Stop Smoking Support Thread
Comments
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Bosom , It gets easier .. really just like Minus I held on to that darn morning smoke could not be without it ... then just like her I said nope not today .. had to say that for at least a week .. then it got easier .. I guess im going on 4 months now .. not sure since im not counting this time .. I think that makes me crazy as well counting days ...Maybe when I have years then ill be ok ...Always here routing for you big hugs lots of support .. you can do this ... I found blow pops and gum soothed my craves .. xoxooxoxox and lots of water ...Love ya
Lisamarie
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Blow Pops - I love it. I did use lots of gum. And i ate tons of sunflower seeds - in the shells. Hand up to insert seed in mouth - arm down - crack shell - hand back up to remove shell - arm down - suck on seed, manipulate seed in mouth, chew seed, swallow seed...Repeat.
Agree about HELL Bosum. Hang on. Here's one of web sites & stories I read late at night when I was pulling my hair out. http://quitsmoking.about.com/ Some people say they do better trying not to even encounter the word 'smoking'. I couldn't ignore the elephant in the room.
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Hi everyone! Back from a fabulous and amazing trip! Got home but it took some time for me to get my sleeping habits back. Everything hit me when I got home .... no pension, no mileage cheque, PVR broke, etc. etc. Got that al organized and then got sick. Good to be back in Canada, eh? Anyways, my trip was one that I was so glad I went on. MinusTwo, your son is absolutely right .... it is a beautiful country. Not at all like I expected. Thought it would be like what I see on the commercials to "adopt a child". Big and beautiful country with lots of mountains. The animals were amazing ..... saw 30 rhinos, 50 elephants at one time, cape buffalo, wild dogs, giraffes, zebras, everything but a lion and a leopard. Next time. My friend is going back in April and asked me if I wanted to go but I'm going to Boston on a playground build. Mind you, one has to be very careful or you will be robbed. When you go to the grocery store, you pay the security guard to watch your vehicle. Otherwise, your card will be stolen. The thieves have a device that when you go to lock your vehicle, they can jam it. Also, we were driving to a market which was a couple of hours away from Jobrg, and there was a sign "High High-Jacking Spot". Hmmmmmm, did I love it ...... absolutely not. I would say they appear to be a little more sophisticated then what I watch on t.v. but what do I know. Now, I off to beautiful Victoria B.C. tomorrow morning. Weather is certainly better then here ....... 9 C to -20 C. Congrats to those not smoking ..... I was so tempted. Gotta stay strong or I'll breakdown.
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God, when I write too much my keyboard slows down. How is everyone else? Hope those in colder climates like me are holding their own. MinusTwo, how is the weather where you live. Don't make me jealous. I'm off for breakfast but will check in late. Miss you all!
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John Oliver takes on Big Tobacco
This is a brilliant piece on the immorality of the Tobacco Companies. It's a bit long (18 minutes) but well worth it.
Once when I was "quit", I too would borrow from our secretary. Finally I felt so much guilt that I started buying her cigarettes so assuage my guilt. I had to stop fooling myself that I wasn't "really" a smoker when I started buying her my brand of cigarettes to keep in her drawer so I could bum them.
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Judi - welcome back. Will it make you feel better if I tell you it will be 38 tonight? Of course the last week has been over 70 every day. Oh - Victoria!!! One of my favorite places. You're adjusting to retirement in a big way.
VJ - I'll look forward to the John Oliver piece later tonight.
Bosum - see...VJ & I both "cheated" while we were trying to quit. Hope today is better.
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Welcome back Judi, I am so happy to see you . the trip sounded great except for the car jacking..lol it's very cold here in NY as well today was -8 F with the wind chill factor .. sooo brrr and more snow tonight 3-4 inches .. yuck ..I am looking forward to Spring and my Vegetable Garden ...xoxoxo
Minus yep blow pops . and I chew gum .. but hey it works .. I actually cut my blow pops down to maybe one every few days .. don't wanna rot my teeth ..lol Yes we all cheat .. I am sorry it will be chilly for you tonight ...
Bosom , I told ya its a struggle but it will come Just hang in there .I had to have that one morning smoke, then it went to a few puffs, then to one day none .. keep on trucking .. with all my love and support I am here .. xoxo
Lisamarie0 -
Ha, ha. I too thought I was a big smarty pants. I carried an unlit cigarette in my mouth and hand at all times when I was in quit mode. Like LisaMarie, I then finally lit the damm thing and had a puff, then two, then three, then 1/2 the smoke, then the whole smoke, then 1-2, etc. You all get the pic right? Had to have the whole damm pack!
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Bosum - hooray. If I remember correctly you live in CA, so probably have 'year round' weather like we do. No weather to keep me inside, but since I wasn't smoking in the house, smoking blogs & stories kept me busy instead of going out for a smoke.
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Bosum, I'm so proud of you. Day 3 is better then day 1. I know it is hard ..... trust me, I and everyone else have been there but each person experiences different withdrawals. Hang in there but always remember we are all rooting for you. Also, thanks for the travel wishes. I probably haven't done as much travelling as you .... a lot of times we went down to a resort. Enjoyed it thoroughly but now trying not too get to much sun. Your right, your savings from not buying smokes will allow you to treat yourself to a nice travel place. Please hang in there. It does get easier and then you will forget about when you last had a smoke. MinusTwo, I'm lucky about going to Victoria as my nieces live out there. So I don't have to pay for hotels, etc. Big bonus, I used my air miles points and the whole trip cost me $149.00 (Canadian dollars). If you convert to U.S. money it will be a hell of a lot more!
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Bosum - so the snow has been a good thing - keeping you trapped inside w/no smokes. DAY 4 - FANTASTIC. You can do it. One day at a time. How did the dog like the tuna? Maybe he could try mac & cheese tonight? Or if you went out, hope you were able to get dog food w/o being seduced at the check out counter. I think you said at one point that your kids were grown. Are they supporting you? Or is this to be a surprise for them? I didn't tell my grown son for quite a while - just in case.
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Welcome back Judi! Your trip sounds fabulous!! Enjoy your next adventure in BC.
Bosum, I know what a struggle this is but you are doing great! The dog will live with whatever you feed him until you feel strong enough to go out to the store and NOT buy smokes. Either way, thinking of you and pulling for you.
Bosum and LisaMarie, As for "Obamacare" aka "Affordable Health Care Act" ( the real name for the program) there are subsidies available to help you pay for the insurance! Especially you LisaMarie since you receive too much in unemployment to qualify for medicaid. Google subsidy for ACA and I am sure you will find it! Here is one link for you anyway.... http://obamacarefacts.com/insurance-exchange/calculating-tax-credits/
Hey Minus, want to switch to New England weather? I want YOUR weather. It is sooooo cold and snowy in CT this year that I am really hating it! We have FEET of snow still on the ground in huge piles and yet the storms keep coming! Also, the below zero weather we have had sucks! It costs a fortune to heat my home although thank goodness oil has come down a bit although it also is going back up lately!
Anyway, Minus is right...you will eventually get it Bosum and glad that website was so helpful that Minus posted.
Ok, gotta run cause at work as usual. I have my little electric heater cranking in my office as I can't seem to get warm today!
Was sick with a bug last week so still not feeling 100%. Ok, REALLY leaving now!
Love you all!
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OK Bosum - I didn't bug you yesterday but getting worried today. Are you OK?
April - great to hear from you. Good advice about the subsidies. Hope you continue to feel better. Take care of yourself so you don't have a relapse from that dumb bug.
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Bosom, I am so so proud of you . It will come and get easier .. I did find snacking helps .. the blow pops are amazing because you get to hold it and put it in your mouth .. lol .. well I am here freezing along with all of you as well.. snow and more snow and freezing temps as well... I just go to school then come home and study .. we are here routing and cheering .. love you.\Oh judi . I tried that as well keeping a couple smokes in my car just said oh I will keep for emergency or if I think ill really need .. then one day I did same a couple puffs . then half then the whole then back on again.. I still have blow pops one ever few days but I think im 4 months smoke free .. maybe more .. xoxoxo im so happy uoi can have a nice trip . I saw on the computer that Niagra Falls was almost frozen over .. yikes . I did visit there a long long time ago but not in winter .. xoxoxo
Minus .. You are a wonderful support here I just feel sooo comfortable here with you ladies .. always have .. so is it cold in Texas ? or are you warm ... hopefully warm . My mom lives in Vegas as you know and my brother also moved there he told me it was 80 the other day ..
.. lucky .. I guessApril . I hope you are feeling better ... thanks about the insurance info , I am almost out .. I do have another ? for you . my unemployment runs out in about another 2 months what happens then until I can find work .. I am currently enrolled in a program I am paying for for Hemodyalisis soI am hoping to get a good job. I do hope I get an internship then hope the company would offer me a position. again ty for the info and keep warm xoxoxo
XoXo Lisamarie
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Lisamarie--you might be eligible for medicaid through the ACA if your state is one that is covering it. If you lived in Cali, you would. Each state is different. In Cali, as a single person if you make less than about $16000 a year, you can be covered under ACA. From $16,000 to about $22000, there are plans where the premium is $1 and with better coverage than through private insurance.
I underestimated my income for last year since I'm self-employed and I will pay a penalty of $1250 (Since my income is between 200% and 400% of the federal poverty level)---BUT that along with my payment of $136 (based on my age), it is still less than half of what I was paying for private insurance before, and with a much lower deductible. I really wasn't sure what I made last year until I got my taxes done, my income fluctuates so very much and my write-offs change a lot too. In Cali, you just call Covered Ca when your situation changes and they readjust your subsidy.
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Thanks Vj. before unemployment I made like 78 thousand .now I make 1600 a month on unemployment .. and I was only aloud 10 thousand .. I cannot understand .. but its almost over than I will have a zero income .. until work is found .. I am In NY .. and Long Island N has been rated one of the most expensive places to live .. UGH .. maybe I better think about moving away after school.. I know I keep saying that .. but maybe back to NC with the other kids , or back to Florida .. it's a lot easier to make a living there for me . and at 46 I am not ready to go back to working 2 and 3 jobs like I did when I was young .. lol thanks for the advice .
Lisamarie
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LisaMarie - as our most recent quitter, do you remember depression while you were on Chantix? If so, how long did it last? I remember crying a lot but I don't attribute that to the drug - just my desire for a smoke. I remember the same thing when I quit cold turkey 30 years ago. All I wanted to do was sit on the sofa & hug myself and cry. I also wanted to kick the wall when I couldn't smoke - but I was clear headed enough to know I would have broken my foot LOL.
Anyone else - comments on depression? Comments on Chantix? I'm a big Chantix fan since it drove my success story.
BTW - where else is it a compliment to be called a QUITTER!!!!
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Just read an interesting thing in WedMd magazine - January/February issue. Women's Health - "Quitting Time" by Sonya Collins.
"Women who stop smoking during the first 14 days of their menstrual cycle may have less intense cravings and irritability associated with quitting. Day one is the first day of your period."
"Women's cigarette cravings are often more about external triggers than nicotine. 'Men smoke more for the effect of the nicotine. Women smoke more to regulate mood & stress,' say's Kelly Cosgrove, PhD associate prof of psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine. So good quitting strategy for women includes more than nicotine replacement."
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Depression is a nicotine withdrawal symptom. Here is the reason why:
Nicotine Dependence: Understand the physical effects nicotine has on your brain.
Inhalation through your lungs was made to be an efficient and rapid way for oxygen to reach your brain, faster than injecting a substance into your veins. It takes only 10 seconds or about 10 heartbeats when smoking a cigarette for nicotine to get from your lips to your brain. The tobacco companies have further manipulated nicotine into a more potent "freebase" form allowing nicotine to quickly cross the blood−brain barrier, which acts to protect your brain from chemical toxins and bacterial infections reaching your brain.
Once inside your brain, nicotine fits into a specific receptor, like a key fits into a lock, and releases a flood of dopamine which is the "I feel good" brain chemical. The brain "likes" this flood of dopamine. As you build up a tolerance to nicotine, your brain makes more of these specific receptors in order to have more dopamine circulating in your brain.
But your brain isn't used to this dramatic increase in dopamine and down regulates the amount. Once you stop smoking it can take time for your brain to adjust to a normal but lesser amount of dopamine. This may be the cause of depression when quitting.
This increase in receptors and the dulling of excess dopamine is what makes the brain of a smoker structurally different than one of a non-smoker.
That is from my book, which has been totally re-organized with new information added. I will still give a free copy to anyone on this list. Just send me PM with an email address.
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Minus , I had my days but not too much because I was already on anti depressents before I started. But there were some tough days where I was angry I guess .. these days funy enough I don't think of it . I am surprised at that. I mean once in a while I will think for a split second and its gone .. hugs ..Bosom ....
today I have a test at school , then I am leaving early because I have an apt with a gastro doctor . My doc wants to see if they can help me with my big belly and weight gain .. she said to have a colonoscopy evaluation.. UGH im scared ... then I have to go back to reg MD to have ppd read .. this is gonna be a busy day ... but I better have this all done because soon no insurance .. xoxoxxo
Lisamarie
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Hi ladies...sorry about MIA lately, but just so darn busy at work and I rarely go on the computer in the evening or weekends if I can help it...have to be on at work so much that it doesn't call me when I am at home...lol
Lisamarie, unfortunately when your unemployment runs out, that is it. Unless you have children under 18 living home in which case you can get cash assistance through TANF but otherwise, you are not going to find any programs that will give you cash money. So, keeping fingers crossed you get a job quickly!
Have to run...work calls!
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April , I knew that . I am wondering how I am going to get insurance when that runs out March . if im unemployed . I graduate from school March 25th I hope that I can take my nationals and pass so I can get work ...
Went to GI doc today she is doing and endoscopy Friday morning . and I am getting tested for celiac . as well as a cat scan of abdomen and pelvic with oral and iv contrast.. hopefully we get to the bottom of the big belly syndrome and weight gain...
Bosom .. love to hear from you .. just a reminder we are here no matter what ... and that's that say Hello .. big hugs xoxoxox
Lisamarie
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Lisamarie, you will be able to get insurance and if you aren't working, it will be subsidized at a high percentage if not 100% if no income. Medicaid will also be available but it is not the best in terms of doctors that accept it (at least here in CT it is that way) but there will be insurance available to you. Praying that they get to the bottom of what is happening with your health soon! xoxo
Bosum! Get back here young lady!! We miss you and we don't care h ow many times you go back to smoking. It is the LAST time that will count and believe me, that will happen. Every time you try, it shows you have not given up! That is the real victory xoxox
Minus, give me some of your warm weather, okay???
Judi, hope you are staying warm. The other day, we woke up to -10F without wind chill factored in!!!
Out of bounds cold this winter and the oil bills (thank goodness it is a bit cheaper now) are out of control! Filling up every 3-4 weeks instead of 6-8 weeks!! Ouch!
Hugs to all!!
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Here's another interesting fact from "Time" from an article about SAD - (seasonal affective disorder)
"There is a strong connection between nicotine & winter depression, even if you've switched to fewer smokes or e-cigs. But you shouldn't necessarily go cold turkey in January. Researchers have found that quitting can actually trigger SAD, which will then make it harder to break the habit. When you do quit, keep a close watch on your mood. You can also talk to your Doctor about Bupropion, a cessation drug approved by the USDA to treat SAD." (Wellbutrin, Zyban, etc.)
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Hi BosumBlues, i am also struggling with this smoking, i gave up for a whole year then over the last 6 months life has been difficult, i am smoking again, 2 aday, i mentioned this to the nurse when i had my last appointment 3 weeks ago, she said well you have been through a lot, i am sure 2 ciggys wont hurt.......i am not sure this is the right way of thinking, perhaps she was a smoker? i am going to do my best to quit again, when i feel ready kaza x
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Most healthcare professionals don't know a lot about cessation. Two a day can easily turn into a pack a day because nicotine hijacks our survival instinct.
Chantix blocks the pleasurable feelings that smokers get, while bupropion (wellbutrin) helps with depression. They both work inside the brain but in different ways.
BosumBlues--I think you had mentioned that you needed to be 6 weeks nicotine free for surgery but you have put that off for now? Forgive me if I got that wrong. Could you change your plan to include nicotine replacement for a short period of time, maybe the first month and pair that with bupropion? That combination works well together. The goal should be to quit anyway you can, since if you don't you won't be able to have the surgery anyway?
The professional organization I belong to (ATTUD)--we have had many discussions through the listserv about NRT and surgery----6 weeks is a much longer time than needed for NRT (not for smoking). Besides nicotine is out of your system in 3 to 5 days. Often with surgery it is the other components of smoke that do the damage. Most surgeons just aren't up to date on the use of NRT before surgery. I think they are just trying to cover their butt. Surgical complications come from smoking, not from NRT.
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Bosum - SO great to see you. Glad you're still with us. Smoking or not - we miss you when you're gone.
Kaza - Your nurse is nuts. 2 a day will lead onwards. We've all been there and it's so easy to rationalize. That said, if you can really keep it to two, and never cheat, you're doing better than I ever did.
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Hi Kaza , It is a hard thing to do . but when you are ready you will do it .. and yes doctor is nuts because if I picked up 2 cigarettes , I would be off to the races .. best of luck on your journey .Bosom Bosom , I love ya
I am so glad that you are here ..I am always on your side and no matter what you are going through ...You are always welcome and you should know that by now ... xoxoxoxoxox The best support is here ..April, I sure hope I can get some insurance . and most doctors here in NY do not take Obama Care so , I am not trying to eve go there ...
Oh Bosom, I am also waiting on pre auth for my cat scan .. on my stomach on and pelvis ... having the Medicaid does it take long . because mine ends soon..
I had the Endoscopy yesterday , it took a bit longer than usual to put me asleep I was kinda scared .. anyway doc said my upper intestine is inflamed and some polyps there and they biopsied them and biopsy of the stomach gotta wait 2 weeks for pathology to come back ..
I hope everyone has a great weekend .. xoxoxoxo
Lisamarie
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LisaMarie - Oh the waiting for test results is horrible, but I hope they are giving you something for the inflamation in the upper intestine NOW. Keeping my fingers crossed. Less than 30 days before you graduate. I'll just say in advance, what a fantastic achievement.
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Well ladies the fun never ends , took my cousin to her doctor appointment yesterday and told her I was walking right next door to get my blood work done . she says ok next thing ya know I walk out the door down the sidewalk and im looking up at the sky .. thank god I had my phone called her out they called 911 and ambulance and off I went concusion and bruising of my head and back ... ugh ... so I am upset but I did not sleep all night due to discomfort . and im home from school today and not happy ... ok enough complaints here .. I miss u and love ya allxoxoxoox
Lisamarie
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