One small moment of clarity

[nsd_user663_35439]

A family member is in ITU - broken ribs/punctured lung...on a ventilator. fighting for his life...he stopped smoking 10 (TEN) years ago but according to the doctors/nurses he is still classified as a smoker due to reduced lung capacity/scarring/debris.

What ever happened to the promise of pink lungs...is this a myth??? What about the promises of reduced heart disease??? More energy??? my arse!!!

The stop smoking timeline is a complete fabrication...propaganda with good intentions...see the famous thread . I'll probably be called worse names than I called francob for dispelling the myths...the truth is we've all fcuked our bodies/lungs for a very long time...stopping will not miraculously reverse the damage, however it will stop further damage being done, though we may contract gluttony and/or depression as a helpful side effect.

The nicodemon is not the honey monster...its is the devil/sauron/amnizu...incidious but only to make tobacco companies richer (UK government gets lots of money in duty/tax but pays out way more in healthcare).

I really do not want to publish a big downer but stopping is a bitch and everyone on this arduous journey (think frodo in mordor x10x10) needs to know.

Kudos to anyone who got the Therapy? reference

[nsd_user663_35711]

Ohhhh Dave, dave , dave, dave ,dave

I so know where you are coming from. Its the same when you quit they dont tell you all the illnesses you get along the way, but to be truthful they were honest about my copd. They told me in no uncertain terms that my lungs would never be the same again, that all I could do now was to halt the illness not cure it.

However halting it is good enough for me, luckily I wasnt diagnosed with severe copd, if I had been I would have wondered whether it was worth it, but having known people who have died from emphesemia then it is so worth it.

We know that not smoking isnt a cure all but it is a sure fire way of slowing down anything we have that is smoking related.

Drink up, Ive got a voddie to join you.

xoxoxoxox

[nsd_user663_35439]

lillie

you are a shining star!!!

I'm not faltering in my quit at all...i was diagnosed borderline COPD and have read up extensively on the subject...subsequent tests have been inconclusive but I'm intelligent enough to know I was struggling breathing at times.

I was just saying that the generic quit info is very wrong...people need to know what they are getting themselves into...eyes wide open etc...it would give them the tools to cope better and hopefully succeed.

If it wasn't hard to stop, their wouldn't be 25% of the world still smoking.

I've officially done two months at 1am:D

[nsd_user663_35711]

Woooo hoooo so month 3 here you come, I will be there in 4 days time. Then we certainly need a drink to celebrate.

Cheers to you me dear

xoxoxox

ps I do agree with you, if you know what is going to happen then you are more prepared to deal with it x

[nsd_user663_35439]

beddie byebyes time now!!!!

thanks for listening lillie - good to have you back!!!!

xxxx

[nsd_user663_35711]

Night night and thank you too

xoxox

[nsd_user663_38091]

Yo dudes good thread.......hope all is getting better for your relative Dave.

I think we sugar coat the info too much with regards to quitting but ...we're all different in how we approach quitting so whatever works huh....

Day 19 and in a million years never thought I'd get past day 1.....this forum is my snuggly security blanket ......thanks peeps

[nsd_user663_20558]

Dave, sorry to hear about your relative, I really hope the situation improves.

I can't believe any of us would be dim enough to think that stopping smoking after years and years of abusing our lungs will instantaneously undo all scarring and damage. Of course it won't. But the figures are not complete nonsense. Extensive studies have been done to show the increase in lung function after stopping - even in people with pulmonary disorders. And I know from my own experience that my asthma, which was becoming more and more severe, has cleared up almost completely. This is not a myth, this is fact.

The same applies to the reduction in the chances of getting heart disease etc. These averages are plotted on a curve. It doesn't mean that everyone who quits will magically be immune from lung cancer or heart problems - it means that statistically your chances of avoiding these things improve incrementally the longer you stay stopped. Equally, on a statistical curve, even never-smokers may get these illnesses, but *statistically* they are much less likely to.

I understand your frustration given how upset you are given the circumstances, but the fact that we have done ourselves permanent damage doesn't make a mockery of all the information out there.

Stopping is indeed a bitch. Perhaps it's true that we do delude ourselves about the extent to which our health will improve, to some extent, in order to motivate ourselves.

But to write off all hope of health improvements as some kind of lie fabricated by a greedy government is massively counter productive and just scientifically wrong.

Really feel for you Dave. Praying for your loved one xx

[nsd_user663_37042]

I had heard years ago (second hand, so not quite sure how accurate) that in terms of your lungs recovering depended very much on your age, how long you had smoked and the intensity of your smoking.

As such a 25 year old who smoked 5 a day for three years would make a fuller recovery than a 30 yrar old who had smoked more for longer.

But as other have said. surely in terms of underlying health problems not getting any worse is victory enough in itself

[nsd_user663_35913]

Hey Dave - sorry to hear about your family member in ITU - hope they make a speedy recovery!

I'm totally with Helsbelles on this one. Our health WILL improve - and I know this from just 8 weeks of quitting. Skin is better, loads more energy, not coughing anymore - I have physical evidence that my health HAS improved.

Sure - I may never have the lungs of a non-smoker and may be more prone to getting 'smokers' diseases but at least I have reduced those chances and have increased my chance of recovery if I do get something.

My mum used to smoke years ago (gave up about 15 years ago) and she was on about 80 (yes - EIGHTY) fags a day. 7 years ago, she came down with pneumonia and we nearly lost her. The doctors and nurses all said had she not given up smoking when she did - she would have died! So as far as I am concerned - the fact that she gave up is saved her life...so you see, your lungs and heart can and do repair themselves....not to 100% sure, but a good part of the way.

Sorry - I'm tired today and feeling abit 'grrrrrrrr' about the world in general - :mad:

Fellie

[nsd_user663_35439]

Initial post was a bit/lot vodka fueled - must learn to shut down laptop before vodka consumption

Thanks for the messages of support

Dave

[nsd_user663_35913]

:D:D

and my post is the day after consuming too much red wine...

oh dear..

a nice up of tea all round (and some shortbread too!) I think..

[nsd_user663_20591]

dave i hope your family memeber gets better soon !!

i personally know that i would much rather be quit than smoke for the simple fact that i feel so much better and my life quality has gone up and all chest pain i had is gone so i just listen to my body saying "thank you"

i have hurt my body by smoking for 18 years so i dont ever expect to be in the shape of someone who has never smoked...but im so grateful for being smart and stopping... lol about the drinking--it makes ya say things sometimes and the next day you gotta laugh at yourself!! take care

[nsd_user663_32615]

Hi Dave

I suppose the reality is that even though we all had smoking in common, we were all at different stages of damage. Some had the good sense to knock it on the head before any real damage was done, while some of us pushed it to the cliff edge. And everything inbetween. And that is obviously going to have an impact on our recovery.

For me, my health has actually continued to deteriorate since my quit, but reading the posts on here, I am in a very significant minority. Almost everyone reports feeling some benefits, no matter how long they had smoked for.

You know you have done the right thing by stopping smoking. We all have. Even though I have sometimes felt frustrated that I haven't been rewarded with a renewed sense of physical wellbeing, mentally, I have grown to really love not being a smoker.

I hope that your relative is recovering - this must be a very stressful time.