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Avatar universal

Relapsed

Hello everyone!  I quit in June 07 after smoking for about 13 years.  I just started again around the holidays, I figured I could be the "social" smoker, well I was wrong.  It has now been 3 months of smoking again and I am getting all my "pains" back.  Chest pains, arm pains, leg pains, the SOB and the dizziness....I am only 29 years old too.  I have all the tests to check my heart and circulatory system out...no problems.  

Why am I having such a hard time quitting again?  Why did I ever start again?  I went on vacation and that is how I quit.  I changed my surroundings, my routine.  I don't have anyway of doing that right now but I really, really want to quit.  What worked for you?  

I don't want to pry into everyone's business, but I am curious as to why everyone has made the decision to quit.  Me personally, I just want to healthy for my child and I want all these pains to go away!  I know that we can all overcome this...I did it once, I don't know why it is so dang hard this time around!
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11048215 tn?1414875200
I have MS and have had it for many, many years.  I'm. 57 years old and have taken Chantix  to stop smoking.  Must take with food and a full glass of water as nausea can be a problem.  I had vivid dreams but no nightmares.  A little loss of ambition at first but I just tried taking a vitamin.I do take Celexa (antidepressant)  due to another MS drug I am taking.  Chanticleer worked well for me and I cut the last 2 weeks pills in half and weened myself off them just in case I would experience some sort of rebound from stopping the Chantix.  I was fine!
Helpful - 0
326505 tn?1304169225
Good luck to you and perhaps you can talk your fiance into quitting too! If not, then maybe he can help by cutting back and not smoking around you for a while.
Tomorrow makes 5 months for me and it wasn't until recently that I could be around smokers and not want to join in : )  I know that I cannot even smoke just 1 and I think that most of us here are probably in the same boat.
Support is so important to our quit and this forum has gotten me through some very difficult times so come and visit often and write your thoughts, fears and complain all you want : )
Kathy Jo
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thanks a bunch!  It is SO nice to know that there are caring people out there to support me eventhough you guys are total strangers.  You both are absolutely right...it is not my surroundings it is my mind (evil thing that mind!)  I will pick a quit date, but I need to talk to my fiance because he is a smoker.  I think that is why I was able to quit before because I was on vacation with my sister (a nonsmoker).  I need support at home too.  Thanks again and I will keep everyone posted on my progress!!!
Helpful - 0
242912 tn?1660619837
Hey there!   I think you've answered your own question.  You started again because you thought you could be "just" a social smoker.  Lot's of people think this way and soon realize, like you did, that this is impossible.  Please don't beat yourself up for this.  I quit a 33yr habit back in July07.  I have had two relapses.  This happens.  So what you do is start all over again.  

The reason I quit was I was just plain sick of it!  It couldn't breathe without the help of an inhaler at LEAST before bed.  Otherwise, I would wheeze.  And I don't have asthma or any other kind of lung problem.  My entire breathing problem was smoking.  My legs ached alot due to circulation problems, I had terrible insomnia that has since left me for the first time since teen years and I'm 48 now.  I was tired of covering my clothes with a shirt and putting on a hat so my clothes and hair wouldn't smell of smoke.  It all became a HUGE inconvenience, beside the fact I felt like ****!   This forum has been a huge source of strength and I haven't had a puff for 5wks now.  

Changing your surroundings, shell, is not your main problem.  It's changing your mind!  Quitting smoking is really the easy part.  It's "staying" quit, in the same surroundings if I may add, that is the challenge.  It's hard for EVERYONE.  You are not alone honey.  Life goes on and I assume you're not going to move just so you can be successful at quitting smoking, right?

So here's what you do.  You pick yourself a new quit date.  Get Chantix or the gum or whatever aid you choose and if you choose cold turkey, that's great too.  It doesn't matter, as long as you quit.  You say you "really really want to quit"  so what you do is just do it!!  That's exactly how we all did it.  

Visit whyquit.com like Kathyjo suggested to gain some perspective and new motivation.  

If I may steal a phrase from Kathyjo which she said to me many times.....You CAN do this!  You WILL do this.  Do it, not only for yourself, but for your child.  Your child looks up to you and wants to copy what you do.  You don't want him/her to copy THIS do you?  

So pick your new quit date and lets get started, Okay?

We are here for you shell.  All you have to do is post : )





Helpful - 0
326505 tn?1304169225
Hi,
Well you know you have it in you to quit and I think the surroundings are just incidental, as most of us have quit without the vacation : )
Speaking from my personal experience.......I used Chantix for a month and a half though it is recommended for 3 months.
I was a smoker for 38 years and I had never, ever quit before! I quit because I had promised myself at age 50 I would get back into shape.....joined the gym but didn't quit until 52. I found it difficult to use some of the cardio machines....I didn't have the stamina or endurance and so, with the new miracle drug called Chantix, I took the challenge not really expecting it to work (it did though)!
I used advair twice a day and now I have weaned myself off almost completely. I feel so much better about myself physically as well as mentally and my family are to happy for words. Our whole life has changed with my quit......imagine taking a vacation by plane, something I wouldn't do before for fear of being without! I can take a long car ride too : )
I smell good, my skin looks healthier and my circulation has improved greatly and I can use the elliptical machine (yeah me!)

Shell, you can do it without the change of scenery.......you just need to put your heart, mind and head into it. Do it for yourself more so then your family.
Look at the whyquit.com website for some reasons, answers and motivation.
We are here to support you, so write often : )
Kathy Jo
Helpful - 0
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