I quit !!!!

Smoking that is. Been trying for years and even kept smoking after I had to have two stents put in my femoral arteries and remained in danger of losing my legs.

A couple of weeks ago I underwent a triple bypass and that finally did the trick. I have to tell you boys and girls, that was no fun. It is still not funny.

There's no doubt I got what I deserved as I knew smoking was very bad for me with my genes. I was prone to high Cholesterol and heart disease was all through my family tree. I never tried to eat healthy and limited my exercise to what I felt like doing and not what I needed to do.

So, why am I bringing this up here? Well I needed to let a few friends know why I have been out of touch and I hope some one may read this and maybe take another shot at quitting the cigarettes.

While I was in the hospital recovering from the surgery, the guy that shared the room with me was recovering from his second heart surgery. He had a lot of family visiting him and believe it or not, this guy was talking about how he had smoked his whole life and was amazed that his lungs were so healthy. He was actually talking about how his health had never been affected by his smoking and he could not wait to get home so he could light up. This guy was experiencing the same kind of denial an alcoholic experiences. There is no doubt in my mind, quitting smoking is the most difficult thing a person may ever have to do.

I don't intend to become a crusader and I am not going to criticize others for doing what I have done the last 50+ years. I just hate to think about all the people that will have to endure bypass surgery and all the pain and discomfort that goes with it.

As one that always had the attitude of, It will never happen to me, I found my best thinking to be woefully lacking. Please take care of yourselves my friends. I have learned the hard way that health is everything when it comes to quality of life.

 

I quit three years ago and the first week was a real nerve squeezer. But after that time the cravings just faded away and after smoking for thirty six years. Like root said it is hard to critcize someone for something you have done yourself. But if you respect your health at all just throw that pack of cigaretts in the trash and don't ever pick up another.

 

Hey Root, if ever the cravings get tough, just check in here for some chatting. My father gave up smoking after 60+ years, that was four years ago, and we are really proud of him. Speak of denial, back when he smoked he challenged me, telling me to to call my doctor and to ask him about smoking. He claimed that my doctor would say that smoking was harmless. I didn't want to agrue with my dad, but my doctor on more than one occasssion had congratulated me on never having started to smoke in the first place. Finally the pain in his lungs got so bad that even he could no longer deny the facts. The Creator did not create our lungs for smoke, but for fresh air. Hang in there buddy and like I said, check in here if ever you need to ... we're all really proud of ya.

Acadia

 

My Father quit after 50 years of smoking.

It's been 3 years now and he said he's never felt better.

I'm almost embarrassed to say iam still smoking after 30 years. I hope someday i'll have the willpower to do the same as my father and the people here.

Glad to here u are ok root.

Welcome back.

snowbound

 

Hey man like the only thing i smoke is green as grass. Ya know what i'm sayin' man?

 

I am a Respiratory Therapist and do the Pulmonary Function Testing at our hospital. It is trully amazing but about 1 in 50 people I test who have smoked their whole life have almost normal pulmonary function.

I have never smoked but my wife did for 16 years. She quit 10 years ago the 20th of this month. She tells me sometimes the urge to have a smoke is as strong as it was right after she quit. Man, I would think it would almost be impossible to stop after 40, 50, or 60 years.

 

Rootie Tootie Dude!!
Good Luck Mate!!

 

Root, Good on ya, mate!!

Both my parents died at a fairly early age due, I'm sure, to the effects of their lifetimes of smoking. Also had an aunt and uncle who had to tote around oxy bottles for the last few years of their lives! Not a pretty picture! So more power to ya!

 

Smoked in my teens till at 20 i decided it was enough and i just stopped the same day i decided to do so without any problem. But i can understand it was just a few years, which is much easier then many years.

Just think of not making the rich tobacco men any richer from your money and your health and put that money you spare with that to buy something really nice for yourself which doesn't go up in smoke but stays.
Don't force yourself, but babysteps out of the smokes into the fresh air again; don't get angry on yourself if you feel the urge and habit you're trying to get rid of, love yourself for being you including those weaknesses and take the next babystep again. Believe me, smelling a flower smells so much purer and nicer with a fresh nose, the house stays so much fresher and cleaner without the unholy smokes sooooooooo many reasons to pamper yourself with fresh air and nice things! Can tell you for a non-smoker it is so much nicer to kiss a non-smoking partner too then kissing the taste of an ashtray! I see only reasons to just quit!

 

For very complicated neurochemical reasons it is much harder for some people to quit than others. I've never smoked but both parents did. One succeeded in quiting and one failed. I sort of take after the one that failed Anyway, if he were alive still I would tell him try Wellbutrin. It is an antidepressent, but it has been shown to also be very effective in helping people quit smoking. Desparate times call for desparate measures.

- HandsOff


(that was a joke about the cookie?)

 

Stick with it Root mate, you can do it, I did, I stopped five years ago after smoking from the age of eight!! I was 70 29th April 2004. I think the secret of giving up is not to throw all your cigs, lighter etc., away, keep 'em in a drawer where you can look at them and know that if you want a smoke they are there for you, but just look and then go and do something more interesting LOL and you will find that the urge to light up only last a few seconds and then it's gone for a while, it's a day to day thing Folks until eventually the urge does pass and believe me, the advantages are wonderful. Yep! I used to pinch my Dads Woodbines when I was eight years old, he was a chain smoker Bless him, I loved that man, he was my hero and my 'Brother' and I miss him like you'd never believe, he died in 1975 from two massive strokes, totally smoking related. Not to put a downer on the thread folks, but I was diagnosed with Non-Small Cell Carcinoma of the right lung and Trachea last March 2003, no excuses, no sympathy, my fault, all down to that wonderful calming, relaxing, laid-back ciggy, after two four week sessions of Radiotherapy on my Chest and then on the Lymph-Nodes in my neck (This type of cancer gets itself about) at the Princess Royal Hospital in Hull, UK and although now classed as terminal I'am in Remission and even from the onset of this I'am luckier than most because at no time have I felt Ill or been in any kind of pain, not like some of the good people on this Forum to whom I wish nothing but the best. All I can say Root is I thoroughly enjoyed my smoking and and my life as been an absolute joy so I'm not complaining in the slightest but if you or anyone else can 'Kick' the good old smokey into touch then do it, it's your life remember, to do with as YOU see fit, just give yourself a fighting chance.

Cochise,

 

Cochise, my friend, I believe that you've got the right attitude and even though you wanted no sympathy, etc., I hope you can accept my prayers and healing thoughts.

Acadia

 

Smoking is bad for your health. I hate cigarettes. I am just 13 years old but i know all the terrible effects of smoking. To anyone in this forum who is smoking i strongly encourage you to try and quit smoking. Don't pollute the air here with your smoke.

 

Good luck on kicking the habit Root - and the same for anyone else. No reason why amoral and dishonest tobacco manufacturers should be allowed to continue to profit.

The big question on my mind is ... will Paul Wilder's avatar still keep puffing away? (or is that a spliff rather than a ciggie? )

 

now this thread is being locked for insane comments!!
hehehe
oh and i thought it was a reefer!!

 

Root I quit smoking (about 13 years) and I took it on day at a time. I took up chewing gum and now I always have to have a stick of gum in my mouth not becuase I crave smoking it becuase I got used to chewing gum. But gum chewing isn't bad. Good luck! I know you can quit smoking.

 

My thanks for the support and the replies. It has been three weeks now and I still want a cigarette so bad after I eat I could kill for one. But I won't.

 

Believe it or not, that is a good sign; your body is cleansing itself and the lessening of cravings may be right around the corner, keep hanging in there ... the day you will be thanking yourself for going thru all of this may be closer than you think even though it is hard to believe right now.

Acadia

 

Hey root . wish you much success and also with your health may it gently improve. I stopped smoking 11 months ago "out of the blue" . I managed to come home one nite from out working and fell into a fever for 3 or 4 days . For the first time in my life i really couldnt manage a smoke . After 5 days i tried to have one but couldnt even manage then . So i stopped . Im really glad that i have now and have found a couple of things that do really help me . One is to not tell non smokers as they tend to really say silly things about such ( then drive off in there car which is pouring out lead and strontium etc into the atmosphere or what ever ) . (2) To tell myself "that I am a non smoker and I always shall Be" I find that the craving is usually rather over powering for about 12 secs and in that 12 secs it seems like for ever . So i knock it full on with that verse . The other factor is the saving in my finances . I have found that I do have money now for those little things that I once never did . Paying the power bill or telephone account etc , school holidays with my son etc . A nice heating system for my cottage for winter .Paying the mortgage etc I remind myself about these things when I find that craving . It does gets easier and I am finding it a cruise now and will never go back to smoking . I also go for a long walk every day ( I live along the coastline so Im lucky ) I usually walk about 10 kiliometers daily ) I know you cant yet but later it may we good for you . any way keep up with it and you will win .

 

Thats the ticket Root my friend, a day at a time, a day at a time.....your right...meals are the worst time....just seems like a natural thing to do after a meal eh? Well just forget it, get up and wash the pots instead LOL. Do as your told and behave yourself...

Just stick to the principal of your sig mate......Rough translation being.....

"Don't knock it 'til you've tried it" OK!

My Very best to you, Cochise,

 

hello
i was browsing through the posts and came upon this post,i'm sure it will be very helpful for any one trying to quit smoking.as you said i too believe quitting is the most difficult thing anyone can do,also you can be lured back by the nicodemon even after years of not smoking--i know--i want to wish for you a very healthy and long life
rita

 

and Chocise
mine too
rita

 

Well!....now that the Thread has been resurrected..........and more to the point.....How are you progressing root my friend and even more to the point where have you been?......



Cochise,

 

I quit smoking tobacca roll up about 6 months ago.

I have been a smoker off and on since I was 16. Once in my 20s I gave up ... but that only lasted for 7 years then I started to smoke again.

This time (6 months ago) I quit because I couldn't breath properly due to my hay fever and smoking didn't help either ... so I just stopped ...

However, just one day before I stopped I bought a package of new roll up tobacco ... but I didn't open it and until today it is still sitting on my desk intact.

One of my friend once told me ... "A smoker will always be a smoker for life". I just want to prove him wrong.

So if you want to quit just quit ... the first 2 weeks will be hard but after that you should be fine ...