10 days to first year

Countdown to my first year of not smoking since I was 15 ( 53 years ago ) 10 days and counting down.

Remembering the first few days quitting it was just gritting my teeth and going for it.

Probably not good advice but I ate packets and packets of toffee eclairs , cups of strong coffee and ate anything I fancied. Put on a stone in weight very quickly.

After many strange emotional and physical experiences the cravings gradually subsided.

I rarely have any desire to smoke and they can come when least expected. Usually when I am with someone who has just lit up. This takes the form of a few seconds thought about smoking and not cravings.

My weight is dropping and my wife and I have joined a gym to assist.

It has been essential to stay close to icanquit and share. This gave the comfort of knowing your not alone in this and that the quitting process and its associated withdrawal symptoms are shared by others.

To have reached nearly a year nicotine free for me is such a massive deal. I have been thinking about quitting for probably 40 years and in the end it took grabbing the nettle and determination.

The cost of smoking in money terms is around £ 160000 sterling. In health terms three heart stents and hardening of the arteries.

I went cold turkey but that is just my experience.

Thanks again to icanquit and all those that have posted

Still can't quite believe I have quit although still aware that one puff probably puts me back where I started.