Hi Julie, great to hear you are still going strong!  I am comfortably craving free for the most part, I'll get a small one maybe once a month but fortunately that is the worst of it.  Most of the time I forget that I used to smoke and the smoke actually bothers me now.  I did develop allergies since quitting though. Strange. 

How long have you been quit now? Yeah lot of rain again this year, then hot weather around the corner and typical chicago shootings,  kinda of dont look forward to summers in Chicago anymore, got my eyes set on the west coast to get away from this violent city, or maybe spend some days in Indiana. 

Suburbs are better than city, especially this mayor we have i dont think knows what to do. 

Hit 18 months on the 7th, hard to believe!  Definitely easier in the burbs, and I used to love the city in the summer (lived in wrigleyville for 5 years before moving up here)...but now I’m just kinda over Illinois as a whole.  Taxes, the whole state is bankrupt, the weather stinks...wish we could move!  Mayor has definitely been up against a lot since she took office...the cps strike in the fall and now this...I guess time will tell how well she did/didn’t do.  Sad and scary that Cook County is now the nation’s hot spot! 

Cook County is the hot spot now? I am with you about being over Illinois, my brother lives in Arizona way more affordable than here, people seem more laid back and less stress, but its also a vacation destination, close enough to California and Vegas. Congratulations on 18 months, did you have any significant cravings past the year mark?

Overdoz quit 04-17-2020

Definitely one of them, though I think likely because of the amount of tests IL is doing as a whole...makes sense our numbers would go way up, you know?

i was doing pretty well with cravings until the pandemic hit, then they came back and really surprised me!   Maybe 3 weeks total of pretty intense cravings, but I think all due to boredom and the fact that I had always used cigarettes to cope in the past.  Now I have maybe a little twinge here and there but nothing horrible.  Did have to go back to the basics with those strong cravings though...deep breaths, ice water and distraction!

how are you feeling?  Congrats on hitting the one month mark!

yeah i believe you with the cravings. The newness of the quit at about 5 weeks wears off a little, but i managed to go for a run/walk before for about an hour, half running half walking. 

Stress is definitely a strong trigger, back home now. Wish the gym was open, we have had so much taken away from us last 2 months, i was just on the bus, its getting more crowded now, i hope there isn't a second wave of infections, till there is a vaccine or something i didnt like feeling crowded in a bus. 

Have a good day, thanks for the congrats.

Overdoz quit 04-17-2020

Big congratulations NOPEvember 2018 Ex-Smokers! Celebrating three years smoke free this month!  

Have a great day.  

Thanks!  Feels good! Feels real good!

Hit 3 years last Sunday---feels amazing!!!!!  Loving life as a non-smoker.  Thanks for the message!  Hope things are going well...think about my friends here often 

-jules

Thanks for remembering Denim ! Grateful for this group of strangers who offered  friendship and strength.

  Congrats to all the other Nopevember 18 peeps .

Its all good at 3 years (mostly).  :)