Has anyone managed to stop smoking with HA?

[Emaa]

I'm trying to stop smoking, and the first thing I do when I'm panicking is reach for my fags :/

Has anyone else managed to do it and how?

I need new ways to calm me down but I don't have any >_<

[bex1970]

I've stopped - or am currently stopping - realised that it was sending my Health Anxiety through the roof... as cancer is my main fear - it was time to stop. It's so not easy but I bought nicotine patches and am going on the NHS stop smoking thing (that way you can get all the stuff on prescription prices) where they check you every week for carbon monoxide - i.e. they can tell if you've stopped smoking or not!

The nicotine patches seem to work - I still get the odd craving - especially when I'm anxious... but I can think through them... and not have one... You can also buy these weird fake cigarette things - which you drag on and you get a hit of nicotine.... have used them once or twice, and although you feel (and look) like a wally, they seem to help...

I REALLY wanted to stop though.... and I think that's quite key... and I've been smoking for 20 years...

[amandaj]

i gave up for 2 months and now im back on them on again i just reach for them aswell dont hink ill ever stop again now

[diane07]

Hi guys,

there is a click2quit plan that helps you stop smoking, basically you get emails and text messages encouraging you to stay off them, its especially designed if you're on the patches, its free, you just sign up to it.

hope it helps

di xx

[Sammy J]

I am starting my quit today, have smoked for 22 years and I know it's making my HA much worse.

Am trying the inhalator and it's fantastic :yesyes: , would highly recommend it.

Sam

[CJH86]

Hi, i stopped about 2 months ago went cold turkey from a 20 a day habit (not recommended) for some reason i found it easy to give up once i got rid of everything smoking related, the first 2 days were hell and yeah i got very grumpy for a week or two but it wasnt as bad as i thought it would be. Actually i had to give up drinking a couple of weeks ago and im finding that a lot harder!

It made my anxiety incredibly bad at 1st if i gonna be honest! But i stuck with it and things seem to be a little better, although my chest is much worse than it was when i smoked at the moment (apparently that happens for a while tho)! Oddly I do actually hyperventilate because i can breathe much more deeply than before.......when i breathe normally it feels like i should be breathing deeper because i am able to if that makes sense?!

[Emaa]

Thanks for your replies [:

I've been stopping for about 11 days or so now, but I've had the odd one or two for the last 3 days :/ I'm using the inhilator (Sp?) and microtabs but I still keep craving them. I also have an nhs stop smoking worker who does the co2 reading to see if I've been smoking, but when I'm anxious I just think 'Ah feck it' and have one. =o(

It makes my anxiety so much worse, and lately I've been obsessing about throat cancer so that's the main reason I'm quitting.

I guess I'll just keep trying. >_<
xxxxxx

[seeker]

Do keep going with it - and don't stop giving up! I have finally stopped on my fourth attempt and feel soooo much better - less breathless, less smelly and less worried about causing cancer etc. I use the nicotine lozenges.

[deb141]

I gave up smoking in Sept '07 after 20yrs, i have suffered with anxiety for 10 yrs and i knew the smoking was making it worse. I gave up through my doctors surgery and got patches and inhaler on prescription. They also checked my lung function weekly/fortnightly which kept me on track !. I can really recommend the inhaler it was fab.

Good luck and stick with it, it gets easier.