Went for my first session to quit smoking, thought I was going to get encouragement instead he spoke about the benefits in relation to heart attacks when I said that I had moderate COPD I was told oh in your case the damage is already done.
smoking: Went for my first session to... - Lung Conditions C...
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carling
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Bl@@dy idiots! How can they say that? Obviously you were dealing with someone who is lacking in intelligence! Makes my blood boil. Now you have to stop, just to prove them wrong. 
To tell you the truth I went to the pub had a few and bought a pack of cigs (haven't opened yet) and I thought what the hell if the damage is done then what's the point of giving up something that I enjoy.
Totally agree with you. No point shutting the stable door and all that if it does not make a difference. Thing is though, it DOES make a difference, a big one. It stops your health from deteriorating at a gallop and, if it is mild/moderate enough, can mean it NEVER gets any worse. Throw the packet away unopened. Or, if you have opened it, chalk it up as a trial run and throw away those that are left. It really does mean choosing between life and death. I was very severe when I was diagnosed so did not have the chance you have. I did stop, but the damage is so bad I cannot improve on it. But you can. You have that choice, that chance. Don't throw that away. Good luck. xx
Thank you Toci the cigs are in the bin unopened. I think I need to give myself a swift kick up the a... and do something about it thanks again.
It is all in the mind. Really! Once you make a firm decision you will find you can do it. It is not easy, but it is doable. Think of all the positives, not just better health but smelling much nicer, less damage to your teeth, a cleaner, sweeter home, no more cigarette burns in your clothing, and saving all of that lovely money. Give yourself rewards for good behaviour, little treats. You CAN do it. One step at a time. x
And, try reading back on some of longlungs posts; she stopped about 8 weeks ago and has detailed it here. May help.
x
I think we all know that we have already done some damage if we have smoked for Many years. The question I asked myself is do I want to make it worse? My answer is nope I don't. I said the same thing to myself when I was told it couldn't be reversed but I knew deep down that I had run out of the normal excuses why I shouldn't stop so this was just another new one for me to use. I didn't succumb to it and gave myself a stern talking to by remembering that I can at the very least prevent it getting worse and help myself to a better existence in my future. I don't know exactly how bad it may get but I do know that by not smoking it is going to be easier. And that's all any of us can do for every one not just people who have an illness. So I dais by best wishes and congratulations on not smoking!
OMG how to win friends and influence people eh!What a plonka Id have been in the pub with you in that situation carling grrr .Please dont give in coz it does make a difference a real difference.Im at the severe stage and my blood pressure has gone back to normal i hoping they will take my meds away for that Im hoping that PR istart 7th january will be the one and because i have now stopped my fitness has to improve,stands to reason.Ignore the ignoramous stupid comments carling keep on stopping.Pleeeeze 
Janexx
Thank you so much for your comments they really do make a difference and yes I will beat the dreaded weed with the help, support and encouragement of good people as yourself. I wish you and every one else on here success in all that they strive to achieve.
Hi Jane, hope you ok, well done, it does make you feel better, in loads of ways, doesn't it. June x
Hi June im all good thank-you. Oh so much in so many ways June.Still cant believe Ive got this far am made up. Hows you doing at the mo? Janexx
Hi Jane, I seem to be a little flying on auto pilot just recently. But not over doing it, just have to stay very very focused. Had a few moments when that little devil has got into my head and the one thing that stops him is, ok another glass of wine and off to bed, no shop to sell me a fag in my bedroom, and usually the last glass of wine is better than any sleeping pill. Must start drinking the damn glass though instead of waking up in the morning and looking at a wasted glass of wine. What are you doing to combat the cravings. Although I must say they are getting further apart now, I am pleased to say. Lol June xx
Hi June Oh boy I do get the cravings my inhalator swings round my mouth very vigorously as you say they come and go fairly quickly fortunately. Janexx
in reply to longlungs
Hi Jane. Malk here so happy for you girl, was easy , told you you could do it, But still watching you.
longlungs in reply to
Hello malk7 good to hear from you its 8weeks today sunday cant believe it myself is all good though,thank-you for keeping an eye hahaha.Are you well at the moment with all these rotten bugs about? Hope you are nice to hear from you see you soon i hope. Janexx
in reply to longlungs
Im ok thanks Jane. This timee next year we will be calling you ( Superlungs !! ) but I bet you can feel the diffrence already in this short space of time !!. I Told you, I was a Sixty cigs a day man, for Fifty years.There was No gas down the African mines so even underground a cig was no problem. Malk xx
I think it was very wrong of someone to say that to you. Please throw that packet away. The longer you stay in the moderate stage, the better, and you can only do that if you start looking after yourself. I wasn't diagnosed until I was very severe. I envy you this opportunity to do something so constructive for your health which will enhance the quality of your life x
I went to no smoking clinic and was given Champix and two weeks later I was a non smoker and I still am after 19 months. I can truly say I will never smoke again. So the best of luck to you, you can do it x
Lucky you Poppymichael7 ! My "quit smoking " practitioner suggested I try Champix. I reacted very badly ( as many others do ) and my GP told me to stop taking it. I had already tried 100% of every other stop smoking aids without success. I am now using eCigs and whilst they taste disgusting , one lasts me a week. Far better than smoking 8-10 real "weeds" a day. I have COPD and the coughing is virtually nil, both huffers doing an excellent job ! Glad to hear you have beaten the dreaded weed habit for 19 months, Congratulations !
Thank you Mollysdad, like you in the past I'd tried loads of times but this time I knew it was make or break for my lungs. My husband who tried with me ( for my sake ) wasn't so lucky with Champix, he had a reaction to them. There are times when I've wanted to shout from the rooftop " I've done it " because I thought I'd go to my grave with one in my mouth, so if I can do it so can all of you out there. Everyone on this site will encourage and help you. Good luck xxx
Sounds like you are not of a mind to stop. Its like the glass is half empty. You are looking for the negative instead of the helpful positives. Nobody twisted my arm to have another fag. I didn't need that much persuasion. When I stopped I did it the AA way. 'One day at a time.'. that's many days ago now. the damage to my lungs is still there but I haven't done anymore and I am a lot fitter than I would have been if I had not given up. that's if I had lived to tell the tale
Hi carling, I gave up smoking on 22 August and can honestly tell you it is the best thing I have done. I had smoked for 45 years, and was having major problems, coping with every day life. If you know the Cornish village of looe, I could not even get from the car park next to the doctors, and into see the doc, had to keep having home visits, or phone calls from the doc. However now, I can park in the main car park, and make a point of walking the complete circle to the sea front and back to the car park, without stopping, using my inhalers, or best of all needing to call 999. I have also put 1st 3lb in weight on, which, given the fact that I was 6st, on the 22/8 it's really good for me. I can taste my food, and actually enjoy planning my meals. Due to the heart problem, that the doc says I have, but the angiogram, says my heart is good, ha ha work that out. But I started looking at the advised mediteranian diet, not to diet but for food ideas, and I love it, lots of nice tastes, but more so if you don't need lots of weight gain, then it's also good from that side too. I have also returned to work, which was a bit of a worry, as my boss was always encouraging me to sit and chat and have a fag. Thankfully she was better than I expected, and I just get on with my work, and keep calm. That part is very much mind over matter, positive thinking, I can do this, I can succeed and I won't let all those b------ put me down, and most of all I won't give in to the devil in my head saying oh go on just one, it won't hurt, just one, well it will hurt, and I am bigger and better than that .
I have not been on the site for about three weeks, so hi to everyone , the reason for my silence is that I was reading posts, and started feeling like a bit of a fraud as everyone was having their problems and I was feeling so much better and healthier every day. I started to feel guilty for feeling so good myself, found that I was struggling to find the right words for my replays to posts . But Carling, when I was not so good, everyone on here helped me comforted me and most of all supported me. Give the fags a miss one day at a time, good luck, l junex
What an ignoramus. Okay so you have left it too late to save your lungs, quitting is going to do you far more good than continuing the habit and think of the savings you are going to make.
I smoked plain cigarettes from 1948 until 1999 and am hanging on to life like a terrier.
Would I still be here if I hadn't stopped. I don't think so.
Smoking does kill . . . . . Why invite it when all you want is life?
Hi carling i gave up on sept 2nd with hypnotherapy. The moron at ur smoking clinic probably never smoked a cig in his life. Never quit quitting. The allan carr book is a very useful tool it changes the way u think about smoking good first step. Whatever method u choose i wish u well u can do it. Oh bye the way my symptoms of lch are greatly improved im back hill walking take care
I went to a smoking cessation group four and a half years ago and was given Champix and plenty encouragement. After three weeks I had stopped smoking and have not smoked since. Incidentally I was diagnosed with moderate COPD a year later. The damaged had been done by 40 years of smoking.
As a never smoker , all I can say is, good luck. Some medics are just in the blame game. It has to be our fault that we have the disease, and if it isn't smoking it will be obesity or whatever. Hopefully all this encouragement will be of some help in your quest..
What a bloody fool! The point is if you stop smoking now you will stop any further damage! Ignore him he is a fool - you can stop smoking and you will feel so much better for it. I promise, I did and my husband did. It is not easy and the last thing you need to here is what that idiot said! Move forward and show the idiot how wrong he is. Good Luck and throw away those unopened packs! You can do it!! With lots of love TAD xx
Hi Carling, I am in the middle of trying to give up, it is not easy, but I am trying I wish you all the luck xx
take it from me I was in a wheel chair and had been told I would be dead 5 years ago, even I thought them right I stopped smoking, the more I see and hear of NHS services the more I despair,
just stop keep us posted and we will support you
Don't listen to him Carling. If you give up now you will feel so much better. My Husband and I gave up years ago. He smoked 40 a day and gave it up just like that. I smoked ten a day and had an awful job. I would go to my sisters and ask her for one. At the end of the week I would buy her a packet. In the end I thought this is silly so I just stopped. The moral of the story DO IT! YOU CAN! YOU KNOW YOU CAN! When you want one find something to do that will keep your hands busy. Have a peppermint when the craving hits you. Maybe even chewing gum.
Oh crumbs! There are always people ready to put others down. Don't listen to that. You are on the recovery path now. You'll be proud to announce that nobody else helped you giving up the habit. By the way, do you keep a diary? I would if I were treated in this way. Also it's a nice to keep a progress diary with all the set backs. It boosts your confidence at the end of the day. Keep it up! And if it's a question of heart, I'm all for it, take heart!
Like a lot of you, been there, done that and am only alive today because I
stopped smoking just over fourteen years ago after fifty three years of the habit.
I have overcome lung cancer but am now in the end stages of Emphysema and
living my days quietly and preparing . . . .
For those of you quitting, the very best of luck, believe me you will not
regret it.
As for why did we start to smoke?
Let's take a trip back to the nineteen forties and look towards Hollywood.
It was the post war years and people needed to dream they could share the
same world and life style of the stars that they worshipped.
It was also a time when servicemen were returning home to families, some as
total strangers, teenagers suddenly having an adult male in the home for the
first time in years, and, if that wasn't enough, our doctor's recommended it
for our nerves . . . . there are more reasons, lots more, but one does not
criticise the man who falls into a pit but the wisdom he uses in getting out
of it.
Here's an article from 1947 on why we smoke cigarettes . . . smokingsides.com/docs/whysm...
That is atrocious Carling, the damage may be done but there is so much further lung damage you can avoid by stopping smoking now, quality of life and breathing will deteriorate much much more if you continue to smoke.
You are doing the best thing in stopping smoking, well done for doing that.
I am wishing you every success and a good healthy future.
Best wishes BC
Hi
Just read all the supportive messages above, how encouraging and uplifting, well done to everyone.
Fantastic support on here, keep up the good work for all our sake.
One thing, GIVE UP THE FAGS and see the change, I am living proof of how giving up FAGS can change your life.
Good luck and never give up, stay positive and focused on giving up the FAGS.
David 1968
Hiya there, Carling
I find it just incredible that a "professional" should say that. Yes, s/he is right, that the "damage is already done", BUT -- your COPD is only moderate, so there's not a horrendous amount of damage done....
What you have to do is put the stupid comment out of your head and concentrate on the matter in hand: stopping smoking. That is crucial to your continued diagnosis -- that, and getting plenty of aerobic exercise, and looking after yourself.
You _know_ what has to be done; come and join the rest of we ex-smokers!!!
Cheers
Catnip
I can't believe you were given such stupid advice carling. Ok the damage might be done but you can certainly help it stop getting worse by packing in the fags. Keep on giving up - you will get there. We will support you all we can.
Bev x
Hi Carling, you said you are moderate COPD this is the best time for you to give up yes you have a small amount of damage to your lungs and it is never to late.
A lot of people don't know what COPD is and are ignorant when you spell it out they automatically assume it is your fault you put the ciggy in your mouth. Do it for you and stick your fingers up at that person at the quit clinic, good luck
Hi carling, well I think that the response you have had says it all. There are a hell of a lot a people out hear rooting, thinking and supporting YOU. Go for it and kick they doubting thomases arses into touch.
Hi Carling, what an idiot to say that to you, I stopped smoking 17 years ago, but unfortunately in August this year I was diagnosed with severe copd, but I think the best thing I did was to stop smoking because I am sure if I had'nt I would not be here now, so you keep off the dreaded weed and dont listen to negative people, stopping smoking is the best thing to slow down the progress of this horrible illness. X Pat
Hi Carling,
Please dont let that comment put you off trying to quit the ciggies,
i was told exactly that from a specalist chest consultant at the hospital,
i was admitted to hospital after suffering a very severe breathing attack,
after tests was told it was a blood clot on my lungs, then at the clinic follow up asssesment 2 wks later,
the consultant asked if i smoked when i said yes i was then given a lecture on smoking then i
was told that in my case it didnt matter if i gave up or not as the damage had already been
done, and i had lungs of a 90 yr old, at 51, it was quite a shock to hear that, so i,
thought you dont scare me, and went and did the opposite, i enroled in a smoking sessation
class and tried champix, then with persivereance and will power, managed to quit, on
22/2/13, and am still off them, and i feel great compaired to what i was like, so please dont let
that silly man stop you from trying all because of a stupid comment, i promise you will feel 100%
better, its hard and frustrating at first, but like so many people on here have said it DOES get easier
as time goes on, its true it does so please give it a go, youve nothing to lose, just try one day at a time,
good luck and i will be thinking of you and willing you on, Take care,
Cheryl.
Hi carling, how the nonsmoking going?
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