Smoking. Time to quit.

Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2009 3:54 pm Post subject: Smoking. Time to quit.

So I'm 2 weeks into my recovery from my 2nd Plurectomy. Thats boths lungs finally stuck into place, hopefully to stay there for the rest of my remaining life.

I thought during both hospital stays that I'd simply not want to smoke at all once I got back home. I never felt the urge at all when I was in hospital. (perhaps all that 'pain management' they were feeding me. But indeed each time I started again almost as soon as I got home. First tearing off half a cigarette, so I was only technically having 1 cigarette for every two times i smoked. Then over the next few days, I gradually began smoking more and more of these stunted cigs, until -yeah you guessed it- I was right back into my old habit.

For me I think it was a question of motivation. Up until today, I never WANTED to give up smoking. I just knew I pretty much NEEDED to.

And I think I've finally nailed the reason why I didn't want to:

Every "ex-smoker" I know seems to have a huge problem with simply not smoking. Forever taking the moral highground and condecending those around them who still smoke. (please bear in mind I'm only talking about people I know here, not generalising all "ex-smokers") As much as I need to kick the habit, I couldn't stand to become someone like that. It's not 'me'. I've always been very liberal. But now that I've aknowledged that, perhaps I won't become this 'thing' that I hate when I quit.

So, I had my last cig about 90 minutes before i started typing. And the plan is now to make sure that was my LAST.

If anyone has any advise on how they gave up, please share. I'd be grateful. And also, are there any ex-smokers here who can still happily be around people smoking?

Thanks in advance.

New Member Joined: 27 Sep 2008 Posts: 7

We both stopped smoking (both very heavy smokers) when my husband had his first pneumothorax (last September).
We've found the Nicorette inhalators to be good as at least you've still got something in your hand - we are however now addicted to them, but I suppose that's better than cigarettes!

New Member Joined: 30 Nov 2008 Posts: 4 Location: Iver u.k

I gave up two months ago after smoking for 24 years. My method was to decide a couple of weeks before on a day to give up, i brought a book on card tricks so i could give my hands something to do.i then got a large bag of lollipops so when ever i had the urge i would suck on one of those instead.
This method has worked for me however i had to kick the lollipops out as the sugar rush was too much and as my girlfriend said 8 lollipops an hour is just not good for anyone(lol).
My advice is when ever you feel the urge to lit up remember its all in your mind and find yourself something else to do it does not matter what clean the bath ,go for a walk ,read anything to distract the mind till the urge passes and after a few days is does get better.
Being a glutton for punishment i went to the pub where i knew i would want a fag just so i could test myself and when i got home i felt even better that i had got through a situation where the urge increases as you drink. good luck to anyone trying to give up or about to start.

New Member Joined: 20 Apr 2009 Posts: 7

Medical professionals say smoking may cause blebs to appear on your lungs so I guess you have to ask yourself if you are all right with continuing to smoke which may mean more trips to the hospital, more chest drains, tubes, valves, surgeries, scars, lost time with work, friends and family or stopping and giving your lungs a chance to heal themselves and function normally. Which do you want more, I quit cold turkey both weed and cigarettes after my first SP. It honestly was not hard because I was afraid by continuing to smoke I would have another. So I guess fear can be a good thing. Read my full story

New Member Joined: 25 Jun 2007 Posts: 7

My desire for smoking left me immediately after my 1st collapse.....that is when the Doc told me how cigarettes can be directly related.

Posted: Thu Jun 11, 2009 8:56 am Post subject:

Posted: Mon Feb 01, 2010 8:47 pm Post subject:

My understanding is that there is no direct link between smoking and SP's. I tend to believe that, as can you imagine how many people would be walking around with collapsed lungs if it were true? Shocked

That being said, quitting smoking is the only recommended thing you can do to help prevent a recurrence. As for me, I quit the day of my first collapse (a year and a half ago). I won't lie -- I still miss it everyday, but I won't have one....just not worth it.

Hope you're all still smoke-free....Oh, as for advice -- I ate a lot of Twizzlers, lol.

Be well,
Mackie
_________________
41F, VATS w/mechanical pleurodesis and parietal/visceral pleurectomy-Sept. '08

New Member Joined: 26 Jan 2010 Posts: 3 Location: London

Good luck giving up.
I gave up after my first SP but did slip up once. It's now been just over 3 months.
Keep at it, it's hard but you'll get there Smile

_________________
Kevin Michael
24M
5 SP's - VATS Talc Pleurodesis on both sides Dec 2009

Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 4:14 pm Post subject:

I quit 5 years ago after doing a lung function test. I had smoked for 18 years and I was told I have 76 year old lungs. I was 32 at the time. It scared the hell out of me. I have been using nicotine lozenges ever since (Yes...I've been using them for 5 years!) I have had several small SP's in the past 5 years and I have been fortunate enough when I haven't been hospitalized. Between the "lung age", the emphysema diagnosis at age 36 and the SP's I never looked back even though cigarettes felt like old friends for so long. I needed that slap to move on and quit cigarettes for good.

Posted: Wed Feb 10, 2010 7:43 pm Post subject:

I quit after my first SP in Sept 09. Started again after 2 months and had another SP a month later in Dec 09. Both my surgeon and my pulmonologist stated definitively that effects of smoking (COPD/emphysyma) was the underlying cause of my SPs. Had VATS with chunks of my lungs removed/repaired in Dec and was lucky enough to see some of the pictures of my lungs. Don't think I'll be smoking anymore. Shocked