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

[katcarasella]

Good for you Paula, I wish I had quit at your age...you can do it...
I used the Chantix as well, and it really does work, everytime I'd even though about a cigarette I'd get nauseated...you are more than half way there now.

My only suggestion would be to try to stay away from people that smoke right now, it's to easy to ask them for a ciggy when you get the urge...that was always my downfall...

Saying a prayer for you....

[Janet]

Kat I just love your avatar!!!


Paula...I also carry Tic Tacs with me at all times...even now. It just seems to help me. Some use gum, suckers, etc. I know you can do this.

[Lindsey]

Good luck Paula! My mom hasn't had a smoke since September and I think she still struggles with it sometimes but I am SO SO SO proud of her! It can be done and I'm sure you're a strong enough woman to get through it I was looking for things to encourage my mom to stay on the right track, so I thought I'd share them with you too

Smoking cessation timeline – the health benefits over time

* In 20 minutes, your blood pressure and pulse rate decrease, and the body temperature of your hands and feet increase.
* Carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke reduces the blood’s ability to carry oxygen. At 8 hours, the carbon monoxide level in your blood decreases to normal. With the decrease in carbon monoxide, your blood oxygen level increases to normal.
* At 24 hours, your risk of having a heart attack decreases.
* At 48 hours, nerve endings start to regrow and the ability to smell and taste is enhanced.
* Between 2 weeks and 3 months, your circulation improves, walking becomes easier and you don’t cough or wheeze as often. Phlegm production decreases. Within several months, you have significant improvement in lung function.
* In 1 to 9 months, coughs, sinus congestion, fatigue and shortness of breath decrease as you continue to see significant improvement in lung function. Cilia, tiny hair-like structures that move mucus out of the lungs, regain normal function.
* In 1 year, risk of coronary heart disease and heart attack is reduced to half that of a smoker.
* Between 5 and 15 years after quitting, your risk of having a stroke returns to that of a non-smoker.
* In 10 years, your risk of lung cancer drops. Additionally, your risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney and pancreas decrease. Even after a decade of not smoking however, your risk of lung cancer remains higher than in people who have never smoked. Your risk of ulcer also decreases.
* In 15 years, your risk of coronary heart disease and heart attack in similar to that of people who have never smoked. The risk of death returns to nearly the level of a non-smoker.

[paula1961]

Originally Posted by Lindsey

Good luck Paula! My mom hasn't had a smoke since September and I think she still struggles with it sometimes but I am SO SO SO proud of her! It can be done and I'm sure you're a strong enough woman to get through it I was looking for things to encourage my mom to stay on the right track, so I thought I'd share them with you too

Smoking cessation timeline – the health benefits over time

* In 20 minutes, your blood pressure and pulse rate decrease, and the body temperature of your hands and feet increase.
* Carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke reduces the blood’s ability to carry oxygen. At 8 hours, the carbon monoxide level in your blood decreases to normal. With the decrease in carbon monoxide, your blood oxygen level increases to normal.
* At 24 hours, your risk of having a heart attack decreases.
* At 48 hours, nerve endings start to regrow and the ability to smell and taste is enhanced.
* Between 2 weeks and 3 months, your circulation improves, walking becomes easier and you don’t cough or wheeze as often. Phlegm production decreases. Within several months, you have significant improvement in lung function.
* In 1 to 9 months, coughs, sinus congestion, fatigue and shortness of breath decrease as you continue to see significant improvement in lung function. Cilia, tiny hair-like structures that move mucus out of the lungs, regain normal function.
* In 1 year, risk of coronary heart disease and heart attack is reduced to half that of a smoker.
* Between 5 and 15 years after quitting, your risk of having a stroke returns to that of a non-smoker.
* In 10 years, your risk of lung cancer drops. Additionally, your risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney and pancreas decrease. Even after a decade of not smoking however, your risk of lung cancer remains higher than in people who have never smoked. Your risk of ulcer also decreases.
* In 15 years, your risk of coronary heart disease and heart attack in similar to that of people who have never smoked. The risk of death returns to nearly the level of a non-smoker.

Thank you so much Lynsey! It means alot to me for you to encourage me like this! Reading that gives me even more incentive to quit. Thanks again

[paula1961]

Today I have lit 4 cigarettes. I don't smoke all of them and I don't inhale them either.
Janet and Kat, how long did it take for you to completely never light another after you started the chantix? I know that Janet said she ended up using the patches.
My sister has a friend that quit after the first week, but I know of another girl that smoked for 3 months. I have been on the Chantix for 3 weeks. And by the way, I eat everything in sight My sister's friend has gained 20 pounds!! But I'd rather be overweight than smoke. How did you guys do with eating? The dr said on average........you gain about 10 pounds and then lose 5 of it I don't believe him LOL!

[MaddieBoo]

You can do it! You are doing it the right way and for all the right reasons!
I don't have much advice since I haven't smoked, but I know it takes a lot of strength that you definitely have!!!
I also heard that smoking burns up to 300 calories per day for heavy smokers (!!!) and that is the reason for weight gain with many people (also the urge to have your mouth doing something). Just something to think about I suppose! I'm positive everything you are experiencing is totally normal.

[Janet]

Originally Posted by paula1961

Today I have lit 4 cigarettes. I don't smoke all of them and I don't inhale them either.
Janet and Kat, how long did it take for you to completely never light another after you started the chantix? I know that Janet said she ended up using the patches.
My sister has a friend that quit after the first week, but I know of another girl that smoked for 3 months. I have been on the Chantix for 3 weeks. And by the way, I eat everything in sight My sister's friend has gained 20 pounds!! But I'd rather be overweight than smoke. How did you guys do with eating? The dr said on average........you gain about 10 pounds and then lose 5 of it I don't believe him LOL!

If I remember right Paula, I was only on the Chantix for about a week, maybe a few days more. I just couldn't stand being sick in my stomach all the time. Like I said I had 2 patches left that I found. Once I put that first patch on I didn't smoke, of course I didn't have any in the house either to cheat with. I just made up my mind I wasn't going to smoke anymore and I wasn't driving all the way to town to buy some. I kept Tic Tacs on hand ALL the time and when I started thinking about it, I got up and did something to take my mind off of it.

There are times to this day that I wish I had one to smoke, but I never will do that again..EVER. I gained...don't know how much for sure, but I've always been heavy so I didn't keep track. It will help if you keep lots of cut up veggies ready to snack on.

[judy]

You are doing so well Paula! I am so happy for you. Your health will become a non issue in so many ways once you stop!

I stopped about 15 years ago, when my ex had a heart attack and had to stop smoking. I used the patch, and cut down slowly for 3 months. (It wasn't known then that smoking with the patch is harmful). My skin began to react to the patch, and that's when I decided to stop altogether. It was one of the best things I ever did for myself!

Don't worry about weight gain. Weight Watchers or any healthy diet can be very helpful for that. I gradually stopped thinking about smoking, and when I did crave one in the beginning, I would remember how hard it was to smoke, and knew I never would go through that again!

You can do it Paula!

HURRAY PAULA!!!

[DianaB]

How's it going, Paula? We need an update!!!! Go, Paula!!! Go, Paula!!!