Cigarette smoking

[Rashers]

Three years ago today my doctor told me she could do no more for me and must call an ambulance to take me to hospital.

I had to receive hospital treatment because of respiration problems caused by 40 years of smoking. A few weeks ago my GP mentioned that she thought they had lost me that day I was taken to hospital.

Now here I am celebrating 3 years off the cigarettes today and wishing I had never seen the damn things.

But the difference in me is incredible. I can actually taste food now... I'm more laid back... get stressed less.

If you are a smoker and could only realise the difference in your life that quitting would bring!

If you do smoke please try to stop. If I could so can anyone. In the past few years before quiting I was smoking 60 a day minimum!

I don't miss them even a little.

[Womblemum]

This is a copy of post I put up elsewhere that a similar debate is going on:

our 22 yr old got really stroppy last week about smoking after he'd been listening to new proposals on packaging of cigarettes - you have to stop etc. Well done to all of you who have chosen to give them up for whatever reason and long may you continue. But, I choose to smoke! I have not had a ciagarette since Christmas. Why? Because I will not pay the exhorbitant price here, however, when I go away in Feb I will bring back enough to last me till I next go away, as you can gather from that I am not a heavy smoker. The only reason I ran out is because I didnt get away in Nov as I usually do. So, as I said, my choice, I totally enjoy a ciggie but if I don't have one then thats fine too!

Furthermore, I am sick to death of the European medical profession blaming everything on smoking. It has almost got to the point that if you've a hangnail they'll blame cigarettes...it's a copout and they look no further for the root cause of the problem. I am not denying that if you have lung probs smoking does not help but it is not the ONLY reason for the problem in many cases.

[Mykidsmom]

good for you rashers......my sincere congratulations....you did what is probably one of the hardest things to do..give up an addiction like tobacco...i wish i had your mindset and determination.......CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!

[maire]

Ah sure we all have our habits,I am overweight myself and need to count calories and excercise,and anything you get is blamed on that too,so there you go.I am proud of you Rashers,you chose life over the ciggies,what was the alternative? I am determined to do something this year about my weight.I thingk anything you enjoy is hard to give up.so little left to enjoy at 38,lol!

[Rashers]

Ah sure we all have our habits,I am overweight myself and need to count calories and excercise,and anything you get is blamed on that too,so there you go.I am proud of you Rashers,you chose life over the ciggies,what was the alternative? I am determined to do something this year about my weight.I thingk anything you enjoy is hard to give up.so little left to enjoy at 38,lol!

Well as I'd suffered severe shortness of breath for months... couldn't even walk from the kitchen to the front door.... walked with a shuffle. Then got so bad that nothing would relieve my inability to breath while in the doctor's surgery. After the ambulance paramedics took me out I suffered a respiratory arrest.

The alternative to stopping smoking? Death.

There's a lot left to enjoy Maire. Since quitting my quality of life has improved so much.... and I enjoy life far more than I did as a smoker.

[Mykidsmom]

you know what.....everyone reacts differently..the first hint of death and out came my smokes lol... im 40lbs overweight......and cant friggin lose it...exercise..diet...etc etc...and im talking rigid diets...id hate to even think what weight id put on if i gave up smokes...im afraid too..daft eh

[Margaret N]

When I read Rashers reason for giving up the cigarettes and how well he feels I felt a bit sorry I do not feel the same but I am pleased you now feel good Jim, well done to you.
I was a heavy smoker and hated anyone who said give them up, when I heard that I wanted another one, just to p=ss them off, I enjoyed a smoke as much as any smoker and then I had trouble breathing so one night I remember it well, haha I went to bed and I just said to my self, sod this for a game of solders, I wont smoke any more, that was 2005 and I have not had a smoke since and like Jim I dont wan't one, I remember my GP saying its harder to give up cigarettes than drugs ???? well they say cigarettes are a drug.
but I have to say I have not had a well day since (my own fault) so I only blame myself, I cannot walk 100 yds without stopping for a rest. I have C.O.P.D and been told it won't get better but I have to watch I don't get worse, I have been to Pulmonary Rehab, which was a great help and now I will start Nordic walking which they say is good for the lungs so I will give it a go, because if I am walking along with people I tend to slow up and get slower and slower......
The best part about not smoking is I don't have to seek out smoking places, not many of them left and would hate to be seen standing outside a building smoking even though I have done that you cannot enjoy it as much.

[Mykidsmom]

awwww but your just as well off the smokes mommy...my problem was, heart conditions, kidney failure and strokes this year all aside when they did lung function tests i passed with flying colors....and my ailments were all related to an autoimmune disease....i think if i had the wakeup call rashers did and your problem id be off the smokes too...we humans are terrible creatures for making excuses for ourselves arent we.

[quinner]

well done rashers......a decision you had to take...but a wise one nevertheless.....i do not fell you are telling me what to do.....just saying it would be wise to do it....thank you..............

all people react differently to the affect smoking has on them.......and should be informed of the possible heath problem......but the decision should and must be theirs....

the mess europe is in now.....is a direct result of so called experts...

[maire]

True Helen,I am 5 foot 4 and considered obese,a terrible word to hear.I weighed 120 lbs when I came to this country.I am now about 75 lbs overweight.I have decided I am joining weight watchers this week,and I am going to the gym,jez there is a great gym ,swimming pool and spa where I live all included in the bloomin rent I pay,plus all kinds of classes for zumba,yoga water walking,too many things to mention,I have no good reason not to do those things,But today I have made up my mind to make the change.I will keep you all informed of my progress,if anyone is interedted!lol

[quinner]

True Helen,I am 5 foot 4 and considered obese,a terrible word to hear.I weighed 120 lbs when I came to this country.I am now about 75 lbs overweight.I have decided I am joining weight watchers this week,and I am going to the gym,jez there is a great gym ,swimming pool and spa where I live all included in the bloomin rent I pay,plus all kinds of classes for zumba,yoga water walking,too many things to mention,I have no good reason not to do those things,But today I have made up my mind to make the change.I will keep you all informed of my progress,if anyone is interedted!lol

maire...your profile is of great interest to all of us.......

you are a lovely cuddly little bundle

[Margaret N]

Helen you do suffer a lot of ailments so no wonder you smoke, I bet I would too.
I nursed people with emphysema and when I went see to them they would turn off the oxygen and start smoking, I remember thinking, if I had that I would give up on the spot, as it was, it was just like a light switch being turned off, I might have the start of emphysema so I will watch how I go...

[Mykidsmom]

dont even consider it mom.....a friend of mine has the dreaded disease and can you believe she never smoked a cigarette in her entire life....her husband did though..they say she got it from 2nd hand smoke...

the cardiologist last week said my heart has repaired itself..(again hehe) and next visit im going to be coming off all the heart meds...reason i didnt this month was because the sed rate for the autoimmune thingy is very high so theres a chance it might attack the heart again..cant do zippo about it or preempt the damage....its a hope it wont happen game...so while things are so unsettled im holding onto me smokes lol...and i know im bad

[mai]

well done jim. im off them myself and sometimes i would love one but pete smokes enough for the two of us lol

[Mykidsmom]

im interested marie....i weight 120lbs until 4 years ago when i started packing on the weight like a beached whale...before that i did have some issues with weight though...id go to be weighing 120 and wake up weighting 135.....one summer i weighted in at 160......the drs were totally confused lol.....so was i.......anyways i joined weight watchers when i was around 140lbs.... stuck to the diet like you wouldnt believe and gained and gained......your taller than me....lol........