Estherfromjerusalem
Well-Known Member
I just thought I would share this with the Board:
After 52 years of smoking (I started at the age of 19, which isn't particularly young to start, and I am now 71), my cardiologist really frightened me and then took me along to meet the doctor in charge of the stopping smoking group that was about to start. It is now three weeks and two days since I had my last cigarette, and I am OK with it, to my amazement.
It's like this: I've had three angioplasties over the years, two of them inserting stents. Both my carotid arteries have been operated on because they were blocked (not at the same time!). After each incident, I stopped for a month or two and then went back to smoking.
Recently I've had a feeling in my legs of intense heat, a burning sensation. Finally I took myself along to the doctor who sent me for dopplers of the arteries and veins. And sure enough: blockages have started. Luckily I had a scheduled appointment with my cardiologist just after that (I see her usually every six months just for check-ups and to tweak medications), and she said that if there is a real blockage, it could cause lack of blood flow starting with my toes, which would become gangrenous and have to be amputated, and that now I really HAVE to stop smoking.
So I went along to this group -- it was a six-week programme. I'm taking Champix. So far so good. Quite honestly I don't feel the urge to smoke, and I have started to think less about cigarettes. The Champix makes me feel quite nauseous a lot of the time, and I haven't put on any weight (YET).
So there you have it -- I can't believe I am no longer a smoker. It has been such a part of me for so long.
Just thought I'd let you all know!
Love, Esther
After 52 years of smoking (I started at the age of 19, which isn't particularly young to start, and I am now 71), my cardiologist really frightened me and then took me along to meet the doctor in charge of the stopping smoking group that was about to start. It is now three weeks and two days since I had my last cigarette, and I am OK with it, to my amazement.
It's like this: I've had three angioplasties over the years, two of them inserting stents. Both my carotid arteries have been operated on because they were blocked (not at the same time!). After each incident, I stopped for a month or two and then went back to smoking.
Recently I've had a feeling in my legs of intense heat, a burning sensation. Finally I took myself along to the doctor who sent me for dopplers of the arteries and veins. And sure enough: blockages have started. Luckily I had a scheduled appointment with my cardiologist just after that (I see her usually every six months just for check-ups and to tweak medications), and she said that if there is a real blockage, it could cause lack of blood flow starting with my toes, which would become gangrenous and have to be amputated, and that now I really HAVE to stop smoking.
So I went along to this group -- it was a six-week programme. I'm taking Champix. So far so good. Quite honestly I don't feel the urge to smoke, and I have started to think less about cigarettes. The Champix makes me feel quite nauseous a lot of the time, and I haven't put on any weight (YET).
So there you have it -- I can't believe I am no longer a smoker. It has been such a part of me for so long.
Just thought I'd let you all know!
Love, Esther