Quitting smoking

[chrisnsteph1022]

I'm quitting tomorrow. I know smoking is bad. Even without Crohn's, but especially with Crohn's. My new GI made a point today. I'm willing to inject and ingest all these dangerous drugs, but not willing to quit smoking. That may be all I need to push me into remission. So it's time. I'm really dreading the next few weeks as I get over the addiction. I smoke a pack a day. This is going to suck.

 

[Lydia]

Good luck. Take it one day at a time.

I am coming on 6 years quit. You can do this!

 

[chrisnsteph1022]

Did you notice a decrease in flares or that flares weren't as severe after you quit? Did the stress of quitting make it worse?

 

[Crohn's 35]

All the best to ya, this year is 10 years since I quit. As for flares, no they still happen but not near as bad as when I smoked. Just a good idea to quit for so many reasons. The trick is to drink alot of water , I used to carry a water bottle in place of reaching for one. My husband quit 4 years ago and we both are so happy we did. Good luck Steph.

 

[Lydia]

My flares happen way less often since I quit. I only went a couple months between flares when I smoked, and since quitting I have had one 4 year and one almost one year remission. I quit in the middle of a bad flare and went on aza, and it kicked off one of the longest remissions to date.

If you fumble dont worry, just keep trying. Your doctor can be a great resource. There are lots of things that can assist you. I used nicotine gum for really bad cravings. I think I used 5 pieces altogether. It did help the craving subside.

 

[Nerple]

Good Luck!

 

[kiny]

My dad died a few years ago from smoking. I am in my 20s and already lost my dad.

Do not smoke ever again, just don't do it, throw away all the packs, get away from people who smoke and keep your paws of them.

If there was one thing I could tell my dad again it would to stop smoking.

 

[Grumbletum]

Need a quit buddy? I stopped in Jan 2010 then started again with the stress of being ill' and undiagnosed for a while. I need to stop again too. I figure they are giving me all these expensive drugs to try to help me and I need to do my bit too.
My IBD nurse told me that quitting has the same effectiveness as being on Aza.
Are you going cold turkey or is there a cessation service who can provide NRT, counselling etc?
Best of luck to you xxx

 

[Joan Marie]

I have just quit smoking I am in my forth week now I was in a flare and still am, i don't see a change in the crohn's so far I hope it pushes mine in remission. I drank lots of water I wanted to push the nicotine out fast. i reach for a toothpick instead of a cigarette
Good Luck.

 

[lilbit]

Everytime I've been able to quit smoking I've felt better and had a better appetite. I have an ecig now and it helps but nicotine still gives me the cramps no matter what form it is in. Good luck to you!

 

[JohnnyRottenAppleseed]

Quit smoking now app by Max Kirsten. It's hypnosis app for iPhone . It works. I quit easily for a year. Started up in may and then quit again a week ago. It helped me a lot. Avoid nicotine.

 

[glum chump]

I was one of those people that did not do well with my Crohn's when I quit smoking. The minute I was diagnosed with Crohn's and my GI told me that smoking would make my symptoms worse, I quit. I couldn't imagine 'enjoying' something that would make me feel even crappier than I was already feeling. But the weird thing was, my symptoms became worse. I quit for several months, hoping that it was just a coincidence that my symptoms were becoming worse. Then, I took a few puffs off a friend's cigarette, and all my symptoms decreased in severity. I've tried quitting several times, but have returned to cigarettes to try to cope with my Crohn's symptoms.

Now that surgery has made me feel 100%, I've no reason to smoke. I quit at the time of my surgery, but I stupidly started smoking with a friend who was staying with me. But, the patch is now on and the three cigarettes I was enjoying every day are gone.

It ain't easy, and I wish you luck. We can do this, right?

Kismet

 

[carolhew]

Stephanie, I wish you the best of luck. I have been on Chantix for 2 months and just can't seem to give up my late night cigarette. I have tried so many times and actually quit for 2.5 yrs once. I am up for group support. I keep trying and I figure I will eventually quit.

 

[JohnnyRottenAppleseed]

It's all propaganda by the nicotine replacement companies and cig companies that it's hard. Read The Easy Way To Stop Smoking or Quit Smoking Now app for iPhone and other phones. I'm on day 9 nicotine free and I'm a power smoker. Well, I was. Sorry if it makes u angry. It cold turkey is the only way and you can do it! Stop telling yourself how hard it is and making excuses. It's mostly in ur head. Day 3 is the worst. You can do it and do it almost painlessly!!!!! Just download the app and read that book. The cig companies don't want you to know.

 

[Crohn's 35]

As my husband always says, "quit quitting"

Sometimes some people wait til they get a scare. My aunt smoked two packs a day , always carried them in her hands (bad asthma to boot), one day there was a spot on her lung...,quit cold turkey and she never looked back.

 

[JohnnyRottenAppleseed]

It helps if you have a lot of medical marijuana. I quit smoking that too and started eating and vaporizing and my lungs are thanking me. Nicotine is a terrible drug that kills 200,000+ people a year. Isn't it ironic that brown weed is legal and green weed that never killed anyone is illegal? Wrap ur brain around that one

 

[MADiMarc]

Good luck hun! My sister and I quit together last week. I'm not going to bs you, it sucks. Yea, yea, I've read all the literature blah, blah. The nicotine is out of your system after day 3, it takes 21 days to beak a habit. I am on day 6. Yes, I did the cold turkey thing, no patch or gum. My sister is a patch girl. But different things work for different people. You can get through it...you won't like it but you can do it.

 

[nadege2013]

Hi all.

I was a smoker but i stop it now.I quit smoking with a very effective
method that my friend advised me.I’m sure that you are smart enough to
realize at this point that you not only MUST quit, but you need help
in doing so. Here’s where a very common problem arises. You see, the
first step in quitting is realizing and accepting that you have a
serious problem that needs proper attention immediately.

contact me too more details to more details.



Thanks.

 

[JohnnyRottenAppleseed]

Spam?

 

[chrisnsteph1022]

Ugh. This thread is 9 months old and I still haven't quit.

 

[MADiMarc]

Ugh. This thread is 9 months old and I still haven't quit.

I did...then didn't...then did....now haven't!

 

[JohnnyRottenAppleseed]

I started back up a few months ago. Need to quit again.

 

[MADiMarc]

Yup, me too. Even worse...I now smoke two packs a day! Good lord, when did I become my father?

 

[Grumbletum]

Oh dear, me too. Have had two or three quit start dates that still haven't happened :-(

 

[bigtruck]

Im stopped 3 years now and somedays I could still kill for one! Apart from the recent flare I do honestly believe stopping has helped my peri anal disease, but sitting here having a gin and tonic I'd love a smoke lol

 

[Artificial]

I started again to :-(

 

[scottsma]

I was a two pack a day girl for 28yrs.Stopped lots of times.Stopped for good 18yrs ago.I think I would be in serious health trouble now if I hadn't.It's not easy,nothing in life is,but if you care about yourself and your family YOU CAN DO IT!!! Cigarettes are KILLERS that travel in packs. Cigarette.....a fire at one end and a fool at the other.And while you smoke you will always stink.Sorry for the lecture,but a trier tries and fails,and a doer does.

 

[eclektick]

3 days in, after 15 yrs, taking Champix and working pretty good, except for having to find a place to hide all these bodies......

 

[ctrl z]

I smoked for 15 years. Stopped 3 years before my Crohn's Dx. Cold turkey. It was brutal. There was a lot of really stressful stuff going on at the time and I'm surprised I did it but it really was just making me feel worse. 5 years tobacco free in August.

 

[glum chump]

Ugh. Me too. I've set so many quit dates and then make all kinds of excuses to delay it.

Kismet

 

[scottsma]

The worst thing we ever did was to start smoking.The hardest thing is to stop.The very best thing of all is staying stopped.I wouldn't answer the phone unless I grabbed my cigs first.On my mind continually.Paniced when I got down to last 5 in the pack.Ring a bell? You CAN do it guys.Don't think how hard it's gonna be,think how great it will be.And it's great to be SMUG when you deserve it. Let your Mantra be "I CAN AND I WILL"

 

[deb123]

Hi all,

I quit 7 years ago. I know this sounds stupid and some will scoff and say i need more than that to stop be smoking. But i am evidence that it does work.
I read Allen Carrs book Giving up smoking for Women, and i cannot believe it worked. You are encouraged to smoke until you have finished the book, but it worked Hurray!
I have never gone back, and i dont understand how it worked, but it did.

 

[chrisnsteph1022]

I read Alan Carr's book. I tried gum. I tried patches. I tried Chantix. Twice (quit for 7 weeks with it in February/March, then started back. It didn't work on round two). Tried cold turkey, of course. I just need to DO it.

 

[scottsma]

And you can !!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Robert747]

.....a fire at one end and a fool at the other.And while you smoke you will always stink.

Ouch ! Carol that hurts.

I have smoked hand made cigars for 30 years (I work as a cigar consultant) - in the spirit of balance I get huge enjoyment from cigars - it comes down to a mature decision about lifestyle / balance / moderation. My Doctors respect my point of view (while not agreeing of course). Keeping fit is my passion - so all in all I am happy to carry on.

I am talking about hand made cigars and not cigarettes.

 

[Rebecca85]

I have successfully quit smoking since over a year ago. But before I quit, I made a conscious effort to cut down on smoking, rather than not having a cigarette I would defer having one as long as I could. For example rather than having a break mid housework to have a cigarette, I would tell myself to wait till I had finished. Eventually (over a year or so) I was only having one or two at the weekends, from there it's easy to quit!

Cutting down helped me as having the odd cigarette didn't mean I had 'failed' my goal (and once you have 'failed' it's easy to go back to old habits). And it's easier to delay having a cigarette- particularly the habit ones- than to suddenly see your life stretching before you without cigarettes. and in a particularly stressful situation where you 'need' a cigarette, you can still have one.

My boyfriend managed to quit cigarettes not long after (he still has the occasional cigar)- he used an electronic cigarette.

 

[chrisnsteph1022]

That's the one thing I haven't tried-an ecig. I'm seriously considering it.

 

[scottsma]

I banned smoking in the house and went out doors every time I wanted a smoke,until I realised I was spending more time outdoors than in.I thought to myself "are you completely MAD"so I threw my cigs and lighter on top of the wardrobe and had to go upstairs and haul t he ladders out of the spare room to get at them.Eventually I got my brain in gear,and it's been 18yrs since I even picked one up.But I would be lying if I said I never fancied a ciggie even now.I LOVED SMOKING.

 

[scottsma]

Ouch ! Carol that hurts.

I have smoked hand made cigars for 30 years (I work as a cigar consultant) - in the spirit of balance I get huge enjoyment from cigars - it comes down to a mature decision about lifestyle / balance / moderation. My Doctors respect my point of view (while not agreeing of course). Keeping fit is my passion - so all in all I am happy to carry on.

I am talking about hand made cigars and not cigarettes.

My advice was for those who WANT to stop Robert.I love the smell of cigs,especially cigars,and to be honest I'm like the BISTO KIDS sometimes.Remember the ad."ahh Bisto"well thats me.Especially when passing a Real Ale pub before the smoking ban.So enjoy yourself,and have one for me.Now I'm going to be accussed of contradicting myself.I should mind my own business really.

 

[moonrai1980]

I smoke an ecig and haven't had a cigarette in over a year. My last trip to the er the doctor tested the juice and gave me the go ahead but told me to keep dropping the nicotine level till I got to zero but even at zero I could still vape it if I wanted to and it would be fine. Its been great for me, the thing is you need something more powerful than a cigarette look alike. And I had to stay away from tabacco flavors to stop craving cigs. So if you are really interested in it you can always pm me and I can give you more details on what would probably work great and what companies are good and which ones to stay away from.

 

[Grumbletum]

I downloaded one of those quit apps for my phone and if I'd stuck to my last quit plan, I'd be over £500 better off! As my poor wee car is slowly giving up the ghost, I'd be well on the way to a deposit for a new one. I'm trying to shame myself into a new quit attempt here

 

[scottsma]

Hopefully it will"never happen" but how will you feel if your car breaks down on a cold,wet,windy dark night with maybe the Christmas shopping in the back.Yes I know you will want a ciggie,but you could have a new car AND your craving will be over by Christmas.Come on,you know it makes sense.

 

[chrisnsteph1022]

I've had two doctors in the past month tell me NOT to try quitting at this time. I'm going through too much pain and stuff (not all related to Crohn's). They said it would be better to wait until life settles down a bit.

 

[scottsma]

People finding it almost impossible to quit would probably love to hear those wordss from a DOCTOR in particular.It's not good that things are so bad for you that that is the advice you've been given,and I hope everything gets better for you soon.I know smoking is reported to ease G.I probs.so I can see where he's coming from.Get well soon,and try to quit when you are stronger.

 

[sfmreb2]

My quit smoking story: Back in 1972 I quit smoking. That is when it all started. Bleeding and diarrhea. Dr said I had UC and put me on 16 Azulfidine a day. Next thing I knew I had Hepatitis, they said later that it was serum Hepatitis from the Azulfidine. I ended up in a VA hospital. Finally got out of there and went back to college. Things got worse and was in the VA hospital for two and a half months. Lots of Prednisone, and then one day I had a semi formed stool. I think all the nurses and aids came in to see it. It was the talk of the hospital. It was a great day. About six months later I stared bleeding again, I started smoking again. No major problems for about 11 years. I decided to quit smoking again. Bleeding started again. After a year of rectal bleeding my GI Dr suggested that I try smoking again. Bleeding stopped. Some problems but never went to Dr about it. Usually had problems when I took aspirin or other NSAID for arthritis pain. In 1988 I was told I had Crohn’s. No big flairs, Prednisone to care of me. Around 1994 I decided to quit smoking again. Bleeding and diarrhea started again. Up to 70 mg of Prednisone a day, Some ware in there I started smoking again. Bleeding stopped but the big “D” took quite a while (over a year) to get under control. Prednisone ate up my muscles and bones. Anyway, I am not going to try that no smoking thing again. I still have problems with my Crohn’s but I do not have any bleeding when I am smoking. I smoke 7 a day and roll my own. If you are going to quit tapering off slowly would be my suggestion.

 

[scottsma]

I would certainly restart smoking if I was in your position.I quit 18yrs ago and my U.C. didn't start until 6yrs ago so I can't attribute quitting to U.C.I loved smoking and was addicted,so smoking FEW cigs is'nt an option for me anyway.I would soon be back on 40 a day.So have a one for me will you?.I could really do with one sometimes.