Weekly Quit Stats for Week of Sunday, August 23, 2009
Susan H
Welcome to your weekly Quit Stats.
.........................................................
Be proud of your quit and enter your details simply by replying in the
appropriate quit period. If you have a meter you are welcome to show it off
there also.
(Haven't got a meter yet? Get one at a link listed at the bottom of this
page.)
If you're new to news: alt.quit.smoking.support, post as often as you wish.
We are here to help if we can so don't be shy. We are all fighting the same
battle. It won't be easy, but it can be done, and we are doing it. We love
listening to a good rant, too.
Good luck and welcome, from all of us here at AQSS!
Included in this page are:
1/ Smoking abbreviations used in this NG
2/ Stages of quitting
3/ Junkie thinking
4/ Web site links
5/ Meters
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Smoking abbreviations used in this NG
.........................................................
W - 1 week
FWD - first/full week done
WW - 2 weeks
M - 1 month
FMD - first/full month done
MM - 2 months
QOF - Quarter Old Fogey, 3 months (1/4 of a year)
HOF - Half Old Fogey, 6 months (1/2 of a year)
3QOF - 3 Quarters Old Fogey, 9 months (3/4 of a year)
OF - Old Fogey (1 year)
DOF - Double Old Fogey (2 years)
VOF - Very Old Fogey (3 years or more)
AQSS/a.q.s.s. - this group, Alt.Quit.Smoking.Support
NRT - nicotine replacement therapy
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Stages of quitting
.........................................................
Stage 1: Agitation
Anxiety, muscular tension, irritability, difficulty sleeping, and high
craving. You've probably already experienced this innumerable times during
your smoking career (this is when you root through the ashtrays looking for
butts). It generally begins a few hours after your last cigarette and lasts
for a day or two.
Stage 2: Slump
You feel depressed, fatigued, jittery and are forgetful, short-tempered, and
emotionally volatile. You may also have trouble sleeping. You continually
crave a cigarette. This may last for several days.
Stage 3: Honeymoon
Somewhere in the first 10 days after your last cigarette, you start feeling
better. A lot better. Your mood improves and your energy returns. Craving is
still present but manageable. The danger is you'll become overconfident.
Stage 4: Second Slump
It's hard to pin down, but for most of our quitters, this second slump
begins two to six weeks after the last cigarette. Craving may return along
with episodes of nervousness, irritability, sleep disruption, flu-like
symptoms, and fatigue.
Stage 5: Second Honeymoon
Begins four to six weeks after the last dose. Improvement in the above
symptoms leads to the conclusion that danger of relapse has past and
withdrawal is over.
Stage 6: Relapse Phase
Most ex-smokers experience at least one more noticeable "slump" during the
first four months of abstinence. Craving returns, and with it, the risk of
relapse. To get through it, you have to avoid exposing yourself to risky
situations.
Stage 7: Stabilization
Once the last of the initial slumps has ended, things stabilize. Craving is
largely the result of conditioned responses (e.g., to smells, activities)
which can be avoided. Abstinence is fairly comfortable with the exception of
periods of unusual stress, recurrent craving, and occasional strong memories
of pleasures associated with smoking.
Patience is the key here. Keep going in your quit, and all these stages will
soon become history.
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Junkie thinking
.........................................................
JUNKIE THINKING: "One Puff won't hurt"
RESPONSE: "One puff will always hurt me, and it always will because I'm not
a social smoker. One puff and I'll be smoking compulsively again."
JUNKIE THINKING: "I only want one."
RESPONSE: "I have never wanted only one. In fact, I want 20-30 a day, every
day. I want them all."
JUNKIE THINKING: "I'll just be a social smoker."
RESPONSE: "I'm a chronic, compulsive smoker, and once I smoke one, I'll
quickly be thinking about the next one. Social smokers can take it or leave
it. That's not me!"
JUNKIE THINKING: "I'm doing so well, one won't hurt me now."
RESPONSE: "The only reason I'm doing so well is because I haven't taken the
first one. Yet once I do, I won't be doing well anymore. I'll be smoking
again."
JUNKIE THINKING: "I'll just stop again."
RESPONSE: "Sounds easy, but who am I trying to kid? Look how long it took me
to stop this time. And once I start, how long will it take before I get sick
enough to face withdrawal again? In fact, when I'm back in the grip of
compulsion, what guarantee do I have that I'll ever be able to stop again?"
JUNKIE THINKING: "If I slip, I'll keep trying."
RESPONSE: "If I think I can get away with one little 'slip' now I'll think I
can get away with another little 'slip' later on. And the slipping will get
stronger and the trying will get weaker."
JUNKIE THINKING: "I need one to get me through this withdrawal."
RESPONSE: "Smoking will not get me through the discomfort of not smoking. It
will only get me back to smoking. One puff stops the process of withdrawal
and I'll have to go through it all over again."
JUNKIE THINKING: "I miss smoking right now."
RESPONSE: "Of course I miss something I've been doing every day for most of
my life. But do I miss the chest pains right now? Do I miss the worry, the
embarrassment? I'd rather be an ex-smoker with an occasional desire to
smoke, than a smoker with a constant desire to quit."
JUNKIE THINKING: "I really need to smoke now, I'm so upset (or depressed, or
whatever)."
RESPONSE: "Smoking is not going to fix anything. I'll still be upset or
depressed or whatever, I'll just be an upset/depressed smoker. I never have
to have a cigarette. Smoking is not a need, it's a want. Once the crisis is
over, I'll be relieved and grateful I'm still not smoking."
JUNKIE THINKING: "I'm bored."
RESPONSE: "Smoking is an 'activity' or 'something to do' only for smokers.
I'm really not 'doing' anything when I smoke except still sitting/standing
there. The rest of the world survives occasional boredom quite well without
inhaling life-challenging chemicals."
JUNKIE THINKING: "But they've been smoking on TV and in the movies for
years! There are even magazines devoted to tobacco products!"
RESPONSE: "That's right. They were on TV for years; I wasn't. I'm still
alive; many of them aren't, and they departed this vale of tears in
prolonged and painful ways. And the smiling faces in the magazines now are
risking painful and disfiguring surgery later, at which point they won't be
smiling at all."
JUNKIE THINKING: "Its so nice to go out for a 'breath of fresh air' and a
cigarette."
RESPONSE: "Fresh air? I've got to be kidding. And face it, sunny days are
one thing, but how many days do I huddle out in the rain with the rain
hitting the cigarette and turning the cigarette paper that disgusting yellow
color? How many times is it windy and it takes forever to keep a match or
lighter lit long enough to light the cigarette, and then how often does a
gust of wind come up and blow the ashes into my eyes? And when it's icy
outside, freezing my face off is bad enough, but when it defrosts, there's
this bizarre yellow condensation around my nostrils. Now THAT'S attractive."
JUNKIE THINKING: "Smoking makes work go faster."
RESPONSE: "Most jobs where you work indoors are in companies which ban
smoking in the workplace. Some companies won't hire me if I smoke. And every
time I stop for a smoke it actually prolongs my work, since I'm not busy
accomplishing it."
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Web site links
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These sites are in no particular order and are contributed by members of
AQSS. If you'd like to add a link, please contact the quit stats poster.
Many thanks to those who have contributed!
Quitting support and info: personal quitters' pages:
http://www.geocities.com/JALARS/
http://www.roofchek.com/quitsmoking/
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Ranch/6100/
http://www.cognitivequitting.com/
http://www.thebrackenfamily.info/html/why_quit_video.html
http://www.ciggyfree.com/
Quitting support and info: organizational, directories, etc.:
http://www.sk.lung.ca/content.cfm/cessation
http://www.quitnet.com/library/guides/quitnet/
http://quitsmoking.about.com/index.htm
http://www.stop-tabac.ch/en/welcome.html
http://www.trytostop.org/
http://www.americanlegacy.org/greatstart/html/home.html
(especially written for pregnant women!)
http://directory.google.com/Top/Health/Addictions/Substance_Abuse/Tobacco/Quitting/
http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/tobacco/
http://www.thetruth.com/
http://www.smoke-free.ca/ is sponsored by the
Physicians for a Smoke Free Canada. This is a registered charity made up of
doctors who want to reduce smoking related illness by helping people to
quit.
http://www.4woman.gov/QuitSmoking/index.cfm (from the National Women's
Health Information Center)
http://www.cancer.org/docroot/PED/content/PED_10_13X_Quitting_Smoking.asp
(American Cancer Society's Guide to Quitting Smoking)
Both MSN and Yahoo! have quit support groups; for semi-private group
support, please search at:
http://communities.msn.com
http://groups.yahoo.com
Nicotine addiction, health effects:
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/tobac-tabac/body-corps/index_e.html
http://www.nida.nih.gov/ResearchReports/Nicotine/Nicotine.html
http://www.nida.nih.gov/Infofax/tobacco.html
http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/may98/nida-06.htm
http://www.garfield.library.upenn.edu/essays/v4p229y1979-80.pdf
Scare tactics and health effects:
http://www.smokingisugly.com/main.html
http://www.olivija.com/SMOKERSPRAYER/
http://whyquit.com/whyquit/
http://www.emedicine.com/aaem/topic84.htm#section~pictures
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/smoking.html
http://www.lechin.com/cancerpic1.htm
http://www.tobacco21.org
If you don't have enough reasons to quit then check out this site, "He
wanted you to know"
http://www.sptimes.com/News/61599/Floridian/He_wanted_you_to_know.shtml (Be
warned: it will send shivers up your spine.)
http://www.sptimes.com/News/102900/Floridian/Final_wish_granted.shtml
I don't know whether these are a smoker's lungs, but they show lungs
affected by centrilobular emphysema, the most common form of emphysema among
smokers:
http://www-medlib.med.utah.edu/WebPath/LUNGHTML/LUNG058.html
http://www-medlib.med.utah.edu/WebPath/LUNGHTML/LUNG057.html
Nonsmoker's lungs versus smoker's lungs:
http://www.britannica.com/ebc/art-85185
Smoker's lung with cancer:
http://whyquit.com/joel/cancer.jpg (White area on top is the cancer, this is
what killed the person. The blackened area is just the deposit of tars that
all smokers paint into their lungs with every puff they take.)
Tobacco industry, public health policy:
http://www.americanlegacy.org/
http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/
http://www.ash.org.uk/
http://www.tobacco.org
http://www.library.ucsf.edu/tobacco/cigpapers/book/contents.html
SilkQuit Chat Room:
http://www.silkquit.org/irc/chat.html
Alternative Chats:
mIRC: irc2.peacefulhaven.net (channel is #smokefreechat)
http://client0.sigmachat.com/sc.php?id=123817
Should I Smoke or Shouldn't I? The Bee in the Bonnet
http://groups-beta.google.com/group/alt.quit.smoking.support/msg/de2fe899c57982a1?dmode=source
or
http://tinyurl.com/5hjvn
Smoking From All Sides:
http://smokingsides.com/
NO SMOKE Software:
http://www.smokefreekids.com/smoke.htm
Welcome to QuitSmokingSupport.com!:
http://www.quitsmokingsupport.com/
More Information on Tobacco Use and Periodontal Disease:
http://www.perio.org/consumer/smoking_info.htm#websites
An on-line community for ex-smokers:
http://www.ex-smokers.com/
Way2Quit:
http://www.way2quit.com/
The Habitrol� Road to Success is a free behavioral modification program
designed to assist you in your journey to a smoke-free lifestyle:
http://www.habitrol.com/
SmokeStoppers:
http://www.smokestoppers.com/
SmokeWorm:
http://www.smokeworm.com/index.htm
Don't Give Up Giving Up (UK Site):
http://www.givingupsmoking.co.uk/
Weekly Warning:
http://www.weeklywarning.com/
Quit Now--The National Tobacco Campaign From Australia:
http://www.quitnow.info.au/
Stop Smoking Center:
http://www.stopsmokingcenter.net/
Want a busier news group?
Go here: news: alt.support.stop-smoking AKA AS3.
Just make sure you return here though, OK!
Quitbuddies (Includes photos from the above-mentioned AS3 news group members
as well as some AQSS members):
http://www.quitbuddies.org
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Meters
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Meters can be found here:
http://www.silkquit.org/
http://www.dedicateddesigns.com/qk/
http://www.quitsmokingsupport.com/counters.htm
PALM (PDA) meter: http://tinyurl.com/hv5o
(or search at http://www.palmgear.com for "pufffree")
Since the SilkQuit link doesn't offer any Mac meters, people sometimes ask
for them, so here's a more comprehensive list of links to meters for a
variety of platforms -- Windows, Mac, and Web-based (Perl & JavaScript)
meters:
http://quitsmoking.about.com/cs/quitmeters/
http://clbe.net/smobometer.htm (an online quit meter)
PERL script and/or web based meter: http://www.quitmeter.com/
JavaScript: http://www.angelfire.com/ak/jcvdwalt/quit/quit.html
http://exoprog.110mb.com/quitmeter.html
Links for Mac meters (are Hypercard stacks):
http://www.svmac.com/Pages/sw.html#qt
To download Hypercard from Apple's site (needs to be all on one line or try
here http://tinyurl.com/2rvlx ):
http://download.info.apple.com/Apple_Support_Area/Apple_Software_Updates/English-North_American/Macintosh/Utilities/HyperCard/HyperCard_Player_2.4.1.smi.bin
Command-line timer for Linux: http://www.stack.nl/~martijnb/smoketimer.tgz
Links checked 10/14/07.
Our thanks to the keepers of these Stats over the years: Wal (who created
the Stats back as Zeroman), Susan, Kita, Rosie S., and Maddie.
Again, welcome to AQSS, and congratulations on one of the best decisions of
your life!
Susan H
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Susan H
Wow, this has been the fastest, longest week... if that makes any sense at
all. Sinuses and emotions all out of whack. I am completely worn out this
Sunday and this is my favorite day. My throat is sore and my face is
swollen. I took 2 days of last week to get some R&R but also to do some
stuff that is not routine, like move furniture to vacuum and clean. Well,
let me just tell you that I found dust, and dirt, and dog hair in volumes
and places I could not imagine. Since then, I cough and sneeze, I have a
sore throat and my ears are burning... oh, I just know my allergies are on a
rampage. I am trying to avoid infection and I dont think I am winning the
battle. Headache, body aches... oh crap and I have to go to Sams Club and
be out in public and function... ewwww.
Can I just tell you how grateful I am that I do NOT smoke???!!!! Oh my
gosh, I would be ridden with bronchitis and God knows what by now. Every
moment is such a gift.... Even if I do feel like crap and I hurt, it is
OKAY! Just because I do not smoke.
Well with that said, I have to take a shower and attempt at looking like a
sane and rational person, no easy feat! I have to go to the store and then
we are harvesting MORE basil and all the while I will be doing laundry in
between but check this out...
Dinner tonight:
Pesto-Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken Breasts
4 Boneless & Skinless Chicken Breasts (halves; about 1 2/3 lbs. total),
rinsed and patted dry
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup Pesto Pasta Sauce
1/2 cup fresh mozzarella balls (or use larger balls cut into small pieces)
1/2 cup sliced Roasted Red Peppers
1. Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for direct, high heat (you can hold your
hand 1 to 2 in. above the cooking grate only 2 to 3 seconds. (With all the
rain here I think we will play it safe and use of George Foreman indoor
grill).
2. While grill heats, with a sharp knife, cut a pocket lengthwise in the
edge of each chicken breast half, taking care to avoid cutting through to
the other side. Season chicken pieces on both sides with pepper. Spread
about 1 tbsp. pesto inside each pocket, then fill each with 1/4 of the
mozzarella balls and 1/4 of the roasted red pepper slices. Rub remaining
pesto over exterior of chicken to coat lightly.
3. Place chicken on oiled cooking grate; cover gas grill. Cook, turning once
with a wide spatula, until meat is browned and no longer pink in center (cut
to test, but do not disturb filling), about 15 minutes total.
PER SERVING 414 CAL., 43% (180 CAL.) FROM FAT; 54 G PROTEIN; 20 G FAT (5.5 G
SAT.); 2.2 G CARBO (0.6 G FIBER); 558 MG SODIUM; 134 MG CHOL.
Sounds super yummy!!! I will be serving this angel hair pasta ala pesto,
seems only appropriate. Recipe compliments of Safeway.com and I have the
fresh homemade pesto by the gallons, yes we are making more. I also fresh
roasted red peppers in the fridge, beautiful Delmarva red peppers
compliments of our local farmer. My herbs have done wonderful but out
veggie garden did not survive the neighbors sabotage. That is another
story. Please make your reservations for our dining room table by 3:00 this
afternoon EST! ;o)
Well wiith all that said, I hope this finds all well, happy and smokefree.
And I hope you all are savoring the flavors of summer!!!
Best wishes,
Susan
I have been breathing free for One year, seven months, 12 hours, 49 minutes
and 2 seconds. I have not held or inhaled a minimum of 11570 cigarettes,
saving at least $2,198.27. I have reclaimed 5 weeks, 5 days, 4 hours, 10
minutes of my life to live it the way it is meant to be lived.
Karen B
I've not smoked 709 coffin nails and saved $175.74 along with 2 days,
11 hours and 2 minutes of my life.
--
Karen B
pcb
Keep on keepin on.
Chris
"Karen B" <kbo...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:58058fc2-6340-4dcc...@32g2000yqj.googlegroups.com...
pcb
Send the leftovers my way, I have none to take to work for lunch today.
Nice meter btw.
Looking at your meter, you had been quit for 10 months when I quit. I'm just
a few hours away from 9 months right now. Can you remember how your quit was
going at 9 months? I am waiting until 9:00 tonight to post my quit meter,
that's when I hit 9 months.
Congrats Susan and keep up the good work.
Chris
"Susan H" <shmo...@dontevenspamme.com> wrote in message
news:h6rn4k$gkh$1...@news.eternal-september.org...
Susan H
"pcb" <pcb62(remove-me)@cox.net> wrote in message
news:6Pukm.180418$ZN.7...@newsfe23.iad...
> Wow, that sounds good.
> Send the leftovers my way, I have none to take to work for lunch today.
> Nice meter btw.
> Looking at your meter, you had been quit for 10 months when I quit. I'm
> just a few hours away from 9 months right now. Can you remember how your
> quit was going at 9 months? I am waiting until 9:00 tonight to post my
> quit meter, that's when I hit 9 months.
> Congrats Susan and keep up the good work.
> Chris
Sorry bud but we are having the leftovers tonight. Next time we will have
to make a bigger batch as it was surely a keeper of a recipe!
As for remembering what it was like at 9 months quit....
Yes, I do remember it quite well. And I will be happy to tell you all about
it on your 10 month anniversary ;oD
This is a biggy for you dude!!!! Many congrats on making it the longest
quit so far....
Now the big challenge... not stopping here, but I think you are doing an
awesome job of remaining vigilant.
Just never forget the first few days, weeks, months.
Stay the course!!!
Best wishes,
Susan~looking for Chris in the 3QOF room!!!! YaY!
pcb
Chris
"Elizabeth Cook" <e.ba...@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:GeAkm.232956$xB.2...@newsfe10.ams2...
>
> "Susan H" <shmo...@dontevenspamme.com> wrote in message
> news:h6rl8o$4cm$1...@news.eternal-september.org...
>> Congratulations on more than five years quit!
>> Please reply here.
>
> Me! Six something years.
>
> Liz
>
pcb
5440 cigarettes not smoked
Saving $1,091.98.
This is me sliding in to home plate !!!
In 35 years of smoking, I have now officially gone the longest period
without a single puff !!!
I am now in uncharted territory.
This is me staying stubborn.
Chris
Karen B
DH to fix as soon as we find enough basil to make pesto!
Hope you're feeling better, Susan, and thanks for the recipe.
--
Karen B
1 month, 21 days, 9 hours, 9 minutes and 36 seconds
I've not smoked 733 coffin nails and saved $181.89 along with 2 days,
13 hours and 6 minutes of my life.
Susan H
"pcb" wrote in message
Hot, smokin hot!!!!! *wicked evil grin*!!!
Looking good Chris!
Keep on keeping on!
Best wishes,
Susan
Susan H
>I love pesto! The chicken sounds delicious. I'm saving this recipe for
> DH to fix as soon as we find enough basil to make pesto!
>
> Hope you're feeling better, Susan, and thanks for the recipe.
>
Feeling much better, many thanks!
Off to chaingang...
Have a great day,
Susan
Susan H
When I say smokin hot, I mean you are like on fire, greased lightening.....
Like a blackened chicken baby...
Not the other way... Just to clear that up...
smokin hot in a wicked awesome way!
I will shut up now :oD
pcb
:->
"Susan H" <shmo...@dontevenspamme.com> wrote in message
news:h71o0f$lbt$1...@news.eternal-september.org...
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