Smoke or not?

[Buffy6956]

I smoked since I was 15 ... I then gave it up cold turkey 3 weeks ago after finding out results of my ct angiogram.... I miss it massively but it was my choice to quit.... but I just wondered out of interest how many of you continue to smoke or also gave up...? If you still smoke does it bother you that you may be adding to your problem? If you gave up does it bother you that you can’t ever have a fag again? It does me but there you go my choice. Stay safe heart family xxx

[gilreid1]

I stopped smoking (small cigars)April 2019. For three months used a vape. Then stopped that. My HA happened 2nd August followed by triple bypass October. I still have the urge to smoke but so far managed not too. But with this lockdown it is more difficult. But I think at 62 years old having smoked since I was twenty I am feeling a lot more healthy 😊

[SpiritoftheFloyd]

I'd smoked for 50 years, tried many times to give it up and failed.

Heart attack/cardiac arrest 28/12/2018, put in an induced coma and the following morning after I was brought around from coma had a nicotine patch slapped on my arm!, did the 12 week course of patches haven't smoked since! While in hospital, doctors, consultant, registrars all said that the most important thing I needed to do to hopefully prevent me making an early return to hospital was to stop smoking.

Now over 15 months later I don't even think about smoking. I feel so much better, don't smell of smoke, nor do my clothes, feel fitter and am almost £8,000 better off! I'm totally over the moon to have finally stopped - stick with it, it will be worth it.

[Hidden]

Buffy with the greatest respect I can't believe you are asking this question. For heavens sake do you not think the NHS even under normal conditions need to be burdened with people who have brought problems upon themselves? I tell you what, here's a little anecdote for you, this is dead gen:

My next door neighbor about 8 months ago stuck his head over the fence and said "Hey mate guess what I've got" After having a few attempts with answers like "a hole in your new Pond liner" or "a new set of golf clubs" he said "No, lung cancer. It's not a big deal though, I am going to fight it". Poor devil is now at stage 4 (there is not a stage 5), and has also contracted C19 in hospital, from where he has now been sent home. I have already been to the pharmacists about 6 times to get his prescriptions, the Nurses promise to come but then get diverted elsewhere at the last moment, and he is obviously in strict isolation with his poor wife, who is getting towards the end of her tether, even though she is a strong woman. The kemo and radiotherapy has taken a huge toll out of him, the outcome is sadly inevitable, and they are enduring a miserable existence with his monitors constantly going off all times of the day and night. They have promised her a night relief nurse several times but they never show up. I hasten to add he was a smoker all his life before moving on to vaping.

I know it's a very addictive drug which you have been on since 15, but you simply HAVE to stop it, lots of people have. You owe it to your family, friends, yourself AND the NHS. While they are so burdened over the coming months why not make a pledge to support them by making sure you do not have a fag from now on??

Please do it.

[Buffy6956 in reply to Hidden]

But I “have” stopped.... I stopped 3 weeks ago cold turkey after getting my diagnosis.... I’m just interested to see who has and who hasn’t.... I won’t ever smoke again even though I enjoyed smoking.... I do feel it is “the” most important change anyone can make but everyone is different and feels differently about things I guess

[Hidden in reply to Buffy6956]

OK, well it did sound like you were contemplating starting again from the wording! I don't that there is anything other than one way to think about it...

Keep it up.

[Milkfairy Heart Star]

Hi Buffy on your profile you say you are a nurse?

Surely during your training to pass your exams to become a registered nurse you were taught the reason why smoking is so harmful?

Going cold turkey must have been so difficult to do.

Perhaps ask your GP or Cardiology team to refer you to a place on a smoking cessation programme

[stillaboveground]

When I gave up smoking many years ago I could not see me going through life without another fag, now I wouldn't, couldn't smoke another fag if you paid me. Stick at it, it will get easier. Keep safe

[Hidden]

Hi Buffy,

No judgement from me....

I used to smoke real bad, but gave up after my HA. Try using a vape and gently decrease the nicotine content. It takes a bit of getting use too but it does work.

[Milkfairy Heart Star in reply to Hidden]

Why do people end up smoking?

[SpiritoftheFloyd in reply to Milkfairy]

Well when I was growing up:- everybody smoked, my father chain smoked, the manufacturers were successfully covering up the evidence that it was harmful, you could, and did smoke anywhere and everywhere.

Today number of smokers in UK = 15%, my father gave up, everyone knows the damage smoking causes, the only place you can smoke in peace is your garden - so, umm, yes - Why DO people end up smoking these days?

[Buffy6956 in reply to SpiritoftheFloyd]

Same rules applied to me as did you when I was young.... if I’m honest I actually didn’t really like the taste and rarely took a drag down but wanted to look cool I guess then the more I got used to it the more I took drags down and then got addicted.... could smoke anywhere there was even a smoking room just on the other side of ward swing doors on the maternity ward where I had my second baby 36 years ago (shocking)!!!! My dad used to smoke and gave it up in his 40’s and hated the smell of smoke and preached to people who did smoke ... I think nowadays fewer and fewer of people will smoke which is a good thing

[Milkfairy Heart Star in reply to Buffy6956]

Save up all the money you will save and spend it on something special just for you!

[Prada47]

Hi Buffy First Off well Done

I have been stopped 38 years now and I am not going to lie to you I could pick one up right now and enjoy it, BUT I won't I am not that stupid I know it wouldn't be worth it

So well done stay stopped it isn't that easy but you will get used to it.

One thing I know I don't think I could afford to Smoke now £8 £9 a packet wow !!

Regards

Stay well

Stay Safe

and Keep

Stopped

[SpiritoftheFloyd in reply to Prada47]

£8-9 a packet ! -ex Marlboro smoker here - currently £11.70 😮

[Prada47 in reply to SpiritoftheFloyd]

Jesus I smoked Marlboro for a few years Duty Free in the Navy and then Offshore so always had them cheap !!

Regards

Stay Well

Stay Safe

[SpiritoftheFloyd in reply to Prada47]

I used to bring supplies back from holiday in Greece - still under €5 when I was last there!

[Buffy6956 in reply to SpiritoftheFloyd]

And £11.50 upwards for a 30g pouch of baccy

[stillaboveground in reply to SpiritoftheFloyd]

I smoked Rothmans king size, don't know how much they would be now. My mother in law used a long cigarette holder she thought she was like princess Margaret.

[Chappychap]

Congratulations on stopping smoking. It's tough but it's a huge achievement so very, very well done!

I quit smoking cigarettes fifteen plus years ago...but immediately became addicted to nicotine lozenges. I wasn't too concerned as the messages I was getting during company annual medicals was that nicotine lozenges weren't a risk.

After a heart bypass at the end of 2018 I dug a little deeper and uncovered a different story, Nicotine lozenges (or patches or vaping) aren't too bad from the perspective of cancer risks, but ANY nicotine is risky from a heart perspective.

Consequently I've quit nicotine lozenges and am now completely nicotine free.

I've heard some people say that nicotine in some form is essential or else they fear that they'll put on lots of weight. We're all different so I wouldn't presume to judge, all I can say is that as well as quitting nicotine lozenges I also started eating healthier and exercising regularly, consequently I've lost two stones and genuinely feel twenty years younger. So as far as I'm concerned weight loss and quitting smoking at the same time is entirely possible.

One final comment, an old friend of mine now lives in Italy. He said that many Italian smokers he knew were now using cigarette holders...the local rumour is that if you're hospitalised for Covid-19 and have nicotine stains on your fingers then you'll automatically be denied ventilation if there's a shortage of ventilators!

[Hidden]

I chain smoked for over 20 years roll ups. But I wouldn't dream of it now. I do like to burn inscence sometimes. But thinking of all the corona patients struggling to take their last breaths I would count my lucky stars I can still breathe. So precious.

[daveofpensby]

Gave up 26 years ago come 13 November this year and I’d smoked from about the age of 14 same as you went cold turkey and even now at times I’d love a smoke but never give in to it

You have only just stopped but you know what your in the hardest stages now and each day it will get easier believe me good luck

Remember your only 1 cigarette away from being a smoker again

[stillaboveground in reply to daveofpensby]

Hi, I gave up on Friday 13 December 1985, I kept a packet of cigs for over 12 months, that helped me knowing if I got desperate I had some, but it was a discipline thing. Keep well.

[Ianc2]

Congratulations, you have done the hard bit and the physical part is over. The tricky bit now is convincing your head that 'I don't smoke' as the addiction is/was a lifestyle and very difficult to get over. Well done.

[nursenancy53]

Hi Buddy

Well done on stopping the cigs, but I know what you mean about staying stopped - it's tough going, especially these days. I stopped in August 2018, 3 months before my aortic valve replacement. For about the last 14 months I have been very short of breath - never a problem I had while smoking. I am waiting a respiratory appointment but prior to covid 19 the wait was almost 2 years! Has anyone else had the problem of being sob after stopping smoking? My gp has ruled out heart failure as the cause.

Thanks everybody and take care x

[Becksagogo]

Oh bless you. Congratulations on kicking the drug. It's hard; been there, done that, got the t shirt. I smoked for 45 years stopping for short periods but never long enough to wean myself off it. Then I was taken in to hospital for 15 days as an emergency with AF. No time to pick up my cigarettes or money so I went cold turkey too. Best thing I ever did but by no means has it been easy. Four years later and I still dream about having a fag and feeling so ashamed when I wake up! I often smell people who are outside having their fix and I stop and breathe deeply taking in the memories that it evokes! I will never start again because of my heart problems but it hasn't been easy.. I wish you the best of luck and remind you that you are doing your body so much good by kicking it! Stay safe.

[potter-scfc]

Hi Buffy i stopped smokin started vaping, been fine.