Wish me luck......

[paula1961]

I'm trying to quit smoking!! I have smoked for 30 years and it is really starting to effect my health. The doctor prescribed Chantix. I tried it once before and couldn't take it but this time I've been taking it for almost 3 weeks. It makes me so nauseated and nothing really has a taste I have went from 2 packs a day to a pack lasting for 3 days so I feel like I am making progress!! I sure hope I can actually quit completely.

Some of you may remember my respiratory problems from a while back. The results from my ct's were pretty good except I have a very small spot on my left lung that my dr said he was not worried about right now. He has sent me recently for a ct on my back and a bone density test which didn't turn out good. I now have to take Actonel everyday. I have 2 bulging discs in my back!! I am 48 and falling apart lol. Anyway.....if I can quit smoking, I will feel so much better. Actually I already do just from cutting back so much. But I want to completely quit!! I could have bought a brand new car for what I have paid for cigarettes. It makes me so aggravated!! So girls.....wish me luck and say a little prayer. It is such a hard habit to break!!

[Blueyes]

YOU CAN DO IT, PAULA!!!! I'm so glad you are taking care of yourself. I haven't smoked so I don't know what it's like to quit, but I can imagine it's terrible. It sounds like you are making great progress!

[DianaB]

Paula, you're doing the right thing and for the right reasons!!! Your health is very important!! We're a pretty good at cheerleading on here so keep us posted on how you're doing!! Janet stopped smoking 2 or 3 years ago so I know that she'll understand exactly what you're going through!!!!

Three weeks is great and cutting back as much as you have!!! I'm cheering for you to go all the way!!!

[gja1000]

You go girl! You will feel so much better when you stop and so will your lungs! At 48 you can recover so much of the damage the past 30 years has done - you won't believe how much it can improve your health!

Like Betsi, I haven't ever smoked, so I don't know anything about quitting. Does your husband smoke? I hope not cuz they say it is harder when a spouse continues. But good luck! We are all here for you!

[paula1961]

Thank you all so much!! I should have posted about this sooner!! I knew that you all would be the best support system in the world I'll keep you posted! I know it's not going to be easy but I sure am gonna try! This time...it just seems different than other times when I would say that I needed to quit. I think the difference is that I never had gotten as sick as I got last winter and couldn't hardly catch my breath for about 3 months, it was a scary and horrible feeling.

Gayle........thankfully my husband does NOT smoke so we don't have that to contend with. He is my rock. He would like nothing better than for me to never smoke again. He is very supportive. He is the kind of person that will say what he thinks you should do for your health but he doesn't preach to me about it. I am very lucky to have him in my corner.

[Janet]

Paula.....I PROMISE YOU.....YOU WILL FEEL SOOOOO MUCH BETTER!!! I quit the last of August 2007...so it will be 3 years soon and I just can't believe the difference in how I feel. You just don't know until you quit....it truly is wonderful.

I started with Chantix too, but like you...I was sick in my stomach all the time. I got to looking in some of my bathroom drawers and found a couple of the patches I had left from the last time I tried to quit and they were just about to expire. So that night I put one on, the next night I put the other one on and haven't smoked since.

You can do this....and you WILL NOT REGRET IT sFun_cheerleader2.gif