Day 3 and no one's been killed yet

[susandennis]

I have to say that my mood has been a little crabby this week so far. But, so far I've managed to let everyone live which I think is a good thing.

Question... You guys who have given up smoking and/or know people who have, do you think that I might actually feel better (cough less, breathe more easily) after a while or will my not smoking mean that I just won't feel any worse? And wonder what I can expect a 'while' to be - a month, a year, something in between?

I tried googling for the answers but ran up against so much crap that I forgot. Wow... did you know that smoking was bad for you? That's what the first three pages of links turned up.

I'm ready to focus on something else - something besides not smoking. Ok, I'll focus on the baseball strike. I think I need to find yet another focus if I want to keep up my 'no killing' streak.

Comments

[pheon.livejournal.com]

My few observations, hopefully without pontificating. [When I quit, I swore that I would not pressure anyone else to, since I hated that so much when I did smoke!) (Mostly I have stuck to that, partially because my wife would kill me if I leaned on her about her smoking. :-)]

Yes, one of the obvious and apparent improvements is in the breathing arena. When I quit, I could feel a difference in just the first few weeks. After several months, it was a remarkable difference. [I think this is the main benefit. The statistics on cancer and the other consequences are in the realm of junk science in my view. And impossible to calculate for any given individual, anyway.]

The bad news is that I found that the desire for a cigarette lasted for months, even more than a year. The worst times were when I had a beer or a scotch or when I first got up in the morning or with a cup of coffee --- all the times I generally indulged in a cigarette. [Yes, the stereotypical "a drink before and a cigarette after", too.] But it steadily got easier....

You may need this sig line I saw sometime back:
Dear Lord: So far today, Lord, I've done all right.  I haven't gossiped, haven't lost my temper, haven't been greedy, grumpy, nasty, selfish or over-indulgent.  I'm very thankful for that.  But in a few minutes, Lord, I'm going to get out of bed.  And from then on I'm probably going to need a lot more help.  Amen.

[susandennis]

First of all it doesn't count as pressure or pontificating if it's by request. I think that's a rule.

And, second of all, THANKS! That's excellent info and greatly appreciated. I think I can stand wanting a cigarette for a year if I know it ahead of time. I think my trick there will be to remember as best I can what it feels like to breathe and how annoying it is to wake up coughing in the middle of the night. So I'm getting a good feel for that now so I will remember.

The good news is that I mainly only smoke in one place (at my home computer which no longer has an ashtray and is all cleaned up). The hardest ones to give up are those in the middle of the day when I would walk home, have a cig and chill for about 15 minutes. The ones after work and on weekends seem to be easier to live without. I'm just so used to drinking scotch and coffee in non-smoking places and I've never been a first cig in the morning person.

I think that signature prayer is one of the funniest things I've ever read.

[pheon.livejournal.com]

You may have it a bit easier if you primarily smoke only in one place. I smoked everywhere. About 10 years after I quit, I saw a training video I had made when I worked at Lawrence Berkeley Labs and I was continuously puffing a cigarette. You couldn't smoke in the computer room, but you obviously could in the video room!

Good luck.

[susandennis]

Yeah, I still have the official IBM issue office sign that says 'Smoking Permitted'. They came around one day and let you pick that one or 'No Smoking Please'. My boss wanted one of each and that was not allowed. Smoking was but having two signs, no way!

[estis.livejournal.com]

Perhaps you can find something helpful at this site from our friends north of us.

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hppb/cessation/road/self_diagnosis/index.html

[susandennis]

Leave it to those crafty Canadians! It was very useful. Thank you. I learned that the cravings, coughing and breathing might well get worse about 48 hours after you quit... Interesting. Thanks.

[kenwalker.livejournal.com]

It's was a gradual better feeling for me. I realy noticed it in the mornings when I woke up. I rarely ever get respitory or sinus infections anymore either.

I still crave one sometimes when I'm stressed out.(years later) Thats not very often though and it's easy to forget it and move on.

[susandennis]

Thanks - good info to have - it sure helps to know what maybe to expect. Thanks.

[joyofmacs.livejournal.com]

In a previous work life I was a PR/Marketing queen for a local hospital. I got to know a lot of doctors and find out their take on things.

Lets see, according to the doctor who was really "into" smoking cessation programs: gradually your sense of taste and smell will improve. You will gradually breathe easier and you will, unless some permanent damage has been done, begin to notice that your indurance concerning things like climbing stairs increases. Your body and lungs will heal. You will not get colds or infections as frequently. Your skin will also benefit.

At age 65 my father in law woke up one day and decided to quit. He had a bad cough. Gave it up cold turkey. He lived until 86. His lung function and health came back. My mother in law was not so lucky. She refused to give it up. She suffered with lung ailments and illness until she eventually came down with the big E. It robbed her of fully living her last six years and it killed her. How she suffered.

I am so proud of you! Keep up the great job!

[susandennis]

Ok, I'm really getting a good vibe from your father-in-law's experience... No way do I want to live 20 more years, but the idea that even at my advanced age, I might be able to heal even a little is good news indeed. Thanks.

And thanks for taking the time... I'll sure be glad when that school of yours gets going again so we can have you back!