Anyone quit smoking? and see improvements?

[notmyself]

Never smoked, although both my parents and siblings did (they've quit or died). That said, I just wanted to pop into this thread, because smoking is one of the things I've noticed is very different in ME/CFS vs. depression.

Smoking in ME/CFS patients is roughly 1/2 the general population, according to one study. While depression patients smoke at about 2X the rate of the general population, according to the CDC. That's a substantial difference between ME/CFS and depression populations (10.5% vs. 43%).

Another interesting note is that ME/CFS patients seem to quit smoking at a much higher rate than Multiple Sclerosis patients do, according to the same study. Why do most ME/CFS smokers quit smoking while most Multiple Sclerosis smokers continue smoking? I have no idea. However, over half of Multiple Sclerosis sufferers report depression (53% in a 2017 survey).

i guess is like this because real major depression is more difficult to cope with even than something so odios like cfs..

 

[notmyself]

And you can,


you're my hero, If only I could be this strong.

hahah..thank you. But i'm anything but a hero )..quiting smoking will need mind strenght ,wich i'm lacking..I've seen much stronger people on this forum than me..People that are bedridden are more positive than me ,wich i never been in that state..i need to work on my mind ..And i can learn from the people here

 

[perchance dreamer]

Another benefit I noticed after quitting is that my sense of smell improved. I hadn't realized how much it was affected.

Also, my skin improved. I had fewer fine lines, and it just looked better.

An old boyfriend got a prescription for nicotine patches, and that's what helped him quit. He was a very heavy smoker of many years.

The antidepressant Wellbutrin is sometimes prescribed to help people quit. I don't think it's so much the antidepressant aspect as some other mechanism that helps with cravings.

 

[Mrs Sowester]

Yes, quit 7 years ago using the Alan Carr's Easy Way to Stop Smoking. I smoked 20 a day for 24 years and gave up overnight. It took 3 weeks to stop the cravings, the first day was the worst but it got easier every day.
I haven't had a cough since, no yellowing teeth or fingers. I can sit through a film without getting edgy. Train journey's are less torturous, I don't have to sneak off for a ciggie when I'm with non-smokers. It feels really good.
I am now an official smug ex-smoker! Join our smug club, you will feel thoroughly good about yourself.

 

[Wonko]

Oddly I rarely had a problem with stopping for the first month or so, when the main withdrawal symptoms are there to battle I fight,I distract myself, etc. and I win. It's the period after this, when there are no physical withdrawal symptoms, I had major issues with, the poor vision, that improved after a few puffs of a cigarette, the smells, the great British public stinks and it used to really get to me, again, fixed by a few puffs (these days I hardly go out, do they still stink if I'm not there to smell them?), black ice thinking (feels exactly like almost losing it when your vehicle hits a patch of black ice, but with thoughts not wheels, similar to vertigo but not), etc. etc. etc.

My brain doesn't function at all well without nicotine (it's pathetic with it but it functions a lot worse without it) but withdrawal has never been a big problem for me, it's the bit after I have a problem with (I think it's called life).

Hence i vape, have done for years and have no intention of stopping.

 

[svetoslav80]

I was a chain smoker too, but stopped cigarettes because I didn't have a choice - my stomach has become hypersensitive from smoking / drinking / overeating. In regards to CFS that didn't help much, but in general - I feel much better.

 

[bspg]

I quit 3 & 1/2 months ago. My sense of smell is better and I'm not constantly craving a smoke every 20 mins. Other than that, I haven't noticed much difference.

 

[NelliePledge]

My dad was totally hooked on nicotine. When he was terminally ill in hospital he used to get people to wheel him outside so he could have a couple of cigs. I have a lot of respect for any heavy smoker who manages to stop. Luckily he was such a bad example I never tried smoking.

 

[The Chronicals]

I was a 20 a day smoker for fifteen years, I quit five years ago, and the detox from them lasted over a year and was pretty brutal. Ironically I didn't see any symptoms get improvement from doing so - I actually quit as I began reacting to them horrendously, they would tank my adrenals into overstimulation even from a few drags.

I have to admit, when times get really bad for me, and the depression of the isolation kicks in I occasionally have the odd one as a treat to try and pickme up but it isnt pleasant so to speak and its never constant, maybe one smoke every few months.

I think looking at how all the bodily systems reacts to a cigarette, primarily endocrine, you NEED to remove it from your world when in ME because of the weight of poisoning yourself on an already subpar system but also its adding to toxicity that with liver impairement cant be processed - anyone who dosent so, dosent want to try and get better - but boy its hard I must admit.

 

[perchance dreamer]

@notmyself, one of the best things you can do before quitting is planning for how to deal with cravings. What could you do to occupy your hands? As I mentioned earlier, doing that one simple stitch and crocheting that silly, endless nothing helped me a lot.

Also, what are the times you most strongly associate with smoking? I used to smoke all day and then started restricting it to just at night when I drank alcohol. It got to where cigarettes tasted disgusting unless I was drinking. Then I started drinking less at night, so smoked less.

So if you can change the habits you associate most with smoking, that should really help.

Quitting was hard, but I can't tell you how happy I am that I quit. Now I find it repulsive being around smokers. The smell is sickening.

I wouldn't smoke a cigarette again if you put a gun to my head, and this is from someone heavily addicted for years.

You can do it!!!!

 

[notmyself]

@notmyself, one of the best things you can do before quitting is planning for how to deal with cravings. What could you do to occupy your hands? As I mentioned earlier, doing that one simple stitch and crocheting that silly, endless nothing helped me a lot.

Also, what are the times you most strongly associate with smoking? I used to smoke all day and then started restricting it to just at night when I drank alcohol. It got to where cigarettes tasted disgusting unless I was drinking. Then I started drinking less at night, so smoked less.

So if you can change the habits you associate most with smoking, that should really help.

Quitting was hard, but I can't tell you how happy I am that I quit. Now I find it repulsive being around smokers. The smell is sickening.

I wouldn't smoke a cigarette again if you put a gun to my head, and this is from someone heavily addicted for years.

You can do it!!!!

Congratulations..did you feel any improvment in health aswell? that's what i'm hoping for..less toxins ,better blood flow

 

[Mary]

@notmyself - I quite a 20-cigarette a day habit over 20 years ago and am so glad I did. My biggest motivation was I didn't want to develop smoker's wrinkles! I read an excellent book about quitting smoking which said to find your gut reason for why you want to quit, no matter how trivial, and avoiding those wrinkles was more important to me than saving my health (crazy, I know). I can't remember the name of the book but it was excellent. If I find it I'll post it.

One important thing I learned through all my attempts to quit smoking was that the hardest part was psychological. There is a very real physical addiction no doubt, but making up your mind to quit was essential to being able to do it, and deceptively difficult. I read a story about Yul Brynner once - he smoked a lot, 2 or 3 packs a day, and always thought it was too hard to quit. And then the day he was diagnosed with lung cancer, he quit that day, and realized he could have quit at any time.

Also, Nicorette gum helped a lot with cravings. Yes, you do get used to the gum but it was easier to taper off the gum than cigarettes.

I don't have the early morning congestion I used to, and I used to get bronchitis once a year which I don't any more, I don't smell like cigarettes and my clothes don't either (I think most smokers don't realize how much they smell, I didn't) I know it's been beneficial overall for my health, I can't imagine what shape I'd be in now if I had never quit.

 

[notmyself]

@notmyself - I quite a 20-cigarette a day habit over 20 years ago and am so glad I did. My biggest motivation was I didn't want to develop smoker's wrinkles! I read an excellent book about quitting smoking which said to find your gut reason for why you want to quit, no matter how trivial, and avoiding those wrinkles was more important to me than saving my health (crazy, I know). I can't remember the name of the book but it was excellent. If I find it I'll post it.

One important thing I learned through all my attempts to quit smoking was that the hardest part was psychological. There is a very real physical addiction no doubt, but making up your mind to quit was essential to being able to do it, and deceptively difficult. I read a story about Yul Brynner once - he smoked a lot, 2 or 3 packs a day, and always thought it was too hard to quit. And then the day he was diagnosed with lung cancer, he quit that day, and realized he could have quit at any time.

Also, Nicorette gum helped a lot with cravings. Yes, you do get used to the gum but it was easier to taper off the gum than cigarettes.

I don't have the early morning congestion I used to, and I used to get bronchitis once a year which I don't any more, I don't smell like cigarettes and my clothes don't either (I think most smokers don't realize how much they smell, I didn't) I know it's been beneficial overall for my health, I can't imagine what shape I'd be in now if I had never quit.

i hope i will manage..i will try cold turkey from tomorrow..i hope i will manage..Today i'm already above one packet smoked,One last dance i guess ))

 

[Mary]

i hope i will manage..i will try cold turkey from tomorrow..i hope i will manage..Today i'm already above one packet smoked,One last dance i guess ))

You can do it - I think the hardest part is finding out that you really can do it (like Yul Brynner did). Here's the book which helped me, How to Stop Smoking by Herbert Brean: https://www.amazon.com/Stop-Smoking-Revised-Herbert-Brean/dp/0671440497

It's out of print but you can get a used copy, though it's a little pricey now because it seems to be scarce, unfortunately. And you might consider the gum, depending on how you do. It helped me a lot.

 

[Alvin2]

I read an excellent book about quitting smoking which said to find your gut reason for why you want to quit, no matter how trivial, and avoiding those wrinkles was more important to me than saving my health (crazy, I know). I can't remember the name of the book but it was excellent. If I find it I'll post it.

This is very true, no person will quit any bad habit unless they are ready to do so. I've written a bit about this, no power in the universe will make anyone give up something they are not resolved to do. The physical withdrawal, the reasons for starting/continuing and other factors will be challenges to overcome but until someone is ready to move on they will not do so. And there is almost no way to convince someone of this, they have to be ready to do it or it will never work.

 

[Rita1979]

I know smoking is bad..i smoke for the last 12 years 20 plus cigarette a day..I really want to quit,i wander if anyone here quit and see some improvements,theorethicly it should improve blood flow,and oxygen wich could be very beneficial.I try once for 2 days and i could't sleep at all.Insomnia is not what i need now..But for a greater cause maybe it's worth it..

You could try Niacin, the flush version. I am currently attempting to quit and Niacin is on my exit plan. Smoking influences the endocrine system on many ways. It raises thyroid hormones and Cortisol. It blocks thyroid hormone synthesis by Thiocyanate. So yes, in the long term your body will be and feel more stable. The stable (in the sense of more constant) feeling I know from my past attempts to quit.

At least up to now, Niacin has the effect on me, that it is really relaxing. Taking away the tension and the "hunger" for cigarettes. What remains is the situative trigger. That makes me think "ok, and now ... a cigarette".

If you are afraid of the flush. I take capsules with the niacin as powder and dilute 250mg in 500ml of water from which I then take 50+ml whenever I feel the urge to smoke becomes strong. 50ml corresponds roughly to 25mg of Niacin this shouldn't cause a flush. But sometimes if taken on an empty stomach one can feel a tiny little bit but it disappears within seconds.

This actually helps. Probably also, soon your body will associate the thought of smoking with the niacin flush and by that also decouple the thought of smoking from actually smoking.

However because of the many ways smoking influences the endocrine system. Quitting can be more difficult in people with chronic diseases (mostly autoimmune and thyroid). There are tricks that can help you.

Most things you will find here anyway

B6 and Vitamin C, Iodine for the thyroid together with 200µg Selenium a day, Magnesium, enough protein.

You can also try L-Cysteine, which according to one study is superior to nicotine patches.

Try the niacin