Question:
Are there any reformed smokers out there? Any advice on how to quit?

   — Carrie G. (posted on June 10, 1999)

June 10, 1999
Cold turkey. That way you only agonize once. I "quit" 40 times by "cutting down". And then when the phone rang or whatever I called stress, it was my excuse not to do it right now. Cold turkey. It's once, it's miserable, and then IT IS OVER. We paid the kids to put up with us for 2 weeks and clean the interiors of the cars, the interiors of the house, walls, upholstery---we didn't DARE start again! And I smoked 3 packs a day. Loved it. Kept me relatively thin. 11 years this month.
   — vitalady

June 10, 1999
i tried to quit cold turkey and i got really bad headaches and was very irritable...i then tried again with the Nicoderm CQ patches and they took away all the bad side effects of quitting and i didnt even have to use them very long only like 3 weeks since i was a lite smoker...but i had smoked for 15 years.....i have been on the smokin wagon for over 2 years now...
   — Michelle G.

June 20, 1999
Try Nicoderm CQ patches, My husband is a truck driver, and smoked 1 1/2 packs a day, to 2 packs a day, Quit after 30 years of smoking! And I used to smoke 1/2 to 1 pack a day of cigarettes, and I Quit after 22years! We both have been non smokers for 1 year, and 1 month! Robin
   — Robin C.

April 22, 2004
I had to quit smoking prior to having a breast reduction surgery 16 months ago. I was supposed to stop at least 2 weeks before the surgery, but just couldn't bring myself to do it. I was an anxious mess! I managed to stop smoking the day before surgery -- because I was afraid that if my surgeon smelled the smoke on me, she'd cancel the surgery. Several weeks before I quit, I asked for Zoloft. And after having the surgery, I was in a narcotics fog for at least a week, and didn't have many cravings at all. By the time I was clear-headed enough to realize what was going on around me, the physical cravings were gone. It was difficult to handle the psychological aspect of the addiction, but I feel blessed that I was just too drugged up and out of it to know that my body was ridding itself of the actual NEED for nicotine. I do *not* recommend waiting until the day before surgery to quit. I am very fortunate that I did not suffer any major complications. But for those of you who are struggling with it, I would recommend that you at least try Zoloft. Start taking it for 2 weeks before you quit. It does help with the anxiety associated with quitting.
   — Traci_Lee