Craig Rutherford

Noted side effects after quitting

2006-12-19T18:30:00Z

Up until recently, this has not been too hard. I think the initial resolve to quit smoking is beginning to fade. I really don't feel as though I have to rush right out and have a cigarette right now but the effects of Nicotine with drawl are becoming more noticeable.

One of the side effects can be restlessness. I find that when I sit at my desk at work, I feel like I need to tap my toe on the floor or shake my leg or even just sit and click the top of my pen a lot. It helps to try to work on projects that require some typing or may be even standing or walking around. Believe it or not, drawing even helps some. I am certainly no Picasso but it helps to pre-occupy my hands.

Another thing that I have noticed of late is that I am having a tough time falling asleep at night and end up tossing and turning for as much as 3 hours before finally falling asleep. Of course, I have not been the most pleasant person in the morning during my waking hours.

I have noticed a few positive things that I feel are worth sharing. One of the biggest hurdles for me, I thought, would be situations involving alcohol. This time of year is prime for holiday parties and toasts and the like. So far I have played poker twice and drank beer, gone to two office parties and drank Gin, and my wife and I went to dinner last night and I drank wine. I have not even had the urge to smoke during any of those situations. I would have thought that playing cards would have been the toughest because nearly every one else there was a smoker and smoked right at the table where we were playing. I was very pleased with myself.

I will end this post with another positive note. After doing some quick calculations, so far this month alone I have saved $81.51 give or take a few dollars. I smoked Marlboro Lights and where I usually bought them, they were $4.29 a pack. I smoked a pack a day.

Hopefully some one is reading this and it is inspiring them to do as I am doing. You can do it if you put your mind to it and believe you can. Henry Ford once said, "Whether you think you can or, you think you can't, you're right." I think I can and I think you can too! Good luck and happy holidays!

I made it through the first week!

2006-12-11T17:43:00Z

Just an update, I was able to make it this first week with out smoking. I went to a Christmas dinner with family Saturday evening and then to a poker game later that night. Just about every one there smoked. I was able to go with out bumming a smoke or buying a pack of cigarettes the entire evening. I even had a few beers! So far so good with the whole smoke free thing. I think the nicotine is out of my system at this point. I have been drinking a lot of juices and taking vitamins. Drinking a fair amount of water has been helpful to me as well. It tends to make one pee an awful lot but it helps clean out the body of the last remaining toxins from what I have read. There is a lot of good information out there if you are willing to take the time to read it.

My wife and family have been supportive of this move so far. I don’t really want to let them down either. I am looking forward to one of the other benefits of going smoke free, that being the reawakening of my taste buds. I can’t wait to bite in to a nice juicy steak and get the full taste, not the tobacco masked one. I am going to wait until I reach the one month mark for that though. Perhaps my wife and I will go out for dinner some where nice at that time. It will be weird sitting in the no smoking section. The only time I ever used to sit there was when we'd eat with grand parents or some thing. I can imagine from now on, that's where we'll be eating.

I hope every one else is doing well. Good luck to every one, have a great week!

I haven't smoked for 4 days.

2006-12-07T13:53:00Z

We were to use Monday December 4 as our target quit day. I smoked the last of what I had that Sunday and quit then. So far it has not been as bad as I thought although I really want to have a cigarette right now. I was able to find some useful information on the Philip Morris website. So far drinking cranberry jiuce has been fairly effective for me. They tell you to over load on vitamins as well. I have since started taking a daily vitamin supliment but don't really see the effects of it yet but hey, it's only day 4!

This weekend will be a challenge for me because we are to be going out of town for a holiday party and I am sure to have a drink or two. I know how easy it is to smoke while drinking because I always smoke more when we go out. Perhaps this would be a good weekend to be the DD, something I have never done before. Will update Sunday as that will mark the first week of being smoke free and will let every one know how I made out over the weekend.

Good luck to every one else too!

"Quit Now" Challenge Entry

2006-12-07T13:29:00Z

I want to quit smoking because I have smoked for the last 11 years. My grand father died from lung cancer, my great uncle died from Emphysema. Another uncle had throat cancer and I have already suffered a stroke. I really want to quit because my wife and I would like to have children and I want to be here to see them grow up. I enjoy smoking but want to quit for the people that care about me. Plus it is getting too expensive.