drinking and smoking

[Panda_9]

Yeah, that's true but with smoking, you at least get the pleasure to see your money burn.    Instead of with gambling, handing over your cash to someone else so they can buy a new car or something.  Either way, your throwing away your hard earned money.  I know it's not an excuse.  It's just a deductive incite.

Your just giving the money back to the greedy government   

[angieskidney]

Hmmmm, Sandmansa,  my friend just won $11,000.00 at a casino off of $20.00.

Luck was definitely in favor of your friend that night.

Sandman I hate to say it but if we are talking logic ... it is more logical because you MAY win .. where as smoking .. well I quit because I realized awhile ago how dumb it was ... especially with being on dialysis. You are not on dialysis so I can't tell you it is bad for you (even though it is bad for your lungs and heart) but you can only quit if you want to. I quit because I found my reason to quit and because my Nephrologist told me to quit and I wanted to anyway by that point in my life. I had told myself that I would not smoke when I have kids .. and even though I don't have any .. I eventually want to have some and provide them a smoke free upbringing.

[Panda_9]

Until recently my father, who is 56, had smoked since he was 12 years old. Up until now he hadnt had any symptoms of any problems. After having a persistant ulcer on his leg, they discovered he had a 70% blockage in the illiac artery. They also found out he had mild lupus. This was enough to scare him into quitting. He used to say he didnt want to give up, but now somethings wrong (probly due to smoking), he couldnt give up quick enough. He used the patches, and although it wasnt easy, he did it. I am still in shock because no one thought he could do it, and now he actually says to me "gee now I know why you said I stink!". If he can do it, anyone can.

[angieskidney]

Until recently my father, who is 56, had smoked since he was 12 years old. Up until now he hadnt had any symptoms of any problems. After having a persistant ulcer on his leg, they discovered he had a 70% blockage in the illiac artery. They also found out he had mild lupus. This was enough to scare him into quitting. He used to say he didnt want to give up, but now somethings wrong (probly due to smoking), he couldnt give up quick enough. He used the patches, and although it wasnt easy, he did it. I am still in shock because no one thought he could do it, and now he actually says to me "gee now I know why you said I stink!". If he can do it, anyone can.

Ya some people find it extremely hard to do! I think the younger you start the harder it is! I don't think it is necessarily how long you have smoked. I smoked since I was 17 and quit 5 years ago in 2001 and I am 32 (will be 33 in Nov).

I did it slowly as there was NO way I could have done it cold turkey! No way in hell!!

I went to lighter and lighter brands every month and quit slowly over the course of a whole year. But I still could not just quit ... not until the Neph told me I had to. Then that was the kick in the butt I needed

At the end I would only take drags of a smoke when I wanted one. It was easier quitting slowly like that. At the very end I would smoke the yucky brand smokes .. that made it easier lol!!

[slothluvchunk]

Keep in mind Angie, everyone who quits quits cold turkey. 

At some point you stop smoking - even if you taper down your dosage.

You're right though, one can't quit until they decide they really want to.  Meaning, you get to the point where you don't enjoy doing it anymore, and you hate the way you smell.

[sandman]

I know I should quit smoking but I am just not motivated enough.  Now, if my doctor told me that I had to quit or else or if I was expecting a baby to grace my life, well that would definitely be strong motivation.  Simply telling me that smoking "could" open the door to serious health risks or telling me "these things will kill you" just doesn't hit home, if you know what I mean?

[Panda_9]

My dad used the patches, think it took him about 3-4 months. Quitting cold turkey and quitting with patches are two completely different things. Cold turkey means you immediately deprive your body of nicotine and all the other 4000 chemicals in smokes, and using patches allows you to wean yourself free. Of course you stop the patches at some point, but you are stopping when your body is used to alot less nicotine. If you get what I mean?

[sandman]

Yeah, I get what you mean.  Normally, I smoke about a pack and a half a day but those times I go to visit Angie, I smoke about a half a pack or so a day.  My just spending time with her distracts me from lighting up as often.  Now mind you, cutting my smoking down by half in one day does tend to make me a little more testy for a few days until my body adjusts to the lowed nicotine.

[Panda_9]

How many is in a pack?

[sandman]

How many is in a pack?

20 cigarettes in a pack?

[Panda_9]

Wow, thats a lot to have in one day. If only I could get my sister to give up. Since she got with this new boyfriend she is smoking again and started drinking - never was a drinker before that. She has just found out she may have Lupus (same as dad), I hope she can give up too, and preferably get a decent boyfriend lol

[sandman]

Yes, I know it's alot and I do want to quit.  Quitting smoking is just not as easy as say turning off a light switch.  Sometimes I wonder if my smoking would be a bad influence on Angie and intice her into wanting to start smoking again.  I couldn't live with myself if I was responsible for her wanting to start smoking again.  But just my being around her 24/7 and knowing that she does not like me smoking around her, makes it easier for me to cut back and maybe even quit.  In that aspect, so far, she has proven to be of a good influence on me rather then my being a bad influence on her.  I just hope it stays on that path.

I really hope you can help get your sister to stop smoking and drinking.

[angieskidney]

Yes, I know it's a lot and I do want to quit.  Quitting smoking is just not as easy as say turning off a light switch.  Sometimes I wonder if my smoking would be a bad influence on Angie and intice her into wanting to start smoking again.  I couldn't live with myself if I was responsible for her wanting to start smoking again.  But just my being around her 24/7 and knowing that she does not like me smoking around her, makes it easier for me to cut back and maybe even quit.  In that aspect, so far, she has proven to be of a good influence on me rather then my being a bad influence on her.  I just hope it stays on that path.

I really hope you can help get your sister to stop smoking and drinking.

 


Well I am glad I am a positive influence on anyone. My mom always believed me to be an impressionable idiot growing up (thus probably why I have no faith in myself and always 2nd-guess everything I do and say and repeat myself a lot .. I think Epoman just discovered this lol  ) but a person can only quit when they are good and ready. Psyching oneself is an important part of the process I have learned from first hand experience. No one can get anyone to quit. Infact that may only make some people more resistant and rebellious considering their personality.

[sandman]

No one can get anyone to quit. Infact that may only make some people more resistant and rebellious considering their personality.

That's a pretty interesting thought.  Has that ever been the case with you?

[Panda_9]

Us telling dad how discusting it was made no difference except making him go outside to smoke. What made him quit was the reality that smoking had started to harm his health. And now he has realised just how much it affected us as well. It is so nice to visit them now and there are no clouds of smoke!

[angieskidney]

Us telling dad how discusting it was made no difference except making him go outside to smoke. What made him quit was the reality that smoking had started to harm his health. And now he has realised just how much it affected us as well. It is so nice to visit them now and there are no clouds of smoke!

In my city they banned smoking in ALL public places INCLUDING BARS! So it is so nice to go out with my friends and be able to breathe!! It used to be I would know I would be coughing up a lung the next morning but if you wanted to hang out with your smoking friends it was the cost of it. But now .. we can all hang out and if they want to have ME hang out with THEM then we hang out and they keep making trips out the door to smoke and then come back in. Of course now I am dedicated purse watcher 

[livecam]

From reading "Craig's List" occasionally I think 420 is slang for marijuana.  Not completely sure but pretty sure.

[Mom3]

I drink a little occasionally. Very little, very occasionally! Supposedly it is good for the heart in moderation and I'm about as moderate a drinker as lives--I figure it is PKD kidneys VS Heart health,  but I am very anti-smoking.

Since I am very anti-smoking, first thing my oldest son did to rebel was start to smoke, and of course his younger brother copied him...so I have a son on dialysis who smokes!!! And you absolutely can't persuade anyone else to stop. Bribing and threatening doesn't work too well either...

The more I say, the more he smokes. It REALLY frustrates his father who wants to donate a kidney and fears he will get too old and unhealthy to donate.

I really think some people just get more physically addicted to smoking than others do, plus B says that when he tries to cut back on smoking, his fluid gains are worse. Anyone else notice that problem?

 He mentioned to his father that there are herbal cigarettes (not 420's!!!) sage or lavender or some such thing that have no nicotine and that he might be able to use the patches and smoke them instead of tobacco cigarettes and then gradually phase down on the nicotine. That he could smoke the non-nicotine cigarettes and STILL be transplanted since they check for nicotine. Does this make more sense to anyone out there than it does to me? Has anyone ever heard of such a thing?

There used to be a few places years ago that would transplant smokers. Are there any now? (I know about the anti-rejection drugs and increase of cancer) just wondering if anyone knew of such an option...Incidentally I really admire Angie and others who stopped smoking! Wish my son had some friends to be good influences on him, the way Sandman has been influenced by Angie--but all his friends SMOKE!!!

Mom 3

[angieskidney]

I really think some people just get more physically addicted to smoking than others do, plus B says that when he tries to cut back on smoking, his fluid gains are worse. Anyone else notice that problem?

 He mentioned to his father that there are herbal cigarettes (not 420's!!!) sage or lavender or some such thing that have no nicotine and that he might be able to use the patches and smoke them instead of tobacco cigarettes and then gradually phase down on the nicotine. That he could smoke the non-nicotine cigarettes and STILL be transplanted since they check for nicotine. Does this make more sense to anyone out there than it does to me? Has anyone ever heard of such a thing?

There used to be a few places years ago that would transplant smokers. Are there any now? (I know about the anti-rejection drugs and increase of cancer) just wondering if anyone knew of such an option...Incidentally I really admire Angie and others who stopped smoking! Wish my son had some friends to be good influences on him, the way Sandman has been influenced by Angie--but all his friends SMOKE!!!

Mom 3

Maybe he gains fluid weight because he wants to "intake something" to make up for not intaking smoke. People are like that with food .. and I find dialysis patients can be like that with fluids .. as for us .. it is a forbidden treat .. if you know what I mean

Ummm.. I have tried the herbal cigarettes before and they taste like $#!T!! There is no way he would stay on those. They are terrible. I couldn't even finish one much less a whole pack! Didn't get me to quit! I just went back to my old brand!  The way I quit was slowly and only because I did it on my own terms.

Sandman hasn't quit yet lol but I don't think he is anywhere near wanting to My mom wishes he would because she doesn't want him to smoke around me since her mother died of Lung Cander (and never smoked a day in her life) when my mom was just 17.  When he wants to .. then he will. But I know .. not before then.

[Panda_9]

Herbal cigarettes are no better for you, and I would think they wouldnt transplant you if you smoked those either.

[Joe Paul]

From reading "Craig's List" occasionally I think 420 is slang for marijuana.  Not completely sure but pretty sure.

Nice picture livecam. Is that some sort of book you are reading? sorry if off topic

[sandman]

@ mom3.  I'm not sure if your aware of this or not but those quit smoking patches ( the high dose ones ) pack about as much nicotine as about 8 to 10 cigarettes.  But since it is applied to the skin, it can't absorb it very quickly so you get that dose in time laps over several hours.  Also, there is some other chemical in those patches that make cigarettes taste awful so that's not such a bad thing. 

[Mom3]

He has patches. I bought them (40.00!!) and they are sitting here on the computer desk as I type...

He used about a half a box, only at night, and I thought he slept better using them...? He says that when he goes to the (expensive scary--who knows WHAT is really in those things) herbal cigarettes he will go back to using them for his nicotine! Until he can taper down...

I suspect he isn't planning to TELL the center he is smoking the alternative cigarettes. Just thinks he will pass the test for nicotine, that nobody will test for "lavendar" or whatever.

Needless to say, I think he should just STOP SMOKING yesterday.... He may be the exception and can use them Angie. I suspect he could smoke ANYTHING!

Incidentally he knows I am posting this stuff about him. His response was "Rant on about me, Mom. The more you say ABOUT me, the less you'll say TO ME!"

if I sound frustrated it's because I am. Like a lot of other folks who love a smoker, no doubt.

Mom 3

[Panda_9]

I dont know why he would think its ok to smoke herbal cigarettes to get a transplant? I think thats a bit selfish. If they tell you it is a requirement to get one, well you should follow it. If not then you are only cheating yourself and putting yourself at more risk of problems. Im sure they would be able to smell it on him too.

[angieskidney]

herbal smokes don't smell like normal smokes. But they also don't have the addictive nicotine in them as well. So I don't know ...

It is hard to quit though. And everyone needs to find what works best for them.

He sounds like my brother who still lives at home with my mom.