HR- quiting smoking while on tx

[Proactive]

Good morning HR and all....Question, do you see any downside to quitting smoking with 12 weeks of tx left to go? I would love to come off tx smoke free....I don't want this thread to become a "smoking bad" thread(I know the chances off smoking getting me are probably as high, if not higher than not achieving svr)...My question is only related to quitting while on tx. How would my blood counts be effected? I've been told smokers typically have a higher hgb count (my preTX hgb was 18)..
Perhaps I would be better off to wait until TX ends? Any input would be helpful..
thanks Pro

[hairtamer]

My prayers are with you and all who are trying to quit smoking.  I quit 11 years ago and I think it was the hardest thing I ever had to do until now (tx).  If you can switch to cigars first they have less chemicals.
God Bless,
Rose

[Proactive]

Thanks everyone for their input...Sounds like I am out of excuses...............;^)

[Hepatitis Researcher]

As mremeet pointed out above

Smokers, depending on intensity of course, can have up to 10% of their hemoglobin blocked by carbonmonoxide. That amounts to an increase in the de facto effects of any anemia that exists for other reasons. What matters is not just the  HgB, but the percentage that is functional, not blocked by carbonmonoxide.

[merryBe]

I would think the safest way would be to just taper off slowly. you can just count out what you can have, and not exceed it...and just go down one or 2 cigs a week. the body will adjust down to lower levels given time and resolve on your part.

the patch would work wonders, if you were not on tx. but not good while on it so...

either disciplined tapering now...or wait until off tx a while and then try the patch, which does work and is the least painful method to quit.

[mremeet]

I dunno about quitting during tx, if you can do it great, but depending on how addicted you are that might be tough. One of the common side effects of quitting smoking is irritability and nerves. One of the common side effects of tx is irritability and nerves. 1+1 = ??? Not that it's a good idea to smoke of course, just sayin' is all. But one thing about treatment is that it skews your normal cravings every which way, and you can also develop strong repulsions for things you never disliked before (or even liked for that matter). For instance I LOVE coffee, but during treatment I could not stand it. Many foods were the same way. I could see where some people who smoke may find it easier to quit during treatment for this reason, although if you're a hardcore smoker I doubt you're going to suddenly start haiting it. Also, if your HGB goes low enough, I could see where smoking could exacerbate the effects of anemia to the point where it might make you feel sick. And it might actually make you sick considering cigarette smoke has carbon monoxide in it which inhibits the uptake of oxygen in red blood cells (of which you will have precious few left once the riba fully sinks in). So whow knows, maybe the effects of tx will serve as a sort of nicotine anti-abuse? We can only hope...

[APKhaos]

That's interesting. Wellbutrin was prescribed by the liver disease clinic that ran the VX trial group I was in. They are obviously well informed on negative indications for liver patients when prescribing drugs, right?

[mbnh]

Wellbutrin is so bad for your liver.  that is one of the things you should stay away from if you have liver disease.  It's written on the package warnings, I've heard that all over the place.  Please don't recommend Wellbutrin to hepatitis sufferers.

[GrandmaA]

Anytime you can give up an unhealthy, addictive and expensive habit GREAT. I smoked for 8 years and was only smoking 4 a day when I quit in 1965.

[APKhaos]

Half way through tx I was feeling so bad that I figured quitting could not possibly make me feel any worse. Besides, the 'mouth full of mercury' taste didn't really do much for the taste of the smoke. Short story is that I quit in mid-tx. Some Wellbutrin helped dull down the intial jones, but after a while it was no big deal. We're all drinking buckets of water during tx, and that probably helped too.
So, give it a shot. It might be the easiest time to quit. Sounds strange, but you might be surprised.

[Proactive]

do you remember this line in the clint eastwood movie, the outlaw Josie Wales?
"Yep, first the silver run out, then the people run out, then the whiskey run out, then the beer run out."

That line always comes to mind when I think about quiting smoking....first I gave up drugs, then I gave up liquor, and now,smoking to!? (LOL!)
thanks for the best wishes, I'm a gona need'em...................;^)

[nygirl7]

I wish I could have stopped (wish I still COULD stop in fact I know I have to but...) it seemed during treatment it was the only vice I had that I could sort of enjoy (heck eating was out, booze was out etc etc).

It's the last of a long line of vices for most of us but obviously the hardest of them all.

Good luck Proactive - I wish you ALL the success in the world.

[jmjm530]

The WIN-R study should a significantly higher SVR rate for non-smokers with genotype 2 and 3, but did not find a correlation with genotype 1.

But equally -- perhaps more important -- it appears that smoking can accelerate fibrosis.

"The authors concluded that chronic hepatitis C patients who smoke may be more likely to develop liver fibrosis. Their data also suggest that increased VEGF and VEGF-D concentrations, which are associated with smoking, may be involved in the molecular mechanisms of fibrogenesis."

http://www.hivandhepatitis.com/hep_c/news/2006/070706_a.html

[geterdone]

that is a good question and had asked my doc about it also and if the use of the patch would have any adverse effects as to the medication we are on, his reply was no, BS! It’s a chemical and chemicals change things. As a matter of fact my smoking has increased since being on tx because of the psychological battle for stability. Sad but true, it is the last vice for some but a buck more for a pack of smokes is detrimental to your wallet.

jasper

PS. If one is to be persistent with endeavor for the sake of family and friends, please remove all weapons with in a half mile radius. LOL!