Thank you, cardinal_mark!

[haslemere_harry]

Glad to be of service...

I have a feeling that cardinal_mark has not been active here since the forum was targetted by nutters last summer, but I owe Mark a very big "thank you".

It is now just over 5 years since his That's it... post, where he announced that he'd stopped smoking. Just like that.

Mark's post must have had a subliminal effect, because about two weeks later, over Easter 2005, I ran out of baccy and haven't touched another cigarette since then.

Albeit unintentionally! I'm still hanging around here from time to time but less so recently and after the summer debacle, under the new name of haslemere_harry.

Cheers

Mark

 

[zzjfawce]

Never a non-smoker again, though

I gave up smoking 20 a day aged 29 on January 17 1989 while travelling through Israel because they were so expensive to buy there. Regret not doing it sooner because doctors really shouldn't smoke at all. A consultant surgeon I was attached to as a student used to smoke between seeing patients in the clinic. When the next patient was coming in through the door, he would put his (still lit) cig in an ashtray in the top drawer of his desk and start the consultation. Usually these were brief affairs and he would be able to resume puffing a couple of minutes later but occasionally he would be unable to conclude lecturing the patient on this or that before smoke used to appear from the cracks in the desktop - a great look when extolling the dangers of the weed. Cutter, sometime of this parish, who trained in the same hospital (but a few years senior to me), will know who I'm referring to.

But I still miss smoking intermittently, especially after meals. I have resolved to resume when I turn 80 but it will probably be illegal by then

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

5 years is a great acheivement Sgeir... well done!

I gave up, much like many of the stories above, on the spur of the moment... no patches, no gum, nothing... just stopped... on 19th Oct, 2009, so just over 6 months ago... I was smoking 40 a day at this point.

I decided that I needed to substitute the misery of cravings for something else, so went for a short run... 1.2miles and I was physically sick. so violently sick, and with such a high heart rate that I genuinely frightened myself. But being stubborn, the following night I tried again (perhaps a bit easier).... and then again... and again.... etc

I am now running 30+ miles a week, have bought a good road bike, and ride 100+ miles a week... I swim 2 miles twice a week. Later this year I am doing a half ironman triathlon, swimming 1.9km, riding 85km, and then running a half marathon. I have a 10k road race in 2 weeks, have signed up for a pair of half marathons later in the year, and plan on doing a full ironman next year (3.5km swim, 112mile ride and then a marathon). I also do a 10 mile Time Trial on wednesday nights with a local cycling club (great fun BTW)

Its fair to say that I have changed my outlook somewhat!.. and I can't believe the financial difference.... here's to healthy old age!

 

[Deleted member 36384]

Awesome Morgana and inspirational too.

 

[silentlady]

Congrats to all you ex-smokers, well done. As a matter of interest did your SWMBO stop as well? When I stopped, we both stopped together, otherwise I don't think I could have done it. Moral support and all that.

 

[colingr]

I gave up 11th Sept 1992 after a game of squash and a cigar followed by a heart attack!

Came out of hospital with nary a craving.

Once or twice thought about an after dinner cigar but don't really fancy it.

Not that I'd recommend this as a method of giving up

Still like beer, steak, chips etc though.

 

[kunyang]

Its easy giving up, I've done it loads of times. This time its three years and going strong. Don't think i'll start again.

Dave

 

[Kilter]

Well done to all who have quit! I stopped (finally) 12 years ago; had a filthy cold, didn't smoke for a week and then thought 'why bother?' Never looked back. Have now joined the can't stand it brigade!