Thanks for all the suggestions ... Today is the day!

[aLittletank]

Well, the great reef central smokeout has officially begun. Dave from Gurnee Il. and my self have agreed to stop smoking today.

I have not heard from him yet today so I hope he is still not smoking. :)

for me I have the NASTY gum sunflower seeds carrots celery and one huge headache. :(

no smokes for me though :)


I just thought I would let everyone know why my post may have an edge for the next few days ;)


TTYL

Allen

[Staceon]

Allen,

GREAT NEWS........no longer a slave........let freedom ring. Glad to hear it, now just take it minute by minute!!!!!

[Larry M]

You go, boys!! As an added incentive we promise to look the other way for the next week or so if anyone trying to quit the coffin nails gets a little cranky. :)

------------------
Larry M

Visit Reef Stores.com (http://63.75.34.139/ubbcgi/Ultimate.cgi?) The liaison between hobbyists and on-line retailers.

See my tanks at Northern Reef (http://www.reefcentral.com/northernreef/index.htm)

[Deacon]

All right, Allen!!

Here's an insurance problem for you to keep your mind off of the cigs: The 18 year-old son of one of your best customers calls and needs full coverage on a 900cc crotch rocket that he just bought. Try to find coverage with an annual premium of less than 1/3 the value of the bike. That oughta keep you busy for a while. (I couldn't do it, and the old man was not happy. This one almost made me START smoking :))

Keep us updated on the no smoking campaign!

later,
Rich

[aLittletank]

I got the 2 mg gum but probably should have gotten the 4

Staceon yes , yes it was that bad , but that is just the way it is for me> I ave a pain threshhold (broken bokens in the past) however this nicotine addiction realy has ahold on me.

As I type this my head feels three feet thick and I am sweating. This feeling comes and goes through out the day.


i am not trying to whine, but you asked :)

Allen

[Staceon]

Whine all you want....do you what ever you have to rid your body of the posion.

May try the 4, I started with the 4 than next box with the two. The 2 may do the trick though.

The first week is the hardest.

[Staceon]

Just like to add that I was so bad during the first two weeks that I actually went out a bought my finace a diamond ring to say thanks.

[aLittletank]

Hi all.

staceon- thank you for your suport

Larry - thanks for the "get out of jail free card" :D

Deacon- we do not insure crocth rockets :(


well it is after noon DAY 2 STILLL NO SMOKES :) :( :D :mad: :eek: :) :( :D :mad: :eek: :) :( :D :mad: :eek: :) :( :D :mad: :eek: that about sums it up to this point!

Why is it that crazy stressful sh@t always happens when you quit smoking ?!?

any I had a bad fit this morning so I ran straight to the store and bought more nicotine gum and tylenol.

I am ok now
Allen

[Staceon]

Did you get the 2 or 4 milgram gum? The 4 gives you a nice buzzzzzzzz.

Day one is over....wasn't that bad was it?

[signu459]

Alittletank,

Stay tough, keep your head up, and kick that demon out!

[Deacon]

Thanks for the update, Allen, keep guttin' it out!

I know some very financially successful people who, when asked, will ignore all the lucrative business deals they have made and say the best move they ever made was to quit smoking.

[aLittletank]

Thanks for the kind/supportive words,


I am doing my best imitation of a preacher
"out you smoke belching nicotine stained deamon! Out I say!" :D


Allen

[Larry M]

Hang in there, guys!! Exercise helps too.

------------------
Larry M

Visit Reef Stores.com (http://63.75.34.139/ubbcgi/Ultimate.cgi?) The liaison between hobbyists and on-line retailers.

See my tanks at Northern Reef (http://www.reefcentral.com/northernreef/index.htm)

[Dave]

Im in the 47th hr and im not bad. My eyes did hurt and I was a little dizzy.
I went cold turkey I did have alot of sunflower seeds and gum I didnt have my prescription filled for zyban but if I need it I will.

[signu459]

Keep up the good work, in three days it will seem easy!

[jimhobbs]

Hang in there buddy! :) You're doing something to be proud of!! :) You're taking back control of your body from the nicotine demon and he doesn't want to let go! :) We're all proud of your progress!! :)

Best regards...jim

[aLittletank]

Day Three
Things are looking up to day, just a head ache. I figure I will try to go as long today without any nicotine gum as I can.


Has any one found it difficult to quit the gum after quiting smoking? Probably not becuase of the nasty taste.

Allen

[Deacon]

What does that gum taste like?

[Larry M]

Tasted like pepper to me.

Still making it? The first smoke of the day, and the one after a meal were the toughest ones to give up for me.

Another thing: Don't think about "I can't do this for the rest of my life." Forget that long-range thinking for now. Concentrate on the next hour, the next minute. At some point it does get easier.

:)

------------------
Larry M

Visit Reef Stores.com (http://63.75.34.139/ubbcgi/Ultimate.cgi?) The liaison between hobbyists and on-line retailers.

See my tanks at Northern Reef (http://www.reefcentral.com/northernreef/index.htm)

[Staceon]

Good job Allen!!!!!!


Deacon, the gum at first doesn't have too pleasant of a taste. Its not bad, just not good. But after a while I came to like it. You can see and taste the nicotine. Does that explain it?

[dragon0121]

Hi Allen,
Just wanted to congratulate you on one of the BEST steps you could possibly take in your life! :) I quit cold turkey 7 years and 9 months ago :D . The first week was an absolute b!tch. After the first week the nicotine no longer has a hold on you physically and you start to feel much better. Then you have to beat the mental addiction, tough in itself, but this only lasted about 6 months for me. Like Larry said, there are cetain times that you are trained to have a cig. and these are the difficult times to get past. After 6 months I found the smell of a cig. so repulsive I can't believe I ever smoked (slap! slap!) :D . My best friend is a smoker and I can sit in a vehicle with him while he smokes and not even dream of having a cig.

Best wishes!

FYI
I believe that research has shown that nicotine is more addictive than cocaine.

[This message has been edited by dragon0121 (edited 06-02-2000).]

[Dave]

71 hours and going strong. Alittletank is also doing a good job. Ive been around 6 smokers and it hasnt bothered me yet.
It was alot smoother than it wa supposed to be.

[billsreef]

Way to go guys!
As added incentive for those difficult times just think about all the money you'll be saving by not buying smokes. You know, all that money you can now spend on your tanks :D

------------------
Bill

If damsels grew as big as sharks, the sharks would run in fear!
My dive photos (http://hometown.aol.com/billsreef/)
ICQ 56222784

[Larry M]

How's it going with you two?

------------------
Larry M

Visit Reef Stores.com (http://63.75.34.139/ubbcgi/Ultimate.cgi?) The liaison between hobbyists and on-line retailers.

See my tanks at Northern Reef (http://www.reefcentral.com/northernreef/index.htm)

[aLittletank]

Thanks for asking Larry! this is day 6 and I am smoke free! :) Everyone said that it helps to stay busy..... so I ripped all the shingles off my house this weekend and re-roofed it.

You know how if your head hurts and then you stub your toe - you wont think about your head ache for a while. Same thing here for me. my back, ankles, and knees are all sore today, so my mind stays off smoking for the most part. :)


The weird thing is I have noticed how my mind works, I will be getting in my car and think "I need gas, well I better get it further down the road because I wont have time to smoke if i stop at the next one" then I think "HEY IDIOT YOU DONT SMOKE" so I stop at the close station :) I catch my self thinking like this all the time. I never realized how much smoking affected everything I do!

I am not grouchy any more and the headaches seem to have gone also.

I plan on cutting back on the nicotine gum today. I only chewed three pieces yesterday.

the biggest challenge has been the loss of my reef tank (faulty heater = everything melted) which I will go into detail about on the Main board when I feel like talking about it. But even that will not be an excuse to smoke.


thanks for letting me ramble on
Allen

[Dave]

Still smoke free and never had the zyban filled. Ive used alot of sunflower seeds but thats ok.
Thanks for everybodies support.

[Larry M]

Hey, that's great you guys :D I hope you (and me) can stay off them for good. It's one of the best things any of us can do for ourselves, and our families. Congratulations.

------------------
Larry M

Visit Reef Stores.com (http://63.75.34.139/ubbcgi/Ultimate.cgi?) The liaison between hobbyists and on-line retailers.

See my tanks at Northern Reef (http://www.reefcentral.com/northernreef/index.htm)

[Dave]

Still not smoking

[aLittletank]

dave this is day 7 for us and I can't imagine a good reason to jump off the wagon at this point ;) I struck a deal with my wife. Every week I get to spend half of what I would have spent on smokes for my reef (rebuilding)

today I sent my new 15 long to get drilled and bought the PVC piping. next Tuesday I go buy lumber for the stand and hood.


Little rewards to keep me focused :)

I know this sounds corny but she bought me a card yesterday to tell me how proud she is of me. (everyone say ahhhh) I can't imagine how low I would feel if I started smoking again now.

congrats Dave keep up the good work :)

Allen

[jimhobbs]

http://www.gifs.net/animate/smoker.gif
Just think, you never have to look this way again! :D

Good job all!...jim :)

[Staceon]

Allen and Dave.....how you doing?

[Joez]

Keep up the good work!

In CA (don't know if it's nation-wide) there is an anti-smoking TV ad in which a woman with a raspy voice (trachiotomy) is talking about smoking and how addictive it is. Toward the end of the commercial, she actually smokes through the trach tube! I've seen it many times, but it still is a powerful image to me.

[aLittletank]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Staceon:
Allen and Dave.....how you doing?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


Thanks for asking! I am still chewing 2-3 pieces of nicotine gum a day. But I have not and will not smoke. The amazing thing is that i am still finding my mind wander about smoking. I was paying for gas, the attendant asked "will that be all?" my mind said "camel lights in a box, please!" but I caught it before I actually said it :)


1/2 of the smokes money every week to go to my reef is a little incentive.

I got my tank drilled and returned today so this weekend I will keep busy playing with that :)

Allen

[Staceon]

GOOD JOB ALLEN!!!!!!!!!!!


I was on the gum for at least a month. Been alomst a year since I smoked....even now I still have craving. Or more like mind telling I want a smoke like yours is doing.

Keep it up.....you know if you dont you well check some slack. :)

[Dave]

Allen you havnt been married long enough.
All my smoke money and then some will go into the reef.
Dave