Still a Non Smoker
I haven't posted since my 3 week mark and now I'm around 790 days since my official quit date.
I used a product that unfortunately is no longer available but I have to say it was just a catalyst to quitting that I was done with after week 3. From then on staying smoke free was about being able to breath clearly in the morning. Kiss my wife without chewing gum first. Not smelling like an ashtray and feeling like a healthier 53 year old with 3 young kids to keep up with.
I'm now 55, my blood pressure has dropped and I'm less likely to suffer a heart attack than I was as a smoker. Yeah I've gained a few kilos but if rather be alive a tad chunky than skinny and dead or dying!
My first gift to myself was a new workshop tool box. Then a 4x4 and now every month we add to the off road goodies. All from the $150 a week I DON'T spend on smokes.
Remember, you weren't born a smoker. You don't have to live and die as one. Ask yourself these things; When did you decide to become a smoker? Did you almost always reach for a drink or coffee after a smoke? Was that to get the taste out of your mouth?
Keep enjoying your life as you were meant to... without smokes..
Much love..
Hi Ausmaniac. I found your post to be very interesting. First off, Congratulations on quitting smoking and most of all staying quit. I looked up Quitonic and the site had been updated this year. I see that it did sell in the U.S. but might not be shipped to Canada. Those interested would have to research further. It sounds expensive at $3.50 a craving (AU) or $2.50 U.S. where it may still be available. The instructions also advise you to cut smoking by half in the first week and then reset your goals going forward. You stopped this herbal remedy after 3 weeks which following the by half....would have you down to just 2 or 3 cigarettes, When I toyed with the idea of quitting smoking I got down to that from 30 in three days and that was tough. In your 3 weeks , although still not nicotine free, you had adjusted your life around not smoking on a whim. It is that part of the journey which is longest and hardest. Nicotine can be out of your system in about 72 hours, which many people can do, but cannot accept life as a non-smoker.
In those three weeks, you realized the benefit of better breathing first hand, didn't offend your wife's senses and resolved to quit smoking once and for all. This is the kind of thinking we try to get newcomers to accept. Anyone can quit smoking with the right mindset and belief in themselves.
You pose interesting questions. We may have chosen to fit in with our friends by smoking, but we ignored warning of becoming addicted, probably because they did taste so bad and didn't we hack up a lung in the early days? Who would ever think you would become addicted when you really found it awful? Such is the nature of nicotine however, and it has it power over us long before we admit the truth. Then we start to rational our stupidity. It calms me, clears my head etc... until we believe it. We need to learn about nicotne and take back control. We now have sites like this and aids like the patch, champix etc.
I hope others will think about those questions . All the best going forward Ausmaniac.
Greetings Happiness! I've been a busy human and not checked in of late so I was happy to see your reply. You're right when you talk about mindset and it affect on our decision making process when it comes to substance use. I am a former drug user of varied types and have always been able to step away from them at will without side affect or suffering. Likewise, I could indulge at any time without becoming a regular user. Cigarettes on the other hand were a completely different kettle of fish.
Having attempted to quit on more occasions than I can remember there were a series of events that made quitting for good, I'll say easier this time.
My wife and I had been separated for 4 years and we'd decided to work things out. My health has been crappy since 2011 and I didn't seem to be improving over time. (that said it's only marginally better now but that's another story). I was a man in his early 50's with 3 kids aged 6 - 9 who needed their dad to be the best version of himself as possible. Also, the company that my wife works with, LeReve was trialing the Quitonic product at a reduced rate as a possible addition to their range.
I'm not much of a reader but I did read enough of Allan Carr's book to bring myself to ask those questions as previously posted. The answer was clear; DON'T SMOKE!
So 853 days and I'm still smoke free, $10,000 richer and 7kgs heavier but hey! A small price to pay.. Yes Quitonic is still available in Australia even via eBay. If someone is looking for an alternative to NRT I highly recommend giving it a go.
here's a link I found for an eBay seller.
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/20-x-10ml-QUITONIC-Herbal-Tonic-Satchets-Stops-urge-to-smoke-Quit-Smoking-/182203048204