Smoking
 

Does anyone...sigh... smoke or am I the only fool on the block?

I quit over 25 years ago, long before MG

kathie

Another fool here. But I'm 73 so something else will get me now. I have really enjoyed it for nearly 60 years.
Mike

Congratulations, Kathie! I admire anyone who can beat an addiction. People all around me are quitting--it's amazing.

Well, Mike, thanks for your honesty. I confess that I have enjoyed it too for about 45 years! On one occasion when I was hospitalized, and I am still shaking my head, I left ICU to go for a smoke! Ask me how angry my neuro was. On second, thought, don't ask me! My argument was that during hospitalizations :Ponder: I'd get up, go outside and get a little vitamin D with my cigarette. I also said that it beats lying around and not getting any exercise. Lucky for me, he knew I was having a temporary moment of insanity.

Of course we all know that you only smoke for the acetylcholinestease inhibiting properties of the nicotine.............:wink:

:D:D:D Oh, You ARE an intelligent woman! Would you mind educating my Neuro?...LOL

Nicotine is actually a nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonist.


As far as what it does (I think most of this is brain research):


http://molpharm.aspetjournals.org/co...53/5/950.short

http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/docum.../Svry36d00.pdf


(Mestinon is also a partial agonist -- if anyone wants to wade through this:

http://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand...18.2.chap3.pdf )


Related:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14758171


A definition:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downreg...d_upregulation

Thank you for these, Heat Intolerant. :) I haven't finished reading but I did find this interesting.

"...In the case of exogenous ligand, modulation
of receptor numbers is considered
to be an important determinant
in the development of
drug tolerance, and may also contribute
to the withdrawal syndrome
that frequently accompanies
cessation of drug usage .

I've said for years, sometimes, I need a medical dictionary on my desk for
quit reference so I'm not back and forth on the Net!

I have smoked for about 15 years, I know I need to quit but I too enjoy it. The cardio thoracic surgeon said he would not remove my thymus unless I quit. I do not have a thymoma and really do not understand why I couldn't have it removed without them cracking my chest.