Are you a smoker?

[icnmgrjill]

There are some conversations that I've had with IC patients that are forever burned into my memories. Patients in denial, patients in pain and patients who simply refuse to take any positive steps forward. Case in point is the husband of a young 20 something IC patient in Amsterdam (Holland) who was in agonizing pain... so much so that she couldn't talk on the phone. A typical urban young professional, she lived on coffee and smoked two packs of cigarettes a day. And when I talked to him and her about the ramifications of that on her bladder, they simply couldn't imagine not living without coffee or cigarettes. I sincerely hope that she was successful because, if not, I have no doubt that at some point in time, she was going to develop either lung or bladder cancer.

Today is the Great American SmokeOut where, around the country, events occur to encourage people to skip smoking just one day... in the hopes that perhaps they will see that it is possible and continue to try to reduce their smoking consumption.

According to the press release from the American Cancer Society "..smokers who quit at age 35 gain an average of eight years of life expectancy; those who quit at age 55 gain about five years; and even long term smokers who quit at 65 gain three years."


Tobacco use remains the single largest preventable cause of disease and premature death in the U.S.
Cigarette smoking accounts for about 443,000 premature deaths – including 49,400 in nonsmokers.
Thirty percent of cancer deaths, including 87 percent of lung cancer deaths, can be attributed to tobacco.
Smoking also accounts for $193 billion in health care expenditures and productivity losses.


I, for one, just don't get how anyone could think that smoking is cool. You can tell a long term smoker by the often heavy lines and wrinkles in their face, particularly around the mouth. When driving in a car, they just look goofy. But, the real tragedy of smoking is the damage done to innocent bystanders who don't have the benefit of breathing through filter. They are inhaling pure, unadultered carcinogens... and, yes, that includes those children and babies stuck in cars and apartments because their weak willed parents put their habit ahead of the health of their families. If you smoke, for goodness sake, atleast step outside and don't smoke in the car with other people around. Have a care, eh?

And then, of course, we come to the bladder. You think IC is bad?? Bladder cancer is much much worse and, yes, smoking is the #1 cause of bladder cancer. Why? Because as your body tries to eliminate the nasty biproducts of smoke, they pass through the kidneys and into the bladder through your urine. If I remember correctly, the urine of a smoker has more than 20,000 chemical biproducts of smoking. These, my friends, are what trigger bladder cancer. Like little poisons, they attack the bladder wall and begin the cancer process. And, oh yes, if you have IC and smoke, you're giving those chemicals direct access to the inner, more vulnerable parts of your bladder wall through the wounds in your bladder. Are ya crazy??

And, so, I once again plead, beg and cajole every IC patient out there who is smoking. Please stop! You CAN DO THIS! Yes, it might take some trial and error... but with help from the American Cancer Society, nicotine gums and/or even hypnosis, you can break this addiction.

As Nike says, JUST DO IT!!!

"Just sign me the daughter of a former smoker who lives in fear, every day, that her mother might develop cancer. Exposed to smoke for the first 20 years of my life, it really toasts my buns that I have an increased risk too." ::::sigh::::

Jill

[Julie B]

My mom started smoking when she was 13 years old. I can remember taking vacations and having to breath e in the smoke all day long in the car. Of course she smoked when she was pregnant with all of us also, since the docs didn't know enough to discourage it.

I have felt for a long time that my allergies, asthma, GERD, and possibly my IC are connected to that early, heavy exposure to "second-hand" smoke. The insane thing is that there is no "second-hand" about it. The smoke is in the air and a child breathes it in.

My dad died of pancreatic cancer. When he was diagnosed my mom asked if her smoking gave him the cancer. Mercifully, the doctors at Mayo Clinic knew that there wasn't anything anyone could do about it now, so they said no. But implicit in the answer was a solid yes. It took one search on Google to find out that smoking is the number one risk factor for pancreatic cancer. In her dark nights, I am sure my mom did the same search.

Who to blame though? My mom was incredibly addicted and when she quit, it was never more than for a month or two. She grew up in a society that glamorized smoking in every movie, TV show, and magazine. She was heavily influenced by Hollywood, etc. She began to hide it when it became less acceptable socially. Because again, she was so socially conscious....but by then.....she was addicted and was until the day she died.......

Sighs............I miss my parents every day.............I can only hope the healthy habits I have are helping to balance it all out so that I can be there more my kids when they are my age..............

[ICNDonna]

I know it's not easy to quit smoking, but it can be done. In August of this year I celebrated 23 years without nicotine! I'd love to see more names on our list of former smokers --- anyone????

Donna

[Glenda2]

I have never touched a Smoke in my life. I value my health too much.
It destroys your lungs and makes your teeth turn color and gives you bad breath. A very destructive habit.

And with my cousin being a Medical Examiner , I have Heard all the story's of How a Lung REALLY looks for a smoker.

She told me that a local High School health Class that was teaching the dangers of smoking , the school distruict arranged for Students to come to the Examiners office and View 2 lungs , damaged by smoking.
The students were horrified. :woohoo:

[nottoc4]

I quit smoking in 2002.It was rough but I knew I had to do it.
I started smoking when I was 11 years od,just sneaking one now and then. Both of my sisters died with lung cancer and I still continued to smoke.
I was so addicted..it's a miracle I quit.

[percy]

I am a former heavy smoker. I quit 20 years ago this past August. I started in my early teens and was addicted almost from the start. It is my belief that because I grew up in a smoking household and there was heavy secondhand smoke exposure that the ground work for the addiction was laid before I ever lit up. Thank goodness I had the common sense to never smoke around my own children.

[vm]

I only smoked for 2 years and quit 19 years ago when I was 21. Even after only 2 years it was very, very hard to stop. I am also a recovering alcoholic and I can tell you that while I never crave alcohol I still crave tobacco/nicotine from time to time. They say the addiction is worse than heroin in terms of stopping.

I think it's important the language we use with smokers as it is SO very hard to break that addiction. It certainly can be done, but don't underestimate how hard it is for a smoker to quit and stay quit. It is a matter of addiction, not lack of willpower or a lack of really caring about being healthy. Most really do want to stop and know how bad it is for their health. I know I did and it was still so so so so hard.

I wish anyone who is trying to quit the very best of luck! :) I do know that when my IC was at its worst being in a club full of smoke for a concert set off a very bad flare for me. I'm sure it will help your IC if you stop. :)

[loveslife]

This January, it'll be 5 years for me! I quit cold turkey. It was tough but not as tough as I thought it would be! Prior to that I had smoked for most of my adult life..sigh:rolleyes: My lungs were starting to hurt so I knew it was time. It only took me 50 years to get some common sense.

[Glenda2]

I am so Happy you guy's quit smoking. That is awesome news ! :woohoo:

It is a dangerous habit , and it is so expensive too Now. :bonk:

My cousin was the Examiner that got to give the high school class the viewing of Lungs damaged by years of Smoking.
They called the seminar > Scared Straight*

She told me the students were really blown away by the conditions of the Lungs being so Black and Tared looking. :loco:

[nottoc4]

That might have prevented me from starting smoking but I don't think it would have made me quit.

[Glenda2]

Wow , that would sure scare Me straight. If people could just see a person's inside's , when they do things to their bodys that are potentially dangerous , they'd never start to begin with.

For those that do take up habits like this , they need to enroll in a program and get help to break the situation.
It'll be a rough road , But you can do it* :bow:

[bunglewaltz]

I quit smoking FOR GOOD 9/9/09. 76 days today.

N.ot
O.ne
P.uff
E.ver

[glassd18]

Celebrated 8 years smoke free in September 2009. If I can do it so can YOU!!!!! Congrats to everyone who has quit, and good luck to those that are struggling to quit!!

BTW am I on the ICN's former smokers list?


From SharonA...Yes you are. Here is the link to the list:

http://www.ic-network.com/forum/showthread.php?t=46445

[matilda789]

I don't even puff a cigarette in my entire life. I experience one time in a party that all of them are smoking and I'm the only one who doesn't smoke. My friends want to teach me how to smoke but I can't because when I started smoking that is it. I will be a chain smoker and I can't survive in a day wihout a cigarette. Stop smoking before it's too late.

[Glenda2]

For those of you that may need Extra Encouragement to Stop this habit , My M.E Cousin recommends that you go to the County Coroners office and ask to see the Lungs of a Smoker.

No you do not get to see a Dead Body !!!!

But you will be taken to a viewing room to see the Sliced open Lungs of a
Smoker.

That should scare anyone straight.

It sure would me.

I am glad I never put one in my mouth. Never Ever*

My Hats Off to all of you that have Quit* :woohoo:

[LithEruiel]

I've never smoked either...the particulate in smoke of any type (but mostly from tobacco or pot...) bothers my asthma, so I've never been able to tolerate being around it, let alone smoking it myself. I know people have different asthma triggers, but I've known people with asthma and/or COPD that smoke and I just don't understand it! I was on a telemetry floor for school this semester, so almost all of my patients had congestive heart failure, COPD and were on oxygen (at least while in the hospital), but a good number of them still smoked. Not only was it bad for their health, but I just don't understand how they can physically tolerate it.

Oh and just a suggestion...I know a lot of people can't tolerate taking Chantix due do the side effects and it's also expensive (but not as much as smoking, right?), but for people that have been able to take it I've heard really good things about it. Most of the customers at one of the pharmacies I worked at quit just from taking the starter pack and didn't even need the continuing packs. It's something to ask your doctor about anyway.

[kammy]

Hi folks,
This is Kammy.
Smoking indeed is creating injurios situation to our health. This may be the one who is smoking as well as the one who is not smoking. The one who is not smoking is also counted as the passive smokers.I falling to this category .
I have to do this kind of gestures. :tsk:

[SharonA]

To everyone who has stopped smoking...

When you are ready for me to add your name to our "ICN Former Smokers List", I would love doing that. Just go to:

http://www.ic-network.com/forum/showthread.php?t=46445 and give me the date you stopped.

I am looking forward to hearing from a lot of you. :)

[reesper]

I am not a smoker, but being exposed to smoke of any kind has HORRIBLE effects on my bladder. Just being in the same car as a smoker will leave me paralyzed with pain for days afterward. I do not care so much if people smoke in the privacy of their own homes and do not expose others to their smoke, but I cannot believe how absolutely inconsiderate many smokers are.

Anyway, I have always seen smoking as a very trashy habbit, not "cool" whatsoever.

[LithEruiel]

I totally agree Reesper. I know people think it's their right to smoke, which it is, but I have the right to be able to go out in public and not get sick, too. If I'm in their house or car I have no right to complain, but I should be able to go to a restaurant or a concert or walk down the street and not be exposed to it, imo. Many times I've gone to concerts and have had chest pain all day (from asthma) the next day. I'm so thankful that there is a smoking ban in Ohio and PA (but not WV - this is my tristate area). It's made things a lot better, but I'm still around it a lot. I was just at a Steelers game a couple weeks ago and people were smoking there right in my face even though it's not allowed.

[mary124]

I have never smoked in my life-and while growing up my whole family (parents, brother/sister) but I could never tolerate the smoke if there was more than a couple of people smoking whether inside or outside. I know here at work there are certain areas where you can smoke, which is fine but they also smoke right in the front of the doors - which is a big no, as there are signs alll over the area that says no smoking.
I live with an ex-smoker and that was tough. Now I laugh at him as if we are together and he sees someone in the car tossing out their cigs and he mumbles under his breath "don't do that you are polluting my earth!!). He sometimes will ask me why I am laughing and I tell him that that was him a handful of years ago.

[LithEruiel]

It bothers me that people throw cigarette butts out the window too. I guess a lot of cars don't have ash trays now, but do you really have to smoke while you're driving? I can't really say much though b/c I'm guilty of talking on the phone while driving...