COPD and vapour fag things

[winnietyson]

Hi guys I was diagnosed with moderate COPD last week and I've smoked for the last 25 years. Now that I have ran out of baccy I have started to use a vapour efag thing. Have any of you got any experience in quitting smoking this way? Or am I better off using other nicotine delivery systems?

[Poppymichael7]

I went to smoking clinic at hospital and was given Champix. Best thing I ever did, two years next month since I stopped and I don't miss it one bit. Wish you luck xx

[winnietyson in reply to Poppymichael7]

Thanks for your quick reply. I've heard of champix but I don't know a lot about it or how it works! I've tried to quit sooooo many times using standard nicotine replacement therapy and failed! This time my life really depends on it!

[PingAnnieL]

I decided even before I was diagnosed with IPF that I wanted to keep on smoking but didn't want the nicotine or tar. In other words I still wanted the dummy :))

I used an e-cig and it worked. Found that once the nicotine devil had been eliminated that I needed the e-cig less and less.

Only used it for about 2 months in total.

Coming up for a year without the cigarettes already

Good luck

[winnietyson in reply to PingAnnieL]

That's brilliant! I really hope that I manage it this time it will hopefully prolonge my life somewhat. At least until my teenaged children are adults!

[frank65 in reply to PingAnnieL]

feels good does'nt it

[Poppymichael7]

I know the feeling. My husband said he'd stop with me but Champix gave him the runs badly so he had to stop taking them and eventually went back to smoking. You can smoke for two weeks when you first start the tablets but I stopped just before the two weeks were up and I've never had another. The course is for 3months, so if you are thinking of giving them a go I wish you luck, I hope you are as lucky as me.x

[reddy]

hi winnietyson.I have moderate copd i gave up smoking the same day i was told i had copd i used vapour fag also chewing gum nicotine in sprays all for craving for my copd i have 2 sprays a spriva and blue one also been off the baccy 3 years now reddy

[coastal1]

I quit using champix on 10th November. You can smoke for days 1-14 , during which time you set a quit date . Theory is that the desire to smoke reduces .( Apparently the champix partially switches off nicotine receptors in the brain. !) After the quit day you don't take any nicotine products including e cigarettes.

I had smoked for 48 years .... As you say the health alert gives you more motivation . There are some (for most folk mild ) side effects with champix . However I kept telling myself that a few weird dreams and a bit of nausea are nothing like as serious as side effects of smoking,! !

Other people have managed to quit with e cigarettes it's whatever works for you. Best of luck .

[Sohara]

Winnie take EVERYTHING or ANYTHING that will help you stop...just PLEASE stop..you will NEVER regret stopping...your aim now is not just to live long enough to see you children grow up, but to see your grandchildren grow up

You have done the first bit...you WANT to stop, keep coming in here for encouragement...and good old fashioned nagging

Good luck in all your efforts....please let us know how you are getting on

Love Sohara

[winnietyson in reply to Sohara]

Well Sohara so far so good. While the hubby went to town I stuck to the efag which actually broke grrrrrr! While he sorted it after getting back I had a fag in desperation an even after only 2-3hrs the fag was absolutely disgusting! I'm not going to count my chickens tho as I've been here before! Min by min and hour by hour is the way to go!

[casper99]

Keep at it Winnietyson, I got down to one a day, then realised I couldn't tell the difference so it was no point smoking the roll up. I'm on my 5th week now. You'll do it.

[twinks1954]

I was a very heavy smoker Winnie - 35 a day for over 40 years. Never wanted to stop smoking as enjoyed it too much to be honest. Last March I had difficulty breathing and cut long short, decided to give up. But how? I had tried Champix - but be careful if you are feeling low or depressed, they wont issue it as can make you worse. I got ecig online - not really believing it would help- but a year now I have not smoked. My kids and I cannot believe it because they have always known me to smoke ( she says shame faced) Although when I started smoking- they actually said it was good for you. Thing I like about e cigs is............ you get the fix and can cut down. I started on 24mg strength and now down to 8. I fully intend to totally quit. You can do it

[siestasue in reply to twinks1954]

Hi twinks I am very interested in which make ecig you were able to buy at 24mg strength? The highest I've seen is 16mg. I have tried everything including Champix , but like you the best option as far as I am concerned is the ecig. It has helped me cut down so much, but if I could buy 24mg it would be a godsend.

[winnietyson in reply to siestasue]

Mirage do 24mg if you have not got a store local they're also online

[siestasue in reply to winnietyson]

thanks for that....is there a certain chain of shops or chemists you can buy them?

[winnietyson in reply to siestasue]

Yes the shop is actually called mirage. And Google mirage cigarettes and you should be able to find the site. Good luck

[siestasue in reply to winnietyson]

I have never heard of a shop called mirage, I live on the south coast, but I will look the site up. Thanks so much.

[Sohara]

Tha'ts the way Winnie

If you can get hold of the Alan Carr book...that's a good read..not the usual kind of stop smoking book..it puts a different slant on it, that sometimes helps people to stop just by reading the book

One thing in the book that really helped someone I know..it explained that nicotine was a craving inside you like a little devil inside that wanted 'feeding' and would mess with your mind telling you anything to get you to smoke....

and each time you did not fall for the stuff he was telling you , you were giving the 'devil' inside you a punch and slowly killing it.

You know the sort of things that devil inside says...things like ' people die of cancer that have never smoked ' ' I don't care if I die early at least I will die happy ' 'Life without cigarettes is not worth living' etc etc

Just say no to that 'devil' inside ....if you starve him of his nicotine he will eventually die and YOU will be free

Good luck

[siestasue in reply to Sohara]

I attended an Alan Carr Day Clinic about 5 years ago after reading his book. It cost me £220 and I stopped for 3 days, which was a record for me at the time. In reality it was a waste of money on my part but I am sure it works for some people.

[Sohara]

Oh dear that was expensive the book is only about £3.99 on amazon

[Nannypat1947]

I am into my 3rd week of "hopefully" stopping. I used the Vype e cig for 2 days before I went into hospital and I found it really good so I ordered some refills. Whilst I was in hospital I relied on the patches which normally don't work for me but this time helped with my willpower. I then realised when I came out of hospital that if I used the e cig it was so near to a real one that was in danger of going back to the real cigs so I haven't used it. I used patches every day and now I am trying to use the patches every other day. I cant believe it Ive never made it this far before and although the cravings have not totally gone I seem to be able to deal with them a bit better each day. I must also admit that this is probably the first time I have ever really wanted to stop instead of "giving up" so this has probably helped a great deal.

Luckily I live alone so can talk to my self ha ha "No you don't need one" "no the problems wouldn't go away with cig" etc lol but I wish you every success and really hope you manage to kick the habit.

[helingmic]

If, like the other friends who have written, that enables to stop smoking, that would be a tremendous help. For you personally and the health of your lungs and for others who passively smoke when you do.

I'm affected with bronchiectasis because my father smoked for the 19 1/2 years I was with him.

so do a favour to yourself and others around you. Well done!

[Dragonmum]

Hi winnietyson, I can be a real bore on the subject of e-cigs because I got one on the 28th January 2010 and have never smoked since. As an old hand my best advice to you is to visit good vaping sites - mine is UKVapers - and they will guide you along the most effective and cheapest route. Boots' and Lloyds' both sell them now but at a price, and I have never found a "look-alike" that was efficient for me, but we're all different. If anyone is a heavy smoker they find that the strength and battery-life of things like the Vype are not sufficient - but a good starting point. I so wish you luck, it's such a hard thing to do but whichever road you choose please STOP smoking - it nearly saw me off. E-cigs are not sold as a quit device, but they are such a pleasant alternative I would never go back.

[Dragonmum]

Should have added the most important bit, just for encouragement. Had suffered multiple chest infections annually, was diagnosed asthmatic the week after my husband died in 2002 - at the asthma clinic I was told I had COPD - I assume very early stage. The following 8 years were a nightmare of steroids, antibiotics and breathlessness but I still smoked - so stupid but a 60 year habit is hard to break. I haven't had an antibiotic or steroid in 4 years now, and hardly get a sniffle let alone an infection - even the asthma medication is down to 2 puffs of iprotropium a night. Is it any wonder I'm an enthusiast???

[undine]

I am on day 4 of not smoking by using the ecig - I am hoping this time (I have tried to give up lots of times but never got past one day before other than whilst in hospital) it will last - I'd say give them a try anything is better than cigs - I too tried Champix but did not get on too well with it. Good luck whatever route you choose. xx

[butter-fly in reply to undine]

I'm still using the ecig two years after giving up the real thing. I have no desire to go back to smoking ciggs. I have had no ill effects from the ecig and it doesn't have tar and all the other nasties which is what causes the damage to our lungs. Don't give up trying! I smoked for 40 years, a pack a day and after a few days the ecig worked for me. The very best of luck. Sara

[snow54flake]

i went of with champix nhs 15 months now marian xx

[doublecee]

Keep any and every thing OUT of your lungs.

If you can't go Cold Turkey, get help from your Surgery.

Good Luck.

[operatic]

My husband has end stage COPD and smoked for more than 50years and never thought he'd stop but after January's hospital stay he is on the patches and just has the odd puff of the efag. It's wonderful. So long as yo don't rely on fag too much but use the patches too.

[jimmyw123]

hi winniestoon,,i can only speak for myself i have end stage copd.

, , you have moderate copd,,there,s still time to do much about it,still a decent life to live, first thing is stopping smoking,, thats a must,

now all that nonsense about nicotene patches etc,etc etc,,,,i have tried the lot,, many times over,, to my mind its all a loads of nonsense,,[only my opinion],,,, theres only one way and thats just stopping.

. call it what you want will power, higher power, or no power

the best of two evils could be the e fag,, try getting someone to have a drag on an ordinary ciggy, then blow through a clean kitchen roll, you will see a brown circle, that with just one drag, from one ciggie!!!

then take a drag of the e ciggie, blow it through a kitchen roll,,, absolutely spotless, im no scientist, but know that big brown mark mulitiplied by how many ciggies would soon be black.and inside my lungs.

so, in my opinion the next best thing to stopping is the e giggy, you can start at 30mg if you want, then cut down to 3mg if you want then hopefully stop if you want,,,,, its up to you,, but stopping smoking is a must.best of luck,,,.jimmy

[jimmyw123]

heres a link that might interest you winnie, some "fors" and "againsts"

nytimes.com/2014/02/23/heal... ,jimmy

[JustSandra]

Interesting read JImmy, I have been on Champix for the past six weeks I do great for about 4 days and I really struggle I will confess to having bought and smoked a few cigarettes I'm ashamed when I lapse like this. Maybe these E Cigs would work better for me

Sandra

[onamission]

I did it with champix 8 years ago I smoked like a chimney for years and was more attached to my cigs than the old man but I did it. My old man is now using one of the e cigs the house smells of blueberry and this has no effect on my chest all the very best of luck we are always hear to support you. x

[sachmo]

try looking up totally wicked website there is loads of combinations of ecigs and nicotine strenchs I have used one now for over 10 years and I am now down to 7 mgs

[tracyball1]

I'm in a similar situation too u just been diagnose with mild emphysema I've got too stop gonna try e fag first c how I get on

[Graciegirl]

I stopped smoking with the help of bupropion/Zyban - I never dreamt that pills would make such a difference but they have! Good luck - it's never an easy thing to do x

[Hidden]

I stopped in July 2014 with the ecig and I still use it

[winnietyson in reply to Hidden]

When in July 2014???

I quit smoking finally on July 6th of that year!!

[candycabs54]

Hello I'm fairly new to this site. 2 yrs ago I was taken into hospital as I couldn't breath and was very panicky. My Dr said I Had COPD. I had to get lots of tests done and it turned out I have mild COPD. I stopped smoking the same day - I was petrified. Tried the usual things to help me stop - I smoked 20 a day. I tried the E CIG and it changed my life. I started on 24ml which is strong. I am now down to 0% and feel great. I recently went for the yearly test and the Dr was real pleased with my results. Sorry, I am 61 and smoked for 40 yrs. Sorry it is so long.