I quit smoking a year ago. A journey and the things 'they' don't tell you about'

I used to be a heavy smoker, now I am not anymore.
Here is how that happened and what that did to me.

A brief history

I used to loath smoking. I couldn't stand it and always complained about my brother smoking. Then around the age of 18 when I started going to clubs with friends, I got seduced by nicotine.
I wished I knew then what I know now ...

Of course, like everybody who's smoking, people around you and doctors and who not, all tell you to quit smoking.

What they DON'T tell you is what that proposed quitting does to your body.

When I was 27 I somehow managed to quit smoking the 1st time. That's right, the 1st time. Because nicotine is a nasty mistress. She won't easily take no for an answer. (more on that later)

That quickly resulted in constipation.
It lasted 8 months and numerous visits to the doctor and hospital to figure that no, this wasn't normal constipation, this was Chronic Colitis Ulcerosa. I sister of Crohn's disease.
CCU is basically an inflamed colon. Turns out that smoking prevents the inflammation from getting through. So when I quit, the inflammation peaked, shutting down the workings of my colon.
Luckily, for me, nothing that couldn't be fixed with medicine. (which I will spare you the details of. It was not pleasant)

But smoking is not only a habit, or an addiction. It's also a 'way of life' that most nonsmokers wouldn't get.
So after 2.5 years, I thought I could smoke occasionally. And there lies the snakes lie. Because after that 1st cigarette, it feels like you can. There is no desire for a second. But after each casual cigarette, that desire sneakily grows. Prompting you to label more and more occasions as a fine moment for an occasional smoke. And then you're hooked again and back to smoking a pack a day.

Between then and the last time I quit a must've tried a couple of times and each and every time my body went to a couple of interesting stages, in my case, the above unfortunately being one of them each time.

So, here are a couple of the things they don't tell you that might happen to you.

• Sleepless in Bed
  You might have sleepless nights for at least a week if not a bit longer. I don't know why, but the first week, I kept waking up multiple times during the night. Very annoying and nerve wrecking and making the process harder. When tired, the need for a cigarette is bigger. At least for me it was.
  I still sleep lighter then I used to.

• Mouth ulcers
  this one is nasty as hell as well, it prevents you from eating properly, as eating or any movement of the mouth might hurt.
  swaddling them with something called Pyralvex will help them go away, but A. it hurts and B. it tastes awful C. IT HURTS

• Weight gain
  you will most likely gain weight. I know, this is something that is known, but the extend is shattering. The need for nicotine feels the same as the need for food. So you will most likely eat a lot more ... A LOT MORE !!
  You will feel a need to eat all day long.

• Less Benefits
  'They' tell you you will get your taste back, be fitter, smell things better.
  Well, the taste, maybe slightly, but not as staggering as you'd expect. Being fitter ? well, maybe when you're not 36.
  Or my general fitness was so bad the improvement was negligible.
  And the smell ? well, this IS true, but in an overfull metro in summer, this is most definitely NOT an improvement.

• It takes TIME
  It is true that there are 'set periods' for when things happen. Like the 1st three weeks are hardest.
  What is less known is that every unique event where you ever smoked will have to pass again without smoking.
  Say you liked to smoke during a spring rain. Even if you've quit more then a year, the 1st spring rain since you've quit will trigger
  that feeling. Not necessarily wanting a cigarette, but most definitely a memory of 'Hey, this would be a moment I would smoke.
  All those moment will trigger it the 1st time you encounter them after quitting. Be aware of them.

You should still quit !

All that said, it has been the best decision in my life to finally give cigarettes the boot.

I have been a non-smoker for a little more then a year now. I was sick for about 2 weeks,I had no taste for cigarettes, coffee (my other vice) or anything really. When that time came when I was thinking "I wonder if a cigarette will taste again, maybe I should try one" I didn't I had already two weeks under my belt of not smoking and I was not about to give that freebie up.
I am really glad that I managed to stay quit since last time.
I truly believe I will never be a smoker ever again, since I now know the pitfalls.

Since I quite March 28th 2016 I have NOT smoked 8293 cigarettes. and I have NOT spent € 2750 on them.

ProTip !

At least in the beginning, make sure you wire the money you would've spent each pack you would've bought to a savings account.
In my case, that was € 6 a day I would wire to that account. You can literally see the money you're saving.
I actually still do that. I wire € 190 each month to a savings account with a description of 'Saved by not smoking'
So does my wife for that matter who quit smoking a month after me.
That's € 380 EACH MONTH we save and can use for other much better things.