tryagain, you say you'ven tried everything but what is missin from your list of "tried its" is REWARDS! You have done awesome, really awesome & stared the junkie doe=wn many times & WOO HOO!! for that. But what has tryagain gotten for all that effort & guts & sacrifice? Nothing that I've seen. I know you're self-employed & money is tight. But what about ONE DAY? What if you & your husband picked ONE DAY in your slow time to say "we're closed". Your customers don't have to know anything, just tell them you will be closed for ONE DAY for family reasons. Then you & your husband have a whole day of whatever YOU, not him, YOU like to do. He has to go along because it's your reward & if he doesn't, then a friend or a sister. I think that's what has been missing for you, tryagain. In all your posts, I have never seen a reward or even a woohoo for yourself. This is a positive thing we're giving ourselves & our loved ones, not something being taken away & we need to celebrate it. Come back & tell us about your reward, tryagain, we're all dying to hear & holding our breath to WOOHOO!! [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]5/13/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 68 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 1,360 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $748.00 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 6 [B]Hrs:[/B] 19 [B]Mins:[/B] 32 [B]Seconds:[/B] 10

I tried to quit a few days ago. It was enough to make me eye the store across the street for a pack. I wish I could end the cravings. They are so strong, and so darn constant. I spend my time swinging at the end of my rope! I have absolutely tried everything hard candy, chocolate, straws, everything. The nic gum doesn't even alleviate the cravings, just makes them a tiny bit more manageable. I walk around all day just wanting a cigarette. It's nearly six months! It's worse now than a month after I quit. I chewed enough gum and hard candy and all the rest, that I developed a problem with my jaw, not to mention tiny cuts all around the inside of my mouth. I am literally at my wits end with this. I am too stubborn to smoke. I'd rather suffer with this, than what I had with smoking. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]1/27/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 173 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 5,190 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $1,730.00 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 22 [B]Hrs:[/B] 20 [B]Mins:[/B] 10 [B]Seconds:[/B] 19

Tryagain, You can definitely cut yourself some slack but you can't stay on the gum forever either. Keep doing what you're doing. Plan out how you'll continue to cut back slowly and what strategies you'll use to push through the craves. If you're up to 5 halves, cut down to four... until your free from nicotine! Danielle, Bilingual Support Specialist

I sincerely hope I'll be able to give up my half pieces of gum. Then I think I was a chain smoker. Up to 2 1/2 packs or more a day. I can cut myself some slack. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]1/27/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 172 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 5,160 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $1,720.00 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 22 [B]Hrs:[/B] 16 [B]Mins:[/B] 25 [B]Seconds:[/B] 25

That's exactly what you need to do! Get thinking about it, it will be a distraction for you, too. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]5/13/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 64 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 1,280 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $704.00 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 6 [B]Hrs:[/B] 11 [B]Mins:[/B] 32 [B]Seconds:[/B] 2

Auntie, I NEVER forgot that story either. I can't tell you how often I thought of that story. I guess that is what it is like with me. An unwarrented fear. I need to plan a real nice reward to do this thing. Mercy [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]1/21/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 176 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 3,520 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $786.72 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 23 [B]Hrs:[/B] 4 [B]Mins:[/B] 17 [B]Seconds:[/B] 19

I know, you posted about it ages ago. I told the story about my son's little piece of blanky he took to kindergarten with him & how I moved it from one pants pocket to another till he was in grade 2. Then I found out he had forgotten all about it & didn't even know it was there. 6 days, young lady. There will be a reward & no more piece of blanky! Your Auntie Unhooked will be watching! [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]5/13/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 64 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 1,280 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $704.00 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 6 [B]Hrs:[/B] 11 [B]Mins:[/B] 23 [B]Seconds:[/B] 14

You are soooooooooooooooo right. I was afraid to do it with a vacation I went on. I could have done it too. I'm not sure what my hang-up is. I have somekind of fear. Sort of like a security blanket. Mercy [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]1/21/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 176 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 3,520 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $786.72 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 23 [B]Hrs:[/B] 4 [B]Mins:[/B] 12 [B]Seconds:[/B] 46

mercy, silly goat, I thought you gave up that 1/2 piece of gum! When you're done with the 3 you have left, go get yourself a reward & say good bye to it forever! I'll be watching in 6 days for a post from you telling us what your reward is & that you are nicotine-free! Silly goat! [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]5/13/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 64 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 1,280 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $704.00 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 6 [B]Hrs:[/B] 11 [B]Mins:[/B] 16 [B]Seconds:[/B] 50

Maybe this info will help in your NRT choice. A cigarette has about 10mgs of nicotine. Depending how deeply and swiftly we inhaled, we received about 1 to 2 mgs of nicotine from the cigarette. Do the math, and if you smoked a pack a day (20 cigarettes) you absorbed 20 to 30 mgs of nicotine a day. So basically the gum and patch (if used in the quanity they suggest in the beginning) is replacing the amount of nicotine you received. As you cut down you receive less and less nicotine. The good part is.....that while you were slowly cutting down the amount of nicotine you were able to replace BAD HABITS with GOOD HABITS. That is....if you were smart!! It was not meant to be a replacement of your habit, but an opprotunity to use those 4 months learning to live without the visual of smoking. Theory is...after learning new behaviors in your daily routine... weaning off the actual nicotine should be easier. You NEED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPROTUNITY to relearn living without the cigarette. It is all a matter of preference. Many....many people cannot go cold turkey even though many websites recommend it. So.... it is much better to use NRT and quit...than not use NRT and continue smoking. I have quit smoking using the gum. I have tried every method there is over the years!!!!! (lots of years) I have gone longer on the nicorette gum than suggested. I started out using 5 pieces a day and very quickly cut it down to 3. After that I remained on 2 pieces a day and around the 4th month I began using half pieces. Presently, I have a half piece a day (some days 2 half pieces). Silly huh? That amounts to aproximately 1 cigarettes worth of nicotine a day or less. I have 3 pieces left and will not buy another box. I think at this point it is responsible for the cigarette thoughts I have a few times a day. Saying it simple............I'm prolonging the agony of total nioctine dependence/quiting. Just thought this information would be helpful to those opting to use the gum. Still...bottom line is......better to use NRT than intake 4,000 chemicals with each and every cigarette....BUT..BUT..BUT... NRT's intent to to gently RID yourself of an addictive drug. Mercy [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]1/21/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 176 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 3,520 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $786.72 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 23 [B]Hrs:[/B] 4 [B]Mins:[/B] 6 [B]Seconds:[/B] 50