Almost 2 weeks nicotine free

I stopped the NRT gum almost 2 weeks ago with the idea that I would use
sugarless gum mostly by 'parking' it like I did with the nicotine gum.
Well, it worked and I have not had any nicotine gum but now I'm getting
really sick of the sugarless gum so... time to drop it. This will be my
last day of chewing the sugarless gum.

So in the hope that it *might* help somebody else and with the caveat
that this is nothing more than my experience (yours most likely will
vary), below is the progression that I followed. I didn't really plan
the timing but the sequence of events was pretty much what I thought it
would be before I quit.

Sometime in June: Decided that this would be my last carton since cig
taxes were going up July 1st and I was sick of feeling like an outcast
and a slave(really)!
Throughout July: Read some old AS3 printouts from when I quit in the
late '90s. Got fairly emotional and hopeful that this was doable.
July 8th: Finished the last smoke of the last pack at about 2:30 p.m.
Substituted by chewing the NRT gum. Came back to read and post at AS3.
First couple weeks: Posted very often about how I felt and what I was
going through. Helped me a lot but maybe also helped old-fogies remember
what it was like to first quit.
September 3rd Stopped the nicotine gum and replaced it with sugarless
gum. I 'parked' it to kind of mimic what I did with the NRT gum.
September 16, 2007: Last day chewing the sugarless gum.

Mental Health: Way up
Emotions: Pretty intense in the beginning. Level now.
Physical Health: Up
Weight: Steady

A really important part of the past few months has been my exercise
routine. I actually started going to the gym over a year ago and by the
time I quit, I was up to 30 minutes on the rowing machine and 15 minutes
stretching. If I hadn't been working out, I know for a fact that my
weight would have zoomed and my mental health would be pitiful. I just
started water aerobics and will begin swimming lessons on Tuesday. I
want to be able to "swim laps".

I feel like I need to keep my life busy because, for me, idle time is
scary time.

Above all else though, I read and posted to AS3. Reading my fellow
newbies' posts has made me feel like I'm not alone in my journey.
Reading the old fogies' posts has been an inspiration and reinforces my
own hope for the future. Thank you all for being here and may we all be
smoke-free!!!

ConcorPhil
I have not smoked in 2M 1W 17h 21m. That's 69 days! I have not used any
nicotine at all since 9/03/2007.

WTG, Phil! Over two months smoke-free and you're doing great.

AnneD

"ConcordPhil" <nobody@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:rN8Hi.549$fz2.505@trndny03...
>I stopped the NRT gum almost 2 weeks ago with the idea that I would use
>sugarless gum mostly by 'parking' it like I did with the nicotine gum.
>Well, it worked and I have not had any nicotine gum but now I'm getting
>really sick of the sugarless gum so... time to drop it. This will be my
>last day of chewing the sugarless gum.
>
> So in the hope that it *might* help somebody else and with the caveat that
> this is nothing more than my experience (yours most likely will vary),
> below is the progression that I followed. I didn't really plan the timing
> but the sequence of events was pretty much what I thought it would be
> before I quit.
>
> Sometime in June: Decided that this would be my last carton since cig
> taxes were going up July 1st and I was sick of feeling like an outcast and
> a slave(really)!
> Throughout July: Read some old AS3 printouts from when I quit in the late
> '90s. Got fairly emotional and hopeful that this was doable.
> July 8th: Finished the last smoke of the last pack at about 2:30 p.m.
> Substituted by chewing the NRT gum. Came back to read and post at AS3.
> First couple weeks: Posted very often about how I felt and what I was
> going through. Helped me a lot but maybe also helped old-fogies remember
> what it was like to first quit.
> September 3rd Stopped the nicotine gum and replaced it with sugarless gum.
> I 'parked' it to kind of mimic what I did with the NRT gum.
> September 16, 2007: Last day chewing the sugarless gum.
>
> Mental Health: Way up
> Emotions: Pretty intense in the beginning. Level now.
> Physical Health: Up
> Weight: Steady
>
> A really important part of the past few months has been my exercise
> routine. I actually started going to the gym over a year ago and by the
> time I quit, I was up to 30 minutes on the rowing machine and 15 minutes
> stretching. If I hadn't been working out, I know for a fact that my weight
> would have zoomed and my mental health would be pitiful. I just started
> water aerobics and will begin swimming lessons on Tuesday. I want to be
> able to "swim laps".
>
> I feel like I need to keep my life busy because, for me, idle time is
> scary time.
>
> Above all else though, I read and posted to AS3. Reading my fellow
> newbies' posts has made me feel like I'm not alone in my journey. Reading
> the old fogies' posts has been an inspiration and reinforces my own hope
> for the future. Thank you all for being here and may we all be
> smoke-free!!!
>
> ConcorPhil
> I have not smoked in 2M 1W 17h 21m. That's 69 days! I have not used any
> nicotine at all since 9/03/2007.

Good for you Phil! You are doing great!!!!!

Hugs and kisses

Sarah
Eleven months, four days, 11 hours, 40 minutes and 4 seconds. 8487
cigarettes not smoked, saving $3,394.86. Life saved: 4 weeks, 1 day, 11
hours, 15 minutes.

"ConcordPhil" <nobody@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:rN8Hi.549$fz2.505@trndny03...
:I stopped the NRT gum almost 2 weeks ago with the idea that I would use
: sugarless gum mostly by 'parking' it like I did with the nicotine gum.
: Well, it worked and I have not had any nicotine gum but now I'm getting
: really sick of the sugarless gum so... time to drop it. This will be my
: last day of chewing the sugarless gum.
:
: So in the hope that it *might* help somebody else and with the caveat
: that this is nothing more than my experience (yours most likely will
: vary), below is the progression that I followed. I didn't really plan
: the timing but the sequence of events was pretty much what I thought it
: would be before I quit.
:
: Sometime in June: Decided that this would be my last carton since cig
: taxes were going up July 1st and I was sick of feeling like an outcast
: and a slave(really)!
: Throughout July: Read some old AS3 printouts from when I quit in the
: late '90s. Got fairly emotional and hopeful that this was doable.
: July 8th: Finished the last smoke of the last pack at about 2:30 p.m.
: Substituted by chewing the NRT gum. Came back to read and post at AS3.
: First couple weeks: Posted very often about how I felt and what I was
: going through. Helped me a lot but maybe also helped old-fogies remember
: what it was like to first quit.
: September 3rd Stopped the nicotine gum and replaced it with sugarless
: gum. I 'parked' it to kind of mimic what I did with the NRT gum.
: September 16, 2007: Last day chewing the sugarless gum.
:
: Mental Health: Way up
: Emotions: Pretty intense in the beginning. Level now.
: Physical Health: Up
: Weight: Steady
:
: A really important part of the past few months has been my exercise
: routine. I actually started going to the gym over a year ago and by the
: time I quit, I was up to 30 minutes on the rowing machine and 15 minutes
: stretching. If I hadn't been working out, I know for a fact that my
: weight would have zoomed and my mental health would be pitiful. I just
: started water aerobics and will begin swimming lessons on Tuesday. I
: want to be able to "swim laps".
:
: I feel like I need to keep my life busy because, for me, idle time is
: scary time.
:
: Above all else though, I read and posted to AS3. Reading my fellow
: newbies' posts has made me feel like I'm not alone in my journey.
: Reading the old fogies' posts has been an inspiration and reinforces my
: own hope for the future. Thank you all for being here and may we all be
: smoke-free!!!
:
: ConcorPhil
: I have not smoked in 2M 1W 17h 21m. That's 69 days! I have not used any
: nicotine at all since 9/03/2007.

On Sun, 16 Sep 2007 11:51:51 GMT, ConcordPhil <nobody@verizon.net>
wrote:

>I stopped the NRT gum almost 2 weeks ago with the idea that I would use
>sugarless gum mostly by 'parking' it like I did with the nicotine gum.
>Well, it worked and I have not had any nicotine gum but now I'm getting
>really sick of the sugarless gum so... time to drop it. This will be my
>last day of chewing the sugarless gum.
>
>So in the hope that it *might* help somebody else and with the caveat
>that this is nothing more than my experience (yours most likely will
>vary), below is the progression that I followed. I didn't really plan
>the timing but the sequence of events was pretty much what I thought it
>would be before I quit.
>
>Sometime in June: Decided that this would be my last carton since cig
>taxes were going up July 1st and I was sick of feeling like an outcast
>and a slave(really)!
>Throughout July: Read some old AS3 printouts from when I quit in the
>late '90s. Got fairly emotional and hopeful that this was doable.
>July 8th: Finished the last smoke of the last pack at about 2:30 p.m.
>Substituted by chewing the NRT gum. Came back to read and post at AS3.
>First couple weeks: Posted very often about how I felt and what I was
>going through. Helped me a lot but maybe also helped old-fogies remember
>what it was like to first quit.
>September 3rd Stopped the nicotine gum and replaced it with sugarless
>gum. I 'parked' it to kind of mimic what I did with the NRT gum.
>September 16, 2007: Last day chewing the sugarless gum.
>
>Mental Health: Way up
>Emotions: Pretty intense in the beginning. Level now.
>Physical Health: Up
>Weight: Steady

It all looks good.

>
>A really important part of the past few months has been my exercise
>routine. I actually started going to the gym over a year ago and by the
>time I quit, I was up to 30 minutes on the rowing machine and 15 minutes
>stretching. If I hadn't been working out, I know for a fact that my
>weight would have zoomed and my mental health would be pitiful. I just
>started water aerobics and will begin swimming lessons on Tuesday. I
>want to be able to "swim laps".

This is one of the more uplifting parts of your post. Good for you
for learning something new!! That's terrific.

>
>I feel like I need to keep my life busy because, for me, idle time is
>scary time.

Excellent plan.

>
>Above all else though, I read and posted to AS3. Reading my fellow
>newbies' posts has made me feel like I'm not alone in my journey.
>Reading the old fogies' posts has been an inspiration and reinforces my
>own hope for the future. Thank you all for being here and may we all be
>smoke-free!!!
>
>ConcorPhil
>I have not smoked in 2M 1W 17h 21m. That's 69 days! I have not used any
>nicotine at all since 9/03/2007.

Great meter!!
Sue

Phil! Your posting could be a 'Poster Boy' story for a successful
quit. You are doing great and you are contributing to the NG in many
ways. You are so right that newbies always help us who have more
smobriety because it helps us remember the struggle and pain and that
it is NOT WORTH IT to smoke again and have to start over and go
through it again. The intelligent way you worked to detox yourself
from the gum is excellent and I do agree it's probably time to ditch
the sugarless gum as well. Keep on keeping on and keep on sharing the
joys you get!

FlatironMike
Seven months, five days, 13 hours, 9 minutes and 40 seconds. 4350
cigarettes not smoked, saving $1,305.04. Life saved: 2 weeks, 1 day, 2
hours, 30 minutes.

Once upon a time, ConcordPhil said:

>I stopped the NRT gum almost 2 weeks ago with the idea that I would use
>sugarless gum mostly by 'parking' it like I did with the nicotine gum.
>Well, it worked and I have not had any nicotine gum but now I'm getting
>really sick of the sugarless gum so... time to drop it. This will be my
>last day of chewing the sugarless gum.

Congratulations Phil on everything you have achieved so far and
watching you achieve more will be a great pleasure.
I wish you all the best.

--
Tihomir *I don't smoke anymore*
IRC chat: #nosmokers at irc.starlink.org
irc://irc.starlink.org/nosmokers

.... Fiction: It can't hold a scandal to biography.

Thank you for posting this Phil. Every bit of experience is helpful and
I'm sure those that are using the gum will find your success and advice
reassuring.

You are doing brilliant and you have the meter to prove it.

Lots of love
Summer (007) -- 8M+
__________________________________________________ _____________________

e-Mail: summer DOT cashmore AT ntlworld DOT com
http://www.summcash.blogspot.com/
"When I found the skull in the woods, the first thing I did was call
the police. But then I got curious about it. I picked it up, and
started wondering who this person was, and why he had deer horns."
-- Jack Handy
__________________________________________________ _____________________



ConcordPhil wrote:
> I stopped the NRT gum almost 2 weeks ago with the idea that I would use
> sugarless gum mostly by 'parking' it like I did with the nicotine gum.
> Well, it worked and I have not had any nicotine gum but now I'm getting
> really sick of the sugarless gum so... time to drop it. This will be my
> last day of chewing the sugarless gum.
>
> So in the hope that it *might* help somebody else and with the caveat
> that this is nothing more than my experience (yours most likely will
> vary), below is the progression that I followed. I didn't really plan
> the timing but the sequence of events was pretty much what I thought it
> would be before I quit.
>
> Sometime in June: Decided that this would be my last carton since
> cig taxes were going up July 1st and I was sick of feeling like an
> outcast and a slave(really)!
> Throughout July: Read some old AS3 printouts from when I quit in the
> late '90s. Got fairly emotional and hopeful that this was doable.
> July 8th: Finished the last smoke of the last pack at about 2:30
> p.m. Substituted by chewing the NRT gum. Came back to read and post at AS3.
> First couple weeks: Posted very often about how I felt and what I was
> going through. Helped me a lot but maybe also helped old-fogies remember
> what it was like to first quit.
> September 3rd Stopped the nicotine gum and replaced it with
> sugarless gum. I 'parked' it to kind of mimic what I did with the NRT gum.
> September 16, 2007: Last day chewing the sugarless gum.
>
> Mental Health: Way up
> Emotions: Pretty intense in the beginning. Level now.
> Physical Health: Up
> Weight: Steady
>
> A really important part of the past few months has been my exercise
> routine. I actually started going to the gym over a year ago and by the
> time I quit, I was up to 30 minutes on the rowing machine and 15 minutes
> stretching. If I hadn't been working out, I know for a fact that my
> weight would have zoomed and my mental health would be pitiful. I just
> started water aerobics and will begin swimming lessons on Tuesday. I
> want to be able to "swim laps".
>
> I feel like I need to keep my life busy because, for me, idle time is
> scary time.
>
> Above all else though, I read and posted to AS3. Reading my fellow
> newbies' posts has made me feel like I'm not alone in my journey.
> Reading the old fogies' posts has been an inspiration and reinforces my
> own hope for the future. Thank you all for being here and may we all be
> smoke-free!!!
>
> ConcorPhil
> I have not smoked in 2M 1W 17h 21m. That's 69 days! I have not used any
> nicotine at all since 9/03/2007.