askjoel

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Joel,

I'm a smoker of 10years (average 40 ciggarettes a week).

I have tried numerously to quit. I think 3months has been the longest. Your mind plays a trick on you every time, thinking you'll be able to stop 'after this pack'. I have tried nicotine gum, patches, quit helplines. I have quite bad circulation problems, in particular in hands and feet and they get freezing. I have a stable but quite low bloodpressure.I have tried '2 pairs of socks, taking natural herb formula Gingko Biloba, but nothing seems to do enough to stop the problem. I dread every winter and even thought of moving to a warmer climate.At times it's really bad to a point I'm in tears and other people are concerned for my wellbeing.

I read your website regarding Buergers Disease and it has frightened me that an extreme disease is caused pretty much, solely from smoking. I have always felt and therefore have been able to tell my smoking is making my circulation poor, but never dreamed that one could have those terrible amputations. When I did quit for 3 months, I did notice my circulation improve(as well as many other things improve).It's almost a year since that 3 months and the silly thing is that EVERY DAY I try to quit. Its a constant struggle, even when I hate the smell, taste,look.I hate smoking and I get frustrated that I do it. I have known about all the smoking related illnesses, except this Buergers Disease. All the others reasons should scare me off, but smoking can be one of those things that needs to "hit home" so to speak.This just may be the answer to help me to be strong quitting.I just want to thank you for the information.I think im coming to a realization that with anything in life thats a struggle in dealing with, although you know this and that, its always good to keep going over this and that until you get it right. Thankyou again.

Actually Buergers Disease is just one kind of peripheral vascular disease--there are many of them and most are more common than Buergers Disease. Smoking is responsible for almost all Burergers Disease cases, but it also plays a major role in the aggravating role for all other types of other peripheral vascular diseases. Stopping smoking is among the most important steps a person can take to minimize the the suffering of these other conditions and to reduce the risks of any of them resulting in amputations.

Alaina, I started a new board this week called AskJoel. Here is a link to that site: http://groups.msn.com/AskJoel/askjoel.msnw

It has a message board there where people can write in questions and comments, to get feedback from me and longer-term successful quitters. Would it be okay with you if I posted your email below to me. I can leave off your name if you prefer. I think you will get some good insights from a few of our helping members. Let me know if this is acceptable to you.

If you ever want to add additional comments or have questions you want answered on the board, just address the email to [email protected].

Alaina, here's some links that may help to ease your struggle in quitting:

I just want to let you know that you are not alone in the struggle to quit. The craves can be very strong when first quitting, so much so that the only "relief" we can get seems to come only by allowing ourselves to smoke a cigarette. Unfortunately, when we do give in to the crave it reinforces our addiction to nicotine and fills our minds with the false thoughts that quitting is "just too hard". Develop your own strategies to get through the craves and you will find the ways to get past them. (Slow, deep breathing in a quiet moment worked for me).

It only takes a short period of time to rid your body of nicotine (72 hours), and the start of restoring yourself to the clean, healthy, natural you! This doesn't mean that quitting is a piece of cake after 3 days... there usually are a few bumps in the road, but every bump will smooth out the process so long as you remain true to the committment to Never Take Another Puff.

You've already found your way to the most informative source on the internet on quitting smoking. I encourage you to take full advantage of all the resources here. Arm yourself with knowledge and you'll find that you can be smarter than nicotine and don't need to be stronger than it in order to quit only one time and not every day.

(after more than 33 years of smoking and an uncountable number of tries to quit, I've been free from smoking for almost 2 years).

Your subject line says " Every Day I Try To Quit " maybe you can do what I did - quit smoking one day at a time. It was the only way I could do it, each day I told myself that I wasn't sure what the next day would bring but for the day I would not take a puff, no matter what. It may sound cliche but really pay attention to that concept.That, and understanding my addiction were the keys that released me to freedom. It really isn't that difficult, the only thing difficult is the addiction itself.

Our addiction can send racing thoughts thinking that we will eventually need a cigarette and that we will have a breaking point. We are each guaranteed not to have a breaking poing at long as we never take another puff. It really is that simple, but to make things easy we do this one day at a time. You may encounter some tough times and have to work through this but eventually you will not even be bothered. I do promise you that it will get better. Always remember the law of addiction, it is all or nothing. We addicts never settle for just one we always end up taking them all.

You should be very proud of yourself for taking the step to write and share your story. And don't worry about being "strong enough" to quit, as you mentioned, it doesn't take strength at all. Again, it is knowing that one puff will be the demise of the best health decision of your life - quitting smoking.

Your life is worth any temporary challenges, Alaina, don't sell yourself short any longer. If you have questions or concerns come back for some support and keep on reading and learning. Just hold on tight and take little baby steps....others have done it and now it is your turn.

Just today, not one puff, no matter what....got that?

seven years free and grateful for every minute

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