OT: Stop smoking aids and quiting

[random_ryan]

Ok so I decided to stop smoking. I am tring chantix. I have heard and talked to many people who have used chantix to quit smoking. I am just wondering if any other reefers here would like to be supportive of me. I would really apprishate it. :mixed:

any way I am deturmaned to quit smoking. I am in the early stages of COPD. and this scares the living Sheet out of me.

I have tried many many times to quit only to end up smoking again.

I am only 32, 5 kids , I have had a mild stroke and and lung infection in the past 3 months. my reasons for quiting is I want to see my childrens children. I want to be a grandpa. and I want to be around for my kids if they need me. mostly I am quiting due to health issues. those health issue are inportant to me.

And just last night my wife and I were talking about having another kid. I really want to stick around. Althou I am not afraid of death. Just living seems more promising. and too many people would miss me.

besides who would you all have that anoys the crap out of you. lol.

 

[HotRodKennel]

I am a non-smoker so I don't know EXACTLY what it is like to try to quit smoking. All I know is that my grandma has been a smoker since she was 12yrs old and had a stroke a year ago. She didn't have any of the paralysis but she did end up loosing some of her eye sight. About 3 months after her stroke she started having heart problems. Every single time she went in to see her doctors they would NAG her to no end to quit smoking. She finally decided to start Chantix this past April. She was only on it about 1/2 the time it suggests you be on it. She hasn't had a cig since April 16, 2007. She said that the Chantix made her feel nauseated all day long and that was her reasoning for going off the meds.

Your health is more important than anything else. You take care of you and all else will fall in place.

 

[Fish4us]

Best wishes in your journey to quit smoking!

I think your avatar should give you plenty of inspiration not to mention your health!

You can do it!

 

[Fliger]

Good luck Ryan. I quit when my first son was born. I was never a heavy smoker, but the day he was born was enough incentive for me. I think you make a commitment to your kids, to set a good example, provide for them, and to stick around (and not stick them with an expensive hospital bill). Besides all the obvious reasons to quit - compound interest on the money you've spent on smokes since your kids were born and it would go a good way towards their education.

If I'm at a bar or party and I'm drinking and a friend has cigarettes - I'll bum one, get half way done and wonder why I ever smoked regularly. Its disgusting. And the socioeconomics of it are depressing.

And last year I watched my uncle suffer for 3 months with lung cancer before he died, I was holding his hand on his last breath. He had quit 10 years before he developed lung cancer - but it was too late.

Good luck man, think about your wife and kids.

 

[random_ryan]

thanks everyone.

I wish I got to see the twins more often.I was so thrilled with thier birth. althou me and thier mom don't see eye to eye . When she found out that I got sick. thats when she sent me the twins baby pics. they are now 4. my wife and I have been together off and on for 10 yrs. during a 2 1/2 yr break up I met the twins mom. I only wish her the best. And only hope that one day she will get over not liking my wife. so I can spend alot more time with the boys. its always good to go to see them and them run up to me yelling my daddy my daddy. I remember them when they were 2 months old . I was tring to change 2 diapears at once. omg LMAO. they just let the fire hydrants loose. LMAO. my other kids mean everything to me too. I just wish she would let me be there for them like I should be.

fligger hold on to them when they are little becouse once they get big you'll miss it.

 

[random_ryan]

here's the newest pic of them I have.

They have my nose.and my ears, and 1 has my eyes.

 

[Doglover_50]

Ryan, I think I can answer this one pretty well for you as this hits dead on to my specialty in clinical psychology, practice and research. My area of work is called health psychology, which is application of scientific psychological principles to health behaviors and chronic medical illness. yada yada enough on me.

What you describe is both--a health behavior (smoking) and that you have early stage COPD. It's good that you are motivated to quit now, that is a nasty disease. And you have good reasons to quit--a stroke plus wanting to see your kids grow up.

So, let me mention some of your best options. Many people quit on their own, which appears to have been the case for David. However, sounds like you have tried with minimal success. So you will want to look into other options for support. I would strongly avoid over the counter naturopathic type products or other quick fix programs or guaranteed programs, etc... These have NO scientific support as being effective.

One great program is the American Cancer Society protocol which is called Fresh Start. It has been well researched and is pretty effective.

Here is the contact info. for the Phoenix office

Smoking Cessation and Tobacco (1)
Name Phone City ACS
Smoking Cessation and Tobacco
American Cancer Society - Phoenix Office
American Cancer Society - Phoenix Office
4450 East Bell Road, Suite 126
Phoenix, AZ 85032 (602)224-7479 Phoenix
map

Which I got from this website:
http://www.cancer.org/asp/search/crd/crd_global.asp?navToScreen=crd_1&sort=Name&page=3#Scco1

Just call and ask about Fresh Start or smoking cessation programs.

Here's the brochure for Fresh Start, which is in PDF format:
http://www.cancer.org/docroot/COM/content/div_TX/COM_5_2x_1x_Freshstart_Brochure.asp?sitearea=COM

Another option is you could try Zyban, which requires a doctor's prescription. It is effective especially if taken along with a behavioral change program like Fresh Start. By itself, it's not terribly effective. However, other nicotine replacement systems are also effective, but generally they work best if done along with some behavior change plan.

Finally, you could get individual assistance from a clinical health psychologist (like me! though not me, as I am in Flagstaff). In my view this is the best option, as you get individualized attention in getting an analysis of your smoking and an individualized intervention plan working with someone on a 1 on 1 basis. If you have health insurance, you can just choose a psychologist on your panel. I'd be happy to help you find someone, just PM me.

If you DON'T have health insurance, there is another good option for you. All major universities--including ASU)--that have clinical psychology programs include community based clinics where people are seen by upper level doctoral students supervised by their licensed psychology faculty (I do this in my NAU job). It just so happens that the clinic at ASU has a "Health and Wellness Team" that specializes bullseye in just what you are hoping to change--stopping smoking due to COPD and the kids, etc...

Here's the link:
http://www.asu.edu/clas/psych/clinic/

They charge on a sliding scale with rates going down to $10. per session, so it should be affordable for everyone.

Given your desire to stop smoking, plus other issues you have shared with us in prior posts, such as significant life stress, which of course can make it hard to quit smoking, I'd highly recommend the ASU psychology clinic option. It's what I would do if I were in your shoes.

PM you if I can help in any way.
Doglover

 

[azrednex]

After trying to quit off and on for close to 10 years, my Wife and I smoked our last cancer stix about 4 years ago. We quit cold turkey. We tried many other methods but it turns out that the most important is just an unwavering commitment to stop killing yourself. If you have reached that point, I think that you will do fine no matter what other help you are getting.
I will tell you that after 4 years I still want a smoke every once in a while but, now-a-days it seems more like nostalgia than a craving.
I will pm you my #, you can call me when you want one. I'll do my best to talk you out of it.

 

[random_ryan]

thanks. I have full coverage insurance. and yes I am in theraphy. and I got my script for chantix. I am starting the chantix tonite. it has been a suggestion by doctors , ect to get a support group due to the fact that The with draws with I have had in the past are very over welming. having a support group or a group of people to talk to helps so I have been told. My only concern is my wife still smokes. and This scares the sheet out of me. Becouse I truely want to quit smoking. I am a heavy smoker. and so is she. good thing is that we don't smoke in our house. our auto thou is another story. I have been fabrezzing the crap out of it. yet the smell still lingers.

 

[Westy82]

try putting a jar of coffee beans in your car, ive heard this is supposed to help get rid of the smoke smell.

 

[Frizz]

Good for you Ryan & best of luck. This may be one of the most important things that you will ever do for yourself.
Frizz

 

[random_ryan]

Now if I can stay quit . I have my eye on this superman micro. so I made this deal with myself. that if I can stay quit for 6 months I can have it.

 

[Fliger]

If you could stay quit for six months, you could probably use all that money and buy a BUNCH of micros. Dude, you just gotta quit man. You have too much to stay healthy for. What good comes out of smoking? It stinks, your car smells, your lungs turn black, if you don't die early you have problems breathing, it costs a LOT ....

I'm a runner and I've met a lot of other competitive runners who say running really helped them quit.

You quit for six months and I'll give you a frag of this.

I have quite a few rainbow Lords also. Pick one, as long as I can frag it.

 

[cpagego]

Ryan,

LMK if you need any assitance/understanding in this area.

 

[Philwd]

We're pulling for you Ryan. I never had to quit as I never started but I've seen friends struggle, get coughing fits. You name it. Lost relatives to lung cancer.
Those 2 boys look great and that's the best reason in the world to quit.

Good Luck.

 

[random_ryan]

sweet. I am really gonna put all my effort into it.

 

[random_ryan]

2 hrs 40 minutes. no smoking. althou chantix says to smoke for the first week as you up the dose. and so does my doctor. so should I try with just chantix and no smoking or should I fallow my doctors advice?

 

[Doglover_50]

Follow your MD's advice (and the info. you have on chantix). I like in their literature that they use the analogy of the hare and the tortoise. Being the jackrabbit in the race to quit smoking isn't always the best strategy, as you aren't giving the medication a chance to get on board and block your cravings. So definitely follow what they say. Good luck!

 

[Helfrichs Chic]

Awwww crud thanks Ryan, now im gonna have to quit. Let me know how it works out for you. Im gonna have to get on something if I quit, as I fear for the people around me, I am already mean enough lol.

 

[Che]

Hey Fliger I just quit for 6 months, can I have a Frag? Just kidding!

Good luck Ryan, you can do it! When my Dad quit he substituted chewing gum for cigarettes and that seemed to help him with the routine and habit of smoking.

Again, Good Luck!