The Giving Up Smoking Thread - Part 3

flis21

Wow stclair, that's a real achievement and an amzing motivator for those of us quitting. you have done so well. I'm only on day 2, can't imagine being 2 years down the line!!

Fundamental_2

flis21 wrote: »

did anyone else feel really [EMAIL="!!!!"]!!!![/EMAIL] on the 2nd day? I've got a cold and don't know if I would have come down with it anyway, but I'm coughing so much I keep gagging. Got a headache and feel sick. Am off to take some cold capsules and hope they make me feel better!!

Hello all

Hi flis21. Not necessarily on the second day but I did suffer with really bad flu during christmas- 8 weeks into my quitting. Now I'm the sort of lucky person that hardly ever suffers from anything like cold or flu- in the past 10 years I can remember being ill only once and then I went to bed fully wrapped up, sweated it out and was fine the next day.

But this illness really knocked me for six for a week and got me to thinking that perhaps I had been more resistant to illness before as a result me smoking- just a thought. I think the illness was a part of giving up smoking like you are experiencing; I also had the cough as my lungs went about cleaning themselves out.

Try to look on it as your body going through a 'repairing' phase that is required to get over the negative points of smoking. I, for instance, am now able to take a deep breath - I mean a really deep breath and seem to be able to inhale much more air (that's fresh air of course!) than when I was a smoker. Weirdly, I often just sit there and take a very deep breath just to experience this one positive aspect- am I a nutter for that?

So ride it out as flu, a cough and few sniffles are a far cry from the terrible things that your body would be experiencing if you were still a smoker.

Well done and keep up the good work

FDM

viv0147

Monday 19 Th. September 2011

I have just returned from a visit to my doctor he advised me to stop smoking because I am having circulation problems in my legs, which can be painful after walking over any kind of distance.

I have a heart problem I had to have a pacemaker fitted 5 years ago and about six months ago I had to have my heart stopped and restarted using the paddles to try to get it into sync I am glad to say it worked on the 3rd attempt.

Recently I have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes although apparently not life threatening with the correct treatment there are risks! If I continue to smoke he warned me I could end up losing some toes, maybe a foot or even the entire leg, although I am nowhere near that stage yet if I continue to smoke it could happen.

So today I have started a course of Champix and its my intention to stop smoking on the 28Th.of September no cigarette is worth losing a limb for. I stopped smoking for 30 months and I stupidly started smoking again about a year ago I used Champix the last time and I stopped for two and a half years so I feel fairly confidant I will be able to stop again and if is as easy as last time that would be wonderful.

I am a divorced male living alone aged 63 soon to be 64 I am retired and I just love my computer I have two married children and 3 grandchildren so I have plenty to live for and I am in no rush to leave this planet and whenever I do I would like to leave complete! So the smoking must stop.
PS After taking a photo of my naked leg I used it as a screensaver on my Iphone so every time I use my phone it reminds me of why I gave up smoking that was 116 days ago I now have FREEDOM

jacci45

Wow StClair 2 years that is something to be very proud of!!! Well done you and thanks so much for sharing and its great motivation for us newbies!!

jacci45

Just read your post Viv0, I have had a health scare too, I have a benign tumour in my wrist but it took Drs 6 weeks to confirm that, and I like you have a lot to live for, children and a beautiful grandaughter...and Hubby of course!!
I think a bad scare can sometimes be enough to change the way you think about ciggies, I just wish I could have felt like this before but there you go.
Well done Viv0, freedom is a wonderful thing to have.

Sparticus*

Hi all, hope everyone's having a super Sunday,
Many thanks for the warm welcome and Sue-UU, the PM much appreciated - I'll certainly be following the tips and guidance.

I've downloaded the SilkQuit meter thing and for me says:

Six days, 18 hours, 56 minutes and 26 seconds. 95 cigarettes not smoked, saving £35.64. Life saved: 7 hours, 55 minutes.
I'm pretty chuffed about that so roll-on Day 7!

As mentioned on my intro, I had thought that things were going well as the cravings have been quite limited for me... But one thing that's starting to creep up over the last few nights is the inconsistant sleeping pattern and finding it difficult to sleep again. I'm a bit of a night owl anyway so once I hit the sack it's usually a deep slumber for me. Last night I had a relatively early night (limiting pub outings for now), but spent the whole night 'conscious sleeping' and feeling groggy today. Anyhow, I haven't had a chance to get some Kalms yet but thinking about using the leftover Night Nurse I have in the medicine cupboard tonight as don't want to feel like this at new job tomo..

Great to read how well peeps are doing here. Stay smoke-free folks!
S*

drsmum

Hi all,
I havnt posted for ages but have been following the thread and everyone is doing great,Sue is still giving out great advice,which really helped me.

I am at the moment recovering from surgery to remove my lung,very harsh chemotherapy and im recieving radiotherapy for lung cancer.
I am hopefull that this will cure me of this dreadfull disease.
I am a mum to a son of 13 and a daughter of 7 and I need to be here for them growing up.

I will never smoke again,smoking caused my lung cancer.

Please please keep trying to be non smokers.
xxx

jacci45

Thank you for taking the time to post Drsmum and motivating me to be a nonsmoker.
I dont really know what to say but I sincerely hope you make a full recovery and you and your son and daughter are very much in my thoughts.
xxxxxxxxx

jacflash

Drsmum, my goodness how your post hit home! Sending you every best wish in the world and heartfelt thanks for posting such a powerful reminder of why what we are doing is vitally important.

Thinking of you and your son and daughter. Take care xxx

Lotus-eater

Hi all

I thought I'd give my experience and opinion of e-cigs as there seems to be a bit of confusion about them.

I smoked for 20 odd years, tried numerous times to give up and managed to give up for a few weeks a couple of times, but always went back.

I really tried ecigs as a last resort, I had nothing to lose type thing.

They worked very well for me and without even trying to give up fags, I didn't have any after the first time I tried an e-cig. Never had one to this day, or had the craving for one.
I did research first and I realised that all but the very basic ones you buy in supermarkets (which are disposable) can come either with or without nicotine.

I tried with and it worked for me, I also tried without and it didn't work for me. So 5 months on, I'm well off the fags, but I still have a slight dependency on nicotine.

My advice and opinion, is to try other things first and if you can give up without using them, then great, if you can't and like me are continuously going back to real fags, no matter what, then it's worth a shot.

HTH's someone, if anyone does need further advice, I'm happy to help if I can.