Will power.... (and I need your support!)

Cynthia, sending positive, willpower, healing and everything else you need vibes to you and Sarita! Hoping you have all the help you need, and keep looking forward and thinking of Sarita each time you want to smoke! We all are here, and believe in you!
 
Oh, honey! (@MrsPeel ) I should say don't get me started...b/c this is one of my most passionate subjects, the other one is homeschooling. Okay. I was a HEAVY smoker for 26 years. When I quit I was just over 2 packs a day. My teen daughter screaming me awake at night b/c she'd peek in to check on me and I'd be turning blue didn't make me quit. Being in the hospital several times then being diagnosed with COPD didn't make me quit. I LIKED it and I didn't want to quit. Then I did. I got tired of being sick and tired. So I tried Chantix when it first came out. After a week I wanted to kill myself. Silly me tried it AGAIN many months later and the same thing happened. That stuff made me crazy, literally. It was awful. Then one fateful day in 2010, my beloved daughter (same one as above) suggested I try an electronic cigarette. I googled it and order it right away. Way back then they were pathetic. I could suck it dry in 20 minutes then fidget with nic fits until it recharged for 40 minutes. I quickly built up my supply of those so I could rotate and always have one charged. Then the bigger ones came out! Long story short, I never had another cigarette after my first full day vaping. August will make 6 years cigarette free. Now I vape like a fiend - I suck down ejuice like nobody I know, but it works for me. I even got down to zero nic in 2014 b/c I had to be nic free for my weight loss surgery or they wouldn't do it. I had complications after, not from the surgery, but had ARDS and was in the hospital/rehab for many months. When I woke up and finally got home I just didn't start back. I was too busy relearning how to use my hands and feet and walk again. It was over a year to full recovery. Just last month we got dealt some major life changing news and I was jonesing. Smelling other people smoking was so very tempting. Hubby is overseas so I knew I could sneak...but I also knew that I just needed the nic and the hand to mouth and I can get that from vaping. I bought a few over the counter ecigs (which are pretty nasty), then a vaping friend sent me some batts and juice to get started. Now I'm fully restocked and trying to get back down to lower nic. I can say without hesitation that I could not have quit smoking without vaping. I tried Chantix, eating candies (gained 20 pounds no lie), prayer, everything. Hubby quit using prayer. I'm too weak willed...or strong willed, depending on how you look at it. Quitting is the BEST thing I ever did and I am still so proud of myself for it. I won't lie - sometimes they still smell good when other people smoke them, but I know I just need the nic and the hand to mouth motion and vaping gives me that.

I wish you luck, I wish you success, and I am totally here for you. Vaping works but it takes trial and error to find a juice you like. You won't find them that taste like your cig so don't even try. Pick a flavor you like and just suck on it for all you are worth until you are nauseous from too much nic then wait. Drink lots of water, it dries you out to start with. It is so much easier now to find vape supplies than it was back then. Now I can drive 5 minutes and get what I need at a local store. They have taste tester juices at the stores. Back when we had to order it online and tough luck if we hated it.

My best vape advice is to get two of whatever you get and get two different flavors. My son in law can just vape on one device, and so can my husband, but I cannot. I currently rotate about seven since the battery life is so long now. They get hot when you vape them like you'd chain smoke... which is why I rotate them. Oh, and don't believe the bogus news stories that berate them. I call bull. I have a nephew who had his batteries catch on fire in his pocket and my mom tried to tell me to be careful. I had a fit He's an idiot and didn't know not to put a lithium battery in his pocket unprotected with his pocket change. He also didn't buy the 99cent plastic case to keep his extra batteries in, either.

Yay! I hope you are able to find what you need and get started! Keep me posted!!! Hope your daughter feels better very soon.
 
Oh, my dear friend, you know that I am praying for you and sending you positive healing vibes for your daughter and strength for you to quit smoking. I watched my sweet hubby suffer though this many times. When I read your post, the first thing that came to mind was one of my favorite bible verses, Phil 4:13 I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me. How I wish I lived near you so that I could help you, but for now, please know that you are always in my thoughts and prayers. BIG HUGS!!!!!!!!
 
Prayers and best wishes. While I am no expert, I have benefited greatly from the OMAC (once a month cooking). Almost all of mine is crockpot-able. I also make up my own kits - a bag for freezer/fridge and matching label on a plastic bin/shoebox/grocery bag that holds the rest of the meal's ingredients. If it's something I don't know by heart, I drop the recipe in too. On my memory issue days, I just grab both parts of meal 1 and dump in crockpot. When I feel great, I fire up several crockpots and cook (then freeze) some meals into portion sized freezer bags. Yum :) Good luck and hope you eat well and have fun with your version of cooking ahead.
 
guys thank you so so very much for making yourself present on this... I know I'm blessed with the Pad's family and cannot find words to thank you properly.....almost a week now... I NEED to keep going and having so many of you with me on this means a LOT to me :heartlub:heartlub:heartlub

Positive thoughts and a whole bunch of love.
Cynthia , If you are finding it hard to quit, please do yourself a favour and buy , borrow, beg or steal ( well not steal LOL) a book by Alan Carr called "The easy way to stop smoking." all you have to do is want to quit and read it, and you will, without to much hankering, and with absolutely no desire to smoke again after you finish it.
Without it I would not have quit 25 a day ,in a very short time (in the end it wasn't even very hard ). And 3 people I know (2 of them very good friends) have quit with the same good result. You can do this , and I am sure the book cost less than 4 packets of fags. Another good reason to put the money in a jar.
Please take good care of yourself,as well as Sarita.

Funny you mention Alan Carr (thanks for reminding me of this!!!!).... I borrowed the book in 2002, just before I went into the operations in January 2003 (a hip replacement that was meant to bring me back to full time work, instead 4 operations that try fix it failed and I have been in crutches with tons of metal inside, nerve damage, lots of other conditions springing out of it for 13 years now, just in case you are reading and don't know me) as I thought: if I will be a week in hospital, I may as well try to quit for good...... and I started reading and left it in page 15 I think........ I know this is real dumb...but I reckon I thought if I carry on reading I will stop and I obviously didn't want to.
I have also 4 friends who quit with the book, I will talk to Clem who lent me the book at the time to get it back now, really good idea , thanks so very much for reminding me Vivi!!!!!!
also yes to the idea of putting the money in the jar... maybe after we pay for Sarita's Uni I will have money to apply for a USA Visa again and go on a tour of the USA to see you all!!!!!!!!!! @AnneofAlamo you start getting ready as I will go visit you even if it means I have to sleep in a tent outside your house :rollin

@~Mary I cannot thank you enough for sharing your experience with me....
I know when I quit when knowing I was pregnant it was something so easy, so down to earth, I never thought it would be so difficult to try quitting again but judging by the amount of time I have been trying un successfully... I started to think there was something really wrong with me.
I have to admit I never in my entire life smoked as much as I was smoking (20 a day) now, and after I was cleared of lung cancer in December, I knew I have to quit....
I do probably have COPD, another reason to quit, but I have been making excuses all along...and I am a queen of making excuses for smoking.... now I need to be a queen of making assertive statements on which why I should keep smoke free (my house smells a lot better already too LOL)
Sarita said there are vaping shops in Camdem near us, and the manager of the store she works in also vapes and is working for him... so I may just get there as soon as my brain/body allows, I ll keep you posted...once again, thanks so much for sharing your story with us....knowing we are not alone is one huge help for strength :heartlub:heartlub:heartlub

once again, thanks again everyone.... I ll keep you posted... I have to scrap my mother days presents now !!!! :fairydance
 
guys thank you so so very much for making yourself present on this... I know I'm blessed with the Pad's family and cannot find words to thank you properly.....almost a week now... I NEED to keep going and having so many of you with me on this means a LOT to me :heartlub:heartlub:heartlub



Funny you mention Alan Carr (thanks for reminding me of this!!!!).... I borrowed the book in 2002, just before I went into the operations in January 2003 (a hip replacement that was meant to bring me back to full time work, instead 4 operations that try fix it failed and I have been in crutches with tons of metal inside, nerve damage, lots of other conditions springing out of it for 13 years now, just in case you are reading and don't know me) as I thought: if I will be a week in hospital, I may as well try to quit for good...... and I started reading and left it in page 15 I think........ I know this is real dumb...but I reckon I thought if I carry on reading I will stop and I obviously didn't want to.
I have also 4 friends who quit with the book, I will talk to Clem who lent me the book at the time to get it back now, really good idea , thanks so very much for reminding me Vivi!!!!!!
also yes to the idea of putting the money in the jar... maybe after we pay for Sarita's Uni I will have money to apply for a USA Visa again and go on a tour of the USA to see you all!!!!!!!!!! @AnneofAlamo you start getting ready as I will go visit you even if it means I have to sleep in a tent outside your house :rollin

@~Mary I cannot thank you enough for sharing your experience with me....
I know when I quit when knowing I was pregnant it was something so easy, so down to earth, I never thought it would be so difficult to try quitting again but judging by the amount of time I have been trying un successfully... I started to think there was something really wrong with me.
I have to admit I never in my entire life smoked as much as I was smoking (20 a day) now, and after I was cleared of lung cancer in December, I knew I have to quit....
I do probably have COPD, another reason to quit, but I have been making excuses all along...and I am a queen of making excuses for smoking.... now I need to be a queen of making assertive statements on which why I should keep smoke free (my house smells a lot better already too LOL)
Sarita said there are vaping shops in Camdem near us, and the manager of the store she works in also vapes and is working for him... so I may just get there as soon as my brain/body allows, I ll keep you posted...once again, thanks so much for sharing your story with us....knowing we are not alone is one huge help for strength :heartlub:heartlub:heartlub

once again, thanks again everyone.... I ll keep you posted... I have to scrap my mother days presents now !!!! :fairydance


Awesome re one week Cynthia!!! We quit here, both me & DH with Vaping, but I do not recommend it if you are doing it one your own after a week. Just drink lots of water. There is stuff re vaping and explosions of the E Cig plus "Popcorn" lung from it. I used it only 4 months, hubby used it for a week and quit smoking after 35 years... me I had to hang on for 4 months after as a crutch...

Last year after I had shingles and went back to my Dr, he sent me for a CT scan of my lungs as I had quit smoking after 30 years and there was glass like nodules (tiny) found in both lungs, so now I will go again the end of this month/April again for another CT as I want to make sure after 6 months that all is status quo.

I wheeze now and did not while I was smoking, so I am not sure if it was the ECig/Vaping. I stopped smoking 7/14 so I am going on 18 months cigarette free/vaping free here. You can do it, and if you can do it cold turkey you are better off.

I am not confident on what vaping does in the long run. Popcorn Lung and explosions of the vape ECig would have scared me, had I known that 2 years ago. I would have avoided that and gone cold turkey.

You are doing good. Keep up the good work the way you are going... and just flush your system with lots of water. @AnneofAlamo is right, keep the money in a jar that you used to use for cigs... we are saving a lot of $$!! XO
 
I am so sorry that Sarita and you have to keep going through this - Hugs friend! Wish I was closer to help you out!
 
I agree with Christa, If you don't have to please don't vape, it is still a chemical, you are still breathing it...
 
"Popcorn lung" is from an ingredient in an ejuice flavoring that is seldom available anymore unless you get your juice from China. It is only in certain creamy or milky flavored juices. You will also hear the story about ecig juice containing antifreeze. Total crazy. Ejuice has propylene glycol, glycerin, water, and flavoring. Propylene glycol is in EVERYTHING, including your food, your vitamins, your medications, your toothpaste, etc. I am personally highly sensitive to PG so I get my juice in the 50/50 percentage (50% PG, 50% VG) to keep from getting a raw throat. Purchase your juice from a reputable source (or make it yourself) and you will never have a problem.

Ecigs exploding is a from buying poor quality equipment and being stupid with it. Keep your lithium batteries clean, dry, and away from loose change in your pocket. They make plastic holders for storing the ones not in use that are sold wherever the batteries are sold. I have had over 100 different ecigs over 6 years, and hubby about 20, and we have never had a problem with any of those batteries. Ever. The stories you hear in the news about this never give the full details. They are exaggerated to try to put a negative slant on ecigs and they may or may not be true. The story about an ecig exploding on someone is b/c he altered the electronics in it and didn't know what he was doing. The news always seems to leave out the details.
 
My prayers for you and Sarita!! And (hugs)

Jeremiah 30:17
17 But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds,’ declares the Lord,'

Jeremiah 33:6
“‘Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security.

Luke 6:19
and the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all.

Luke 9:11
but the crowds learned about it and followed him. He welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who needed healing.

Isaiah 40:29
He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.

Luke 22:43
An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him.
 
I hope I didn't come across as belligerent in the above response...I don't mean to cause a scene. I have spent over 5 years reading every good and bad thing there is on ecigs and some misconceptions that have been here since the beginning will just not go away.

Are ecigs "safe" for the long run? Nobody knows. They haven't been around long enough to know. I decided that it was better for me than all the bad stuff in regular cigarettes so I made my choice.

I can tell you with certainty that the yummy flavors are NOT targeted to children. The articles that keep regurgitating in the media (for over 5 years over and over) about explosions and "popcorn lung" and antifreeze are NOT telling the whole truth.

Whatever you decide, I still love you and will help support you through this! I could not have quit smoking without vaping. I know this without a doubt. If you can, kudos!
 
I love reading all these messages of love and advice! I hope you can feel all those positive vibes, too :)

I am twelve years smoke free, I smoked for twelve years before that. It's hard to give up, sometimes I dream of having a cigarette! The first few days are the hardest, if you get through those you've cracked it. Good luck xxx

I hope you and Sarita both feel better very soon . Xx
 
thanks so much girls..... as for the debate on E cigs/vaping and all replacement stuff..... @~Mary what you said is basically what my Gp, my doctor, told me when I brought up the issue of the e cigs being forbidden in Argentina...she said nothing is conclusive, and if you use it to stop, it will always be less damaging than proper cigarettes ... anyway, we ll see how it goes.... I know I am eating like a cow right now LOL but I also intend to curb that... at least we have been eating proper food :)
I'm extremely tired right now as I took the opportunity this bioy who has a HUGE crush ion Sarita spent the afternoon here and she made him work LOL to scrap, so gonna go eat something and try to come back with my head a bit more keen to socialize LOL
thanks so very much for the support everyone, I ll come back later!!!!
 
I hope I didn't come across as belligerent in the above response...I don't mean to cause a scene. I have spent over 5 years reading every good and bad thing there is on ecigs and some misconceptions that have been here since the beginning will just not go away.

Are ecigs "safe" for the long run? Nobody knows. They haven't been around long enough to know. I decided that it was better for me than all the bad stuff in regular cigarettes so I made my choice.

I can tell you with certainty that the yummy flavors are NOT targeted to children. The articles that keep regurgitating in the media (for over 5 years over and over) about explosions and "popcorn lung" and antifreeze are NOT telling the whole truth.

Whatever you decide, I still love you and will help support you through this! I could not have quit smoking without vaping. I know this without a doubt. If you can, kudos!
We did research too when we switched to the vapping. I am just glad my husband only used for a week and I only used for 4 months. I still am having a hard time with wheezing which I did not have while smoking and I do run... I also will admit these last 6-8 months when the wheezing started happening my run times are longer now.

I am glad the vapping is working for you Mary. If people can quit without it then that is much better. As you said not enough is known. I put it in my glass case and didn't have an issue but lately on the news more things are coming out about it.

Glad you and your husband are doing well.
 
Good luck Cynthia! Thoughts and best wishes for you and your gorgeous daughter, it will get better and quickly now. They say it takes many attempts to quit smoking before it sticks so hopefully this is the time that you get through. You are such a strong lady xx
 
One day at a time, dear heart. Just focus on today, and tomorrow will take care of itself. Sending gentle hugs and prayers to you and Sarita. <3
 
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