Turkey's Triumphs: Page 14

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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!

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

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.

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