I saw my LLMD a couple of weeks ago and I talked to him about wanting to quit my filthy smoking habit. He said cigarettes have hundreds of toxins in them. I was very surprised when he told me filtered, low tar and light cigarettes are the worst toxin-wise.
Quitting cold turkey is best, but he also brought up the subject of trying to switch to organic cigarettes. He said chemicals are added to the tobacco of regular cigarettes, and the filters contain the most toxins! That's what makes them taste good and makes them very, very addictive.
Anyway, he said the organic cigarettes taste terrible and if I'm unable to quit cold turkey I might want to try the organics. I'm hoping the bad taste will make it easier for me to quit. I'm going to Google to see if I can find some. Posted by quaicheng (Member # 8392) on :
I quit 25 years ago. You can too. taste will not have anything to do with it.
Only your willpower can make you quit. According to Dr. B you won't have any iprovemnt in Lyme until you quit cigarettes.
Personally, I think much more than Lyme will improve by quitting. You see, everything in life will become easier, dramatically. Smoking may be hader to quit than borrelia.
Physically, you change and become healthier, prettiyer. Skin becomes clear and the nicotine "tan" goes away. Teeth become white and people want to be near again, like when we were 12. That is what it feels like.
When I quit, my last cigarette tasted great, down to the last drag..... But I knew it was the last because I wanted my life back.
You can do this, enjoy the taste, for the last time. and dive into life headfirst.
quai
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Sounds nasty enough to work!! Posted by trails (Member # 1620) on :
Good luck Biting!!
You can do it!
go to Whyquit.com that website helped me quit cold turkey almost 3 years ago. It was the hardest thing I ever did except deal with lyme.
cold turkey....it is hard, but you can do it. And you will LOVE yourself that much more when you do!
Posted by hopeful123 (Member # 3244) on :
there is nothing like the patch or gum to help quit!!
they work because they ease the pain of transitioning your habits and your body.
i quit a number of times only to go back eventually.
now, it's been 3 years.
no cravings for the last two years. some during the first year.
you don't want to wait for readiness. you will never be "ready". just jump in there and do it.
join the living.
put the tobacco companies out of business...
just say yes to taking the best health step in your life....
pm any time
hopeful123 Posted by Biting Back (Member # 6018) on :
Thanks for the encouragement everyone. Smoking has been my partner, my crutch and my demon for so many years. I know it won't be easy, but if I can live with undiagnosed lyme for as long as I have, I CAN QUIT SMOKING! Posted by Andie333 (Member # 7370) on :
Biting,
First, good for you for wanting to give this habit up.
Like others, I am also an advocate of doing this cold turkey.
I was actually a 2 to 2.5 pack a day smoker when I finally quit. I simply lit a cigarette one night, then never smoked again.
That was 19 years ago this month.
I emphasize the month, because this is actually a really good time to quit. I walked each evening, when I would have been sitting down to a cigarette. This helped me burn off a lot of nervous energy; it also had another plus: it kept me from gaining any weight at all.
I carried twizzle sticks in my car for times when I'd get stressed in traffic. Cinnamon flavor seemed to help a lot -- sugar free gum, mints.
It helped me to have a buddy, so I was glad when a friend decided to quit around the same time. Neither of us ever picked up again. You can use this board as a "buddy" and check in here re your progress.
The first few days I felt some nasty physical symptoms. Then a lot of it was just shifting my own habits, so I didn't have the same expectations. I walked around for about a month feeling like I'd forgotten something.
Now, I have to say, it's rare for me to think about. In the past, I would have sworn I would have smoked through anything.
If I could have, I would have quit sooner. I've got some nasty smoke lines around my mouth that are a grim reminder of the habit.
Good luck to you, Biting; you CAN do this!!!!!!
Andie
Posted by hiker53 (Member # 6046) on :
Biting Back,
Glad you are going to quit smoking! Just think of it as another herx in the road of our lyme travels. I know you can do it! Hiker
Posted by HaplyCarlessdave (Member # 413) on :
Quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do for your health! "Organic cigarettes", eh? (kind of like "organic amanita mushrooms?...) Well, I guess there are a few less toxins in the toxic stew, but there are still plenty of toxins left.
But if you're going to smoke, definitely smoke organic cigarettetes. But please still go outside to do so!
After I quit smoking it was much more rare for me to get any kind of sickness. It made a HUGE difference! Since you're fighting sickness, to quit smoking would seem to be one of your top priorities! Good for you! DaveS
Posted by Biting Back (Member # 6018) on :
Thank you everybody! I am encouraged by your responses. Hubby seems to think I can just quit tomorrow but that's a little unreasonable in my opinion. It's not that easy. I have to pick a day in the near future and just go for it!
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