I have smoked for approx. 20 years. At first, was a heavy smoker, two to three packs a day of regular smokes , then backed off to lights, and then to Ultra-Lights, and cut down to only a pack a day.
I have quit several times, once for almost 2 years. Everytime I did quit was cold-turkey. As a New-Years resolution, I quit once again. But this time, within 24 hours, my stomach/GI Tract started screaming at me. I thought for sure that I had food poisoning , and the pain got so severe that I ended up dashing off to the emercency room at the Hospital.
There, they ran minimal ( typical ) tests, and declared that I "might" have Diverticulitis. Although they said "might", they placed me on antibiotics and some other medication for a month, both of which had side-effects that made it rather easy NOT to smoke.
However, saw wife smoking, and figured I could have at least one smoke. And of course, there isnt really any such thing ( for me ) as "just one", and yeppers, I started smoking - again.
Want to quit smoking, but, am scared to do so. The ER Doc told me not to eat anything with seeds in it. This included all berries, and tomatoes or any vegatables similar to tomatoes. He also said no seeds or nuts, and no whole grains.
Primary physican didnt say anything, merely sent me off to a GI Doc.
Went to the GI Doc, for a follow-up, who said the ER Doc didnt know what he was talking about, and said not to eat anything with starches, or acid in it, and to stay away from diary products. This included potatoes, most fruit/fruit drinks, and yogurt. Think the only fruit left that is edible for me is bananas.
Between the two of the Docs, as much as I want to quit smoking again, am scared to do so. Everything that I figured would help me through the withdrawal period, was put into question by the two Docs.
Have read that others have experienced stomach-GI problems when they quit smoking, and am curious if this actually is normal for some people to experience?
I know that no one here can give medical advice, nor say whether the Docs are wrong or right.
However, all Docs were told that I quit smoking prior to the ER event, but not one mentioned digestive problems as a possibility of quitting smoking.
With most of the healthy foods taken off the list, everything that would help with the withdrawal symptoms of qutting smoking AND getting healthy, has got me confused and scared.
Seems to get harder and harder to quit, with different and more severe withdrawal symptoms
Anyone have similar experience(s)?
I was thinking maybe of trying to quit slowly, like having a smoke with gradually extending the intervals between the smokes to lessen the impact of stopping. However, don't know how disciplined I would be with trying to quit smoking that way, or if anyone has been successful with slowly cutting down and eventually stopping altogether.
