Happy Anniversary to me

[ballaratdragons]

Woo-Hooooooooooooooooooo

exactly 1 year today since I stopped smoking :cool:

I had my last cigarette at 11:00am 25th February 2010

:sunny:

:party2:

Giving up is the best thing I ever did.
I had been smoking since I was 7 (yes, seven years old) and now I am 53.
That means I had smoked almost my entire life.

Now clean for a year :)
I never even sneaked a puff :thumbsup:

[mental4astro]

:thumbsup:

I bet the air has never smelt better too!

[ballaratdragons]

So true, Alex. And living in the country makes it even better!
No Pollution to smell now that I can smell it :)

[supernova1965]

As a fellow QUITTER I congratulate you I have been smoke free for around 15 years now and I was a 60 to 80 cigerette per day smoker I was eating around 3kg of carrots per week while quitting and I can honestly say my eyesight improved in a big way and my skin did go orange for quite a while. Between my wife and I we spent $350 per fortnight on them I hate to think what that would cost in todays market and we would probably be smoking more than that. Since then we have moved up to owning a 99 model car and our next car will be a new one probably a Hybrid Camry. I just remembered that I would have a dream that I had started smoking again I think it was the wicked weed trying to get me to light up as I had already started again it was trying to trick me.

[ballaratdragons]

Good stuff Warren, 15 years :thumbsup:

Yeah, I can't say that I don't get temptations occasionally. Sometimes the pull is sooooo strong but I refuse to give in to it. And then it goes away for a week or more again.

When I was doing a bit of part-time work in the guitar shop (not there any more) I was stuck in a 3m x 4m workshop with the boss smoking like a chimney right next to me, then visitors would come and light up, then the guitar teachers would also crowd in for a puff, and it got so bad you could almost hear fog horns across the harbour :lol:
and yet I still didn't give in :)

I just walked outside and breathed :lol:

I had previously tried the patches, gum, hypnotherapy, accupuncture, pellets, cold turkey, 'Breath of Life' kit, group therapy etc etc :rolleyes:

Out of desperation to give up I decided the risk is worth it and asked the doctor to put me on Champix (a medication that can have strange phsychiatric reactions in about 30% of cases).
It worked instantly and I had no psychiatric reactions.
I just plainly didn't want to smoke :)

I recommend Champix to anyone who hasn't been able to give up using all the traditional methods.
But don't use it if you suffer any form of Phsyciatric problems. It enhances an existing problem 20-fold!

[PCH]

Hey Ken,

a big "Well Done" from me too. I'm also a fellow quitter of about 12 years ago, and equally have never even sneaked a puff. It would have to be the best move I ever made for the sake of all our healths. And fair go to my missus, she never nagged me to quit at all, even though she hated the things. I guess she wanted me to see the light by myself.

And how downright unthoughtful of the old boss and crew to smoke indoors in a shed so small. Was this before the workplace safety rules came into effect that say you can't smoke in any work environment?

But "well done" again Ken. Make sure you keep it up though hey ! :thumbsup:

Hey Warren,

with an extra $350 a fortnight you guys could have your own Batmobile. Or, should I read between the lines? ;) You never actually said whether your mrs had quit or not !

All the best anyway :thumbsup:

[supernova1965]

The $350 was for both our smokes and we both gave up at the same time its a wonder we didn't kill each other:D:rofl:

[PCH]

I can imagine :lol: Well done anyway to both of you. My uncle back in the old country, said to me when he first saw that I had taken up smoking many moons ago, aged about 14 or so, - he said, "son, you'll never have any money as long as you smoke!"

How right that is. And how many times do you see or hear of people bleating that they have no money, - whilst in the pub smoking and drinking :lol: How mad is that :shrug:

[ballaratdragons]

No it wasn't before workplace safety rules came into effect.
This was up until about 2 months ago :lol:
I wasn't able to continue working there because of my disability. :sadeyes:

But he has given up himself now in just the last few weeks. :)
and boy o boy is he grumpy :lol:

[M110]

Great work Ken, wish I had your will power. Am still battling the dreaded weed

[ballaratdragons]

Thanks Andrew.
Yes, 'battling' being the main word.
It is amazing just how addictive nicotine is!!!

Have you ever asked a doctor about Champix?

[M110]

I tried them last year. They didn't work for me. I had a friend who tried about the same time and they worked a treat for him.

[ballaratdragons]

Don't give up hope.
Something will eventually work for you :thumbsup:

[sheeny]

Well done, Ken! Keep it up mate.

Al.

[Astroman]

Hey well done Ken, great work!

[danielsun]

Well done Kenson and Warren.:thumbsup:
Ken, I remember when you started your quit campaign. Can't believe it has already been a year. Great to see you have stuck at it and won!:thumbsup:

Cheers Daniel.

[wavelandscott]

Well done!

[bartman]

GRRRRRRRR
still trying........
Well done mate!!!!!
Have cut down, but on the odd occasion ....fail......
I'll get there......
..........Bartman

[Kevnool]

When i did my schooling at Broadmeadows West Technical school you had to be in the elite to puff it up behind the portables.

Fortunatly i didnt cut it ( great ) so to this day i have never even tried it and on a better note my 18y son has not and doesnt smoke either.

So i cant even comment on the sensation.

I do laugh at the reformed smokers here though with some of there comments towards smokers.


Cheers Kev.

[shelltree]

I quit smoking last June and have only had half a ciggy since :) I never have a craving for them any more, if anything the smell and taste disgusts me which is great because I'll never go back now.

Congratulations Ken on such an amazing achievement! :D

[ballaratdragons]

Woo-hoooo, go Shelley!!! :thumbsup:
Over 6 months for you :)


Bart, you'll get there :thumbsup:

[mill]

After one week of Champix i threw away the cigarettes.
That was 4 years ago:)
I still have a 4 year old box of cigars in my kia glovebox :rofl:
Well done Ken :thumbsup:

[Paddy]

Well done Ken. One of the best gifts that you could give yourself.

[Paul Haese]

Congratulations Ken on making a year. I can say the first year is the hardest and from here on it will be easier all the time.

It has been 2 years as of the 15th of March this year for me. I still get the odd craving and sometimes the odd dream about taking up smoking again and wondering what I am doing. I smoked from the age of 16 to 44, more than enough time to contract some smoking related illness. We have to wait another 10 or so years before we can be considered in the clear and even then we could contract something just because we once smoked.

I remember well when you gave up and I hope you continue to stay on the straight and narrow. Again congratulations.:thumbsup:

[Jen]

:thumbsup::thumbsup: good on ya Ken i failed in my last attempt AGAIN :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
But giving up ciggies is easy ive done it heaps of times :rofl::rofl:

[danielsun]

:rofl: Onya Jen!:rofl:

[Chillie]

Keep trying to give them up Jen.

As the add on the TV says, with every attempt it gets easier to give up the ciggies.

As for me, never considered myself to be a smoker. Have had the occasional packet in the past. Would smoke one packet then the novelty would ware off for about two years before I bought another packet.