I was diagnosed about 4 weeks ago. I am in complete denial.
I met my MS nurse yesterday, who was lovely
smoking was brought up she was factual about the habit and explained it was my choice whether to quit or not.
i realistically don’t think I can stop. I feel that I should but don’t want to.
How have other people dealt with this dilemma?
hi gloves
i was diagnosed in 2010 and in those 10 years i have smoked almost 20 a day.
failure depresses me and each time i try to quit, i fail.
i really need to have another try but…
carole x
Dear Gloves, I smoked over twenty each day and was absolutely and utterly hooked. For me, quitting was an absolutely dread. When I thought about quitting I was panicked. When I got down to my last two cigarettes, I panicked. I bought Allen Carr’s, Easy Way to Quit Smoking book and my life changed. I never smoked again and I don’t miss it. Best £10 I ever spent. It may work for you too? Love Ali.
my husband had COPD through his smoking no other reason. he refused to quit and i watched him slowly struggle to breath each day. his only life was puffing on colour scheme of steroid meds, and also when he was really bad which was regular he would have to take more steroids. He just wouldnt quit.
I lost him as the smoking won in the end. why anyone would want to end their lives like that is beyond me. it was HORRIFIC to see him go from a strong man working at 70 to death in a few weeks. I know its a drug he would say it was his reward after a long days work.
Madness. Just stop smoking. I did yes i did. years and years ago when i left my first husband i was faced with feeding them or my habit and the children came first. i just stopped. the trouble is people always have an excuse why not too. He did. He was stressed at work, once it was over he would have a go. when he retired he smoked more.
please find the strength and stop. i can send you a photo of him if you like from being healthy to a skeleton sitting in the conservatory so ill he could barely drink a cup of tea. they wouldnt allow him oxygen because he was smoking. that is the future for many people who smoke.
smoking is bad for people with MS.
My wife smoked a crazy amount for years and years and i suppose about 5 or 6 years ago managed to totally stop for a couple of years(albeit replacing with less frequent vaping)but after she got injured at work and then subsequently got Ms and has largely been stuck at home she is smoking again.Don’t know how many she smokes but reckon its a fair bit more than the average.
I was so pleased when she gave up before,really hate it! It gets a mention every time we see Ms nurse,but i don’t think there is much chance of her giving up.Ultimately i could nag her about it as much as i liked but she doesn’t want to give up so ain’t going to happen.
One day i hope she decides she wants to stop and at least manages to cut down significantly but at this moment it looks very unlikely.Its bad enough her being disabled by Ms i dread the day when i have to deal with what Crazy chick had to with her husband.
I think you have to want to give up to have any chance,wish you luck getting to that stage.
Ollie
When I was dx, I felt that I ‘deserved’ the simple and reliable joys of a lovely cigarette - didn’t cruel fate owe me that pleasure, at least?
Of course I (and you) know that this way of thinking is cobblers - we’re not stupid! - but it took me a little while to act and stop[ smoking. I hope that you get there faster than I did. But here’s the message from the far side of giving up: it can be done.
Good luck, and I am sorry about your dx.
Alison
I counted up what my habit cost me. It was over £7000 a year, which was a third of my income.
I got to my last two miniature cigars and decided that I’d rather spend that money on something else.
I smoked from the age of about 15 or 16 and gave up for a few months a couple of times, but resisted giving up; in a way, it felt like that’s the part of me that I retained as I was. MS had taken everything else. I always loved smoking.
Then about 8 years ago, my disability was getting worse. My husband had always hated me smoking and was planning to retire in 2013. I didn’t want to be in the situation where I either couldn’t justify to him just how much money I spent on cigarettes. And I also knew if I was unable to take myself to the shops and buy cigarettes that he absolutely wouldn’t buy them for me. I didn’t want the decision to be forced on me.
So I decided I was going to stop. I planned a really long way ahead - I knew I would never give up in the Summer, so decided I’ve have one last Summer of smoking as much as I liked, but I would give up the weekend the clocks went back. So from the September in that year I started cutting down, by about 1 each day per week. When I got to the last week, it was 2 per day, then on the last Saturday, I smoked one cigarette.
The next day I didn’t smoke. That was 7 years ago.
It was just in time. The following February l had a severe relapse and was in hospital then a rehab unit, altogether for about 2 months. So I was absolutely bed bound for the first 2 weeks, couldn’t get out of bed without a hoist and a lot of help. I’d have been forced to quit then if I hadn’t already.
It’s a hard thing to do, but it’s worth it. My husband was pleased, I don’t spend money on fags anymore, I don’t have to go outside to smoke, and I don’t smell of cigarettes.
But I never blame anyone for smoking. I still like to inhale second hand smoke. I rather like it when a smoker is dawdling in front of us when we’re out, I breathe in their old fag smoke, gratefully.
Sue
Thank you everyone for your honest replies. I feel very emotional with all your kindness.
Caroles is the perfect answer and what I wanted to hear!
I have been mulling over this massive decision for quite a few years now and although I feel very strongly that smoking is ok and no one should be judged by this habit I have wondered that this addiction does restrict my life. Always worrying when we’re out where I can smoke etc.
I am completely bewildered with the diagnosis of MS and finding it very difficult to process. Which I’m surprised at, I’m quite a “gung ho” sort of person, very happy to question authority and rules! One could say quite reckless, and am definitely a glass half full sort of person.
i am now wondering at the tender age of 60 I should stop but like you Carole completely scared of failing as it will just confirm my inadequacies.
But with this diagnosis I’m thinking this is the kick up the bottom I needed so I’ve stopped as at 10 am today. Who knows what will happen but I’m just going to try and take each hour as it comes.
thanks again it is really helpful and interesting reading all your stories on this subject and definitely inspirational
I will let you know how I get on. If I get to 3 I’ll be pleased
sally
Well done for taking the plunge Sally, just don’t beat yourself up if you don’t make it this time. You are struggling with a new diagnosis, so you could have a few wobbles over the next few months and backslide before you can finally 100% say ‘I’m a non-smoker’!
Sue
Hi Sally I was a confirmed nicopleasureseeker but after diagnosis, realised that a couple of my symptoms got temporarily worse after a woody. So I stopped as a gift to myself !!! But only by swapping my familiar comfort sticks, for a vape device. I absolutely know I couldn’t have done it otherwise. That was 6 years ago and I still vape occasionally. 0% nicotine nowadays but the psychological crutch is one that I still need. Good luck to you !! Catherine
I know it’s a smelly bad habit but I smoke a couple of fags a day and usually none on a Sunday…I’m probably better off not smoking any but they give me an immense sense of comfort…20 cigs could last me a fortnight…
Try to get your head round diagnosis of MS before you get on the stopping band wagon…u have plenty to be going on with…
good luck
Thanks Redman. I wish I could smoke one a day. I’m an all or nothing sort of person. Very jealous.
Coming up to 6 o’clock still not had one since 10 this morning I’m using the lozenges tried the vape but didn’t get on with it.
Probably would have been on my 14th by now!
I’ll just see how I get on
Sally
Well done!
Hi Sally,
It sounds as if you decided to stop before your started this conversation.
Think in positive terms that you are sticking to that decision.
Best wishes,
Anthony
hope I don’t sound smug but I had no trouble at all in stopping smoking. Fully expecting all sorts of problems I was surprised that I didn’t have any!
You do sound a bit smug!! Lucky sod.
Sue
Hey there you aren’t alone as i still smoke, i brought some nicotine minis to help me cut down , so maybe you could try those as well
it was hard but i did it