barbara,
i found allen carr's website, and will order the book. thanks for the suggestion!

I quit CT in Feb. of this year. I joined an online site which led me down the steps to recovery. It is free so if interested I will PM you the URL.

Some of the things I did: Cut straws to size and used them to simulate the hand to mouth habit which I found was one of the addictions, learned various deep breathing techniques, had tons of sugar free suckers around, brushed my teeth often and used a really nice mouth wash, took long walks and even longer baths with lavender oil.

It wasn't easy and isn't no matter what method you use but it can be done. Good luck. You can do it!
Barb~

Wow,

I never had another after diagnosis. Never had the urge again. I guess I am the exception. I was just so friggin scared of dying.

Good luck.
Rob

Farrah,
Without question, it's tough to quit. I'm not a smoker, but I know plenty of them. I was talking with a doctor who told me a story about a patient who was a smoker and a heroin addict. He told her (the doc) that it was easier for him to wean himself off of heroin than cigarettes. I would think that a cancer diagnosis would be enough to scare someone into quitting, but that's not always the case. Everyone is different. My wife was able to quit cold turkey. My dad wasn't so fortunate. He tried hypnosis, gum, filters, the patch, etc. Heck, he would complete chemo and as soon as he was outside of the hospital he'd fire up. A cigarette in one hand and an oxygen tank in the other. What a sight. I know it's a tough road, but I think with support and perseverance you can do it. Best wishes.
Dave

Hello Farrah,

When you mentioned throat lozenges i thought of the alcohol ccontent in most. The best oral cleaning agents I found was using Biotene products. Toothpaste, mouthwash, and a gel to help moisten your mouth. Oral care is a treatment everyone should do. You can buy these products at Wal-Mart. I hope you can overcome the smoking urge.

All My Best, Danny Boy

Hi,

I just quit cold turkey a month ago (for the third time in ten years) - Being scared (of dying)was and still is a huge motivation for me. Cinnamon sticks, suckers, and rubber bands on my wrist (I snap it every time I have the urge to smoke) are working for me. This is especially hard for me since husband is still smoking. He's trying, god love him, but it is a terrible addiction.

Good luck and feel free to email me privately if you need one on one support - [email protected].

Blessings,
Jenn

hi farrah, just to let you know i quit when the doc told me i was to have my voice box remomoved.=laryngectomy,its not easy by a long chalk ,but i could not bring myself to smoke another cig. in any case im a neck breather so it would have to go into stoma . cant imagine that arghhhhhhhh best wishes to you you will get there dont give up ...giving up ...maz

Hi Farrah,

I was 41 when I was diagnosed and had smoked since age 19. My ENT doc pretty much laid it on the line for me the first time I saw him. He laid out the treatment plan, told me it would start in 3 weeks and if I wanted a chance at it being successful to figure out how to say goodbye to the cigarettes by that time. I smoked my last cigarette at mid-night before I went into surgery the next morning for PEG and port placement. Radiation and chemo followed in a few days and soon I certainly didn't crave a smoke. Since treatment ended, I have had very few cravings. Never really crave the nicotene but sometimes a situation makes me want one - for example, I always talked on the phone outside on my deck and smoked the whole time I was talking. I don't take phone calls on the deck anymore. I have even dreamed that I broke down and smoked - and wake up mad at myself till I realized it had been a dream. I know as sure as I know anything that if I give in and have just one, I won't be able to put them down - they'll have me again. I just keep looking back at all I went through during treatment and the side effects I still experience and think I didn't do all that for nothing - that's enough so far to keep me from picking them back up. I wish you success in quitting - it's such a hard habit to break. Keep on trying.

My treatment began in March '04 - so I've been quit about a year and a half. Just a couple months ago, I remarked to my ENT doc that he never mentioned my smoking again and never asked if I quit - he just smiled and said "you quit". He then said he would be able to smell them on me even if I didn't smoke a couple days prior to my appointment. Know it all doctors!

Pam