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Have you tried to quit smoking while undergoing treatment?
Cancer | Last Active: Dec 30, 2021 | Replies (160)Comment receiving replies
I last smoked January 2, 2020, the morning of my lobectomy. I am taking Chantix twice a day. The urge to smoke has been intense at times - at other times it's easy to shrug off. When it gets intense I get a spearmint flavored mint and it helps. I also do mind tricks on myself (similar to biofeedback) where I imagine things, daydream or talk myself out of the cigarette. I applaud everyone that has quit cold turkey!! For those of us who don't do so well with that, I would enjoy reading on how you've done it/are doing it!
Replies to "I last smoked January 2, 2020, the morning of my lobectomy. I am taking Chantix twice..."
@metalneck @cinder I so relate to both of you. The good news is I'm 2 weeks to the day away from getting to my 4 year Quit Smoking anniversary. And, although I still enjoy walking past someone smoking a cigarette I now think smoky rooms stink and have no interest in smoking. The realistic news is a friend told me it took him 6 months to get over the hump. I hoped that wouldn't be my case, but it was. I underestimated how helpful Chantix was since the urge was, as you say, intense at times. But, don't let anyone tell you that you can just stop the Chantix without weaning off it, like you built it up. After 4 months when I just stopped I gained the most of my weight and had major urges to the point of being miserable. The doc renewed my script and after a couple more weeks when I drew down slowly I did fine from there. Interesting to me was that I never thought of after a meal as my biggest need but to this day, if I don't have a wintergreen lifesaver on hand things could get dicey!
As far as mind games- try to get your hands on Allen Carr's book "Easy Way To Stop Smoking." My dentist told me how one of her patients had success when she read and I then did, too. He makes a great case for how we were hypnotized into smoking (as opposed to going to a hypnotist to stop smoking.) He built a case for my mind to wrap around, and along with Chantix and the will to persevere, that was the ticket. And, once you get to the other side where you don't stress about needing to get where you can smoke after being stuck somewhere too long is so freeing. Hang in there!
@metalneck I am an all or nothing person. For me, cold-turkey was the only way to go.
JK
@metalneck- I quit smoking a week before my surgery in 1997. It was extremely difficult. It looks as if you have a system set up for dealing with the urges. You might want to look at this group for help too: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/have-you-tried-to-quit-smoking-while-undergoing-treatment/ Hang in there! You can do this!
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I quit in October of 2019. Very hard. I still miss it. But not enough to smoke. I have gained weight. Finally have started feeling better. Think of all the money you save and treat yourself. Good for you. I know how you are feeling.