes it easy to say no. I’ve tried quitting a couple times, this being my first attempt at cold turkey. I’ve found that it seems to be easier this way, compared to my constant craving when I was on the patch. I’ve found some helpful Android apps for my phone as well. They really do a good job showing you how much your saving, your health benefits, etc. Stay strong people. And remember, we are non smokers now.
Day 6… I haven’t touched one. But, cigs are on my mind all the time. I’m having trouble sleeping too. I wake up constantly throughout the night and when I do it’s so hard to fall back asleep. I am still chewing nicorette here and there and breaking xanax in halves when I get really shakey and feel like I’m going to have a panic attack. Staying strong, I refuse to do this all over again.
Day 5…. Ok I made it thru the first four days. Everyone says that today should be better. Last night I went to the store to buy cigarettes. I drove into the parking lot at the convenience store on the corner and decided not to. Instead i went to the dollar general and loaded up on some candy. I have a whole purse full of candy and I got toilet paper while I was there. But really…. that was a close call. I do NOT EVER want to do days 3 and 4 EVER again. THAT SUCKED SO HARD!!! Im sorry if that is offensive to anyone. Jody, you are right about the kids. My youngest one is still at home and he is 13. The last couple of days have been like having the flu. I have been in my pjs because I figure that if I am grounded to the house then I wont buy smokes. Plus I have been so dizzy from all the oxygen. I was taking walks around the block but I can barely make it to the kitchen right now. I sat down hard in the floor yesterday and cried and my son came over and I told him… Please dont put yourself thru this… Dont ever smoke baby… Please dont ever smoke. He said ok mom… I hope he was serious. I pray he was serious.
I just keep thinking about all the poisons I have put in my body every day for the past 25 years and I just have to be patient with my body to get used to good stuff instead of the bad. It just needs time to relearn how to work correctly. No compensation for all the smoke. Im doing it and it is getting better.
HEY I AM A NON SMOKER… first time in 25 years. And I did it before I turned 40. (that is this year BTW)
Congratulations Carol – well done!!!
So cool you went for candy instead – truly inspiring
I am on day 23 and it is finally starting to get alittle easier. I am still using the patch phase 2 but think I may stop using them all together. I still find it very hard first thing in the morning when I have my morning coffee and maybe 3 to 5 more intense cravings thru the day but that is sure a long way from the 1-2 I use to have an hour. I keep telling myself I will never put myself through the torture that I have been through in the first weeks.
Starting Day 10 here in a few hours…I quit New Years Eve around 6pm!! I feel great!!! I smoked 2 packs a day for the last 6yrs!!!! And i did this cold turkey!!! I am just done with it!!! I have smoked almost 20 yrs and enjoyed smoking very much….but I am recently seeing the effects on my mother (a 40 yr. smoker!!!!) I don’t want to be like that!!! It’s awful!!!! It’s more mental than anything to quit!!! Congrats to everyone that’s trying!!! Goodluck to you all!!! I hope you do it!!!!
Alright!!! It’s day 7. I cant believe it. Ive made it an entire week. I still have that feeling every now and then that says the torture will be over soon and I can smoke again and then i remember that I dont smoke at all anymore. I have reached into my pocket and my purse from habit looking for smokes. But hey after 25 years it stands to reason that will be a symptom hard to break. I have already started my exercise program and I am seeing allot of success with it. I am determined to take my lungs back. They will be healthy and strong again. As a younger woman I used to be a runner and a singer. I miss both very much. Its going to take a while but Im getting that strength back. I dont even know why I gave it up. I am still young enough and healthy enough to get the old me back. If you are thinking that this will be short lived… you are not committed. I have already been on the the health kick for months. I am seeing just in 6 days how much easier it is to jog or just power walk. Oxygen is awesome. Update yall again in a day or so. Thanks so much for your support and sharing. It has been helping.
Hey everyone, congrats on quitting! I quit 2 months ago, and the first few days I looked at this website for about 4 hours a day, because if i was reading about quitting, i was not outside smoking. I can tell you after 2 months I rarely even think about smoking anymore, and its more of a memory than a desire to smoke. I find myself looking at people who smoke and feeling sorry for them. Good luck all!
Next Comments →
{ 1 trackback }