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Turkey's Triumphs: Page 14

Messages from cold turkey quitters who've remained nicotine-free for at least 1 year


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Victory@WhyQuit.com


Our victory messages
260 - 12/30/08

A lot of people quit smoking around New Year's. I was one of them two years ago and decided to use this site to help me with a cold turkey quit.

After 72 hours passed, I applied for membership here and spent A LOT of time reading the message boards and did some posting. But I had a difficult quit, made difficult mainly because I kept romanticizing the smokes and missing them.

Despite my attitude I actually made it eight months, but then my first nicotine-free summer (2007) came and all the free time and all the outdoor triggers brought my nicotine junkie out in full force and I gave up my quit one night at a party. The next morning I found I was craving nicotine, and it was physical now, not mental anymore. I emailed the administrators of this site, admitted what I'd done, and gave up my membership.

Then I set about renewing my commitment to quitting.

I'm happy to say that I have now made it past the one year mark of being completely nicotine-free. After that relapse I was able to resist the pull to go back to nicotine because I finally realized how far I had come.

The withdrawal symptoms after my relapse were nowhere near as severe as they had been when initially withdrawing from my pack-a-day, 33 year dependency. I could still remember how awful that was and didn't want to go through it again. Plus, I'd had 8 months to experience many health, personal, financial, and social benefits gained from quitting nicotine.

I finally realized I wasn't willing to trade all the good things I'd gained for the expense, mess, and slavery of nicotine addiction. I discovered that the only thing that was making my quit difficult was my attitude.

As you see on this site a lot, "every quit is different." Some quit easily, others do it harder. The one thing I do know for sure is that this site makes it easier even for those of us who have a harder time. The education and support found here, and the no-nonsense approach which puts the responsibility squarely on you the addict for making your quit work, are what helped me to make it the first 8 months, and then to renew my quit and make it another year+ nicotine-free.

And although every quit is different, the one thing that is common to all of us and is the only thing you must remember to make your quit work permanently is to Never Take Another Puff!

Sue468
Boston, MA

259 - 12/27/08

My quit date was December 24, 2007. I just celebrated my one year anniversary!

For those of you just starting - take it one day, and one crave, at a time... use this wonderful website for help and support. Each day and each crave that you get through is one day and one more crave away to be completely free from being enslaved by nicotine. They will lessen and eventually go away.

There is life without tobacco, and it is wonderful!! YOU CAN DO IT!!

Best wishes,

Mary

258 - 12/11/08

I have been quit now for over a year and three months! I quit 3 days before my 40th birthday (28/8/07). I can't believe how fast it has gone!!!!!

I have NO desire for a cigarette at all. Just quick thoughts once in a blue moon that go away as quick as they came. I had a hard time emotionally for most of my quit initially ..... but slowly and with lots of patience i got through it.

I am here to tell you that you can TOTALLY do this ..... and that there is such a freedom that comes with losing the addiction to nicotine. Nothing worth having comes easy.

Tawny

257 - 11/14/08

I have been a lurker since Nov 2007. I smoked my last smoke on Oct.11, 2007. I had already been nicotine free for more than 30 days so I couldn't join, but I put a Quit Counter on my PC and faithfully watched a lot of Joel's videos.

I smoked for 52 years and am now 400 days quit. I could not have done it without your web site. In the beginning, when the urges came I would come to the site and read how others we handling and conviced myself that there was only one proper philospy "NTAP".

I was spending over $5 per day for smokes. That's about $2,000 saved. My wife and I just came back from a great vacation because I put the smoking money in a special account.

Thank you WhyQuit.

Fred

256 - 11/12/08

I am writing to let you know that on October 22, 2008 I celebrated my two year anniversary as a non-smoker.

Quitting smoking was THE best thing I have ever done for myself and every day just gets better and better. My breathing has vastly improved from where it was two years ago (when I wound up in ER with a suspected heart attack, which turned out instead to be "stroke material" high blood pressure).

I can actually "run" with my dog now, climb several flights of stairs and am no longer winded. My sense of taste & smell is almost back to 100% and other than having a serious bout of pneumonia in January of this year (which I think cleaned out all the rest of the gunk in my lungs), I have not been ill since I quit smoking.

It is so incredibly freeing to be a non-smoker that words simply cannot express. What I am loving right now is the ability to take large a lung full of air and to be able to breathe deeply; this is something that I couldn't do for such a long time. I also cannot believe the tremendous difference in my hair, nails, teeth and skin.

Unfortunately, I am still on the blood pressure pills but am hoping that one day they will no longer be needed.

This website is and continues to be, the best.

Sincerely,

Michele
Free from nicotine 752 days, saved over $3,600.00 by not smoking over 9,025 cigarettes

255 - 11/11/08

I quit cold turkey April 18 2007 at the age of 42. I had numerous unsuccessful attempts with quit smoking products in the past. I started dabbling with smoking at age 11 and by age 16 was a full time pack a day smoker. Both of my parents smoked and one still does socially. All of my grandparents smoked and all died with either cancer or heart disease related illnesses.

My longest quit was 9 months with the "aid ?" of the patch before this last and final cold turkey quit. What was different then was I still craved and missed it everyday of those 9 months. Now I hardly think of them and when I smell someone elses smoke I am totally turned off.

The month prior to this final quit I berated cigarettes after every drag I took. I psyched myself into hating them and breaking that chain of addiction. When I stubbed that final cigarette out I felt relief and I hardly craved at all. Once in awhile I have a crazy yearning for one but it passes as quickly as it comes.

This website and stories via the quitnet website helped tremendously in reinforcing my decision to keep this quit. I strongly urge those who are considering quitting to try going cold turkey - if you are ready, it is the quickest way not to prolong the drama. Good Luck and enjoy your new smoke free life - it will be worth it.

Kindest Smoke-free Regards,

Jules
julieshomega@aol.com

254 - 10/28/08

I got rid of nictotine on May 21, 2007 - almost a year and a half ago. I am a 45 year old female with a 25 year smoking history. Like others, I had tried other quit methods, quit during pregnancies, etc...nothing seemed to stick.

The WhyQuit site was a huge help in my quitting process. I lurked and read, read, and read. I appreciate all the time and effort every one puts into the site to make it so educational and focused (and the fact that lurkers are always welcome to read).

My reason for writing you today is twofold. One, I visit the site to reinforce my quit and I think you should continue to encourage other people to do the same - sometimes it is only once every couple of weeks, sometimes it is every day.

Secondly, I have been recently diagnosed with colon cancer (no family history and 45 years of age - very unusal) and not smoking will aid immensely in my recovery from upcoming surgery. I can't help but think that smoking has in some way contributed to the growth of cancer in me - all those chemicals for all those years. In a testimony to the teachings of WhyQuit and the power of education.

I had a brief fleeting thought of smoking a cigarette around day three after the diagnosis. Just a blip, as are all my smoking thoughts now. When I was a pack a day smoker, I would have never believed it and never would have made it through a major crisis without smoking like a chimney. I am so grateful that I don't use anymore, I am a very happy ex-smoker.

Anyway, keep up the great work and thank you once again for your dedication to helping others get rid of nictotine from their lives.

Anne

253 - 10/27/08

I quit smoking about a year ago after 33 years at two packs per day. It's all behind me now and I'm quite proud of myself. I take it one day at a time but know that I'll never go back there again. After 33 years, I'd had my "hoorah" and it was time to move on to something else. I loved your website except for one thing I read there. I read somewhere on your site that the price of tobacco keeps going up to "discourage smoking". LOL!!

Like Bill Maher said; "If ketchup contained one tenth the carcinogens that tobacco does, they would pull it off the shelves tomorrow." Our government is no better than a drug pusher. They keep increasing the "tax" on tobacco so that they...and the American citizens...can reap the financial rewards of tobacco use in our country.

If every American stopped using tobacco tomorrow, this nation would be in one hell of a deficit. I'm a firm believer that our government doesn't want anyone to quit smoking. They would rather them smoke and just keep paying the taxes on their "legalized drug". It makes our nation billions of dollars per year.

Just being a realist. But......I did like your site.

Jess
Seaside, CA

252 - 10/24/08

I am Gold today!!! My name is Vivien and I live in Cincinnati, Ohio. I smoked a pack a day for over 40 years. Never thought I could quit. Thank you John and Joanne for FFT. Thank you Joel for teaching me what to do. Thanks to the managers, oldbies and newbies.

I've been a Lurker on this site every day. Except when hurricane "Ike" blew through on Sept. 13. No power for seven days. We have a beautiful public park on the Ohio river. It has a concrete walking path. Bought me an iPod and started walking seven months ago. I walk five miles every day. I feel fantastic!

A special "thank you" to my fellow "buckeye" JoeJFree.Your posts were always an inspiration to me. Seemed like when you wrote something or guided someone to a particular topic, it was what I needed.

I'm walking on the path of freedom every day with all of you and lovin it!!!!!! Take care.

251 - 10/13/08

Today I am smoke free for 6 years. I am doing great and I wish you all the best new and old. You all can do this, so hang in and hug your quit tight.

Cookie
6 years of freedom

250 - 10/12/08

It's hard for me to believe, but it's been a year today since I had my last cigarette. Challenging times in many areas to say the least, but I didn't give in, well, because it just wouldn't make a difference.

Whenever I feel like I may want a cigarette I always remember the line (and actually have it on my blackberry in my notes app) "you may occasionally want a cigarette, but you'll always wish you hadn't."

What does the cigarette give me that I can't get somewhere else? Nothing.

Funkright

249 - 10/03/08

Hi,

On 10/10/04, I quit smoking cigarettes cold-turkey. 4 yrs smoke-free!!! Thanks WhyQuit.com, you have been a great support.

Tina

248 - 10/01/08

If you are still pretty fresh in your quit, this is for you! Mostly I just want to say YOU CAN DO THIS! And, just as important, YOU ARE WORTH IT! Four years after I put out that last cigarette, whenever I think about it, I'm grateful all over again that I quit. And here's the kicker, even those thoughts pop up only once in a while now.

I go whole MONTHS without EVER thinking about cigarettes. This is one of the true gifts of my quit, and if you stick to it, it WILL be your gift too. Addiction education worked for me and it can work for you.

Only one rule: no nicotine today!

Bernadette
Free 4 years: spent $7300 on a new motorcycle and left over 29 THOUSAND death delivery devices at the store!

247 - 09/30/08

Well today marks 5 years since I quit smoking. I will never pick up another cigarette again. For those of you newbies, do not give up. You can do it. Each day gets easier. I mean that! In the beginning I thought there is no way I can do this, but I did, and you can too.

This site did wonders for me. Without it and all of the educational info, I don't know if I would have stuck to this quit.

I only wish my beloved Father would have quit. I lost my Dad on August 27, 2008 to cancer. He was diagnosed with cancer in mid May. They found a tumor on his liver and one by his kidney. They knew it didn't start on the liver as usually happens with heavy drinkers. My dad never drank. They never did find where it originated from. They knew it was not in the lungs. They tried two types of chemo. Sadly neither worked. I felt so helpless.

My Dad and I were so close. I have such great memories of him. he was a great Dad. Did smoking cause his cancer? We will never know. I do know, that if it didn't cause it, it surely didn't help it. I miss him so much and often think about if he would be here today if he would have stopped smoking years ago. RIP Dad. I love you!

Thank you to everyone at this wonderful site.

Michelle
5 years free from nicotine.

246 - 09/29/08

I wanted to just update you about my quit. It will be 2 years this December 20th that I quit and I have never looked back. Thank you so much for this site and all the information that is on there.

A loyal fan

Patti C. in Pittsburgh

245 - 09/24/08

So impossible as they many seem
You've got to fight for every dream
'Cause who's to know
Which one you let go
Would have made you complete


'Flying without wings' lyrics

What I have achieved is like a dream. It's been two years since I started my journey. It started with the birth of our granddaughter on September 2, 2006, not wanting to hold her smelling like an ashtray. To ruin perfection was unforgivable. So September 25 it all began.

Birthdays & anniversaries came and went, the sudden death of our cat Savvy, our daughter spreading her wings and leaving home to be in charge of her own destiny. Trying to be happy for her when I miss her so much. Making new friends and losing old friends, getting two new kittens who are now cats, and on September 13th, 2008 the birth of our grandson.

I am sure there are going to be many more happy times and many sad times, but I will be doing them all nicotine free - life will go on Dreams are important.

How I found WhyQuit and then Freedom I will never know. It was here that I learned patience and to live by the motto of NTAP and to understand the 'Law of Addiction' and I took one day at a time. I was an excellent student.

One of my dreams is now a reality - I don't smoke anymore.

Suzie
730 days
25th September 2006 - 25th September 2008

244 - 09/19/08

I have been free from Nicotine ... for Five (5) Years!!!

I rock!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bravo por mi!

Sometimes I can't believe I used to smoke. Every time I see someone leaving good company to go outside a room to smoke, or when I see beloved friends anxious to leave a restaurant so they can smoke, or when I think of my son fighting with his five days quit (Bravo, mi nino amado!), I thank God that I was so privileged to find this place.

Newbies: Hang in there!! You can do this!! One Day at a Time. Read, read, read ... knowledge is Power ... trust me.

NTAP!!!!

Cuca
- Free and Healing for Five Years, 9 Hours and 29 Minutes, while extending my life expectancy 190 Days and 8 Hours, by avoiding the use of 54,822 nicotine delivery devices that would have cost me $10,351.77.

243 - 09/14/08

There was once a time when I would have to check how many cigs I have before I get to sleep because I wanted to have a puff in my car the next day going to work. There was once a time I had to suck one down before a movie or a lecture. At work, taking a few breaks making excuses that I need cigs to handle my stress. In a traffic jam, while I'm walking, while I'm waiting, while I'm reading. Basically I light up whenever I'm outside. It went on for years and years. I was losing control.

I decided I don't want this any more. I want my life back.

So today marks the day where I've quit smoking and remained nicotine-free for one year. I'd quit cold turkey, stopped completely one day at a time. I learned that it's an addiction and in order to stop you have to understand what's happening to your mind and body to get rid of that addiction. I learned that we should never ever underestimate an addiction. I understood it, I took action, I quit, and conquered my addiction by arresting it.

I also believe that I couldn't have done it without the support of my then girlfriend now my wife Ayu, my family and my friends. I found strength and will in all your words of encouragement and advice. Thanks guys. I've finally made it. I've done it. I am an ex-smoker and will always continue to be one.

Fadhli Rahim

242 - 09/03/08

Just celebreated 1 year of no smoking. Thanks to Joel's stuff, I was prepared for everything. DETERMINATION + KNOWLEDGE = SUCCESS!

It's true that the best things in life are for free.

See you next year :)

Dimos

241 - 08/26/08

I am still nicotine free and have not had a puff for 3 years 4 months 4 days. I have no cravings and am still disgusted by it all. I have been using the WhyQuit link in all my internet accounts and sites and have been getting response from that.

Great news! One fellow was in the same shoes as I was when I found you and your site. He is desperate to quit and has tried everything. I sent him an e-mail telling my story and he is slowly viewing the material on the site.

Many thanks again for your help. Telling my story brings me back to that fateful day when I was desperate with a patch on my arm surfing why quit site. I sent you that e-mail and you responded so quickly and empowered me to take the patch off and do it right. Thank you. Your moment of kindness has now impacted at least 3 people directly to quit and I am working on this guy too.

Steve


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