A few days ago I was diagnosed with mild Emphysema in both upper lobes. I have been a smoker all my life (please don't judge) it seems everyone on this forum says give up smoking immediately. This is very difficult for a lifetime smoker and I wonder if the withdrawal symptoms of giving up are worth it as the damage has been done? I now know that the damage is irreversible and as with a lot of things in this life if only I knew at 14 years old what I know now then I would never have started smoking but I did and although I have cut down to 10 a day over the years I do enjoy a cigarette. Is there anyone else who understands how a smoker feels?
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Goldie09
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I think you will find that many of our members know how you feel and have faced the same challenge, me included. Giving up smoking will not reverse your condition as you know, but continuing will make it worse. It is hard to stop, I went to our doctors surgerys no smoking clinic and chose to have patches. Other options were available. They worked for me. I was diagnosed with COPD six months after quitting my 35year habit. Giving up now will really help along with exercise and healthy eating. Don't give up giving up. Good luck joyce
Welcome to HU Goldie09. Nobody sits in judgement as many are ex smokers and some also still smoke. I care for my husband Pete who smoked for many years but gave up in 1991 after a diagnosis of sarcoidosis. He was then diagnosed with COPD in 2010.
There is lots of help to stop smoking and even a quit site on BLF. You can live a good life with care including exercise and healthy eating. Stopping smoking is a big step but one you would benefit from taking.
Wishing you well. Xx
Hi Goldie & Welcome to Our Great Forum. I found along with many others using an E.Cig helped, that was 4 years ago. I found once the Nicotine had cleared, I did not Cough as much, and I could smell things Better than before. Freedom of the Addiction. We still have COPD, but I for one can Control it Better. I am Stage 4 Emphysema, waiting Transplant. No one will Judge you, Your, your own person. Be Strong, Be Positive, Be in Control. Love n Hugs. Carolina . XXXX
Do you still use the e cig. If not, how long did you use it for? If you don't mind me asking?
Thank you for your kind welcome to the forum Carolina. E-cig might be the way forward as I have been smoking for 54 years and feel I would need help to give up now. xx
I know how you feel..I have smoked for more than 40 years....I stopped cold Turkey 1 week ago..that to me tells me how frightened I am and how rough I feel...Give it a go..and keep giving it a go...thats all I can say..Good luck.
Hi Millcottage Well Done to you for going cold turkey that must have been very difficult after 40 years of smoking. I have smoked for 54 years although have to say I don't feel any of the symptoms at all at the moment when I read about the condition on this forum I guess I will eventually. I have to wait 3 months and the hospital will do a follow-up CT Scan.
Hi Hun, Yes, it is very Difficult, especially Cold Turkey. I did this on many occasions and ended up with the E, Cig, Which worked for me. xxxx
Hello Goldie,
No one here will judge you for smoking. I'm 66 and as a youngster (yes I can remember back that far) I was considered odd because I didn't smoke. My brother, 5 years older than me, was given nothing but cigarettes, lighters, ashtrays, tobacco, tins, rollers and even a pipe for birthdays and Christmas when he was 15 and 16. It was the accepted thing to do.
I didn't smoke because I hated the smell of stale smoke on buses. I was told I'd soon get used to it if I smoked.
I'm not a saint though. I used to drink heavily. At 17, as I walked into my local, the barman would pull a slow creamy pint of guiness and a double whisky, without being asked.
I've been tee total for over 25 years. (I didn't drink while pregnant or while my children were young)
My indulgence now is food.
I try to stick to a healthy die but do slip up and have a biscuit binge or just generally overeat. If that happens I just go back to sensible eating the next day.
As for giving up smoking, well I think you should follow any plan you can. A close friend gave up by cutting down 1 cigarette a day. Any time she found that difficult, say at 32 a day she stayed at that number for a week, then tried 31 for a few days, then continued 1 less each day. As she was a chain smoker, you can imagine that was difficult.
I really hope you can manage to give up. It will help you to maintain the health you have.
Keep in touch with us xx
Hello wheezing
Thanks so much for your reply I’m overwhelmed with the positive suggestions on here😊 I’m almost 69 so can relate to our younger days it was so very sophisticated to smoke adverts on TV told you so. I can’t change the past but hopefully slow down what’s happening to now. Thanks again x
I don't think anyone would ever lay in judgement, we're all adults and make our own decisions.
Your right it is irreversible but you can slow down the effects by trying to exercise daily, limit alcohol to maybe weekends only and eat a good amount of fruit and veg. Also extra vitamins C and D3 are especially important. And drink a ton of water everyday.
If anyone you know has a cold stay well away from them, and ensure they don't visit you if they're poorly.
Hand washing like the clappers, if you've been out first thing to do is wash hands and always carry anti-bac gel. Try not to touch door handles, hand rails etc when your out, they're full of germs. And keep warm.
All of that will help keep you well, but yes I'm afraid the most important thing which will help you is to stop smoking. Yes at first you'll get withdrawal symptoms but they'll subside and eventually you'll notice the difference.
You could try cutting down to 5 a day first then slowly cutting down to less maybe?
There will be some COPD groups at a local clinic or something so maybe join them and I'm sure you'll meet people who can share their stories.
My mum gave up 18months ago, she just literally stopped one day and she'd been smoking for over 40 years!
Wow Shancock! Thank you for all your advice some of which I did not know it’s good to have loads of info. I don’t drink much have a good diet I’ve always been slim so not overweight. I am going to try and cut down smoking I only smoke about 10 a day sometimes more to ease stress levels which is now! I only found out a few days ago that I had emphysema and I have learnt more about it on this site than my GP has told me. My daughter is a nurse and I asked her to be brutally honest with me and she was as I thought as the report said mild then it would just stay that way I didn’t realise it just keeps on going needless to say I was very wrong but I am the sort of person who needs to know what is going to happen and not have too many shocks along the way. Thank you for your support 😊
That's right it is a progressive thing but the progression can be hugely slowed down with a healthy lifestyle. And I'm sorry to say that smoking is gonna be the real game changer.
I don't have COPD just asthma but my aunt does, she's 84 now and still going strong, she's Swedish so I'm sure the cleaner air probably helps, but she's still just moderate she gave up smoking in her 60's and I think it hugely helped. Two years ago she went to Australia for a month! So it hasn't stopped her having a good life.
There are many people who carry on with the condition and even when it's their time to fall from the perch do so due to another reason.
Two things you must do ASAP though, get the flu jab and have it every year and get the pneumonia jab. This will be very beneficial.
Also see a respiratory specialist, ask your GP for a referral. The GP I'm sure is lovely but they know little things about a lot but not a lot a one particular thing, so a specilaitist is very crucial.
Try cutting down to 8 a day for a few weeks and take it from there.
Hi Goldie09, I know exactly how you feel. I was diagnosed in May 2017 with moderate emphysema. I have cut down from 25 to 10 cigarettes a day, but can't seem to get any lower. And when I get stressed out it goes back up. Like you have been smoking since I was 14. But I also know that we do need to give the cigs up, as this will increase the severity of the emphysema in the future and if we can give up, we may just stay at the low end of the spectrum.
Jan x
Hi Jan we're on the same page! I've just decided I'm not going to smoke in my car any longer for me that is a step forward and maybe other steps like this will help
Is it possible to stay on the mild side? someone said to me that it carries on throughout the lungs eventually because I thought initially that as it was mild it won't get any worse?
If we give up and lead a healthy lifestyle, hopefully the emphysema won't get any worse. But if we don't then it will 😠 x
That's what I need to know JanBis. So the choice is to give up to hopefully have a longer life and that's what I need to do
Thanks Jan x
Hi Goldie09, i have just recently been diagnosed with severe copd, and have given up my 40+ year habit...i did it with champix, i have tried many times in the past with patches, etc and ecig, but for some reason the tablets make you forget you want to smoke, take all the cravings away and have been the best way for me to quit. It is a great feeling to breath easier and my cough went completely after a week. It was a shock for me to get this diagnosis as in general i also have no symptoms, yes i had a cough, the smokers cough.... And started to get a little breathless on excercise, which is now improving...i am determined to do everything to stop the disease progressing faster, good luck in your journey and glad for you that you are at the mild stage x
I have been smoke free near a year I woudnt smoke again but do I feel better sorry but NO in fact at times I feel worse ,Sorry not to be positive but its better to be honest I smoked for 40yrs and I stopped by using the Nicorette stick from the GP smoking clinic good luck xx
Hi Shadow It seems some people can do it quite easily and others not so much, I think I'm in the latter group I know someone who was a 40 a day for 45 years and stopped just like that 5 years ago and has not smoked since! Not that he fancies one now and again but he did try one once but said it tasted so awful he threw it away and wouldn't try again. It would be nice if we could all do it like that but after all it is a drug which is hard to come off.
Thank you for your reply it's much appreciated x
Hi Suki So sorry you have been diagnosed with severe copd it's such a shock isn't it, never in my wildest dreams did I think I had anything like this, I had pneumonia when I was on holiday and this is why I had more tests so at least I have it mild at the moment. I've never heard of Champix I will definitely get these tablets as it's going to be very hard to give up completely (I think).
Thank you very much for this info and I do hope you can stop this awful disease from getting any worse. You seem a very determined person! x
Hi Goldie, yes it is a shock, but i am pulling the positive from this and it was a wake up call....i had pneumonia about 5 years ago and it knocked me for six, took months to recover properly but chest xrays ive had in the last couple of years have been good and a i havn't been ill with chest infection, any sign of cold going to chest i have took antibiotics, obtained abroad on my travels, and that has done the job, so was lulled into a false sense of security to carry on smoking. Champix has to be prescribed by the doctor or a smoking cessation clinic, is a 12 week course and you have to smoke when you start taking them, and gradually you just don't feel like a cig anymore. My attitude is, i felt ok before my diagnosis so nothing has changed...i listen to my body and if i need to rest for awhile i will, I've had a weak chest since childhood and try everything to avoid getting a cold, so maybe my body is used to it. I just carry on as normal.....
Hi Suki, Yes I get that as I do not have any symptoms at all it does lull you into a false sense of security to smoke but I cannot ignore the findings of my CT scan which says I have emphysema and that can't be wrong. I am going to see about Champix and hopefully, they will work for me.
It's great you have such a positive attitude and I believe this really helps mind and body. x
We all do but some of us have continued smoking and then realized it does actually get worse to continue. It took many tries for me to quit took a long time but finally don't miss it.
I really pleased you don't miss it any longer and you succeeded:)!! it's such a difficult habit to cease but worth it in the long run.
Hi and welcome .. I smoked to for 35 years I tried and tried to stop but failed every turn .. I joined the smoke sensation group then started using patches and gum .. took me a while but I got there in end and I feel and smell much better for it .. take each hour as they come .. good luck xx
Hi Goldie09, how I agree with you about it being difficult to give up the cigarettes despite knowing what we know now about the problems smoking causes.
My emphysema is very severe but still I cannot kick the habit despite struggling to inhale the blasted things.
Years ago, I asked my GP about stopping and he just laughed at me.
I have tried everything over many, many years - hypnosis, patches, e-cigs ( they require too much effort for me as I do not have enough sucking power ), champix.
I feel such a failure and so ashamed.
I do not smoke in public or in the car.
The one thing I would say is - do you remember how we had to persevere in order to become a smoker? Therefore, it follows that we have to persevere in order to finally kick the habit.
Good luck xxx
Thank you for your reply greatauntali all smokers know how hard it is to give up and you shouldn't feel ashamed you should be proud of yourself that you have tried and tried but sometimes the habit is much too hard to break. I have also stopped smoking in the car that's a big step for both of us
Good luck to you too xxx
Greetings
I hope we don't judge, here. Many of us were (note: were) long-time smokers who found ourselves with this nasty disease. I suspect that most of us feel like you -- "had I only known" ... but this is life as we know it. I haven't read all your replies but think they will all say the same: stop smoking, increase your exercise and slow down the progression. Don't stop, die so much sooner.
Seems to me that there's only one option there. It's hard, so hard, to stop smoking after a lifetime of fags -- but so worth it.
Cheers
Catnip
Not one person has judged me Catnip which was a relief as smokers are treated like lepers and I did not what to expect as I had only just joined this site but everyone has been super lovely and I've had some very good information and advice as my GP has not been very forthcoming with information re my condition so at first, I assumed as it was mild emphysema although not good news it would not get any worse. GP did mention I should give up smoking and to go and see her again if I wanted to talk! This forum has been a great help as I was confused and very tearful a few days ago.
I do agree that stopping smoking is a must, thank you Catnip
Fact is that most of us (not all) are ex-smokers so in no position to judge anyone. I smoked a pack a day for 60+ years and my reward was asthma and COPD - I was reaching for a ciggie when the ambulance was outside waiting to blue-light me into hospital for a night on oxygen. Even after that I couldn't pack it in despite having had "clean" spells of up to 2 years by going cold turkey - there was always some crisis when I fell off the wagon.
I tried everything up to and including hypnosis, nothing worked. On 28th January 2010 I got an e-cig and have never smoked a cigarette since. Primitive though they were in those days they were the answer for me - a viable alternative. It's the tar in the smoke that is the killer and e-cigs have no smoke therefore no tar. "We smoke for the nicotine and die from the tar" was said by an eminent doctor, whose name escapes me but Google will know.
Public Health England have endorsed them as being 95% safer than smoking and there is loads of evidence available - not least the fact that there are now 3 million of us "vapers" in the UK alone. I am still vaping happily away as I type this, but whatever way you choose to do it, please give up the evil weed - your health and your pocket will be so grateful to you. Good luck.
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