Here I go again (for good this time) - Smoking Cessation Message Board

Pez Dee Spencer · 06-30-2005, 05:07 PM

Hello everyone. Im not new to this site but new to the stop smoking board. My name is Joe and Im 28 years old. I have been a pack a day+ smoker since I was about 12 years old.

When I first found this site about two years ago I was looking for a forum about heart palpitations because I suddenly started getting them on a daily basis. At that time I was a heavy cig and dope smoker. After about a year of the palps I couldnt take it anymore and finally quit smoking cigs and started using nicotine gum. Since I was a heavy dope smoker when I wanted a cig I would just roll a fattie and pop a piece of gum in. I worked good for about 4 months and then I was finally able to give up the gum all together and was just smokin crazy amounts of pot.

Well even when I quit cigs and the gum the palps didnt go completely away although they got much better. So after a few more months of dope smoking and more palps I decided to give up weed entriely too which was a living hell. Because when I quit pot I started having MAJOR panic attacks and generalized anxiety for about 2 months. (And no the stuff I was smoking wasn't laced).

Anyway, after about a week of these panic attacks I decided for some stupid reason that cigs would make me feel better. I was wrong. Needless to say in a day or two I was back to my old cig smokin self again. Finally after about 7 or 8 weeks the panic went away and I started feeling better but my palps are back stronger than ever and Im smoking like a train.

Earlier today I had a major palp and felt like I almost passed out. That was the limit. I bought a box of gum last week and now its time to quit FOR GOOD. Tomorrow morining its gum time. No more cigs EVER.

I went to the doc again last week and my blood pressure is slightly elevated and I have a fast resting heart rate (which returns to normal as soon as I quit puffin). Plus Im about 50 pounds overweight. Ive been on an extreme low fat diet for about a week now eating nothing but fruit, veggies, whole grains and fish and feel much better as far as that goes but now its time to drop these cigs for good. I dont wanna have a heart attack when Im 30.

The doc gave me a small dose of beta blocker but Im going to stick to this diet and drop the cigs and see how I feel after a month or two. If the palps are still around Ill probably take the pills but I really think if I lose this weight and stop the cigs ill be 1000% and more.

Im sure ill be on here lots for the next few weeks. Thanks for reading.

Johnsternow · 06-30-2005, 09:28 PM

Pez,

We are here and ready for you. You will get so much support here for sure. We all want to help. You sound very determined so I think you will make it for sure. I hope you don’t mind me asking out of concern but are you and your doctor sure there are not other problems helping cause those palpitations? I know the cigarettes and their added chemicals can cause that and I am one of the biggest against cigarette guys you will find. I just hope no body is overlooking another medical problem that smoking may make more noticeable. Here is only one example. I once years ago knew a person that had what you had and found smoking made it worse. They found later that they had a thyroid condition and that smoking just made the palpitations happen more often for obvious reasons. In any case I am here to help you quit with all the others.

Good Luck
JohnD

Pez Dee Spencer · 07-01-2005, 12:05 AM

Hey thanks for the support. I had my thyroid checked a few times but they always said it was "normal" I sometimes wonder but they keep saying its ok. One doc I saw about 18 months ago said that one of my valves was slightly leaky but never said if thats what causes it or not. That doc didnt really speak english very well and didnt really spend that much time with me. I dont have insurance so I kinda got the feeling that he didnt wanna waste time on someone that didnt have a ton of money that he could milk through tests.

Anyway I saw another heart doc last week and he said that he could only hear a very slight murmur and from what I have read tons of people have murmurs. I honestly still dont know 100% what causes it but I got a feeling that it will go away once I get back in shape.

When I was in my teens I used to ride a bike 20+ miles a day and was hardcore into martial arts but alas I found beer and dope and that was the end of that for the next 10 years.