Stop Smoking Support Thread
Comments
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Melmcbee - that's only 2 per day. Yay!!! That's awesome. You will do it. Keep on trying each day.
Galsal - surgery was motivator number one, now AI's or tamoxifen is a good motivator. I wonder why having cancer wasn't enough. Hmmmm. I don't know.
Dunes - so glad you made it through the temptation. It's so hard. My DH is stressing me out big time. We can't let these stressors win. Have to be strong. It is hard sometimes. Heavy sigh.
I think I will have 9 weeks tonight...or is it 10 weeks? I'm pretty sure I have lost a week with surgery.
Good luck everyone!!0 -
Just popping in to say hello, welcome newcomers, you can do it!
Karen: 2 weeks (less 2 days) to start of football. Woot, woot. I've watched a couple of NFL preseason games just to get a fix!
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Bama, got to watch a Bill's pre-season game, we lost but showed improvement over last year. Felt wonderful to sit and watch, pretty soon the Auburn game will be on, YAY we waited a long time, Stay strong ladies we are all in this together.
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Just chiming in maybe this will help. I used to tell myself i would just be a social smoker, that is, will still have the OPTION to smoke when with friends who do. Before that, the best part of my day would be my "private moments" when i would smoke alone pondering on life itself. Somehow, knowing i still had the option to smoke, when with company, made it easier not to. Gradually it happened. It didnt come like magic, but it worked. Made me feel less deprived.
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Karen: JUST ONE MORE WEEK! Woot, woot!
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Hello there-
I was dx on 08/02/12 and am still smoking... I have got to quit and I just haven't had the right frame of mind for it. Still waiting for a ton of answers, nervous wreck, like is the cancer also in my other breast? Ultrasound on Monday to see what's going on, then bone scan, then mastectomy and possibly dbl mast if it comes back positive. That should be enough reason to stop but cigarettes are and have been my comfort for sooooooo long. I need help!!! Will be doing rads, chemo and hormone therapy and I want to be cured but I have to quit!!
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Mrskimber - I am sorry you are facing this. I remember being in your shoes in March. I am going on 10 weeks smoke free so that tells you how long it took me to quit. It is a very stressful time for you. Eventually you will have the answers and that will make it easier. It also helped me to learn that I couldn't have the reconstruction I wanted if I smoked or that the risk of blood clots with Tamoxifen is highland worse if I smoke. Then of course I read studies on smoking and breast cancer. So....it was for sure a process and progression to the point of stopping for me. I hope I never go back. I also hope you are able to quit. The nicotine patch helped a bunch, as did the electronic cigs. That's just me. I wish you the best and hope to see you on this thread. It's a great bunch who offer lots of support!
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Bama, I am so ready to go back to my weekend routine, we waited a long time for this!!! Beckers - great advice, so supportive and so on point, nice job!!! Mrskimber, you won't find a better group to help you in your effort to quit. I was a 30+ years smoker, a pack to a pack and a half a day stress smoker and with this group - I am 20 months smokefree. I always said I'd have to have my jaw wired shut to stop and could probably find a way around that, but I came here and what a wonderful bunch of strong women I found to hold my hand.
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Mrskimber, these ladies here are great! They will support you and pick you up when you least expect it. All of us have been faced with quitting many times in our lives but when we get this diagnosis, it is probably the most stressful time of our lives. I have to say it is probably like "divorcing" your smokes! All the reasons why we enjoy smoking yet we know all the reasons why we should quit. Everyone of us has quit using a different method and you will find yours. I'm 21 months smoke free after smoking for 40+ years. Now I think "hmmm, how many have I not smoked".
You will find your way and we are here for you!
Beckers, congrats on your 10 weeks - I had to put that into months and it's great. Hard to belive isn't it!
Karen, we are going strong aren't we!
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Cancer was a big motivator, just not enough. I was still smoking even after the diagnosis until I had details about the recon and researched more about what else could occur. That made enough of a difference.
Just yesterday I told Son am still not smoking and have hardly used my cig binky since the surgery.
Just for today, I will not smoke!
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Galsal, I was like you. Having "C" was the biggest motivator, and trust me, I tried everything. Maybe not with the full concentration I did with my diagnosis. But it is enough for me to not go back even though I can smell it "a mile away".
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Hi girls! I think I have 11 weeks tomorrow, not 10.
Hey, I was under anesthesia 12 hours, then big pain meds....I'm lucky I remember my name. Ha! Seriously not feeling like the sharpest knife in the cutlery set. Can't wait to feel like me again.
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Oh Beckers, 11 weeks is more fantastic then "10 weeks". You go girl!
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Beckers, you are doing a great job, 11 weeks is fantastic and I can say I knew you when!! Karen
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For the newbies--I have an e-book, "Tips to Win at Quitting Smoking" which I will sent to you for free (no strings attached). I just need an e-mail address and I'll send a PDF file. It's very simple and easy to read. Here is the Table of Contents:
Table of Contents
How to use this book 1
Disclaimer 2Step One: Building motivation 3
Have good reasons to become smoke-free 3
Learn why you smoke 7
Discover your obstacles to success15
Step Two: Creating a plan to be successful23
Set a Quit date 23
Make a personalized plan 23
Countdown to quit day 26
Step Three: Quit Day 32
What to expect 32
How fast the body heals itself 35
Reminders for your first week 36
Step Four: Preventing Relapse 38
Relapse phases 38
Long-term maintenance 40
Developing an ICE plan 46Appendixes:
A: Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence 50
B: List of Resources 52
C: Partial List of Chemicals in Tobacco Smoke 54
Summary of Cessation Medications 56
E: Unproven and/or Ineffective Products & Services 66
F: Partial List of Interactions Between Medications & Smoking 67
G: The Seven "D"s: Tips to Quit 690 -
Judi and Karen thank you. It feels good and this group has helped immensely. I told the stop smoking lady at the hospital about y'all. I told her to recommend her patients to find an online group.
Karen, I just wish we could have been roommates in the hospital on dilautid...I couldn't remember English, you forgot your consonants --- if we filmed us, we'd surely win the 10 grand on funny home videos!!!0 -
Beckers, you are welcome but you did all of the work. Us gals are here to support one another and praise you on the great job you did!
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Can I please get the ebook. Im losing this battle and its tearing my family apart. I just cant do this. melmcbee at yahoo dot com no spaces.
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I have been feeling better one week till 2nd treatment, this is no excuse hubby has been cold and distant my last child left yesterday for college and with my anxiety i started back smoking feels like my only friend and all i'm doing is killing myself faster very very sad day today
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Annde, pull your "big girlie panties" up. Smoking is not your only friend even though you may think so. It's just our blanket that we know we can trust. We are all here for you and are your support. You will get through this but you have to concentrate on one thing and that is getting better. Others can think or say what they want but it's up to you to get through this, and you will. Take one day at a time. Others here can guide you what helped them. For me, it was the cancer diagnosis but for others, it was other means that helped them. Open your mind and your heart, and your support is here!
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Annde- husbands are for the birds sometimes. Truly. This place is where I get my emotional support. I know he's just not wired that way so I don't even expect more from him. I said goodbye to my son yesterday too, as he is moving to Oregon. It is hard. I cried. I want to slap a knot on my hubby's head but that's not practical. Point is, I feel your pain. So much. Can you get a non nicotine electronic cig? I found one at a smoke shop. That got me through some rough spots. Don't give up okay? We are here for you.
I saw something on FB that says, "I prayed for patience because if I ask for strength, He's gonna have to include bail money.". :-)0 -
Thank you ladies oh Judi i know and do have big girl panties i have to find them i'll try my best and reread your encouragement daily hourly whatever it takes.
my relationship is on the rocks and i'm kidless change sucks................. Beckers i'm sorry for your pain also and i love the fb saying ;-) i'm heading to bed alone sad and scared thank you for
everything hugs to all.
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annde, there is no denying it is a hard addiction to quit. There are so many triggers. The cancer got me to quit, then the plastic surgeon reinforced it -- as he insisted the skin he used for the surgery would die if I used nicotine. So 2 weeks before surgery I gave up the Commit lozenges. I was sweating bullets because what I read said I needed a full month free of any kind of nicotine. Then after the surgery, when different things went wrong, I cheated about 3 times. On one of those cheats I smoked nearly a whole pack. I also tried herbal cigarettes but they were prohibitively expensive. Recently I was tempted again -- went to the ocean where alcohol and smoking were always a major factor. I really missed smoking, even when not drinking. The only thing that kept me from smoking is the fact that my exchange surgery is next week, and I don't know how it would affect my healing. So, essentially, I didn't give a damn about what it did to my health, just didn't want to mess up the surgery. Well, whatever. It kept me smoke free, and I'm glad of it.
Keep trying, and good luck.
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Annde hon... Im right there with you. I so know what its like. How embarrassed I am when my friends know that I have cancer and know that I started chemo and I am still smoking. They look at me like I have a second head growing out of me. It makes me angrier at myself and at them. Then it seems like I am a spoiled child that says I will smoke no matter what you say. You cant make me. How absolutely crazy is that. I cant believe they havent sent the men with the white straight jacket for me. And part of me wishes someone would lock me up. I dont understand. Hugs to you
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hi. i would like to join your group. putting on the patch in the morning. i had a total emotional breakdown right before my diagnosus in february. ready to work on getting things back together, including quitting smoking. i actually could use an all arround accountability partner as i reinvent my new life. thanks
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Good luck tomorrow vicky3. The first few days may seem long....just hang in there....it gets better. This is a wonderful place for support. You will also find different threads/topics to help you on your journey. You don't have to do it alone. ((hugs))
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My husband and I are going to guit together, I have no idea how I'm going to do, but I have to try.
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melmcbee............I think the men with the white jackets are knocking now on my door :-)
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annde and mrskimber, you have found a rock of support in finding these ladies, they know all the tricks and tips, you will find their support unwavering. We don't let those men in white coats into our midst. Keep posting and checking back in the thread, you will get alot of information. One tip, you can't smoke when you are sleeping, that first week - I had an 8 o'clock bedtime more than a few times.
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Mrskimber,
Welcome! I see you are having same type surgery I just had and yes, you have to quit. My plastic surgeon even nicotine tested me at pre op! I used patch for one week and ended up about 7 1/2 weeks smoke free at surgery. No major healing issues. It is so worth it! My hubby quit too. You CAN do this.
Best wishes and big hugs to my other friends who are struggling with this beast. The sooner you get it out of your system for awhile, the sooner you will start too feel better. I promise. I truly believed I was hopeless and would die because of cigs. XOXO0
