If only I could quit...

[Bobbi Em]

...Smoking!!!

The last 6 years of occasional forays into the shallow end of the dating pool has taught me that cross dressing is not an issue...At least not with any of the women who I find attractive...And I have enough adorable quirks that being a CD simply comes across as part of what makes me the gorgeous(inside & out) Creature that I am.

But being a smoker is a way bigger deal-breaker.
And since I'm new to this wonderful Forum, I'd just like to say THANKS! You're all a riot!!!

I'm also about to go out for the first time next week to a local meet-up...Nervous? You betcha. Broke? Ditto!!...Because I had to take a serious look through my closet and realized that I dress for comfort at home, not for a night on the town.

Can anyone say Thrift Stores?

What I was MOST delighted about this shopping for going out, was discovering the ease of educating myself about shoes at the thrift store. They were lined up, hundreds of 'em, on top of the clothing shelves...I'd simply wander down the aisle and sift through blouses and skirts(all tasteful BTW), and keep glancing up at the shoes until I'd see a pair that I thought would fit.

No one was paying any attention, so I'd pull 'em off, slip 'em on, then either toss 'em in the cart or set 'em back because they just didn't fit...Easy peasey...Got 'em home, checked the sizes, next stop Payless!

And no one ever told me what the effect even a 2" heel can have on the way my legs look

Anyway, I guess this is just my long winded way of sayin' Hi Ya'll, You're Beautiful! And if you don't smoke, don't start, unless you're very content living alone:-)

Bobbi Em

[Dana Lane]

I smoked for over 25 years and have quit twice. Most recently about 3 months ago. I will NEVER smoke again!

I found Commit Lozenges to be what worked for me. I started on the 4 mg then a couple of weeks later dropped to the 2mg then went to the patches. Much easer transition this way. 21mg patch to 14mg then 7mg then finis.

Good luck!

[Michelle A]

Smoking like other activties are easy to quit. I know people that have done it dozens of times. Sorry . . . old joke

[Bobbi Em]

Smoking like other activties are easy to quit. I know people that have done it dozens of times. Sorry . . . old joke

I'm amused

Although the Lozenges are a good idea...The gum never worked for me while trying to walk at the same time.

Bobbi

[Bobbi Em]

Seriously! I can tell 'em I'm a raging alcoholic cross dressing right winged Bible thumping fanatic who likes to ride his Harley wearing only a thong...

No problemo!

Oh yeah, and, ummm...I smoke.

Have a nice life....Next!

Bobbi

[Shari]

Smoking is like dressing.

If you didn't like it, you wouldn't do it.

[SusanCACD]

I hear and understand, I to am making a real effort to stop. I bought the Nicoret to try. A guy I know at work had a scare with his heart and he quit just like that using the gum. Your right about the show stopper, the smell, the stained teeth, the mess... I wish you all the luck and will power in the world, I reall, really do.....

Susan

[Melissa_Ky]

I smoked for 29 years and wanted to quit. Over the years I tried the patch, cold turkey, welbutrin, gum, hypnosis, you mame it. At most I would only be smoke free a week or so. I have been smoke free over 7.5 years now. What did it take? I died from a heart attack! They had to shock me 5 times to revive me. That shocking stuff HURTS! I feel MUCH better now.

Melissa

[Karren H]

I never smoked... But my MIL quit using hypnosis.. Basicly convinced her she was a non-smoker and she hasn't smoked for 20 years.. Go see a hypnotist and maybe they can rid you of all your bad habits? Lol.

[karinels]

I never took to smoking, but my male persona did use smokeless tobacco for over 25 years. From morning till night, and even sometimes while sleeping, I'd have a pinch or wad in my cheek and gum. Then, on April 20, 2006, I told myself I wanted to quit, and that was it. Have not used tobacco since. I have, however, started another habit, Hard candies. Could almost go broke buying those things, LOL!

[PretzelGirl]

To me the easiest thing (relatively speaking) is the ole cold turkey. Using any of the crutches out there just draws out your agony. Suffer for a short while and be done with it. That is what worked for me. In the mean time, a friend has a 17 year old nicorette gum habit.

[TSchapes]

over 25 years ago. Cold Turkey. One night I had a relapse in a bar, 10 years after I quit. But none since then. I got tired of spending the money on cigarettes when I could be spending it on something else (like shoes!)

-Tracy

[gretchen2]

Smoking sucks! I never quit I just slow down. The lozenges kind of work but it is like chewing without the spitting, you just swallow that gut rotting juice.

[Phyliss]

I'm truly not one to give advice on "How To Stop"

I've tried the hypnosis thing 3 times and it didn't work for me.
Tried the "Patch" for a time ... no dice.
Gave "cold turkey" a go, ... lasted 4 hours
Heart Attack? didn't stop me.
My Dr. has been after me to quit and recomended Chantix. Supposed to work 75% of the time. Been on it for about 5 weeks and nothing yet, still smoking. Gonna give it the full try of 4 month program.

BTW this is where I get a bit upset about a PRESCRIBED medication.
Just about every time we turn on the tube or listen to the radio we hear siome govt. PSA about stop smoking.

Here is my complaint:
So, I finally get this idea of quitting. Now, I’ve tried the Hypnosis thing 3 times and it failed each time. Then I tried “The Patch” another failure. Attempted “cold turkey” … (that lasted about 4 hours). Was resigned to not being able to quit. Lately my Dr. has been after me to quit, ( especially after my little heart attack last Oct.) She suggested I try Chantix ( a pill to help that is supposed to have at least a 75% success rate) . What the heck, might as well give this a go.
Got the script from her and went to fill it. Now, I’m retired military and have access to inexpensive meds, so I figured I’d fill the script at the local military health care facility where I go to get my other meds refilled.
SORRY about that. Chantix isn’t covered in the formulary, because it’s not an “approved” medication. I can buy it there, but not at the usual insurance covered rate. I’ll have to pay full price. For the first month “starter pack” it would be $187.50 , which they quickly point out is less than 7 cartons of smokes and it’s less than I’d spend at Walmart. I tell the gal on the phone, that I’d have to think about that.
Went over to my local grocery store that has a pharmacy and asked the price, $108. Tried to slide my insurance card through but it didn’t work there either. Oh well, if I really want to quit, may as well spend the bucks. I know the drill, if you spend some large money on a product, you’ll want all the value you can get out of it, or you’re just wasting your money. If I spend $108 on a med to stop smoking, then I better make sure it works and STOP smoking.
My real thorn about this isn’t the cost, but rather the phoniness of the Govt. How many times do we hear the gummint tell us to stop smoking and that they have programs in place to assist. OK fine good idea.
Has anybody thought about how much money THE govt. collects on cigarette tax? Bazillions is the right answer. What would happen if all these “programs” suddenly worked? Most of those self help programs aren’t much more than a sham of “talking at you” to help you quit. When in actuality govt. is kinda hoping you don’t so they can still collect money. Cigarette tax is a “cash cow” of large proportions.
So here comes a med of 75% success and govt. doesn’t approve the insurance to cover it.
Uncle Sam wants me to stop, but when it comes to TRULY helping, then it’s a different ball game.
I’m NOT expecting some “nanny govt.” to cover my every need from cradle to grave, but if they’re gonna say one thing and then not back it up with action, I begin to suspect their true sincerity.
Me thinks I detect two faces some place.

[Gabrielle Hermosa]

I quit smoking in the mid 90's. I was taking martial arts training at the time and was got tired of being a human punching bag. The master told me I should quit smoking in order to have more endurance. I knew I probably wouldn't have the will power to quit, so I just decided to cut down. The result is I kept putting off smoking that next cigarette over and over and over, and ended up quitting cold turkey with a pack and a half left over, which I gave to my girlfriend at the time.

After a few weeks, I was no longer a human punching bag and holding my own on sparring night.

Maybe you should take up martial arts. Getting hit will help YOU quit.

About the 2" heels. Try 3". They make your legs look even better! There's magic in them heels! They really do wonders for the legs. It works on women and thank God it works on us as well!

[Bobbi Em]

Maybe you should take up martial arts. Getting hit will help YOU quit.

About the 2" heels. Try 3". They make your legs look even better! There's magic in them heels! They really do wonders for the legs. It works on women and thank God it works on us as well!

Gabrielle,

I'm not sure I could do martial arts in a mini & 3 inch heels:-)

Bobbi

[wildjasmine]

You could try the electronic cigarette route. I've heard they are very effective. They are basically a vaporiser that vaporise's nicotine in special nicotine capsules. Plus you dont get any of the other chemicals and you can even smoke them indoors

[Gabrielle Hermosa]

Ah, those marital arts - married women punch you so hard, don't they!

Thanks for catching that, Katie. I hate type-o's, but that one was pretty damn amusing! Fixed it. And you have no idea how hard my wife can punch!

Gabrielle,

I'm not sure I could do martial arts in a mini & 3 inch heels:-)

Bobbi

Why not? I did!

Naa, not really. Would have been interesting though.

[SusanCACD]

I read about those on line, they are not avalible in the states.

[BarbiB]

As a former totally obsessed addicted nicotine fiend.... I am wishing you the sheer force of will to succeed.
As an 8 year smoke free person I am here to tell you it is the MOST worth while thing a person can do for themselves.

[wildjasmine]

I read about those on line, they are not avalible in the states.

Oh! Sorry I didn't realise that
Got to have something to do with the American tobbaco industry

[Xenia]

I hate type-o's

This is simply outrageous! Here I thought I'd finally found a supportive community, and now I'm having hate speech directed towards me simply because of my blood type! I'm sick of being discriminated against by you type AB's!

[Bobbi Em]

This is simply outrageous! Here I thought I'd finally found a supportive community, and now I'm having hate speech directed towards me simply because of my blood type! I'm sick of being discriminated against by you type AB's!

Ya'll better quit picking on Gabrielle's word choices or I'm gonna find a groom named Arthur and beat ya over the head with him...Which is something Gabrielle advised me to learn how to do as an aid to quit smoking.

Bobbi

[tanya1976]

Anyway, I guess this is just my long winded way of sayin' Hi Ya'll, You're Beautiful! And if you don't smoke, don't start, unless you're very content living alone:-)

Bobbi Em[/QUOTE

I packed in using patches, 24hr full strength at first, then lozenges 4 down to 1 mil. I also found Allen Carr's book helpful. I smoked 20 a day for 15 years, in the past two I've packed in twice with varying success. This time I've lasted 12 months without a single cigarette, so it can be done!

[Xenia]

Ya'll better quit picking on Gabrielle's word choices or I'm gonna find a groom named Arthur and beat ya over the head with him...Which is something Gabrielle advised me to learn how to do as an aid to quit smoking.

Bobbi

Yeah, you're right, that looks a little snarkier in retrospect than was intended. My apologies to Gabrielle......really not trying to give you a hard time, but if there's one thing I'm powerless to resist, it's a groan-inducingly awful pun. [SIZE="1"](Well, you know, that and a hot new shade of lipstick, of course.)[/SIZE]

And re: smoking, in a way it was a good thing that my parents smoked when I was a kid, because it cemented in my mind from a very young age that it was something I never wanted to do. My wife, while never a heavy smoker, has been struggling mightily to quit for the past couple of years, and it looks like it finally took this time. If all else fails, just think of those evil soulless tobacco company execs, and consider whether you really want to be putting more money in their pockets.

Best of luck to anyone doing battle with this particular dragon....quitting will be the best thing you'll ever do for yourself.