Have you ever smoked?

[Thelegend27]

if youre an ex smoker id like to know how you stayed away. smoking causes me some anxiety but i continue to do, ive smoked less than 10 years, im 26 i started around 16-17 but quit for about 2 and a half years and started back at 24. so since i havent smoked a terribly long time i want to kick the habit and save my lungs. i dont have a problem quitting i have a problem staying quit as you can telll i started back after 2 years of quitting. i can still breathe run and exercise and id like to keep it that way. any advice will be appreciated.

[Midnight-mouse]

I have to be honest I was never strong enough to flat out quit but I do use an e-cigarette instead for the past 4 years and I do admit to feeling better for it. Especially seeming as i was quite a heavy smoker especially for the age I was at.


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[Fishmanpa]

I had no choice... BUT... I decided to quit prior to being diagnosed with cancer. I went to an e-cig and tapered down the nicotine. By the time I was diagnosed I was on 0%... haven't touched tobacco in 4 years.

Positive thoughts

[ShaunRyder]

I was smoking 15-20 a day when I was 18-23 I am 26 now and no I have not completely given up I am what you would call a 'social' smoker, I only smoke now when I am out with the lads on a night out a few times a month. I got really into fitness and got back into my football mid week and weekend so this stopped me from smoking 15-20 a day.

[rose1234]

Hey,

I'm now 4 weeks smoke free after smoking for almost 10 years.
It has to be something you want to do, if you force it it only makes the process more difficult (so I've found).
I set myself a goal - I went on holiday and told myself when I came home I'd quit. I came back and had my last couple of cigarettes that evening and the next day I started a clean slate.
Any time I felt the need to have a cigarette I'd remind myself of why I'd quit (my main reason is health anxiety) but also for the other health benefits too, and I'd do something to keep myself occupied.
At work/social situations it can be a struggle so I tend to not follow suit where possible i.e sitting in the canteen, waiting at the bar whilst my friends go for a smoke - you'll be surprised how quick they're back from a cigarette you'll barely notice they've gone, but you will notice the smell! Lol.

The best thing I could say though is don't push yourself, don't beat yourself up if you try it and don't suceed first time, and don't be angry with yourself if you slip up and have the cheeky cigarette here and there!

X

[Thelegend27]

Was it smoking that caused your cancer fish? And how long did you smoke.

And yeah I'm determined to quit, for the same reasons some of you said, health anxiety, and long term benefits.

[Fishmanpa]

Was it smoking that caused your cancer fish? And how long did you smoke.

And yeah I'm determined to quit, for the same reasons some of you said, health anxiety, and long term benefits.

My doctors feel that my smoking definitely contributed to my cancer. I smoked in some manner, shape or form for 38 years. Cigarettes, a pipe and cigars. Between smoking, drinking and partying like a madman etc. for over 30 years, I paid the price. My cancer was also HPV positive so that 30 years of crazy included contracting HPV and actually that turned out to be a positive. HPV Squamous Cell Carcinoma responds quite well to treatment which in my case had something to with recovering from Stage IV H&N cancer.

I'm living proof about the medical warnings ;)

Positive thoughts


A side note to this: I was talking to my best friend the other day about this. He's a few years older than I am and has had some serious health issues as well. We've known each other since college, played in a band together and did more crazy shit than... I'd put my "crazy" against anyone's ~lol~. He developed diabetes a while back, recently had to have a liver transplant and he's struggling with the side effects of treatment like I am. No joke, we both said we feel about 25 years older physically than we are.

That being said, we also both agreed that we wouldn't have changed a thing :) One of the things about anxiety that is so detrimental and sad to me is that it prevents you from "living" due to fear. So many talk about "what ifs". The worst "what ifs" have nothing to do with an illness or challenging events in your life. The worst "what ifs" are the chances you didn't take and the things you didn't do, because of that fear. And, along with that, the worst regrets we have are the chances we didn't take due to those "what ifs".

Positive thoughts

[Ellecee]

I've heard wonderful things about e-cigs. You can gradually lower your dosage to 0% nicotine. I quit before TTC my oldest. It wasn't easy, but exercise helped me. It took YEARS for the cravings to go away, but I'm so glad I did it. Good luck!

[ScaredLizard]

Not me but my husband quit with e-cigs. He kept tapering his nicotine down to 0 and now he's free

[ServerError]

My mum is 62 and has smoked since her teens. She's been pretty much a chainsmoker for decades. She cut down for a brief period not that long ago and started on the e-cigs, but that didn't last and now she's relentless again. She's had cancer, although I don't know much about it, so I can't say what type it was, and it was caught early and cured with surgery, but it happened nevertheless and it won't stop her.

She gets very defensive if you ever try to suggest she should stop. She's in complete denial and it makes me so angry when I think of the money she's spent over the years and what she could have done with that. Not to mention the impact on her health. But there's nothing you can do. She has MS and diabetes, so she thinks she's on borrowed time anyway.

I personally think smoking is stupid. It's a stupid, nonsensical, illogical decision, and if that sounds like me getting on my high horse, well, that's where I am. I appreciate it's an addiction, but why can't we stop people doing this in the first place? No amount of education seems to work. Imagine the impact on health services if everybody who smokes gave up (and yeah, I know you could apply that to drug addicts and drinkers and those who eat a poor diet as well). What a terrible world we're forced to live in.

[Cece6]

I smoked cigarettes for maybe 7 or so years until I fell pregnant and quit cold turkey. A few months after my daughter was born I bought an e-cigarette and I still use it now. I shouldn't have started smoking *anything* again, but I did and I suppose it's better than cigs.

If you tried an e-cigarette at times when you feel you most want one, you can taper down the nicotine content until you are eventually at zero, and then stop altogether?

[Magic]

Maybe I am getting it wrong. Got e- cigarette with juice and another which one has no juice and charges up on the laptop. Both of them taste horrible.
I get worked up about things. I am cutting down on the proper cigs though.
I smoke outside where no one can see me.
I don't drink alcohol, so I suppose I could try that instead of the cigs.
I was talking to someone not long ago who drinks a lot of red wine. All her teeth were brown. Mine are not. Am stuck at the moment, but trying my best:noangel:

[Cece6]

Maybe I am getting it wrong. Got e- cigarette with juice and another which one has no juice and charges up on the laptop. Both of them taste horrible.
I get worked up about things. I am cutting down on the proper cigs though.
I smoke outside where no one can see me.
I don't drink alcohol, so I suppose I could try that instead of the cigs.
I was talking to someone not long ago who drinks a lot of red wine. All her teeth were brown. Mine are not. Am stuck at the moment, but trying my best:noangel:

Hey Magic, just wanted to say, don't replace one vice with another, also alcohol can be incredibly anxiety-inducing especially if you're not a regular drinker. I'm not either and if I go out and have the odd night of merriment my anxiety is off the scale for about a week after.

Is your e-cigarette juice tobacco flavour? They say to start off with that when you're trying to cut out cigs but it just doesn't work for some people and they'd get on better with something fruity etc.