Hi, Krimson. Welcome to the SSC.
It's been a looooong time. I'd forgotten about using tobacco to cut the harshness of ..., yeah, oregano. ;) I'd never considered that it would hook someone on tobacco! :8o:
You may still have some residual bronchial infection that is causing you to cough up a little blood. I know it's spooky, but don't get upset over it until you know for sure there's something to be upset over. The X-ray should tell. Even if your lungs are clear, it's still a good time to quit smoking.
I was a pack a day for about 39 years. About 3 years ago I had quite a scare: pain in chest that radiated down my right arm, a constant rattle/gurgle in my lung below where the pain started, a thickness in my throat that made it quite difficult to swallow, and a strong rasp to my voice that I couldn't clear. Yep, I figured, lung cancer, throat cancer. Dear God, how can I tell my wife if it's true? That thought kept me away from the doc for about two months. Finally I got up the gumption and went. Many tests later the results were a pinched nerve in my back causing the pain, and severe long-term acid reflux causing the throat and voice problems. No cancer. Whew!!!
I talked to the doc then about quitting. He told me what smoking did for people, the "ahhh" in the brain's pleasure centers, and about Wellbutrin/Zyban. So I started watching when and why I smoked, analyzing every cig. After two years (I'm real slow on the uptake) of that I was so sick of smoking, hated it som much, there was no other option but to quit. Finding this site was the straw that broke Ol' Nic's back.
You just need to decide when you want to quit. I understand your concern about fitting into your bridesmaid's dress, but I also know that this addiction will never allow a proper time. There will always be some reason or excuse to put it off. If you exercise and watch what you eat, you won't necessarily gain weight. I think the exercise is the most important part because when you quit smoking your metabolism drops. The exercise will help take up the slack. Also, try to stay away from carb foods, especially simple carbs (sugars). I've cut out soda pop, candy, cookies, crackers, and a lot of ice cream (but not all, I have my limits!). I still eat bread, vegg
