SMOKING, RA, LUPUS & ME

chile168

Hi Everyone,

After having the bad back inflammation I am feeling much better and thank you for your support.

I felt so defeated and accepted treatment so they have prescribed methotrexate.

Monday this week I put on a patch and can report that I haven't smoked since. Been really wanting a cigarette but keep telling myself that I want to improve my quality of life. I have to admit that even though the joints have still ached, I feel much better since I haven't smoked.

The rheumy nurse said that smoking can trigger RA so not happy that I have been smoking for years.

I just wanted to update you guys and thank you for the support.

Eve x

trisher

Hi Eve

Give yourself a pat on the back for not smoking. It must be hard to do, but you are doing it now.

They say it gets easier as the time goes by. Think of the money you will save.

Put the money in a jar and watch how much you get, Lots of people cannot beieve the money they do save.

Well, good luck and I hope it goes well for you

Trish

annie_mial

Eve, oh well done.......it's so hard to do, but keep going! You can get lots of sugar free sweets now and different chewing gums and I'm told that they all make it easier as you have something to hand if the need to put something in your mouth gets too much.

That is how my daughter did it after smoking for years..........she's not smoked now in 2 years.

Annie

chile168

Trisher and Annie,

Thanks for your support, totally appreciate it.

Annie I know what you mean, I'm constantly putting sweets in my mouth and need the sucking action lol. I must admit I like the sweets with sugar and my mouth is quite happy with fruit pastels - I love them coated with sugar - I must get the fizzy cola sweets mmmmmmm.

I don't feel the need to inhale just to suck. Will be very fat by the time the craving stops.

Eve

minky67

Well done Eve.
I tired for a bit recently & failed although i have cut right down & were saving alot from doing that.
I will try again when things have settled down here. I know i can do it as i packed up for 4yrs & the most stupid thing i did was start again.
I was taking Champax prescribed by the health care team at the gps. that takes away the craving completely, its just when you think about it i wanted one.
Good luck debs

woodbon

Hi, I'm glad you'r feeling better. That must help you with giving up smoking. My sister gave up smoking heavily, a few years ago, and I never thought she would manage it but she seems to be fine now.

She had the patches and then the chewing gum. If its making you feel a lot better then that alone must make you feel proud, to have done it for yourself.

Love Sue

elnafinn

Hi Eve

It is great news that you are feeling better in yourself. I wish you well with the metho.

Good for you regarding the ciggies. My friend celebrated 10 years of not smoking this week and her family sent a bouquet to her place of work and took her out to afternoon tea at the Ritz. It is good to try and change your routine a little so that the time you had a ciggie you are doing something else. Keeping busy is a deterrent as well. Anyway, congratulations, Eve, it is early days and these will be the worst. It does get easier. Probably the smell of ciggie smoke on other people will soon smell very strong to you if you have given up for a few days and it really ain't pleasant! I gave up some time ago, that is ciggies, not life!

If you are desperate for a smoke, call in here and we will chat to you and the craving will pass.

Keep up the good work,

Love
Elna x

annie_mial

Yes, Eve........I should have mentioned the methotrexate, too. I was so very reluctant to take it, but now I am so glad I did. I'm now about 14 weeks into it and convinced it is now helping me.

Annie

airwave

Well done for giving up smoking, I have thought about having a crafty drag over the last few months but I can hear my daughters voice nagging at me to give up and I know that I will not stop with just one drag.

I used to get given **** by my aunt when I was about 3-4 years old, by the time I was 10, I was buying my own. I spent the next forty five years feeling guilty and wanting not to smoke, often having arguments with the family when I hadn't had a cigarette for a while, not a nice person to be around. I would do anything just for a smoke.

The chemicals from smoking are, in short, a killer, as I am now finding out. Give up and find the strength to keep giving up, it is a long haul job! But worth it.

8) Its a grin, honest!

chile168

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for all the support and pleased to report I have completed one and a half week without smoking.

Airwave, that's awful hun you were a baby. Have you managed to give up?

I got the go ahead to take methotrexate today as blood tests are fine but still worried. Im even more worried because of cancer as 4 family members have died and I know that sounds somewhat ridiculous considering I have been smoking for 20 years but the methotrexate would get into my blood quicker. My gut instinct tell me not to take it and when I have gone against my instincts it's come back to bite me in the backside.

I have asked them to reduce the dose but reluctant to take it. I refused Leflunomide point blank - that's a no no for me.

Anyway I thought I would update xx

Eve

airwave

Hi,
Yes I have managed to give up before it gave me up. When I was little I had a book about a tug boat captain, he used to stand on his bridge holding his pipe, I used to copy him.

Most of my elder relatives smoked, my sister used to like small cigars, I just wanted to be like them, be accepted, so I smoked everything from cigarettes to pipes to cigars over the years.

The feeling of wanting to smoke was incredibly strong for me, far stronger than wanting to drink. I went into the public services and we used to have a 'spit and a draw' breaks so the smoking carried on, later I had two attempts of six years each but didn't give up completely till I was 49.

I am often surprised that tobacco hasn't been outlawed, because of the harm it does, is that what being a 'free' society means? The chance to kill ourselves?

8) Its a grin, honest!

frogmorton

Hi Eve

Well done you

Not easy I know, but has to be beneficial for you.

My Mum gave up on teh champix - she just went off them so if the patches dont do the job you could always try them?

Keep it up

Love

Toni xx

salamander

Hi, I gave up smoking a while back and it's very hard, probably the hardest thing I've ever done but am so pleased I managed to do it. The desire to smoke went quite quickly so persevere. Re: the RA and smoking: I wonder about that but there are plenty of people who smoke and don't get RA so don't beat yourself up about it. I'm not

Good luck!
Sally

dippydoodah

Just wanted to say Well Done for giving up the smoking. My husband went on the patches just over 3 years ago and he hasn't touched one since. They worked really well.

Hope you have as good as success with it as he did

Caroline x

chile168

Thank you all so much for your support, it's so encouraging and thank you for sharing your experience and of those closest to you.

Today as I was showering I couldn't stop thinking about a cigarette and realised that it's like having an affair but with the wrong person so you could say IT'S FATAL ATTRACTION. You know it's wrong but keep going back for more.

As soon as I came out, I put on the patch and certainly given me the munches lol. The thing is I separated 2.5 years ago and Im thinking more about the cigarette than the Ex :shock:

Bank account also looking slightly healthier this week

Eve