OT: Quit smoking using acupuncture?

[jski711]

well i have tried everything i can think of to try and quit smoking. about the only thing i haven't tried is acupuncture. i know this sounds crazy but i have heard from people that they have gone and have not ever wanted another cigarette ever again!!! i just wanted to know if anybody knows someone who has done this and what their acupuncturist name is!! i really want to quit but man is it difficult, especially being in the construction industry. thanks in advance.

Jake :smokin:

lol i crack myself up.

 

[canar]

I did laser acupuncture for smoking. The concept sounded great. The laser stimulated the same nerve they do with the needle but it stimulated more of it. To say it simple. It was terrible. It gave me a euphoric feeling that would not go away. Add that to the need for a smoke and it was making me crazy. It was a waste of money for me.

Ted

 

[ekrunch]

I managed to get away with going cold turkey... had one of those 12+ hours/day marathon weeks at work and then all of a sudden realized that I hadn't smoked in three days... that was almost a year ago.

Tammy quit recently using some new medication from her doctor and the patch at the same time. It worked well for her, she's been out for a few months now. I don't remember the name of the medication but you can PM her to find out. Her screen name is "lsudiva".

Good luck man, I know it's rough to quit. I definitely haven't regretted it though... I feel 100 times better and now I have more money for frags.

Ed

 

[bassist6108]

I tried the drugs + patch combo too. It worked well until I started smoking on top of both... but then my skin decided it didn't like the patch and I went cold turkey. The drugs help you not like the taste of smoking, but I didn't think the patch did much at all. It's tough going when you quit, but well worth it once you've finally kicked it.

Good luck. Think of how much healthier you'll be and the pets/kids/spouse, etc.

- Andrea

 

[Rod Buehler]

I was also a HEAVY DUTY smoker (3 packs a day) that went cold turkey. The trick is to keep telling yourself
" Hey, Ive made it 2 hours.. It would be stupid to have one now"

" Hey, Ive made it through the evening! It would be stupid to have one now"

"Hey, I have made it 24 hours!! It would be stupid to have one now!!"

"Hey, I have made it 2 days!!! The hardest part is over. It would be stupid to have one now!!! Then If I did, I would have to go through this $#!** again!!!"

"Hey, 3 days!!! I am doing great. Dont get stupid now!!"

WOW!! Its been a Week. If I had one now, I would be a complete moron!! the hard part is over"

Its been 7-10 years now

When I quit, I still had a half of a pack in my pocket

Good luck!, you can do it

 

[Rod Buehler]

Oh... I was a mason contractor when I quit. I used to chew on straws, and a lot of candy.. Now& laters worked great because they lasted about as long as cig would. Be sure to carry a toothbrush though

 

[skunkmere]

I quite by having a nagging girlfriend that would cry everytime i smoked. so i had to quit to to remain sane.

 

[Doubledown]

I know 3 people who have done the accupuncture. 2 have not had a craving for a smoke in over 18 months, the 3rd (their son) went right back to smoking and never went back in for follow up treatments. It is my understanding that within the first few months you can go back for re-treatment at no cost if the first treatment doesn't work for you.

I thought the treatment was a bit pricey, but when the 2 of them were smoking 3 packs a day the savings on smokes paid fro the treatment in no time.


Personaly, I quit cold turkey the day I brought my daughter (as a baby) to the ER for a fever. Doc looked at me and said my habit was not only bad for me, but worse for her and that was all it took. Been almost 8 years now.

Good luck and keep trying - something will work for you.

 

[pk1]

I have tried it all too. I'm going on 2 weeks without a smoke and the thought of one makes me sick. I'm taking Chantix, and coming from someone who doesn't like to take pills, I have to say this stuff works very well. After about 2 weeks of taking the pill, smoking would make me sick to my stomach. My mother in law, a smoker of at least a pack a day for 30 years, has been smoke free for 2 months now Chantix.

Patrick

 

[ozzman69]

Hi all
Was a smoker for 26 years. Tryied everything you can think of to quit. No luck. This august, when i had my yearly physical. My Doc recemened a new drug. chantix. Let me tell you. Works like a charm. I have been smoke free for 2 months now. No cravings for a smoke, been out with the boys 3 seperate nights in a bar with no problems. It is almost to easy. No side effects either. I would highly recommened it to anyone who wants to quit.

 

[mnestroy]

My parents once told me never quit something that you started.

 

[lsudiva]

The drug my doctor gave me was Chantix as well, and it really did help a lot. I tried wellbutrin before this, and it made me a nutcase (just ask ekrunch), but Chantix was a dream. I'd highly recommend it even though it is quite pricy and my insurance didn't cover it. Don't get me wrong, I still have the urge (especially if I'm having a beer or three) but it's definitely a lot easier than any of my other attempts.

 

[mnestroy]

Be warned Chantix will/can make you extremely sick to your stomach for about 30minutes after you take it.

But if you can get past that the stuff works great, to bad its effects are permanent, few months after stopping it I was right back to smoking.

 

[ekrunch]

I think the key with most people is breaking the habits. In my case, the nicotine part of it had very little to do with it. My biggest thing was not smoking in my car. I broke that habit a long time ago while I was still a smoker. That alone was the single biggest challenge for me since I never smoke in my house. Tammy did it the same way when we got our new car, she didn't smoke in that car at all so when she actually quit smoking, there was no in car habit that reminded her of smoking.

By the time I quit, I was down to just smoking in the parking lot to/from work, after meals, and the occasional smoke break. Once I quit smoking, i still took the breaks after lunch and such for the first few weeks. I gradually weened myself off of the old times/places where I used to smoke and then I was done.

I smoked for 10+ years and at least a pack a day. In my bar hopping days, it was at least 2 packs per day. I went through all of the various pills / patches / gums with no success. I always went back after a month or two. In the end it was just staying busy enough to not have the desire to smoke and finding alternate activities to fill the void. I recommend building a new tank. :-D

 

[jski711]

I did use chantix and it did work well. But after a month of being off it im back smoking again!! I guess I can just try and stay on it longer but I guess I just need a little more will power.

 

[pk1]

How long did you take it for? I've read of people having better success when taking it for 6 months instead of the 3 they recommend. I have had a little nausea, mostly the first week or so, but since then I've been fine. I think you hit the nail on the head though---will power. I feel your pain! Good luck, and keep trying.