Smoking ? (and weight and booze)

[Dizz]

Sorry if I've put this in the wrong area....

I really want to try and stop smoking although I must admit I've had the patches etc in the cupboard for months now....unopened :blush:

My question, as daft as it sounds is......

Has anyone recently stopped or tried stopping and did it make you feel a whole lot worse (obviously I know it will for the few days/weeks)

Once you got past the first bit did your symptoms seem any better.

I get bit breathless at times and feel like I don't have enough oxgygen running through me ie light headed feeling etc....although I know these can be symptoms of anxiety I'm sure smoking 20 a day can't be helping.

But... I find that smoking relaxes me... well I think it does... maybe it doesn't :unsure:

Just to add to all that I'm about 3 stone overweight too despite not really eating a lot (I know you wont believe that bit)... I am a bugger for missing meals and I never eat breakfast... not good either :blush:

And I like wine&soda and cider (not together of course) :blush:

Maybe I have more than just smoking to sort eh so I've just added the other two to the title :doh::roflmao:

Any help or advice on gratefully received :hugs:

[blueangel]

My partner gave up smoking nearly three years ago using nicotine gum. I think he'd tried to give up two or three times previously but not managed it. However, he said he found it all a lot easier than he thought. The nicotine gum stopped the cravings and it was just a matter of getting out of the habit of having a smoke after meals etc.

He definitely says he feels fitter now as he used to get out of breath after running up a flight of stairs, so I'm sure it's worth doing.

Also, eventually you seem to lose the taste for ciggies - about a year after he gave up, he fell off the wagon temporarily and had one, but got halfway through it and threw it away because it tasted disgusting.

[Dizz]

:hugs:Hiya

Thanks for that. I'll get some gum too...

How long did it take until he started seeing a benefit from not smoking especially with his breathing ?

[blueangel]

I think he found he started to feel better after a few weeks. He did cough for a while, but I think that was all the gunge moving around.

I do remember him saying that it was nowhere near as bad as he was expecting it to be. Maybe it was just the right time for him to give up?

[sammi]

Blueangel well done too your partner for stopping.

Dizz huni if you decide to stop let me know how you get on I've tried and can't do it for the life in me:) also I just wanted to say that my mum stopped over 5 years ago and she put weight on:) she needed to though as she was very slim and she looks better for it. Xx

[heavenly]

I have smoked on and off, though mainly on, for the past 15 or so years. When I got my first panic attack 3 months ago, I decided to stop smoking as I knew nicotine was a stimulant and the last thing I needed was a stimulant. First couple of weeks were difficult, I bought a plastic cigarette from the chemists. There is no nicotine or anything in it, just tastes a bit mentholy, only costs a couple of quid. It helped as I didn't know what to do with my hands for the first couple of weeks. I am so pleased I have given up. The money saved is paying for my counselling.

[Dizz]

Hi thanks for all the advice... sorry I was slow replying but I'd forgotten about my own post then couldn't remember where I'd put it :roflmao: