smoking

[judbow]

I read something on the discussion board a couple of weeks ago, saying that you should not smoke if diagnosed with Sjogren's and taking plaquinal....I had not heard this before, as I do smoke, but am working on cutting down and then quit soon. I know I need to quit, but it has been a rough year for me, since being diagnosed last March, after a lip biopsy.  Doctors have been playing with my med's, since then, trying to find a proper dose of prednisone, and I have been off work since May. My right foot is still numb, extreme fatigue and sore joints...

Anyone out there know anything about this, smoking thing, as my rhuemy has not mentioned it to me...

Thanks,
Judbow

[NanaDeb]

Seems I read that same thing, I am also a smoker and my symptoms have gotten much worse since starting Plaquenil, so I am going to attempt to quit after the holidays and pray for some relief. Good luck to us both on that goal!!!

[Jenny]

Good luck quitting. It was the hardest thing I've ever done, but the best thing for me. I did it using Nicorette Gum. I smoked close to two packs a day for over twenty years. I agree you should probably wait until Jan 1st.  At least you'll know I'll be suffering along with you on my new diet!

[Carolina]

Dear smokers,

It is so hard to stop.  I did stop 31 years ago (I'm 70 in March).

It was tired of smoking and wanting to stop, or quitting and wanting to smoke.

You know that merry-go-round?  That was in the era when there were cigarette vending machines, and they 'jumped out at me' when I had quit. 

I always hoped I could 'smoke just a few' each day.   But I'm an addict, no two ways about it.

Now they have medications to help smokers stop.  Some that work very well, I've heard, but honestly I'm pretty leery of suggesting medications these days.

However, for stopping smoking you take the medication for a limited time.

you will stop.   The desire to stop is the key.  And most people stop several times before the time that TAKES, and there are no more tries because YOU'VE STOPPED SMOKING.

I cannot imagine what it's like now for smokers, with all the restrictions.

I do know when we go to France, and when we were in Cuba for sure, it was amazing to smell people smoking in restaurants and shops.  And disgusting to smell it on people.

The freedom is amazing, and I can't even imagine how much you will save!

Best wishes to you all.   

You will succeed.

Keep us posted.

Hugs, Elaine

[A66eyroad]

I have read -- I think on this forum, but I could be mistaken -- that nicotine can mask the symptoms of Sjogren's. That's another reason it's so hard for Sjoggies to quit. We get even sicker!

I quit 20 years ago but started again when I took a very stressful job here (which I've since had to let go). So I have just quit again after nine months of pack-a-day and it's as hard the second time as it was the first.

I decided I needed some help. My daughter quit smoking as a side effect of taking Wellbutrin after being an eye witness to the 9/11/01 attacks in Manhattan. I had just gotten off Zoloft and was looking for another antidepressant. My rheumy said he would write me the script for Wellbutrin.

Well, it worked! It took about a week, but suddenly I realized that I was sending myself outside to smoke because "I'm a smoker." Not because I wanted or needed a cigarette. So I just stopped buying the things.

Every once in a while I get a craving, usually after something delicious like a pizza and beer with our grown-up kids. But it's not hard to ignore those. Quitting this time didn't make me crazy or evil or weepy like I was the first time I quit.

Hope this helps!

[Carolina]

Congratulations A66ey!

Wellbutrin has been magic for many people.  I even got it from Canada to send to my son in Paris.

He did quit, but since his wife won't quit, he went back.

And now his 16 year old daughter smokes too, and his 18 year old son.

I am heart broken, but it's not my business.

Best wishes to all again.

Hugs

Elaine

[Scottietottie]

Hi 

I'm not sure whether smoking can mask Sjogren's. It can mask hypothyroidism.

I can't see that smoking would help Sjogren's at all. I would think it would contribute to dryness in mouth, throat and lungs.

I stopped smoking about 15 years ago. It's one of the hardest things I've ever done. It can be done though.

Take care - Scottie 

[Carolina]

It's interesting Scottie.

Evidently smoking even masks respiratory problems, throat problems, etc.

It must be an anesthetic effect, or perhaps the stimulant of the nicotine distracts from the  discomfort.

Rats will perform better when given nicotine.  It is both a stimulant and a relaxant, and definitely improves performance.

This is one reason that it is so hard to stop.  And some people who have marginal skills and marginal social lives will never feel as good as they did when smoking.

That's one reason it is so hard to stop and makes smoking such an insidious behavior.

http://psycnet.apa.org/psycinfo/2004-14197-006

http://www.nature.com/npp/journal/v36/n13/full/npp2011224a.html

This lists possible withdrawal symptoms:

http://www.stopsmokingtoday.com/dyn/127/Nicotine-Withdrawal.html

The key for me was that I was going to HAVE to go through something if I was ever going to quit, and continuing to smoke didn't change that fact.  It just 'postponed' the inevitable.

And I HAD TO QUIT.  period.

My mother died after surgery for esophageal cancer at age 59.   She smoked Lucky Strikes all through her pregnancy with me and my sister.  I'm sure that's why smoking seemed so 'familiar' to my body the first time I had a cigarette.  sigh

When she tried to smoke 'healthier' cigarettes in the 50's she switched to Kents!   Those micronite filters were made with ASBESTOS!  eeeeeek.

No wonder she had esophageal cancer.

Everyone who wants to quit will quit.  Stay at it, stay with it, and do it.

hugs

Elaine

[A66eyroad]

Yes, Carolina!

My rheumy, when prescribing the Wellbutrin, said it "lights up" the area of the brain that registers pleasure in the same way nicotine does.

Makes sense when you explain it so well to me!

[Joe S.]

In the chronic pain support group. We found that reflexology did not work on smokers unless they were taking heavy doses of Vitamin C (1000-3000mg per day).

[Jenny]

Yes, my sister wo smoked for over 20 years and had tried many times before also has quit last year by using Wellbutrin (and of corse willpower). She told recently that my quitting spurred her on....you never know who you might influence and so on....and so on....and so on.....

[susanep]

I quit smoking awhile after my husband did about 6 or 7 years ago now I am not sure, but my husband's last cig was before going to the hospital in the ambulance.

My doctor at the time made me mad always going on to me about smoking, and said he didn't think I could stop for 3 days.

I made a day to quit, and quit cold turkey. I did it that way only because I wanted to get all nicotine out of my system as soon as possible. I had smoked about 11 years, but heavy.

Me and my husband both enjoyed smoking, but knew we could not turn back.

But, dang it! lol.....I know I felt better when smoking. Now I couldn't afford to if I wanted to. 

susanep

[eyeamdry]

I quit Nov. 13, 1989 and am so glad I did.  Hardest thing I've ever done.  Hubby quit 5 years after I did and I honestly thought he never would or could.  My daughter quit last year after taking Wellbutrin.  I thought I smelled smoke on her the other day, but she has her own place and I cannot hold her accountable for things I smell from her!!!

I am much healthier now than I was then.  I loved to smoke and it was hard to find a reason to stop.  I could always find "good reasons" to have a cigarette.  Now, my health is so much better and it's very much cheaper NOT to smoke.  Christmas greetings, all.

[Scarlett]

I had the laser treatment done to quit smoking 4 years ago.  It was super easy and I haven't craved cigarettes since.
I would check to see if there are any places where you live that offer it.

[NanaDeb]

I've never heard of laser treatment...what exactly is it?