am scared into quitting - Smoking Cessation Message Board

bookmiser · 07-26-2003, 09:20 PM

i've been a smoker since age 9.(hey! i was raised in kentucky- the tobacco state. they give ya a free carton when ya hit puberty.) can you imagine that? inhaled at 11. mom let me smoke at 13. will be 40 next year. use the patch for 10 weeks once and was smoke free for 10 months. got weak and started again. it's very easy folks.
have recently found myself very sick with a bronchial infection and was taken to the hospital because i couldn't breathe. like they cared. i sat for three hours and never saw a doctor, but that's a whole other story. maybe for a new board.
anyway, had an x-ray done of my chest and left without results. next morning called family doc and requested they find out results for me and let me know what was on the x-ray. nurse calls back and says there's a spot on a lung and would like to do a cat scan of the chest. needless to say i freaked. i mean, i don't expect my lungs to look like a newborns, their going to be spotty, right?
long story longer? was scared into quitting and have put the patch back on. (today) it's now 10:00 pm and if i don't go to bed and try to sleep, i think i will kill everyone in the house. lol. need some pumping up people. talk to me. my husband has never smoked. lucky him. i miss going out on the deck to take the dog out and lighting up. now someone else has to do the dog walk. help me please.

Deb47 · 07-27-2003, 02:40 PM

Hi, Bookmiser. I know just what you're going through, and believe me, it WILL get easier! Quitting smoking is hard, but it's doable. I quit then relapsed many times; but this past Winter I developed a bad lung prblem...I had trouble breathing; my chest and upper back hurt bad all the time. I quit smoking at the beginning of this year, and have not smoked since. Since then my breathing has gotten better, but there is a problem with my lungs. I finally went to see a Pulmonary doctor last Winter. He took some chest x-rays; said he wanted me to come back in 3 months time; get another set of chest x-rays taken. Well, I recently did this,a nd he still sees abnormal things on my x-rays. So, a week ago I had to get a cat scan on my lungs...tomorrow morning I go back to my Pulmonary doctor to get the results read. I'm nervous, as my chest has felt tight lately...and I get these pains in my chest that keep coming and going. So, I kind of think I have a problem. I smoked for 28 years, so it isn't surprising I guess. Going through the months when I couldn't breathe scared me to death, quite frankly. It sure made quitting smoking easier this time! When you can't breathe, its the worst feeling in the world. All of a sudden, cigarettes lose their importance! It feels good to be able to breathe better now; and I exercise and try to take care of my lungs NOW. I wish I had quit a long time ago; stupid, stupid me. You've got to quit and stay quit. Its the only chance you have of having quality time/life left to live. I'm not trying to be harsh...but it truly is a matter of life and breath. You can beat this addicition...post again and let me know how you're doing, okay? Debbie
By your name I take it you like to read. I LOVE to read...I am never without at least one book!

Katied55791 · 07-28-2003, 04:41 PM

I quit smoking 3 years ago. I smoked for 32 years !!
more than two packs a day.

Here is what helped me the most:

When I really HAD to have a smoke... I took a bath

Now, don't laugh. Think about it, where is the one place you never have smoked? If you take a bath you will not crave a smoke, because your body never expects to smoke there any way. This worked for me.
I was squeeky clean for months !! (and a bit wrinkled all the time). Think of every time and place you have never smoked..and go there when you need to get relief from craving.

Best of luck, and don't give up. You will be free of this and you will be glad of it.

- Kate

chapperjoe · 08-04-2003, 02:54 PM

YOU ARE MY IDOL - I just quit too due to chest pains, and I didn't think I'd be able to 'reach out' for support like you do. I have no advice nor aid to offer other than my admiration for your choice.

skippymouse · 08-13-2003, 09:32 AM

I feel your pain! My husband has never smoked as well and I have a three year old that drives me nuts. I have tried to stop smoking many times and have failed. I started when I was about 15 and I am now 26 and need to stop. I keep getting brochitis myself and that is a good reason to stop other than for my family. Keep up the good work, your in my prayers.
Good Luck to You!!!!!

[This message has been edited by skippymouse (edited 08-13-2003).]

[This message has been edited by skippymouse (edited 08-13-2003).]