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So after 13 or so years, Ive finally quit. Ya know, I really thought I enjoyed smoking. I thought it gave me something to do, something to take the bordom away. But as Ive come to find out, none of that was true... it was the DRUG ADDICTION making me THINK those things were true.
First, Ill start off by saying I really didnt want to quit. My reasons werent that of most people, mine were more financial because $8 a pack is rediculous. That and I really want to spend as much time on this earth as I can, especially with kids now. But thus, Ive thought like that for a while and still never did quit. While on a job doing work in a Dr's house, I asked if he had any samples of Chantix. A week later he gave it to me, and I brought it home and where it sat for a few months. To be honest, I was scared to take it... didnt know what to expect, heard tons of horror stories, scared of it taking away my friend, the cigg.
One week about a month and a half ago, I started really thinking about taking it... after about 4 days of skirting around it, I finally started one morning. I know that youre supposed to set a quit date, but I didnt want to. I didnt want to force myself to stop on a particular day, I figured Id ween off of them slowly. After a few days, I notice the ciggs start tasting like trash... literally like Im licking an ashtray. Hm, ok, maybe this stuff is working.
After the first week I upped my doseage and the cravings started to subside. Where before I had to run out to my car at lunch time to cram in lunch and as many ciggs I could have in a half hour (because you cant smoke on the property at my work), now I didnt need one at all. It dwindled down less and less, 3, 2, 1 a day... until my pack was gone, and that was it. It took me about 2.5 weeks of being on the Chantix to stop smoking. I continued to take it for another week, and while they do not recommend it, I stopped taking the Chantix as well.
That was over 3 weeks ago, and let me tell you, I feel great! I can breathe as deep as I want, and not cough. Hell, I havent even coughed in 2 weeks. I dont feel my heart racing and beating out of my chest any more, I dont feel shitty and sick, my throat doesent hurt, and I dont smell of smoke any more. As an added bonus, my left thigh doesent go numb anymore after standing for an extended period of time. Blood flow FTW!
Now let it be known that I DO NOT like medications if I dont absolutley HAVE to take them... but I figured that the Chantix couldnt be any worse than smoking, so I really had nothing to lose. I tried other stuff too... the patch, cold turkey after reading a book, and nothing worked... I turned into a raving maniac with all those other methods. But with the Chantix, it was almost too easy. I didnt have any of those nasty side effects you normally hear about... aside from ever so slight nausea just after taking the pill in the morning, and slightly more vivid but normal dreams, everything went great.
I now look back at how pathetic being a smoker really was... I mean come on, rushing out to my car in the dead of summer, 95* heat every damn day at work just to have a few ciggs? Always planning ahead, where and when my next cigg would be, where I would buy them, and how paranoid I would get if I thought I was gonna run out or had to go on a long car ride in a vehicle I couldnt smoke in. Holy crap! If that isnt the definition of junkie, I dont know what is. All the time and money I wasted on that shit, just thinking about it makes me sick... I averaged it out over the past 13 years, Ive spent about $30,000 on smokes. WHAT THE FUCK? DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY CUSTOM SHOPS THAT WOULD BE? Ok, only like 3 with todays pricing, but still!
Seriously though, Im not trying to be a preacher or any of that shit. Just know that if you do smoke, you CAN quit, even if you DONT THINK you want to. This is coming from someone who never even really wanted to quit, until I did it. Sure, I havent even been quit for a month, but the fact is I am, and always will be a non-smoker. In the past few weeks, Ive suffered the sudden loss of a special friend (my 3 year old cat, Buddy) as well as several nights out drinking and gigging... and I didnt it all without the "help" of a cigg. Ive been around them, people have blown the smoke in my face, and it doesent bother me.
Just ask yourself one question... did you crave a cigg before you started smoking? I didnt think so... quit that shit, live a little longer, save some money and buy more Jacksons!
First, Ill start off by saying I really didnt want to quit. My reasons werent that of most people, mine were more financial because $8 a pack is rediculous. That and I really want to spend as much time on this earth as I can, especially with kids now. But thus, Ive thought like that for a while and still never did quit. While on a job doing work in a Dr's house, I asked if he had any samples of Chantix. A week later he gave it to me, and I brought it home and where it sat for a few months. To be honest, I was scared to take it... didnt know what to expect, heard tons of horror stories, scared of it taking away my friend, the cigg.
One week about a month and a half ago, I started really thinking about taking it... after about 4 days of skirting around it, I finally started one morning. I know that youre supposed to set a quit date, but I didnt want to. I didnt want to force myself to stop on a particular day, I figured Id ween off of them slowly. After a few days, I notice the ciggs start tasting like trash... literally like Im licking an ashtray. Hm, ok, maybe this stuff is working.
After the first week I upped my doseage and the cravings started to subside. Where before I had to run out to my car at lunch time to cram in lunch and as many ciggs I could have in a half hour (because you cant smoke on the property at my work), now I didnt need one at all. It dwindled down less and less, 3, 2, 1 a day... until my pack was gone, and that was it. It took me about 2.5 weeks of being on the Chantix to stop smoking. I continued to take it for another week, and while they do not recommend it, I stopped taking the Chantix as well.
That was over 3 weeks ago, and let me tell you, I feel great! I can breathe as deep as I want, and not cough. Hell, I havent even coughed in 2 weeks. I dont feel my heart racing and beating out of my chest any more, I dont feel shitty and sick, my throat doesent hurt, and I dont smell of smoke any more. As an added bonus, my left thigh doesent go numb anymore after standing for an extended period of time. Blood flow FTW!
Now let it be known that I DO NOT like medications if I dont absolutley HAVE to take them... but I figured that the Chantix couldnt be any worse than smoking, so I really had nothing to lose. I tried other stuff too... the patch, cold turkey after reading a book, and nothing worked... I turned into a raving maniac with all those other methods. But with the Chantix, it was almost too easy. I didnt have any of those nasty side effects you normally hear about... aside from ever so slight nausea just after taking the pill in the morning, and slightly more vivid but normal dreams, everything went great.
I now look back at how pathetic being a smoker really was... I mean come on, rushing out to my car in the dead of summer, 95* heat every damn day at work just to have a few ciggs? Always planning ahead, where and when my next cigg would be, where I would buy them, and how paranoid I would get if I thought I was gonna run out or had to go on a long car ride in a vehicle I couldnt smoke in. Holy crap! If that isnt the definition of junkie, I dont know what is. All the time and money I wasted on that shit, just thinking about it makes me sick... I averaged it out over the past 13 years, Ive spent about $30,000 on smokes. WHAT THE FUCK? DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY CUSTOM SHOPS THAT WOULD BE? Ok, only like 3 with todays pricing, but still!
Seriously though, Im not trying to be a preacher or any of that shit. Just know that if you do smoke, you CAN quit, even if you DONT THINK you want to. This is coming from someone who never even really wanted to quit, until I did it. Sure, I havent even been quit for a month, but the fact is I am, and always will be a non-smoker. In the past few weeks, Ive suffered the sudden loss of a special friend (my 3 year old cat, Buddy) as well as several nights out drinking and gigging... and I didnt it all without the "help" of a cigg. Ive been around them, people have blown the smoke in my face, and it doesent bother me.
Just ask yourself one question... did you crave a cigg before you started smoking? I didnt think so... quit that shit, live a little longer, save some money and buy more Jacksons!
First week, I had body pain, headaches, etc. I wasn't even playing guitar at that time. LOL. Just educated myself on how cigarette increases dopamine secretion...which can also be done by vigorous exercise, eating your fav foods etc. So, when I felt like smoking, I'd grab a candy. I'd have lunch at a good restaurant, etc. Now, I smoke whenever I meet up with a high-school friend which is once or twice a year. 
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