Question:
Quitting Smoking
I have been a smoker for 24 years, and am waiting to schedule my surgery date. I was wondering if there's any reformed smokers out there to get some advice from. I am going to see my PCP once my surgery date is scheduled because I understand there is now oral medication to make it easier. I am going to try to be totally off at least 3-4 weeks before my surgery date. Does anyone have any suggestions? I don't have much confidence in the patch (dad wore one and still smoked 4 packs a day)! — Carrie G. (posted on June 10, 1999)
June 10, 1999
i was a smoker for thirty-two years. in 1991, during a routine physical, my
doctor said my ekg showed i had had a heart attack. i sort of knew that...i
had been afraid the chest pain i was experiencing was an attack, but
ignored it. i decided that, since my mother, a long-time smoker, had died
of a heart attack at age 54, i needed to quit while i still had a chance to
live a healthy life. i used the patch for the first week or so, and it sort
of helped, but i have sensitive skin, and it gave me a burning rash, so i
quit using it. i played around for a few weeks...not smoking all day and
then convincing myself if i could just have one, it would get me past
whatever crave attack i was experiencing, falling off the wagon for a few
days, and then quiting all over again. then, one day, i all of a sudden
realized that there was no such thing as having ONE...that once i smoked at
all, there really aren't enough in the whole world to satisfy my craving.
if i smoke one, i might as well call a shipping company and have semi
trucks full of cases of cartons of cigarettes start backing up to my front
door and unloading, because my need really is endless.
after that, i was somehow able to stay away from that "just one to get
me through." for the first year or so, i thought i would never get to
the place where i didn't have moments of stark craving, but i somehow did
get to that place, and now i am so very grateful that i am no longer ruled
by my smoking habit. it has truly made me a whole new person. i wish you
all the best in your efforts. you will never regret the decision once you
build new habits.
— mary F.
June 10, 1999
I too am a REFORMED smoker. It wasn't easy. However, the end result was
worth it. All the excuses in the book won't help. Either you are ready to
say I QUIT or your not. I had quit smoking on two previous occasions for
short periods of time, a month or less. I too though if I could just have
this one cig then I would be ok, the minute I gave in it was all over. I
was back to smoking my pack and a half aday. I will say this too, there are
days I still desire to have a cig, but I refuse to give into all my clean
time. The minute you stop smoking is the minute your lungs start to heal.
There were days I would hold a cig in my hand, I was battling it light it
or don't. I won the battle. I would put it back. I would occassionally look
at them and think is it worth it. The answer for me was NO! You can do it,
but it is up to you. I smoked for 19 years. My last cig was on October 22,
1997. Best of luck to you! :)
— Becki M.
June 10, 1999
there is an inhaler that is available by prescription that i have heard
wonderful things about ...i used the gum and only when desperate...the key
i think is once you put them down don't pick them up again.....i know i
never want to go thru the withdrawls again....stopping is hard and thats no
joke but to just be able to say
i don't smoke is a kind of freedom.....i stopped on a trip to
disney....difficult to smoke on rides.....by the time i came home i was
over the hump and the choice to start again was mine to make....good luck
and god bless...
— LINDA L.
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