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Post of the Day: Too Late to Quit Smoking?
Is it ever too late to quit smoking? This is the question WebMD member 40Something1960 ponders on our Smoking Cessation: Support Group board.
Are you considering quitting? Maybe you've already quit? Chime in with some words of wisdom for this member and others.
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40Something1960
feeling like it's too late
Do you ever feel that way? and what do you do about it? I know in the quit smoking commercials they all say "it's never too late to quit smoking" but you can't exactly say that to someone who's already on an oxygen tank or already got cancer.
Sometimes I see posts from people who talk about other people who quit many many years ago but ended up with lung cancer anyway.
So what do you do if you feel like giving up because it's possible that it's already too late? Some times I feel like I am going through the torture of quitting for nothing.
Related Topics:
Technorati Tags: Smoking Cessation, Quit Smoking, lung cancer, cigarettes
Are you considering quitting? Maybe you've already quit? Chime in with some words of wisdom for this member and others.
~*~*~*~*~*~
40Something1960
feeling like it's too late
Do you ever feel that way? and what do you do about it? I know in the quit smoking commercials they all say "it's never too late to quit smoking" but you can't exactly say that to someone who's already on an oxygen tank or already got cancer.
Sometimes I see posts from people who talk about other people who quit many many years ago but ended up with lung cancer anyway.
So what do you do if you feel like giving up because it's possible that it's already too late? Some times I feel like I am going through the torture of quitting for nothing.
Related Topics:
Technorati Tags: Smoking Cessation, Quit Smoking, lung cancer, cigarettes
20 Comments:
As a former smoker, I can tell you that our body/brain will use anything to feed that monster again (smoking). It looks for reasons to keep smoking, like fighting with our spouse so we'll have a "reason" to go out and buy cigarettes.
You never know if it's too late or not but you will feel better and a lot of health issues will go away if you quit.
Good luck!
I agree, oddly enough there is something fun about going through the process of quiting and succeeding. If you can take control enough to keep yourself together and get past 2 weeks, then 4 weeks, after that you will feel you really accomplished something meaningful in life. Whatever you choose to help quit, don't think you have to set a date to be "successful", in reality you should just take the slow road until you find yourself forgetting to take this or that or forgetting to put on that day's patch. "Haste makes waste".
Yes I agree, sometimes it does feel like what is the point. I just recently found out that I have CAD (coronary artery disease), not sure of the extent of the damage and if the repair is going to work or cause the shortening of my life. Had I known are always the famousist last words, but true. I already have an aray of other health problems that are not that common, and than my depression started to get worse back in 03/08, along with abnormal weight gain to my abodomen,with fluid in my lungs. Up until a week and half ago it was thought to be a gasteriol problem, um not. There is a gasteriol problem concurring with the CAD, and the depression has hit rock bottom now, along with the constant struggle to breathe, and being chronicallly fatigued, as if I wasn't already from another disease. An yet the doc's say that there is still and underlying autoimmune disorder like lupus more than likely. Like I said if I had only known that there are three major categories that make a person more prevelent to end of with heart disease, like smoking, diabetes, and high blood pressure, and than factor in the subcategories like post menapause, stress, depression, high cholesterol, etc. I could have cut out the smoking like I was doing back in 04/06 and cut my risk down to just high blood pressure, maybe even minus that who will ever know. Is it ever too late, I wish I knew, really knew. At least I now know I am not the only one who wonders about that. God bless you, and may you through this and win!!!!!!!
After 45 years of smoking, I, too, wonder if it is worth the pain, but I do feel soooo much better! And, it *could" make all the difference in the world when I'm 80...so I'll be optimistic and keep taking a deep breath when the urge hits...and thank the pharmaceutical giants for Chantix!!! Hang in there...
Well, I decided to quit today, going for test to see if they have to put a stent in my heart, did it.
Don't ever think it is too late. I have several health matters too, already. Hope this helps some of them, I know I will feel better about my self, which should help with depression. I want to see my granddaugher graduate from college, she is an honor roll student. And in high school now. Something to live for gives me strength. God Bless all of us and help us thru the dark times.
Who knows. I have been trying to quit for 40 years. I have tried everything short of Hypnotism. I now have COPD and still can't quite kick this devastating habit.
I just like to smoke one or two a day is all.
Chantix has worked the best so far. I am never giving up, I will keep trying. I'm 68 now and going strong.
I'm scared to quit. I'm afraid of the withdrawl symptoms, and gaining weight. I'm also very stressed out with my job and at home. I have tension all the time within myself. I'm afraid I won't be able to stay off of cigarettes. But, I really want to try this. I just bought Nicoderm CQ step 1, maybe that will help me. Wish me luck! I really want to succeed.
I just passed my 100 day anniversary without a cig or even a drag... a first for me! I say a big WooHoo for my accomplishment!!
I think the reason I'm doing well this time is that I just changed my mind (and used Nicorette). But after the first few days with the gum, I just refused to let myself think of smoking as an option. You might need to change a lot of things in your life... places you go, people you hang around with, etc. Do whatever it takes for you to get to your goal.
One of my biggest fears about quitting was that I would gain weight. So I tried to watch what I ate a little bit more than usual. After 100 days I have gained only a few pounds, and just joined Weight Watchers to keep that in control also. Since going back to smoking is not an option, I need to look toward gaining and maintaining healthy new habits to go with my healthy new lifestyle.
Believe me - it wasn't easy... I quit many times before. When you change your mind and tell yourself "I'm done... " and mean it... it will not be as much of a struggle as you anticipate. Just hurdle each difficult moment as it comes (and they will come). Just remember - it's only a moment and it will pass.
I wish everyone the best... I know you can do it!
I have been smoking nearly a pack a day for 20+ years (ugh... hate to even admit that!) My other tactic to stay quit is that I'm not going to fool myself that I am out of the woods. Every time I have quit before, I would think I was in control and "could have just one... " Well, I can't. I am an addict and I know the 2 minutes it takes to smoke one just won't be enough. I'll want another, and another... So I don't kid myself anymore. When and if I feel tempted, I'll turn my attention to something else.
Hopefully I'll be able to report back at the 6 month mark with good news!
Give it a try, it's the best feeling to be in control and not be a slave to the butts!
just found out my mother-in-law has stage 4 lung cancer. had to tell my kids, (her grandchildren) I am too a smoker, and now I am going to witness someone I love so much die a painful death. am turning 50 this year, I want to be here for my kids who will no longer have their grandmother...it is NEVER too late, if you don't do it for yourself, do it for those you love and will miss you if you die from cancer.
I am on day 3 after 20 years at 2 packs a day. Using the Commit lozenges, and not as hard as I thought it would be so far.
Chantix worked great when I tried it last year, but I had to stop as the freaky mental side effects were intense and frightening.
Never had a crave on Chantix, just went nuts and started back up right after stopping it.
Is is too late? I've just decided to give it up... again. I've quit before, but everytime I quit I get slammed with a stressful event that sends me right back to the cigarette counter! I have one of those lives that made me reply to people who told me smoking would shorten my life that I ought to be smoking them TWO AT A TIME! Anyway, I'm going to give it another try, mostly for financial/political reasons this time (since I have a problem helping to pay for health insurance for others when I can't even get it myself). I'll be 45 in August and have been smoking for 20+ years (pack and a half a day, at least).
But I'm like others here who wonder if I'll be lying in a hospital bed a few years from now dying of lung cancer and wondering why I gave up something I enjoyed for no good reason, or die tomorrow in a car accident. The truth is, none of us know how or when we're going to leave this earth. I would like to increase my chances of being around for my granddaughter's graduation, and she's only 6 months old.
Just about everybody I care about smokes, so I'm not going to have a lot of moral support. I have found in the past that most of my "forum posts" go unanswered, but I'm desperately hoping someone here can point me in the direction of a good online support group.
Maybe it is too late; but then again.... what if it's not?
If nothing else, when you do quit, your body heals better if you do end up needing any type surgery. So that is a positive regardless how long you have smoked. I am on day 4 after 40 years of a pack daily. Chantix worked well for me. I had tried Nicorette before but failed. I just cannot take another puff ever or I will be addicted again, and I don't want to go back to starting over again. Good luck to all of us!
after 30 years of smoking a pack a day and resently diagnost whit copd finaly quit 2 weeks ago cold turkeybut iam afraid if the worst is get to came i wish some one know and tell me pleaseeeee.
Hi Nofuma and anyone else looking for support on quitting smoking, we invite you to talk with others on our Smoking Cessation: Support Group board.
Hope to see you there!
I smoked 2-3 packs a day for 41 years and watched two relatives die of lung cancer. I hated the idea that something like a cig could control my life.
About 13 weeks ago, my young brother called and told me about a No Smoking clinic in Atlanta Georgia. He went for the treatment and after hearing him sing the praises of the treatment program, I scheduled an appointment. May 7th my wife, daughter, and I traveled to Atlanta for a visit to the clinic. 13 days later my daughter and I are smoke free; unfortuantly my wife fell off the wagon. She is scheduling another visit in the immediate future.
I tried everything thing known to man to stop smoking: Gum, patches, chantrix, pills. None of them worked.
What did work for me, my daughter, and my brother was the No Smoke America Clinic in Atlanta, Ga.
Their treatment consisting of injections and pills allowed each of us to kick the physical nicotine habit. All that is left is to win the mental game.
Why isn't this treatment advertised more? We only heard of it through word or mouth.
Search Yahoo for No Smoke America
It is the addiction making you doubt whether it is "really worth it because it might already be too late." It is a medical certainty that cigarette smoking causes a multitude of health problems - you are inhaling poisons and smoke into your lungs which goes into your blood stream and affects every part of your body including increasing your risk of losing your teeth due to bone loss, heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, etc. etc. You body will not even heal from surgery - or even a simple cut on your hand for that matter as quickly as a non-smoker. It is totally illogical to even have the thought "is it too late" -- but I have said the same exact thing to myself about 100 times in the last 16 days. I am an educated, intelligent person - am fully aware of the medical certainty that smoking causes or significantly increases your risk of a multitude of medical problems, yet I find myself saying the same thing to myself as you are questioning. It just goes to show you how strong this physical, mental, and emotional addiction of cigarette smoking is. I also seem to have everything going against me in my struggle - discovered my skin has an allergic reaction to the nicotine patches (will really makes a huge difference in the severity of the cravings) - so I can't use them anymore, I also started Welbutrin to help me (I'm a too scared of the Chantix to try it) - well, the Welbutrin causes me to have heart palpitations. I have been smoking 2 packs a day for 33 years - have an extremely stressful job - have two sons going to college and LIVING AT HOME -- in other words, HIGH STRESS life. It is like "please God - give me a break - I am trying so hard - I want to quit so bad - and it is like things keep happening to sabatoge me. Well - so far I have withstood the storm for 17 days - I chew on lots of straws, sugar free suckers, cry, deep breathing, and visualize myself on a ventilator (my biggest fear) when the storm or brick wall hits me. Please offer any suggestions -- I am really really scared that something is going to happen and I will weaken. It is so hard.
I can so relate to everyone here that spoke honestly about their smoking or trying to quit smoking.As Diane said, the brain is the Devil when it trys to get it's " fix". Addicts can and will talk themselvs into anything. I know this firsthand with alcohol, and it is the exact same adiction, just a different drug. I have'nt had a drink now for 28yrs so I really think I can quit smoking " One Day at a Time". Today is day number 10, I tried to quit last year with Chantax and went crazy,I would'nt recommend chantax to anyone. I am on the patch and Zyban which started out as an antideppresent and discovered to be a tremendous help with the cravings for ciggs. I'm doing really great! No craving! No, it's never too late, I smoked 2/3 packs a day for 30yrs and I want to see my grandbabies, and my daughter get married, I want to live as long as possible now. I deserve it. Thank You.
107 days for me and still going strong. I quit cold turkey. No patches, go gum, no pills....just will power. I did it for my wife and my two young sons. I have not cheated in all these days. Yes I have urges, but I take a deep breath and think of my family. I was down to a half pack a day for the past several years. I have saved almost $500 dollars and used that to buy a bike and stuff for my kids. It is never too late. DO WHATEVER IT TAKES....
I quite smoking in April this year The way I quit was different from most I went cold turkey I cut down t the bare minimum 1 cig in one day I went from two packs a day then to one pack then to one cig for one day it took sometime but I did it if I can do it you can I was a truck driver for the past 20 years not an excuse but my reason for not quiting All I do is lay at nite and dream of smoking but I remain strong despite my craves
I just quit smoking 4 weeks ago. I can't believe the wheez I still have. I smoked for 25 years guess one can't expect miracles. I still cough and I have awful bad breath that I never used to have before even after brushing teeth and I want to smoke soooo bad but I did it cold turkey and I still have urges - just not so many and not as bad but I think it is worth it. My health was in the toilet with high blood pressure, diabetes, too much stress and so on but we will see how it goes. It is nice to take a deep breath !!!
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