Quit Tobacco: Report Card — Health Heroes

I would like to share my quitting experience with others.

I had smoked for more than 20 years, about a pack a day, when I decided it’s time to try to quit. I tried patches, but they irritated my skin badly; I tried prescription drug, but I experienced side effects that were just too unbearable for me.

I was not strong enough to do it cold-turkey and so I decided to start with cutting down first. When I was down to 8 cigarettes a day in 2 months, I no longer carried the cigarettes with me to work, and that helped me down to 4 cigarettes a day. I then picked my son’s birthday as my quit day.

I chewed nicotine gum when I had the urge to smoke. Since I was not able to eat or drink when I chewed the gum, by chewing longer than suggested on the box, I managed not to gain any weight.

It has been 5 months since I last smoked and I feel great!! I can breathe much better now when I exercise. I no longer wake up with bad breath and my dentist told me that my gums are much healthier than before.

The benefits of quitting are actually for real, not just talks! I now just chew regular gum when I experience the occasional urge to smoke and it works.

It’s a long road ahead, I know, but I am confident that I can call myself an ex-smoker for life! If I can do it, you can too!

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