Comments on: Kicking the Habit

By: PCKnotte

PCKnotte — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 03:18:54 +0000

Good for you! I’ll be available for words of encouragement should they be needed.

By: VirusHead

VirusHead — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 17:27:40 +0000

Thanks for all the support. It makes a big difference to me. {{{hugs}}}

By: Todd Hellskitchen

Todd Hellskitchen — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 15:08:55 +0000

I'm ROOTING for you, Vi! Todd Hellskitchen´s last blog post - Spring Break: Out of the Gate

By: JR Gardner

JR Gardner — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 13:26:16 +0000

Making the plunge myself. It’s considered very professionally unbecoming for paramedics. And, I thought this document from my Medic textbook would give you a calendar of “non-smoking treats” to look forward to, share it freely:

Body Changes When You Stop Smoking

Within 20 Minutes of Your Last Cigarette
Pulse and blood pressure drop to normal.
Body temperature of hands and feet increases to normal.

Within 8 Hours of Your Last Cigarette
Carbon monoxide level in blood drops to normal.
Oxygen level in blood increases to normal.

Within 24 Hours of Your Last Cigarette
Chance of heart attack decreases.
Within 48 Hours of Your Last Cigarette
Nerve endings begin to regenerate.
Ability to smell and taste is enhanced.

Within 72 Hours of Your Last Cigarette
Bronchial tubes relax, making breathing easier.
Lung capacity increases.

Within 2 Weeks to 3 Months after Your Last Cigarette
Circulation improves.
Walking becomes easier.
Lung function increases up to 30%.

Within 1 to 9 Months after Your Last Cigarette
Coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue, and shortness of breath decrease.
Cilia regrow in lungs, increasing the ability to handle mucus, clean the lungs, and reduce infection.

Within 5 Years of Your Last Cigarette
Lung cancer death rate for the average smoker (one pack per day) decreases.

Within 10 Years of Your Last Cigarette
Lung cancer death rate drops to 12 deaths per 100,000—almost the rate of nonsmokers.
Precancerous cells are replaced.
Risk for other cancers—such as those of the mouth, larynx, esophagus, bladder, kidney, and pancreas—decreases (20 chemicals in tobacco smoke cause cancer).

(Sanders, Mick J.. Mosby’s Paramedic Textbook, 3rd Edition. C.V. Mosby, 072006. 2.3.2.4.1).

By: JollyRoger

JollyRoger — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 07:31:29 +0000

The price is too high, and the consequences are too great; I am still grieving deeply for the mom I lost, and the grandma my children are going to only remember fuzzily, if at all. Nothing, in my estimation, is worth what mom went through the last year she was alive. And I'm tired of going to funerals for people who ought to be alive. JollyRoger´s last blog post - It Isn’t About Religion; It’s About Bigotry

By: Patricia

Patricia — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 15:52:25 +0000

Heidi, I have never been a smoker, but I have a close friend who is. I would never push, urge, or force her to quit (I couldn't if I tried) but I am 100% in support of and very proud of anyone who does! You are super brave--particularly announcing your goal publicly. I will NOT get tired of reading any posts you write about your efforts. I promise. Anything that helps. You go, girl! Bravo! Patricia´s last blog post - Bunnies, Poms, and Zombie Chickens

By: Paul

Paul — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 14:52:17 +0000

Heidi,

Some random thoughts, having quit several times:

1. Serious physical withdrawal symptoms only last about 72 hours and, in my experience, mostly consist of fuzzy-headedness and irritibility.

2. My experience with nicotine replacement suggests you’ve made the right choice.

3. Serious cravings last a bit longer than the physical symptoms, but not as long as you’d think. And, perhaps more importantly, the cravings themselves are very strictly time limited (a few minutes) and decrease in frequency quite rapidly. Watching them come and go, in addition to being meditative, is actually quite interesting.

4. Quiting smoking is *not* something that gets easier with practice. Get it right the first time.

5. It sounds corny, but pantomiming the act of smoking (and actually breathing in between your fingers as if there was a cigarette there) helps. G-d knows why.

6. You may find quite quickly that you start to find the smell of smoke distasteful, which was unexpected for me because I grew up around cigarettes and had no previous negative feelings about the smell of smoke.

7. Breathing oxygen is a good thing.

8. You’re likely to notice yourself sleeping better almost immediately.