Well, I never…

[iansHealth1]

Before my current and recent past set of health maladies, I smoked and drank alcohol like it was an Olympic sport and I was on the Team.

Unconsciously, after the first HA, I stopped the fags and booze instantly - I had been doing both for 35 years - with no real cravings.

Anyway, I had a job medical yesterday and chatting to the nurse and she was asking me how I was getting on with the cravings. I said, yeah, they surface occasionally and I could easily fall off the wagon.

So, here’s the rub;

The nurse tells me that cravings last about three minutes if you can divert your attention away from the craved.

She said I should try and exercise (my current drug of choice) for those few minutes and the cravings will go away.

Thinking back on the times I have had cravings, I see a lot of truth in this.

Thought I’d share…

Ian

[Oldknees]

6 years ago today I had my last cigarette.It was the day I got rushed in for my quintiple bypass.Haven't had one since and not even felt like one.They must have tweaked something inside of me so that I wouldn't have any cravings.I still like a drink mind,but I exercise every day x

[iansHealth1 in reply to Oldknees]

Get that, especially the ‘tweak’.

Someone, something, threw a switch in my favour.

I walk (I can’t run) 10k a day and do the 7 minutes app exercise three times a day. Even bought myself a treadmill so bad weather isn’t an excuse to stay on the couch.

A specialist I saw for work said to me that I should wait for the two year anniversary of my first HA before I take a libation.

October 22nd 2024, here I come. (Salivates…)

[Hidden]

The brain is an odd thing.

I mean look at me. I used to love having some beers with my brother before my heart attack. Never drank loads, maybe 3 pints of craft beer ( yes I'm one of those beer snobs lol).

A few days after my heart attack I even posted here the question " how long did you wait till you had a beer?" Why did I post that? blimey

Anyway to the point, a lot of the replies were " you will find that you probably won't want to anymore".

I thought hmm OK...

But ever since my heart attack, I can just about have a pint a week, then I say that's it. I know it's probably not at the olympian levels of your past life but it's kind of the same thing.

Same with takeaway food, before I had a take away like everyone else on a Friday, now I can't stand the thought of putting takeaway food in my mouth.

maybe im just a weirdo 🤣

[iansHealth1 in reply to Hidden]

Well, shift over weirdo ‘cos I need a seat on your bus.

I’m exactly the same; I had the Untappd app, used to drink tons of it and my ‘fear?’ is once I start, will my addictive personality allow me to moderate?

No more takeaways for me and I used to live off them. Now I cook and eat loads of veg, do the HUEL (like a healthy pot noodle) thing as well. Don’t enjoy it as much but my HF Nurse scares the pants off me and if my weight goes up, I don’t have to worry about heart disease doing for me, she’ll do it.🤓

[Hidden in reply to iansHealth1]

untappd 🤣 I remember those days. if it ain't got 4 stars plus I'm not paying £6.50 for half a pint.

[andrew290171]

I was smoking 20 a day and gave up through reading alen carr's book. However after 4 years had one cigarette and within a month was back to 20 a day. Gave up again this time knowing I can never had another. I found after a few years the cravings have gone completely now. Not even an issue. Still working on the drinking though

[Hrty]

Stopped smoking 7 years ago after scrounging a roll-up from my brother at my step-dad's funeral. Not had or craved one since even through wife's breast cancer, that "bug" and my brother's death. Stopped drinking after my HA in Nov 22. Have had about 1/2 a bottle of wine (in total), couple of whiskies and a few bottles of beer since and those were spread out a lot. Don't really miss it and stick to 0% alcohol or water when going out for meals, even curries with mates. I used to like a drink, and by like I mean really like, especially real ale, single malt, good wine and a G&T. It really does feel at times that at some point as well as giving me meds, doing the angiograms and rehab they flicked a switch somewhere 😀