Need stop smoking info please

wildhoney · Mar 3, 2002

I did it back in 1991. I called my local health dept. (it's free). They have a tobacco program. They sent me an over abundant amount of information and I sucked it all up. I think the pictures are what frightened me the most (working in Pathology at that time really helped : ). I read all I could about it, I did what they told me to do step by step. I had all these wonderful withdrawls and looked forward to each new sign of my body cleaning itself out. It was actually fun. My gosh, even my bowel movements changed! : ) I was depressed and felt like I lost my best friend, I coughed up chunks of sputum, I got dizzy, but I didn't give up.

I also must mention that I was ready to quit. My mom passed away rather young. I feel smoking contributed to her death. She was an obese, nervous woman. She didn't want to die young but she had a overt fear of the medical profession, doctors, etc., ever since she was a child. She was ignoring all the warning signs. She was afraid of finding out something bad. She didn't listen to us and we begged and pleaded with her to stop. When I was halfway to the age in which she died-- I quit cold turkey. I got on my bike and rode, I drank water and I ate carrots ( I lost weight). I went to her grave and told her she didn't die in vain.

That wasn't my only reason for quitting. I had a premontion, or really my subconsious talking to me. I had a bad dream, although it turned out to be a good dream. My dream was 10 years into the future. My children were older. I was at my doctor's office and he told me bad news, I had throat cancer. My doctor told me if I would've quit ten years ago I probably wouldn't have throat cancer today. The thought of not seeing my children grow up scared the hell out of me. I took this dream very seriously.

This was my chance and I took it. I wanted to heed the future, listen to my intuitive self and be alive in ten years to see my childen. I couldn't stand the thought of leaving them early like my mother did to me. Here I am eleven years later, and I couldn't ask for more.

I was just lucky that I all of a sudden became paranoid of cigarettes. It was a healthy paranoia indeed. I do want to say that I cheated that first year. I had approx 15 cigs that first year. It got me through and eventually they made me sick. Now I look at people smoking in their cars while driving (as I did) and I shake my head. How awful of me but that's just what I do. I have no right to preach, all I can do is share my experience and avoid the smoke.

Focus on the positive. Think of your pink lungs, think of preventing a terminal illness, think of the money you will save, think of the second hand smoke the people around you won't be breathing in, think of the years you'll be adding to your life, think of the way you'll smell, think of the way you will feel. You will be so proud of yourself when you hit that 1 month anniversary of not smoking, and so on....

Call your health dept and see if they have anything to offer you. Go to the library, join a support group, eat veggies, walk, breathe, put it all together and take those small baby steps. And please don't chew tobacco gum or get a patch. You're not cleansing your body out that way. They're making money off of you that way.

So I leave you with my .02 and two words.... *cold turkey.* Do it and don't give up, do it for you, do it for your loved ones. I wish you all the luck in the world. If you need my help I'm around. : )

Try and fight that oral need. When you feel like putting something in your mouth-- say no!! NO! NO! NO! It's not heroin we're talking about. Fight! Be tougher than those ******* tobacco companies. We can win and put them out of biz.

Easier said then done = Cop-out. Learn from your Mother's mistakes, do it for you, do it for her. Let her know you won't be smoking for years like she did.

Good luck to you and I hope your Mom does well in her fight. God Bless you both.

VickyRN, MSN, DNP, RN · Mar 3, 2002

Nancy, let me know when you are ready to stop and I will pray for you everyday. The power of prayer is enormous. God is here to help us do what we cannot do on our own. Please, let me know (e-mail me privately). I promise, I really will pray for you everyday. With God's help, you can do it, girl!!!

sharann, BSN, RN · Mar 4, 2002

I found a great deal of help and info at http://www.quitnet.com and aboutsmoking.com

Good luck!

Jenny P · Mar 4, 2002

Nancy, I'll keep you and your Mom in my prayers. You, so you can quit smoking and be there for your Mom, and for her that her treatment helps.

wildhoney · Mar 4, 2002

http://www.ash.org.uk/ click on "quitting smoking"

http://www.oc.ca.gov/hca/public/tupp/ the program I used. And my how they've grown. :)

kids · Mar 4, 2002

Thanks for the input everyone. As rediculus as it sounds it sounds I still *dont* want to quit, but will when some of the shock wears off.

-nancy

aus nurse · Mar 4, 2002

Oh Nancy, I'm sorry to hear about your mum.

Nothing like shock value to make you consider giving up hey?

I am a smoker with every intention of giving up "one day"! (Excuse me while I bury my head in the sand a little more deeply.)

I have tried a few times in the past and found patches the best but put on too much weight. I found with the patches to pop on an extra one for about 30 mins if I got a craving. I knew if it was on too long if i got queasy and then took it straight off. Probably irresponsible to say that but we're amongst friends! Just don't get nicotine poisioning or I'll feel horrible.

The lollipop sounds good.. I hope someone can tell you where to get them. Wildhoney's words of wisdom are almost making me do it too.

Anyway I know how hard it is so good luck. Hope your mum has a easy time of the chemo.

:) :) :)

All41 · Mar 4, 2002

Best Wishes for you Mom in her battle. If all else fails try Zyban. Or try it first. I have personal experience that this is extremely effective:) I smoked for 20+ and began taking Wellbutrin for an unrelated symptom. In two weeks I was cig. free and have been for over a year! I gag at the thought of smoking a cigarette! Best of luck in your endeavor!

judy ann · Mar 15, 2002

I quit several times before it "took". I quit for good on June 6, 1992 at 10:15AM. I was going to a week long live in retreat that didn't allow smoking. I would have to find a good hiding place. They promised to keep us busy (Boy, did they! about 18 or 20 hours a day!) I decided that I was ready to quit. I was smoking 2 1/2 to 3 packs a day, and am an asthmatic (dumb) and thought that I could use all that money on new clothes (today, that many packs could buy a new house!) So I counted how many cigarettes I needed until I left for the retreat, and left home without any, for the first time in years. That week I was so busy that I didn't even miss them. No one else was smoking so it was great. At the end of the week, I went to my car --the car that smelled of smoke, --the car that I always lit up as soon as I got in, -- the car with the "tempting" butts in the ashtray. I decided right then and there, since this retreat was a self awareness workshop, that I would make a self commitment to be a non-smoker. That has worked all these years. I sometimes get an urge to smoke, but I make a new committment, because I know I'm worth more than that, but occasionally the urge gets very strong. This is when I'm really down and some one has done me wrong. Then I think to my self "I'll just go buy a carton, and smoke myself to death. That'll show them-they'll be sorry". That is so stupid, it makes me laugh. I haven't cheated once. The whole clue to quitting is one has to want --really want to quit.