Stop Smoking Support Thread
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Hello ladies. Hope every is doing o.k. Bosum, hope things turn around for you real soon.
Ladies, I have a question that needs answering. I was at the cross stitch store on Saturday and the owner had died of cancer. Her daughter told me that a physician who is a client told her to stay away from sugar and dairy as cancer feeds on this. She asked me if my oncologist had mentioned this to me and I answered "no". Has anyone's oncologist mentioned this to you? I've really been watching my sugar for other reasons and I'm surprised at how much sugar is in foods.
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Yes, I have heard this before but my MO told me "everything in moderation" and so she said "don't worry about the occasional dish of ice cream or piece of cake or whatever"
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Judi - Sugar is a hot button issue. Supposedly it feeds estrogen. There is probably some validity to the argument to cut back, especially if you are ER/PR positive, but I don't believe it CAUSES cancer. And I've never heard anything at all about dairy.
I agree with April - moderation is my watchword. I haven't give up anything in my life except smoking. (sigh) Oh yes, I quit cokes when I quit smoking but I went back to cokes while I was in treatment because I couldn't stand any other liquid. I've managed to cut those back to two a day. Wonder if I will ever quit again? I've cut back on red meat & desserts and doubled up on veggies. And I've cut back on portion sizes. As U get older it's so much easier to gain weight. And so hard to get it back off. And I usually only have one drink in the evenings.
There are holistic medicine/natural food threads on BCO that argue both ways about sugar but I just don't believe in grinding an axe about stuff. Moderation!!! Don't have two pieces of chocolate cake at one meal.
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LisaMarie - haven't heard from you in awhile. How's the job going? Did you switch?
Bosum - sending hugs as you continue to work through the court system. Please check in when you can.
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Hi Ladies , My computer went of the fritz so sorry ... I havent caught up on all the latest news yet , I need to read . I just worked a double shift yesterday 3p till 7 am this morning and just woke up .. My truck after all the $$$ i put into it just would not fix.. so I had to break down a few days ago and go with my daughter to the dealer and bought a used car . I got a bright YELLOW .. ugh chevy cobalt 2005 as this is the only car in the lowest price range .. so I am now paying 231 a month for the car but i have a 2 year warrenty .. feel safe now ... i also signed up for college for my RN .. cant go until next semester but thats ok... looking for a small apartment ... one thing at a time .. celebrating 2 years of sobriety on Sept 26... and two weeks ago on sunday from 12-2 pm , i take county line dancing classes and have not felt so much joy in a long time as I do when im at class ...and besides all that I am doing ok... a little health scare with the rectal bleeding and such .. colonoscopy scheduled for oct 28 .. so we shall see ... and work work work .. I got a small credit card so my credit score is getting better .. all things in time .. it's been a long road but im proud of myself .. never knew i had such amazing strength .. oh still not smoking next month 2 years for me ...
April, Bosom, Minus, Judi , Vj .. love love love you and miss u all ... i will catch up and read on all that has been going on ...
xoxoxox
Lisamarie
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LisaMarie - I am soooooo impressed. A "new" car. A credit card. Registration for your RN. Line dancing!!! Looking for an apartment. Sober for 2 years AND an anniversary of no smoking for 2 years coming up. WOW girl. You sure have turned your life around. We are all really so proud. I'm almost old enough to be your Mother - and I do feel sort of like celebrating that my kid has succeeded. Congrats on everything.
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High five LisaMarie! Girl, you are living proof that you CAN turn things around when they look so bleak and dark. Hard work and determination is paying off for you (finally!) and I am so very proud of all you have accomplished and how far you have come in such a short amount of time (although for you it probably seems like it took forever) and soon, you will putting those initials next to your name. LisaMarie R.N. YOU ROCK! xoxoxoxo
Hi everyone! xo
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Fantastic LisaMarie .... you are definitely on the road to success!
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everyone here is so kind , I love you all so very much from the bottom of my heart and I hope that all of you know how much each and everyone of you impact my life ... im ever so grateful that you have stood by my side and and never gave up on me .. you are all a blessing in my life .. Love you all.. Hugs
Bosom , you are nit so far .. I may come see you ... :0 xoxoxoxo
Lisamarie
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(((Bosum)))) xo xo
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Bosum, you will post when you are in the mood. Hugs to you and know how much you mean to everyone!
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HUGS Bosom... Love you
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Congrats to everyone who is celebrating a milestone date - whether it is the time past BC treatment or the time since you quit smoking. My quit date was July but Saturday was the third anniversary since my ALND surgery. Unfortunately not the end of treatment, but at least that was notable. Sending support to Bosum and everyone else who is still considering quitting.
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Bosum, I can pretty much guarantee there are others on these boards that are trying to quit smoking! You are never alone...we totally understand!
Minus, wonderful milestones!
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Bosum, I started Chantix a week ago today - Monday is my quit day. There are many of us smoking (in my real life) as it "releases stress" but we all know, logically, it's killing us. We are addicts and until we acknowledge that we can't move forward. Once you can ackdowledge it, then many will take the steps (again) to quit.
I would never judge a smoker nor a drinker or over-eater. It is what it is; many began smoking before it was known to be a cancer stick and now we're stuck with the addiction (that was another of my addict's excuses).
No one should be too hard on themselves. My motto for 2016 is leave your cell phones and your judgements at the front door lol.
Best wishes to those who are still trying and congrats to those who have succeeded!
KTF
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Hi Bosom. I'll come out of the woodwork for you. Surgery is this coming Friday, and I've been trying, and failing, for three weeks to give up my smokes. Today isn't happening, going to try again tomorrow. My GP who has always "smacked" me for smoking, just gave me a sigh, a pat on the back and told me to do myself a favour and not smoke for the 24 hours before the surgery to make it easier. I took that as a major thing for him, not to give me the speech...but he recognized that right now, my mindset is almost impossible! (He's been my doctor for 30 years...)
It's crazy, you would think hearing you have cancer would be an automatic quit. But there's that other addicted part of my brain that keeps saying, well, you already have cancer, so what's the big deal? Haven't figure out how to shut that down yet. Tomorrow, I try again....
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Hi Leslie (Hi Bosum!) I have been trying to quit since March 17 - not doing so great. I had 2 months of 0 cigs. Then something "stressful" came along. It's my crutch. Leslie I agree, you would think it would work being told you have C -one friend quit automatically upon hearing another still smokes.
The one thing I have learned in the last 6 LONG years of my life dealing with my best friends stage iV BC is life is to short to judge anyone!
All the best for your surgery as you may have missed my wishes in another thread I posted to you on - the 6th? I have that bookmarked in my brain! Do try to do the 24 hours due to the anesthesia - cut down if you can for 24 hours.
KTF
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Leslie & KTF - welcome. We're here if you want to rant & rave or scream & cry. Scroll back to September 8th and you'll see how send a PM to VJ to get one of the quit smoking books that she wrote. She is so gracious to offer a free copy to anyone on this BCO thread who wants to quit (now or eventually).
KTF - I quit several times - once for two years in 1980 & obviously didn't know enough not to try "just one". My final quit in 2007 was with Chantix and I don't think I could have done it without that drug. I agree - it is an addiction & a horrible one. Thinking of you today if you make your quit day today.
Leslie - hope your surgery goes well on Friday.
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Today I didn't have one all day leading up to my MRI at 2:00, leaving the hospital at 3:00. Then I went and bought another pack. I stink at this. As long as I tell myself I can have one at xx time, then I can make it through the day. It's when I say never again I turn into an angry thing.
I used Champix once, and it did work. Maybe I'll have to do that again once all this is done.
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Leslie, never beat yourself up! We ALL know how hard this is. I consider it to be one of the hardest things I have ever done in my life and I am only one cigarette away from relapse. That is how serious this addiction is. The other day (after 3.5 years quit) I wanted one so very badly I almost caved!!! But, I powered through it to stay quit another day. I take it one day, one hour at a time. Hugs and know you are NEVER alone.
Bosum, the fact that you have not given up thinking about quitting says that someday you will succeed. Hang in there chica! xoxo
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Keep The Faith, and Leslie ... it is not an easy journey for any of us . I was told same thing that I had to be x amount of weeks smoke free before my surgery ... and I guess that the Cancer thing and the upcoming surgery scared me enough to wear the patch for 2 weeks then just stop .. anyway long story short .. after I was healing maybe I had 3 months off the smokes .. stress came in an over abundance . Rent , Bills and all that nonsence and being out of work was too much for me .. so I thought the next best thing was to buy some cigarettes and smoke ... bad idea .. it kept me smoking again until 2 years ago .. I used the chantix and it took me a while because I stayed hooked on that one morning smoke for a while ... until one day i just thought to myself im done and stopped ... and now its been 2 years .. and yes there are stresses that come and go .. many to be exact , but you see I am also an alcoholic and I am 2 years without a drink as well.. I think maybe with the AA program and wanting to stay alcohol and smoke free. I now have a bag of tools I use on a daily basis ..Like I said there are stresses out there .. My son passed away in my first year of quitting and I did not smoke or drink .. Now when I want to smoke or drink .. I ask myself what would that possibly do to change anything???? and my answer back to myself is always nothing so I don't do it .... Not sure if any of what I said helps .. but Welcome .. xoxoxo and big Hugs .. and Prares Leslie for the upcoming surgery .
Bososm , I am always here for you and anyone else smoking or not .. it does not come easy .. just know I am here and I love you very much .. xoxoxo and PM me maybe there will be a weekend we can get together .. Id like to come see u ..
Minus , You have always been my rock .. I am sending you big Hugs .. I care deeply about you as I am bonded to you always ... xoxoxo
Judi and April .. I am sending you big Hugs as well .. because all of you have stood by me .. cheered me on .. and kept me coming back .. xoxoxo
These ladies on here will always be here and they are the best . I have gotten more support off the non smoking boards than any other boards on here .. its an amazing place here of strength support and love so again WELCOME ...
And please if you have a chance get VJ'S book
xoxoxox
Lisamarie
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That would be one hell of a road trip all the way to Texas & then out to CA for VJ. Remember, I'm coming back east in just 6 more years for our smoking gathering. I promised Judi. I think most of you are on the East coast so maybe we can convince VJ to join us too.
Plan 23C - Phoenix is back on AGAIN for later this month. Keep your fingers cross for nothing to jinx it this time. The Grand Canyon has always been on my bucket list.
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Fingers and Toes crossed Minus...it is a sight to behold. Amazing....even if it is "just a big hole" it is soooo much more. It truly puts you in your place in the universe.
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Prayers ..xoxoxo on my bucket list as well... love aand hugs
Lisamarie
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Hi. I am on day 3 not smoking and just crazy. Really scared about coming up to my double masectomy surgery. My dr. said i must be 3 weeks not smoking or I could have terrible problems during and just after surgery. So that has scared me!!! I think waking up under anesthesia, having a stroke or a heart attack during surgery or right after and waking up and not being able to handle the amount of pain I am in are what I am just terrified about. Any one else have problems with smoking and surgery recovery etc? I am not having reconstruction. Thanks. MJ
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Three weeks is ideal but anytime spent not smoking before surgery is great, even one day. A big part is the exposure to carbon monoxide, which clears out of your system really fast. It is the carbon monoxide in your system that interferes with the anesthesia. It is the nicotine that constricts your blood vessels and reduces the amount of blood supply to a wound that interferes with healing.
Hang in there, the first 3 days are the worse and it gets better. Unfortunately the first week of not smoking seems like a month long - there is some time distortion going on. But you can do it and it will be so worthwhile.
If you or anyone on this lists wants a copy of my book, "How to Win at Quitting Smoking" just send me a PM with an email address.
On a personal note --- I'm so excited. I'm going to Desert Trip next weekend -- it's only 10 minutes from my house. When the tickets went on sale in May, I wasn't able to get any, so I applied for a job, just so I could see the concert I was hired as a VIP usher but I didn't relish the idea of standing for 8 hours a day for three days in a row for two weekends shuffling people to their seats--not at my age.. Then they opened up more tickets and I was able to get one so I didn't take the job.
(For those of you who don't know --Desert Trip is CoachellaFest for old people ---Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan, Rolling Stones, The Who, Roger Waters (of Pink Floyd), and Neil Young --two acts a night for 3 days.) I can't wait. My brother and sister are flying in from Seattle and the three of us are going together.
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maryjanem welcome! Sounds like you are fine like VJ said.
VJ, am sooooo jealous! Take pictures and share with us every great detail!! Have FUN! You deserve it.
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VJ - ditto. Should be great fun.
Random facts from the Business Insider - the five most addictive things: 1)Heroin; 2)Cocaine; 3)Nicotine; 4)barbiturates; 5)alcohol. So if you haven't able to quit yet, keep trying. Or try again when you can get to a calm place. It took many of us a number of times to finally make it. Sure there are people like my ex who set down those smokes & decided never to smoke again after the cost of a pack of smokes went up to $0.25. (yup - I looked it up - average cost was $0.25 for a pack in 1967/68). But most of us really struggle. As I well know, I can't EVER have even one drag again. But quitting was well worth it - as much as I miss it. Just for today I will not smoke.
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I know a ton of people who have gone this first weekend (I'm going next weekend) and the comments about Dylan were that he was disappointing. I'm not much of a Dylan fan, so no biggie. Everyone says that the Stones were unbelievable --best concert ever. Not many comments about last night with Young and McCartney--- probably because two of our policemen were killed yesterday and it has put a blanket on everything. --So sad --not supposed to happen in our little resort community. It was a guy with mental health issues who had told people he wanted to kill some cops.
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Same line-up next week, just like CoachellaFest, they have two weekends that are identical because of the popularity. Saw McCartney's play list and he does a lot of the Beatles. Ran into a guy at Target today who had a Desert Trip tee-shirt on and I asked him how it was and he said ---don't miss Paul McCartney--he was the best so far.
If anybody ever wants to go to CoachellaFest or StageCoach, I live 10 minutes away, you're always welcome here. I'm not into the younger bands nor the country western so I haven't been to there and I really have no desire to go to those.
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