so failed miserably with my attempt to stop smoking!!
lasted 24 hours.
SO worked out lots of people on the equator smoke and they don’t get MS. How does that work.
Happily smoking now with that knowledge!!
Like I said before, don’t beat yourself up about smoking. I only gave up 7 years ago. By then I was 44 and had MS for 14 years.
You’ve only just been diagnosed. You’re probably not in the right state of mind to think about making a big difficult change to your life (and let’s face it, it’s quite a big change and not easy).
Eventually you may be in the right place for you when you can think about quitting the evil weed.
Sue x
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Thanks Sue you’re so kind. Yes I’m just trying to cut down a bit. It helped what you said in your last post to me. I need to plan.
I think I’m getting my head round the diagnosis. Need to start thinking about the dmds now. I decided to start them after Christmas as I don’t want to be dealing with potential side effects beforehand.
I love the information this forum provides. It’s so helpful hearing personal experiences.
Thanks again.
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smoking doesn’t cause MS. smoking is a drug its as simple as that. we use it to help us get through a stressful day. If you enjoy it smoke. My husband did for 62 years he started at age 10. He never had MS. I only wanted him to stop because of his health. He did for 3 months and believe me the change in him was amazing. He looked great he could walk up the stairs without puffing, he put on a little weight and he got his interest back in me, sex and his own outlook in life. He used champix i think it was called or zolcal something like that. He really changed. then the guys at work ribbed him about not eating and drinking in the canteen and he felt excluded so started again. then a year later it was BANNED from the workplace, but he never stopped again. in that period 3 months i had my hubby back he really looked great. that is all i can say about it. it is foul hateful drug that changes people. before we went anywhere he had to have his fag, it dominated his whole life. sorry but brutally honest it killed him the end. DONT stop because of MS stop because really it is in control of you. it runs your life, you cant plan a day without one. You tried which is brilliant really proud of you. Its not time to stop smoking right now, you have to choose your time, now isnt the time, it will do you more harm then good. You need to get over the shock of the diagnosis look towards the future, and when your ready and on DMD and feel less stressed then think about it again. Now is not the time to start you are setting yourself up for failure. after xmas, when the dust has settled then you need to think seriously about what a cigarette is really, what it does for you, how it controls your life… then slowly wean yourself off. I saw a miracle with my husband, 3 months he was like a young man again he did it i was so proud of him, then peer pressure made him start again, and it was downhill from there but it took a long time. when your ready, not now. too much going on. Oh and i was a smoker never thought about it until i was a single mum and realised i had to feed my kids so the fags were thrown out of the window and i never went back, but in those days to be honest it was so much easier as now life is just one load of stress. when your ready, you will know when then try again.
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Don’t give up - I know it’s of no help at all but I (smug s*d) had no trouble at all stopping - I had a pack of 20 Embassy in a drawer as a sort of backup - I never touched them. 6 months after stopping I was dx’d with m.s. !!!
When the time is right for you… and that time isn’t right now. I’m not sure that many people succeed at giving up anything first time !!!
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I tried and failed to give up many times. Even for a couple of years but I always started again. After I was diagnosed with MS, I continued to smoke but cut down a lot, in the end 1 a day. I still couldn’t give up that 1. I got totally fed up with the feeling of it being in control… got to fit that 1 in no matter what. I decided to try the old fashioned way of stopping - smoke them all on 1 go! I had 7 left from a pack of 10 and smoked 1 after the other, no break or deep breath, just smoke. By the 5th I nearly vomited, the 6th felt like I was going to pass out. I stubbed it out and looked at the last one in the pack… NO WAY I could face smoking it.
6 months later I threw that last one away as the thought of it still made me get that sick, dizzy feeling.
8 years on the thought of smoking still make me feel sick and I know that I will NEVER do it again.
You’ll find something that works for you once you are ready to it but don’t beat yourself up it you fail a few times first.
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Hi all, re - smoking,- having had a recent diagnosis of this MS lark I think that although I often wish I didn’t smoke , they way I feel right now (really sorry for myself) I’m having trouble trying to even ‘cut down’. Why not , I’m just not that keen on living much longer now though not totally suicidal. It’s a crutch and I need a crutch - I know, I’m weak and self pitying I have nobody to talk to really mmmh
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Hello Lib
You’re not weak and self pitying, you’re experiencing a perfectly natural reaction to the diagnosis of MS.
If you read all the answers various people have given to Gloves, you’ll see that in the main everyone is supportive of the fact that a new diagnosis is no time to be worrying about the smoking habit. When the time is right for you, perhaps you’ll give it a try. But not just now.
You do sound quite depressed, ‘not totally suicidal’ isn’t the same thing as not suicidal. Maybe you should be talking to someone about your mood? Your GP if you get on well with him/her?
Or you could phone the MS helpline. The number’s 0808 800 8000.
Meanwhile do keep talking to us. Start a new thread maybe with what’s particularly getting you down. I’m certain that lots of people will respond. You might not feel quite so alone if you have all of us strangers sharing your worries.
I wish you all good things, some nice food and chocolate. Gin if that’s your thing. Or whatever makes you feel comforted. And if that’s 20 fags between now and bedtime, then so beit. As we said to Gloves, don’t beat yourself up.
Sue
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Never give up and you’ll be able to quit smoking
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I couldn’t agree more.
Oh Lib it is such a dreadful predicament to be in I know
I got diagnosed at the beginning of October and if you look at all my previous posts I’ve gone from chirpy to depressed to denial. AND most certainly not prepared to give up cigarettes to absolutely I’m giving up.
And I’ve just been through anger but passed that to calm at the moment phew!
everyones replies to my post have been thought provoking and useful and I have taken them all on board.
Where I’ve got to with smoking is I’m just trying to cut down a bit. So have the one you want rather than the habit. Easier said than done . I’m not beating myself up about it as it’s an awful thing to be diagnosed with especially when you look the same to everyone else.
Just do what you feel is right for you.
Sally
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I was diagnosed in 1981 and haven’t stopped smoking, when I have been in the MS hospital I don’t live in
the UK and they have dedicated hospital for MS patients and the last time I was there 4 months ago quite a
few of us smoked.