Smoking

[gothique11]

So, I smoke (puts up hands as everyone tries to beat me up for it). Although people tell me it blocks estrogen, I find it hard to believe since I'm a 36B. But, I know that over all smoking isn't good for you, etc, etc, etc.

I've tried several things and a couple of people have mentioned this book. I'm going to try it. I think it's called, "Allen Carr's Easy Way to Stop Smoking."

I don't know if it will work, but apparently you smoke while you read the book. Apparently the book doesn't do things the way other programs have. Apparently it doesn't tell you how bad it is over and over (honestly, negative reinforcement doesn't work).

So, I'm going to try to find this book somewhere in town and check it out. I hope it works.

I don't know why no one seems to smoke in this board -- as far as I know, I'm the only one. Yet, where I live, a lot of trans people smoke (post and pre-op... I know people who smoked at Brassards after surgery). So, for some reason, smoking is much more popular up here than in the US, I'm guessing. Although, our smokes cost more.

But, anyway, after I read the book I have promised to loan to my other smoking trans friend. Our goal is to stop smoking well before SRS comes. We've both tried and tried. So, now it's time to try the book and see what it does. I keep reading reviews about it and how it works some how, as if by magic. You just read. You get to smoke while you read. I don't know how it works, but I'm willing to try it out.


Wish me luck!


--natalie

[buttercup]

Good Luck Natalie, smoking is a good habit to lose so I hope you can beat it.  I don't treat smokers like piriahs, I was one once, but only socially and even that was hard to kick.  It basically made me sick after a few so I wasn't able to keep it up anyway, but I understand your struggle as I know many smokers who are truly addicted.  Keep up your good sense of humour, that helps when you're getting rid of something out of your system. 
And giving up will help you recover after surgery so much better, imagine your lungs feeling a new invigoration as it continually fills with clean, fresh air. (sorry, that sounds abit pathetic but anyways...)

Take care

buttercup 

[Dennis]

I smoke like a chimney, Nat, so you're not the only one. Ask Karen and Cindi who had to put up with my puffing when I visited them. Good luck with quitting.

Dennis

[Bobbie]

Fraid you're not on your own Natalie. I think I qualify for the Olympic smoking team.

My doc keeps nagging me to give up and I'm finding it a real struggle, but I'm going to have to do it very soon because my cholesterol has recently shot up

Someone at work told me about the book you mentioned, but she made the mistake of throwing away all her cigarettes before reading it, and you need to read it while smoking so she had to get another pack and try again. It seemed to work well...for a few months at least (shes back on them again) so I may give it a go as well. Anythings worth a try. Sounds a strange way of giving up though.

I've tried nicotine gum which had no effect other than giving me jaw ache, and patches brought me out in big red blotches so I gave them up.
I also tried going cold turkey which made me bite peoples heads of in between climbing the walls. Not a good idea.

I think its all in the mind. You really need to want to give up. SRS sounds like a good incentive. I've read that most places will postpone your procedure if you're still addicted to the evil weed, as it can cause healing related complications and slow down recovery, so its got to be worth it just for that. The least pain the better.

Anyway, good luck and I really hope you manage to quit.

Bobbie 

[Cire]

Forget the books. Buy Chantix. It's probably not covered by insurance if you have it, but it's WORTH IT.

You will not want cigarettes. You won't want tobacco. It's not like quitting, it makes your body forget about nicotine.

You can quit with NO PAIN. No torment. You take the pill AS RECOMMENDED and your body doesn't want it anymore.

I can tell you all sorts of sucess stories, but if you take the pills as directed, you can tell us yours!

[karmatic1110]

I stopped smoking 6 months ago when I started hormones as my doctor would not prescribe them if I did.  I used the patch and it worked so well for me that I doubt I could have quit otherwise.  I smoked for 11 years about a pack a day, so I wasn't a light smoker either.

The nice thing about the patch is it is hard to smoke on it.  If you were to smoke while the nicotine from the patch was in your system you would most likely get ill.  That is really what kept me in check.

Good Luck!

Charlotte

[suregirl]

Keep on trying!-most ex-smokers like myself have had to try several times-I quit for 3 years and started again(foolish girl)!-but have now been smoke free for over a year and feel so much better about myself-WE CAN DO IT-Good luck x

[Enigma]

I just quit again, I've been quitting for 10 years.  Never quit quitting.

[KarenLyn]

I was up to almost 4 packs a day before I quit. Yes, 4. I quit more than 10 years ago using self hypnosis. It took three months but I've been smoke free since. Except for my boyfriend. He smokes and I nag at him to quit. Even being around it all the time doesn't temp me to start again. And since I got the book from the public library, it didn't cost me anything to quit.
It probably won't work for everyone but if you try enough different ways you're bound to find one that works.
A final incentive for quitting - I saved enough cigarette money to buy a better computer every year.


Karen Lyn

[emma?]

well im in the smokers club, atm.. im hopeing to be on my last pack as im going to start trying to quit here this week sometime, as when the last pack i have runs out i dont wanna buy more.. this time i think im gonna try the patch and hard candy or gum <ie big red> i quit for like 3 months before useign only hard candy but started again when i got persistant migranse that wouldnt go away.. so hopefull ythis times the charm 

[Jordan]

Reading you guys talk about smoking makes me want a cigarette, now I gotta go smoke one, damn.

I addicted too, a pack a day.

If my doc says shes not gonna give me HRT cause I smoke, I swear to God I will probally bite her head off.

I just gave up smoking excessive amounts of weed 6 months ago, and cigarettes are still my crutch, I cant walk, I just cant.

Also Keira I didnt place you as a smoker, dont know why just didnt.

[Purple Pimp]

Natalie: How did it go?  Did you read the book?  I've been considering the Carr method too... I've definitely got to stop in April before SRS, the only problem is that I'll be in finals there, so lots of papers to write and tests to take.  Definitely not an ideal time to quit smoking, so I guess I'd better get a move on.

Lia

[elena]

While I dont smoke habitually, I do enjoy one every now and then.  When I started hormones my doctor told me of the slight risk of a lung embalism (sp?) and that was enough to scare me off them.  Maybe this is silly, but when I was waiting to go onstage one night with my band I just about passed out because I was afraid to breathe the smokey air in the club.

[Alena43]

Natalie,

You are definetly no the only one, I smoke way to much especially when I am driving my truck. I would love to quit, but have tried many times and have always started back up again.

Hugz,
Ariana

[ambientdischord]

I think I could quit if it weren't for the clubs and playing shows.  But I have a lot of incentives to quit, such as saved money, saving my falsetto, and, oh yeah, not dying while undergoing HRT.  So, you'd think that would be enough. 

[CayForever]

I smoke

1 pack a day for 25 years, so thats 25 smokes a day, bingo  ima canuck, but i have decided to quit or at least cut back hard...I know it wont be easy, 4 days now i have limited myself to 6 smokes a day, a good start....i thinks.

I also smoked pot for 25 years and yup i quit this also....now i know pot isnt addictive cuz it was a breeze to quit once i got outa my system everything that i was keeping inside. I havent touched the stuff in 4 months .

do I have any tips ....maybe 1 or 2

get someone to hold onto your smoke pack and make a little schedule...mine is.
if you start thinking you need a smoke....go for a walk.

2 smokes in the morning, 2 in the afternoon, 2 in the evening.

in a few months I will try decreasing it more, maybe 1 , 1 and 1.

Goodluck and it is for the better, also just think you are giving the government all that exta money u work so hard for.....that should be lotsa incentive.

Caylea

[V M]

I use to smoke like a chimny. Cig.s - pot. I quit pot about 4 yr.s ago and have cut way back on the cig.s. I'm hoping to quit altogether soon. 

[Janet_Girl]

I will join the club.  I have been smoking since I was 13.  That is 42 years.  I have had two surgeries as a direct link to smoking.  I have had two minor strokes also.

I have stopped smoking for at least 100 times.  And tried everything.  And I am smoking as I type even now.

Will I quit?  Someday.  Every smoker does. ( Morbid Thought ). 

Well SRS keep me from it?  No,  I will quit 2 weeks prior to surgery.  But I will be back at it when I am released.  This I know.

Do I want to?  Yes, we all do.  Will I?  Most likely not.

[Miniar]

I smoke.
Rarely, like a pack a month or two, while sharing it with my hubby.
I have no intention of quitting. I do not want to.
Yes I know "cancer".. I'm gonna die anyway one day.
I will not be guilted, berated, or bullied into quitting.

But if you all wanna quit. You have my support. Make the choice. Recognize "why" you want to quit. And remind yourself why whenever you waver. Good Luck!

[Genevieve Swann]

Mark Twain said it's easy to stop smoking, Done it hundreds of times. I smoke and just got back from buying a pack. The price went another 70 cents in three days. Now I'll have to quit. Gave up pot in 1980. I just got tired of being high all the time. I was doing about one fourth pound every two weeks. I lived in Panama and it was only a $20.00 per month habit. Cheaper than cigarettes.