Emphysema

[savafan]

So, at the ripe old age of 29, I've been diagnosed with the onset of emphysema. I feel like I'm really too young for something like this to have happened to me, and I've only smoked for about 8 years now, but now I don't have a choice in the matter, it's either the cigarettes or my life...

Albuterol makes me shaky too...

They say it's early, and treatable now, so hopefully I can quit and not have too many problems on down the road.

[HumnHilghtFreel]

My neighbor had horrible emphysema for years. He smoked just about all his life and continued past the treatable stages. Having seen it first hand, believe me when I say they're not worth it.

http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/how2quit.htm

Edit: Also should add good luck and I wish you the best. Coming from a family of smokers, I know it's not always easy.

[zombie-a-go-go]

You'll be fine. It's not hard to quit. The hardest thing about it is realizing that it's not hard. Once you get that down, it's easy.

See? :)

[RollyInRaleigh]

Good luck, savafan. I'll be praying for you.

[SunDeck]

Sava,
My thoughts are with you. My wife smoked heavily, but she resolved to quit before we got married. It took her about a year and a half, but through determination and a healthy dose of self forgiveness whenever she backslid, she did it.

That was fifteen years ago and today the doc tells her she has lungs as pink and healthy as could be.

[Matt700wlw]

So, at the ripe old age of 29, I've been diagnosed with the onset of emphysema.


Yikes....

I wish you the best, and hope you can overcome this.

[Redsland]

Thank goodness they caught it early. Hang in there.

[guttle11]

I wish you nothing but the best.

I haven't had a cigarette in nine days now. I ran a mile this morning and felt great. You can do it. It's really not hard at all, as long as you know you won't smoke again. Don't "think" or "hope", know.

[SunDeck]

Sava,
My thoughts are with you brother. I quit smoking about fifteen years ago, and my wife quit shortly after that. Our experience was totally different- she had a much harder time, probably because she smoked about twice as much as I did. So, her plan was to take it slow, cutting down bit by bit until she was down to about two a day. Those last two took a while, but she eventually succeeded.
Today, the doctor says her lungs are in great shape after kicking the two pack a day habit when she was two years younger than you.


Best of luck quitting.

[Yachtzee]

Sava, are you sure this isn't your picture?

http://www.topthat.net/webrock/images/schlep.jpg

;)

Seriously. When it comes to quitting, you've got plenty of support here. I smoke for 7 years and quit in 2000. It's roughest that first week. Then you'll feel good about it, might have a real smoking jones a few months later, but then, for me at least, it was smooth sailing.

[RedFanAlways1966]

Take care of yourself and do what is best for yourself, sava. You can do it! There are lots of things/products to help.

Your health depends on it. :)

[reds1869]

I wish you the best and hope quitting goes well for you.

[bucksfan]

sava - Really sorry to hear that, but as others have said, you can do this. I will be rooting for you for sure. My wife also quit cold turkey after we got married (12 years ago). There's lot's of good examples of success to be sure. You'll be another.

[thatcoolguy_22]

I smoked for almost 4 years and managed to kick the habit. What I did (which really should not be recommened to anyone btw) was to begin to chew tobacco instead of smoke it. So instead of taking in 2 mg of nicotine every 2 hours you absorb 8mg every 8 hrs.

So in a sense it cut me down from 5-8 "breaks" a day down to 2. I just weened myself down from there and a month later I was finished with it entirely.

[wally post]

Hi Sava -
Stay away from any friends that smoke for now. Do not even TOUCH a pack of cigs (Q: "can you hand me those? A: No.")
Good luck!

[SunDeck]

Hi Sava -
Stay away from any friends that smoke for now. Do not even TOUCH a pack of cigs (Q: "can you hand me those? A: No.")
Good luck!
My wife says that even today the hardest thing about being an ex-smoker is to be around others who smoke. Luckily, Bloomington is a smoke free town, now.

[KittyDuran]

My wife says that even today the hardest thing about being an ex-smoker is to be around others who smoke. Luckily, Bloomington is a smoke free town, now.My Dad would say that as well. He started smoking in HS, was up to about 2 packs a day when he quit (for the first time) in 1971 (age 49) after getting a bleeding ulcer. Was back at it two years later, but quit cold turkey in 1974 when someone bet him a full course dinner at the old Windjammer restaurant. BUT... you couldn't smoke around him or smoke in the car either. My Dad will turn 85 in March, so he will be smoke free for 33 years, and except for slow growing prostrate cancer he's fine. Now if I can get my 2 chain smokin' sisters to quit!!!:bang:

[savafan]

Sava, are you sure this isn't your picture?

http://www.topthat.net/webrock/images/schlep.jpg

;)



You know, after almost choking on a Lucky Charms marshmallow today, and only being saved by the administering of the Heimlich Maneuver, that may very well be my picture. "Lucky" Charms....

[KronoRed]

Sorry to hear this news Sava

[Sea Ray]

So, at the ripe old age of 29, I've been diagnosed with the onset of emphysema. I feel like I'm really too young for something like this to have happened to me, and I've only smoked for about 8 years now, but now I don't have a choice in the matter, it's either the cigarettes or my life...

Albuterol makes me shaky too...

They say it's early, and treatable now, so hopefully I can quit and not have too many problems on down the road.

The "onset of emphysema" sounds a little sketchy to me. I suppose a smoker's cough could be diagnosed as such. My guess is quit the stuff and you'll be just fine. :)

[zombie-a-go-go]

My guess is quit the stuff and you'll be just fine. :)

And look at it this way - the money you save on cigarettes will buy more liquor.

[savafan]

And look at it this way - the money you save on cigarettes will buy more liquor.

Drinking without smoking...I guess I'll have to cross that bridge eventually.

I'm not sure that they routinely prescribe inhalers for smoker's cough, but I could be wrong. Truth is, my lungs are in bad shape, and have been for a while, but it's not irreparable.