Stop Smoking Support Thread
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Hi all. Still hanging in there. Lost my mind on Tamoxifen this week but I didn't smoke! I did drink wine. 5 weeks and safe to say....the estrogen has left the building!!!!!
Happy Thanksgiving!0 -
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
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And to you too Jo!!! I am just waiting for my ride to take me to a friend's house for a Thanksgiving Day sleepover, which means I can have 2 chocolate martini's. My gas tank rusted out this week and it has been in the shop all week, waiting on a part, I have a feeling I won't see it till after the holiday week is over. It sure helps you stay on budget since you can't go anywhere to spend money! Hope you have a wonderful day, hugs, Karen
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May you all have a blessed Thanksgiving. Still not smoking, but have wanted to! Anxiety is worse and that's when want to smoke. Between the Arimidex with an SE of anxiety and not sure what will be about our jobs at work, upped the med and supplementing it now and then with Xanax. yikes!
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Happy Thanksgiving. Sad to say, once I finished w/de-boning the bird, got everything stored in the fridge & all the dishes done - my first thought was to sit down w/a smoke to go w/my remaining wine. Oh well - of course I didn't dare after 5 yrs & 4 mos. I KNOW I can't have just one, or probably even just one puff. Lots of benefits being smoke free but still the occasional feeling of loss.
Congrats to all who are still not smoking and good wishes to those who are still trying to quit.
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I hear you MinusTwo about the feeling of wanting a smoke. There are some tiggers that make you want to have one. I wish I was in your boots and can say 5 yrs. 7 4 mths. I'm proud to say I'm 23 months and will be 2 years next month. I truly never thought I would be saying that.
Galsal, keep going. Hopefully all of the SE will even out.
Hope all of you enjoyed your "turkey"!
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Hang in there Galsal. I'll be thinking of you. I have also had some difficulty with SE from Tamoxifen. Hope we adjust soon!!!!!
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So...Wednesday (November 28th) I find out the results of my first MRI. December 6th is my SSDI hearing and Decemeber 22nd my son leaves me to be with his dad for the holidays for the first time since I left him and moved to the East coast from the mid-west. I am extremely stressed out and I have smoked at least a pack a day for 27 years with only one major time of quitting in between. But I am smoking until Wednesday. I have my e-cigs (they do allow them in our hospital) and reduced sodium sunflower seeds and hope they will help. I was really surprised to see all the messages here about so many that have quit! It's encouraging. Thank you.
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Tightrope, are you having surgery this week? I never thought I would quit, but surgery was a good motivator. It was tough and I came to this thread to reach out many times. The patch and e-cigs helped me a lot. Stay close. We will help you any way we can.
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Tightrope: When I quit it was w/the help of on line friends. This site is a very positive place to hang out - lots of encouragement but understanding if you slip up & have to start over. We've all been there. Best of luck as you progress.
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Tightrope, we are here to support you! While you may be stressed out, look at everything from all angles and determine what you need to achieve your goals. You may quit cold turkey or by other means. But remember, we all are striving to reach the same goal no matter what route we take!
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Drum roll please.......I BECKERS, am coming up on 6 months smoke freeeeeeeeeee!!!
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HOORAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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YEA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Beckers and Day, a big congratulations to both of you. Hard to believe that this much time has past. I remember when you were first both quitting - time flies. We knew you could do it!
Karen and I will be having a "biggie" too. I'll be smoke-free 24 months with Karen behind me (I'm pretty sure you are). I hit a first today - a man walked beside me and literally stunk of smoke. My thought was "I can't stand people who smoke". Then it hit me what I said and started laughing. When I started this journey 2 years ago, I remember talking to my exercise guru who informed me that his uncle said it takes 2 years before you start feeling better. Well, I guess I hit this mark, because I was still feeling the urge to smoke. So, I guess officially I'm a "nonsmoker"!
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JudiH, you are right - I am one month behind you, two years, unbelieveable, never thought it would happen. Thank goodness for whoever invented the ecig binkie that got me on my way and to all the lovely, strong women who supported me along the way!!
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Congratulations to all of us! Cigarette addiction is hard to beat. Hope we are reporting years and more years down the road. Hope all who are considering stopping and in process are hanging tough! It's not for wimps! I'm thankful for all of you!
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Since my dx i have tried to pack up smoking several times, currently having 2 cigs aday, i feel guilty every time i smoke one, i must try again soon!!! just wondering if anyone else is still smoking 3years after dx . rearly do need to give it the boot!!!!!!!
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Kaza. I did keep smoking for a few months after diagnosis. I really honestly thought I would never quit. The patch helped take the edge off and the e-cigs help to have something to smoke. You can get them with and without nicotine, we call them our binky. I think the only way to be free is to set that date and then tough it out. It gets easier but is hard to get through in the beginning. Lots of good cheerleaders, listeners, and helpers on this thread!! Stay close! :-)
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Thankyou so much beckers for the encouragement, you are right setting a date is the way forward. I have to do it would love to give up. I will be one of the giver uppers very soon i hope!!!!
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Dear Kaza, get all your plans in place including whatever you will use to replace the nicotine: patches, gum, lozenges, medication or e cig and just set the date. In the meantime start cutting back on the number of cigarettes you smoke each day until they are all gone and the nicotine replacement is in place. Beckers is right, the beginning is hard, but you will find all the support you need from these non-smokers, who realize just how hard it is.
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Thankyou Karen333.......i am going to do as you say get it all in place. I have to try rearly hard to kick this habit... for me and my children. thankyou for your support i will update my progress. i will need to watch my diet, rearly do not want to put any weight on, did you put weight on when you gave up smoking? i exercise most days so hope this will help with any weight gain. thankyou again
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Kaza, I hear you about the weight gain. It was one of the reasons that I smoked so long other then the fact that I loved it. In total, I smoked over 40 years ... how stupid could I be. Anyways, in the grand scheme of things ... a little weight outweights all of the pros for not smoking. When I was a smoker, I wanted to be a nonsmoker and vice versa. I'm here now, and not enjoying the smell of smokers. Listen to those who went before you, they know all of the tricks. For me, I quit cold turkey for a number of reasons but we all set our own goals. We are here for you!
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judiH, thankyou for your support, you are so right a little weight we can hopefully get off when we have quit smoking, like you i do enjoy a ciggarette, but i know i must quit this habit . i am going to set a date and rearly rearly try......
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Kaza, I gained 5 or so with no change to eating habits....probably metabolism changed. However, I am soooo estrogen posetive that recommended I go plant based. Can't quite get there yet but one thing I did do for about a month is Myfitnesspal.com. You log in everything you eat, water drank, and exercise and it really helps you be aware of what you are eating and keeps you accountable. I've lost 3 pounds. Glad to just not gain any more so anything is a plus. We have cancer.....have to quit. It feels so good to not be self conscious any more. I just got a cold and it settled in my chest. Even 6 mos smoke free I still got bronchitis, enough is enough. Get mad at it. Educate yourself. You can do this.
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Beckers, I have a shot of tequila every day .... did this after my diagnosis. My dh has been having this every days for 8 years and never gets sick. So, I took this up, and believe it or not, never get sick. I came down with something a month ago, and 2 brandys, 2 tequilas and a grand marnier (sp?), I was fit to go. I told my dr. and MO & RO, that this is what I do. My therory is, I'm done with sickness and I'm here to stay. They think this is funny and have never said a word. My weight gain was 20 lbs. but I think a lot of it is the Letrozole. I exercised my little heart out, and didn't even lose a 1/2 ounce. So, I just try to stay positive .... at least I wake up on the right side of the dirt!
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When I finally decided to quit smoking I looked up the process and chemicals used to create cigs. That sealed the deal for me. I haven't smoked a cig in 5 years and never had the urge again. My hubby is a closet smoker...like I don't know.
I know how hard addictions are so I'm not saying it's easy...I was happy to stop smoking but pills were my crutch but again you just reach that point, that line in the sand, enoughs enough and stop...pill free for 10+ years.
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Talk about being thankful to have quit smoking! Our open enrollment for benefits is going on at work. Those that are smokers are being charged higher premiums and all are required to sign a statement of being a non-smoker if that applies. Should some one challenge them, test has to be performed to prove they are a non-smoker. Imagine that! I would add - they consider even having a cig or cigar a few times a year to be a smoker. Good grief.
Personally, I think it's down-right crappy that they didn't give folks any warning or a chance to quit before dropping this on them.
I'm at Ten months and one-half months smoke free so I'm quite Thankful!
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Ladies,
Haven't been around for awhile but checking in to say I am so proud of all here! Those who have quit and those that are taking the first steps!
You, BECKERS, should be super proud of yourself (Love the way you worded that...lol)! Well done! Day and Galsal both of you too!! Karen and Judi, you both rock! Keep doing what you're doing cuz it's working!!!!
To those who are just starting out, come here often for advice! The ladies here have been where you are and are proof that it can be done and, while it can be rough at first, life is pretty darn great when you make it to the other side!
For maybe some incentive... When I first quit and was posting for support here someone suggested starting a quit meter using one of the many online meters available.. I chose Quitnet.com.. Each month they send you an e-mail with your quit stats and some encouraging words.... I will be at 3 years smoke-free in January and here's a snip of my Quitnet email...
Time Smoke-Free: 1034 days, 17 hours, 56 minutes and 33 seconds
Cigarettes NOT smoked: 20695
Lifetime Saved: 5 months, 8 days, 2 hours
Money Saved: $9,936.00
Cannot believe the money saved!!! Yikes!!0
