If you've made it 48 days, then I think its safe to say that you are now an ex-smoker. However, you will always be a nicotine addict. As long as you never forget that, and never let the drug back into your system, then you'll remain an ex-smoker.

For me, it's actually very easy to quit smoking. The hard part is to quit for more than an hour. So, I'd say you are now an ex-smoker! And my hero! Congratulations!

Jeaux

Here is my 5 cents on that.

Ex-smoker? Not when someone tells you X days of non-smoking. Do you feel like you are an ex-smoker yet Yvonne? I do. I'm 275 days in. Never really thought of which day I decided that.

Quit. Stop. I have stopped smoking. Not sure I quit though. I'm a drug addict and my drug of choice is nicotine. 1 cigarette and I'm done in. Every day I make an effort not to smoke. That is 1 more day that is a good thing.

Call yourself whatever you want. Use terms like ex-smoker, stop, and quit how you see fit. Just keep on doing what you are doing and leave the cigarettes alone. That is all that counts.

Good luck you ex-smokers who stopped and want to quit

Thanks guys for your responses. I really appreciate the support.

Bellisima!!!
I am very proud of you
When us SH girls take our cruise, you'll have enough dough to get the deluxe suite with a veranda !!

Any work great.
I'm trying isn't QUIT. I'm a non-smoker, but I'm feeling much better now!
1 year 2 months. Damn sounds like I'm a non-smoker now....

Just don't ask where the money has gone then I'll freak out and fall off the Camel wondering where its hiding

So today is 300 days. Not too shabby.

Somewhere about day 290 or so I had a relapse. Really bad day. Drank a lot. Not a good mix. Had a couple of cigarettes. Honestly they tasted like crap and it was rather uninteresting. So much for the dessert idea... Haven't thought about doing it again. Just one of those days.

I had a dream last night I smoked an ENTIRE cigarette!!!! But I remember feeling so guilty. Go figure.

Both my wife and I quit on the same day, doesn't seem like that long ago, but it's been over 6 years now! I'll never forget the date: July 27, 2002. Woo Hoo!

We signed up for hypnosis and I was a huge skeptic. I don't know how much of an effect it actually had, but both of us haven't touched a cigarette since. It was a group setting and at a break the hypnotist told everyone to smoke if they want because it will be the last. So we did -- smoked our last cigarette during the break & tossed our half-full packs on the way back inside! Ha! In all seriousness, I can say that we were both just "done" with smoking and I think that mindset had the biggest influence on us. Also, I'm pretty sure if both of us didn't quit at the same time we'd have failed.
Good luck to all, it can be done!!!
Jay

My personal feeling on when you become an ex-smoker is when you dont feel the need to smoke. In my experience and from friends experience the cravings never fully go away. My father in law quit smoking 40 years ago roughly. He still gets cravings once in a while. When you get the place where you dont think about smoking and dont feel like you HAVE to HAVE a cigarette and you only have the occasional craving, and you still dont smoke. Then I would call you an ex-smoker.

There are some good resources out there. One I came across recently was on a lot of topics related to better living with hypnosis. You can sure give it a try.

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Zyban has helped smokers to stop, even those who have smoked 20 years or more. Zyban is the first nicotine-free pill that, as part of a comprehensive program from your healthcare professional, can help you stop smoking. Zyban is prescription medicine available for smokers 18 and older

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I spent a week in the hospital with influenza and pneumonia last year. I never had the desire to pick up another cigarette when I got out. I was so sick during the bad withdrawls that I didn’t even know I was having a nic fit. I didn’t smoke for about six months and then out of the blue one day I just went to the store and got some Marlboros. I still would like to kick my own ass for ever starting to smoke again.
So, best of luck to you! I hope you find something to help you cope.

I also had vivid dreams of smoking. They were so real, I had to actually look through my house to see if I had actually been smoking the night before.

Well, it's been more than a year so I've offically quit smoking.

Best of luck to everyone trying!!!!!

$2381.85 spent on other stuff instead of smokes.

Way to go Sistah... you are definetly a non-smoker, and sweet smelling, more money winner!!

Long time no talk to...(**)just about every evening 7 ish
would love to chat it up with ya!

Lots of other buds from here you'd remember are there too!

see ya later...miss ya
drea

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It all depends on your will power.I was a chain smoker about 6 months ago.Now i have quitted smoking without taking any drugs or any medicines.Its all depend on your will power and i ma a big example for you guys.

job well done yvonne...takes a lot of willpower and mind determination...Although I'm not a smoker myself It would be like for me having to quit chocolate.....grrrrr impossible I think...come in chat sometime and bring us to date on whats going on

I've tried to give up smoking for 2 years. But finally quit smoking with a help of the smoking patches.

With the help of patches, nicotrol and a crazy, severe infection that put me in the hospital for 4 days... I stopped smoking Feb 24th this year, so coming up on 8 months!.

I think a big part of it iss Why you are quitting... for me, two things decided it for me... my 6 year old nephew decided that I'm one of his favorite people in the world and he likes to spend every moment he can with me... and, having been a carton buyer for years, I wasn't prepared for the (new increased) price of a pack earlier this year... $7. a pack??? That's crazy money... NY loves to tax the poop out of it's citizens, but it really hits the smokers harder than anyone... other than drivers maybe ;p Of course if they taxed booze the way they tax smokes, we'd probably have a lot less drunk driving issues... but that's for another rant

Anyway, decide Why YOU want to quit, think about whether it is worth it...TO YOU to do so... then goo ahead and give it a try... even stopping for a day or two is a day or two less smoking, right? and that's a good thing all around

Good Luck!!

Now I try to give up smoking by lowering the amount of cigarettes. Only a week ago I smoke 1 pack a day. Now I smoke about half of pack. Soon I hope I'll quit smiking if will power won't let me down.

I did the same thing. I smoked 1 pack/day for a long long time. Then I cut down to 15 cigs/day then 10/day. At 1/2 pack I stayed there for a while. Then I started cutting 1 out here and there. Needed help getting over the hump to completely kick it.

So every one you don't smoke is good.

I never thought I could do it but now I'm one of those that says "If I could, anyone can".

I started at 13 and was immediately hooked. Chantix saved my life to a degree.

I know Chantix can have a lot of side effects for some people but honestly, if you time the doses carefully (not too close to bedtime if it's nightmare problems) and are really serious about quitting, it can work.

I actually only used the first months pack and never needed the rest.

Funny thing is, till seeing this post, I probably have not even thought about smoking in weeks and when I do, the thought is usually gone within a minute and I'm so very happy to be rid of the cigarettes.

Hi all, Good Luck to all who are quiting! I never thought about smoking until i saw this, its been 4 weeks yesterday since i had one . I cut down before i stopped, i had no choice i was smoking 25-30 a day . But i take champix to help me they are good , these tablets work on the brain, but until i saw this i hadnt thought about it . i have tried before and been unsuccessful . The thing i have done different this time is , i say to my self, "you can have one if you want one! " then i think, my body dont need it , so why bother . Last time i said to myself "thats it im never having one again"and sarted smoking again . So never say never, and go get some "CHAMPIX" off the doctor they really do help you along .

Angie xx

Nice job, quitters.

Yesterday was great. First, I had a HUGE "omg I'm so glad I don't smoke" moment when the temp here dropped in the 40's and rain! So glad I wasn't standing outside in that with the other smokers from my office. And then last night I went to a 4 hour concert and had another "yay me!" moment. I was so, so, so glad I didn't have to leave the concert to go smoke like other's did. What a different world we live in - remember when EVERYBODY smoked at concerts? And now you are not allowed!

it's been over 2 years!!!! I've done it. If you think you can't, think again!!

Congratulations, that is an incredible achievement! Excellent job working through it each day.

"C"

It's been 2 months for me!

I had a very hard time quiting and I was very short tempered for the first few months. I slammed a lot of doors, etc but didn't kill anyone.
That was 8 years ago, I will never go back and life is much better without them. It's worth going through the withdrawal pain of quiting.

I have to admit I still *enjoy* smoking, but I DON'T enjoy the dag-gum price anymore!! In Florida a non generic carton will hit you around $55, and generic (sort of - Marlboro 72's) around $43 - ridiculous!! On my RV trip, I found cartons for $30, and snatched 3. I am getting back to "I need to stop this" donating to the state and federal government tax granters!

Sigh...working my brain around a non-smoking life style. For me, I think cold turkey will be my way... Those of you that quit, yep, I am jealous, but too proud of you all! You've done what I've failed to be able to do yet - but I haven't given up!

Brenda

Oh, I think that unless you become one of "those" ex-smokers, you never get over the enjoyment (that is, if you quit because you "want" to and not because you "had" to).

My brother just passed his 7th year of no smoking! He quit the day after his first heart attack... he was 39 and had a baby that had just turned 1 year old the day before that! He says, 7 years down, never even once tried a cigarette again, and some days it's still all I want to do when I'm relaxing!

I don't think we lose the want...again, not only because it's addicting (I'm addicted to Salt, Caffeine, BBQ chips... CHOCOLATE!!! and so on ) but because we actually enjoyed it still, while we were doing it.

And yes, there are still days when I think... this would be a perfect time for a smoke! (first snow fall on the drive home from work on a NY parkway...... 3-4 hours later and you're STILL 20 miles from home )

And, not to be a smart...aleck, but I really do have less trouble not smoking when the government around me is so...bleh ;p It's one way of showing my nonsupport No tobacco tax for YOU! HAH!

Have a nice holiday if you're celebrating! And a great week if you aren't

CGM,

That is an eye opener for sure! Wow. I'd be afraid to estimate now. (G) Hummm... brain doing a 're-think' now. Wow!

Brenda

I quit on 12/13/10 and haven't had a cigarette since. So it's been two months. I had smoked for 25 years before I quit.

How? Before my ACDF surgery, when I was having so much arm/shoulder/scapula pain (but had not yet decided to have the surgery) I thought to myself, what if this was lung cancer and I was actually dying. That what the kick in the pants I had been searching for all these years.

Ironically, I had no idea of the linkage between fusion success and nicotine until AFTER I quit. I thought, God sure works in mysterious ways.

I used Chantix at first, but it raised my blood pressure to the point that my doctor had to put me on BP meds. So I quit taking Chantix in conjunction with my surgery. I will say, it was a lot easier not to smoke on Chantix, but I have not and will not giving in.

I caved this morning after a week of not smoking. I swear quitting drinking was easeir than this!

I have no intention of buying anymore, but feel bad tha I did. I just love to smoke..why is that so wrong!!!!!

connie

... as long as you love to do it. You won't be quitting. It's a physical and mental thing. Keep on telling yourself you love it. You'll be buying more.