Question:
Quitting Smoking

I have been a smoker for 24 years, and am waiting to schedule my surgery date. I was wondering if there's any reformed smokers out there to get some advice from. I am going to see my PCP once my surgery date is scheduled because I understand there is now oral medication to make it easier. I am going to try to be totally off at least 3-4 weeks before my surgery date. Does anyone have any suggestions? I don't have much confidence in the patch (dad wore one and still smoked 4 packs a day)!    — Carrie G. (posted on June 10, 1999)

June 10, 1999
i was a smoker for thirty-two years. in 1991, during a routine physical, my doctor said my ekg showed i had had a heart attack. i sort of knew that...i had been afraid the chest pain i was experiencing was an attack, but ignored it. i decided that, since my mother, a long-time smoker, had died of a heart attack at age 54, i needed to quit while i still had a chance to live a healthy life. i used the patch for the first week or so, and it sort of helped, but i have sensitive skin, and it gave me a burning rash, so i quit using it. i played around for a few weeks...not smoking all day and then convincing myself if i could just have one, it would get me past whatever crave attack i was experiencing, falling off the wagon for a few days, and then quiting all over again. then, one day, i all of a sudden realized that there was no such thing as having ONE...that once i smoked at all, there really aren't enough in the whole world to satisfy my craving. if i smoke one, i might as well call a shipping company and have semi trucks full of cases of cartons of cigarettes start backing up to my front door and unloading, because my need really is endless. after that, i was somehow able to stay away from that "just one to get me through." for the first year or so, i thought i would never get to the place where i didn't have moments of stark craving, but i somehow did get to that place, and now i am so very grateful that i am no longer ruled by my smoking habit. it has truly made me a whole new person. i wish you all the best in your efforts. you will never regret the decision once you build new habits.
   — mary F.

June 10, 1999
I too am a REFORMED smoker. It wasn't easy. However, the end result was worth it. All the excuses in the book won't help. Either you are ready to say I QUIT or your not. I had quit smoking on two previous occasions for short periods of time, a month or less. I too though if I could just have this one cig then I would be ok, the minute I gave in it was all over. I was back to smoking my pack and a half aday. I will say this too, there are days I still desire to have a cig, but I refuse to give into all my clean time. The minute you stop smoking is the minute your lungs start to heal. There were days I would hold a cig in my hand, I was battling it light it or don't. I won the battle. I would put it back. I would occassionally look at them and think is it worth it. The answer for me was NO! You can do it, but it is up to you. I smoked for 19 years. My last cig was on October 22, 1997. Best of luck to you! :)
   — Becki M.

June 10, 1999
there is an inhaler that is available by prescription that i have heard wonderful things about ...i used the gum and only when desperate...the key i think is once you put them down don't pick them up again.....i know i never want to go thru the withdrawls again....stopping is hard and thats no joke but to just be able to say i don't smoke is a kind of freedom.....i stopped on a trip to disney....difficult to smoke on rides.....by the time i came home i was over the hump and the choice to start again was mine to make....good luck and god bless...
   — LINDA L.