Quitting smoking will be the best thing a person could ever do for themselves. No matter how long someone has smoked, there is still hope that they can improve both physically and mentally by ridding themselves of nicotine, changing their lifestyles and learning how to live without cigarettes, pipes, or cigars in their lives.
For those of you who have been here before and others who do not have the patience to keep scrolling down, I have created a page that contains all the links to the articles and other web sites that I have on this page... Click on the link below to go there and find the links to the articles instead of having to scroll down on this one.
Click here to go to the Links Page.
As some of you may know, I am leaving Florida on July 7th to fly to Denver to be evaluated for the Lung Volume Reduction Surgery. I am not sure just how much access I will have to a computer while I am there, but I will try to keep everyone advised of my conditions and what is going on as I can. To see a short explanation of the surgery and what is happening click on the link below for a "Status" report..
I have found in another group a very valuable web site that is devoted to helping children to keep off the smokes. It is geared up and is running strong and I suggest that it is valuable reading for the younger people who come here. Please go to that
web page and read about it and its intent on stopping this smoking craze that is going on in our great country. Getting the youth to never start smoking is the best way to head off this illness that grips our nation and the world as a whole.
Children Opposed to Smoking Tobacco
EFFORTS (Emphysema Foundation For Our Right To Survive) A non profit, no
charge activist and support group that is seeking deeper research into more
effective treatment for emphysema and related lung disease. Membership is
currently in excess of 900 people. Click on the following link to visit their great site.
When I quit 22 years ago, cold turkey, I coughed constantly, weighed
85 lbs. Looked and felt awful, SOB (short of breath) all the time. Here I am all these
years later, and I have just gone on 02 all the time, after a very
bad year. I really doubt I would have lasted another 2-3 years.
I went to college and became a RRT. Worked at that for 17 years and retired in 96 at age 62. I was actually diagnosed with
COPD/emphysema 27 years ago, and was SOB (short of breath)for 5 years before that.
Everyone is right when they say everyone is different. But isn't it
worth a try???????????????God be with all of you who are trying to
stop. Don't look toward your quit day with dread, look at it with
joy as the first day of the rest of your life that you will be FREE.
____
God Bless, Lois
If you have not already quit smoking, there are many things that you should consider in a preparation of your quit. One of the first things that should be brought to the forefront is: The method that you intend to use to quit. Are you going to go the cold turkey quit, or use some type of cessation aid such as the patches or the gum, hypnotism, accupuncture, or some other ways that have been tried.
It has been my observation over the last two years that those who choose the patches or the nicorette gum have been more successful in their quits that any other way, up to this time. However they now have out the drug Zyban which has been approved as an aid to quitting smoking, and that along with the usage of the patches seems to be the quit of choice.
One of the reasons a lot of people have been unable to continue with their quit is the severe depression that some of us experience. I am no exception to that rule. I became very depressed and at times the depression brought on panic attacks which I had to endure on a daily basis until I got some relief by using the drug Ativan. Ativan is a good anti-anxiety medication, but it is also a very addictive drug, and once a person has been on it for some time they must be brought off it in a slow and tedious manner. There is no cold turkey quit for that as far as I know. I realize that using an anti-anxiety medication instead of an anti-depressant might be looked at strangely..but it worked for me and I would do it again if need be. Which I thank God I will not ever need.
With the use of Zyban being approved for the purpose of smoking cessation, it should go a long way in preventing the depression that I suffered and the panic attacks that came with it. However there is one thing that I would like to mention in respect to using Zyban to quit smoking. It is NOT the magic potion that so many of us have looked for to take all the pain and work out of quitting smoking. The average success rate of those using Zyban is in the same range as all the other Nicotine Replacement Therapy. So if you decide to use this product, do not expect a miracle. You will still have to go through the process of learning how to live without smoking as that really is the main job ahead of us to start with.
However, if by chance you are not into using the Zyban for some reason or the other, and have in the past had periods of depression, I would like to recomend that you might consider the use of St. John's Wort (hypericum). This is an herbal remedy and
can be found in pill form in most health food stores, requires no
prescription and has worked for quite a few people. I have been using it for the last 10 months and can find no side effects from it, other that I do not have to take it daily, I only take it about twice a week and that seems enough for me. One thing, I do not purchase mine at a health food store. I have a friend who is into herbal medicines and she makes it for me in tincture form and ships it to me. I use only about thirty drops of it in a cup of hot tea, and that is about twice a week now. Had to try and find out just what worked for me.
Another thing comes to mind is that a lot of us have underlying problems that we have covered up with the use of nicotine for many years, and once we give it up, the problems come out in the open and we are left with no way to handle them. That is where a good counseling program can and will help us. Also, if we read and learn as much as we can about the problems that face us we can learn to cope with them without the aid of nicotine or other drugs.
A supportive and uplifting site that guides smokers through the quitting process.
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health
After attempting to quit smoking in July 1995, I ran across the newsgroup called alt.support.stop-smoking commonly called AS3, and I began to read the posts on there and after a few days of lurking on the sidelines, I decided to get my feet wet and tell about myself. I was immediately showered with well wishes from the people on that group and I have continued to read and post there for over two years now. I found it to be a very loving and caring group of people who care about one another and would reccomend it to anyone who has the ability to go there, read and post.
There is also a "Home Page" for that group that is maintained and is easily available to anyone who wishes to go there and read, or download some of the files they find that may help them, just double click on the link below and it will take you there.
After reading the FAQ's of the newsgroup, alt.support.stop-smoking you might find that you actually want to read what is posted on the group. It is a very good idea to go there and read the postings from some of the members that are there. You will find there people in all stages of quitting smoking; for those who are in the "planning stage" to what is called "old fogeys." The Old Fogeys are those who have accumulated one year without smoking or longer. The title is an honor bestowed upon them for acheiving that feat.
Also I must warn you that as with just about everything else in life, you will also find some malcontents. They will be easily noticed because of the wording of their posts. I will do my best not to judge them, it could be the reaction that some have when they are trying to break the smoking habit, or it could be they are predisposed to this disposition and do not understand what they are doing. The best advice I could give someone is to just slide over any of the posts that may be of that tone and keep on reading the ones from the serious quitters and those attempting to help them in their quest to quit smoking.
While reading on the newsgroup, you may find a discussion of the
use of marijuana instead of smoking tobacco. I find that I am in
the belief that smoking is smoking no matter what type of smoke a
person puts in their body. It can be any kind or smoke and it is
harmful to the body, hence a health hazard.
For those of you who have been curious as to what a diseased lung may look like, I have found a web site that has many of them on it and they are also labeled as to what disease caused the lungs to look the way they do. I must warn you that these pictures are very graphic and are not very nice to look at. When I looked at them and realized that I had volunteered to destruct myself in the manner that I did it surely makes me feel bad. If you care to look you will find them by following this link.
There have been many losses the last few years of some of our most famous people. Some of those smoked and passed on because of smoking, or smoking related illensses. For a look at some to them take a look at this web page.
"Some Notable People Who Smoked"
I have just finished an article about coping with Emphysema which
I have to do on a daily and ongoing basis for the rest of my life. I am relating this so that someone who may not think much of having to do this may have second thoughts when they decide to keep on smoking or even just take up smoking...
Today May 20th, 1998 I have just finished an article about
staying quit smoking and what I do in order to keep on staying
quit.. I hope that by reading it you may get a little insight on
what it takes to really stop smoking and stay that way.
There is another place you may be interested in visiting; that is the IRC "Internet Relay Chat" if you have the chat capabilities already on your computer and know how to get on the IRC, point yourself to the Starlink.Org and when you are there log onto the #nosmokers chat room. There you will find a bunch of friendly people. We are dedicated to trying to help those who wish to try to quit smoking and all one has to do is log on, make it known that they are either a quit smoker, in the midst of quitting, or just wish to quit smoking and you will be welcomed by us all. If you log on and no one is there, just keep coming back and trying until you catch one or more of us there. The chat room is open all the time but sometimes the only thing there is the "bot" which only keeps the channel open. But you are apt to find someone there from about 9 AM Eastern time up to around midnight.
If you have trouble getting on there, e-mail me at: oranda@comcast.net and I will try to explain to you through e-mail just how to get on there and what the requirements are for being able to chat with us in real time.
There are many many sites on the dangers of smoking here on the
internet. I wish I could list all of them, but as with other
things I can only list some of the ones that I consider among the most informative. I do not mean to put down any one and their
efforts in this. I will continue to monitor the ones that I list
here and try to make sure they are up to date and accessible. Here is one by the American Lung Association, or a part of the web site of theirs. When I looked through it I found it interesting and I hope you will also.
Go to "American Lung Association">
Well folks, I have kinda waited to place this part of what I really wanted to say until I had some more ammunition to use on you and let you know, if you did not already, how I feel, and just where the strength to carry on comes from. I have made a few references to God in my posts to the newsgroup, and also in my e-mails. I give credit to God for helping me to get on the road to recovery and without His help I would not be here today and be able to try to help someone in their quit. I have said many many prayers for some that have asked for advice, and believe it or not, have even said prayers for some of you with whom I have had some serious differences.
If you like good Christian music and care to listen to it, there is a place here on the web that has some very fine music there
and it is downloadable.. I have looked at a lot of sites and this is one of the finest that you will find. It ain't pushy or
anything like that, I will suggest that if you like it, go there and you just may find something that will help you along some day when you are feeling all by yourself.
One more thing I would like to say about my faith and reliance on God. One day someone told me here on the net that they were glad that I was here so they could come and talk with me in the chat channel. They expressed their thanks to me for being there. That really made me feel good, but at the same time a little bit of self pity came across and I thought to myself, "Yeah, you have me to turn to and talk to, but who do I have?" Immediately something brought me out of my self pity and I knew that I always have someone to rely on and talk to.....God. He is here with me more than anyone could ever imagine.
During the over two years that I have been posting to the newsgroup, and sometimes hosting the chat room #nosmokers, I have become acquainted with quite a few people who have also become successful in their battle over the smoking habit. Some of these I am fortunate enough to remain friends with and also have the pleasure of having pictures of them in my computer. I have started to try to develope a "Gallery Of Winners." It would be a great pleasure for me to be able to display on this site their pictures. I will endeavor to get in touch with each of them that I can and ask their permission to display their pictures.
If I leave anyone out that I know, it will be an over sight on my part and if you do not see your picture here, or if I just happen to lable it wrong, please notify me about it and send me the correct information and I will be most happy to change it.
If on the other hand you have been successfully been quit for a period of time and believe that you have won the battle over the nicotine addiction, please e-mail me and send me a picture and I will place it on the Gallery.
My Prayer for Today:
Father God, I ask you in deep reverance to guide me today and every day. To teach me Oh Lord, to be more tolerant of others and accept them with and without faults. Guide my words that I may share what little wisdom you have given me with others that they might learn without having to endure the hardships that others have to undergo to learn. Amen.
I have been asked many times if there existed some group that was like the 12 step program like Alcoholic Anonymous. Yes there is a group like that and it is called Nicotine Anonymous. I do not know the specific cities that it is is but I do have a web site that one can go to to get informaion on the groups. I suggest that if you want to avail yourself of this take a look at the following link and go there and read on it.
Below is an article written by me as a guide for one way to quit smoking. This is my humble opinions and I suggest that you might want to read it with an open mind. If it helps even one person to quit smoking, then it has served its purpose as I intend for it to be a help and only one of many many ways to quit the addiction to nicotine
For a fun quiz and some very interesting links to other quit smoking web sites, please click on the following link and enjoy the test and visit the links. You will find them rewarding:
I have encouraged the people who are regulars to the IRC Chat Chanel #nosmokers to feel free to express themselves by writing an article and sending it to me so I can post it on this web page.
Following this is an article written by one of the people who have made the #nosmokers there IRC home. Del Smith has been coming to visit us for close to a year now and has joined with us many time in helping others to stay quit smoking. Check out the following article by him about going back to smoking.
Here is a wonderful quit sight by Shay better known as "El Ninio" to all on Irc. Shay is a teenager that has never smoked but has done much to help others. An unusual goal for an exceptional young man.
Check out these links to other sites that I have found to be on good interest to people wanting to stop smoking, and/or have COPD/Emphysema. There is some good interesting reading there that I think will be of great value to anyone who has tried to quit smoking or is quit and needs some more support to stay quit.
Also, you will find much information on dealing with COPD/Emphysema.
Olivija's Quit Smoking Testimonial
Ten Commandments for Managing Stress
QUITTING SMOKING IS EASIER THAN IT SEEMS
(and harder than it looks)
a study from someone who did it
Folks, there are many books out about quitting smoking, how to deal with depression and some of the other things that go along with quitting smoking. I do not claim to be an expert on any of these subjects, I can only relate to you what has worked for me and some of the others who have come to the #nosmokers chat channel and shared with us their hopes and wishes.. their successes and yes in some cases their failures while endeavoring to quit smoking.
QUIT METERS
Fun way to keep track of your quit and watch the weeks add up!
Hello,I am Johanna Stephenson. I will be keeping Buds page open so that his work can carry on. My husband and I were fortunate to have Bud stay with us while he was in Denver. The impact of that visit is evident in our having been quit now for over a year and a half. Bud was a very special person. He could have been bitter about his smoking causing emphysema but instead used it as a tool to help others quit. Bud spent his last few years helping others. He had this special way of being able to find ways to help so many different quitters in their various stages and struggles of quitting.
Please drop us a line if you have any questions, need support or just want to chat.
Click on here to e-mail your comments to me
This Stop Smoking Ring
_________________________________
This web page is dedicated to the cause of stopping smoking. I therefore take my stand in the belief that smoking is one of the more prevalent causes of unnecessary suffering and death in the world. I have taken it as my cause to try to inform people of the dangers of smoking and to try to point them in the right direction to get help in their endeavor to quit smoking. If there is anything that I can do to help someone to become clean of the nicotine addiction I will do it to the best of my ability.
The following is a letter that I received from one of the mail lists that I belong to. I asked the writers permission to use it here on this web page and she granted me that wish. I deeply appreciate her letting me use it here.
The Quit Smoking SiteRing
This site owned by
Johanna Stephenson
SiteRing by Bravenet.com
site is owned by
Johanna Stephenson.
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