Hello New Freinds..

[nsd_user663_3712]

Hello,

I'm a bit of a newbie so let me introduce myself a little & explain why I'm going straight to month 1.

I am 35 years old and have (sorry had, still getting used to that) a 20 year old 15+ habit. I have no children and a smoking husband.

Three weeks ago I was hospitalised with pneumonia. I was in the hospital for two weeks, attached to oxygen 24/7 for the first week and getting three different antibiotics fed to me to try & clear the infection that had caused the pneumonia.

Until I was ill I led a good lifestyle and had embarked on a 5 year plan to rid myself of all my bad habits. I lost weight, gave up drinking and was going to the gym. I was, in my opinion doing realy well for a smoker - running 3 miles a day on the treadmill and hoping to train for a half marathon in 2009.

Both husband and I have good jobs and had just returned from a two week holiday in USA mountain biking and trekking inthe Appalachian mountains of Virginia. I came home with great new designer handbags and the bacteria that caused my pneumonia. The hospital have identified the bacteria that caused it, but it is a strain that is unknown here so they are assuming I picked it up whilst away.

I came out of the hospital Friday 23rd. They had managed to clear the infection but my lungs had still not cleared the fluid. I was under strict instructions that he was only letting me out on the understanding I did not smoke because I would only aggrevate the fluid, and also that my husband did not smoke near me either for the same reason. I was desperate to get home so of course agreed.

BTW forget government shock "no-smoking" campaigns, they should send people around the respiritary wards of a local hospital to show the effects of smoking, yet the team of doctors, nurses and consultants were the most non-judgemental of any NHS staff I have come across. I honestly believe that the honesty and sympathy I received there re the smoking made me think about my habit more that any of the "bully lectures" I have received at my GP or any other source (gym for example). Any GP's take note!!

So back to the story - I got discharged. My husband picked me up and the first thing that hit me was getting in the car and not having a fag. Because thats what you do isn't it - we can't smoke many places so when you leave and get into the sanctuary of your own car the first thing you think about is lighting up....and at this point I realised I was not going to be smoking for the next two weeks until I was given the all clear by the hospital.

And seriously, at that point that's all I thought it was going to be - a four week break.

Anyway - last week, after a lot of soul searching and posting I decided it wasn't going to be a break, it was hopefully going to be forever. Having read some peoples experience of weeks 1 & 2 I realised I was lucky I didn't go through that - I was too busy being drip fed antibiotics & oxygen. I msy never have such an opportunity again so I need to take it.

I am in mourning for the final fag that never was and the fact that my head needs to catch up with my body in terms of getting used to being a quitter, but never the less I'm trying - like everyone else in here.

My biggest problems at the moment are that reading about quitting is great, but my timeline is p*ssing me off cos I should be getting benifits of not smoking by now but I'm not (I'll explain in a minute), and also I'm stuck at home, not being fit enough to return to work yet. The boredom is driving me insane and making me think about it more & more.

So problems: I'm still on very strong antibiotics, one is making me jaundiced and the other has given me the runs and makes most foods taste sour, I have a constant metalic taste in my mouth. I should by now according to everyone, be tasting better than ever but I won't get that until I finish the drugs....

You should be able to feel fitter - but as I explained I was already doing a 3 mile run a day, I am not allowed to put that much strain on my lungs for another month, so all my training will need to start again from the beginning.

No saving of money - I travel a lot for both work and pleasure. I stopped buying cigarettes in the UK once they passed £2 a pack. I have a constant supply in a cupboard in the kitchen. Most are bought in the Gulf or far East where a carton of 200 is $7. I will not have the pleasure of adding the fag money up to treat myself. I will eventually get rid of them but at the moment I like them there as it reminds me this is my choice - I could take some if I want to. The cupboard never has less that 1000 in there and I've just counted 3800 in full cartons plus a half smoked carton. I must add that all were purchased and imported legally!!

So hello to everyone - whilst I'm off work I intend to try & use this as an online diary to keep me focused.

[NicFirth 10 Years Smoke Free]

You are clearly an intelligent lady, you must see this (I think you do) as an opportunity. Carpe diem.

Keep posting.

I have no doubt that as your condition improves you will be very glad that you made the right choice and will see the benefits.

ATB

Nic

[nsd_user663_2783]

Welcome on board F2Q. You have done extremely well and although it has not been easy with flying colours. Keep on posting on here as it really does help (as I have found out) to get other peoples' views and advice and, yes, a telling off now and again. All done in the best possible taste (touch of Kenny Everitt there I think:D).

All the best and hope to see you on here again soon.

[austinlegro 11 Years Smoke Free]

Whatever you do don’t start preparing your excuses for failure already.

If I were to answer some questions honestly I’d say from my own experience;

Food doesn’t taste any different

I’ve no more money in my pocket

I felt fitter when I was a smoker

I was slimmer when I was a smoker

I had no cough as a smoker or a non-smoker

However

I know I’m a lot healthier now than I was 12 months ago and I’m far more fragrant.

People cite many reasons for quitting and mine was the sudden dawning of the fact that smoking was pointless. Once you see that you smoke through habit and every non smoker has just as good a time (if not a better) than the smoker it becomes increasingly difficult to maintain the habit.

Circumstance has put you in a position of strength don’t engineer yourself back into slavery.

Keep reading and researching, that is the path of contentment and success..

[nsd_user663_3282]

...just returned from a two week holiday in USA mountain biking and trekking inthe Appalachian mountains of Virginia...

So hello to everyone - whilst I'm off work I intend to try & use this as an online diary to keep me focused.

Not jealous of the mountain biking/trekking inthe Appalachian mountains whatsoever...no, no, no siree :rolleyes:

Welcome again to the boards and look forward to reading that you are a) recovering well from pneumonia, and b) embracing non smoking - after all you are only bringing 2009 forward a little bit

Make Auld Reekie smoke free :cool:

*Yeah I know I've applied a bit of licensing here*

[nsd_user663_3704]

Hi F2Q and welcome!

Just read your post on the Help board and it brought back lots of memories!

I'm now just 2 days away from completing my first month as a non-smoker but things could have been very different if I'd been as brave as you and I would now be celebrating 13 years of freedom instead!

After my daughter was born in 1995, I too was seriously ill in hospital with an infection for 3 weeks. Like you, I was hooked up to drips feeding me incredibly powerful antibiotics 24/7 and felt so weak it never even occurred to me to have a cigarette. I can still remember the awful taste in my mouth from the tablets they gave me as well-must have been the same ones you're on now and how they used to make me feel sick and dizzy when I took them. I thought I'd never get better and be well enough to leave hospital and look after my newborn baby.

Anyway, I did recover enough to go home-still on tablets though, and it was then it dawned on me that I'd not smoked for 3 weeks-the longest I'd ever gone! I'd never really tried to give up before, so I guess I just didn't appreciate that this really was a 'silver lining' to all the dark clouds I'd been under. Instead of taking the decision that you have and changing my life for the better right there and then, I smoked a cigarette-just out of curiosity!

What an idiot-I think I was hoping that I'd hate it and never want another one, but nicotine addiction just doesn't work like that! Soon I was back on 10-15 a day, rushing out for a quick puff in between feeding, changing, bathing or cuddling my daughter.

I can't turn back time, but if I could, I'd never have smoked that cigarette as I'd done the hard part of stopping without having to even try and it's taken me 13 years to realise that smoking is not something I want in my life anymore.

Make the most of your 'silver lining'-just say no to that first cigarette.

[nickywalton]

Whatever you do don’t start preparing your excuses for failure already.

If I were to answer some questions honestly I’d say from my own experience;

Food doesn’t taste any different

I’ve no more money in my pocket

I felt fitter when I was a smoker

I was slimmer when I was a smoker

I had no cough as a smoker or a non-smoker

However

I know I’m a lot healthier now than I was 12 months ago and I’m far more fragrant.

People cite many reasons for quitting and mine was the sudden dawning of the fact that smoking was pointless. Once you see that you smoke through habit and every non smoker has just as good a time (if not a better) than the smoker it becomes increasingly difficult to maintain the habit.

Circumstance has put you in a position of strength don’t engineer yourself back into slavery.

Keep reading and researching, that is the path of contentment and success..

F2Q... have to agree with what Austinlegro says... but so pleased you have decided to make it your choice to quit...

hope we can help you along the way...you can do this, you are strong...

nicky