Who has stopped smoking in recent years?

Witzend I did feel fine. I went on the bus the day before, all around the shops looking for school uniform bits, then home on the bus again. In fact, I went from the GP surgery to the hospital on the bus, though the GP wanted me to go by ambulance.

I was with the GP because of a hacking cough which hadn't been shifted by antibiotics and my oxygen level was varying between 87% and 92%. She asked me to come back in two days, checked it again, and said I had to go to the hospital. But I never felt weak or wobbly or unwell - as long as I didn't start coughing! The hospital staff were amazed when they heard I'd come by bus.

Maybe us oldies are tougher than we look!

supernana1, I’m just interested in how you could feel fine with pneumonia! When I had it - and it hit me like an express train - breathing was painful and very shallow.

Ilovecheese

I stopped about six years ago. Went cold turkey. I don't feel an healthier, I didn't get many bugs when I smoked and don't now.
I still like the smell if I pass a smoker in the street. I miss smoking still.
I suppose I am glad that I stopped because of the money and because it is now socially unacceptable, but secretly wish it was different.

I only stopped after 3 weeks in hospital, nasty bout of pneumonia with pleurisy on top. Too ill even to think about it.
Obviously the saved money is nice, but can’t say I feel any healthier - TBH I was never an ‘ill’ type anyway, I so rarely needed to see the GP.
I still like the smell! If I pass anyone in the street having a fag, I enjoy getting a little whiff.

Fantastic supernana1 well done.
I gave up 15 nearly 16 years ago, best thing I ever did. I hope you get there it's a wonderful freeing thing to give the fags up 🤗

Weren’t public school boys at one time given cigarettes as they were thought to be healthy?
I seem to remember reading that.

My mum was another one who just decided one day that she would stop. I was a child but I do remember the day.
She had just been reading about the recently confirmed link between smoking and lung cancer so they were all thrown in the bin and she never touched another one.

Smoking never appealed to me. I did try a few times back in the day when it was seen to be sophisticated, but I could never see the appeal.

I’m staggered at the cost of them now.
What a waste of money.
I’m so glad none of mine took it up.

Supergran ,you give me hope.

Well done supernana. You know it makes sense.

I gave up in January. I am 78 and was smoking 30+ per day, costing about £27. I loved my fags, though I resented constantly having to figure out when/where I could have the next one.

I was taken into hospital with pneumonia (though I felt fine). Of course I couldn't smoke in hospital, so they gave me a nicotine patch.

I came home after two days and that's when things started to fall apart. Everything and everybody seemed to stink of cigarette smoke. I was very emotional, crying all the time and hugging people. Also very restless, I don't know how many times I walked around the block, over and over again. I also had very vivid, not scary dreams, but very lifelike.

I don't know if that was all from nicotine withdrawal or from the nicotine patch, which I removed and didn't replace.

Gradually things started to get better. The day after coming home, I went and bought a vape and I'm still using it. I knew if I had another fag, then I'd want another, and I'd be back where I started.

That was January, now it's April, and I haven't really had the urge for a cigarette since. I'm amazed at myself.

I don't know if any of this information is any use to any posters who would like to give up and I know the way I did it is not the usual way, but I hope I can help smokers to see that it can be done.

Don't miss the old days where people could smoke almost everywhere, and even as a smoker back in the day, I was glad when smoking in pubs was banned as the interior of pubs became much fresher, and smoking outdoors was actually healthier as the smoke could escape better.
Biggest hypocrites regarding smoking were teachers, who still had the power to cane or slipper pupils for smoking, but were smokers themselves. I can remember a teacher who used to confiscate cigarettes from pupils and then smoke them himself.

I’m not sure exactly when I finally had no more cigarettes. I’ve always rolled my own and used filters. I started smoking at 16 in defiance of Mum who didn’t smoke although Dad did.I had several attempts to give up, sometimes for several years but always took it up again in times of stress. In 2014, I was mainly taking nicotine gum but occasionally slipped back to the odd packet of tobacco, again when I felt really stressed.

Eventually, I finally managed to give up about 4 years ago. A year later I was diagnosed with Stage 2 lung cancer and mild COPD.

When I finally finished I had absolutely no desire to smoke at all. Good thing just before the diagnosis but it had been difficult up to that time.

I applaud anyone who has managed to give up and stay given up. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

I gave up in 1999 and never smoked again, and it was the price of cigarettes then ( nearly £5, )that stopped me. Had had a really bad cold, stopped smoking for three weeks, decided to buy a pack and queued at the kiosk with a £5.00 note, looked at it and thought I might as well roll it into a tube and set fire to it. Never smoked since, but I only smoked about a pack a week anyway, so not much difference to my finances. Consumption of jelly babies rose for a time.

Quit about 12 years ago, but I was on Nicorette gum for about four years. I became totally addicted to that….🤨
Eventually got myself off that, I went onto ordinary gum then I got a denture so no gum at all now 😁

I used to smoke but stopped over 25 years ago - no patches, no therapy, no nicotine substitute- did it all by myself and it was the best thing I ever did.

Congratulations to those who have given up, I have never smoked, my parents smoked and it made me feel sick.
I was about 4 or 5 and my parents took me to a restaurant, someone put there cigarette out in a finished roast dinner, it made me feel so ill and I could not finish my dinner, best thing that could have happened, yuk.

Grannylynj

Vice versa
How helpful

You're welcome. Truth hurts.

Don't forget, smoking was seen as glamorous and sophisticated, with those silver cigarette cases and long holders (of which I have several!). Everyone, from Hollywood stars to Royalty was seen with the ubiquitous gasper!

I had a minor heart attack several years ago and was shouted at by the consultant in A & E! Have not had a cig since. I found it relatively easy - cold turkey.

I stopped smoking 32 years ago , went cold turkey.
I stopped because my son came home from school one day deeply upset. His class had seen a slide show of the effects of smoking and told that if you smoke you die !

My son was deeply upset , said I was going to die and he wouldn't have a mum anymore. I stopped for his sake , it was hard. Son has never tried a cigarette and he's almost 44 .
Hubby's never smoked . Daughters never smoked . Just me

Woodbine, oh yes I think they were untipped too. Even more damaging than tipped cigs.
I am remembering the cigarette machines in the street, in the pubs, in the toilets of the pubs, garages, everyone smoking on public transport, in cinemas, in hospitals, to see patients sitting up in bed all smoking was v normal.
The cigarette companies were very powerful,and squashed any thing which suggested cigarettes may be dangerous as utter nonsense. They have a lot to answer for.

Mum here at the mo, just showed her this thread and she says the first ‘fag’ she ever smoked was called a Woodbine when she was 15 and shared with a friend, and they both puked afterwards.🤢😄
Have you seen the price of 20 cigs now? Around £14😲

Smoking was encouraged throughout the 50 s and 60 s and almost everyone smoked. For years after despite health concerns starting to be raised. Tv adverts on how much better people feel and of course they also showed how exciting and attractive smokers were. Actually they stank but smokers aren’t generally aware they do.
Yes there were cigs called Embassy Georgesgran. The ones I started on at about 13 were untipped players weights at 11 old pence for 5 cigarettes. I shared with a friend. Daft as daft can be.

I so agree VV but years ago smoking was actively encouraged and seen as a ‘cure’ for anxiety and depression and of course, a way to lose weight.
When I was at college, we were given a tour of the Wills Cigarette factory, just outside Newcastle and each given several packs of Embassy (?) on the way out. We also toured Scottish and Newcastle Brewery and allowed to sample Newky Brown. The mind boggles!

I gave up 50 years ago . Have saved myself a fortune .

Vice versa
How helpful

Nope- 52 years ago when I was first pregnant.

Going a bit rogue!
If I only had 1yr to live, I would start to smoke once again, drink & eat lots of pastries.
I wouldn't however extend this final huzzah to having lots of lovers!
Just lots of nice cakes & pastries please. 🤔