Stop Smoking Support Thread
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LisaMarie, Happy you have had a successful surgery and that part is behind you. Praying that your pain eases for you and that you can "go" without wanting to scream. Sounds like your boyfriend is a keeper. We ran into a constipation problem after my mil had open heart surgery. Pretty sure it was the pain meds that caused it and made her sick to her stomach too. In an effort to get her going again we gave her a bowl of raisin bran and a dose of milk of mag, worked like a charm. Then we used the senokot pills daily. Good luck, hope you start feeling much better soon.
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Lisa, glad your surgery is done! I hope the pain lets up soon and you have a swift recovery. Take it easy and call the Dr if the pain doesn't get better!
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My oncotype score was 10 so no chemo! Yay. My urge to smoke has subsided too in last couple weeks. Things are looking up. Hope you all are enjoying the tail end of summer. The trees here in Michigan are going to be a work of art soon.
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CALL (short for carolAnnieLumpLump) - hooray for no chemo. Will you do rads? Good news on the "urge" subsiding.
Unfortunately in Houston we're still over 95 degrees many days. We might get some fall by November. I expect Eric & LisaMarie are in the same holding pattern - hot, hotter, hottest. Rumor has it that the nights might see a low of 76 next week. Woo Hoo. I don't miss the snow mess, but I do miss the fall colors
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Yes I will be doing rads. My appt with the RO is on the 28th. Going for a bone density test and vitamin d next week. My MO gave me a script for arimidex today. Trying to figure out the best time to take it. There is a sticker on the bottle that says may cause dizziness. I guess I will try taking it tonight. I was reading on another thread that some have insomnia with it among a ton of other SEs. Praying that I don't have them : ) I haven't weaned off the ativan for sleep yet so maybe insomnia won't be an issue.
I feel for you guys living with the heat year round. This northern girl is looking forward to the fall colors and the snow. A couple years ago we did a road trip to San Antonio on Spring break. I loved it there! The RIverwalk was so nice, we enjoyed people watching and the food. The Alamo was pretty cool, those trees! Of course had to take a trip through Waco to stop at Magnolia Market. Another time we came to a rabbit show at Dallas/Fort Worth. My daughter showed netherland dwarf rabbits so we traveled all over to the big national shows. So much fun. I never saw as much concrete and overpasses as Dallas! I am a country bumpkin for sure.
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LisaMarie - just checking in. I sure hope you got the pain under control. Thinking for you.
CarolAnnie - compared to chemo, rads was a breeze. Just more fatigue. Sorry I didn't have to take 'als' so I have no good info.
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Hi everyone .. I am okay .. 5 days post op I guess .. im off the oxy ... yuck ... just on ibuprofen now .. pain not too bad .. just the damm hot flashes are worse then ever and I thought they were bad before .. OMG this is really making me feel so bad that my quality of life is in the shitter as far as im concerned ... and without HRT , I have tried so many damm natural therapy and all to no avail... I was getting very upset before , now its even more so ...
Carolanne , I am so sorry I dont have any input on what you are going through . I had a double BMX and no chemo or rads .. I can just give you hugs from afar ..lol xoxoxoxo
Thank you everyone for thinking of me ... I have not wanted a cigarette up until today .. I know that it will just prolong my healing .... so I will stay away .. I have been off the chantix and just doing it without ...
Minus ... just for today I will not smoke .. xoxoxo
hugs to everyone
Lisamarie
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LisaMarie - hot damn. One more day w/o smoking!! Way go girl. Sorry about the hot flashes. I never had any at all so I have no suggestions.
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Hey, still smoking. Tired of beating myself up about it. My theory is you just can't change a lifelong habit overnight, or even in a few months. If stress is a trigger well then, I need to work on less stress 1st, don't you think? I really do think I am strong enough to face living with a smoker when I do actually quit. Therefore, while still working everyday on my own to not smoke, I need to get really serious and I am making a new quit date for the end of this year (2018). I am being truthful and saying with a few more appointments and mammo and lung scan --I should have no more excuses left after the all clear is sounded and I have worked my way into a new normal. The SEs of the anastrazole continue but I hope to find relief soon. Joints are good except my right elbow. I have newly developed headaches? Not helping. Still having hubby's brand, somedays up to 4 but most days 2 or 3-----it's still smoking though!!! UGH
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Had to come back to say I'm pretty sure I just figured out the headaches. It's not the Anastrozole it's probably too much Vit D or calcium in my body. Gee, it only took me 12 days to figure that one out! I'm always searching for answers. I recently added Caltrate, I take it in the mornings, so since I didn't wake up with a headache but have one now after taking my supplements-- DUH! One less stressor! Yipee
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Good Morning Ladies ,
I am walking around more , I am 8 days post op today ... I have not heard anything about my pathology .. that makes me worry .. but then again maybe like they say no news is good news... The stress and mood changes are so bad that I am having the hardest time coping with life in general .. The Hot flashes are beyond anything ive ever experienced..I get totally soaked from head to toe ... and it is the most miserable feeling ever .. due to the BMX i am not alloud no HRT ... Life is sad these days .. I feel less than anymore .. I mean first my breast and now my inside female parts ... anyway enough ranting from me ..
Minus .. hope all is well , thank you for being my Rock all these years ... I am very thankful to know you .. I hope to meet one day .... xoxoxoxo
Hoping everyone else is staying healthy and having a good day
xoxoxoxo
Lisamarie
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LisaMarie - surely your doc can suggest something to try for the hot flashes. Since I never had any, I don't have any resources. Glad you're walking about.
My feeling about the missing female parts (which I had removed shortly around 45 due to constant pain & bleeding w/fibroids) actually turned out to be wahhoo!! No more painful periods. No more periods starting when I was out somewhere wearing a white skirt. No more periods interrupting beach vacations. And an extra bonus - no more having to use birth control whenever we were in the mood!! There are lots of positive things.
ctm - thanks for updating us. Glad that after this year you can turn the corner on BC. I'm amazed that you can smoke 2 or 4 a day. If you stay at that level AND keep snitching instead of buying, your EOY quit date should be much easier. I can never have just one or two. All it takes is one and before a week is out I'm back to a full pack and buying again. Good progress for you.
Interesting about Calcium - I take Citracal with D. My gyn told me this was the brand most easily accepted by the body with the least side effects.
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LisaMarie,
Gabapentin is sometimes prescribed for hot flashes when HRT is not recommended. I take it for lingering neuropathy, and my hot flashes are gone as a side benefit.
Vickki
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LisaMarie - checking in on your recovery. Did you talk to the doc about the hot flashes? I thought the idea about Gabapentin was interesting. Vslush - great this works for you.
ctm - have the headaches stayed away? Actually I got horrendous headaches both when I quit drinking coffee, and then years later when I quit smoking.
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Happy October ladies!
Hi Minus!
Lisamarie, hope your recovery is going well.
As for all of you wanting a cigarette, those who have stopped and those who have not yet, sometimes, I do too, even after over 5 years!!
I just push through it and have been lucky so far...one never knows when the overwhelming urge will win out. Like Minus says, we are smokers who are choosing not to smoke today. It is a tough battle always. I miss it sometimes.
Anyway, wanted to check in and say hello. Anyone from Las Vegas, thinking of you on this sad anniversary today.
Hugs to all.
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wow , thank you for sharing the information . the doc here put me on a low dose of Zoloft .. and in 3 days it sent me to the ER with anxiety through the roof .. my post op appt is 4th of Oct .. so I will look into that .. Are there many side effects ?
Thanks again
xoxoxo
Lisamarie
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I live here in Vegas .. yes such a tragedy .. on the other side today my son Anthony would have turned 28 , but he is forever 25 ... it's a sad day for me ... thank you to all of you here whom give me strength to get through each day .. xoxoxo
Lisamarie
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((((((Lisamarie))))) I cannot believe it has already been three years for you having lost Anthony. It seems like yesterday. Thinking of you on this bitter sweet day. xoxo
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Gentle hugs and warm thoughts for you today, Lisamarie.
At low dose, side effects are minimal, if at all. At higher dose I've felt a little light-headed, but not "high". The hot flashes subsided at 200 mg. That is low dose, as the max daily is around 3200mg I think (can't even imagine what that would feel like!).
Vickki
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Oh LisaMarie - I agree with April. How can it be 3 years!! You're in my thoughts. There are lots of anti anxiety drugs. You just need to find the right one. Zanax worked for me when I went in for an MRI or a PET/CT. However it mellows me out to the point that I don't really care about anything else. I've started going to a chair yoga class lead by an oncology nurse at one of our hospitals. Amazing to say - it's free and they even pay for parking. I come out of class with no stress & soooooo peaceful.
April - great to see you. Did you find a job you like? How did you know that I've been wanting a smoke all week? Doing tons of computer work so my eyes & my back get tired. It would be so nice to walk outside and have a smoke. But I will not. Imaging loosing 11 years of hard work. JUST FOR TODAY I WILL NOT SMOKE.
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I had hot flashes from Arimidex. Effexor worked for me at the lowest dose, took away the night sweats and hot flashes. When I went to stop it though, it was a bitch.I tried to wean myself off but the pills are small and I couldn't split them much. Took me a couple of months and I finally went cold turkey and had buzzing in my brain for 2 weeks.
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Hey VJ - good to see you. How are things out in the desert?
LisaMarie - have you talked to your doc again? Hopefully you've found something that helps. I'm thinking you're 2 weeks past surgery??
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As you all know stress is a trigger and well welcome some more stress into my life.
Father in law fell and broke a hip, mother in law has dementia, sister in law just lost her sister (not from BC -she was a survivor) so sorry not quitting for good this week either. I have kept it to a minimum (5-6) and that's it. It's a long story but mother in law can't be left alone and since the other brother is dealing with their own death in the family, there is just my husband, his sister, me and a neighbor trying to cover her 24/7 so she's safe. I hate sleeping there but I'll do it until things get sorted out.
The headaches are better, thanks for asking Minus. I'm thinking it was most likely a sinus issue.
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Oh ctm - so sorry about the continuing family issues. Don't know the age of your FIL, but many elderly people don't bounce back from a broken hip. My neighbor's father at 90 just fell & had hip surgery. Although he's out of the hospital, he is permanently on a walker or in a wheel chair. He will no longer be able to really care for his wife - driving to the store, doing the washing, helping her up, etc. So if your FIL was the primary caregiver for your MIL, you may need to look for some long term alternatives.
If you're hanging in there with 5 smokes, I think that's amazing.
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Hi Everyone , post op is today .. I am going to talk more to doc about hot flashes ... maybe go back to work light duty .. im going nuts ...
CTM... im so sorry about the family issues .. i understand hugs to you .. and don't beat yourself up...
Thank you everyone for the feedback much hugs
xoxoxo
lisamarie
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LisaMarie - Fingers crossed all goes well at post-op. And he addresses hot flashes. Let us know.
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I am back to work, light duty . I watch the cameras and tell a runner what room to go to . its boring but i need my paycheck . November 6th I go back to see if i can get off light duty... Now he has put me on Lexapro for hot flashes .. they are still bothersome ... ill give it time if not I will aske about the gabopentin ..
Hope you all are doing well . I am thinking of you all .. big hugs to all who are still struggling with the demon smokes ... as for me .. i am doing well without the smokes .. i owe a lot to all of my support here the best place to be ...
xoxoxoxoxo
Lisamarie
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LisaMarie - thanks so much for checking in. I've been thinking about you every day. Glad you feel well enough to go back to work light duty. Just remember not to over-do at home or at your Mom's. The hardest thing for most women is to "just say no". Not talking about smoking here. Talking about how we have to make everything right for everyone all the time. This is the time to take care of YOU FIRST and let everything else take a back seat.
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Minus thank you , I think of you all the time as well .. i know what ya mean .. yesterday i decided to clean my house .. and pain pain pain .. i had to rest the whole day and it was bad .. so now I know i cannot push myself ... my moms birthday is Monday the 15th going to take her out to eat .. other than that grateful to be back at work ..
thinking of all you ladies .. missing judy April, Bosom ..
xoxoxoxo
Lisamarie
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LM - Clean your house? Whatever for? If I remember, you don't have pets? It's unlikely you track much in by yourself. I rarely clean anymore (except for sinks & toilets). It's too difficult to run the vacuum back & forth since node surgery, mopping is not on the menu either, and I've always hated dusting. My solution is not to invite anyone under 50 into my house unless they have very thick glasses that can be removed. That way no one sees the dust.
Sorry about the pain, but glad you learned the lesson. Have a fun B-day lunch with your Mom.
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