Stop Smoking Support Thread
Comments
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Today is the great smoke out!! Don't be angry with yourself, just start again..... We are rooting for you!!
You can do it!!0 -
LisaMarie: So glad to see you - smoking or not. We all worried about you. You haven't let us down. We've all been there and know how VERY hard it is. I know depression is a side effect for some folks on Chantix so be careful there. Can't remember - did you try the e-smokes?0 -
Minus Two , I did try the e cig ... I try anything and everything .. and the sad part about it is I feel great when I am not smoking .,,, I am trying very hard to get through today without the smokes ... I am on wellbutrin and it makes me feel better, My moods are so much better .. I am glad to be back and so sorry I left and you all worried ... Hugs
Lisa Marie0 -
Ok, I will fess up ........ I have been lurking............. I have read VJSL8's book - Thanks VJ......... and preparing for Day 1 (which I will say 1000 times a day I am one puff away from a pack a day, GREAT MANTRA) . This will more than likely be long so forgive my rambling and long winded EXCUSE for prolonging Day !. So BMX was 10/22 , no reconstruction for me . It's everyone's choice but I decided when I had the 1st cancer 20 years back if it happened again my decision was no recon. Then the initial biopsy results cancer side (right) fine . No lymph node involvement. Left side lymph node positive for lymphoma . Wait for 3 1/2 weeks for the balance of tests (oncotype , genetics etc.) During this time I am a chain smoking , F bomb dropping bitch on wheels . Last week phone rings yes when you come in for your MO appointment we will need to do a bone marrow biopsy and give you our preliminary findings .........continue the chain smoking , F bomb dropping bitch on wheels behavior............................
This morning bone marrow biopsy ................. OMG worse than 2 BMX surgeries , I would have gladly had the plastic hand grenades (Sunflowers great term) AKA drains than go through another bone marrow biopsy again.......... I left the building........puked in the parking lot and then smoked.........................and smoked and smoked...............................
However no radiation, chemo for BC only 5 years of tamoxifin................. I got the best outcome I could have expected on the BC diagnosis.................... The MO states you are at risk for blood clots and playing with fire if you smoke................
So when is day 1.................... As soon as I receive my Tamox prescription via mail (insurance requires all maintenance meds be mail order) and the day before I take that 1st pill .
I was struggling with which forum on this site to call home for me. It could be stage 1, over 40 , BMX with no reconstruction etc. I have decided its the stop smoking thread. If I make myself report back to this site it will force me to be accountable........... Assuming I don't get blocked from this discussion thread for being the only F bomb dropping bitch on wheels I will stop lurking and start posting !!!0 -
Hi Fiaranch1 , I have no right to say anything to you about any of this .. I am struggling myself .. But I want you to know I will keep you in my prayers and in my heart . I do keep all the ladies on this thread in constant thought . I do run away a lot . I guess it is something I tend to do a lot .. My dbf says the same thing .. any fight I run away ... I am afraid of myself and everything.. I wish I could be some sort of help for you .. When do you think the tamoxifen is coming ? I decided not to take it .. I guess that is running away too .. I just dont know .... somedays I wish I could run away from myself and maybe then things would get better . I am on wellbutrin and for the most part my moods have been better .. anyway rambling along here .. Nice to meet you , I am lisa
Hugs Lisa Marie0 -
ok so I feel a little better that I'm not alone when it comes to smoking..I am so stressed over all the bc decisions and surgery coming up. I can say I had cut my smoking in Half until last night. I was stressed about seeing the surgeon ...need to get motivated . Wish the best to all of you who are having a hard time quitting or trying to continue being smoke free.0 -
Lisa,
You have every right to say anything you want on this site (they have not blocked me yet) . Nice to meet you as well . Hmmmm well lets talk about running away . I did that a lot I ran away from cancer 20 years ago (granted the technology and treatments were less sophisticated than they were now). I told myself I had an 8 year old son to raise myself (I decided to leave his alcohol /crack addicted father one night while I was sick from chemo but laying on the kitchen floor trying to make spaghetti sauce and him saying "isn't that shit ready yet". I used cigarettes as my stress relief, never drank much at all . I have tried Chantix, wellbutrin, the patch, the gum and hypnosis and smoked through them all . I used to blame my lack of being able to quit on stress associated with my job, my ex anything except my own freaking lack of willpower. I think it is like the old saying "when the student is ready the teacher will appear" so I am ready now . This time I believe I got a do over with cancer................. I could have received a much worse diagnosis . A lot of women here don't get a do over.
The tamoxifin should be coming in about 2 weeks. I will take it every day as I am convinced it will keep my BC away and prevent me from smoking.............. As bad as any side affects may be I know I will not get another do over ................. I don't know how old you are (not that it makes any difference) I was 28 with my 1st diagnosis and I am 55 now. I have gained some wisdom about running away with age ...........:-) . If I can help you at all I am here for whatever you need or you can PM me .
Gail
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Hi Gail.
I am 44 going to be 45 next month . I understand the excuses for smoking too . I say it all the time .. It's my only stress relief lol... but deep down a part of me likes smoking . I just like it . But on the flip side I feel a lot better off them ... duh and I look better so I am told .. I just stopped for 2 months on chantix and slow but back at it maybe 3 cigarettes a day ... The guy sounded like a real jerk ... I'd have thrown the spagetti at him ... I don't know why I like to run away . I guess it seems easier ...I wish you all the luck in the world quitting .. I am here as well if you need to talk ever pm me too.. I will try not to run away from the group ,Hugs
Lisa Marie0 -
We're all only one step away. As always ladies - just for today, I will not smoke. Don't give up.0 -
Blissful ..........Yes the decisions, surgery and all the WAITING suck ........................ Great job on cutting smoking by half !!! That's progress to be proud of !!0 -
When I heard of the possible clash between nicotine and chemo making the chemo ineffective, I decided I did not want to take a toxic drug that wasn't going to do me any good. I decided I would quit on Monday the 11th, but on Sunday, I realized I had gone 6 hours without a cigarette and made that my moment to quit cold turkey. Tomorrow will be two weeks. Besides making it difficult for the chemo to work well, my lungs and heart must work harder. Apparently the chemo drugs I am taking are not very nice to the heart. So, anytime I would want one, I reminded myself that I could die from it and I need to do my part to dump this ugly beast from my body. I figure after 5 months of chemo treatment, that should be enough to make me a non-smoker for life. I'm just done.0 -
Today is a bad day I guess ... I keep smoking .. damm I thought I had this ... The chantix works so good .. I need it back .. I just felt so much better as a non smoker ... I been beating myself up for way to long now .. On a happier note I think I will do a little christmas shopping today ..
hope everyone has a great weekend ..Hugs
Lisa Marie0 -
Wishing you all the best....one of the main reasons I was able to quit is I told myself that the chemo would not be as effective. Also no way I could of quit without Chantix and I used an e-cig for about a month. But was able to get off ecig because it has nicotine too. I pray for all of your strength...quitting smoking is very hard but Chantix really helped me. I am smoke free since August this year.0 -
Ty fiaranch..I was told I was a failure cause I haven't stopped all together. I have been smoking for 40 yrs ..needless to say the person who said I was a failure is a smoker.. Lol0 -
Blissful - anyone who calls someone a 'failure' just hasn't been there. WTH - don't they know about the Little Engine that Could? Maybe I'm from a different, older generation - but we were raised to try, try again.
So Lisa Marie - don't give up & don't get discouraged. Just go ahead with those baby steps and keep moving forward a little at a time.
Jaj - congrats. Sounds like an instant decision that's worked. Two weeks is a good milestone.
I'm not an exercise nut - but one of the things that worked best for me was walking. Every time I wanted a smoke I headed out the front door & around the block - or several blocks. By the time I got back, my mind was re-set.0 -
Happy Monday Ladies,
I have a long long work week enjoy0 -
Beckers: Thinking of you.0 -
Hi girls!! Long time, no talk to! I have been away for awhile working a lot. Nice to see some old faces and welcome to the new ones. I have actually picked up my ecig binky after over a year! Got really upset last weekend and that's what I felt like doing....so i did. I found a zero nicotine minty grape flavor and am quite enjoying it. Hope all is well for everyone. Have a happy thanksgiving!!!0 -
Bump. Happy Thanksgiving & Hanukka.
Beckers - Thanks for checking in. I know your post about the ecig will help some who are still trying.
Judi - your turn!0 -
Happy Late Thanksgiving and Hanukka... I hope everyone had some good food .. I had too much food . I wished there were some people I could have fed .. Anyway I worked most of the day 8-4p.. I have today off and am working the next 3 days all 12 hour shifts ... I am doing pretty good .. I am using the patch plus the wellbutrin .. The only one I cannot give up is that one in the morning with my coffee ... seems to be my love and I really enjoy it ...Hope everyone has a great weekend .. Hugs
Lisamarie0 -
Im still having a hard time..my dr says no patch nicotene is the problem..she wont to reconstruction if you have it in your system..have to do 6 weeks free of it
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LisaMarie - Wow - 3-12 hour shifts. Sounds like you'll need a rest after the weekend. I see you're in NY. Can you force yourself to have that one morning smoke outside? Or at least in a cold garage? Maybe that will help & you can gradually cut down to 1/2 a smoke & then a few puffs & then none. You could actually cut the ciggy in 1/2 before you light it.
Blissful - did you talk to the doc about Chantix or Wellbutrin? There are several ladies here who used ecigs & dialed the nicotine down each day until they reached zero.0 -
Blissful , I had to do the same thing . My PS would not do recon if I had any nicotine in my system . I think back then about all of this and first having cancer and second loosing a part of me and third getting recon .. It all scared the hell out of me so It was easy then . I just did the patch for 2 weeks then stopped .. I had quit for total of 3 months .. at the time of my surgery I think I was 7 weeks nicotine free.. and I thought wow that was easy .. now I know nicotine is hell and grabs you .. I just did chantix and quit again for 2 months then right back to it .. so now I am on wellbutrin with the patch and it is tollerable . I would like to do it without the nicotine at all . I asked the pharmacist about chantix and wellbutrin together and he said it was safe .. so I may go back to that . Minus two . I do have that morning cig outside in the cold ,,, lol .. anyway I just keep trying .. Hugs girls ... had my one day off yesterday and now I am doing 3, 12 hour shifts again ..
Lisamarie0 -
lisamarie68..thank you for the insight...had surgery scheduled for bmx on dec 20th they moved it to monday so looks like reconstruction will be down the road for me..i live with smokers and most my friends smoke..it makes it so hard to quit..wish you the best of luck...bobbie0 -
Hi all! First and foremost, Happy Thanksgiving to my American BC friends. Hope you enjoyed your holiday. Second, I apologize for my absence but have been really busy at work and mother-in-law ill so no time. Thirdly, is there a full moon out there ..... I have been thinking about the little demon so much. Last night I had a night out with the girls ..... friends for 44 years and a few of them less years but what a great night. Got a suite at the hotel, taxi ride to the horse races and casino and taxi ride home .... the ride program is out so no ones drinks and drives. What a blast we had. But, I thought we were all nonsmokers now. Not the case .... 2 hold outs - one quit but smokes occassionally and last night was one of the occasions. I watched them go outside for their smokes and wished I was with them. Wishing and doing are two different things. When I mentioned it, all chimed in not to even think about it. So, long story short, no matter how long we have quit or in the throes of wishing to quit or quitting, that little bugger is always there. I just think that once you have crossed over, you are more conscious of it and think about the "what ifs". I think most of us couldn't have just one and then back to no smoking. Your either in or your out. So, for those of you still "out" think about your triggers and work on them. Don't beat yourself up if it takes you longer to get there .... heck it took me 40+ years and bc to do it!0 -
Well the freaking Tamoxifen has arrived. Actually arrived a few days ago so I promptly stowed it away in the bathroom cabinet , WHY? because I still have cigarettes left (I know stupid logic) So I have selected 12/08. as day 1, it is also my birthday and will be the day 1 of the Tamox as well . This way I will be so screwed up between day 1 of not smoking and day 1 of Tamox I won't know what to blame on what lol. Over the years if have made several "lame attempts" at quitting none of which lasted longer that a day . But this time I know the side effects of smoking are deadly with Tamox. I will check in with this thread. Actually making myself report back to this thread should also help me in avoiding "lighting up".
As VJ says in her book I will always and forever be "One puff away from a pack a day" !!! Congrats to you all that have either quit or cut back !!!0 -
Fiaranch - we'll be thinking about you on the 8th. You've set yourself some heavy duty goals. Do check in to moan & wail, or to rant. Good luck.0 -
Hello, My name is Ann and I'm an addict. I quit almost 5 yrs ago. I spent a little time researching the addiction..the nicotine need to release the dopamine in the brain for that "AHHHHH" we experience when we first take a hit off that cigarette. The first 3 days are the worst. I kept telling my brain, when a craving hit, "you are not going to win this tme. you will NOT get nicotine." I know that might sound a bit daffy but I wanted to win this battle. The next goal was two weeks. I made it to the two weeks and then as each day passed, I thought about it less and less. My daughter quit this summer. We worked on it together. The husband quit 3 weeks ago. I'm so proud of each one of them. I was a heavy smoker and when I quit there attitude was "If she can quit, there is hope for us!"
It took them a while to get there but I'm so relieved and proud of both of them for making the quit. Nothing is easy about this and as the other person said.."I'm one puff away from a pack a day."
I'm an addict. I recognize and own it. ..and I have absolutely no desire to ever smoke again and seldom do I ever think about them. Good luck to you and hang in there. You can do it!!!
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Oh the evils of the little devil ... we all have the same story no matter which way you cut it but we have seem to kick the smoke to the the curb. We can do it!0 -
I am still at the point where if I sit by a lot of smoke I like it!!!!0
