Within 20 minutes after you smoke that last cigarette, your body begins a seris of changes that continue for years. See poster text below. Within 20 minutes after you smoke that last cigarette, your body begins a series of changes that continue for years.
20 Minutes After Quitting Your heart rate drops.
12 hours After Quitting Carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal.
2 Weeks to 3 Months After Quitting Your heart attack risk begins to drop. Your lung function begins to improve.
1 to 9 Months After Quitting Your Coughing and shortness of breath decrease.
1 Year After Quitting Your added risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a smoker’s.
5 Years After Quitting Your stroke risk is reduced to that of a nonsmoker’s 5-15 years after quitting.
10 Years After Quitting Your lung cancer death rate is about half that of a smoker’s. Your risk of cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney, and pancreas decreases.
15 Years After Quitting Your risk of coronary heart disease is back to that of a nonsmoker’s.
I had seen that information before and this was the first place I found it just now when I was looking. Anyway, my point is that you will have health benefits from quitting that you don't even think of and they will improve your life from this point on. Good luck!
Posts: 2034 | Registered: Apr 2004
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If you don't want to chew on food, how about one of those flavored toothpicks? I've heard the cinamon ones are really, really good.
Good luck. my mom's a smoker, and I hate it. Even MY clothes stink, and we've been begging her to stop for years. It's hard to see my mom wasting away(she's already had skin cancer removed once). Think about all the years you're adding to your life, and all the happiness you're adding to the lives of those who care about you!
Posts: 1591 | Registered: Jul 2005
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My mom smokes too, and smoked around all of us kids when we were growing up. We all got bronchitis a lot, and had cough and allergy problems.
She still won't quit, and every time I go to visit her my head gets totally closed up and my eyes get all itchy. It's so nasty. She doesn't seem to realize the effect it has on those around her. She gets angry at any hint that the smoke is bothersome, even if she puffs it right in your face. It certainly makes it harder for people to visit her.
Posts: 6246 | Registered: Aug 2004
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Cay, I've seen that list before. Actually, a few years ago there was an ad campaign on the CTA that had those facts in it.
My dad smoked until I was about 6 or so. He was only allowed to smoke in the basement or outside. I remember being so proud of him that he quit, and he smoked for 17 years. He's been quit of cigs for 17 years. Now that I've had my nearly 9 years, it's my turn to stop.
I've been feeling pretty good these past few days. No cravings. I'm going out tomorrow night and will be riding my bike many, many miles. Posts: 511 | Registered: Mar 2006
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I went ice-skating with a bunch of friends a bunch of years ago, and after about a half hour I met up with one of my good friends. I asked him how many times he had fallen down. He said to me with great dignity, “Bush, it doesn’t matter how many times you fall down. What matters is how many times you pick yourself up. I’ve picked myself up about eleven time now.”
(Hey, I’m not making this up.)
Anyway, I admit that I don’t know what you are going through, because I never got the habit. But for what it is worth I did get addicted to coffee a bunch of years ago and managed to quit that. It was tough. But from what I’ve heard, caffeine is sissy stuff compared to tobacco. So I only experienced a small fraction of what it is like.
I have friends at work who have quit, and it was not easy for them but they tell me it was way worth it. And they are a lot more fun to be around now. Even though they were a lot fun back then too. Anyway, I have a tremendous amount of respect for them.
If the going gets tough you might try eating a live toad first thing each morning, and nothing worse will happen to you all day.
Ok, sorry for being flippant. But hang in there anyway.
And keep your sense of humor.
Posts: 631 | Registered: Oct 1999
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quote:20 Minutes After Quitting Your heart rate drops.
12 hours After Quitting Carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal.
How does your body know the difference between quitting smoking permanently and just taking a 20 minute break from a cigarette? Or sleeping late one day? Posts: 2054 | Registered: Nov 2005
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Update: This has been a difficult couple of weeks. I'm not smoking every day, and I haven't even bought any cigarettes, but I have smoked occasionally. I'm still committed to stopping, it's just not going as smoothly as planned.
I'm starting to ride my bike more, and that aids me in not wanting to smoke. When I don't smoke and ride I can breathe better and don't need as much water.
It's a struggle mainly when I'm around my friends who still smoke. And that's all my friends. I'm not giving up though. Even if I smoke once a week for months before I stop for good, I'm not going to give up the fight. I'm also not going to turn into a hermit just because my friends still smoke.
<sigh> I just wish there was a magic button in my brain that I could push that would stop all desire for cigarettes. Posts: 511 | Registered: Mar 2006
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quote:Originally posted by GaalDornick: Good luck in quitting.
I smoked my first cigarette a couple weeks ago, but I haven't thought about smoking another one since and I don't plan on turning it into a habit. I didn't see what was so good about it.
That's what's dangerous about smoking. Because there's nothing good about it, you think that you'd never become addicted. It always starts like that. Don't feel safe because you didn't like it. No one does. Not even smoker's themselves.
Nicotine is probably one of the most underestimated drugs ever. It's so SUBTLE, and the cigarettes taste awful. No one would ever think that he might get addicted to THAT. In addition to that, there are still quite a lot of people who call smoking a bad habit instead of addiction. Like "I stopped biting nails, so I can stop smoking, too." They're sooo mistaken.
Posts: 262 | Registered: Feb 2006
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It's good that you can have a cig occaisionally without getting discouraged, Luet. I've known people who tried to quit, and when they smoked once, decided that effort was over. Keep it up!
Pinky, I don't want this to turn into a debate about smoking, but I'll thank you not to speak on what I do or don't like.
Posts: 2907 | Registered: Nov 2005
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quote:20 Minutes After Quitting Your heart rate drops.
12 hours After Quitting Carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal.
How does your body know the difference between quitting smoking permanently and just taking a 20 minute break from a cigarette? Or sleeping late one day?
It doesn't. Or do you expect the body to say: "Either you stop smoking or I stop cleaning up the mess?"
Posts: 262 | Registered: Feb 2006
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It's good that you haven't quit quitting. I applaud you for that. I will say, however, that having a cig every now and then is a route that will lead you straight back to regular smoking. You have to, at some point, decide that you don't want to have one again ever, and stick to that. That is what is known as "quitting". All those other exercises and evolutions, on the other hand, are known as "still smoking".
Posts: 6246 | Registered: Aug 2004
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Yeah, my friends that have 'quite smoking' tend to bum more smokes off of me than the ones that haven't 'quit.' I think that they just quit buying cigarettes.
Posts: 2596 | Registered: Jan 2006
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Checking to see how it's going. You posted this so you would be accountable, right? (I hope so.) Good luck, and let us know!
Posts: 6246 | Registered: Aug 2004
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I don't mind it that much when people smoke around me, but for their own good, I want them to stop! My aunt smokes, and so does my friends mom, I hope they quit.
Posts: 1164 | Registered: Feb 2006
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I had a bit of a set back these last two weeks, but I'm quitting again. Yes I know that sounds silly, but so be it. I had some stressful issues arise, and so I jumped right back knowing full well that it was a bad idea, yet unable to muster up the willpower to stop myself.
The way I figure it, as long as I don't give up and keep on quitting, even if I have to quit 20 times I'm making some sort of progress.
On Monday I start riding my bike from the far North Side of Chicago to Downtown. Every day. If riding my bike every day for many miles doesn't beat it into my brain that I need to breathe, I don't know what will.
Wish me luck with this endeavor! I don't feel that I've failed completely, so I'd appreciate it if ya'll don't attack my weakness. Thanks especially to Tatiana for the encouragement and reminders to stop. Posts: 511 | Registered: Mar 2006
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I have to admit, I've been keeping an eye on this thread with the same interest that I watch Nascar and hockey games.
Posts: 2596 | Registered: Jan 2006
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quote: Yes I know that sounds silly, but so be it. I had some stressful issues arise, and so I jumped right back knowing full well that it was a bad idea, yet unable to muster up the willpower to stop myself.
I think that people have exactly as much willpower as they think they have.
If you fully believe that you have the willpower to overcome a craving, then you do. You need to truly believe that you are completely through with smoking. If you can convince yourself of this, then you've already won.
Posts: 5656 | Registered: Oct 1999
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Good luck, Luet. Keep in mind Bush's story (or the million other more inspirational ones) about getting up each time you fall.
Posts: 2926 | Registered: Sep 2005
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You're so welcome! You will live longer and be healthier when you quit, your life begins improving the moment you quit, and continues to improve for years, you are strong and can do it!
Do you believe in God? If so, do not hesitate to call on a power greater than your own for help and inspiration. He will help your cravings go away, or he will go away and leave you alone and let you smoke in peace, if that's what you want from him. It's totally your choice.
(The same is true of me, by the way... if you would rather I quit pestering you, I will!)
You did a very smart thing by making this choice. Now you are going to carry through and do the even smarter (though difficult) thing of actually changing your habits. You have everything you need to do it.
It's SUCH a great feeling, to know that you are free of the addiction, that you are no longer enslaved to it. It's great, too, just knowing about yourself that you are strong enough to do it. It feels so good to know that you can truly do anything you set your mind to do. You can overcome it! 95% of everything is mental. This is a great mental exercise, and training, for becoming the person you want to be.
Posts: 6246 | Registered: Aug 2004
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One of my old family friends has emphysema from smoking. She lives in a tall house, and getting around it without oxygen has become virtually impossible.
I'd really prefer no one else have to live like that.
Keep trying, Luet. We're all pulling for you.
Posts: 3826 | Registered: May 2005
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My boyfriend quit the first of this month as motivation for me to quit procrastinating and start work on my undergrad thesis.
He's tripped a couple of times. But four cigarettes in the last month as opposed to 3-4 a day is certainly progress. He celebrated when our state recently passed a bill which would remove smoking sections from restuarants and now we look forward to dining without raising his anxiety. He misses going to hear live New Orleans music, but can't yet stand to be around that much bar smoke and so he's avoiding it for now and keeping strong around his smoking-friends.
I'm very proud of his efforts especially since I lost my grandfather to smoking-related cancer.
Keep working at it. We're all cheering for you. You're giving your body, your future, and your loved ones a great gift.
Posts: 1733 | Registered: Apr 2005
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Okay, it's been a few months since my relapse, and I'm trying again. I haven't had a cigarette since Wednesday night. I've been sick the past few days, so I figured this was as good a time as any to try again.
For weeks, I've been buying my "last pack." Oddly, it never was the last. I kept coming up with excuses of why it would be too hard to quit now. I'd wait for a better time. I think it finally sunk in that there is NEVER a good time to quit. Something will always come up.
And you know what? I'm sick of it. I'm tired of not being in control of my own actions. Everything in my life has revolved around smoking for so long. It has been involved in every hour of my life for over 9 years. I'm 23. That means I've been smoking for nearly half of my life. That is so disgusting, it's killing me.
Also, one of my best friends in the whole world was recently diagnosed with cancer. He's only a year older than me. He had to quit smoking because of chemo. I promised him I would quit, and I really don't want to let him down. If he can do it, and go through this awful experience with cancer and come out okay, then there is no reason I can't quit. NO REASON!
I know I failed before (at least 8 times) but this time, THIS TIME, dammit, I will do this! I will be strong! I will NEVER GO BACK!
Posts: 511 | Registered: Mar 2006
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Oh, yes. I am doing it again. I figure if I just keep at it, one of these times is going to work.
So far it's been one week and one day since my last cigarette. I have been hibernating in my house to avoid any temptations. Last night I went out for the first time in a week to see a movie. My friend had two cigarettes. I had none!!! Or any desire to.
Also, I decided this time to quit drinking for at least four months or until I'm feeling really solid about not smoking. I know that drinking has always been my biggest trigger. Plus I think I'm an alcoholic, and quitting drinking won't hurt.
Thanks Hatrack for letting me tell you about my addiction issues. Posts: 511 | Registered: Mar 2006
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Have you considered trying something to help you quit? Cold turkey is not nearly as effective as when you use a nicotine patch, one of the various prescriptions, or join a support group.
You can do this, but it's ok to need a little help!
Posts: 32919 | Registered: Mar 2003
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I have several friends that quit by going to the local medical center and signing up for the next case study on cigarette smoking. Well, they quit by attending and completing the case study, not just by signing up. And they got free experimental drugs!
That's how I plan to quit. If I ever plan to quit, that is.
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