If you smoke... please, please, PLEASE stop!

Originally Posted by white cat lover

I've never started to smoke, nor will I. I won't even date a smoker, it's disgusting.

I'm sorry your Aunt is going through this, but she is lucky to have such a supportive family!

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There is someone in each of my mom's siblings family that smokes. I was around it for some time and find it totally revolting and disgusting. I will never date anyone that smokes. I can't tolerate it.

Sorry to hear about your aunt. It is a horrible cancer and that is one big reason people should never start.

sending prayers for your aunt... the same thing happened to my Mom-mom. she was a chain-smoker to the extreme... smoked maybe 2 or more packs a day.. when she started coughing so bad i thought she was going to cough up her insides, i begged her to quit.. when she finally did, she moved to florida to start a new life and months later found out she had lung cancer. as couple of years later she passed away, just when things were starting to look up for her. i always told myself i wished that i had gotten on her sooner about quitting.

I'm so very sorry to hear about your loss. Smoking related deaths are very hard, because they can be prevented. So far, my husband has lost all of his grandparents to emphysema caused by smoking. My husband smoked for a year back in his 20's and stopped after he lost his last grandparent. Currently, one of his uncles is in remission from throat cancer, presumably caused by 2nd hand smoke (his mother smoked in the house when he was growing up).

I work in a hospital right now and one patient always sticks in my head. She was a woman with emphysema so bad that a walk from her bed to the door on 10 liters of oxygen would leave her winded. She asked me one day if I smoked, I told her no, and she said "good, never start, I'm going through all this because I made the decision to smoke....I regret it, but it's too late".

Originally Posted by sadieandziggy

Heart Attacks are not Caused by smoking!!

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They may not be directly caused by smoking, but smoking is a risk factor for atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries due to plaque build up) and atherosclerosis is what causes heart attacks. The toxins from cigarette smoke damage the epithelium (tissue) of the blood vessels and they can also lower the levels of HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol) and raise the levels of LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol). All of which will contribute to a heart attack.

Originally Posted by sadieandziggy

...Heart Attacks are not Caused by smoking!!

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Oh, but they very often are! I'm so glad you brought up that myth, because most people have no idea how many diseases smoking contributes to. Here are just three lines from the section about smoking on the American Heart Association's website:

"Cigarette smoking is the most important preventable cause of premature death in the United States."

"It accounts for nearly 440,000 deaths each year, of which more than 135,000 are due to smoking related cardiovascular diseases."

"Cigarette smokers are two-to-three times more likely to die from coronary heart disease than nonsmokers."

So yes, smoking and heart disease go hand in hand. But more to the point, any illness you develop will be exacerbated by smoking -- because smoking compromises your body's ability to fight the illness. Even injuries and surgery are harder to recover from if you smoke, because your body's own repair systems are weakened.

I don't mean to sound preachy or holier than thou, but this is information people need to know... and maybe it makes more of an impact in this forum than when we hear it on the news or read it in a brochure at the doctor's office.

If you're trying to quit and it seems too hard, think about the tobacco companies whose own secret studies showed decades ago that cigarettes were deadly. Knowing this, they still lied and conspired and even manipulated nicotine levels to get people addicted. They even targeted special marketing programs directly at children, for heaven's sake!

Think about all that, and resolve to quit so you don't ever have to give the tobacco companies another single dime -- because they are no better than the crack dealer loitering across the street from your kids' school.

Originally Posted by CarolPetunia

Oh, but they very often are! I'm so glad you brought up that myth, because most people have no idea how many diseases smoking contributes to. Here are just three lines from the section about smoking on the American Heart Association's website:

"Cigarette smoking is the most important preventable cause of premature death in the United States."

"It accounts for nearly 440,000 deaths each year, of which more than 135,000 are due to smoking related cardiovascular diseases."

"Cigarette smokers are two-to-three times more likely to die from coronary heart disease than nonsmokers."

So yes, smoking and heart disease go hand in hand. But more to the point, any illness you develop will be exacerbated by smoking -- because smoking compromises your body's ability to fight the illness. Even injuries and surgery are harder to recover from if you smoke, because your body's own repair systems are weakened.

I don't mean to sound preachy or holier than thou, but this is information people need to know... and maybe it makes more of an impact in this forum than when we hear it on the news or read it in a brochure at the doctor's office.

If you're trying to quit and it seems too hard, think about the tobacco companies whose own secret studies showed decades ago that cigarettes were deadly. Knowing this, they still lied and conspired and even manipulated nicotine levels to get people addicted. They even targeted special marketing programs directly at children, for heaven's sake!

Think about all that, and resolve to quit so you don't ever have to give the tobacco companies another single dime -- because they are no better than the crack dealer loitering across the street from your kids' school.

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I have to agree here as well. As I had previously posted in this thread before, both of my grandfathers had heart failure. Granted not ALL heart problems are caused by smoking. It CAN be genetic. My dad has had 2 heart attacks, has 17 stents and a pacemaker and is NOT a smoker and never has been.

HOWEVER, smoking is a leading cause of cardiovascular problems.

B tried quitting earlier this year but it only lasted one day. He came back to me and said that he realized that he likes smoking too much to quit. I know I can't force him and he still keeps the Nicotine patches around (even brought them on the move!!!).

However one thing I have learned and keep having to remind myself is that I can't make anyones mind to give it up. You can exhale it as much and give you're own version, but its difficult to convince a person to stop. Many smokers who smoke KNOW what they're doing. Some believe that half of what the AHA and ALA post are just lies.

I use to social smoke, so I would have maybe 2-3 cigerettes on a Friday night and another couple on Saturday. However even though I was lightly smoking and now I live with a smoker I do wonder how much I'm effecting my lungs.

Then again I walk outside amid all the pollution that human kind creates and I wonder how much that will increase my chances for lung cancer.

Originally Posted by sadieandziggy

My dad gave up smoking after a heart attack in February this year. Heart Attacks are not Caused by smoking!!

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Absolutely untrue!

Smoking directly causes vasoconstriction. The definition of vasoconstriction is that blood vessels constrict, or become narrower, leading to reduced blood flow. If your vessels are already compromised by athrosclerosis (or diabetes)...then smoking CAN AND WILL cause a heart attack.

I'm so sorry Carol. You and your aunt are in my prayers.

I totally agree! Smoking really has no possitives, I've lost two family members because of smoking problems. It's really sad to think they would still be alive for another 20 years or so.

I used to smoke for 20 years until I quit April 1st, 2006. My husband was on my back to quit smoking since his heart attack in November of 2004. He had to have open heart surgery at the age 44 and while in was in surgery I was outside smoking cigarettes cause I was so nervous.

I finally had enough of his nagging and purchased the book, "The Easy Way To Quit Smoking" by Allan Carr. When I finished reading the book I had my last cigarette on 03/31/06 and have been smoke free ever since.

I'm still concerned about getting lung cancer, though. Not sure if that will ever go away, but I can now breathe again!

Originally Posted by Pookie-poo

Absolutely untrue!

Smoking directly causes vasoconstriction. The definition of vasoconstriction is that blood vessels constrict, or become narrower, leading to reduced blood flow. If your vessels are already compromised by athrosclerosis (or diabetes)...then smoking CAN AND WILL cause a heart attack.

I'm so sorry Carol. You and your aunt are in my prayers.

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Can't argue this. My 44 year old Type 1 Diabetic, smoking husband had a heart attack a few years back.

Boy, the two of us were stupid. Thank goodness we are both non smokers now.

So sorry about you aunt. I hope she recovers.

I have never had the desire to smoke, and I never will.

My grandpa smoked something like two packs a day until he was eighty and he had an aneurysm and died. I'm thinking it could only be a result of his smoking, because he was an otherwise healthy man and he never drank.

Anyway, whenever I see someone smoking I can't help think that they are killing themselves. It's one of the worst addictions out there. I know what it does to your body and it just scares me that they put all of those toxins in there and expect you to not realize how much your body is sacrificing for "pleasure".

Originally Posted by sadieandziggy

My dad gave up smoking after a heart attack in February this year. Heart Attacks are not Caused by smoking!!

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This morning I felt further compelled to address this ridiculous idea...
I want to elaborate a little on what I posted yesterday...

Originally Posted by Pookie-poo

Absolutely untrue!

Smoking directly causes vasoconstriction. The definition of vasoconstriction is that blood vessels constrict, or become narrower, leading to reduced blood flow. If your vessels are already compromised by athrosclerosis (or diabetes)...then smoking CAN AND WILL cause a heart attack.

I'm so sorry Carol. You and your aunt are in my prayers.

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One of the primary components of cigarette smoke is carbon monoxide (CO).
http://www.csn.ul.ie/~stephen/reports/bc4927.html

The affinity between carbon monoxide and hemoglobin is 240 times stronger than the affinity between hemoglobin and oxygen. CO binds to hemoglobin, producing carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) - carbon monoxide toxicity arises from the formation of carboxyhemoglobin, which decreases the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood. This inhibits the transport, delivery, and utilization of oxygen at the cellular level.

Carbon monoxide is life-threatening to humans and other forms of air-breathing life, as inhaling even relatively small amounts of it can lead to hypoxic injury, neurological damage, and possibly death. A concentration of as little as 0.04% (400 parts per million) carbon monoxide in the air can be fatal. There are 30,000 ppm carbon monoxide in undiluted cigarette smoke.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_monoxide_poisoning

If a person has compromised vasculature due to athrosclerosis, peripherial vascular disease or diabetes, and smoking causes those vessles to constrict, which decreases the already compromised blood flow....how can blood (hemoglobin) that is tied up with the carbon monoxide possibly oxygenate the tissues? A heart attack is the death of cardiac muscle due to inadequate oxygenation....regardless of how that inadequate oxygenation occurs...by blockage, or by restricted bloodflow exacerbated by poor perfusion secondary to cigarette smoking.

If even one person is persuaded to give up smoking by my links and information, I will feel like I've done a good thing here....

Okay...enough of my hijack....I'll get off my soapbox now.

Originally Posted by Pookie-poo

This morning I felt further compelled to address this ridiculous idea...
I want to elaborate a little on what I posted yesterday...



One of the primary components of cigarette smoke is carbon monoxide (CO).
http://www.csn.ul.ie/~stephen/reports/bc4927.html

The affinity between carbon monoxide and hemoglobin is 240 times stronger than the affinity between hemoglobin and oxygen. CO binds to hemoglobin, producing carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) - carbon monoxide toxicity arises from the formation of carboxyhemoglobin, which decreases the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood. This inhibits the transport, delivery, and utilization of oxygen at the cellular level.

Carbon monoxide is life-threatening to humans and other forms of air-breathing life, as inhaling even relatively small amounts of it can lead to hypoxic injury, neurological damage, and possibly death. A concentration of as little as 0.04% (400 parts per million) carbon monoxide in the air can be fatal. There are 30,000 ppm carbon monoxide in undiluted cigarette smoke.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_monoxide_poisoning

If a person has compromised vasculature due to athrosclerosis, peripherial vascular disease or diabetes, and smoking causes those vessles to constrict, which decreases the already compromised blood flow....how can blood (hemoglobin) that is tied up with the carbon monoxide possibly oxygenate the tissues? A heart attack is the death of cardiac muscle due to inadequate oxygenation....regardless of how that inadequate oxygenation occurs...by blockage, or by restricted bloodflow exacerbated by poor perfusion secondary to cigarette smoking.

If even one person is persuaded to give up smoking by my links and information, I will feel like I've done a good thing here....

Okay...enough of my hijack....I'll get off my soapbox now.

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Very well said

Pookie, my friend, that's not a hijack -- that's lifesaving information, delivered far more authoritatively than I could ever have put it. Thank you so much!

I am sorry for your Aunt Peggy, and all the rest of you that have lost family members to smoking related illnesses. My SO has lost several members of his family to cancer.
I am so proud of him right now, he is quitting smoking, and doing very well. His doc prescribed him Chantix, and it seems to be helping him a lot. We have had a lot of stress lately, and he has smoked a little, but normally he would have been smoking 2 packs instead of 3-4 cigarettes, one right after another. I have wanted him to quit for years, but he is a grown man and will quit without me nagging at him.
I used to be a heavy smoker, but quit many years ago. Best wishes and good vibes to all of you trying to quit now.

My grandma died on St. Patty's day this year. For the past 7 years, she was in and out of the hospital with pneumonia, and she had COPD/emphysema. She was a CHAIN smoker inside her house. I would spend a lot of time with her in the summers when I was young, and as soon as she mashed one out she'd light up another. The last years of her life she spent in bed, and it was like she had already died. I am glad she's not in pain anymore, but I miss her.

People who smoke, I understand that it's hard to quit. I smoked one or two cigarettes a day since high school. Even a couple years out of college I still would smoke from time to time. I've been completely smoke free for a few months now and I haven't even wanted one. And you may think that quitting smoking causes tumors and cancer to develop, but that's just not true. PLEASE read the info I've posted below. You can do it!

When smokers quit, within twenty minutes of smoking that last cigarette the body begins a series of changes.

At 20 minutes after quitting:
*blood pressure decreases
*pulse rate drops
*body temperature of hands and feet increases

At 8 hours:
*carbon monoxide level in blood drops to normal
*oxygen level in blood increases to normal

At 24 hours:
*chance of a heart attack decreases

At 48 hours:
*nerve endings start regrowing
*ability to smell and taste is enhanced

The first year after quitting:

At 2 weeks to 3 months:
*circulation improves
*walking becomes easier
*lung function increases

1 to 9 months:
*coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue, shortness of breath decreases

1 year:
*excess risk of coronary heart disease is decreased to half that of a smoker

Long-term Benefits of Quitting

At 5 years:
*from 5 to 15 years after quitting, stroke risk is reduced to that of people who have never smoked.

At 10 years:
*risk of lung cancer drops to as little as one-half that of continuing smokers
*risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney, and pancreas decreases
*risk of ulcer decreases

At 15 years:
*risk of coronary heart disease is now similar to that of people who have never smoked
*risk of death returns to nearly the level of people who have never smoked

I don't want to preach to the choir, because I know smokers already know what it does, but I had to put my 2 cents in.

I don't think it can be stressed enough what good quitting will do for you. Thanks for that info!

I am sorry to hear about your aunt. I will keep her in my prayers.

I'm so sorry to hear about your aunt. I'll keep her in my prayers.
I was born into a family that smoked. My aunts,uncles,grandparents and family friends were all smokers. I started at the age of 17 and smoked off and on for 13 years.
I finally decided to quit in July as a 30th birthday present to myself.
I used the nicotine patch for the first two weeks and have been mostly fine since then. I still have cravings...believe me...I don't know if they'll ever completely go away but I take a deep breath, pop a piece of gum in my mouth and move past it.
After I quit,my Mom and Dad (smokers for over 30 years) also decided to stop smoking. It's been tough on everyone but having support from family has made a HUGE difference.
I have always used stress as an excuse to start smoking again. There was always a "good" reason to pick up a cigarette (ie. late bills, kids stressed me out,fighting with DH,ect.)
No matter the things going on in my life it's no longer an option to have a cigarette. I meditate or take a walk instead.
I pray that my children will learn from my mistake and not repeat it.