So say husband and wife, Anthony and Emma Edges from Alvaston who supported each other to kick their 20 year habit and save £570 in the process.
Emma (35) made a pact with her husband to quit for good after seeing the toll Chronic Pulmonary Obstructive Disease (COPD) was having on her mum, a smoker of 50 years. She was also concerned about the effects of smoking on her Multiple Sclerosis and the couple being positive role models to their four children aged 12 to 18.
“Mum was diagnosed two years ago after getting up in the night struggling to get her breath. We didn’t want our children to see us developing this frightening condition in the future and I was worried that smoking could be contributing to my MS deterioration, so we both agreed to stop together.
I’d tried numerous times to quit over the years but only managed a few days, Anthony had stopped previously for six months. This time our doctor suggested we join Livewell so we each booked a phone appointment on the website.
Mark, my advisor, suggested I try a 12-week course of a prescription medicine called Champix, which reduces the cravings and withdrawal symptoms associated with giving up smoking. I set my target quit date and started taking the tablets. By week 2 I had stopped and by week 3 I started to find things easier and the cravings eased. Mark was fantastic offering text and phone support whenever I had a low moment or needed reassurance.
Anthony’s advisor, Sufyaan advised he try Nicotine patches which Livewell delivered to us for free for eight weeks. He found that the steady release of nicotine eased the withdrawal effects and worked well for him.
Both of us are now four months smoke free and we consider ourselves non-smokers. My sense of smell and taste has improved, I can breathe more easily and keeping up with the kids feels easier. My mum is ecstatic and the children can’t believe we’ve finally beat our tobacco addiction – they love that we no longer smell of stale smoke.
As a thrill-seeking mad family – we’ve already saved more than the cost of our annual theme park passes something we’re all looking forward to during 2021 when things are hopefully more normal.
I couldn’t have done it without Livewell or Anthony quitting with me. We both felt responsible for each other and that was our incentive whenever things got tough.”
Emma’s Top Tips
1. Quit with a friend/partner – keep each other motivated like Anthony and I did.
2. Keep busy – a bit of tidying/cleaning, put on your favourite track or go for a walk to help you resist the urge to smoke. The craving will pass after a few minutes.
3. Brush your teeth first thing in the morning so your breath smells fresh – reaching for that first cigarette of the day will be less tempting.
4. Treat yourself – plan how to use the money you save.
5. Use a specialist stop smoking service like Livewell – it made all the difference to me.
Inspired to make 2021 your year to quit?
You’re three times more likely to quit for good with support from a specialist service like Livewell. Book your phone appointment today.