Hi I have been lurking around the site for a few weeks now and never quite know what to say
My name is Liz and the love of my life is Blossom dog
I have COPD for about two years it was not a great problem until the last year I noticed a big change especially at work I'm on sick leave now approx 6 month and think I'm going to be medically retired soon as no longer fit enough to do my job of 19 years as a social care worker
I'm grateful for the information on this site I hadn't a clue about all the different meds and treatments for this condition
I am a smoker and need lots of help to stop so any advice welcome
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blossom61
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Welcome Liz, it's lovely to have you with us. I stopped smoking six year ago, best thing I ever did. Stick at it and you will stop eventually. Any help I can give please ask. Keep posting please . Love Bernadette 😳 xx
Hi blossom61, Sadly, the smoking is helping your condition to rapidly deteriorate. Think BLF have a smoking cessation helpline - sure someone will confirm with details.
Have you thought about not giving up but rather just stopping for a day? If that goes well then, a few days later maybe try stopping for just two days? I think giving up feels a bit drastic sometimes so little steps can be better - it also means that if you can't manage the whole day (or two days etc) then it's easier to try again a few days later.
Remember, Olympic Gold Medalists don't just wake up one morning and go and win races - they practice ... lots ... so, to win your race, having lots of practice runs is fine - there's nothing bad about having to have another cig and then start again tomorrow!
Hi thanks for the advice I feel so guilty about smoking I keep trying to stop and fail but I know one day I will stop I have to as now at stage 3 COPD and don't want to go to the next stage
When I stopped smoking, first of all I only stopped for the morning: after midday I could smoke all I wanted to. When I got used to that, I moved the time to the 6pm news in the evening: no cigs all day, but as many as I wanted after 6pm. When I got used to that I set my giving up date: 1st August 1985. I've been a non-smoker since then.
I also read lots of things about the dangers of smoking and looked at pictures of damaged lungs and blood vessels, etc. I also made a list of the times I liked to have a cig, such as with a coffee after a meal; and made a plan what to do instead: eg. now I do the washing up instead of having a drink after a meal, and now I drink tea rather than coffee. I also ate sunflower seeds individually to replace that hand to mouth habit without adding too many calories to my diet.
Hi there and I have been on this site for four years and rarely comment yet read what others write and feel connected to the writer, even though they probably have no idea that their words impact on my thoughts, research and moments of struggle. So blossom61 thank you for encouraging me to welcome you xxx
Hi yes I know what you mean but done it now and everyone seems lovely I feel very welcome x
Welcome , you will find lots of good friends on here who will give you words of encouragement and reassurance. Its good to talk to people who understand how we feel most of the time. As for stopping smoking, persevere, one of the best things you can do. Its hard, very hard. Dont be harsh on yourself. Try however it suits you. Drink plenty of water and other drinks, tea , chamomile tea i fine lovely. Treat yourself to your favourite foods. I found that craving for a cigarrette only lasted about half an hour, and if i struggled through that half hour the craving went away. I always had a packet near me, but eventually i stopped. It took about 4 goes over 18 months. But we can all get there , we are stronger than we think. I stopped 5 years ago, and my incentive apart from my health was my dear mother who always tried to get me to stop. I also have lovely grandchildren and want to enjoy them. I would not give a thank you for a cigarrette now, i loathe the smell and sight of them. Stay strong, blossom61, you will get there. I wish you well and all the best.
Welcome to the forum. It's lovely to meet you. Blossom is a sweety. 😊🐕
I'm sorry to hear you haven't been doing so well. I have heard people say how they struggled to quit smoking. I think there are many people here who will tell you that they did it, and can offer you support and advice. 😊
The British Lung Foundation also has some information and a quit smoking forum.
Blossom looks adorable, I love dogs I've got 2 Labs and they keep my busy along with my children!
I smoked on and off for many years gave up five years ago due to asthma, best thing I ever did, breathing becomes so much easier. I just went cold trikes with it, but I was never a heavy smoker only social really. But my mum stopped last year at the age of 68 and she was heavy smoker she literally just stopped one day,had her last one then threw the pack away. I think it's a state of mind to be honest. And keeping busy so you don't think about it, maybe take up a hobby?
Hi Liz nice to meet you. Now you have posted don't be a stranger and just jump in whenever you want or post.
There is a very good stop smoking site on here called Quit. They helped me stop last year and I couldn't have done it without them. Even if you are not ready yet just join and they will all be there for you. x
Welcome Blossom. Afraid I can't help you as I have Bronchiectasis, not COPD and I don't smoke. But this forum is full of folk who can, and will, give you masses of help and support.
The doctor put me on fostair inhaler a week ago and since then I have been feeling out of sorts the worse being leg cramps in bed I have been up since 2.30am with really bad pain could this be a side effect it's not normal for Me I have been refusing steroid medicines and trying to get by on ventolin but doctor says I need something different at. This stage
It’s more likely to be a side effect of too much ventolin. That depletes potassium, causing muscle cramps. Listen to your gp, Blossom, relying on ventolin alone is really not a good idea. If fostair doesn’t suit you, there are similar inhalers you can try, but I’d give the fostair another week or two to see if it helps your breathing as many people swear by it.
Nice to meet you Liz and welcome to the club. Many of us have had the problem of kicking the cigarettes into touch. It isn't easy but maybe once you've left work the stress will be less. There is a group for giving up, I'm sure someone will be along to advise you. Sheila x
As far as I'm concerned things have moved on since the "Quit or Die" days. I made a simple switch from smoking to vaping with an e-cig 8+ years ago and have never had, or wanted a cigarette since. They are a very pleasant substitute for smoking with no tar and no smoke. You will get your nicotine hit but without the damage - in fact my asthma has improved and COPD stopped in its tracks - on much less medication now. You can take all the meds under the sun but as long as you are inhaling tobacco smoke your condition will deteriorate. It doesn't have to be a struggle to overcome withdrawal pangs these days, there aren't any.
Hello Blossom and welcome. You may have some regrets in your life but stopping smoking will never be one of them. Use whatever helps and access all the support you can. The Quit site is a brilliant place to start and some of our members are also members there. Good luck.
Hello Liz nice to meet you and a very warm welcome to our forum. We all have good and bad days and on this site you feel comfortable talking to each other knowing that they know how your feeling, it's very reassuring . My main advice to you is to STOP smoking as soon as you can because your lung condition will progress a lot faster if you don't. I know it's not easy but if you do it gradually and maybe try the E fags. It's all worrying at the beginning Liz but as time goes by you just learn to except things as they are and move on, and you have our support along the way. It's never easy but it is a way of life. ✋️😊
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Hi all!
Hi, Just recently joined you folks.
Thank you all, again !
Hi all 
Hello to all
