MoneySavers don't smoke!

Diamonds_2

tankgirl1 wrote:

2 hrs and im pulling my hair out already

How are you doing Tankgirl?

tankgirl1

Diamonds wrote:

How are you doing Tankgirl?

i'm not!! lol!

straight back on the fags this morning :rolleyes:

i've decided to try and quit the coffee first, as whenever i have coffee i want a fag. have only had cups of tea today, and have smoked less :T

alikat_3

I'm in pieces, but trying not to be, I KNOW it's my own fault & self inflicted but last week found out I have cancer of the voice box.

It's my own fault, I've smoked since I was 12 & believe I was addicted from the time I started.

I'm very scared, I've cut down my smoking but not given up, I can't.

I have young children, including one with Autism who is going to need help as an adult, I have to get through this.

Ted_Hutchinson

UK Laryngeal (Larynx) Cancer mortality statistics
Laryngeal (Larynx) Cancer survival statisticsare really reasonably optimistic compared to other cancers. It's also true that generally treatments improve year on year and statistics by their nature reflect past performance and not the current situation.

There is however NO DOUBT that giving up smoking and drinking will significantly improve your chances of survival and also reduce the chance of recurrance.
Smoking lowers chances of surviving throat cancer

Risks among ex-smokers were approximately one-third of those for current smokers.

Useful clues in This research to the chances of improving survival by The main results regarding diet indicate that high intake of fruit, vegetables, vegetable oil, fish, and low intake of butter and preserved meats were associated with reduced risk of both epilaryngeal and endolaryngeal cancers, after adjustment for alcohol, tobacco, socioeconomic status, and non-alcohol energy intake. Among nutrients, a reduced risk was found for high intake of vitamins C and E and for a high polyunsaturated/saturated fatty acids (P/S) ratio.

Note that it is the ratio of polyunsaturated/saturated fatty acids that is important. So if (in order to raise your intake of oily fish) you are buying SARDINES (currently buy one get one free kwiksave) buy the ones in tomato sauce (or brine) and NOT the sardines in oil.

You need to be aware if using vit c supplements that when vit c is in the blood stream it lasts a very short time. Rather than taking large doses occassionally it is far more effective to take low doses regularly through the day. I suspect, but have no evidence to support this, that one of the reasons behind the effect of high intakes of fruit/veg is that those who eat more than five a day space them out so the nutrients become available through the day. To mimic this I take a 1g vit c tablet but split it into 4 and take a quater tablet every hour, cheaper than using slow release.
Cancer survival is dependent on season of diagnosis and sunlight exposure. shows the importance of getting out into the sunshine, without sunscreen/sunblock for a short while every day whenever possible.
Using high stregth vitamin d supplements BIO–TECH Pharmacal Inc. would be an alternative from the end of September to March when the sun isn't strong enough.

JueJue_2

I managed to pack in smoking in October, I went to one of these hypnotists that travel round the country cost £65.00 if it didn't work you got your money back, or another session. I went along because everyone was on at me to pack in, I didn't want to pack in, I enjoyed my cigarettes. There were about 100 people in the room, and this guy sat and talked to us all as a group for about 2 hours. Guess what, I've never touched one since, best thing I've ever done, 23 years of smoking and stopped just like that, very strange, I know I smoke but I no longer have the inclination to do it, I don't suffer any side effects, and I can sit with smokers and it doesn't bother me, I find the whole thing very strange, lol. As well as smoking I was on the nicotine chewing gum for about 4 years, lol. Smoked at home, chewed at work.

Ted_Hutchinson

I think maybe JueJue was lucky. What often happens when you quit smoking is detailed here
What Happens When You Stop Smoking - ASH-UK factsheet gives concise summary of what to expect.

and the studies of hypnosis for smoking cessation are not wholeheartedly optimistic see Next: Alternatives for Giving Up Cigarettes but this is partly the problem with statistical studies while generally providing useful information not being able to explain particular individual experiences in the same way it doesn't explain the real effect of placebos. I'd certainly give hypnosis a try if I felt I had a problem that was appropriate.

However here are some resources others may find useful.
Stopping Smoking: ASH's 15 Tips

The Time Is Right -

Smoking: Don't give up giving up - Official site produced by the NHS Health Education Authority. Useful advice on how to give up and you can ask for regular supportive e-mails.

Smoking Cessation by About.com

MEDLINEplus: Smoking Cessation
Pointing out that smoking is very much a problem of those of lower social ecomonic status is probably not helpful but it does provide a large part of the explanation for the differences health prospects.
Smoking Adds to High Mortality in Men on Lower Social Rungs
From The Lancet ConclusionIn these populations, most, but not all, of the substantial social inequalities in adult male mortality during the 1990s were due to the effects of smoking. Widespread cessation of smoking could eventually halve the absolute differences between these social strata in the risk of premature death.

alikat_3

Ted_Hutchinson wrote:

UK Laryngeal (Larynx) Cancer mortality statistics
Laryngeal (Larynx) Cancer survival statisticsare really reasonably optimistic compared to other cancers. It's also true that generally treatments improve year on year and statistics by their nature reflect past performance and not the current situation.

There is however NO DOUBT that giving up smoking and drinking will significantly improve your chances of survival and also reduce the chance of recurrance.
Smoking lowers chances of surviving throat cancer

Risks among ex-smokers were approximately one-third of those for current smokers.

Useful clues in This research to the chances of improving survival by The main results regarding diet indicate that high intake of fruit, vegetables, vegetable oil, fish, and low intake of butter and preserved meats were associated with reduced risk of both epilaryngeal and endolaryngeal cancers, after adjustment for alcohol, tobacco, socioeconomic status, and non-alcohol energy intake. Among nutrients, a reduced risk was found for high intake of vitamins C and E and for a high polyunsaturated/saturated fatty acids (P/S) ratio.

Note that it is the ratio of polyunsaturated/saturated fatty acids that is important. So if (in order to raise your intake of oily fish) you are buying SARDINES (currently buy one get one free kwiksave) buy the ones in tomato sauce (or brine) and NOT the sardines in oil.

You need to be aware if using vit c supplements that when vit c is in the blood stream it lasts a very short time. Rather than taking large doses occassionally it is far more effective to take low doses regularly through the day. I suspect, but have no evidence to support this, that one of the reasons behind the effect of high intakes of fruit/veg is that those who eat more than five a day space them out so the nutrients become available through the day. To mimic this I take a 1g vit c tablet but split it into 4 and take a quater tablet every hour, cheaper than using slow release.
Cancer survival is dependent on season of diagnosis and sunlight exposure. shows the importance of getting out into the sunshine, without sunscreen/sunblock for a short while every day whenever possible.
Using high stregth vitamin d supplements BIO–TECH Pharmacal Inc. would be an alternative from the end of September to March when the sun isn't strong enough.

Thank you, I'm all over the place at the moment, my grandmother was one of the first to have a voice box, she had been complaining to her GP for over 10 years before he refered her to a Specialist & she had not smoked for over 20 years & rarely drank.

It looks like I have been found in the early stages because I noticed small changes to my voice etc which others didn't notice. It seems I'm affected on one side, I've had the camera up the nose & am due for biopsy. I drink moderately but smoke heavily, I've cut my smoking down, but don't know if I can give up, although it seems like it is starting to give me up. I'm also very young for this type of cancer, in my 40's where as it normally affects older smokers & as so if you do find changes even if small, do have them investigated.

It's very scarry, but thank you.

SystemFan

Alikat, sorry to hear about that diagnosis, and I know it's a scary thought but you must give up to give yourself the maximum chance of getting through what is to follow. The very best place on the net IMO to research cessation and be amongst like minded people is...
http://quitsmoking.about.com/
I would like to help you in whatever way I can, so give it some thought, It can be done!!!

Ted_Hutchinson

I was reading some research yesterday that showed that phone support lines can be very effective, especially if they contact you regularly. It may be worth finding a phone a smoking cessation adviser in your area, Try
With Telephone Support

Oxford Radcliffe helpline – 01865 226663 – open Monday to Friday, 9.00am until 4.00pm. Please phone one of the smoking cessation team to talk about what approach might be best for you. Out of helpline hours, call:

• National Smoking Helpline 0800 169 0 169
• National Smoking & Pregnancy Helpline 0800 169 9 169

Smoke Free Oxfordshire website

jobbingmusician

I've searched and searched for the merged post on smoking started by Martin, but in any case I think this deserves its own celebration for a few days!!!

Our neighbour has given up smoking :T and her partner has made her this!

It's simply a board with a little hole for each day of the week. Ex-smoker was spending AT LEAST £5 a day, so is now putting a fiver a day into the slot. It's really motivating her!!!

Such a simple idea..........:T

P.S. Sorry the pic is so big, mods please feel free to resize - and to move the thread if YOU can find the merged smoking thread!