Not good to cut smoking completely at once?

[Jkcs]

imagine this example:

 

Me smoking for 15 yrs and avg 10 to 20 sticks a day and wants to quit smoking. However I was told that it is more worse for my health if I suddenly stop completely. Advice given was to smoke only 5 sticks a day for 2 months, then from there slowly kick the habit.

 

Is it true that sudden stoppage would cause health problems? Cause even quit-smoking pamphlets encourage smokers to reduce the quantity first

 

what are your views? thanks..

[Babyt]

i think it could be the cold turkey effect u may experience...thus the smokeless period will make u feel more sick.

[Dwoon]

If wanna quit.... then go cold turkey lah......

 

I've been somking for the past 27 years and have tried going slow.... it doesn't work ok.

 

I've friends, relatives that quit..... only way... just stop once & for all if you're serious about doing it.

 

Unless you're in your 60s or 70s, then the sudden withdrawal will not be good for the system.

 

My 2 cents.....

[Deathism]

bro..dun jam thy brakes!

undesirable effects are imminent..

 

gradually does it..my friends grandfather has been smoking like 2 packs a day for more than 50 years..then one day he woke up and told the family he wanted to stop smoking..

 

he did..totally stopped..but he passed away the next day.

 

u can reduce ur sticks by limiting urself to half of wad u used to smoke.u can do so by delaying the time u light up the cigarette, keep yourself preoccupied and dun join ur smoke buddies (when u dun intend to smoke)..

 

basically its alot of will power and mental fortitude.

 

 

take it from an ex-smoker.

[David]

I am no smoker so what I say may not qualifybut anyway do allow me this chance.

 

Two school of thoughts here already by the members - either the cold turkey or gradually. My opinion is either way you want to try, do not loose the focus. Cold turkey treatment would have you suffering from withdrawal symptoms and gradually might will away your determination.

 

I feel that the important thing is you must enjoy doing it. Do it at a pace you are comfortable. Involve your love ones. Your love ones would be the inspirational factor for you going forward. Maybe like giving you encouragement and little rewards for your efforts.

[Silver_blade]

i don't think it will affect your health. My dad quit smoking at one go more than 20yrs ago. At that time, he had been smoking for over 45yrs.

[Scratchy]

just quit at once...

 

its easier said then done but please try...me also ex smoker...decided to give it up after becoming a dad...

 

no urge at all....just have to have the resolve and yes please avoid yr frens who smoke forr awhile...esp go chiong...the urge more strong..after awhile should be alrite

[Freestylers09]

I had read about it too...coz lung has to suddenly adapt the non smoking system...(after effect might not be good)

 

and doctors also advise people to quit but not in immediately..sure got some reasons in it

 

if u wan suddenly stop smoke..i feel its better to exercise more to make ur lung work back

 

eg its just like seldom do cardio exercise,suddenly do cardio and chiong,heart also cannot take it that kind of situation i guess

[Watwheels]

U have been addicted to smoking for so many years, it's difficult to stop just like that. Your body might or might not take the withdrawal, nobody knows.

 

Quitting on your own is tough. Many smokers I come across always mentioned wanna quit but up till now still haven't do so.

It's good if someone close like your wife/gf or friends give u some kind of support to gradually help u quit smoking.

[Bicolor]

You can consider nicotine replacement patches, gum or inhalers if you want to stop quickly but yet are worried about health problems. Like you I was purely afraid of withdrawal symptoms brought on by suddenly stopping so I used nicotine replacement patches, which worked like a breeze. As long as I experienced no unpleasant symptoms I wasn't bothered or tempted to smoke during my quitting period, and even contrary to advice given by others I was still meeting and going out with friends who are smokers. Nearly 5 years have passed now. For me I wanted convenience and the patch ensured that all I had to do was stick it on in the morning and forget about everything the whole day, but if you find yourself bound by the habit of moving the cigarette back and forth with your hands the inhaler or gum might suit you better. Finally, willpower and the desire to quit are the most important things; first of all ask yourself, are you really keen to quit? If you are, you will succeed, whichever way you choose. In any case, all the best!

[Drive_carcar]

imagine this example:

 

Me smoking for 15 yrs and avg 10 to 20 sticks a day and wants to quit smoking. However I was told that it is more worse for my health if I suddenly stop completely. Advice given was to smoke only 5 sticks a day for 2 months, then from there slowly kick the habit.

 

Is it true that sudden stoppage would cause health problems? Cause even quit-smoking pamphlets encourage smokers to reduce the quantity first

 

what are your views? thanks..

 

I had been smoking since 15 years old, and quited slightly more than 1 year ago - aged 37 then, and like you I also avg 10 - 20 sticks day.

 

I went the sudden cold turkey method. The first year was tough in the first 6 months, I found I was very susceptable to throat infections, which comes with 40 deg fever. Really seriously bad. Even went into A&E once because of high fever and serious headaches, they suspect it was dengue, but turned out to be just really bad flu.

 

I have stayed clear of cigarettes since then, even though my wife is still a smoker, I'm not in the least tempted.

[Hishercar]

i use to smoke while in the army because my boys include some hokkien peng must smoke to be members

 

i stopped many many years

 

but once i see someone smoking cigar my legs become weak

[Westender]

I have smoke for 25yrs, I've stop for 1yr 3mths and counting.

Till today I still have the urge to smoke, trust me, after 25yrs of smoking, it will not go away just like that.

Problem is everytime you get pissed off or under pressure, you will always want to reach for a stick.

But it's now easier to switch off the urge to smoke, even with pressure and anger, I don't think of reaching for a stick now.

 

I've tried patches and gums, doesn't work.

I've tried accupuncture, doesn't work.

It's all in the MIND!!!

 

I did it cold turkey, fear of dying helps, fear of not able to see your kids helps.

 

Singapore is not very kind to people that are sick.

Go see a few specialist and you'll know.

You might think, sure... I got money, see doctor no problem, how much??? I just pay.

But if you're hit with a problem that even money can't help, than that will be a problem.

 

I didn't cut down, I just stop, like a train hitting a concrete wall.

No ill effect that I can think of except for gaining too much weight(8~9kg) and having fatty liver now.

Edited November 21, 2008 by Westender

[Smurfy76]

think the sudden withdrawal affect the older ppl..

 

my uncle who was ard 70 yrs old finally decide to listen to his sons n daughter to quit smoking passed away a fews mths after he quit...

 

his sons so sad n say that should have let him carry on to smoke while he still can...haiz

Edited November 21, 2008 by Smurfy76

[Alf08]

Hi just to share my experience in quitting smoking, i start smoking when 12, now i 41.

 

Start to quit few years back but never success, i tried with cigaretee but no lighter, leave the cigarette in car....etc...none successful...finally 2007, i totally stop, dun bother to buy at all, but when the feeling come hor.... but remember no sweet, if you take sweet, especially those method one.....wah...together with a puff... best than screwing a whore... , then hor...prepare a lot of tibits hor....you can hungry very often...so eat and eat......and i got lot of "sxxt" from the nose every morning,thick thick one and sometimes got blood oso... , this goes on for about 2 months and then i say bye bye to smoking... Though i still puff one or two when meeting customer(one month not more than 5 stick), but i find the smell disgusting...

[Blackyv]

actually, i dont think there is any fix rules...maybe everyone's health condition varies, thus the reaction to quiting method different.... i think the reason why most people didnt ask u to stop completely but slowly is the chances of success with reducing method is higher....which smoker can just stop like that???... i think only those like my grandmum...

 

my grandmum was a smoker for 40+ yrs (60+yrs old), then one day, her nose bleeding very badly and doc advice her to quit if possible,(of cause, doc advice her to reduce slowly...)... as she scare of death (some old people are very scare and she is one of those type...), she quit completely... well, she live for another 4-5yrs before she had a stroke and pass away... i wont know if she continue to smoke back then, will she live longer or shorter....

 

i started smoking at age ~17..... i quit at age ~34...average 15-sticks a day ....i go by reducing method..(~10....~6/7.....~3/4.....) manage to reach zero stick within 3/4mths time....... im smoke free for the 2yrs+ already..........

[Xefera]

i had one uncle who got diabetes after he quit smoking suddenly.

 

seems like the nicotine acts like some sort of buffer for certain diseases. once you stopped providing the nicotine to the organs, something will break and start showing up on the radar screen.

 

best is to cut gradually and at the same time, do some exercises and keep a healthy diet. that should complement the quit and let your body adjust accordingly.

[Comnao]

no jam brake

remember what jeremy clarkson said... it is stopping suddenly that kills you.

 

I jam brake in 2002 bcos the stupid doctor misread my x ray report

I had no end of real medical problems ever since such as prostate problem, allergic problem and nose bleed problem.