I'm pulling for the both of you. Been 3 years for me now and I am so glad I gave them up.    

When i was in university I ran out of money.  I was digging in seat cushions for change to buy smokes.  At that point I realized I might have a problem. 

The first week is the hardest.  Good luck.

First week is the hardest but by then you should 'feel' cleaner to. Try sweets or even wine to get rid of the craving. (worked for me)   U can do it!!

I've heard that cocaine helps too.    

I wish everyone all the best in their battle to quit smoking.
It's a great thing you're doing for your health and the health of your family and as a side bonus you can save quite a bit of money by quitting the habit.

I applaud your efforts, stay focused & determined, you'll get there!!!   

Thank you everyone for your encouragement & best wishes, it is much appreciated.

I think the reason I always failed before was that I didn't have the proper mind-set to quit, an idea I that should but never the determination/commitment. This time, however, I have, plus the mind-set of mrs starkers to help keep me focussed...not to mention the $3000+ a year we can put to much better use.



Never too proud...we have a couple of packs of Nicabate sitting right here on my puter desk, should we happen to suffer one those too hard to resist cravings. I think part of the trick for us was not trying to go cold turkey, but rather to plan an exit strategy over time. We were smoking between 2 & 4 50 gram packs of roll-your-own tobacco a week, but the last time we decided to buy just ONE pack and MAKE it last us a month. By the end of it we had cut down to just one or two smokes a day and found it much easier to go without entirely on Quit Day. Another thing that helped was having to go outside, not smoking in the house as a courtesy to my non-smoking mother who shares with us.

Quitting the smokes is different for everyone, and what worked for us may not work for all, so sorry Po`, there aren't any secrets, just that your desire to quit smoking has to be stronger than the reason to continue. Everyone here has given us support and encouragement, so mrs starkers & I would like to pay it forward and wish you all the best in your endeavour to quit as well.....oh, and all the best for your surgery, here's hoping it all goes well for you.



There are no clean smokes....just going into our fourth day now, and already the smell of burning tobacco is bloody awful.

Its been 6 years that I quit and you will find the smell will be really unpleasant and you will wonder how you lived without noticing it..good luck, it gets easier , I promise..

No truer advice can be given. I'm approaching 60 and I probably smoked atleast a third of those years, if not more.

Life, unfortunatley is all about choices. No matter what excuses we come up with, we as individuals choose all of our nasty habits, they don't choose us.   

After getting rid a several of my own over the years the advice I usually give someone trying to stop what ever the habit maybe is "no one can make you stop, no patch, pill or weekly meeting really works unless you want to stop." Guess what, if you want to stop you don't need all the other stuff. Think about it.

Of course my way of thinking usually puts some people out of work!!  

I'm still trying to free myself of one last lingering obsession CHOCOLATE!         

I smoked for 43 of my 60 years.  Been 1 1/2 years since I quit and the smoke of others doesn't really bother me that much, its the craving I get from time to time.  Sure wish that would go away.

Aaarrrghh, 'ow true that be....thar'll ne'er be no addickshun that can git me ta smokin' that thar vile weed agin.



Dunno if it's true or not, but some say mixing a bit of camel dung into the tobacco really helps. Upon thinking about it, that might just work.....if the taste of camel crap isn't enough to put you off, I guess nothing much else would.



Thank you, Fairyy~, for the encouragement & words of reassurance....tho I'm dreading to think how I'll feel about the smell after 6 years if after only 4 days it's beginning to smell like smouldering Yeti poo.



Thanks for the best wishes, vStyler, we appreciate it. And no, it's not easy, but then again, it's not that hard this time around, either. I think the difference is being TRULY COMMITTED to quitting, whereas in the past I/we weren't 100% prepared and found it far too easy to say "oh, thank you" when a smokes were on offer. Not this time around, though, no more coffin nails for me/us. Tell ya what, on quit night we threw away around 10 to 15 smokes - and with me being a real tight arse when it comes waste - that's really saying something.



You're spot on there....my doctor confirmed what I already knew (being I failed to quit umpteen times before) the power to stop is in my head and ain't sold over any pharmacy counter in the form of gum or patches, lozenges or pills. We've got some gum for just in case the cravings become too difficult, but ultimately it comes down to us really wanting it for ourselves and family.



We've a ways to go, but we're that confident that one day we'll be able to say that as well.

remember the good 'ole days back in the forties when smoking was promoted and helped to calm nerves and relax you, and pick you up when your feeling down? *smirk* I find that such a novelty to listen to specially when you listen to jack benny and lucky strike is their sponsor...and by today's standards its the complete opposite.

As a smoker myself, I take my hat off to you, and I've also heard that niccotine is only in your system for 24 hours, after that the rest is mental cravings (not sure if that is true or not)

at least you will save a tonn of money!  

Way to go!!!

Very proud of both of you.....!