Smoking

[MRK-3]

Hello I have been a smoker for 52 years how on earth do I manage to stop smoking, what did you do? since my husband's death smoking is the thing that I really needed.

[SpiritoftheFloyd]

I'd been a smoker for 50 years. Had a heart attack/cardiac arrest in December 2018. Never been ill in my life prior to heart attack. I rang 999 when I started to feel that I couldn't breathe, I've never been so frightened like I was at that point while waiting for the ambulance to turn up. Luckily it arrived within 6 minutes of me ringing 999. Taken to heart and chest hospital where I went into cardiac arrest before they could put a stent in LAD, then placed in induced coma to stabilise me.The next morning in ICU had a nicotine patch slapped on my arm. On discharge I was supplied with 4 weeks worth of patches. Provided with the full 12 weeks course of them, slowly cutting down to the minimum does then stopped the patches . It's now over 2 years since my last cigarette.

For me it was the shock and trauma that got me to stop.

If you can't stop, have you tried vaping instead, it's claimed to be less dangerous than smoking cigarettes. I also know someone who successfully used hypnosis sessions to quit after trying nicotine patches without success and he's now been a non smoker for 5 years.

Hope you can succeed in stopping

[MRK-3 in reply to SpiritoftheFloyd]

I tried Nicotine patches they did nothing for me at all.

[gilreid1]

Returned home from working overseas and at my age (61) decided to semi retire. So thought life would be good with lots of golf and country walks. Had been smoking small cigars for around forty years and suddenly felt my fitness level was poor and energy levels getting worse decided to try and give up and my mates suggested vaping. Over period of five months reducing the nicotine level stopped completely. One month later had a HA. Not related to vape but most certainly not helped by years of smoking. Following bypass surgery never been tempted to smoke again but most certainly have the occasional craving.

So no matter what you try it will not be easy but the benefits you will notice in a short space of time. Some may not think vape is safe but being honest what is ?

Stay safe

Gil

[Rose54]

Hi I tried for many years would get to time shops closed and then gave in and brought some .

I decided my marriage was over and asked him to leave

So being short of money and needed to keep busy looked at what I could do .

So with the money I spent on smoking

Joined slimming world

Cinema once a week

Aqua fit once week

swimming twice a week

And joined a Reiki share group

Set myself a date a week after he moved out ,and never smoked again

I gave up at a stressful time selling a house and moving on my own .I do think the Reiki group helped a lot.

Patches did not work for me and vaping is just swapping one thing for another

Its not easy but you will find a way that suits you when you ready

Been 17 years for me

[Gladwyn]

A heavy smoker for at least 30 years .... stupid me..... I really wanted to stop so had an hours session with a Hypnotist and have never smoked or wanted to smoke since. That was about 25 years ago. If I hadn’t stop I would have been dead by now.

[MichaelJH Heart Star]

I am going to address this from a different angle. You already have narrowed heart arteries known as CVD (cardio vascular disease). Another circulatory disease is PAD (peripheral arterial disease) which affects the limbs but mainly the lower leg. This was one of the causes of my BKA (below knee amputation) last year. PAD is usually caused by smoking and/or diabetes. When I went to amputee rehab last month (now cancelled because of CovID) the other two in my group of three had lost a leg because of smoking. Both just stopped smoking!

[Palpman]

After 35 years of heavy smoking and trying different cessation methods my wife and I took up vaping.That was 9 years ago and my wife no longer vapes but I vape pure vegetable glycerine with 0% nicotine. I only do so because of habit and I love it.

Exchanging cigarettes for vaping was easy and stopping vapes is so much easier than going cold turkey with cigarettes.

[Lezzers]

As an ex long term smoker I'm not sure why you think posting something that pretty much says you're gonna fail at giving up smoking is helpful to someone who is looking for encouragement! I'm of the generation that smoked in offices, cinemas and even on airplanes. I gave up smoking about 20 years ago having smoked for 20+ years, I don't crave a cigarette and haven't done since about a year of giving up. Yes, initially you have an urge for a cigarette but that dwindles, lasts just a moment or two and disappears totally. Likewise pretty much everyone I know has given up smoking and never gone back to it. You've only got to look at the comments on this post to see that the majority are successful ex smokers. Let's encourage the OP instead of discouraging??

[Lezzers]

I think just about everyone who smokes knows of weak moments especially long term smokers, no need to highlight it!! Let's focus on positives for encouragement ☺️

[Lezzers]

How long did you smoke for and how long have you given up?

[Lezzers]

So no experience!! Have you reached the 3 limit?

[gilreid1 in reply to Lezzers]

It would appear no experience in any heart related matters. A serial googler

[Lezzers in reply to gilreid1]

So it would seem!

[Lezzers]

Thank you for updating your comments that I'm welcome to the last word, very much appreciated and very positive ☺️

[Stuart2441]

Speak with your local smoking cessation centre (GP) and discuss 'Champix'. This is a prescription only drug and after 40 odd years of smoking and a HA I went on to it. While patches etc still have nicotine which is the addictive element Champix blocks the brain receptors while allowing the nicotine to wean off. Once on you set a firm date that you want to stop, I only took the tablets daily for two weeks and stopped smoking. This was nearly 5 years ago, no craving or climbing the walls. You can also read about Champix and how it works online but seriously, if you are having difficulty stopping smoking then speak to your GP and ask about the drug. Best wishes

[MRK-3 in reply to Stuart2441]

Many years ago I was given a drug from my doctor to stop smoking but I got hallucinations and dreadful headaches but it actually was stopping me getting the urge to smoke but had to stop it because of the terrible side effects. Apparently at the time it was only women who suffered these side effects.

[seasider18]

At the price they are now it should be easy to stop! Can you really afford to ?I stopped in March 1993 after smoking for 43 years and each week put the money away. In November went to Hong Kong and Guilin (China) on holiday and the following March to Zimbabwe.

[Hidden]

Try having bypass surgery,it worked for me.x