A stroke of good luck for smokers (Brain addiction center found)

The Age ^ | Jan 26, 2007 | Radowitz

[OMalley]

yeah thats encouraging LOL :)

good luck!

[FLAMING DEATH]

"I would eat soley for the smoke afterward."

Haha! That sounds familiar. My friends and I used to refer to a good meal as "excellent smoke preparation"!

[KoRn]

Just want to give a quick update.

Well, Yesterday morning was the official start of my "quit day" using the online program in addition to Chantix. Friday night at midnight was the last time I have smoked so I'm now at the 36 hour mark, halfway to the magic 72 hour mark when they say the body is through with nicotine.

I am very pleased to say I've had very little in the way of cravings. The only effects I've had at all are little psychological urges that I've been able to easily put down. I'm already noticing that I feel a little better mentally and physically, and I'm already not wheezing first thing in the morning. I wish I had done this 10 years ago, but better to do it at the present rather than 10 years from now.

[daybreakcoming]

Hi - I'm on the same page you are but my sudden little craves are quite strong lasting about 15-20 seconds and then gone. Based on prior "quitting" experience, I would either be climbing the walls or already left to buy cigarettes. So this is good. And I feel good.

I've never had wheezing or cigarette hack but I have enough cancer in my family that should have given me fair warning.

So glad to hear how well you are doing - CONGRATULATIONS

OMALLEY - did you get your prescript yet?

[baubau]

"The only effects I've had at all are little psychological urges that I've been able to easily put down."

Good to hear you're almost there.

I want to comment on your urges. These urges are part of the withdrawal symptoms and should last for approximately two more weeks. If you can overcome these urges over the next 2 weeks, you're home free. It is at this time that any organ that are not at and end-stage will start to heal and rejuvinate themselves.

All this from my experiences from smoking and from what I've read.

Be strong and Congratulations.

[OMalley]

nope, my appt was set for monday, but moved it up to friday since we got lots of snow and im totally a weeney when it comes to driving in it:)
im getting really excited and encouraged-thanks for keeping me updated!!

[OMalley]

yeah, im sure if i dont do it now, ten years from now ill be on oxegen. im already wheezing and coughing and im still in my early 40s. we have lots of strokes in my family too, not a fun way go:(

[baubau]

"Hi - I'm on the same page you are but my sudden little craves are quite strong lasting about 15-20 seconds and then gone."

Each smoker's degree of addiction is different and so are their withdrawal symptoms.

I've smoked all my life since about 15-16 and used to smoke as much 3 packs a day at one time. Last Spring was down to about 10/day until the C: drive crashed and reverted back to about 2 packs/day. I'm now down about a pack. I'm gonna work this out on my own before I go for the prescription. I know myself well and gone through several stop-smoking programs to know not to rush it. I'm almost certain that Chantix alone will not do it for me. Therefore, I'd like to cut down a little more, plan it out, and then go to the doctor.

[KoRn]

There is allot of heart disease in my family. I'm 31 and have a touch of hypertension. It borders on being enough to be treated for. Hopefully getting off the smokes will eliminate it.

[brazzaville]

Good morning.
"So after the brain surgery does one just forget to light up, or forget what the white stick thingy is for, or what?"

I woke up the morning after my stroke and my 40 year addiction was gone. The change was remarkable.

I would hit trigger points and think, hmm, a smoke would be nice but those thoughts were fewer each day and they were never physical or more than momentary. I still love the smell of tobacco and I'm not bothered by others smoking around me.

I'm glad to have been freed from the monkey but I would like to have the full use of my left side back. It took me a couple of month of effort to recover the ability to rack the slide of my 1911 and I won't be running patrols anymore.

Michael Frazier

[OMalley]

im rootin for ya:)

[KoRn]

Thanks! I will not fail!

[Netizen]

I quit 3 years ago, using these filters. One Step

Good luck to all that are trying to quit.

[The Raven]

Congrats you two...!!!! Keep on keepin' on !!

Last week, per Doc's instructions, I stopped my Chantix....piece of cake.....no withdrawel from the meds.

[vox_freedom]

Thanks for the message Michael. It is too bad it took a stroke to kick your smoking habit but maybe that was part of God's plan for you. Now you just need two 1911's so that you don't have to reload!

best,
vox

[KoRn]

"Last week, per Doc's instructions, I stopped my Chantix....piece of cake.....no withdrawel from the meds."

How long did you stay on it after quitting?

[FLAMING DEATH]

I started Chantix yesterday. The stuff is truly amazing. I forgot my cigarettes at my sister-in-laws this afternoon. I've noticed that I haven't had a cigarette, but that's about it. Normally, I'd have gone ahead and bought another pack.

My wife's amazed, too. No grouchiness, no pacing the floor wanting a cigarette.

Side effects have been minimal, and were most pronounced the first day; namely, a wicked buzz that I eventually slept off. No nausea (been careful to take it with food) or anything.

You'd think that being 6 days from my quit date, I'd feel desperate to cram in every cigarette I could, but there's no panic. For the first time since I can remember, going to get cigarettes seems like more trouble than it's worth.

Thanks to everyone on this thread for all their help.

[KoRn]

"Side effects have been minimal, and were most pronounced the first day; namely, a wicked buzz that I eventually slept off."

Hehe. That first dose buzz was awesome! It was like a mega adrenaline rush. Too bad it never came back.....

Good to hear you are doing well with it. Stopping completely on day 7 is easier than you can imagine. In the next day or two you will find yourself looking forward to it like a child does Christmas. Also, if you haven't already, use the online support program and visit it daily.

[daybreakcoming]

All riiiight Flaming!!

To me, it was like when I would think of smoking, I would be surprised at how long it had been since I even thought of it. Like you and others who are using Chantix...you gotta be there before you can believe it. (Oh Gawd, I sound like a infomercial)

I do get a little nausea if I don't eat something with the pill but that's not unusual for me.

Keep us posted!

[FLAMING DEATH]

Doing pretty well. I've found that it helps to downgrade from my usual premium brand of cigarettes to stale USA Gold generics. This helps reinforce further that I'm getting no pleasure from smoking. Those things, in my opinion, are truly awful. I might as well be smoking a cardboard toilet paper tube stuffed with dried up banana peels.

My total cigarette consumption hasn't decreased a whole bunch, maybe 4-5 cigarettes less per day overall, but I find I'm "short-puffing" them...constantly sucking in small amounts of smoke and barely inhaling anything. Also, each cigarette seems really difficult to get through. I often throw away a half-smoked cigarette, because now that I'm not getting anything from them, I'm truly realizing how much they waste my time.

But, virtually anytime I smoke now, there's hesitation and thought before lighting up, where before there was desperate willingness to get puffing. In fact, there are times that I'm smoking just because I haven't reached my quit date yet. That in itself is amazing.