Stop Smoking Support Thread
Comments
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Well shoot, the pictures of the butlers didn't come through on my screen. But ya'll have talked me into a party, woo hoo!
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Hi Seaside,
Im hanging in there..... Day 4 past chemo and it feels like the SE's are starting to let up a bit, well, the taste buds anyway, the belly is still blah. The Taste Buds have to be the worst for me..... I mean, its all bad, but I wanna take a bite of my food without running to spit it out.
Thanks for checking on me.
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Sweet:
I hope you are feeling better real soon! How many more tx do you have? Will you be done soon?
Maybe crackers will help? I don't know just a thought.
Jan
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Sweet - I had TCH too and my taste buds went wonky, the only thing I could eat was potatos. Chocolate tasted like pond scum
Feel better soon!
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I spoke too soon, thought I was getting away easy this time, but had to break out the amodium.... Sence of smell is way hypersensitive too, so I know the taste buds arent 100% yet..... everything smells grose. So I havent even attempted to eat today, which is fine, because maybe I will loose some of the 14 lbs I gained the past month.
I just finished tx #2 and have 4 to go, plus finish the year with herceptin, then 5 years of tamoxifin.
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Ladies, I want to commend you for trying again, quitting again, or thinking about it again. If you are reading this you are probably somewhere inbetween wanting a smoke, having a smoke or missing a smoke. I just wanted to tell you that I am almost TWO YEARS "clean"--my quit date was Jan. 27th as my earlier posts state.
I feel FABULOUS, I walk upstairs without huffing and puffing. When the doctor has a stethoscope and says "take a deep breath" I don't have to stiffle a cough. When heavy smokers pass me in a store I actually think "Ick. Did I smell THAT bad?". My teeth aren't yellow. My clothes don't smell like smoke. There are no ashes in my car. I'm telling you, it's a thrill. I still pat myself on the back for each positive thought. And that is what YOU need to do for yourself! Pat yourself for each puff you don't take.
I hadn't been on the boards in a long time and wanted to check in. I'm so glad this post returned to it's original "rah, rah" state of support to quit smoking.
Keep up the GREAT work, ladies---and warm wishes for a really healthy New Year!
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Smoking by woman folks is high fashion in India but there is a ban on public smoking. Our societies does not permit smoking but some high class ladies smoke to maintain their status. But in villages, particularly in hill areas woman smoke, they became very older than their age and later suffer from lung problem. So I support to quit smoking and be more healthconcious.
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nervousknitter: Congraulations on your 2 year quit!
All us ladies are working on that too! Whoo Hoo!! I'm only 90 days out but I think the same things when I pass a smoker. I go to the gym every other day or so and am walking up a storm. I used to run but I can't do that anymore because of shin splints. I Love not smoking!!!!
Rajkumari: Yes, smoking in USA used to be the 'social' thing to do years ago. I remember my parents smoking and it was the thing to do. Even our TV commercials and written ads showed cigarette smoking to be socially acceptable. Smoking can age you prematurely and of course lung problems do come from smoking. I'm glad you want to quit and you have come to a great thread for support and encouragment!!!
Jan
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Sweet: My taste buds went too with my last treatment. The only thing that tastes decent to me right now is fresh fruit. You might try that. Of course, it is out of season and expensive! My DH brought me a container the other night with pineapple, cantelope, watermelon and grapes in it. It was probably 2 cups of fruit and it was almost $6. But it did taste good.0
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Aw sweetaerobabe,
That has to just suck to have everything taste bad. I didn't have chemo so don't feel that I can offer any advise in that arena that would be helpful.
What I CAN offer is a shoulder to lean on, an ear to listen if you want to talk and a heart that hopes that any of the side effects you are dealing with will be done soon!
Thinking of you!
Hang tough!
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NervousKnitter,
Thank you for stopping in to offer your support! Before I quit, I started at the beginning and read many of the posts on this thread before I posted for the first time. Yours was the very first response to this thread. My very first post to BCO was here, too.
I have often wondered what became of the ladies that started this whole thread. Did they quit? Have they continued to be smoke-free? Would LOVE to hear from some of the other ladies as well!
Seems like this thread was really active during the later part of last year and then kind of fizzled around the time I quit. Glad things have picked up.
SO VERY HAPPY to hear that you are doing well!!!! And, yes, the ladies here are really VERY supportive!!
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Jan,
90 Days... What a great round number.... FABULOUS!!!
Going to the gym every other day AND walking... You GO! You are going to look so fabulous for our party in May! I REALLY have to get back into the exercise routine. When I do well, I do well... BUT those days seem to be far between! I am SOOOO hoping that once the holidays have passed, I will have the drive to, as NIKE says so well, JUST DO IT!!
Jennifer
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rajkumari,
How great to hear from someone from outside the US!
Years ago, it was similar here! Smoking was very prevalent and no one thought anything of it! As research has been done showing the definite downside (healthwise) of smoking, the number of smoking restrictions has increased! We are not yet (nor am I sure we should be) to a point of a total smoking ban.
So very interesting to hear that, in your culture, smoking is considered to be a sign of affluence where here in the US, today, it is really looked down upon!
Hope to hear more from you!!
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Jen, I am working out, too, so that when we go on our cruise next month, I will look HOT!! Yes, I will be looking all wrinkly but the bod will look good and I will be STYLING in my new duds and hot dresses. And DH will be looking mighty fine as well. I will upload all the pix to Photobucket and post a link so y'all can check us out. The Bucket-listers. That's us!
Sweetie, I am praying for you. You can do it! Once you get to herceptin, it is fine (or so I have read). Big ((HUGS)) for you and have an se-free holiday!
Happy holidays to all my smoke-free and trying to be smoke-free sisters. It is tough but we can do it.
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Barbara,
I hope you do post a link!! Your cruise is going to be a trip of a LIFETIME!!! And, girl, let me just say.... No work out required... You ALREADY look fabulous!!
Hang in there!
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Barb,
I get herceptin weekly without any problems, its the T and the C that are messing me up. Next time, Im gonna try ice chips.... Im having pizza, with a snack of really sharp cheese from Ireland and french bread (just missing the wine) and so far so good.... the grapes have the funny taste... so Im not eating them.
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Sweetie - hugs and just know that you will get through this. And then ALL BETS ARE OFF! Right? It just sucks now.
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Yeah, it does suck, but I can tell my taste buds are getting better, and today is day 4 post chemo, so I guess Im not doing so bad. I REALLY loaded up on the water before and during treatment. Nurse even made a comment about how much I was running off to the bathroom. How come these chemo nurses dont know as much as we do? She had no idea about the claratin for the neulasta bone pain either. She said I was teaching her stuff, and that I really knew alot about my cancer.
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It's amazing these chemo nurses never heard of these things before. I, like Seaside, didn't need it so I can't offer any advice.
I'm going to the gym but between quitting smoking and the Tamoxifen I'm gaining weight and I have this sweet tooth....What do I do???? I'm gaining weight!!!
Jan
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Sweet - taste buds will come back...I only had 4 TCH and finished H in July of this year. I was honestly watching what I ate and exercising but my onc didn't believe me since whenever I went in for H I loaded up on comfort food (ie junk!), something about walking into that place made me rebellious and crave sweets (It didn't help that they had no food except the baked goods patients brought for the nurses, hard to resist fresh baked yummies).
Jan - I have gained 40 lbs since my dx in May 09 and my DH & I will both be changing how we cook and what we eat in January. I also need to start walking again now that my pain and LE are managed. I am really hoping to lose at least 1/2 of the chemo/tamoxifen weight by next summer, if I find something that works I'll let you know...
I have stopped taking Tamoxifen, for now, maybe for good. My ER was only 10-20% positive, I am having a really hard time justifying taking Tamox for five years for such a small benefit. I guess I will discuss it with my onc, but I am really enjoying not feeling like I am 70, not having body aches and I am also enjoying "special moments" with my DH again...
BarbaraA - Looking forward to seeing your pic's from the cruise. Wanna share some weight loss secrets?
{{{HUGS}}} to all!
Hugs to all!
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After smoking 2 packs a day for 18 years I quit smoking on July 7, 1981. I attended a one session park district hypnosis program and I( never smoked again. I went only because my kids were wearing smoking stinks buttons and they finally got to me. I had tried every way possible to quit and always found myself going back, rationalizing etc.
I hope this makes some difference for someone.
Ginger
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Im having a really hard time the past couple of days. I quit on 12/11, cold turkey with min side effects.... lately, (the past 2 to 3 days) I want a cigarette SOOO bad. I have been begging my daughter to let me bumm just 1, because if I dont get just 1, I might have to go buy a pack (Guilting her didnt work) My mind had been consumed with how I can get just 1 cigarette from someboby. (even thought of buying one off someone outside a store) I do NOT want to start smoking again, but for some reason, I need one. I defenatly dont trust myself, if I go to the Dr today without my boyfriend, I could very easy buy a pack and hide them. Please help. I know its all mental now, the nicotine is out of my system, but geez, the cravings werent THIS bad when I first quit.
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sweetaerobabe,
First let me say CONGRATULATIONS on being over a week!!!! Things do get better from here on out but, you may have days that are better than others between now and the three week mark. When you quit smoking the first time you do anything that you used to do while smoking can really produce killer cravings!
This was your first chemo since you quit!! Probably lots of other firsts too!! I know, in the beginning when I quit smoking, it felt like I spent every second of the day thinking about a cigarette. That is normal. As time goes by that gets better too! Ask any ex-smoker how often they think about it after time has passed and you will find they will answer maybe for a minute a couple times a day IF THAT!!!
Here's something I read and liked enough to save and re-read when the going got tough. Hope it helps!
"What happens to some people is that when they are off smoking for a certain time period they start fixating on a cigarette. By that I mean they forget all the bad cigarettes they ever smoked, they forget the ones they smoked without ever really thinking about them even at the time they were being smoked, and they start to remember and focus on one good cigarette. It may be one they smoked 20 years earlier but it was a good one and they now want one again.
It's a common tactic for the ex-smokers to try and tell themselves that they do not really want that "good" cigarette. Well, the problem is, at that moment they really do want it. An internal debate erupts, "I want one, no I don't, one sounds great, no it doesn't, oh just one, not just one!" The problem is that if the ex-smoker's focus is on just "one" cigarette then there is no clear-cut winning side to the debate. The ex-smoker needs to change the internal discussion.
Don't say that you don't want one when you do, rather acknowledge the desire but ask yourself, "Do I want all the other cigarettes that go with it. Then, do I want the package deal that goes with the others? The expense, social stigma, smell, health effects, possible loss of life. Do I want to go back to full-fledged smoking?"
Stated like this it normally is not a back and forth debate. The answer will normally be, "No, I don't want to smoke under these terms," and those are the only terms that a cigarette comes with. "
Will try to post more in a bit. Have a house full of my daughters college friends here and need to get breakfast going.
Hang in there because, I promise, it really DOES GET BETTER!!!
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Wow, that sounds almost exactly like the arguement I am having with myself. lol
I know how pissed I would be at myself if I bought a pack, but I still cant get past that "just 1" to get it "out of my system". Ok, one day at a time..... one hour at a time.... Hell, one minute at a time.
I will make sure If I have to go to the Dr by myself, I will have JUST enough money to pay the Dr and NO MORE.
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sweetaerobabe,
One more thing is to try to stay busy. If the thought that you wnt one keeps coming up, do something else until the urge passes. These cravings really do, with time, start to spread out so that they don't feel like they are coming in one big, constant wave.
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sweetaerobabe,
That's the way... Take each craving as it comes.
I know early on, some days, it was second by second. Also, what I did was set a time, say 3 months or whatever works for you and I basically said, "If I honestly could say that things weren't any better, the whole quit smoking thing was back on the table for negotiation." Gets rid of some of the "This is forever feeeling". And, as you can tell, it was better!!
Believe that you can do it!! Hang in there! Post when you need to!
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Sweetie, keep your mind occupied! That helped with me (and still helps). Hey Michelle, here's a pic from the porch of the B&B in Jermone looking out over the Verde valley (and Cottonwood) toward Sedona.
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Gingerbrew,
WOW! Almost 30 years! Beautiful!
It is funny how sometimes children can have more sense than we do. My kids and my niece were the ones that wanted me to quit in the worst way. Each of them had written letters to me over the years pleading with me to stop smoking (usually after it was discussed in health class at school). I saved each letter and finally did it this year!
I have done many things in my life that I am proud of but, this was the one thing that both of my kids have said separately how PROUD they are of me! That feels great!
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30 years is a great milestone. And SS, I am proud of you, too!
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What scares me, is if given the opportunity, I WILL have that 1 cig.
Like the wedding tomorrow.... I will see my daughter, and if she is in fact still smoking, and didnt stop like she told me she was doing, I will end up having 1. Im not strong enough to come face to face with a cig and spit in it's face. Seeing her at Christmas will also be an issue.
The one good thing is my boyfriend is a non smoker (was able to put them down and never look back) so at home, it is much easier, its just me and him.... its like I need him to keep me honest, even though he wouldnt judge me if I DID smoke. He says its my choice, and he just wants me to be healthy and do everything I can to make sure I get rid of this cancer.
Barbra, Im with you, if the cancer ever does come back, Im smoking again.
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