Quitting Tobacco

[lawrocket 3]

So I quit. It's been 5 days without tobacco. I'm getting a life insurance policy and I'm actually pretty surprised that it doesn't seem to be very hard at all. Maybe it's because I was never a frequent user. Heck, my lady even tells me I am not being insufferable.

Is the hard part over? Does it get worse? My physical is on May 25. What are the odds I'll start after that?

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[Casie 0]

That's AWESOME............keep it up & DON'T start that nasty habit again. Put something else in it's place.

~Porn Kitty
WARNING: Goldschlager causes extreme emotional outbursts!

[Nightingale 0]

this is from about.com. it's got the info you wanted plus more.

At 20 minutes after quitting:

blood pressure decreases
pulse rate drops
body temperature of hands and feet increases.


At 8 hours:

carbon monoxide level in blood drops to normal
oxygen level in blood increases to normal


At 24 hours:
chance of a heart attack decreases

At 48 hours:

nerve endings start regrowing
ability to smell and taste improve

At 2 weeks to 3 months:

circulation improves
walking becomes easier
lung function increases
The worst of physical withdrawal subsided within the first month, and learning how to decipher and reprogram the psychological tugs or urges to smoke is coming more naturally.

From 1 to 9 months:

Decreases in:
coughing
sinus congestion
fatigue
shortness of breath


The changes you'll be going through will affect more than your health. Even the health benefits that you thought you'd already experienced will continue to get better.

At 1 Year smoke free:

excess risk of coronary heart disease is decreased to half that of a smoker

At 5 years:

from 5 to 15 years after quitting, stroke risk is reduced to that of people who have never smoked.

At 10 years:

risk of lung cancer drops to as little as one-half that of continuing smokers
risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney, and pancreas decreases
risk of ulcer decreases

At 15 years:

risk of coronary heart disease is now similar to that of people who have never smoked
risk of death returns to nearly the level of people who have never smoked

[lawrocket 3]

YEah, not starting that nasty habit. So few knew I did it because I was always ashamed.

I don't understand why I did not do it before. It has been so damned easy to quit, and I've never heard anyone say that.

Why has it been so easy to quit? Because I have a clearly defined goal of being free of all evidence of use by May 25, 2004? Maybe. It certainly was the impetus for quittting this time. Hey, I want life insurance, and smokers don't get good rates, and it takes a couple of weeks for all signs of it to clear the system.

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[Brains 2]

Quote

So I quit. It's been 5 days without tobacco.

What kind of tobacco, cigs or snuff/chew??

I quit dipping on christmas day 2003. I was in eloy during that time so i had lots to keep me busy. I don't think sunny (and others) would have been passing glowsticks if i had that crap in my mouth so that was a bonus in itself. I did notice that i have gained about 15 pounds since then. Now i go to the gym daily to work that off.

Never look down on someone, unless they are going down on you.

[lawrocket 3]

Yeah, man. Same thing. Thank you, Uncle Sam for finding new ways to keep me awake at Zero Dark Thirty.

I've been losing weight. My wife says I've gotten color to my skin that she's never seen before. I feel okay, maybe a little lightheaded sometimes, but not really those bad urges that everyone always talks about.

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[GARYC24 3]

It been 6 months for me!
over 1 month no alcohol either! I say hard part was over after 24-48 hrs.
It hard to say if it will be easy, tho.
It all depends on how much you don't want to smoke.
I know that I will not smoke again ever!

[base311 0]

today makes 3 weeks for me. had been planning to quit all the past year... timing it with my birthday... didn't want to smoke a day past 36 y.o. Haven't yet... on the patch, but it feels different than all of the other times I've quit. This time I seem to know it's for good.

Good luck! just say no

Gardner

[JoeyRamone 0]

The tests they do will show if you have smoked in the past year? Dont BS them....

[lawrocket 3]

That's right. Not a year, but the byproducts of nicotine are detectable for a couple of weeks.

I haven't bs'ed them. I told the insurance agent straight up. Hey, I worked in insurance bad faith, so I know all the reasons why it can be denied. I'm not wasting any of my money by bsing them.

Because of what I told him, he made the appointment for the physical for three weeks. He said, "Here's your chance to quit for a good reason. No smoking, no dipping, no cigars, nothing for three weeks. After that, don't do it any more, either." So, I quit. At that time, the test will be taken and there will be a detectable level, though pretty small. I'm fine with that, since I declared my usage.

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[Tink1717 2]

Once your sense on smell and taste return, it's a whole new ball game. Sugar craving, nitcotine dreams, fidgity hands. Oh joy.

Yep, dropped a three pack a day habit 16 years ago.

Skydivers don't knock on Death's door. They ring the bell and runaway... It really pisses him off.
-The World Famous Tink. (I never heard of you either!!)
AA #2069 ASA#33 POPS#8808 Swooo 1717

[argon 0]

Quote

So I quit. It's been 5 days without tobacco. I'm getting a life insurance policy and I'm actually pretty surprised that it doesn't seem to be very hard at all. Maybe it's because I was never a frequent user. Heck, my lady even tells me I am not being insufferable.

Is the hard part over? Does it get worse? My physical is on May 25. What are the odds I'll start after that?

Nicotine can be quite a monster. As a matter of fact caffeine is too. Good Luck.

***********
Freedom isn't free. Don't forget: Mother Earth is waiting for you--there is a debt you have to pay...... POPS #9329 Commercial Pilot,Instrument MEL