Stop Smoking Support Thread
Comments
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thanks Bev!
The e-cigarette is illegal in Canada. You can buy it over the internet but face the Canadian govt. conficating it. Instead you might ask your doctor about the nicotine inhaler--simililar concept to the e-cig but the manufacturing and quality are regulated by the govt. Like Jo using the e-cig with no nicotine, many of my clients have used the inhaler without the nicotine cartridge, it seems to satisfy the sensory part of holding a cigarette substitute in your hand.
Seaside--all the staff members were supportive, but you are right, doesn't mean their bosses feel the same way. Boxer and Feinstein have been long time cancer advocates and it really was so heartwarming to hear their continued support. All we are asking is that the 30 Billion going to NIH for cancer research--not be cut--less than 1% of the total budget or the cost of 3 military airplanes--really not to much to ask for something that affects every American.
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Just to set the record straight---At this moment there are NO regulations in the US for e-cigarettes. No govt inspections, regulations or standards. The manufacturers can say anything they want and you just have to believe that what they are telling you is true and not just a sales gimmick. The only thing they CAN'T say is that an e-cig is effective to quit smoking because as soon as they make that claim, the e-cig becomes a medical device, which the FDA can regulate. The FDA tried to stop shipments into the US and were sued and lost. The courts ruled the FDA did not have the authority to regulate e-cigs as a medical device (as long as they were not advertised as such) but they could regulate them as a tobacco product because they have nicotine. So far the FDA has not appealed that decision and has not done anything to regulate e-cigs as a tobacco product.
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VJ - The e-cig I have is made in the US and has a disclaimer that the product is "suitable for long term smokers seeking an alternative to traditional cigarettes." Granted most of them are made in China and not regulated. I did extensive research before DH made the decision as to which one he would buy. Most of them can be purchased with no nicotine if that is what a person wants.
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Anyone who uses them, has only the word of the manufacturer as to any claims made on content, quality and manufacturing control. Even the ones made in the US are NOT regulated and currently the manufacturer can make any claim they want except about cessation--The difference between e-cigs and NRT is that an e-cig is designed to keep the user addicted to nicotine long term by using their product instead of cigarettes, while NRT is designed to be used for a short transition period during the quitting process. An Alternative to smoking is not cessation, it is harm reduction.
Duke University is currently doing research on e-cigs which will take some time before the FDA will approve them as a cessation device.
FINDINGS FROM THE FDA:
Safety and Quality Control
While some manufacturers have funded research on electronic cigarettes, at this point the only independent research on e-cigarettes available has been done by the FDA and was released on July 22, 2009.The FDA's Division of Pharmaceutical Analysis analyzed the ingredients in a small sample of cartridges from two leading brands of electronic cigarettes, and found that the tested products contained detectable levels of known carcinogens (chemicals that cause cancer) and toxic chemicals. In one sample, the FDA detected diethylene glycol, a chemical used in antifreeze that is toxic to humans. In several other samples, the FDA detected carcinogens, including nitrosamines.
The FDA's other important findings include the following:
• The testing suggested that the quality control processes used to manufacture these products are inconsistent or non-existent. For example, three different e-cigarette cartridges with the same label were tested and each cartridge emitted a markedly different amount of nicotine with each puff.
• The e-cigarette cartridges that were labeled as containing no nicotine had low levels of nicotine in all cartridges tested, except one.• In addition to the known carcinogens and toxic chemicals, tobacco-specific impurities suspected of being harmful to humans, anabasine, myosmine, and β-nicotyrine, were detected in a majority of the samples tested.
• One high-nicotine cartridge delivered twice as much nicotine to users when the vapor from that e-cigarette brand was inhaled than was delivered by a sample of the nicotine inhalation product approved by the FDA for use as a smoking cessation aid that was used as a control.
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Bev, I quit after my second lumpectomy and 5 days into rads. You can do it!
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Welcome Bev! You can do it, use whatever help you need. I quit with Wellbutrin and the patch. Different things work for different people. I'm 1 yr and 1 month quit now!
People who say "you've got cancer, how can you smoke" have never smoked and don't understand how addictive it is. Try not to let them get to you. Just take your Quit one day at a time and you will succeed.
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Hi ladies......................thanks so much for all of your advice, i did google the e cig, but must say was very sceptical so have decided to stick with pulling my hair out lol (oops dont have any yet!!!)........sorry my sick sense of humour!!!...........
VJ: havnt received the info yet??? bev_durrant@hotmail.ca looking forward to reading it, thanks.
Hi Ladyinbama: I know what you mean, it really should be the last thing to do is to smoke, how did you manage???, im down to 2 aday for the most part, just really have a couple of puffs and put it out.................dont know if that is making it worse for me though????????..........anyway all you lovely ladies stay in touch B:)
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Dear B, two a day and just a few puffs, you are doing really well already. When you are ready take it down to one and just a few puffs on that. Little steps, I have found that really strong flavored gum helps, usually use a cinnamon flavored like Big Red. I find I chew so much that my jaw gets tired. hugs to you, Karen
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HI all, been lurking on this thread for sometime. When I started chemo I wanted to quit, when I ended chemo, I wanted to quit. When I started radiation, I wanted to quit, when I finished radiation I wanted to quit. Well I've run out of excuses. I need to quit. I just feel like I'm tempting fate. I'm having anxiety attacks and that's not helping. I've had palpatations from the Femara and they referred me to a cardiologist. The doc won't see me because I smoke. Seems like he took an oath to take care of people regardless, but whatever. Here's my plan. Starting tomorrow, I'm writing down every cigarette I smoke, then I'm going to try to cut one out a week. I figure by the end of the month or two, I'll be smoke free. Has this ever worked for anyone. I've tried to quit before and haven't had much sucess, but I feel like I can do this, I really want to try.
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Dear Maureen, welcome to a great bunch of women, I know Maureen ladies from the WNY thread and know how much she wants to quit. Maureen, your plan sounds like a good one, that's how I quit - by gradually cutting back on the number of cigarettes I smoked. When I was at home, I lined up the number I was down to, so I had a visual cue too. I gradually cut back the number, small steps, nice and easy. I also used the e-cig but have seen literature that questions the number of carcinigens in those, so that probably was not a good choice, it did satisfy the hand to mouth ritual and that was comforting. There are e-cigs with no nicotine that Jo uses which would accomplish the need for the ritual. Also used Nicorette gum, there is a cut back plan that comes with the product, I got the STRONG tasting cinnamon, and then switched to Big Red cinnamon gum, it kind of fooled my mind that I was still using the Nicorette. Jo, Seaside, Barbara, Bama, and any one I missed, will all be by to welcome you and share their tips. It isn't easy but as in all of our treatments, it is doable. When stressed come to the thread for caring and support. We have a thread phrase, "stay strong" given to us by a sweet young woman when I was sorely tempted to succumb and smoke again, that holds you in good stead. Again, great to have you, hugs Karen ps you are kidding that the Dr. refused to see you? We also have a smoking cessation expert who will give you booklets via e-mail, designed to help you quit.
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Hey there Maureen813, stop beating yourself up...................we all know where you are at, small steps, you will get there..............i too am taking the advice, Karen hit the nail on the head with that one! i am down to 2/3 a day for the most, the fact is you have joined this site, step one!, we can all help each other, its not easy, if it was there wouldnt be this site, we can do it together...................B:)
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You can DO IT!! Baby steps are still steps!!
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A doctor that won't treat a smoker should be charged with mal-practice. It's obviously someone like that doesn't have a clue about how hard it is to become smoke-free. Very quickly once someone starts, nicotine hijacks the survival part of the brain and smoking is no longer a choice but a survival necessity (at least thats what the brain thinks).
My GP fired me this year too but it was good riddance. I went in for my annual pap and she wanted to do a mammogram --I said I didn't need one and she asked if my MO was going to order it. (I've had a bilateral and she didn't understand why I didn't need a mammogram!!)Then I asked her about Effexor for hot flashes and night sweats and she gives me a Rx for Lexapro--she was clearly out of her league in knowing what a BC patient needs. The week after my appointment she sent me a registered letter saying to find a different doctor.
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Welcome Maureen!!!
So glad that you have come on over to this thread!! As Karen has said, it is really a great bunch over here... VERY supportive much as the WNY thread is!
I started by smoking, as usual, but logging each cigarette along with what I was feeling at the time when I smoked it.... Looking back over this list gave me some insight as to what my triggers were....
Then I limited my smoking to either outside or in the garage to force myself to really consider whether or not I really wanted the cigarette (this was Nov/Dec in NY so it was COLD outside).... That got rid of the mindless smoking that we all do....
Next step was, when I wanted to smoke I would wait 5 minutes and, if I still wanted to smoke, I would but many times, after the 5 minutes were up, the urge would pass and I could wait....
All of this gave me the benefit of 'trying on quitting' to see how it felt while maintaining a bit or\ a safety net so as not to be overwhelming....
Another thing that helped me to get psyched up and gave me the courage to try was a book by Allen Carr titled "The Easy way to Stop Smoking" and, even though I wouldn't agree with the 'Easy' part in the title, I do think it helped me to see the reasons why I thought I smoked in a whole different way and took me from 'feeling like I should quit because everyone says I should' to..... 'Im scared but yet excited to try'....
Quitting smoking was something that scared me worse than having cancer which is why I didn't quit until well after my treatment ended.. Quitting is hard BUT, once you do it, I PROMISE, you won't regret it!!
Soooo Happy to have you here!!!0 -
Maureen, just wanted to add one more thing but, for some reason I couldn't edit my last post....
All of what I talked about took place over the span of 2-3 months... slow and steady... gather information about you and form your plan! Just didn't want you to think it all happened over night... Quitting smoking is really a process rather than an event...
We will help in whatver way we can!0 -
Thanks Ladies, I did log smokes today. Mostly a first thing in the morning kind of girl. I think I'll just try to hold off in the morning, that worked before. I know I'm a stress smoker. Wasn't smoking at work at all, then things started to get crazy one day, couldn't concentrate and poof, went to have a smoke, calmed down and thought very clearly. I don't understand that concept.
VJ, you are correct, when he refused to see me, I was very demoralized, sad and insecure and then had a smoke, how did that help? I thought they take an oath to help people or in his case was it selective care? Don't know or care, I'm guessing he's a fat, bald, drinker hmmmm, people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones maybe?
Love,
Maureen
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Hi ladies, just checking in, i think the 5 minute rule is a good one, am gonna try that, im pretty good its after meal times and like Maureen said mornings........jeepers, must confess had a bad day today tomorrow i have a wound vac put on my left side am so nervous!!!, my Onc called to talk about the tumour found in the other breast, after BMX ................so not a good day...........on a positive note, hopefully vac pac means healing!, the second tumour is the same type so oncologist has confirmed i made the right choice with a BMX, treatment for radiotherapy maybe more but am no worse off than i was 6 months ago..................be strong Maureen these ladies are sooooooooooooo supportive B:)
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Wow bev, great choice, hope you heal soon. My mom had a wound vac post surgery. She did quite well with the vac. A little tricky until you get used to it. Took my mom a couple of days then she was on the move, not much stopped her. She fought pancreatic cancer for over two years with a really good quality of life.
One other trigger I just got caught: on the phone, how do you handle the phone thing?
Check back later,
Maureen
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Hey honey, dont find that a problem, its first thing in the morning, after meals and bordem..............when i was in hospital for 7 days fighting the infection it didnt bother me, which was strange because it was more boring than being at home.....................i think it boils down to discipline, i was down to 2/3 a day until today, fell off the wagon a bit..........Do you have a partner???, does (he/she) smoke??, it helps when Brian is around because he doesnt smoke, although he is very good with me, its funny we have cancer, yet we smoke, its been a roller coaster for me with the healing, new tumour and what do i do reach for a smoke!!!!!!, but i am so glad to have others like me to talk to, so we can help each other.........stay strong girl, B:)
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Maureen: oh and forgot to add our diagnosis are similar and my dad had pancreatic cancer..............its amazing how we all come together!!! B:), we just live in different parts of the world, im in Kamloops BC, originally form UK (for my sins lol)!!!! B:)
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Bev,
Sounds like you have a lot going on right now!! Hope the wound vac does all it is supposed to and that your healing is quick and complete!
Give some of the quitting tips a try but.. be sure to also, be kind to yourself...you are going through quite a bit right now.... Thinking of you...0 -
Hi girls, I'm headed out of town to Colorado to visit my brother, be back early next week. I'm soooo ready for a trip. Everybody hang in there!!!
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Bama, have a great time visiting your brother. It's always good to get away for a while. Karen
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Bama,
Enjoy your visit!! We just got back from 3 days away to celebrate our 24th anniversary (Oct 3) and my 2 year cancerversary which I choose to celebrate as the last day of radiation (active treatment done on Oct 2)....
The weather really didn't co-operate but we had a great time! The kids (18 and 22) did just fine here and my house, while a bit messier than normal, is still standing.... and the neighbors have said all was quiet here while we were gone.... so it's all good...lol
We're trying out the empty nest life with our 'training wheels' on... looking forward to the day when they are truly out on their own0 -
Counting down the days til our cruise. 24 to be exact. Woo Hoo.
Bama, are you done w/chemo? Hope you have a wonderful trip.
Keep on trucking ladies, slow and steady!
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Just taking a moment to do a drive by HELLO!!!!
Seaside - Happy Anniversary!!!!!!
Barbara - whooot! Have fun on your cruise!!!
Jo - so proud of you!
Bama - hope you have a great trip!
Hi Karen!!!
Welcome all newbies!
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Michelle....
This is so funny but, just today, I was thinking that we hadn't heard from you in quite some time and I actually stalked you a bit to make sure you were still posting somewhere.... Lol.... I'm such a worry-wart!!
Glad to hear from you!0 -
Seaside - too funny!! I thought I felt someone snooping...
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Yep! It was me..... Giggle!
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Hi all, just want to wish Maureen and Jo and B a relaxing weekend and enjoying Jo being a mentor to our newest members. How is it going Jo, you haven't posted in a bit, missing your news of the day. Funny how we check up on each other, the mother gene runs deep doesn't it. Hope all your weekend weather is as beautiful as ours, this is really a treat for WNY. Karen
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