Stop Smoking Support Thread
Comments
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O2B,
This is a really great bunch of ladies that are here, isn't it? Big HUGS right back at ya!
BarbaraA,
$738.00 is fabulous! Hope you spent at least a little of that on yourself!
Kody22,
How'd the MRI go on Monday? Hoping that you flew through it and were thinking afterward "wow, that wasn't bad at all"!
LadyInBama,
Thinking of you and hoping that chemo went well for you yesterday and that you are feeling OK today. Over 20 days under your belt and almost $74.00 richer!!! That's awesome! Keep it going!
Hey Dutchy,
Come on back, girl! We miss you!
The calendar just turned to September! You are now into the same MONTH as your surgery Waaahoooo! Shall we start the countdown???
Hope all of you ladies have a great night!
Jennifer
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Kody 22-Yes,I am really struggling with the not smoking thing too.I go for surgery Sept 2nd for BMX and TEA's This has been a whirl wind since early July. I had nerve damge in the RT breast from the lumpectomy on July 27th and had to stop working.It seems the smoking is my comforter right now.I get so darn nervous and have had trouble sleeping so I smoke. Did anyone have any direct problems that were due smoking after the surgery?
I know I have to quit.The PS told me I had to quit two weeks before and 2 weeks after for the surgery to not have complications and infection but it seems I can't quit. I have the lozenges but they don't do much. I will take them to the hospital with me though. I hope all went well with the MRI for you. I will try out the Quitmeter and probably hypnosis! I love this website and the posts! When I feel alone I go here and read and cry too!
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Welcome Pinkie48,
I will be thinking about you tomorrow as you have your surgery! I smoked during my surgery but I just had a lumpectomy. No complications with healing!
I think how strictly some of the plastic surgeons stick with the "you can't smoke for X number of weeks before and after" is really dependant on what type of reconstruction you are having. Seems like they are stricter on any of the methods that involve microsurgery than they are on implants. I am BY NO MEANS an expert on any of that but, it is just the impression I was left with.
You, like Kody22, are at a really stressful point in your treatment right now! Do try to go easy on yourself as far as not stopping smoking at this time. When the time is right for you, you will know it!
If you decide that now is the time, we will be here for you! If you decide that maybe now isn't so good but have questions, stop in anytime!
Please know you are NOT alone and that help is only a post away!
Hugs!
Edited to say: That should have said I smoked during the time frame of when I had my surgery NOT that I smoked during surgery... LOL... although would have LOVED to be at a hospital that allowed THAT!
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Pinkie: Hang in there. I quit 3 weeks before my surgery using patches, then no patches (so no nicotine in system) for 3 days prior. I did ok after I got home for about 2 days then boredom set in and I smoked. I have managed to quit again and now have about 3 weeks smoke & nicotine free. I'm just praying it lasts. It takes time and many tries, but we can do it!!
My first chemo went well, and so far, the SEs haven't been too bad. Thanks to all who asked about it.
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Seaside:
You seem to have the same dx as me. did you have chemo?
I'm having dmx in sept with te's. Did you have similiar?
thanks
Jan508~
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Seaside, I have been here all along...sometimes I get lazy and just need to read but I forget that we all need to be here for each other...thus I will try harder to make sure to at least check in in writing.
Pinkie I am thinking about you because you had your surgery yesterday and I know you were struggling with this stop smoking thing. My doctor wanted me to be nicotine free 6 weeks before surgery and 6 weeks after surgery. Before quitting, I was not sure if I'd keep my quit, after my surgery, but I have decided one day at a time...I will. I quit cold turkey with the help of some of these ladies. You have to do the hard work of quitting but they are here for you and you also never know who needs to hear from you, and helping someone else can take your mind off of yourself. Seaside has a great memory and has been here for me the first, second and this third time of quiting. And it is good to remember that everyone has their own start time and one time may not be the right time but maybe the next, if it is needed, like it was for me. Another great thing about this site is the ladies have stayed non-judgemental and let you do it your way and do not put their expectations on to you the person quitting. LadynBama, glad your first chemo went well and you continue to stay smoke free. Has it gotten to be easier for you? It is weird but I do not hardly think about it as my surgery date is getting so close that that is no way an option for me. Ya all take care now. Evelyn
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Hi Ladies: How is everyone doing. Well I not only had my MRI on Monday, Tues. I saw the surgeon and on Wednesday, I had a mastectomy. Thursday, morning, they sent me home. So here I am sitting at my computer in my home. Doing pretty good. I have my down days but I am surviving. The good news, I have been smoke free 2 complete days and on my my third day. It is very hard but there was alot of complications during my surgery, it was almost cancelled because they had to clean out my lungs. So I consider myself lucky and truly am going to give up the habit. Let me know where I find the quite monitor so I can join you girls. How is everyone doing?
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So Girls I forgot to give everyone hugs and kisses. You truly are the best of the bunch and I love this site. Guess where I went, I went for a drive in my car to my mom's house and even threw in a load of laundry. Somethings never change lol.........
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Kody: One place I use is quitnet.com. They send you emails every day for about 2 weeks telling you how long you've been quit and how many life days and and how much money you've saved. Parts of this site you have to pay to enter, but parts are free. Good luck, hang in there, you can do it. You've already had an experience that shows you what smoking is doing to your body, so try to hang on to that and keep it up for your health. We go through too much to get our lives back after BC to throw it away on cigarettes.0
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Kody22,
Boy! Your team doesn't fool around once they get going, do they? Sounds like you have had QUITE a week! I guess it would be safe to say that you made it through your MRI on Monday!
Sorry to hear that there were some complications but, glad that they were able to get your operation completed! You will have up days and down days on your way through this journey but, now that they ball is rolling and you have begun active treatment you will feel SO MUCH BETTER!
Congratulations on your 3rd day smoke-free! Just think, the actual physical withdrawal is almost over and it will get steadily better from here on out! What method did you decide to use?
The quit monitor I use is quitmeter.com but it is a very simple one. The one LadyInBama uses with the inspirational e-mails sounds like a good one too.
Hope that you continue to do well both in your recovery and with your stopping smoking! Let us know how you are doing!
Pinkie48, had her surgery the day after yours so hopefully she will check in soon!
Hugs to you as well!
Jennifer
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Jan508,
Nope, no chemo and had a lumpectomy with radiation.
I posted something about what I did a few pages back but, sometimes things get buried pretty quick if there are a lot of posts. Here's a copied piece of that post....
Diagnosed 5/8/2009 after finding a lump in early April (shows how long it took to get a biopsy scheduled). Went for a second opinion to Johns Hopkins in late May. Decided on a lumpectomy with close surveillance with the option that if the test stress became too much I could do a MX or BMX at a later date (although implants would now be out due to radiation). Surgery was 6/17/2009 with clean margins and no lymph node involvement. Tumor size as estimated on MRI was 1.5 cm actual size wound up being 2.5 cm. Met with Oncologist in late July. He ordered the Oncotype Dx test. My result was a 14 (9% risk of distant recurrance) which is in the low risk of recurrance range. Best estimate is that chemo would help reduce my risk by 1-2%. For me, not worth the risk but I know there are many that would do it. Just not me. Began 28 radiation treatments plus 7 boosts on August 13. Finished Oct 2. Tamoxifen for the next 5 years then one of the aromatase inhibitors after that. Diagnosis to end of radiation, around 5 months.
Hope that helps!
Jennifer
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LadyInBama,
Hoping that you are still feeling well and that any side effects from the chemo are, and will remain, minimal!
BarbaraA,
LOVE the new photo!
Dutchy and O2B,
Hoping you are both having a good night!
Good-night all!
Jennifer
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Hi Ladies, went for a hike up Claremont Wildrenes Loop, a 5.5 mile hike and then came home and layed around all day. It is much easier to do since I no longer smoke. Funny how I thought I was doing the hike pretty well when I was still smoking but now I know better. Hugs to all of my sisters and hope you have a safe Labor day.
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THanks Jen. That is a pic from my wedding 3 years ago. I'm afraid to let anyone take any pix of me today.
So today marks
3 months and 3 days smoke-free!
Quitmeter site is down so I don't know how much I've saved. Had a bad craving yesterday and lit one, took smoke into my mouth. Blew it out, put it out and it tasted like CRAP! One more temptation passed.
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Barbara 3 months and 3 days is awesome, can't wait for the quitmeter to be up again so you can see how much you have saved. I was outside this morning where someone left their cigarette burning and instead of getting a craving, I thought it stunk and walked away. I also need to stay away from second hand smoke because of the upcoming surgery. I think I have 16 more days...then finally the DIEP breast reconstruction after all of this time.
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Barbara: Awesome!!
One thing I've done that will stop a craving in its tracks: before I quit, I saved some cig butts and put them in a plastic bottle, which I filled part way with water and let it sit. Just take the cap off and take a whiff of that. You will not want a cigarette!!
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Dutchy,
5.5 MILES!!!!! I think after that I would have had to lay around the HOSPITAL all day rather that my house! That is quite a hike! I know I have got to get moving not only to prevent weight gain but also because it is good for me but, I just haven't done it yet. I just ordered pedometers for my husband and I and we are going to try something called the "Step Diet". We both could stand to shed a few pounds as well as getting in better shape in general. We'll see how THAT goes!
Good for you for walking away from that cigarette! Only 16 days left??? You can't risk anything going wrong to prevent you from having your surgery now! Have you started making preparations for when you come home after surgery? I think there was some thread on this board that had excellent suggestions for things to do to get prepared for surgery and for when you first come home.
This is an exciting (although scary too, I'm sure) time for you, but one you have waited for for so long!
Hope all continues to go well!
Jennifer
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BarbaraA,
OVER 3 months!!!! Congratulations!
I HAVE heard that once your body has moved on to life without cigarettes that they will taste really bad until you force yourself to smoke enough of them that they taste good to you again (kind of like when you first started smoking). I do not trust myself to test out that theory by even having one cigarette. Some people can do it but I just kind of know myself in that I wouldn't stop at one.
I'll just stick to my occasional "journey into the land of smoking", vicariously, of course...lol
Glad you put it out!
LadyInBama,
I hear ya on the 'wet cigarette' smell! I know I still don't mind the smell of someone smoking but, my inlaws who both smoke were here last weekend. An ashtray with cigarettes in it was left outside and it rained overnight. It did smell mighty bad when I emptied it in the morning!
Hope all of you have a great night!
Jennifer
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I stopped smoking 20 years ago after my first bout of cancer (just diagnosed again in August). Since then I have been helping smokers quit. I am willing to send anyone on this message board a PDF copy of a 60 page workbook that I use in my workshops (free, just want to help, just send me an email to VJSL8@CS.COM) and I have lots of tips posted on my blog: www.StopSmokingStayQuit.blogspot.com
The latest studies are showing that nicotine may promote breast cancer so it is very important to quit. It's not easy but it can be done. Good luck,
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VJSL8,
Sorry that you've had a recurrance and have had to join us BUT so thankful that you are here!
I have checked out your blog and it is really packed with a lot of GREAT information! I hope others will check it out!
I, for one, would really like a copy of your workbook and will e-mail you. Even though I have quit, I still do have days that are tough. I also have a friend that I think will be quitting soon and maybe this could help her!
Wishing the best for you!
Thank you for your very generous offer.
Jennifer
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Thank you for your offer.
I have sent you a request under a separate email - could not link up through this website.
Thanks
Jan508
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Thanks for the Warm Welcome Seaside!
I have a quit date. midnight on Sept 13. I have my port installed and first chemo treatment on the 14th. So they already told me no smoking after midnight. And I had an appt with the PS today. He said I have to have not smoked for four mos prior to beginning my reconstruction.
I have tentatively scheduled my DIEP and TE's for January 17th.
No Turning back now. I know I can do this. I quit cold turkey both times I was pregnant and while I was breastfeeding both kids. So I was quit for about 2 years with each child. If I could do it for them then, I can do it for me now.
Right???
Say YES! Thank you. LOL!
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Good Luck Anne--Yes you can do it!!!! Quitting can be tough but it is so very rewarding! I'm having a BMX with immediate DIEP reconstruction and I was so surprised at how adamant the PS is about quitting for this procedure. Good luck. I know you can do it. Let me know if I can help in any way. VJ (Mayo Clinic trained Tobacco Treatment Specialist and former smoker).
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Anne068,
Another RESOUNDING YES!!!! You can do this! In fact, you have already done it in the past, but this time is for YOU!!!! And you are SO worth it!
Hope that all went well with your port installation!
Have you chosen the method that you will use to quit? Some of them require a prescription that you will want to get going soon if that is the path you have chosen. I had a prescription for Chantix that I would have used if I needed to but I wanted to try cold turkey first and that worked for me. What matters more than 'what' plan you choose is to 'have' a plan.
You are in good company here with both your chemo and reconstruction! LadyInBama started her chemo just a bit ago. Dutchy is coming up on her DIEP reconstruction this month. Many of the other ladies have either had their surgery recently or are scheduled sometime soon. All are very motivated and supportive!
One day at a time! We will be here to support you!
Will be thinking of you as you start your chemo on Tuesday! Hope to hear from you soon!
Jennifer
Edited to add: After re-reading your post I'm not sure if you have already had your port installed or if that is being done on the 14th along with your chemo start. If you have not yet had it done, here's wishing for that to go well, too!
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Hi Everyone: How are you all doing. I am recovering quite well. Just waiting for my results from surgery. Should be seeing specialist around Sept 20th to get the results and then treatment should start shortly after that. I have been reading the posts, and you girls are all inspirational. I wish everybody luck in their future treatment, recovery and quitting smoking. I am proud to say that I have been smoke free for 7 days now and quit cold turkey. So the date of surgery is my quit date. Believe me if I can do it anyone can. I had become a bad smoker. I have quit in the past for many years but whenever I started back, my smoking seemed to increase. Especially while waiting for results etc. I won't lie, there is many times when I think I am sitting down to have a smoke and then remember. Can't totally say I don't miss it. I am like seaside. I know people that can have one and then not smoke for another month. I myself, am very habitually. Once I start, I never seem to quit whether it is good or bad for you. Anyway hugs to everyone xoxox
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Hi Ladies, I am not sure what is going on...I am craving a cigarette BIG time. This whole time I have been without I have hardly had any cravings...I know it is just not an option. I can not figure out what the trigger is... perhaps it is because I was in a house where the person kept sneaking away from the conversation to go into the other room to have a drag off of a cigarette. Although I thought it stunk, I guess that could be it but I think I had the craving before I even went to their house. Now I need to remember that if I wait it out it will go away. Another reason might be because I am trying to crame one months work into 2 short weeks so I won't end up leaving my coworkers with more case coverage work than is already assigned to them. We are down 7 people at my place of employment and have been doing all that extra work...burned out big time. Take care ladies and I think I got through the cravings...thanks for listening.
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Hang in there Dutchy! Take deep breaths. One of my motivators is that I sure as hell don't want to suffer through withdrawal again, so I don't pick up that first cigarette.
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Think about it my friend. Do you want to start counting all over again? Put guilt on yourself if you must. Hang in there. You can do it. Hugs xoxxo
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I've got 3 days of smoking left. Not quitting is not an option, cheating is not an option... I have to quit if I want reconstruction.. and I do.
This is really gonna suck.
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Anne: try to think of it as "3 more days until I am free from cigarettes." I've only got a month down (it will be a month tomorrow) but it is so nice not to have to find a place to smoke when you are the only one in a group who smokes; to not have to go outside in the heat, rain, storms, no matter what weather because I've got to have a cigarette. Not to smell like smoke, even when it wasn't on my clothes my DH said he could smell it in my hair. There are just so many little things that I enjoy from being smoke-free. It will suck big time for a few days, then you will be free!!0
