Stop Smoking Support Thread
Comments
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Barbara A. Congratulations on your 7 month anniversary. I bet that is a wonderful feeling. I am finally able to get caught up on this thread. Work has me so busy the last thing I want to do is sign up on the computer although I miss talking with you ladies.
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Dutchy,
That is GREAT news about your granddaughter!! Will she be living with you?
A 5.5 mile hike and a bike ride??!! VERY impressive! I have been pretty much a slug for the last week since my company left!
My new years resolution is to exercise far more than I do, work on eating healthier and lose 20 pounds by summer!
Had to laugh at how things are different depending on what you're used to... You said it was only going to 40 degrees out and that was cold. We just got in from taking down the Christmas decorations. We decided to do it today because it was so NICE out and it's 36 degrees here! lol
Glad to hear that things have been going well! Keep it up!
Jennifer
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Dutchy:
WAY TO GO!!!! Very proud of you. Exercise I'm sure has helped you ~ I know it helped me.
No snow here on NC beach - actually 65 today but kind of foggy. Hopefully it will stay in the 50 and 60's for the rest of the winter.
DS: Congratulations on your 28 days - a couple more days and you can start counting in 'months'. Yes, colonoscopy is done for 10 years...yippee and even 3 is great! I'm glad yours was a good report too. The fill went fine but boy was I sore this time. The left is 'just about done' and I go back on 1/13 so I should know for sure how many more....I'm guessing not many more because I have no idea where the hell they would put more
Jan
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Congrats Barbara and Ds Girl!
I have NOT broken down and had a cigarette. I will admit that I want to- quite a bit actually but I am staying focused on my up coming surgery and that I can not cheat for any reason. I will admit that I have been feeling depressed and saw on one of VJ's posts that this is common. I just somehow need to get past all of this and not want to smoke. I have many friends who used Chiantix, (sp?) has anyone here used it? They have had great success with no later cravings but I have heard some scary feedback via the news.
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Congratulations Barbara!!!!
Great achievement!!!
Jan
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Congrat's Dutchy! Also very happy to hear your Grandaughter
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Laurie:
Congratulations to you too!
How long has it been? I have not used, but know some who did use Chantix and swore by it. I never wanted to go that route because of the bad press it got.
I'm sure you will be fine and you have alot of support here.
Jan
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Thanks, I am on my day 7. For some reason I am just not having a good attitude about the whole quitting thing this time. When I quit when I was diagnosed, I did it with a little grace and had every intention of not picking it up again. This time I am crabby and depressed and in my mind thinking I still wish I could smoke. So not a very good foundation
I found New Years depressing too, I don't trust myself to have a drink, that's how I started cheating with smoking again in the first place. Two glasses of wine and I decide to smoke just one cigarette is not so bad.... so I didn't even have a glass of wine with dinner and went to bed early, and crabby about the whole thing.Sorry to be venting here, I feel bad because I am honestly a very up beat person and here I am just joining your thread and being very negative...
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dsgirl,
Congrats on 28 days!!!!!!!! You are doing so well!! I think you have the right idea to do whatever you need to do now to stay smoke-free and then deal with the inhaler later!
It took me awhile to get out of the "have to do something all the time mode", too. I think in my case, since I was no longer wasting so much time going out to smoke, I had a bunch of time on my hands that I didn't know what to do with! That's not a problem for me any longer... lol!
It is really nice to be able to say you are a non-smoker!! I had to fill out my annual "health questionaire" from my health insurance company. For the FIRST time I was able to check the box as a non-smoker! Boy, did that feel good!
Jennifer
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Laurie:
It is quite alright for you to vent!!!! That's what we are here for. If you read back on VJ's posts there may be some helpful hints for you during this very difficult time. Day 7 is one week and that is the toughest week in your quit.
Don't look at it like you are 'giving up something'. Look at it as if you are gaining good health. I know 'walking' has really really helped me. If you can, a quick walk (even if it's for 15 minutes) may help you.
I wish I could offer more advice but I only know what had worked for me. I'm sure others will be along to offer their advice.
Hang in there!!!! You ARE doing it!!
Jan
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Congratulations to everyone on this board, regardless of where you are, you're still moving forward and that is what is important. Quitting is NOT a one time event where you just put the cigarette and walk away, but a process that you move through--sometimes forwards and sometimes with a step back but never giving up!
Chantix--(disclosure--While I will try to be objective, I am on the speakers bureau for the company that makes Chantix). I have found that men do very well on Chantix, with women--hit or miss, some do, some don't. Common side effects--nausea--eat when you take the pill, makes a big difference. Vivid dreams--take the second pill earlier in the day or only take it once a day in the morning, but decide if having the dreams for a short period of time are worth quitting? some people really like the dreams--described as watching "Avatar". Those are common side effects, but I have not had any client have any other side effects from Chantix. Some have stopped because the nausea was too great and/or they couldn't handle the dreams.
As to the "scary" side effects--possible but highly unlikely, Zyban has the SAME "black box" warning--yet has been on the market for over 20 years and never had these warnings until it was used for people to quit smoking. Smokers are 3 times more likely to commit suicide than non-smokers--this does NOT mean that smoking causes suicide but it means that people with major depression and other mental illness such as schizophrenia, who are more likely to commit suicide--also smoke. So when looking at some of the side effects, we need to figure out --is it the medication? is it a side effect of quitting--withdrawal symptom? (depression is a common side effect of quitting--especially for women) or is it the population--someone with a mental illness? or is it a combination of all 3--a depressed person that quits smoking and is using Chantix? We don't know. What we do know is that there has been over 4 million Rx's for Chantix world wide and less than 100 suicides. Often quitters using a medication will confuse the withdrawal symptoms from quitting, with side effects from the medications. All medications, both over the counter and Rx, have risks and benefits and must be weighed individually. (which is how I decided to NOT have chemo--the risks outweighed the benefits for ME).
I have found that women who are prone to depression, that a combination of Zyban and NRT works well---especially if concerned about weight gain.
Any medication can have side effects, so it's best to talk to a doctor that you trust about which medication is best for you. I have found that many doctors are very ignorant about cessation medications--lots of misinformation out there and the FDA has not updated the package inserts for NRT in over 10 years. Currently there are clinical trials using the combination of Chantix and Zyban--so far they are showing a 60% quit rate--but not currently FDA approved. A complete mental health history is important if using either Chantix or Zyban.
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Laurie08,
Feel free to vent away!!
It is normal to feel all different types of emotions when you quit smoking!
One thing that helped me in the very beginning was to make a list of all of the things I COULD do if I quit smoking that I wouldn't have done if I continued smoking. My list ranged from simple things like going to see a long movie in the theater (couldn't go that long without smoking) to going with a group of friends, none of whom smoke, by limo to NYC for dinner and a play. No WAY could I have been 4 hours in the limo without smoking!
Thinking of it in terms of what you are GAINING if you quit verses thinking about what you are GIVING UP, is a small difference but, mentally I found it to help. Kind of switches your mental conversation from "Good-bye my friend" to "Gee, been nice knowing ya... Don't let the door hit you on the way out!"
My doctor has said he has had very good results with Chantix. I had a prescription for it if I needed it. I wanted to try cold turkey first and Chantix was my "plan B".
Ironically, I found having a glass of wine took the edge off of the withdrawals. Not that I am advocating that approach for everyone..lol
You are off to a good start with 7 days under your belt!
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Barbara,
Happy 7 MONTH quit-aversary!!! You GO!!
Jan,
65 degrees!!! I am living in the WRONG place!
Sorry to hear that your having some pain! Good news that you are almost at the end. Do you have a date for your exchange?
Jennifer
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Yes 65 here today but only in the 40's or 50's tomorrow..
Not so much pain as muscle aches..just the 'stretch' I guess. I don't have an exchange date yet but I think PS is looking at March. Wow, that's only 60 days away!
Jan
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OK Ladies,
Dutchy has suggested that an updated roll call would be a good idea.
I think it may be helpful to see in one place who is where in the quitting process and would make it easier (especially for the newer people) to see who is around the same timeframe and may be having the same issues as they are.
What do you all think?
The easiest way for me to put the list together would be, if you want to be on the list, post (or PM me)your quit date that would make it easier to do periodic updates if we wanted without having to re-gather the information. Some of the people on the list last time haven't checked in lately and I wouldn't want to include anyone if they didn't want their information on the list .
Jennifer
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quit date 9/20
jan
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Thanks Jan, I put you on the list.
As an aside, has anyone heard from sweetaerobabe, O2b or Kitchenwitch lately? Haven't heard from them lately an hope everything is OK!
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thanks jenifer
No, I haven't heard from them in a couple of days. Maybe with the holiday this weekend they are busy.
Jan
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Hi everyone,
I'm sending this along to give you all some hope. I smoked for 35 years, and quit on the day I had my hip replacement, Jan 3 2003 - so tomorrow it will be 8 years. Being in the hospital marked the first time in all those years I literally couldn't smoke, so I figured if I didn't make it then I never would! I have never cheated because I am too afraid that one cigarette might make me start all over. My husband quit 5 years ago, which made it easier, but really the fear was the thing that made the biggest difference. My 4 sisters, brother and I all watched our mother die of lung cancer, and at that time all but one of us smoked. Now all but one of us have quit. What a difference! I found the one thing that made the biggest difference was the nicotine tablet. I really needed the slow withdrawl, with everything else going on, and I could use them whenever I felt the urge - not like the patch. I found they really helped. In fact, I became kind of addicted to putting something in my mouth so for a long time it was the lowest dose tablets, then half a tablet, then just a tiny piece of a tablet - you get the idea! Over the years, I had tried patches, cold turkey, acupuncture and even hypnosis - none of it worked. I think the point is, keep trying and don't beat yourself up if you don't make it the first time.
Comparing my hip replacement, lumpectomy and radiation in 2004, then BMX with DIEP flap reconstruction last September, nothing was as hard as quitting smoking. You hang in there. Lots of us are cheering for you!
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Thanks for the support Hester and congratulations on you accomplishment!
Awesome...8 years and counting!
Jan
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Jennifer, all of a sudden I feel so mentally challenged, my first day without a cigarette was Dec 4th- so did I quit on the 3rd when I smoked my last cigarette before midnight, or on the 4th, lol, whatever date is used is really ok with me.
Hester, thanks for posting your story, coming up on 8 years tomorrow is a great acomplishment, congratulations.
VJ - I read your post with interest, does not surprise me that smoking masks many ills we may have, I note alot of little aches, pains, etc, that I never noticed while I was a smoker, but notice now. Sigh. However I also enjoy going to bed at nite and not start coughing after I have been in a prone position for a while. On and off I have insomnia, but that came after b/c diagnosis, not when I quit smoking.
I am so looking forward to fill out a paper in 2011 at the docs office that says not smoking anymore.
dsgirl
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dsgirl,
My date that I use is the day I had my last cigarette January 18 (at 11:01 pm but, who's counting...lol) so I'll put you down as Dec 3rd. I'll tell ya, that first doctor's appointment when you get to say you have quit and see that happy look on your doctor's face rather than the "tsk tsk" look they're used to giving you.... PRICELESS! Boy, I hated that look!
Hester,
Thanks for checking in with encouragement!! 8 years tomorrow!!!! Fabulous!
I agree, quitting smoking was the hardest thing I've ever done but, so glad I did. There are very few events in my life that were so important that I could tell you the exact date and time that it occured but this is one of them!
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OK Jan, My quit date was 6/2/2010. (NOTE: After my lumpectomy and rexcision but before rads...that freaked me out).
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BarbaraA,
Just curious... Did it just work out that you quit before rads by coincidence or did your Dr. talk to you about the increased risk of lung cancer when you smoke during rads?
That is STILL something that really makes me mad that NOT ONE of my doctor's thought to mention it. I found out, on my own, after everything was over. I don't know for sure if it would have mattered one way or another with me because I don't think I was in the "right place" to quit smoking before rads but, it sure as HELL would have been nice to have made an informed decision!
I'm chalking it up to can't change it so, why worry about it but, it does still nag at me sometimes.
I updated the list with your quit date!
Jennifer
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I was just diagnosed and I have to quit smoking tomorrow. Am more scared to quit smoking than with the diagnosis. Crazy- huh? I hope it all works....
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Jan, I quit for my own self, not thinking about rads. Still am pinching myself that I did it and am doing fine. Really, of all my quits, this one is so easy (sorry gals but it is when you know you HAVE to).
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Welcome mlucas,
Nope! Not crazy at all... I think that has been a common sentiment expressed here!
You mention that you have to quit tomorrow. If you don't mind my asking, is there a specific reason that tomorrow is the date? Have you thought about what your plan of attack will be? Cold turkey, patch, Chantix, etc. There are lots of different methods but, I DO think it greatly boosts your chance of success when you take a bit of time in the beginning to form a stategy. If you haven't done so already, try to go back through some of the pages of this thread when you get some time. Lots of really good info on what has worked/ or not worked for others!
Just saw you are new to BreastCancer.org (and your diagnosis). Until you have 50 posts you will be limited to 5 posts per day (something I found annoying in the beginning but, they put that in place due to some nasty spam attacks so I understand the reason). You CAN, however send an unlimited number of personal messages (PM) to any member by clicking on their name, clicking on send a personal message over on the right side of the screen that comes up and following the instructions from there.
Welcome aboard! Wish you didn't have to be here but I think you will find this group to be a fantastic group! Look forward to hearing more from you!
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mlucas, welcome!! We support all our sisters in all stages of quit or want to quit. You can do it and we have many good tips here.
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Happy new year's everyone and Seaside - thank you for the anniversary congratulations! Now I have to admit that I broke yesterday and had one. I can pin down my backsliding to three things: being a little tired, not coming here enough for support and encouragement, and having a couple of drinks with my husband and just giving in. Now I'm going to remind msyelf to check in here daily, because while I'm not beating myself up, and I barely even thought about it today, I know how easily I can give in to the "just one" temptation. Damn... now I have to start all over again.0
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Aww Kitchenwitch... Sorry to hear about your slip BUT, you know what, it's just that... a slip. Unless you choose to go back to smoking. You are doing the right thing by taking a look at WHY it happened and hopefully getting a plan in place of what you will do instead when faced with a similar situation. Each experience is meant to teach us something!
I think that was my big problem at Thanksgiving at my brother's house. I thought I had this thing licked and never even thought of what I would do if faced with a large group of smokers so I had no plan! Didn't make that same mistake at Christmas.
We're putting a consolidated list together of where everyone is in their quit. If you want to be on the list (and it is totally OK if you don't), I would have no problem with you using your previous quit date. If you want to reset, that's fine too! Let me know.
Hang in there! Like VJ said, quitting is a process and sometimes that process takes a bit of "fine tuning"!!
Jennifer
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