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Posts created by AlphabetJ

15 years ago 0 +0 / -0 107

Smoking and Degenerative Disc Disease

Hi everybody! It has been a while since I have been to the forum, I have been thinking about all of you and I know what it's like when someone seems to "disappear" how we worry and wonder about them. So I wanted to post, and tell you all that I am still a non smoker. I am no longer using the patch - but I do chew the gum from time to time. :)

I am sorry I have not been around, unfortunately I have found myself in a bit of a "pickle" of the medical variety. It seems I have some degeneration going on in my cervical spine area. I am spending most of my time researching this as well as researching the dr's and surgeons I am being referred to. In my research I found yet another outstanding reason to quit smoking!! (although, I may have learned this a little too late) So for any of you who are wondering if quitting is "worth it" or are otherwise on the fence about it please online search "smoking and DDD (Degenerative Disc Disease)" (I tried to paste a link and some copied text but for whatever reason I couldn't) Smoking really does affect your entire body!

I will try to do better at coming here and offering some help to others as that is what you all did for me. I have not forgotten the help I received here that I am eternally grateful for.

I hope you all are doing well :)

Jen

My Milage:

My Quit Date: 5/5/2008
Smoke-Free Days: 112
Cigarettes Not Smoked: 2,240
Amount Saved: $560.00
Life Gained:
Days: 9 Hrs: 8 Mins: 58 Seconds: 3

15 years ago 0 +0 / -0 107

I'm really hurting right now...

Hi AK, I hope you are hanging in there! I can tell you that if you do it gets SO much easier. Here I am at 3 months and 20 days and for me, I don't even want one anymore. Sure there are those "auto-thoughts" that a smoke sounds like a good idea, or sometimes I am experiencing something so negative I really think that I'd like to smoke, but really, when I REALLY think about the act of having one and breathing in that yucky poison I realize that I don't truly want to smoke, I just want to feel different than I am feeling at the time. And we all know there are many ways to accomplish that without smoking. You will get through this part, it will pass I promise - then that will be one more crave stronger that you are and one more crave that you will never have to experience again if you keep this quit. That is really it, if you keep the quit it will get easier and easier.

Be strong and keep your quit!

Jen

My Milage:

My Quit Date: 5/5/2008
Smoke-Free Days: 112
Cigarettes Not Smoked: 2,240
Amount Saved: $560.00
Life Gained:
Days: 9 Hrs: 8 Mins: 59 Seconds: 37

15 years ago 0 +0 / -0 107

Smoking and Degenerative Disc Disease

Hi Tresa - it's good to "see" you too. When I found out about this, that was one of my first thoughts too. That and "dang it I'd love to smoke right now!" lol! That was a fleeting thought though, I feel very lucky that I quit already on my own and didn't find myself quitting during this stressful time.

Take care!

Jen

My Milage:

My Quit Date: 5/5/2008
Smoke-Free Days: 112
Cigarettes Not Smoked: 2,240
Amount Saved: $560.00
Life Gained:
Days: 9 Hrs: 9 Mins: 7 Seconds: 8

14 years ago 0 +0 / -0 107

Starting over today

Hi again everybody.

So here I come again, trying to get through day one, again. I need to change my quit meter after I post this. I stayed quit for one full year, and then in April of last year (about a month after I had neck surgery) I was at home recovering, bored, troubles with my marriage, and I gave in to it. Well, maybe it's more honest to say I made a decision that I was not worth being a non-smoker. I believe my thinking was, something along the lines of "I deserve to get to smoke". So stupid...

So here I am, hello again everybody :) My last smoke was this morning on the way to work at about 8am. I am chewing the nicotine gum. I smoked the last one in my pack and just decided not to buy any more, and here I am.

It's hard to start over. If you are thinking that working for your quit is not worth it, or if you are finding yourself feeling like you "deserve" a smoke, don't. I was so proud of myself that year I was quit. I chewed the nicotine gum for about 11 months and had been even free of that for one month before I picked up those nasty cigarettes again.

I'm looking forward to getting comfortable with all of you here again. Thanks for listening.

Jen

My Mileage:

My Quit Date: 5/5/2008
Smoke-Free Days: 722
Cigarettes Not Smoked: 14,440
Amount Saved: $3,610.00
Life Gained:
Days: 62 Hrs: 22 Mins: 46 Seconds: 23

14 years ago 0 +0 / -0 107

Monday Morning Stats Parade

I just wanted to check in and say I'm still here and I'm still quit! Thank you all for being here :)

My Mileage:

My Quit Date: 4/27/2010
Smoke-Free Days: 27
Cigarettes Not Smoked: 540
Amount Saved: $162.00
Life Gained:
Days: 2 Hrs: 9 Mins: 45 Seconds: 9

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 107

Back again!

Hi All! Well I'm back, but this time I'm finally ridding myself of the gum. I quit cigarettes several months ago (again) using the nicotine gum and it has really worked. Problem is, I feel quite a lot like I'm quitting all over again.

Anyway, so glad this place is here and I'm looking forward to hanging out with ya'll again. Thanks for being here. :)

Jen

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 107

Back again!

Hmmm, I guess I hadn't really thought about rewarding myself for not chewing the gum. Well, other than the "I'll have about $150.00 extra per month" you know? I will figure out a reward system, it worked for the cigs!

I'm headed out of town to spend the weekend with my guy in S.F., I keep telling myself if I can just make it down there....sushi, lots of relaxing quiet time, all I really need and I'll be good as new in no time.

Tiana, how long should I prepare myself for the withdrawl symptoms to last? At least the worst of them maybe?

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