Smokers/ExSmokers

[minneman]

For you Smokers,Last Wed.Am I had a real I opener, 6:am sitting right here, cup of coffee, havin a smoke, reading the best fishin info around, I feel kinda clammy/hot. I reach up behind me to open the window. after opening I feel as tho I pulled a muscle in my chest. nothing major, just irratating, 10 min. later its more of a heavy feeling, I go lay down next to the wife to strech it off. NOT!
30 sec. of that I wake her with the Scarriest words to ever come out of my mouth.. "I think you should take me into the hospital, "I think im having a heart attack??"

With pain that feels like an elephant standing on my chest we get to emergency and although relieved to be there, I still am in pain. 2 little sprays of nitro and the pain is gone. the next day im shipped to Fargo for an angiogram, and ultimatly angioplasty and a stent for the blockage they found. lucky for me there was only minor damage to my heart, the blockage was not in a major artery.

Here is the thing, Im male, 42 yrs young, and there is no heart disease in the family, None. my Cholesteral level is 164, Im not over weight, 6'3" 205lbs, and am phisically active. My downfall is that ive Smoked for 26 years! !!Quit Now!!

Ex Smokers, please share with me the ways you found things to do to avoid the urge, I havent smoked since 6am wed. and am doing the patch, so far so good, but today I return to work (selfemployed const) and in this biz smoking is the norm. Yes, they will all get an earfull!!

Thanks for your time! I have a totaly new outlook on life now, and sharing this is part of it, hoping that atleast one of you great people will Kick it!! Ted

[fishinphyl]

Hey I am so proud of you guys!!!!!!!! I was just reading how well you are doing and I am impressed.

Seems like a lot of you are worried about the weight gain. When you feel you are ready try the South Beach Diet. It WORKS, it is easy, you are never hungry, and it works fast! So if you are living on tootsie rolls now, this diet will take the weight off fast later on. Keep up the good work guys.

------------------
Phyl

[Rick]

Way to go Chunky,
That was the first thing that hit me with the cravings...hunger pangs. By all means eat something, take deep breaths, drink a long cool sip of clear clean water.

It truly does get better everyday.

Just don't give into the nasty smelling brown round things. You'll just have to go through the whole process all over again if you touch one of those nasty things - ever.

Commit-Commit-Commit to Quit Forever
It's not painful in anyway. Your mind just likes to play tricks on you making you think you need em....Commit to the fact that you WILL NOT GIVE IN - ever!!!!

It gets easier everytime you SAY NO to the smelly round brown things.

[willowcat]

Well I'm ready. I had to make a Dr. Apt to get one of thoes inhailers. They were by perscription only. I'll use the patch,then when I get a strong erge I can grab the inhailer. It's going to be tough, My planed start date is the day before deer hunting. I let you all know how this combo is working from time to time.

[upnorth]

Hey Willowcat,

Good luck, it ain't easy, but if you really put your mind to it, it is real doable. The hardest thing is to make the decision to really quit. The rest is just follow through on details.

For me it didn't go near as bad as I thought it would. The cravings pass rather easily and if you are mentally prepared for them and if you have some kinda plan to make it through them you will do fine The one don't do I recommend is don't dwell on not being able to smoke, move your mind onto something else as soon as possible.

Scott

[wishing for walleyes]

Day 7 here.Going strong, eating everything i see. lol

[Guest]

Well, you guys were my inspiration and I've been an ex smoker for 3 weeks. And to be honest its not so bad. I feel 125% better, I more productive doing other things, And I'll be able to drag deer farther this year. I was smoking for 7 years prior. My trick was that I kept telling my self that smoking was not an option anymore. I always started back up when I told my self I'd just have one or I'd just smoke this weekend. Smoking isn't an option anymore. I just can't smoke, period

[Paul Rohweller]

Hey bigguns glad to have ya on board!! The further into this I get the easier it gets and the more sense it makes. I hope it does the same for you. I'm feeling good after at least a month smoke free now (I lost count) Maybe next fall I'll reward myself with a trip with my dad to colorado elk hunting? At least thats an option now, I think I'll be able to breathe about 3000 ft altitude lol...Good luck and keep the faith all!! Valv how ya doing???? Paul

------------------
Paul Rohweller
Pine to Prairie Guide Service
218-962-3387 home
701-261-9525 cell
[email protected]
N.P.A.A. 425
Quality Bait and Tackle,
Detroit Lakes Mn
www.scenictackle.com
North Country Outdoors Radio 99.3 fm
http://fishingminnesota.com/pinetoprairie

[This message has been edited by Paul Rohweller (edited 11-05-2003).]

[mistermom]

Hey Willowcat!
Better have chewing gum and hardcandy with you in the deerstand. You overdo with the inhaler and/or patches and you'll get a buzz and a half. Good luck with deer hunting and non-smoking!

mm

[upnorth]

Bigguns1, Paul, Chunky, Mistermom, Wishing For Walleyes, Rick, Aquaman01, and all the rest of you Quitters, great to see you guys make the committment to yourselves, your families and your health. It takes guts to quit smoking!!

Quitting in the beginning can be a minute to minute things. All you have to be able to do is make through the right here and now and you will do fine, don't worry about later or tomorrow, just get through the now.

Good luck!!

Scott

[mistermom]

Hey Upnorth!
Technically I quit chewing and it was almost a year ago. So I'm kinda more in the cheering section. Cravings not much of a problem at all anymore. But I do thank you and echo your sentiments! Everybody can do it!

mm

[upnorth]

Mistermom,

Didn't get from your posts that you had been off the nicotine products for that long, but it is good to hear that you are doing well.

It also speaks for the fact that the cravings do subside for those who are still in the early stages.

[wishing for walleyes]

Well day 9 here and going strong.Food sure is good.Not only did i quit smoking, i left a higher paying very stressfull and long hour job,for a low stress 40 hour job doing what i like doing.Lifes to short to bestressed so much.Now i have alot more time for fishing. Thanks everyone for the support.

------------------
Dan

[upnorth]

Wishing,

Good for you on both accounts. There is more to life than making money.

[Rick]

Good on you wfw,
keep at it.

How is everyone else doing??

For myself, I rarely even think about it now.

Get rid of those Smelly Brown Round things.

Can't believe people stick those things in their mouths. Yuck

Recovering smokers are the toughest on smokers...ehhhh????

[Aquaman01]

Doing well, thanks for asking.
My smoking days are over. Yeah, sometimes I still get a big-dog jonez, but the success of beating allllll the jonez before it make it easier.

46 days! Thanks ya'll!

Rob

[Paul Rohweller]

Way to go dude!! I'm right behind ya by a day or two. Wife cant seem to make the right decision tho. That kinda sucks, her mom wont quit either. They're using the "I'll do it in my own time" excuse to keep on smokin. Her mom doesnt have much time if she doesnt give it up..Keep it up all!! Paul

------------------
Paul Rohweller
Pine to Prairie Guide Service
218-962-3387 home
701-261-9525 cell
[email protected]
N.P.A.A. 425
Quality Bait and Tackle, Detroit Lakes Mn
www.scenictackle.com
North Country Outdoors Radio 99.3 fm
http://fishingminnesota.com/pinetoprairie

[irvingdog]

Paul,

Be the example. If the husband can do it, surely the wife can.......

[minneman]

Im doing great, I still have my days but Im doing just fine with them too, I keep rewarding myself, last reward was to take the wife to Grandforks to see Areosmith/Kiss concert, $98.00 a ticket, felt well spent for 3rd row seats. even saw a guy in the sec row that got kicked out for smoking! ha.. ha..ha

Paul, thats got to be rough with the wife not wanting to join you! I was lucky, mine has never tryed smoking. Im sure your doing what you can to get her to join you. Glad your holding your own! Keep er up! see ya on the ice....soon the way it looks!

[mistermom]

Aerosmith and Kiss: Now there is a bunch of guys who had to give up addictions or die. Now if a bunch of retro-rockers can do it....

mm

[Paul Rohweller]

I caught her burning one up in mahnomen last saturday night. She reminded me of that commercial with the monkey having a smoke years ago..Looked out of place, she wont smoke in the house or vehicles anyways. I reeally think she wants to quit but she just doesnt have the cahonies... HEY we hit 200!!!! Paul

------------------
Paul Rohweller
Pine to Prairie Guide Service
218-962-3387 home
701-261-9525 cell
[email protected]
N.P.A.A. 425
Quality Bait and Tackle, Detroit Lakes Mn
www.scenictackle.com
North Country Outdoors Radio 99.3 fm
http://fishingminnesota.com/pinetoprairie

[Steve Bakken]

Hey, Paul,

I went through the same ordeal with my wife. Nobody was going to make her quit smoking except her. The best thing I did was to quit smoking myself. The first three months she was just waiting for me to cave in and start up again. Through it all she just kept puffing away. But I stuck it out and after a year she realized that I was going determined to do the right thing no matter what and she really respected that more than she'll ever admit. And you know what? Not much later she decided to quit and we've both been completely free for over a year and a half now. Set the example and don't let her see you give in and she just may suprise you. Good luck.

------------------
Steve @ Bakken's Boat Shop www.bakkensboatshop.com

[irvingdog]

I'm looking out my home-office window as I speak, looking at my wife huddled over MY Heat-Buddy, smoking away.

She won't/can't smoke in the house. She quit while pregnant (I'll give her that one. Thanks honey!) But every night, off to the porch with a book, soda and some heaters.

Don't quit for anyone other than yourself, accept maybe the kids. They don't know any better. Maybe those around you will follow suit. But don't wait for it.......

[upnorth]

Way to go guys!!!

Hang in there even if the wifes don't come along right away, chances are they will follow when they are ready. The hard part is making the decision and it takes some people a bit longer to make it than others. Having a good example that it can be done sitting right there can push some people over the edge to the point of wanting to quit.

There are more than a few people in my family that still smoke, mother, sister, brother in law, even my adult kids. Making the decision to quit is very personal, you can't make for someone else. It is tough to see someone else smoking that you care for, but the best thing to do is be an example that it don't have to be that way.

You can lead a horse to water but you can't make them drink.

[Guest]

Ok you people !! I'm not letting you off that easy ! Seems like this thread is slowing down a bit! We X-smokers want to help you Wanna-be X-smokers keep that Monkey off your back and out of your pocket !! Lets hear your success stories and your down falls !! I am here to help, I failed many times ! It took a the loss of a loved one to change me into an X-smoker !!

Been there, done that, never again !!

X-smoker !! 10 years plus !

Richard

[willowcat]

I started the patch and inhaler last saturday morning, I havent had a smoke since last Fri. night. The patch seems to curve the craveing but the inhaler has realy saved me. When I get a strong erge to smoke I puff on that thing for a while and the erge gos away. It's still hard but I'm on day 7 now, and I've come to far to give in.

[mistermom]

I got in the spirit of things and am now in the process of decaffeinating. I LOVE mountain dew. But I'm quitting to save my teeth. Anyway, caffeine for some reason is much harder for me than nicotine was. I had a bear of a headache last night; but I'm not giving in. I'm losing my last bad habit.... Well, the last one I'll talk publicly about.

mm

[Paul Rohweller]

Hang in there willowcat...
The first week or two kinda suck but it does get easier. Wish I woulda known about the inhaler. After awhile I got to thinkin about how i was gonna dump the patch, hate to get addicted to those things, might as well keep on smoking. I just quit using them cold turkey after about a week and a half. Cut the strings willow and just quit, you got it in ya, good luck and were all pullin for yaz!!!! Paul

------------------
Paul Rohweller
Pine to Prairie Guide Service
218-962-3387 home
701-261-9525 cell
[email protected]
N.P.A.A. 425
Quality Bait and Tackle, Detroit Lakes Mn
www.scenictackle.com
North Country Outdoors Radio 99.3 fm
http://fishingminnesota.com/pinetoprairie

[wishing for walleyes]

Way to go willowcat.Day 16 here and going strong.Still getting strong cravings but they pass.Its in the mind now and i am determined.

[minneman]

Ill agree with Paul on the patches. they can be just as addictive. your cravings are obviuosly less noticable with the patch, but, you need to get it all out of your system at some point anyway. I wouldnt get too comfortable with any of the aids.
I went threw the entire 3 stages of patches, they do help at first, but now 2 mo.s after quiting, I noticed that there is very little diference between having one on and not having one on. so just dont kid your self, your strong, you can do it!!

[upnorth]

IMO if someone needs or just wants to use the patch or an inhaler to get through the difficult early days of quitting, do it. It will allow a person to deal with the 2 addictions of smoking seperatly. You 1st deal with the action of not putting those things in your mouth and sucking on them. And later, for me it was about a month, when you are used to that, you dump the nicotine patch too. And I used the patch that allowed the step down method so I could ween myself off of nictotine.

I say quitting is difficult enough, why make it harder on yourself You are doing something that will hopefully last a lifetime, and long one at that. So no need to rush things here. It is 1 one thing at time, 1 day at a time and if need be 1 moment at a time. Just make a decision and do it.

I have not smoked in over 6 yrs, so that method does work, it worked for me, but on the other hand it may not work for everyone. We are all different here and each person needs to figure out what will work for them.

No one who makes the decision to quit and follows through with it, whatever method they use will not regret it.

Boy I get wordy sometimes

Good luck to everyone who it giving up the habit