Smoking...

Reesa23 · Sep 9, 2003

My friend who was a 3 pack a day smoker quit with Zyban. I guess some health insurances won't pick up the tab for the scripts so they can be expensive. Say to your husband about the "floping" Hey, honey with all the money we're saving by not smoking we can buy a bigger bed so you won't feel me flop!

manna, BSN, RN · Sep 9, 2003

I used to smoke, but quit when I got pregnant with my first son. My husband is a smoker, and I hate it. It's really a nasty habit - no offense intended.

After my husband several failed attempts at quitting, I'm always saying that the only thing harder than actually quitting smoking yourself, is living with a smoker who's trying to quit! (damn that nicotine!) LOL

Definately talk to your doctor! Good luck!

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Sep 9, 2003

I smoked from age 14 to 22, quit cold turkey because quite honestly the price was outrageous. Now i can't even fathom doing that again, doesn't meant that every once in awhile when things get stressful that i don't crave a cigarette. Instead i deep breathe, just like i used to deep inhale. I think that was what part of the appeal was, it was a device i used for slow breathing.

agent · Sep 9, 2003

I used to smoke big time. I dont regret quitting.

My wife still smokes a few a day and it bothers me, but she doesnt smoke around me or the kids so..

bigmona · Sep 9, 2003

just wanted to add there will never be a perfect time to quit- pre reqs and working are stressful together, definitely, but it's not like nursing school itself and actually working as a nurse won't be stressful as well. in fact, even more so, probably. so maybe you can think of this as the easiest time to quit and go from there.

my ex bf was a heavy smoker for several years, btw, and took wellbutrin and was able to quit really easily.

marci3335 · Sep 9, 2003

Originally posted by bigmona
just wanted to add there will never be a perfect time to quit- pre reqs and working are stressful together, definitely, but it's not like nursing school itself and actually working as a nurse won't be stressful as well. in fact, even more so, probably. so maybe you can think of this as the easiest time to quit and go from there.

I totally agree. There is never a good time. There will always be something. I smoked for 15 years and quit cold turkey when I got pregnant with my son. It wasn't easy, but it was rewarding. You will feel soooo much better- more energy, food will taste better, You will sleep better, and not to mention the fact that your lungs will appreciate it!

In my anatomy book there's a picture of a person with "black lung." That picture really made me look at smoking differently- even though I had already quit. A real eye-opener.

Good luck in whatever you decide to do. Oh yeah, and I love the idea about buying a new bed so as not to disturb your hubby while "flopping!:roll :roll

cheripa · Sep 9, 2003

I smoked for about 10 years, and I feel that it depends on the people you are around. I tryed a lot of different things out there, and found that quiting cold turkey is the only way that worked for me! If you husband smokes, see if he would quit with you! I didn't quit till I met my hubby (who has never smoked), and I asked my friends not to smoke near me. Make sure you tell youe peers and everyone that you encounter day-to-day, that you are quiting and that you appoligize ahead of time if you get out of line.

Watch your eating habits. When you quit, you are very likely to start eating a lot, because smoking is a hand-mouth thing. Also if you drink alcohol, stop! This will make you feel like smoking!

Good luck! You will need it.

It is hard, but

GenesisEve · Sep 9, 2003

Thanks everyone :) So far, so good.

Bigmona, you're right...there will always be stressful times. Maybe if I can make it till Friday without smoking, I'll be able to cancel my dr's appointment and just quit on my own :)

I'll definately do the "cig-like breathing", avoid drinking alcohol (cheripa, you're absolutely right about THAT being a trigger), just take it "one hour at a time".

On the road to being a good example,

Genesis

colleen10 · Sep 9, 2003

Along with my roommates, I smoked a pack a day for three years, they smoked just as much only longer.

One thing I will say is that I don't think it works well to try to quit smoking unless YOU really want to and are ready too.

Just mho but I saw many of my friends and relatives try to quite because someone told them they should and then other friends and relatives would jump on the band wagon and they would all try to quit together.

But it never worked because none of them really wanted to quit, they were just doing it to appease a new boyfriend or because they know it's a bad habit and they should quit.

So, when I saw these people trying to quit, I never jumped in because I knew I wasn't ready to. Finally, when I was ready to quit on my terms I successfully did it on the first try.

Different things work for different people. I was able to quit because I moved into a new apartment and decided that I would not smoke in it and stink it up. So, I could only smoke outside. But that didn't last long because winter rolled around and I can't smoke outside in the cold, it just really bothers my lungs. So, that limited where I could smoke and after that I just decided I didn't want to do it anymore and it was a lot easier to quit.

Depending on how long you have been smoking I still think it's a good idea to check with your doc.

Good Luck!

Col

ibmissy · Sep 9, 2003

I smoked for 14 yrs. When I got pregnant with my oldest daughter, I went crazy after 2 hrs without a cigarette. I switched from Marlboro to Marlboro lights since there was a little less nicotine. I kept marlboro lights as my choice of cigarette..I smoked with my second pregnacy with my son..both of my kids came out healthy, etc..I got this high paying, high stressful job and smoked 3 packs a day...Eventually I got pregnant with my youngest daughter. I had the worst morning sickness I ever experienced..It was really bad..I ended up in the hospital hooked up to an iv and injected with anti nausea drugs..My blood pressure got as low as 90/40...Eventually they sent me home when my pressure went up a bit. I tried to smoke, but couldn't. It would make me throw up..(along with coffee and every other thing I liked.)

I quit smoking May 8, 2000, cold turkey. I haven't smoked since then. I don't have a problem being around smoke, so long as its not in my house. My other half still smokes, but does it outside.(In the winter he smokes less hahaha.) At work I sit outside where the smokers are and hang out with them. It doesn't effect me. Once in a while I will have a dream that I was smoking..I would wake up all nervous that I screwed up..only to realize It was just a dream. Had one of those dreams last night as a matter of fact. But thats as far as my cravings go.

The first two weeks are hell..Once you make it to a month its not quite as bad...You can make it through the withdrawals..Just occupy yourself and stay away from the fridge(Unless you want to gain 40 lbs like a co-worker of mine did.) It's a rough road, but eventually you will almost forget that you ever smoked.

Goodluck...

---Missy

Chain smoker for 14 yrs.

p/s wellbutrin and zyban are the exact same drugs, just different names for the different purposes. (Depression and smoking cessation.)

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Sep 9, 2003

A few words of wisdom: NEVER quit smoking with your spouse. Believe me, your marriage will survive better if one of you quits first, then the other a few weeks or months later when the acute withdrawal phase is over.

Here's what happened when my DH and I tried quitting together about 15 years ago.......At first, it sounded wonderful because we were doing something positive for our health together, but within two days we were at each other's throats. By the 4th day our children were hiding under their beds and trying to whisper so as not to attract our attention. Finally, on the 9th day I was so exasperated that I stomped down the the 7-11 on the corner, bought a pack of my hubby's brand, stomped back home, threw the cigarettes at him and yelled, "SMOKE, you sonofab****!!" Whereupon he got this big grin on his face, went to the refrigerator, and produced a pack of MY brand that he'd bought a few days earlier.......

Later, when we finally quit for good, I stopped during the early weeks of my final pregnancy, and six months after that he got tired of smoking outside and HE quit. That was almost 13 years ago. We're celebrating our 23rd anniversary this month.