Stop Smoking Support Thread
Comments
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Jan: You can figure your days on the quitmeter any time; just go to www.quitmeter.com and put in your date.0
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thanks Lady
Kody, you can do this. do not beat yourself up. In due time you will be a former smoker! One minute at a time.
Jan
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kody22,
Glad to hear from you again!
I know you are disappointed but, like everyone has said, it's not the end of the world!
Each time you have stopped has had some positive effect on where you were at the time. You stopped smoking for 1 month after your surgery... That's one month extra that your body got to heal without the delay in healing that smoking can cause! Stopping for a bit around your chemo dates helps as well! All really good steps!
Just going to say I know that the original post that started this thread talks about the effects of smoking on chemo. Bear in mind it is the results of one study. May or may not turn out to be gospel! While no one can argue that quitting smoking would be best, don't beat yourself up over the fact that you haven't stopped completely! Each step you have taken has helped! Each of us does the best we can!
Quitting while going through active treatment is a REALLY tough thing to do and my hat is off to all of you ladies that have done it!
What is important to remember is that, while the ultimate goal is to stop smoking completely, each and every step that you have made toward that goal matters too!
I did not have chemo so can't really help with that but, hopefully others that have on this thread will be along soon! Will be thinking about you tomorrow! Hope you will check back in to let us know that all went well!
Sending you hugs!!!
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Jan,
Sorry about the tooth! Those things can be crazy painful and yuck that it hit on the weekend!
Like Bama said, you can start your quitmeter any time because you can enter in the date you quit.
In fact, I started mine when I quit in January and it asked for how much a pack of cigarettes costs. So I entered what it cost at the time. When NY raised the tax on cigarettes by $1.50 in July, I actually wrote down what my quit meter said I had saved up until that point and then changed my quit smoking date to the date in July that they raised the tax and upped the price per pack to the new price from then on!! I now add my two numbers (pre-July and post-July) together to get my total!
Cigarettes here in upstate NY are now almost $10.00 per pack! Unbelievable!
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OMG $10 a pack! Wow, how can anyone afford it in NY.
I'm in NC and I think they run about $5 a pack here. I stopped buying them when I was DX on 8/6 and used to smoke my DH cigarettes so I was down to about 6 a day prior to quit. Actually, that probably helped me in the long run.
Also, I'm still walking about 5-6 miles a week so that helps too. I go back to the onc this week so I'll see how I did with my weight. I've been eating like a fool but I hope the walking offsets the sweets...hmmm
I also have to go to the PS this week and I'm hoping to get a fill. Fingers crossed XXX
Have a great evening...
Jan
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Hi Seaside: YES!! I made it through another week! I just realized too...I've been so tired from Radiation that I think it's actually helping me to quit (along with the patch). Hey, whatever works! I really don't miss the cigs, my house smells great, the car smells good...it's all good! Thanks for the support!
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Linda:
Whoo Hoo! Wonderful you have another week under your belt!!! Keep up the good work.
Lots of support and encouragement here!
Jan508
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I stopped smoking In May.Very hard!!!I still want a cigerette.But like everyone else felt if i was gonna go threw all this i wanted to give the meds the best chance to work and heal better from all the surgeries.But i did start drinkning a little more wine
Not really sure if thats good.My husband stop a month after me.Been very interresting at times.Best of luck you can do it !!
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So my mouth sore turned out to be just that....a sore that was probably caused by a potato chip or popcorn kernel....Dentist was so nice he realized I was nervous I had a sore in my mouth, took xrays and didn't even charge me for the visit...at 8 am this morning!
I think wine is on the menu this evening
56 days and counting!
Stay strong!!!
Jan
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Jan,
Yep... $10.00 per pack here (well $9.65... close enough!)... Now you all know why my quit meter shows such high totals!! Well that and I smoked quite a bit!
Every year when we would come down your way for vacation, my family would buy souveniers to remember our trip to the beach. Mine was cheap cigarettes
. Even filled out an application to Food Lion for their shopper's card to get the sale price!Glad the dentist visit went well! He sounds like a really good one. Sometimes I get the impression that mine is really in it all for the money and little else but, that's a story for another time!
Hope all goes well and you get your fill this week. Is this your first one after they had to deflate you to fix up your wounds?
I'm still walking as well but, wow, is this weight hanging on for dear life! Not sure if it's the quitting smoking or Tamoxifen but, it sure isn't coming off easily!
Congrats on 56 days!!!
I'll join you in some wine tonight! Cheers, sister!
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Way to GO Linda!!!
You are right... Whatever works!!!!
Where are you in your radiation treatments? I know it really kind of took the wind out of my sails about half way through. Took a few months after to regain my energy! Hopefully you can rest when you need to!
You're doing GREAT!! Keep it up!
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reneerodgers,
Thanks for stopping in with encouragement! It is always appreciated!
My husband has not ever smoked (even though both his parents smoked as did I for most of our marriage). I know how tough it was for just one of us to stop smoking and to have had both of us quitting so close to each other.... hmmmmm.... interesting would have been an understatement!
Glad both of you were able to do it!!
Just noticed you're from Hampstead, NC... We have vacationed for years on Topsail Island.... Jan 508 is from Kure Beach... Beautiful area!!
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Hi Jennifer
Yes, cigarettes have increase alot in price in the 5 years we've been here.
My fill is supposed to be on Thursday and yes this is the first one since my deflation on 10/14. I'm very anxious to get my cleavage back (Yoo Hoo)!!
I also have my 1 month oncologist visit on Thursday and I'm curious to see how much weight I've gained. Even with walking I crave sweets which I never did before. I don't know if it's the Tamoxifen or the quit smoking either but I don't care - I feel really good for a change.
Have a great night
Jan
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Update...I met with the surgeon today. I am scheduled for a partial thyroidectomy (right side only) on November 23rd - NO OTHER TREATMENT NEEDED!
Now I have to get geared up for my MRI on Wednesday...bring on the valium
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Withdrawing from nicotine can cause sugar cravings-it's one of the 7 reasons why smokers gain weight when they quit. It has to do with the blood sugar levels, which is why it's important for diabetics to talk to their doctors when they quit, since their meds may need to be adjusted.
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YAY MICHELLE!!!!!
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Oh Michelle,
SOOOOOOOOOO HAPPY for you!!!!
I can definitely feel the joy in your post! I'll be thinking about you tomorrow. Take that valium and you really just won't care WHAT they do!
Love getting such good news in the morning!
Jennifer
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Hi Seaside: I just finished rads today! Yeah!! I had 6 1/2 weeks of treatment..fatigue hit me like a bus around week 4. I'm glad that's behind me. Now I can take time for me and get my life back to normal, start feeling better, and never smoking again!
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Linda603,
Great news on finishing rads! That is cause for celebration!!!!
Not sure if anyone gave you the heads up but, one thing the nurse told me on my last day of radiation was that sometimes you get hit with a bit of depression for awhile afterward... Mostly due to the whirlwind that was your past year or so with treatment coming to and end you're kind of left with a feeling of 'what now?'
I looked at her like she was nuts and practically skipped out of there the last day but, turns out she was right. I did go into a bit of a funk for awhile! I was glad she had told me so that I knew what I was feeling was normal. By no means does that happen to everyone but, it does happen to some.
You are doing so well!
Have you started a quit meter yet?
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Seaside: I was not aware of the depression after rads...it does kind of make sense. I'm glad you gave me the heads up!
My quit meter reads: 1 wk, 4 days, 20 hrs, 55 mins; 118 cigs not smoked; savings $39.83.
I can get a couple of bottles of wine with that money!!
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O2B: Woo hoo! That's great news.
Linda: Congrats on end of rads and on 1 week, 4 days. Those first days are the hardest, you are doing great!
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Michelle,
Wishing the best for you tomorrow on your MRI. Hopefully that valium kicks in and you get your test done and, as a lovely side effect (if it's like my experience with the Xanax), you will come home and have the BEST nap you have EVER had!
Dutchy,
Hope your return to work went well today!
Kody22,
Hope all went well with your PICC line insertion yesterday !
SweetAeroBabe,
Here's hoping that today is Day 2 for you and that things are going well!
Jancie,
Hope that things have smoothed out for you some and that we will hear from you soon!
Jan508,
Just in case I don't get back here before Thursday.. Best of luck at the oncologist's AND with your fill on Thursday!! So glad to hear that you are back on track after a short detour!
Linda603,
Congrats!!! You are almost to 2 weeks!!! Bama is right, those first few days are the hardest and you are passed that point!!! Hang in there! I found that the first 5 days were the worst. Followed by the first 3 weeks. Once I made it past that point I was in the home stretch and there was no turning back!!
You are almost 2/3 of the way there!!!
Have a good night, all!
Edited to add: Wow, after reading back over this, I'm thinking I REALLY like the word HOPE.... lol!
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Seaside - you are funny...'hope' you have a good night!
Because I had a reaction to the contrast last time, I have to take a Steroid 13 hours prior, 7 hours prior and 1 hour prior to the MRI, plus benedryl 1 hour prior with my Valium. I won't know if I am coming or going, up or down...tomorrow is gonna be fun!!!
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(((MICHELLE)))) you will be bouncing off the walls! Let us know how it goes.
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Michelle: I hope you are doing ok...or are you still sleeping?
Feel better soon and I hope all went well with your tests!
Jan
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Hi Ladies. I returned to work on Tuesday and by 12pm my abnomin was really in pain and I was wishing I had stayed home. I got allot of work done but there is so much to catch up on,Wed. was very much the same lots of getting caught up and trying to figure out what my client's needs are. It is going to take a few more days for me to resettle in. My families are being very patieint and kind.
I hope everyone is doing well.
I had a slip tonight and had 3 cigarettes....the stress from work was too much
I will have to find another was to deal with the stress.
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Dutchy:
Please please take your time to heal properly. Your body is trying to tell you to take it slow...
I'm sorry you had that small slip but just think of it as that, a slip. You will be fine (((((((((((((HUGS)))))))))))))))
Be gentle with yourself!!
Jan
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hi guys, had my port put in yesterday, so later that night I bummed a smoke from my daughter, and I will try again to bum one tonight, as I start chemo at 8am tomorrow morning, hey, at least Im not buying a pack.... and once chemo is going, I wont smoke at all, but by bumming 1 off my daughter had me drasticly cut down. lol. so I dont expect quitting to be quite so bad. Cant wait for my port to be healed..... I have bas sinisus, and cant sniff in OR blow my nose without my neck hurting.
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Hi Everyone: Hope you are all doing well. I see alot of congratulations stories here. I am proud of all of you. Have a drink for me for those of you that have finished their radiation. My pik line went well not as bad as I thought. I had my chemo tx yesterday and low and behold that wasn't even as bad as the last one. I think the first one I had an ear infection and that obviously added to my misery. I was in bef for four days. however, here I am next day on computer and just a little tired. I my hair continues to dwindle away and I am looking for headbands and wigs. My smoking hmmmmmmmmm. I haven't smoked for two days. Sadly, I left my cigarettes in my daughters car by accident and she went nuts. Lied my way out of that one but she said if she found out they were mine she would break my kneecaps. Lol. Not funny I know, she is just concerned. I will keep trying and see what happens. They say if you don't return to what you used to smoke than that is better than before.
Seaside I don't even know you but I love you dearly. You are always so positive. At least when I go for chemo, I keep all the patients laughing. Better than crying. Take care. Talk soon. I feel like this is my day off today, no tx, nurses, shots etc. ha ha ha like work.
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Sweet:
Good luck tomorrow with treatment! I will be thinking and praying for you.
I had my first fill at PS today (Yeah, great birthday present)! Also, oncologist appointment good, don't have to go back until June Yeah again!
Going out to dinner tonight with DH for birthday and having a celebratory glass of wine
Jan
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