[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by John_W

I smoked 2-1/2 packs a day for 35 years, I guess that would make me a chain smoker. I never bought cigs by the pack, only the carton because I couldn't stand having less than 3 or 4 packs on hand.

When I was 55 I had thought to myself that I would smoke the rest of my life, it might be a shorter life but I liked smoking very much and on two previous attempts to quit smoking it never lasted more than six months. In both situations I had to give up coffee and alcohol.

In 2006 when I was 56 my wife came home from our family doctor and said I have a prescription for you, it's a new drug called Chantix, it's suppose to help you quit smoking.

I wasn't really interested but I thought, to make her happy I'll give it a try. To myself I thought, this will never work and I'm not changing a bit. Even with my drug card it was $100, well that's a $100 wasted.

I started the drug on Wednesday, on Saturday I was down to three packs, time to go to the store and buy a carton, but when I started to get up I didn't feel the urge to go. Sunday night I ran out of cigarettes and have never smoked since. That was five years ago.

It's the best thing I have ever done. Initially my weight went from 155 to 180, I'm only 5'9", eventually it leveled off at 165. In the last five years I have taken up bicycling, golf and 60 minutes of exercise five days a week. My weight now is at 155 and we have moved to TV last month. I haven't felt this good since I was a teenager. I played golf at Havana on Tuesday and shot an 82 from the white tees, I'm going out for softball in September and I'm going to ride my bike right now.

Wonderful to hear! It is VERY hard to do. I quit many years ago. It isn't easy for sure.