Stop Smoking Support Thread

Melmcbee - that's only 2 per day. Yay!!! That's awesome. You will do it. Keep on trying each day.



Galsal - surgery was motivator number one, now AI's or tamoxifen is a good motivator. I wonder why having cancer wasn't enough. Hmmmm. I don't know.



Dunes - so glad you made it through the temptation. It's so hard. My DH is stressing me out big time. We can't let these stressors win. Have to be strong. It is hard sometimes. Heavy sigh.



I think I will have 9 weeks tonight...or is it 10 weeks? I'm pretty sure I have lost a week with surgery.



Good luck everyone!!

Bama, got to watch a Bill's pre-season game, we lost but showed improvement over last year.  Felt wonderful to sit and watch, pretty soon the Auburn game will be on, YAY we waited a long time,  Stay strong ladies we are all in this together.

Karen: JUST ONE MORE WEEK! Woot, woot!

Mrskimber - I am sorry you are facing this. I remember being in your shoes in March. I am going on 10 weeks smoke free so that tells you how long it took me to quit. It is a very stressful time for you. Eventually you will have the answers and that will make it easier. It also helped me to learn that I couldn't have the reconstruction I wanted if I smoked or that the risk of blood clots with Tamoxifen is highland worse if I smoke. Then of course I read studies on smoking and breast cancer. So....it was for sure a process and progression to the point of stopping for me. I hope I never go back. I also hope you are able to quit. The nicotine patch helped a bunch, as did the electronic cigs. That's just me. I wish you the best and hope to see you on this thread. It's a great bunch who offer lots of support!

Mrskimber, these ladies here are great!  They will support you and pick you up when you least expect it.  All of us have been faced with quitting many times in our lives but when we get this diagnosis, it is probably the most stressful time of our lives.  I have to say it is probably like "divorcing" your smokes!  All the reasons why we enjoy smoking yet we know all the reasons why we should quit.  Everyone of us has quit using a different method and you will find yours.  I'm 21 months smoke free after smoking for 40+ years.  Now I think "hmmm, how many have I not smoked".

You will find your way and we are here for you!

Beckers, congrats on your 10 weeks - I had to put that into months and it's great. Hard to belive isn't it!

Karen, we are going strong aren't we! 

Galsal, I was like you.  Having "C" was the biggest motivator, and trust me, I tried everything.  Maybe not with the full concentration I did with my diagnosis.  But it is enough for me to not go back even though I can smell it "a mile away".  

Oh Beckers, 11 weeks is more fantastic then "10 weeks".  You go girl!

For the newbies--I have an e-book, "Tips to Win at Quitting Smoking" which I will sent to you for free (no strings attached). I just need an e-mail address and I'll send a PDF file. It's very simple and easy to read. Here is the Table of Contents:

 Table of Contents

How to use this book 1
Disclaimer 2

Step One: Building motivation 3
Have good reasons to become smoke-free 3
Learn why you smoke 7
Discover your obstacles to success15
Step Two: Creating a plan to be successful23
Set a Quit date 23
Make a personalized plan 23
Countdown to quit day 26
Step Three: Quit Day 32
What to expect 32
How fast the body heals itself 35
Reminders for your first week 36
Step Four: Preventing Relapse 38
Relapse phases 38
Long-term maintenance 40
Developing an ICE plan 46

Appendixes:
A: Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence 50
B: List of Resources 52
C: Partial List of Chemicals in Tobacco Smoke 54
Summary of Cessation Medications 56
E: Unproven and/or Ineffective Products & Services 66
F: Partial List of Interactions Between Medications & Smoking 67
G: The Seven "D"s: Tips to Quit 69

Beckers, you are welcome but you did all of the work.  Us gals are here to support one another and praise you on the great job you did!

I have been feeling better one week till 2nd treatment, this is no excuse hubby has been cold and distant my last child left yesterday for college and with my anxiety i started back smoking feels like my only friend and all i'm doing is killing myself faster very very sad day today

Annde- husbands are for the birds sometimes. Truly. This place is where I get my emotional support. I know he's just not wired that way so I don't even expect more from him. I said goodbye to my son yesterday too, as he is moving to Oregon. It is hard. I cried. I want to slap a knot on my hubby's head but that's not practical. Point is, I feel your pain. So much. Can you get a non nicotine electronic cig? I found one at a smoke shop. That got me through some rough spots. Don't give up okay? We are here for you.



I saw something on FB that says, "I prayed for patience because if I ask for strength, He's gonna have to include bail money.". :-)

annde, there is no denying it is a hard addiction to quit. There are so many triggers. The cancer got me to quit, then the plastic surgeon reinforced it -- as he insisted the skin he used for the surgery would die if I used nicotine. So 2 weeks before surgery I gave up the Commit lozenges. I was sweating bullets because what I read said I needed a full month free of any kind of nicotine. Then after the surgery, when different things went wrong, I cheated about 3 times. On one of those cheats I smoked nearly a whole pack. I also tried herbal cigarettes but they were prohibitively expensive. Recently I was tempted again -- went to the ocean where alcohol and smoking were always a major factor. I really missed smoking, even when not drinking. The only thing that kept me from smoking is the fact that my exchange surgery is next week, and I don't know how it would affect my healing. So, essentially, I didn't give a damn about what it did to my health, just didn't want to mess up the surgery. Well, whatever. It kept me smoke free, and I'm glad of it.

Keep trying, and good luck.

hi. i would like to join your group. putting on the patch in the morning.  i had a total emotional breakdown right before my  diagnosus in february.  ready to work on getting things back together, including quitting smoking.  i actually could use an all arround accountability partner as i reinvent my new life. thanks

My husband and I are going to guit together, I have no idea how I'm going to do, but I have to try. 

annde and mrskimber, you have found a rock of support in finding these ladies, they know all the tricks and tips, you will find their support unwavering.  We don't let those men in white coats into our midst.  Keep posting and checking back in the thread, you will get alot of information.  One tip, you can't smoke when you are sleeping, that first week - I had an 8 o'clock bedtime more than a few times.