Stop Smoking Support Thread
Comments
-
Lady:
So sorry you have to wait so long! I'm hoping my wait is not too long. My PS does the exchange on Fridays - back to work on Monday - no drains!!
I'm hoping it really does work that way.
Jan
0 -
Awww Bama,
That really SUCKS!!
I honestly don't know why everything that has to do with the medical community has to take forever and a day to get scheduled! It was that way for ALL of my appointments in the beginning and seems to be the case everytime I have to schedule any non-recurring appointment. It's like they don't know how to schedule anything earlier than 3 months from now!
Did you try pushing back a bit on the date?
The reason I ask is, after I had my bad mammo/US, I had said I would take any of the three doctor's at the breast center I was at to do my biopsy. Whoever could do it first. I got the call to tell me of my appointment date and it was 3 WEEKS out. So I said, that is the FIRST date you have? The girl responded "well, Dr so-and-so is on vacation for 2 weeks". To which I replied I said I will take any of the three, any day, any time so you schedule me with the DR. who's on VACATION for 2 weeks????!! Unacceptable! Got the call back that they would do the biopsy at the end of the week (as a plus it was also with the DR I wanted and not the one that was on vacation).
I know they probably thought I was a big ol' pain in the arse but, sometimes the squeaky wheel get s the grease!
Sending you a big hug and hoping it all works out!
We're going to have a bunch of "birthdays" in March if all goes according to schedule!!
Edited to add: You mentioned getting your port out. Does that mean chemo is DONE?
0 -
Laurie08,
How are you feeling? Have the boys returned home from Grandma's yet?
0 -
Jennifer, do you know of any sites we can go to to monitor how many days everyone has and how much money they have saved. Although I am not doing well right now I would like to use a site like the one we use to use. It was always great to see how many days and how much money was saved,
0 -
Dutchy,
Yes... The one that a couple of people here have used is quitnet.com.
I just signed up for that a couple of weeks ago since the one we were using got all weird. quitnet does require that you give them a bit of information about yourself but nothing to personal and they DO NOT require that you download anything onto your computer!
You may not be doing well at this particular moment, but this too shall pass! I am really pulling for you and I KNOW you can do it!!! You just keep in mind, this is a slip... It does not have to go on forever AND each cigarette NOT smoked is a plus for you!
0 -
Yes Laurie how are you feeling?
0 -
Good morning. I am feeling pretty good. The discomfort is nothing compared to the first surgery. I am glad the boys spent the night of my surgery at my in laws, I was pretty out of it and moving very slow. My husband is working every other day and my in laws take the boys every other day sice I can't lift, it's impossible to take care of two little ones if you can't pick them up. So I have been laying pretty quiet. I will reassure all of you who haven't had your exchange surgery yet- it is pretty easy! I can't wait to see them, I have bandages and covers over the nips so I have no idea how they turned out. I get to see it all Tuesday at my appt with the PS. I was filled to 650 and he used 700 for exchange and I think I am going to be happy with his choice, I told him I wanted to be a little "perkier and rounder" but not bigger. My fingers are crossed!!
I will admit that yesterday I smoked 2 cigarettes. To be honest they were a bit built up in my mind and anti climactic. I am trying not to cheat too much, I don't want to screw up my circulation and have the nipples not take.
Thanks for thinking of me!
Welcome to all the new ladies, you have found a great group here
0 -
Yes, chemo is done, hooray! Last chemo was Dec. 6. Now if I could just get these surgeries behind me ... my onc wants to talk about a possible oophrectomy at my appt. on the 24th.
0 -
Laurie:
I'm so glad you are feeling better!!!
I had my PS appointment yesterday and we discussed the exchange surgery. He said, one night to recover. WTF?? He also said there was no lifting restrictions. See, every PS is different. I'm leaning on the side of 'I'm not picking up anything for awhile'.
His nurse says he does the surgery on a Friday and people can go back to work on Monday. Hmmm....we'll have to see I guess.
Keep up your strength and I wish you a speedy recovery!
Jan
0 -
Jan- wow one day to re coop from the exchange surgery? I think the biggest thing to get over is the anesthesia. The discomfort is minimal- I only have taken one painkiller today and the same for yesterday except for bed time. The no lifting part I totally understand. After my BMX my PS liften my weight restrictions after 4 weeks. Keep in my mind my boys weigh 23 and 28 pounds and I lift them....oh about 5000 times a day, lol! You know when you flex your pec muscle it moves your TE out to the side? Well, as you are healing if you do a lot of flexing/lifting it can push your TE or implants out to the side. I had gotten very wide since my BMX so my PS did quite a bit of pocket work and re-sutured things to my ribs again to bring the girls back to the middle and give me some cleavage. So this time I am being very careful not to lift to early, I want the work he did to stay!
Lady in Bama- congrats on chemo being done! I give you a standing ovation!!
(edited for typos
0 -
Ladies, finally got the exact date for the surgery and it is Jan 31, my belly button birthday. What a great way to spend it. For sure I will never for get that date.
0 -
Dutchy - Congrat's on a new date!!!!
0 -
Dutchy,
YEAH!!! Wow, that's just around the corner!!
I'm sure I'm just being dense here but, what is a belly-button birthday?
0 -
YAY DUTCHY!!!
0 -
Seaside - belly button birthday...I am just guessing but I believe it is the day your umbilical cord is officially cut resulting in the production of a belly button (ie Birth-day) but I could be wrong...
edited for spelling
0 -
Barbara, had to laugh when I read your post re. the internal dialogue in your head. I do the same thing, "if I have 1 of my 5 per day, I can have my next 1 in 3 hrs., but then does that leave me enough for the evening. what about if I only smoke 1/2 ....." I've been doing that for 4 days now. I only have enouh left in my last pack for tomorrow, so Sunday will be my quit day. Monday I go to meet my new oncologist, I can officially say I'm a non-smoker - YEAH!!! Karen
0 -
karen333,
I think that was me carrying on that conversation in my head... Glad to hear you, "got" what I was talking about! My husband, who has never smoked, sometimes listens to how I describe quitting and just shakes his head... lol
Congrats on choosing your quit date!! It will be an AWESOME feeling when you meet with your onc and can say you have quit!!! More importantly, you will have taken the first step toward NOT having to think about smoking at ALL!
Post for support when you need to...
0 -
O2B,
Thanks for the explaination!!
That was kind of what I thought but, have learned by having teens that sometimes what you "think" something means is totally wrong! Followed by an eye-roll that says "you're so lame!" I've learned to never assume anything!
0 -
Bama,
SO happy to hear that chemo is done, although, I am sure, not nearly as happy as you are!!!
Jan508,
WTF is right!!
I know I have read that just to get over the anesthesia is one day for each hour you are under. I know that was definitely true when I had my surgery. Not that I felt super bad, just not "right" for a few days. And that doesn't even take into account your body's healing time from surgery.
Honestly, there is a difference between being able to be up and around and being healed enough to go back to your daily activities including going to work!!
0 -
Yep O2b is exactly right...the day you were actually born is what a belly button birthday is. In AA they use the term alot because they celebrate sobriety birthdays and belly button birthdays. It is similar to our quit dates.
Hope everyone has a great weekend.
0 -
Hi everyon, I've been on the road for this last week with limited web access, so I'm just catching up. I've stopping having birthdays anymore--I have anniversaries--my next one will be the 17th anniversary of my 39th birthday!
Random thoughts--if any of you are taking any cessation medication--almost all of the pharma companies have a website/telephone support that will track your days/money. There should be the wb site or phone number in the package insert. Another site that has good information is www.BecomeAnEx.org which is run by the non-profit group American Legacy Foundation.
and someone mentioned insomnia--that can be a withdrawal symptom from nicotine, so if you've even if haven't quit yet but have cut back in the number of cigs per day--you can be experiencing withdrawals since your body is not getting the amount of nicotine that you are used to.
Wishing everyone a joyous day, VJ
0 -
VJ,
I LIKE your idea... That means this year I will be celebrating the 10th anniversary of my 39th birthday!
It was also very true for me that when I cut back drastically I felt I was in a constant state of withdrawal. That was what I was saying with the internal dialog thing, where smoking was ALL that was running through my mind.
Finally I just got sick of feeling horrible due to withdrawal from cutting back and said either I go back to smoking what I did before (putting an end to the withdrawal temporarily until I try to quit again) OR I take the plunge and QUIT (putting and end to those horrid withdrawal feelings for good). I thought, I can't feel much worse than I do now, and quit!
It was HARD in the beginning. But so worth it in the end!
I also though BecomeAnEx was a good site!
Thanks for all you do here!
0 -
Onward,
PLEASE try the commit or nicorette losenges. I did patches, cold turkey, slow withdrawl and everything else. The losenges were the only thing that worked for me and I think it was because first, they weren't like smoking and second, I got the quick kick I needed when I had terrible urges. My quit date was 1-3-2003 and I haven't gone back.
0 -
VJ and Jen, the 31st will be the 20th anniversary of my 39th birthday. WooHoo!
0 -
I haven't posted here for months. I am supposed to have my TE put back in on my left side after having an infection the first go round. I know this sounds awful, but I am mad that I have to quit smoking. I like it. It seems like so much has gone wrong since dx. I had my BMX in May, removal of one TE in August, chemo from July to October and now I just have to wait. On top of that my engine went out in my car and has been sitting waiting on me to get some money since July. It is hard to even think about quitting smoking, but I know I have to. I have Chantix and an electronic cigarette. Not sure if either will work. I am half scared to take the Chantix bc I have already been depressed. Has anyone taken Chantix and had good results? Also, has anyone taken Chantix and gotten really depressed? Sorry for all of the whining and questions. Just not sure how I am gonna do this. Thanks for listening. Allison
0 -
hopeful- I hope things get better for you. I can relate to you, I like smoking for the most part too. It is hard to quit when it is something that soothes you through times when things are rough and it seems like we have so many rough things to get through that we should be allowed to keep our "crutch" for awhile. I quit when I was diagnosed and stayed quit through my BMX and picked it back up about two months after. Now I have been fighting to quit for my exchange surgery which I had on 1/10. I have already started having a couple of cigarettes here and there and I am not even a whole week out of surgery. I plan on going to see a Dr and getting some Chantix so I can try again and maybe have less depressive side effects as I did with the whole cold turkey thing. I have had friends quit with the help of it and said it was really pretty easy and most importantly they have STAYED quit, they claim they don't even want one. That is what I want, to not want one. I don't want to smoke intellectually, but I need the rest of me to not want that cigarette either. I am giving my slef a little bit of time and plan on trying again. Hang in there.
Also- just curious, did you smoke through your BMX surgery or had you quit?
0 -
Hopeful34--Quitting is so much harder when we "have to" quit instead of "wanting to" quit. The long term benefits of becoming smokefree has to be more important than the short term consequences of smoking one cigarette. Every method will work for some people, no method works for everyone but every method will fail if you really don't want it to work. A positive attitude towards becoming smokefree is the first step.
I've had many clients use Chantix (and I am on the speaker's bureau for the company that makes it), and the biggest complaints are nausea (take with food) and vivid dreams. Chantix works on a dual action, blocking the nicotine from the cigarette (you keep smoking the first week) and releases a little bit of dopamine. Many of us in tobacco control feel that the main benefit from the e-cig is the placebo effect or having something to do with your hands (replaces hand to mouth motion) since the nicotine cartridges have shown to be inconsistant with the amount of nicotine contained.
I have found with my clients that are depressed that a good combination is Zyban and NRT --they can be used together (Zyban has the same black box warning as Chantix but is an anti-depressant).
Good luck and if you would like a copy of my workbook, just send me an email to VJSL8@CS.COM (and anyone else on this board can to--no strings attached, just want to help). Have a joyous day. VJ
0 -
Well here is a group that I need and want to join!
I had quit for over twelve years! Then went back due to anxiety, crazy work hours and sooooooooooooo much stress!! Had to have my crutch!
Then smoked for 8 more years...then quit for five months...last year....then started again! ARGH!!! Now, I have been dx'd with bc, had the lumpectomy, and started tamoxifin last week and start on rads today!! I wanted to be QUIT by this morning, but haven't....and now I KNOW I have to quit and want to quit, so maybe being accountable with this group will even help me more.I have read some of y'all s posts in other groups, nice to meet the ones that I haven't met yet.
Paula
0 -
Hey Barbara,
Looks like you and Dutchy share the same birthday date!
You leave really soon for your cruise, if I'm not mistaken!! You must be getting so excited. Be sure to take lots of pictures!
0 -
Sunangel welcome. You have come to a wonderful bunch of women who will be coming along soon and will provide some great help for quiting. I have quit too many times for me to count and have to be nicotine free for the diep stage 2 surgery I will have on the 31st of January. I am having a hell of a time with all of the stress from work that has me with a caseload of over 100 clients. I am also dealing with some family stressors that I could do without. It is a wonderful place to get away from your problems or to deal with them. What has worked best for me is cold turkey and using a straw as a pretend cigarette and taking deep breaths as if I was smoking when times get stressful. Good luck and keep coming back.
0
