Stop Smoking Support Thread
Comments
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YaY! Great news Karen.
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Karen - so happy for you. Such a relief.
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'Chocolate Martini -laced anesthesia'....... Lol Karen!!
So happy that it's over with!! B9!!!! Best word.... EVER!0 -
B9 - I don't know who made up this word but it is one "fantastic" word. Karen, congrats - I hope you are on cloud nine and enjoying every minute of it.
Charliegirl, you are on your way! Little steps turn into giant steps .... keep looking forward and don't worry so much. Worrying causes stress which can be a trigge. Our battle is the same as your's .... we are all in the same boat but at different stages of jumping ashore ... come on over!
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Oh, Karen, that's marvelous. . . I'm happy for you! I feel dumb, I was sitting here going "B9, I wonder what that's code for?" Duuhhhhh. Hooray for you!
Charliegirl, you may FEEL weak, but let us all assure you that you are not. NOT. This is a tough fight. I know a heroin addict who is 10 years clean from that, but is still struggling with the nicotine. She says giving up cigs is harder for her even than such a notoriously addictive substance as H. Remind yourself of your toughness, and don't put up with any of the "weakness" nonsense your mind is trying to throw at you. Tell those thoughts to get out of town, aloud if necessary.0 -
MaddyMac, how true about the herion and the smokes. I've heard that giving up smokes was way, way, harder then battling herion. Funny, all of us smokers would have thought the opposite.
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This support thread for quiting smoking, is a support group of friends when support, love and prayers are needed too. Thank you all for every ounce of love you sent. I am catching up on sleep and sleeping off the anaesthesia. You were a trifle rowdy in my pocket, little did the nurses know I put you in that lovely blue hair covering for the trip to the surgical suite!! love, Karen
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Karen - Sending gentle, healing ((((HUGS))))
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Karen, you are funny .... love the blue hair covering and being rowdy! Hope you are recovering nicely!
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JudiH, and everyone else, I sure am sleeping a lot, I think from all the fretting and the anaesthesia too. I will feel excellent when I see B9 in print!! They had to give me a breathing treatment before surgery, they said I was a shallow breather because of all the years smoking. The things we do to our own body, they were glad I had quit but apparently all those years had done damage already, will have to see what my PCP says about the shallow breathing. If I could make it through the anxiety of waiting for surgery without a cigarette, I can just not smoke for today. Where's lisamarie? Come out, come out, wherever you are. hugs, Karen
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Karen, keep relaxed and not fret! I'm glad to hear that you are resting so that is good news! Amazing about the shallow breathing .... we quit and then this comes up! Please, please, please, don't even think about having a smoke. You made it one once without a smoke and you will make it this time without one. Just think about why you and probably all of us, have shallow breathing .... sucks, sucks, sucks! Can't wait till you tell us it is B9 - I like the ring to that word ... B9!
Remember, positive thoughts! Thinking of you and gentle hugs!
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Karen: Did you guess I came to the pocket dressed as a Smurf? Ergo - blue. Hope you can take the time to relax peacefully while you're healing.
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Dear Minus Two, I knew I heard a familiar voice, it was you as a Smurf. My daughter had a huge collection of Smurfs, so I was familiar with the voices. It was starting to get a little rowdy in my pocket, was Jo in on it? Tomorrow I will have the house to myself and plan to spend it reading - can't wait!!
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Karen, if you want to send someone out for a "fantasic" read do so. Get the book "My Secret Daughter" - I forget who the author is but I did see it out on paperback now. Quick read and the chapters were short - 3 or 4 pages. Honestly, I could read it again. It's about two women - one in the U.S. and one in India; and about one child. Soooooo good! Easy read for you while you are relaxing!
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Just for today, I will not smoke. While I can't speak for all here, I can hope and pray.
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Karen, I would never miss a good pocket party - especially yours. We did get a bit rowdy. MinusTwo just had to be in the cute blue cap of yours. LOL! I was the one on your shoulder softly whispering in your ear that you were doing great.0
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Hey there ladies!!! Long time, no chat :-) Just thought I'd check in ... had my BMX + TE/Recon on Monday and am recovering quite well. Best part is ... I'm officially a 'non-smoker'. While it's still tempting on a rare occassion, generally the thought of it makes me want to puke. It's amazing what a little surgery can do to inspire one to quit for good.
I can't imagine what it would have been like day 2 post-op, lying on my back, in some pretty good pain with smokers cough. So for those of you out there who are trying to quit prior to surgery ... keep that in mind. I was a 30 year, pack a day, loyal cigarette loving lady (I would have done ANYTHING for a smoke!). If I hadn't quit before my surgery, pain would have hit an all time high during recovery. Not to mention the best part ... they were able to spare my skin and all appears to be healing perfectly without nicotine.
So life with out cigarettes and the nasty monkey/addiction on my back is great! I really can't remember what life was like without an addiction ... boy was I missing out :-) Cheers ladies & Karen many many prayers for a solid B9 report!!!!!!
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My3sunz...I love your upbeat attitude and it's awesome you are healing so nicely!! You give me inspiration!
I am still struggling, and though I have cut down dramatically, I have yet to be able to completely walk away from the cigs. Tomorrow I have an appt. with the surgeon, and I'm praying we may be able to set a date for surgery. I'm hoping that will be what I need to do it...have a concrete day for my surgery. I think stress is my biggest trigger and I am totally stressed not yet knowing whats going to happen.
Or maybe I'm just making excuses??!!
I also have an ultrasound on Tues....which means we may have to wait on that surgery date till we know the results of that. Great appt. coordination, huh??! There is some concern about all of the stomach bloating I have, so thats why the ultrasound.
One day at a time I guess! But hopefully I can get to the place you are at!! That is my goal!!!
Have a good day
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My3sunz - What a great attitude. I know the feeling. When I had my recon and ended up in the hospital for 3 additional days, I did not even think of the cigs. Heck, the thought of food made me want to puke. Wishing you a speedy recovery.
Charliegirl - You will do this in your own time. Just remember, we are always here for you.
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My3sunz, great mindset, I bet you are one that posts at a milestone like Babs and Galsal and do your, Just fpr today, I will not smoke, and keep tagging on the days, weeks, months and you will be the veterans!! May your healing go quickly and problem free. Karen
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My2sunz, great to hear that you are healing nicely and "think smokes are pretty disgusting". I did the same as you .... quit before my surgery and I couldn't imagine smoking afterwards. Now I'm 18 months smokefree tomorrow - yea anniversary! Charliegirl, I think once you get everything in place, you will make your decision. It's the waiting that is the killer. I didn't have time to think other then "quit".
I think all of us girls couldn't remember what life was like without a smoke but it is good. Yesterday, a smoker walked past me and I turned my head because it was just the weirdest smell coming from her. I thought "and that was me". No more!
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I wuit smoking Feb 11th, but I have been jonesing really badly lately. I was a moron and smoked about half a pack 2 days ago. Ugh. I want one so badly right now. Any tips for stopping thinking about it. I'm going through the PTSD portion of this breast cancer journey. Plus I am quitting work because I cannot handle it, and this will leave me in a bad way financially. (So at least I can't afford to smoke. lol) Plus my oldest parakeet has cancer and is dying. Just lovely!
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Judi - what a milestone.
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JudiH, 18 months, you old veteran you, CONGRATULATIONS AND WAY TO GO!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Hi charliegirl. Stress definitely makes this harder. I know there is never any perfect time to quit and it will never be easy. Maybe you and I can hug each other through some of these cravings. I'm taking deep breaths. It really is a good thing that I can't afford to smoke now. When I quit the end of this month I will be bringing in at least $79 less than what I have to put out, excluding food and car insurance. So I'll get rid of the stress of work to replace it with the stress of insufficient income. Hopefully, I will get approved for disability retirement after 3 months. Then I'll have enough money to live on . . . still not enough money to smoke though.
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Dunesleeper - welcome. Quitting is a tough road, and stress definitely produces a craving. Then the stress of not being able to satisfy that craving creates another wave.
Are you cold turkeying? I'm using a patch, but I did once stop smoking successfully cold turkey. Deep breathing helped me, and walking and jogging helped, partly because it produces deep breathing, I'm guessing.
One of the things that's helping me right now is remembering that as long as I buy cigarettes, I'm lining the pockets of a corporation that cashes in on the deaths of its customers. I don't want to give them the money or the satisfaction.
Charliegirl, I don't think you are making excuses at all. This time in our lives is rough, and we're putting down something we've relied on to help us throu the rough in the past.
Hang in there, ladies. We can do this!0 -
Hi Maddy. I am cold turkey - ing it sort of. I quit right after my dx. I have cheated a couple times with 1 cigarette at a time, but it was only a couple times. Thursday I kind of let it all hang out and drank some beer and smoked nearly half a pack. Of course, I have been craving them anyway. However, maybe I made it worse by starting the physical addiction up again by giving myself such a hefty dose of nicotine on Thursday. I really think it is the psychological part of the addiction that has me by the throat. I do have some nicotine lozenges, but I'm not sure I should use them. What do you think?
Thanks for the welcome. How long have you been quitting?
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Thanks ladies for the warm congrats! I'm honestly can't believe it has been this long. But no matter what, whether it is one day, two days, etc., etc., it will be a battle (in my mind anyways). I know from the reading the posts that those who have quit for longer, don't find it so hard. I know I will be there one day along with all of you.
My other new habit, is buying clothes. I like to wear something once then move on to another new piece of clothing. I think this is because of the weight gain from quitting smoking, the meds, and the exercise. Strange, I can buy a large or a small - I find this hard to handle but I tell myself that at least I'm alive.
Dunesleeper, don't beat yourself up. Sometimes, we have to cheat to get where we want to be. The women here can offer you alternatives to ease the cravings. For some, quitting cold turkey works but for others not. I know I couldn't do it before my diagnosis. Tried a few times with methods but my dx made me quit. Plus, my dh would have been all over me if I hadn't quit. Go slow, and maybe the nicotine lozenges will take the edge off when you really need it. Suggestions ladies?
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The support here is amazing! Thank you all for your words of encouragement, stories of what you've been through, and helpful strategies to beat the cigs. I really feel more enpowered since reading all of your comments.
I am not going to stress about quitting until after my appt. tomorrow...when hopefully I will be setting a date for surgery. But then I will set a definite date, and I will be here tomorrow to tell you all when that is. Because I know between my will to live and the support from family, friends and this site...I CAN DO IT!!
Blessings to all of you!
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Good luck charliegirl!
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