Lived Experience Forum

[Rosie]

It's actually going pretty well! I'm surprising myself! No patch today (I forgot) but cravings under control. Thanks for the support Claired and Kato!

[kenny66]

Its really hard to do, so I take my hat off to anyone who does it successively. I gave it up for over a year but went back on it at a time of remission and off into the clinic for a couple of weeks.

It sounds counter productive to say it but the clinic allows the patients to smoke in a smoking area.  I think to not add more stress and another issue for the patients in making them quit.

I am off it again now, just started 3 days ago and hope I can stay of it this time. There is no doubt that it knocks your health around and you feel much better when you don't smoke.

I am not sure about whether everyone who has a MI has such a dramatic shortening of their life span but my Dr told me he read that a proportion of people with bipolar and schizophrenia have a much shorter life, but not all. It might be about 20% I think. This is from illicit drugs with some, alcohol, smoking and little exercise.

I know I got into trouble for not eating right because poor nutrition ruins your health. Looking after your teeth is important too because it can effect your heart if your teeth are decayed.

There is also the medication too. I got taken off a drug because it gave me arrhythmia and another one reduced my white cell blood count so much I got sick.

There are all sorts of side effects with MI drugs (as there are with other medications too) so you have to weigh up the pros and cons.  So with some it must be that there are some adverse affects on your health because of them.

So I suppose all of these things go together and accumulate for some giving them a poor outcome where longevity is concerned. 

Good luck with your quitting smoking. I have a huge blown up photo of a smokers lungs on my fridge door which is really shocking.

Also at the animal rescue place, the vet told me that my cats could die from inhailing second smoke, just like people can. Makes sense when you think about it.

That was actually a more potent reason for me giving up than the health benefits.

So good luck with it all

Kenny

[MoonGal]

@Rosie - Hi Rosie I wonder how you went with yur quitting and the journey into self and life you so beautifully described. It is now two years down the track, how did you go?

. I am starting the same journey on May 1, so I came and searched to see if there is a quitting smoking thread here on the forums and found yours. I called Quitline and talked to them about mental health issues (she really didn;t know despite the brochure about mental health and smoking) and have started to cut down - learning my cravings/tolerence and triggers. I have bought a vape (not recc. by Quitline) and downloaded a special Smoke Free app. on my phone to help. 

I was at 25-30 a day yesterday I had 15, today I am on track for about the same, thats a huge improvement already. Success is so much easier to maintain when the goals are small (I am telling myself) and the inner critic is told to shut up if a slip happens. So - here I go... 

I am in imminent danger of losing my teeth, smoking is the cause - a lot of bone loss already, gum disease etc. My partner lost all her teeth last year and now has dentures. I remember saying to our dentist a month ago "She did it to herself" all the while sitting there in denial that I was doing it myself too. Sheesh. So here I am taking ownership. I want to keep my beautiful smile (one of the few 'good' things about me!). 

Anyone else trying to stop? Have stopped. Any tips or mutual support would be awesome.

[eth]

Hi @MoonGal  hoping you're still on the forums.  Wondering how you are going with not smoking?

I've been really unwell since late September with cold then cough then better then worse cough and this last week fever and lower chest infection plus bad cough.  If that's not enough reason to stop smoking then what is?  I am working at smoking less but it's a struggle.  I'm stuck around the 6-8 mark.  Any hints would be welcome.  I can't use patches etc as I tried them once before and became extremely manic (I have bipolar 1).  Even the meds some people use to give up are out for me because of that.  Tagging @Former-Member for any support or ideas about forum posts etc on this topic more recently.   I have high anxiety, frequent major depressions and cPTSD as well.  In the past even therapists have told me not to try to tackle it all at once but it seems like I'm getting a loud wake-up call at the moment.

[Hope4me]

Hey @eth

It's probably good timing you bumped this thread. I'm also struggling to give up. It's a hanous habit and costs the earth.

To be honest, I wouldn't be bothered if it wasn't $1 a cig. Smoking's been my rock since my breakdown. Better than heavy med's I suppose? Hmm...maybe.

BP and manic on patches...sorry. Coughing? Yep...I was hospitalised with pneumonia a few yrs back. I promised the Dr I'd give up. So much for that...

The only advice I have, is to keep busy. I gave up once for more than 10 years before I started again. I did it sewing and staying connected to people. Actually I was glued to my sewing chair for 3 months. It really helped to focus on something other than cravings.

Hope 

[SleepyPanda]

Hi @eth and @MoonGal

I found the Smoking and Mental Health thread here and the fact sheet/guide here and Sane Smokefree Kit here

I hope this is useful.

Regards

SleppyPanda

[Hope4me]

Thankyou so much for that info @SleepyPanda

I'll scout mentioned sites with interest...

Hope 

[eth]

Thanks from me too @SleepyPanda.

I am reading the Smoking & Mental Illness post now.

Thanks for your support too @Hope4me.  Wow pneumonia - that's serious.  I found myself fearing that this week too.  I really have to do it this time.  I agree with you about the need to keep busy but struggle with motivation to do much at the moment too.  Low energy levels due to still being sick.  

I haven't seen you around the forums before - good to meet you.

[MoonGal]

Hello @eth, so sorry to hear you have not been well.

I stopped smoking for three months cold turkey and it was  really quite"easy" I had bought a vape, a box of patches and Allen Carr's book "The easyway to stop somkng" ANd set my date (1 May). I threw away my tabacco pouch and gave my lighter to my partner and on the Saturday and Sunday I read Allen Carr's "The Easyway to Stop Smoking". It literally rearranged my brain cells and view of smoking and I stopped. (I did not use the vape or the patches.)

The first week, I just kept rereading the last few chapters of the book if I felt a little tug of nicotine calling me. I would also get up straight away and go and do some kind of small task anbd pay attention to it - watering the garden or doing the dishes, or reading a book and the feeling to smoke passed.

My partner smokes and she agreed to smoke SOME outside but after dinner she wanted to smoke inside. I acquiesced because it was wintery weather. I got used to it, but I was always a bit anxious and cross when she lit up, not because I wante done but because it STANK the house out - I didn't realise how much it smells!

The hardest part for me came when I went on a road trip with my partner we drove 4500 kilometres all up there and back and she smoked all the way. I was okay in the car with the windows open - but I fell off the wagon when we visited a cousin and I had an intense conversation with her about our 'family' and that night I started up again (also as they both smoked my partner and cousin) so it was there and easy to start. 

To be truthful, the home environment had been a bit passive aggressive from both sides with her and me and that was uncomfortable. So, I am still smoking now. I am beginning to feel it again in my chest and my asthma is playing up and every other day. I am starting to worry about my gum health and teeth again too having just been to see a peridontist.

I think - I need to stop for good this time. When I do (if?) , I will once again go cold turkey using the Allen Carr method and find a way to not start again, now I know how and what 'caused' me to pick up.

His book is available free on PDF here: Allen Carr's Easy Way to Stop Smoking

If you prefer to pay for the material and/or ownn the print book available for about $15 from a variety of booksellers.

____________________

All the best with your quitting, I felt so much healthier VERY quickly. I know others go through a rough patch with lungs clearing but that didn't happen to me, I just got better airways an intense sense of smell back! And pins and needles in hands feet and face for a few weeks as blood flow improved. My gums got well after about 2 months. 

PS: I also joined a stop smoking group on FB and used a Smoke-Free app on my phone to give me daily prompts and share milestones. That helped too, goals and celebrating wins. With the saved money I bought pot plants and books! 

[eth]

Hi @MoonGal thankyou so much for sharing your story.  I'm sorry to hear your partner wasn't more supportive and that you slipped with smoking again.  Apparently it's very common, especially when stress rears it's head.  I reckon that when you stop again it will be for longer.

I'm now down to 1 1/2 yesterday and only 1/2 so far today.  Early morning seems to be the hardest time so far, and moments of spiking stress like yesterday morning.  It seems crazy that I can't kick that last little bit, I want to do it before the weekend.  

Thanks for the referrence to Allen Carr's book - I've started reading it already.  And your other tips too.  I'm very grateful.

I live in my brother and sister-in-law's back yard and they are both dedicated ex-/non- smokers.  My brother had a friend died of lung cancer and really hates the fact that I still smoke.  They are a great support to me with MH issues, but did NOT sign up to nurse someone with emphasema.  So I'm accountable to them, it's really obvious to them when I do smoke.  I've been feeling lots of stuff as I cut down (on top of being really sick) - guilt, shame, stupidity etc.    Hoping all the positive feelings about giving up that I hear about kick in soon!

For now I'm using the 4 Ds - deep breathing, drinking water slowly, diversion, delay - and they're working most of the time.  I just wish my chest symptoms would improve so I could be more active without getting so breathless.

Thanks again for your reply.