One day at a time

[ForceHSS]

Day 2 now of giving up smoking. I have tried to give up these cigs many times over the last 20+ years and twice I went 6 months this time I know I can do it this time I must do it.

[BirdOPrey5]

Are you trying e-cigarettes, gum, patches? Something else?

[Lynne]

Good for you! I hope it all goes well for you.

[ForceHSS]

Originally Posted by BirdOPrey5

Are you trying e-cigarettes, gum, patches? Something else?

Champix and using e-cig when needed. Sometimes I get the need for a cig that can last for a while but so far its not as bad as i thought it would be. A few years ago I tried the champix done 7 days smoking then on the 8th i stopped while using the med but i had cravings the whole time none stop this time i smoked 13 days while using the meds then on the 14th day i stopped it helped a lot doing it this way

[CAG CheechDogg]

Good stuff man ...I stopped cold turkey over 4 years ago and didn't do the patches, the e-cig nothing ..just completely stopped ...

You can do it my Man just don't pick one up ... I thought I was not going to be able to go a day without one, when I least expected it, I was 3 months in without a smoke...then a year...then 2 ..now 4 ...It's not that hard ..

[ForceHSS]

First time I tried I went cold turkey it was very hard, but I found going for a walk helped back then. I lasted a month without one

[Krusty1231]

Here's something for you to think about from a personal perspective.

I started smoking when I was 12.

I was a hard core smoker by the time I was 16.

I was 33 years old. I had two small boys, a great job, and a entire life to look forward to.

On August 22nd 2002 I was getting ready for work. I was standing in my shower when blood started to pour from my nose. It seemed odd to me as I watched the blood swirl the drain.

The intense crushing pain in my chest made no sense to me what so ever. My left arm went completely numb.

I stumbled from the shower finding some pants, while calling for my wife.

I had no idea what was happening, but I knew something was wrong.

I will mention we lived outside the city (1/2 hour) on a acreage. My wife convinced me to let her drive me to the hospital.

On the drive there the pain in my chest had subsided. I told my wife I was fine, and we should turn around and go home.

I also knew (from my job) that anyone taken to emergency would end up staying there for awhile even if nothing was wrong.

My wife declined to take me home, and continued to the hospital.

I had another smoke on the way.

We when arrived she dropped me at the emergency doors. I went inside to "check in" while she parked the car with the kids.

I walked into the admitting area, and stood before the lady taking hospital admissions.

I was able to explain "Well my chest hur...."

That was it.

When I woke up I noticed two things right off. I was on the floor of the admission area, and my wife and kids were standing off to the side crying.

Meanwhile a Doctor was standing over me explaining I just had a massive heart attack, which explained why my chest had a burning sensation, and my shirt was now all cut up on the floor.

Now I am not going to go into all of what happened after this happened, but here's what may convince you to quite smoking.

I was 33 years old. I was active, not over weight, average build, and no family history of heart attacks.

The very next day I underwent a quintuple bypass.

I quit smoking August 23/2002

Normally I would end this right here, as I am pretty sure this story is not enough to scare anyone.

Here is something that might.

When I woke up from my surgery, I had a tube (I think a breathing tube) shoved deep into my throat through my mouth.

Seeing it was enough to freak me out, but it is what happened with a small cough that put me over the edge about smoking.

I felt a small cough coming on, the usual smoker cough thing - if you smoke you know what I am taking about.

I coughed.

Having my chest cut open, lungs and ribs on display for all the doctors to see must of loosened some of that smokers goop from in my chest.

That goop came traveling up the breathing tube.

I had the kind of job where being afraid is not an option. I have seen and done a lot of scary stuff in my working life.

Nothing prepared me for this. I was awake, and about to drown in my own black lung goop stuff.

No one ever mentioned that this was one of the things that may happen to you after having undergone this type of surgery.

I can deal with the missing vein from my left leg, the shortness of breath, the metal clamps holding my chest together, but drowning in the smokers goop was never an option I thought off.

Was the worst feeling I ever had. I remember it like it was yesterday, and encourage you to really give smoking up.

You will be so very glad you did.

Good luck! Hope my story helps you along!

[ForceHSS]

You went though a lot lucky it was not worse you could of died. Many people have reasons why they want to quit I myself have a few and this time I will get off them no matter what

[Max Taxable]

Nobody ever really explains why smoking plants - any plant - harms us. I do explain it.

Products of combustion - chiefly carbon monoxide - is the danger. That and the tar. Not nicotine. Not cancer.

Low oxygen levels in the bloodstream due to carbon monoxide in the hemoglobin is the reason for the muscle soreness and total loss of any stamina. This is because human hemoglobin has 100 times the affinity for carbon monoxide than it does for oxygen - meaning it would rather have it and hold onto it, 100 times moreso than oxygen. Therefore it stores up in your system and displaces oxygen. You can't even catch your breath because your system is calling for more and more air... Muscles have nothing to burn with fuel, so they ache. Your blood/oxygen level is getting dangerously low.

After a week or so without inhaling smoke, your blood-oxygen levels have returned to normal and you're seeing the effects! You have your life back!

The tar is just as insidious - it first lines the lungs but then from there it gets in the bloodstream and also collects. Over time it greatly thickens the blood and makes it hard to pump, and makes it want to clot alot. This is the cardio-vascular danger of inhaling burning plants no matter what they are - tar buildup in the system clogs arteries and causes sudden myocardial infarction.

For purely political reasons tobacco smoking is demonized, but in fact it's ANY plant you burn and inhale the smoke of that does harm. All you chronic marijuana smokers out there better pay attention too - all the hard core dopers from the 60s have chronic emphysema and cardiac disease for very good reason. Ask Cheech and Chong while they're still around.

It takes about a year or more for a heavy plant smoker to get the tar cleaned out of his system.

Start now.

[ForceHSS]

4 days now and sometimes in the day it gets hard