Have You Quit Smoking?

Medical issues, doctors, dentists, opticians and hospitals in Hua Hin and Thailand.

Have You Quit Smoking?

Never smoked in me life
9
14%
Tried a few times but failed
11
17%
Cut down a lot
1
2%
Never tried to quit and smoke like a chimney
1
2%
Smoked before but quit
44
67%
 
Total votes: 66

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richard
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Re: Have You Quit Smoking?

Post by richard »

prcscct wrote:
I bet when out sipping beer with the mates, right? Pete :cheers:
No that's not a problem. Just had a couple of days feeling stressed (health and wealth)and the opportunity presented itself so tried a couple. No feeling at all so reverted to thinking how stupid it was of me to be so weak and what damage I was going to do.
RICHARD OF LOXLEY

It’s none of my business what people say and think of me. I am what I am and do what I do. I expect nothing and accept everything. It makes life so much easier.
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sandman67
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Re: Have You Quit Smoking?

Post by sandman67 »

finally, after humty dumpth attempts.... yes

First last year I lost a close friend, Chicago Mike Fisher, to cancer. That scared the willies out of me and made me take a good step back from life and go .... ahhhhhh ha

Then I moved back to the UK - being skint and £7 a pack is a good incentive and block to smoking

so went cold turkey, had just one or two "bad days", but havent fallen off the horse.

no cash and ridiculous pricing is the best way of giving up

:cheers:
"Science flew men to the moon. Religion flew men into buildings."

"To sin by silence makes cowards of men."
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MrPlum
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Re: Have You Quit Smoking?

Post by MrPlum »

sandman67 wrote:£7 a pack
:shock:
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Khundon1975
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Re: Have You Quit Smoking?

Post by Khundon1975 »

SM
When I smoked many years ago, this was my choice of hastening my end. £7.95 a pack now!
One of our group companies was Imperial Tobacco but I hated their fags and chose to support a rival company instead. :rasta:

A pack a day would set you back almost 3 grand a year.

Now, all the money I saved from quitting has been nicked by my wife! :oops:
£7.95 a pack..jpg
£7.95 a pack..jpg (6.4 KiB) Viewed 1077 times
I've lost my mind and I am making no effort to find it.
sargeant
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Re: Have You Quit Smoking?

Post by sargeant »

:oops: :oops: :oops: :oops: :oops: :oops: :oops:
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Big Boy
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Re: Have You Quit Smoking?

Post by Big Boy »

Oh dear Sarge - that is a shame. However, it often takes many attempts. Just enjoy whatever pleasure it gives you for a few more days/weeks and try again.

I don't know how many times Mrs BB tried, but the medics said that she'd never succeed. However, here we are 5 years on and although there's still a very strong craving, she is still a non-participating smoker.
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richard
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Re: Have You Quit Smoking?

Post by richard »

One major driving force in my giving up was the number of people I know who are in a wheelchair or amputees through smoking.

No amount of friendly encouragement, nagging over bearing wives/partners, patches, electric ciggies and the like work for me. I have to be scared.
RICHARD OF LOXLEY

It’s none of my business what people say and think of me. I am what I am and do what I do. I expect nothing and accept everything. It makes life so much easier.
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Re: Have You Quit Smoking?

Post by jimk »

I quit in 1988 after 32 years. I'd just moved back to the UK from Hong Kong and found myself faced with a 100% price rise and the non-availability of US Camels, of which I'd been smoking a carton a week for the previous decade. I went the easy way - cold turkey. Trying to cut down is only torturing yourself. I had a very uncomfortable month, especially when I drank alcohol or coffee. It took almost exactly one month, then the chain of addiction was broken, and I've never looked back.
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richard
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Re: Have You Quit Smoking?

Post by richard »

I've a copy of this on my wall and look at it every morning. How accurate it is I don't know but it certainly encourages me if I feel a weakness coming on

Benefits of giving up smoking

• 20 minutes
Your blood pressure, pulse rate and the temperature of your hands and feet have returned to normal.

• 8 hours
Remaining nicotine in your bloodstream will have fallen to 6.25% of normal peak daily levels, a 93.75% reduction.

• 12 hours

Your blood oxygen level will have increased to normal and carbon monoxide levels will have dropped to normal.

• 24 hours

Anxieties have peaked in intensity and within two weeks should return to near pre-cessation levels.

• 48 hours

Damaged nerve endings have started to regrow and your sense of smell and taste are beginning to return to normal. Cessation anger and irritability will have peaked.

• 72 hours

Your entire body will test 100% nicotine-free and over 90% of all nicotine metabolites (the chemicals it breaks down into) will now have passed from your body via your urine. Symptoms of chemical withdrawal have peaked in intensity, including restlessness. The number of cue induced crave episodes experienced during any quitting day will peak for the "average" ex-user. Lung bronchial tubes leading to air sacs (alveoli) are beginning to relax in recovering smokers. Breathing is becoming easier and the lung's functional abilities are starting to increase.

• 5 - 8 days
The "average" ex-smoker will encounter an "average" of three cue induced crave episodes per day. Although we may not be "average" and although serious cessation time distortion can make minutes feel like hours, it is unlikely that any single episode will last longer than 3 minutes. Keep a clock handy and time them.

• 10 days

10 days - The "average" ex-user is down to encountering less than two crave episodes per day, each less than 3 minutes.

• 10 days to 2 weeks
Recovery has likely progressed to the point where your addiction is no longer doing the talking. Blood circulation in your gums and teeth are now similar to that of a non-user.

• 2 to 4 weeks
Cessation related anger, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, impatience, insomnia, restlessness and depression have ended. If still experiencing any of these symptoms get seen and evaluated by your physician.

• 21 days

Brain acetylcholine receptor counts that were up-regulated in response to nicotine's presence have now down-regulated and receptor binding has returned to levels seen in the brains of non-smokers.

• 2 weeks to 3 months

Your heart attack risk has started to drop. Your lung function is beginning to improve.

• 3 weeks to 3 months
Your circulation has substantially improved. Walking has become easier. Your chronic cough, if any, has likely disappeared. If not, get seen by a doctor, and sooner if at all concerned, as a chronic cough can be a sign of lung cancer.

• 8 weeks

Insulin resistance in smokers has normalized despite average weight gain of 2.7 kg (1997 study).

• 1 to 9 months
Any smoking related sinus congestion, fatigue or shortness of breath have decreased. Cilia have regrown in your lungs, thereby increasing their ability to handle mucus, keep your lungs clean and reduce infections. Your body's overall energy has increased.

• 1 year

Your excess risk of coronary heart disease, heart attack and stroke have dropped to less than half that of a smoker.

• 5 years
Your risk of a subarachnoid haemorrhage has declined to 59% of your risk while still smoking (2012 study). If a female ex-smoker, your risk of developing diabetes is now that of a non-smoker (2001 study).

• 5 to 15 years

Your risk of stroke has declined to that of a non-smoker.

10 years
Your risk of being diagnosed with lung cancer is between 30% and 50% of that for a continuing smoker (2005 study). Risk of death from lung cancer has declined by almost half if you were an average smoker (one pack per day). Risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus and pancreas have declined. Risk of developing diabetes for both men and women is now similar to that of a never-smoker (2001 study).

• 13 years
The average smoker able to live to age 75 has 5.8 fewer teeth than a non-smoker (1998 study). But by year 13 after quitting, your risk of smoking induced tooth loss has declined to that of a never-smoker (2006 study).

• 15 years
Your risk of coronary heart disease is now that of a person who has never smoked. Your risk of pancreatic cancer has declined to that of a never-smoker (2011 study - but note 2nd pancreatic making identical finding at 20 years).

• 20 years
Female excess risk of death from all smoking related causes, including lung disease and cancer, has now reduced to that of a never-smoker (2008 study). Risk of pancreatic cancer reduced to that of a never-smoker (2011 study).
RICHARD OF LOXLEY

It’s none of my business what people say and think of me. I am what I am and do what I do. I expect nothing and accept everything. It makes life so much easier.
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Re: Have You Quit Smoking?

Post by bonnielass »

I quit successfully for ten years, then after a nasty encounter with an elephant I had one cigarette and that was it, back to being a full-time smoker.

Doesn't help working for a tobacco company and getting free cigs!

When I stopped the second time, I had heard success stories about the Allen Carr book, so I bought it, read it and quit. Allen was a 100 a day man and sadly died of lung cancer. Nothing patronizing about his book, just some good explanations about why you crave tobacco and your body's "drug" addiction. Things I had never even thought about. It changed my whole mindset.

That was six years ago and I don't think I will start again.
Yeah the moods were grumpy for awhile and I probably drank a bit more to compensate.
But eventually I just stopped thinking about smoking.

It's now nice to spend a night in a pub with friends, instead of standing outside half the night, and missing half the conversation.

Best of all, I don't have to go searching for that grotty little room in the airport to get my fix between flights.

Good luck to those of you who are still trying to stub it out, it ain't easy.

:cheers:

BL
Ye canny shove yer Grannie off a bus....
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Re: Have You Quit Smoking?

Post by Dr Mike »

I was always impressed by women who were smokers and got pregnant. The MOMENT that they got the positive PG test they quit and never smoked once in pregnancy. Doing bad, stupid things to yourself is one thing but doing it to their baby, that they would not do. I saw this hundreds of times.
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Khundon1975
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Re: Have You Quit Smoking?

Post by Khundon1975 »

richard wrote:I've a copy of this on my wall and look at it every morning. How accurate it is I don't know but it certainly encourages me if I feel a weakness coming on

Benefits of giving up smoking

• 20 minutes
Your blood pressure, pulse rate and the temperature of your hands and feet have returned to normal.

• 8 hours
Remaining nicotine in your bloodstream will have fallen to 6.25% of normal peak daily levels, a 93.75% reduction.

• 12 hours

Your blood oxygen level will have increased to normal and carbon monoxide levels will have dropped to normal.

• 24 hours

Anxieties have peaked in intensity and within two weeks should return to near pre-cessation levels.

• 48 hours

Damaged nerve endings have started to regrow and your sense of smell and taste are beginning to return to normal. Cessation anger and irritability will have peaked.

• 72 hours

Your entire body will test 100% nicotine-free and over 90% of all nicotine metabolites (the chemicals it breaks down into) will now have passed from your body via your urine. Symptoms of chemical withdrawal have peaked in intensity, including restlessness. The number of cue induced crave episodes experienced during any quitting day will peak for the "average" ex-user. Lung bronchial tubes leading to air sacs (alveoli) are beginning to relax in recovering smokers. Breathing is becoming easier and the lung's functional abilities are starting to increase.

• 5 - 8 days
The "average" ex-smoker will encounter an "average" of three cue induced crave episodes per day. Although we may not be "average" and although serious cessation time distortion can make minutes feel like hours, it is unlikely that any single episode will last longer than 3 minutes. Keep a clock handy and time them.

• 10 days

10 days - The "average" ex-user is down to encountering less than two crave episodes per day, each less than 3 minutes.

• 10 days to 2 weeks
Recovery has likely progressed to the point where your addiction is no longer doing the talking. Blood circulation in your gums and teeth are now similar to that of a non-user.

• 2 to 4 weeks
Cessation related anger, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, impatience, insomnia, restlessness and depression have ended. If still experiencing any of these symptoms get seen and evaluated by your physician.

• 21 days

Brain acetylcholine receptor counts that were up-regulated in response to nicotine's presence have now down-regulated and receptor binding has returned to levels seen in the brains of non-smokers.

• 2 weeks to 3 months

Your heart attack risk has started to drop. Your lung function is beginning to improve.

• 3 weeks to 3 months
Your circulation has substantially improved. Walking has become easier. Your chronic cough, if any, has likely disappeared. If not, get seen by a doctor, and sooner if at all concerned, as a chronic cough can be a sign of lung cancer.

• 8 weeks

Insulin resistance in smokers has normalized despite average weight gain of 2.7 kg (1997 study).

• 1 to 9 months
Any smoking related sinus congestion, fatigue or shortness of breath have decreased. Cilia have regrown in your lungs, thereby increasing their ability to handle mucus, keep your lungs clean and reduce infections. Your body's overall energy has increased.

• 1 year

Your excess risk of coronary heart disease, heart attack and stroke have dropped to less than half that of a smoker.

• 5 years
Your risk of a subarachnoid haemorrhage has declined to 59% of your risk while still smoking (2012 study). If a female ex-smoker, your risk of developing diabetes is now that of a non-smoker (2001 study).

• 5 to 15 years

Your risk of stroke has declined to that of a non-smoker.

10 years
Your risk of being diagnosed with lung cancer is between 30% and 50% of that for a continuing smoker (2005 study). Risk of death from lung cancer has declined by almost half if you were an average smoker (one pack per day). Risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus and pancreas have declined. Risk of developing diabetes for both men and women is now similar to that of a never-smoker (2001 study).

• 13 years
The average smoker able to live to age 75 has 5.8 fewer teeth than a non-smoker (1998 study). But by year 13 after quitting, your risk of smoking induced tooth loss has declined to that of a never-smoker (2006 study).

• 15 years
Your risk of coronary heart disease is now that of a person who has never smoked. Your risk of pancreatic cancer has declined to that of a never-smoker (2011 study - but note 2nd pancreatic making identical finding at 20 years).

• 20 years
Female excess risk of death from all smoking related causes, including lung disease and cancer, has now reduced to that of a never-smoker (2008 study). Risk of pancreatic cancer reduced to that of a never-smoker (2011 study).
Crikey Richard, If I had to read that lot every morning, I would need a fag.

:laugh:
I've lost my mind and I am making no effort to find it.
sargeant
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Re: Have You Quit Smoking?

Post by sargeant »

Oh bugger thats the second time i have read that pass me an ashtray :duck: :duck: :duck: :duck:
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Siani
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Re: Have You Quit Smoking?

Post by Siani »

sandman67 wrote:finally, after humty dumpth attempts.... yes

First last year I lost a close friend, Chicago Mike Fisher, to cancer. That scared the willies out of me and made me take a good step back from life and go .... ahhhhhh ha

Then I moved back to the UK - being skint and £7 a pack is a good incentive and block to smoking

so went cold turkey, had just one or two "bad days", but havent fallen off the horse.

no cash and ridiculous pricing is the best way of giving up

:cheers:
I went cold turkey, some people find it hard. I have not smoked for 15 years, do not crave at all. I did not smoke when I was pregnant at all, that was 40 years ago!
My son uses those "vapour" cigs which work well for him. I think they are not expensive. He has not smoked for about 3 months on them.
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Re: Have You Quit Smoking?

Post by RAGE_715 »

I smoked for 27 years and then met my third husband, a non smoker, so I quit when I imagined how disgusting my kisses must have tasted to him, when we'd been together 4 months.

I just didn't buy any more and never really wanted one after the first two weeks.

I weighed 115 pounds when I quit, I now weigh 147, but I can breathe :idea:

6 years next week since I quit
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