That Sneaky Nicotine...

[nsd_user663_16474]

Don't panic, I haven't caved :). I just want to relate an odd experience I had today.

The final incentive for me to quit this time was when I went to the doc a few weeks ago with pains in my neck. He sent me for blood tests and x-rays, and since I was a smoker he wanted chest x-rays too. That made me sit up and decide to get off the weed.

Fast-forward to today and my follow-up appointment this morning. The doctor said that I have slight arthritis in my neck and the blood tests were all normal. He also said that the x-rays show my lungs to be clear. So apart from the arthritis, a clean bill of health :).

As I left the surgery, the thought crossed my mind that as everything's fine it'd be OK to smoke again!! :eek:. I very quickly banished that illogical thought!! The further thought occurred to me that if the x-rays had shown something untoward then my thought would have been that I might as well smoke as the damage is already done.

The moral of the story is that nicotine will try and get you any way it can. Be stubborn and resist at all times!!

Ed xx

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3w 5d 16h 11m smoke-free, 716 cigs not smoked, £239.86 saved, 2d 11h 40m life saved

[nsd_user663_9220]

Morning Mr Ed and

PHEWWW, was a bit worried to open this thread then!!

So glad to hear that your bloods were normal and lungs all clear!!! What a relief.

But a huge congratulations to you for knocking away that feeling you had!!

If you ever read back on any of my posts when i first joined here back in March, you will see one of my biggest reasons was that was high risk from having a brain anuerysm So i stopped before i had my MRI scan as i was so scared.

But when i got the all clear in April, i too had those thoughts and unfortunately a month later i restarted! I also restarted because i kept thinking about all the duty free's i could buy cheaply...HOW DAMN STUPID EH???

Yes nicotine will try and grab us back anyway it can, but i am hoping i have learnt my lesson and am much stronger this time around!!

No more excuses for us Mr Ed.... we shall be strong and succeed...

Well Done so proud of you!

Snowie xx

[nsd_user663_16474]

Thanks Snowie :).

I didn't know about your brain aneurism risk. That must have been an extremely worrying time and I'm so glad you got the all-clear. It's fascinating how even after a scare like that you still went back on the cigs. That just goes to show the hold nicotine has over us. It's all part of the learning process and you're in a far stronger position to stay quit now.

My fleeting thought to start smoking again came totally out of the blue today!! I haven't had one of those for a couple of weeks now. I find it interesting the ways the subconscious tries to rationalise smoking with totally illogical reasoning. The trick is to ignore it :).

Definitely no more excuses Snowie. You and me *will* succeed in this!!

Mr Ed xx

[nsd_user663_15147]

Same here with getting scared opening this thread! I thought 'no way, surely not ed!' so I was happy to see a lovely post once again showing us how no matter how strong our addiction to nicotine is we can always over come it

You know what the strange thing is? If you tried to explain why you didn't light up again after getting the all-clear to a smoker I'm quite sure they just WOULDN'T understand! Denial and addiction are the strangest things...

Well done ed and thx for sharing

[nsd_user663_5119]

Congrats on the all-clear Ed...fantastic news.

That little devil is a bu**er isn't he....will try and get you one way or another...but a BIG BIG well done, for giving him the slap that he deserves....xx

[nsd_user663_16968]

Definitely no more excuses Snowie. You and me *will* succeed in this!!

Dont let us down you 2, u can both do this as we all will. You have been an inspiration to me and i love reading how your getting on.

Snow, i am glad that you have had the all clear and that this time its for keeps.

No pressure guys but the first rounds on those who get to the penthouse first and thats you 2, ha ha.

& Ed, Thats great news about your all clear. Keep on smilin my friend

LOL x

[nsd_user663_16887]

wow that's amazing all around! First that you got a good pic on your lungs, what a relief and then you beat the sucker!! Absolutely amazing the way this demon thinks isn't it? Glad you could step aside and see through it

[nsd_user663_17057]

Ed

That Nic is a sneaky little begger !!

Rather than the thought, "well if I'm clear I may as well smoke", we must rather have the thought that we have just been incredibly lucky so far, so don't go and mess it up now by starting again.

It is amazing how we can justify starting again isn't it?

[nsd_user663_16474]

Same here with getting scared opening this thread! I thought 'no way, surely not ed!' so I was happy to see a lovely post once again showing us how no matter how strong our addiction to nicotine is we can always over come it

You know what the strange thing is? If you tried to explain why you didn't light up again after getting the all-clear to a smoker I'm quite sure they just WOULDN'T understand! Denial and addiction are the strangest things...

Well done ed and thx for sharing

Sorry Sofia. Maybe my thread title *was* a bit dramatic :p.

It really was the weirdest illogical thing to think. Fortunately only fleetingly and easily disposed of.

Congrats on the all-clear Ed...fantastic news.

That little devil is a bu**er isn't he....will try and get you one way or another...but a BIG BIG well done, for giving him the slap that he deserves....xx

Thanks Embo. The little bugger's not so tough really.

Dont let us down you 2, u can both do this as we all will. You have been an inspiration to me and i love reading how your getting on.

Snow, i am glad that you have had the all clear and that this time its for keeps.

No pressure guys but the first rounds on those who get to the penthouse first and thats you 2, ha ha.

& Ed, Thats great news about your all clear. Keep on smilin my friend

LOL x

Thanks Jo. I think the first Penthouse round's gonna be an expensive one!! I think I can stretch to that without the fags now :).

wow that's amazing all around! First that you got a good pic on your lungs, what a relief and then you beat the sucker!! Absolutely amazing the way this demon thinks isn't it? Glad you could step aside and see through it

Thanks NotMe,

I was a little concerned about the chest x-ray. Not that I've got any symptoms, but I had been smoking for many, many years :eek:.

Ed

That Nic is a sneaky little begger !!

Rather than the thought, "well if I'm clear I may as well smoke", we must rather have the thought that we have just been incredibly lucky so far, so don't go and mess it up now by starting again.

It is amazing how we can justify starting again isn't it?

It's odd how my logic was screwed up for a second this morning Garry. Saying "I've been incredibly lucky so far" makes more sense than "let's gamble some more". I'm just glad I could shrug it off easily.

[nsd_user663_17057]

Ed Just happy you are still on the right path.