Smoking ( please don’t bite my head off)

Hi Michelle F6eb802 

No ones gonna bite your head off, we all have are vices none of us are perfect. Quitting smoking is hard and like you say with all the stress of cancer you probably want to smoke more.  You say you've cut down from 20 to 7, that's an achievement in itself. Personally I would quit the vaping in-between to start with as its an unknown quantity and potentially worse and then work on the cigarettes. For me i would go cold turkey but im an all or nothing person. You know you best so maybe reduce to 6 a day for a period of time and 5 and so on. What did you do to go from 20 to 7, can you keep doing that until you get to zero. Also you could put the money aside and treat yourself when you come out the otherside. Keep busy doing things where you can't smoke. Have you tried the gum or sprays so you get the nicotine hit without the bad stuff. Maybe try and see it as a fresh start. Sending hugs. Xx

Hi thank you for the reply. I was fed up of smoking to start with and this was the reason I cut down. I think in the end I will maybe try the smoking device which I can use like a roll up and take it from there. Thank you again x

Hi Michelle,

Don't worry - I'm sure loads of us here have been smokers at some point and have just been lucky enough to hit on the right way to quit, so you are doing great by cutting down. 6 or 7 roll ups is much better than 20!! 

I did it - eventually, took me several attempts! - by using a couple of things. One was a fake nicotine stick thing. This was before vapes, and I just found it helpful to wave around and stick in my mouth and suck on, especially when driving! Second thing that helped was nicotine patches; they gave me that little hit which felt like I'd just had a cig. And I read Allen Carr's book The Easy Way to Stop Smoking, which I think eventually sunk in after reading it over and over, and helped me realise I didn't need it.

I know there is some uncertainty about vapes, but am pretty sure nothing can be much worse than cigarettes, so I would say use it when you feel the urge but try not to have it on the go all the time.

Good luck, I really wish you all the best with this. xx

Hello Michelle F6eb802 

Another ex-smoker here!  I gave up about 40 years ago, I had the most awful cough after a bout of 'flu and could barely breath, never mind smoke and my chest was so painful.  The thought flashed through my mind, is this what it is like to have lung disease caused by smoking?  I was so put off I vowed that I would never smoke again.  It was hard, I did get the urge but it passed.  As an incentive to myself I saved the money I would have spent on cigarettes and it was truly shocking to see the amount in the savings account increase so rapidly. 

And a big (gentle!) pat on the back.  Going down to 6/7 instead of 20 is a big step in the right direction.  The very best of luck.

Irene xx

Hi Michelle, I was like you a few years ago, as regards to the smoking,  roll ups I called them, haha, but i just couldn't afford to carry on, and then one day I did have enough money for backy but I had a vape also, so I bought a takeaway and just vaped after that , just perseverance,  you can do it . Over five years now, no roll ups x Be amazing,  keep smiling xxxc