Call to smokers

[Montrealer]

Ok, so I've been a smoker for over 12 years, and I have decided that I am going to try to quit this Tuesday, Febuary 6th, 2006.

I want to know if there are any other smokers out there who want to join me that day to say good bye to cigarette smoking forever.  It's good to have support when quitting.

Please sign up here and if you want to share your stories or your happenings, please feel free to.

[Montrealer]

Somebody told me of this great new way to quit smoking.  They said they did it 4 months ago and have never had one craving since.  It may not be available in every area, but I found 2 offices here in Canada.  I made my appointment for Tuesday, Febuary 7th at 11 AM.

Here's the link to the Montreal office.  Take a look and read this.  It's pretty wild.

http://www.stoptobacco.ca/

PS.  Judging by the overwhelming participation in this post, either none of you smoke or those that do don't want to quit.  I guess I'm going solo.

[Montrealer]

Well, it's been four days since I did the laser treatment.  I have cheated twice by stealing a couple puffs off one of my employees smokes on Thursday, but that's it.

Overall the laser thing has had the best results and the best help in kicking the habit.

I have had a problem at night time with getting comfortable.  I toss and turn usually for about 30 minutes.  I did wake up shaking this morning and took me a couple minutes to calm down.  Have had a couple coughing fits, that resulted in me puking.  Not pleasant.  But overall, I feel like I am going to be able to quit.  According to the literature, if I can survive till Monday, then I will have 100% quit.  We'll wait and see.

I wish some other people joined me.  It could have made it alot easier.  But too bad for me.

[Stephen]

Good luck.  I'm pulling for you.

I quit smoking around 1996 or 97.  I used the patch.  Then one day I forgot to put on my patch and realized I really didn't need the patch.

I've never had serious urges to start smoking again.  Occasionally I think that I'd like to have a cigar.  Then I remember what an easy time I had quitting smoking (compared to the horor stories I hear from others)...and I tell myself to not push my luck.  It would be fooling to have a cigar and end up starting a bad habit again.

Again....best of luck.

Stephen

[Bataanj]

HI monty,

 I have been a smoker for 30 years (hard for even me to beleve its been that long). I had a heart attack 3 years ago, and still smoke two packs a day. I was smoking in the hospital. Hell, I even drove myself to the hospital smoking a ciggarette, while having a heart attack. LOL! It's gonna kill me, I know, but I'm afraid to stop.

 I would join you, but I'm sure I wouldn't last long.

 We may not exactly agree politicaly, and I may call you an [snip], but thats just bull[snip].

 When it comes to something as serious as quitting smoking then that's just a human thing, no countries, no politics or religion.

 I truly wish you all the best and I hope you beat this beast.

 Good Luck,
Jay

[Montrealer]

Hey Bataanj
Thanks for the support.  I actually went for a follow-up with the laser treatment this afternoon and it feels fantastic.  I only went for the follow-up because I had a few brews on Saturday and ended up smoking again.

The laser thing might be worth looking into.  It's a nice feeling and it does get rid of alot of the cravings, although not all.  They say if you can last 5 days after the laser, then you are 100% free of smoking.

I'm really hoping this works.  Last thing I need is a heart attack at age 28.

[Bataanj]

Hey Monty,

 Your welcome, I'll give all the support I can.

 I just took a look at the lazer sight. I would be interested to find out if this does work for you in the long run. Honestly I am skeptical when I see stuff like this, hypnosis etc. Botton line is you have to really, really want to quit. Even says it on the website. Thats the same with anything.

 Yeah, most people I've seen trying to stop, end up lighting up while having a drink, Stay away from that for a bit till you have a handle on the smoking. That's my best advice. Also just because you sneak a puff or have a few brews and smoke, just move on and keep going with it. Pretend it didn't happen.

 If it works for you, I may be taking a trip to Canada!  Do they accept US medical insurance up there?

I wouldn't worry too much about a heart attack at your age, but it may happen 10 years from now if you don't stop now. I had mine at age 39.

Keep it up,
Good Luck'
Jay

[Montrealer]

I don't think they will accept your medical insurance.  They were giving lots of headaches to some other clients about there forms and telling them to be vague on what technique they were using because it's not recognized as an effective method.

As for the laser, it does work.  It cuts down the withdrawl about 75%, so the last 25% is where your will needs to step in.  The main thing is to keep yourself busy after the procedure.

The total cost is only $500 with 2 follow-ups within a year.  Not too pricey, but not cheap either.  If it was 5 years ago, it would have only been about $300 USD, but now thanks to Bush it's about $440 USD.  Sorry, had to pop a cheap shot in there about Bush.

[Bataanj]

Well, $500 really is not that bad, I expected it to cost more. If it cuts down withdrwal 75%, thats pretty good too. I would gladly pay $500 if it works. I keep thinking of quitting, but never do.

 As for the cheap shot about Bush, that's fine, I don't mind. I kind of expect it now that I'm getting to "know" you.

Your not an [snip] Monty (at least I don't THINK so),  only when your taking cheap shots at religion. I was raised Catholic, but am more just a believer in God and Christ. That would include Mary too. I still consider myself Catholic, but havent been to a mass in 20+ years. So I guess you could call me a fallen Catholic. The church does nothing much for me spiritualy, and I have been dissapointed by it too many times. I can pray at home or talk to God anytime or place I want. However I am still pro Catholic and respect the right of everyone to choose thier way of faith. That even includes those suicidal bastards we're at "war" with.

I'll probably get blasted by the other Catholics on this board now. :roll:

Take Care,
Jay

[Ray]

I keep thinking of quitting, but never do.

Hi Jay,  

If you are going to quit, you have to do it when you are ready. Pick a time when you don't have a lot of stress in your life if possible. You don't want to try to quit right after your dog died or your wife left you.

Check with your medical insurance carrier. A lot of them already have pre-approved programs set up to help you quit or they will refer you to a qualified program.

I quit about 3-1/2 years ago after smoking for 38 years and it wasn't too bad, at least not as bad as I thought it would be. I used a Navy program and it was completely free. They had groups of 10 smokers starting every month. You had to attend 4 weekly group sessions lasting about a half-day on Saturdays. They put us on Zyban for 6 weeks and the patch for 4 weeks. Zyban really helps take the edge off. At the time I went through it, that program setup had by far the best success rate.

If you do quit, try to stay away from other smokers for a couple of months if at all possible. If you slip up and get hooked again, most programs will welcome you back for a second, third, or even fourth go at it.

Check the American Cancer Society Web site for some good info on quitting.

http://www.cancer.org/docroot/PED/content/PED_10_13X_Guide_for_Quitting_Smoking.asp

Good luck man!

Ray

[Montrealer]

Ray,
I've heard about the Zyban pill but don't know much about it.  Was wondering how it worked.  Like does it contain nicotine like in the patch, or is it another set of chemicals?

[Ray]

I think Zyban (Wellbutrin) was originally developed as an antidepressant, but they found out it had an interesting side effect that supresses the urge to smoke.

[Bataanj]

Ray wrote:

If you are going to quit, you have to do it when you are ready. Pick a time when you don't have a lot of stress in your life if possible. You don't want to try to quit right after your dog died or your wife left you.

 Hi Ray,

 LOL! thats the hard part, finding a time I'm not stressed.

 Yes, I really do want to quit. Last time I was in the hospital a couple of months ago in the cardiac ward, the doctor lectured me about my dangerous lifestyle, including smoking two packs a day etc., with diabetes and heart disease. He told me I better quit , amongst other things.

 Something happened to me on January 24th that should have killed me, but didn't. I don't want to go into it on the board, but will tell you in an e-mail sometime. Stephen knows about it. He tried to get me to go to a hospital, but I had no one here to pay bills, take care of the house etc., so I told him that and said,"I think I'll be OK." I'll never forget his reply. He Said, "Jay, one day your going to wake up dead!"  His voice was stern, yet full of love and caring. You gotta know Stephen to know what I mean. It meant a lot to me. His words have been reverberating in my head since then.


 As I said, I should have died, lost  a bit of blood, but didn't die. I'm healed up now. I made it, much to my surprise. I laid around here for a week spitting up blood, unable to really walk, trying not to pass out, forcing liquids in me until I could finaly hold them down.  However, like I said I made it, God was truly with me, and for the first time in 42 years, my eyes are opened. I see now that life is so precious. Doing the right things is what I must do now, including taking care of my health.

 So as soon as I stopped bleeding, could hold food and liquids and  could walk again, went out got a couple of jobs, got with my regular doctor (another ass chewing), and have made a list of short term and long term goals. Stopping cigarette's is near the top of both lists. LOL!

 I will give a call to the insurance company after work today. See what they say. I tried Zyban once, but didn't try to stop smoking, so of course it didn't work. If nothing else I'll go back to my Doc and get him to write me a scrip for Zyban. He's good for that, write me anything I need, That's why he's my Doc. :lol:

 Anyway, thanks for your support. I'm glad Monty brought this up, now I've got folks to talk to about it. I have no friends at all in Orlando, so no one to talk to. The folks I hung around recently weren't friends. They were just people like I was, people walking around with tombstones in their eyes, waiting to die the horrible deaths we all knew would come from " The game". So I don't go near them anymore or answer their calls. I no longer have the tombstones  in my eyes. Thank God. It's time to start trying to live again. That damn heart attack made me say, "F*ck it,I'm gonna die young anyway, so what the hell?" My recent "face to face" with the Reaper changed all  that. He was here with me, hanging around. I [snip] thee not, I could feel him. Scariest moments of my life.

 I just want to take care of C., work,  get back to flying and living. Quitting smoking is one thing I must do or die trying.

C. comes home Monday, Thank God. We had a great coversation on the phone last night.

Anyway, I'm rambling,
Take Care,
Jay (happy to be alive and able to see clearly)

[Ray]

Wow, that's scary Jay!

"Jay, one day your going to wake up dead!"

I like that. Yeah, you better listen to Stephen. He's kind of weird but he's usually right...