Urgent...

[JanusAscending]

May I please draw all of your attention to a post on the Health forum('cause I don't know how to cut and paste) it's titled 'FSC cigarettes, I thought I was dying' It's very near the top right now, cause Ive been posting on it this AM. I think it answers the problem I've been having. I've been sick since mid Sept.'09. I smoked my last cig. last night! Let me know what any of you get on this....please.

[Celebration]

1. well you asked

And here is what I think....

:bounce:

I've seen that thread and was appalled, but I am going to check it out again.

[OneGrassRoot]

2. I just read...

I will definitely make smokers I know aware of this.

I'm jumping in here mainly to offer you HUGE HUGS OF SUPPORT TO QUIT SMOKING, JA, since it's something you obviously want to do.

:hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug:

:grouphug:

[ricochetastroman]

3. You can do this Janus

I've been clean for 10 years. Remember ONE THING. What they taught me: You're one puff away from a pack a day.


Just do one day at a time.

You'll do it. :hi:

[JanusAscending]

9. Bless your heart (literally)

Rick! I've been wanting to really stop since my Grandson Aidan was born. I've quit more times than I care to admit, and I ALWAYS have good excuses to go back...stress, loneliness, depression, weight gain and on and on. I can go a couple of weeks but then I wrestle with my "free will"
and go right back to the comfort of that old friend. With God and the universes help (and no money to buy them) I feel this time I'm finally done. They have become as distasteful as Dick Cheney and GW about now! I appreciate all the encouragement I can get here too! LUV YA!!

[Celebration]

4. no matter what

I hope you quit smoking, but you might want to check and see if your state required the FSC cigarettes at the same time as your symptoms began.

[JanusAscending]

6. I'm in the process

of trying to find out now. Tomorrow being Monday would probably be a good day to amke some calls too!!

[Celebration]

7. you might be able to find it with a google search n/t

[JanusAscending]

20. I finally got the answer today.

The law became effective in Ct. in July of '08, but the merchants were allowed to sell off the merchandise they had left. My symptoms began mid Sept.'9. So because I wasn't aware of the change (didn't read the bar code) I have no idea when I first started getting the "bad ones"??? I know that during that period of time I was cutting back on my smoking, because I wanted to try quitting again. It could be that once my body was vulnerable due to the oral thrush, that's when all the toxicity built up and just "let go on me"!!

[MorningGlow]

5. Ooh, I think you're onto something here

I followed the link to the discussion forum about it, then googled the topic, and you're right--it sounds like your symptoms--especially this opening paragraph from this link: "After lighting up are you experiencing more headaches, stomach cramps or a coppery taste in your mouth? Does your new FSC (fire-safe cigarette) taste bad, cause dry mouth and are you coughing more?" (http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-11705-NY-Holistic-Body--Spirit-Examiner~y2009m7d12-Are-the-new-FSC-firesafe-cigarettes-making-smokers-sicker-than-ever)

JA, definitely bring this up with your doctor, put those FSC cigs away for good, and maybe you can enjoy the fruits of a class action suit in the future...? :D (Trying to find the silver lining, here...)

I say call your doctor tomorrow morning!

[JanusAscending]

8. HELL YEAH BABY!!

You find the silver lining much like I do! Yes, I need to speak to him tomorrow anyway...to see what he says about the results of the lip biopsy! Yes ..all of the worst symptoms in all of these links are what I've been experiencing! In the Ambulance on the way to the ER my pulse ox was very low. The mucous in my bronchial tubes is as thick as glue if I can get it up. Nasty metallic taste all the time and constant nausea. No...I'm done with them. This was the straw that broke the proverbial camel's back!! I just hope that this is reversible with time, and I haven't wrecked my body for good! It's one thing when it's your choice to "take the risks", but another damn thing when you are being used as a guinea pig without your knowledge!!

[MorningGlow]

10. Great--don't let him off the hook with this

if he acts like he's going to shrug it off. (You know how doctors are--they fear patients with a little knowledge of Teh Google, and they think everyone's a hypochondriac who feels s/he has whatever disease has been in the news.) Worse comes to worst, you at least have the control to quit the FSCs and see if your body reverses the damage, no matter what the doctor thinks.

You can do it, JA! We're all pulling for you! :hug:

[japple]

11. Generic "Nicoderm" patches really helped me quit--twice! I highly

recommend them. Do you knit or crochet or do anything with your hands that will keep you occupied in the transition? I read a lot to keep my mind off the cravings, and I drank a lot of hot tea (regular and herbal).

I thought about you immediately when I read that posting in the Health group and wondered if that is what has been causing your symptoms. Hope you clear up soon. Sending you healing energies and strength and :hug: Peace be with you.

[JanusAscending]

15. I've used the Nicoderm patches in the past,

with much success...but in my old age, I've become allergic to the adhesive (they leave large welts) What I'm doing is what my dear departed Dad did to quit. I take a plastic soda straw and cut it in half. I get two very long cigarettes from each straw. I walk around with one in my hand, or in my mouth chewing on the end like crazy if I'm having a really bad craving!! It's odd just how much the brain really believes after doing this for a while that it's really a lit cigarette, because I find myself being careful not to burn myself with it!!! Oh the power of the mind is amazing. If it worked for Dad, it will for me too. I can even take deep cleansing breaths through the straw!!.....how great is that????:woohoo:

[Sienna86]

12. Most states have enacted this legislation

According to the Coalition for Fire-Safe Cigarettes, only a few states have not. North Dakota, South Dakota, Nevada, Mississippi, Missouri, and Ohio have enacted this legislation. Wyoming has this legislation filed. It is the law in ALL other states.

http://www.firesafecigarettes.org/categoryList.asp?categoryID=9&URL=Home%20-%20The%20Coalition%20for%20Fire%20Safe%20Cigarettes

[elleng]

13. Janus and all, here's the post on DU's Health forum:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=222&topic_id=81998&mesg_id=81998


BEST OF LUCK TO ALL!

[JanusAscending]

14. Thanks elleng !!!!

n/t

[NuttyFluffers]

16. the struggle comes from the lack of dopamine; nicotine gives free dopamine, IIRC

so the body gets used to having an artificial supply of dopamine and stops producing dopamine itself. that's why your body freaks out so hard when you try to quit.

i do the "don't buy any more packs. bum off of smoking friends" method to quit. it's bad because you mooch like a fiend. but if you think to yourself that you are being an ingrate and should really pay them back for their cigarette kindness then you start to have a buffer to prevent mooching. and then finally don't smoke unless you can bum one off, which then cuts back severely on your intake. it helped me, but then at worst i was a pack a fortnight smoker. when it takes you a month to go through 2 packs of cigarettes, then you can't really say you were much of a smoker.

so yea, you may want to ignore my advice. ;)

[JanusAscending]

17. When you think that I've smoked

since I was 14....most of the time Pall Malls stolen from my Dad's weekly carton,( I must have thought he was really stupid, 'cause he was the only one in the house that smoked!) that's a lot of dopamine.!!!! I can't recall when I started smoking a pack a day (never more than that)but it seems that when I switched from non filtered to filtered Menthol, I needed more and more to meet my body's cravings!! Is there a "dopamine" supplement, or pill that one can take for the cravings??? That could make someone very wealthy!!!!!! I'm wondering if that is what the 'Wellbutrin' scrip my doc gave me is for?? Before I quit cold turkey this time, the pills made me nauseous. Maybe I'll try them again sans cigs!!???? I woke up the past two mornings feeling really good about myself, and healthier!! Maybe it's a "mind set" thing, but I'm telling myself that I am NOT A SMOKER...over and over and over....I GOT IT! Self hypnosis!!!:bounce:

[winyanstaz]

18. You can do it janus :)

keep very very busy too..that will help.

[OneGrassRoot]

19. YOU ARE FREE!!!

;)

:hug:

[japple]

22. DU has a smoking cessation group, and I think I read that some

were using Wellbutrin for that purpose.

Keep telling yourself: "My body is free from cravings. My body does not need nicotine."

[Flying Dream Blues]

21. You can do it! It was the hardest thing to do, but so worth it to

finally be free from it. If the patch adhesive causes problems, maybe you could try the gum if you find the cravings too hard to resist. I also agree with staying busy and occupying your hands. I also found exercise (even just a slow walk around the block) to be helpful and also a reward/reminder of what I was regaining with every day free from smoking.

Good luck and I hope you'll come here for support anytime...it looks like there are quite a few of us who know what you're going through on this front.

Also, maybe ask for help in the prayers and support thread for an extra oomph of positive energy...
:hug:

[BlueIris]

23. Good for you for posting about this and deciding to kick the cigs. I'm trying to

get my mother to do the same. It's hard for her, even with meds. Best of luck to you on your quest to quit.

[JanusAscending]

24. Thanks BI !! Today is my 6th day

cig free!! Not feeling too good today, didn't wake up all bouncy as in the past few days this week. My mouth is dryer than ever, and I've lost my voice entirely. Can't speak above a whisper!! I'm not giving up though. I had to drag myself to the market today for some groceries, and it seemed strange not to buy cigs!! Especially on my monthly PAYDAY!!! So far this week I've saved $36.00 by not smoking!!! Keep sending light you guys, it helps! P.S. The Wellbutrin seem to be helping....no nausea when I'm not smoking!!

[japple]

25. The thing I noticed most about quitting is that I didn't have to

plan my life around cigarettes--making sure I had enough for the weekend, etc. That and my clothes didn't smell, my breath was fresher, and my house didn't stink.

There is a glycerine mouth spray that Hospice used with my Dad when his mouth was so dry from morphine. You might check with your pharmacy to see if they carry something like that. There are also lemon glycerin mouth swabs that might help.

Hope you feel better soon. I'll continue blasting you with positive energies.