[jarrett622]

As some of you know, I was to quit smoking using Chantix. I started the Chantix on time and my quit day was yesterday, May 15. I'm into day two of the quit.

Sides from the Chantix, at first I had a bit of nausea. The first two days. But none that I can feel since then. I went up in dose on day 8 as I was instructed. Still doing fine with no sides.

Things I've noticed already in just being quit for two days: I can smell things I couldn't before...that I didn't really notice. My sight is much clearer. I have much more energy. And the best of them all? I have decreased PN symptoms! Makes sense if you think about it...all the other chemicals besides nicotine that are in cigarettes. Formaldehyde, cyanide, all kinds of nasty stuff. I was poisoning myself.

I have to say that I couldn't do this without the Chantix. It's made it possible for me to save my own life.

[glenntaj]

I hope this improvement continues.

Yes, when you stop smoking, you really find out just what smells and tastes you've been missing. (And you often discover that a lot of things you thought you liked to eat and drink you really don't.)

[mrsD]

should get better too. Oxygen is lowered in smokers and carbon monoxide is raised. This means less oxygen gets to the tissues.
This is why iron deficiency causes restless legs/cramps.

So far so good. The Chantix problems occur later, not sooner. And sometimes
after you stop using it.
So keep watchful still.

Quitting smoking is always good for you.

[ann-elizabeth]

you can fully breathe in! All that phlegm and crap will come up and you can breathe sooooo much better. I gave up smoking when I got pregnant and I am sooooo glad. What a gift my unborn son gave me!

Good Luck and remember "Smoking is just NOT AN OPTION!"


Ann

[jarrett622]

Originally Posted by glenntaj

I hoep this improvement continues.

Yes, when you stop smoking, you really find out just what smells and tastes you've been missing. (And you often discover that a lot of things you thought you liked to eat and drink you really don't.)

My daughter and I were laughing about that very thing today...what taste surprises are in store for me. It would be... "Ewww! What is *that*???" And it's something I've been eating for years. LOL!!! Can't wait!

[MelodyL]

Originally Posted by jarrett622

As some of you know, I was to quit smoking using Chantix. I started the Chantix on time and my quit day was yesterday, May 15. I'm into day two of the quit.

Sides from the Chantix, at first I had a bit of nausea. The first two days. But none that I can feel since then. I went up in dose on day 8 as I was instructed. Still doing fine with no sides.

Things I've noticed already in just being quit for two days: I can smell things I couldn't before...that I didn't really notice. My sight is much clearer. I have much more energy. And the best of them all? I have decreased PN symptoms! Makes sense if you think about it...all the other chemicals besides nicotine that are in cigarettes. Formaldehyde, cyanide, all kinds of nasty stuff. I was poisoning myself.

I have to say that I couldn't do this without the Chantix. It's made it possible for me to save my own life.

WOW, I am so proud of you, I could hug you. I know how difficult it is to stop smoking. I know MANY smokers. I can't go into the people's house downstairs because the husband smokes. I can't go into their home on New Year's Eve because EVERYBODY smokes and you can't breathe the air.

Last New Year's the whole family came, everybody was taking pictures, all the really GOOD ITALIAN FOOD was laid out on the table. I was invited down, I went, I sat for 10 minutes. I could not breathe. I turned and 7 people were sitting in a circle and all were smoking. I had to give my regrets. They understood. They are nice people.

My home is a smoke free home. No one has ever been allowed in my house with lit cigarette.

Once, my landlord was about to come in, and I noticed he was carrying a cigarette. I went into my spiel. He understood. He put it out, THEN he came in. He also smokes 5 packs a day (I have never seen him WITHOUT A CIG in his mouth in all the 15 years I have lived in my home.

But he has genetics on his side. He's 82 and his mother lived to 105.

Quitting is extremely difficult. My own husband quit the year before I married him. He was an insurance investigator at the time. His job was to process insurance claims and he noticed all the people who had lung cancer (and had died),were smokers, and he counted all the claims. He then decided "what am I nuts? to keep doing this?" That is the day he quit and he never smoked again. He used to tell me the stories he read would curl your hair. I guess this was HIS lightbulb moment.

I often wonder to myself "what if his job had been something else?" He went on to become a Private Investigator. A non-smoking PI like Magnum PI.

Too bad that my own mom could not quit. When she was 79 (and she looked 95), I went down to Florida to visit her. I only thought you got emphasema and lung cancer if you smoked (I know all people with lung cancer are not necessarily smokers, I do know this).

My mother had emphasema and she was on tubes and inhalers and nebulizers. I will never forget that one time when she told me "melody, go and buy me a pack of cigarettes", and I opened her purse (and I counted them), there were 26 packs of cigarettes.

I didn't get it. But then again, I never smoked.

I went to the doctor on staff and told him what happened and I said "how on earth can she possibly smoke, she 's full of tubes, and nebulizers and inhalers, and she can't possibly be breathing correctly, and she STILL WANTS TO SMOKE???"

See, a non-smoker just doesn't understand the addiction. So the doctor said this to me "Melody, in your mother's case, it's too late, the nicotine has gone to her brain". I never knew this. I said "it goes to your brain", and he said "there is such a concentration of nicotine in your mom's brain, well, you have no idea".

He was right. I had no idea. She became senile.

On her death certificate (which I still have), under contributory cause of death it says: "Cigarette Smoking".

How sad.

So I really do applaud you and wish you much success.

AND BETTER BREATHING!!!

[jarrett622]

Originally Posted by MelodyL

WOW, I am so proud of you, I could hug you. I know how difficult it is to stop smoking. I know MANY smokers. I can't go into the people's house downstairs because the husband smokes. I can't go into their home on New Year's Eve because EVERYBODY smokes and you can't breathe the air.

Last New Year's the whole family came, everybody was taking pictures, all the really GOOD ITALIAN FOOD was laid out on the table. I was invited down, I went, I sat for 10 minutes. I could not breathe. I turned and 7 people were sitting in a circle and all were smoking. I had to give my regrets. They understood. They are nice people.

My home is a smoke free home. No one has ever been allowed in my house with lit cigarette.

Once, my landlord was about to come in, and I noticed he was carrying a cigarette. I went into my spiel. He understood. He put it out, THEN he came in. He also smokes 5 packs a day (I have never seen him WITHOUT A CIG in his mouth in all the 15 years I have lived in my home.

But he has genetics on his side. He's 82 and his mother lived to 105.

Quitting is extremely difficult. My own husband quit the year before I married him. He was an insurance investigator at the time. His job was to process insurance claims and he noticed all the people who had lung cancer (and had died),were smokers, and he counted all the claims. He then decided "what am I nuts? to keep doing this?" That is the day he quit and he never smoked again. He used to tell me the stories he read would curl your hair. I guess this was HIS lightbulb moment.

I often wonder to myself "what if his job had been something else?" He went on to become a Private Investigator. A non-smoking PI like Magnum PI.

Too bad that my own mom could not quit. When she was 79 (and she looked 95), I went down to Florida to visit her. I only thought you got emphasema and lung cancer if you smoked (I know all people with lung cancer are not necessarily smokers, I do know this).

My mother had emphasema and she was on tubes and inhalers and nebulizers. I will never forget that one time when she told me "melody, go and buy me a pack of cigarettes", and I opened her purse (and I counted them), there were 26 packs of cigarettes.

I didn't get it. But then again, I never smoked.

I went to the doctor on staff and told him what happened and I said "how on earth can she possibly smoke, she 's full of tubes, and nebulizers and inhalers, and she can't possibly be breathing correctly, and she STILL WANTS TO SMOKE???"

See, a non-smoker just doesn't understand the addiction. So the doctor said this to me "Melody, in your mother's case, it's too late, the nicotine has gone to her brain". I never knew this. I said "it goes to your brain", and he said "there is such a concentration of nicotine in your mom's brain, well, you have no idea".

He was right. I had no idea. She became senile.

On her death certificate (which I still have), under contributory cause of death it says: "Cigarette Smoking".

How sad.

So I really do applaud you and wish you much success.

AND BETTER BREATHING!!!

Wow, Melody. I do understand that part about the nicotine and other chemicals going to the brain. That was something else I really noticed today....I feel younger. No aches and such getting out of bed this morning. No back pain today when doing chores. It's incredible.

Addiction is not nice. It's not pretty and it can be impossible for some people to beat. Thank God for Chantix...that's all I can say. I'll risk the other problems that may or may not crop up. Smoking is much worse than anything else I can imagine.

I was at 4 + packs a day at one point. Day before quitting I was at 3 still. I feel so good now. I'll never smoke again. I know I can't and I know I won't.

back attacha!

[lefthanded]

Doin' the happy dance for ya' . . . kiddo!

[MelodyL]

Originally Posted by jarrett622

Wow, Melody. I do understand that part about the nicotine and other chemicals going to the brain. That was something else I really noticed today....I feel younger. No aches and such getting out of bed this morning. No back pain today when doing chores. It's incredible.

Addiction is not nice. It's not pretty and it can be impossible for some people to beat. Thank God for Chantix...that's all I can say. I'll risk the other problems that may or may not crop up. Smoking is much worse than anything else I can imagine.

I was at 4 + packs a day at one point. Day before quitting I was at 3 still. I feel so good now. I'll never smoke again. I know I can't and I know I won't.

back attacha!

We should congratulate each other !!!! I gave up twinkies, ding dongs, yankee doodles, pizza, chips, dips AND ALL THAT GOOD STUFF,

You gave up nicotine. Just imagine if you had to give THAT up, plus FOOD!!!

Good Lord!!! lol

[jarrett622]

Originally Posted by MelodyL

We should congratulate each other !!!! I gave up twinkies, ding dongs, yankee doodles, pizza, chips, dips AND ALL THAT GOOD STUFF,

You gave up nicotine. Just imagine if you had to give THAT up, plus FOOD!!!

Good Lord!!! lol

No way!!!