Growing up in the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia everyone around me smoked cigarettes. My parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, everywhere I looked everyone I saw were puffing away. I was doomed to grow up smoking cigarettes.
The first ten years I smoked I actually quit three times. First time I quit cold turkey and I did not smoke for six months. I started again when I dated a girl who smoked. Second time I quit was also cold turkey but I ate two rolls of tropical fruit lifesaver a day and did not smoke for 8 months. Again I started when I dated a girl who smoked. The last time was acupuncture and I broke down under the stress after six months.
The last ten years I smoked I really hated the habit. But just the thought of quitting broke me down. In 2001 I had a new girl friend that was going to save me. She was going to help me quit, her idea not mine. She told me I was quitting one morning before work. We threw everything away, lighters, matches and cigarettes. On the way to work I drove about halve a mile before I broke down and stopped to buy everything again.
During a family vacation in 2007 my sister in law told me she quit smoking using Chantix. I thought about it for awhile and went to see my doctor who wrote a prescription for Chantix. I put off getting the prescription filled. When I finally picked up the medicine I put off taking it. Then I put off follow the recommended directions and steps. Despite all of this the next thing I know I had QUIT SMOKING. And I stayed about the same weight. Without Chantix I would still be smoking and hating it.
Chantix: Very Cool.
I quit on October 7 2007. Days Smoke Free: 1403 Life Time Saved: 14 months, 7 days, 17 hours
Cigarettes Not Smoked: 56120 Money saved: $7280.00 This is 2007 prices which have since doubled.