Never Ever Smoking Again
Hey all,
If my story helps anyone to try quitting or remain quit then I'll be very happy!!
Last Monday night, just before I went to bed, I lost complete vision in my right eye. I came back after a few minutes so I didn't think much of it until I googled why this may have happened the next morning. I read that I may have a blood clot in my eye which sent me running straight to the optometrist who sent for an urgent referral to see a Opthomologist. I saw him today and he believes I've had a blood clot lodge in my eye that quickly dissolved, returning my sight. It doesn't stop there though because the biggest part now is to find out where the clot broke off from. I had an echocardiography done today which was fine, ECG tomorrow morning and Saturday morning I have to have a Caritod Doppler test. The ECG says on the clinical notes, TIA. I didn't read that until I got home but it's freaked me out. Quite obviously I've been given a warning that something is wrong and I sure don't want to have a stroke. I understand that this is a mini stroke but still, I'm only 52!! I wanted to share my
story because it was a huge wake up call
for me. The advice I've been given for now is to stay on the patches and use a lozenge for the hard days meaning, do
anything I can to stay on the right path.
Please if you have a health concern,
please do try to stop. It's not fair on us
or our families to continue smoking those death sticks because that's what they are.
Love to all and stay strong.
Hey Kim, that's very frightening. I'm glad you followed up on it because it would have been easy just to chalk it up to weird and let it go. Best of luck with the tests and well done on not smoking. Stressful times, even when about health can send us back to the smokes. Hold tight. Thinking of you.
Hi. Im trying to quit. Find it extremely hard to even make that first step. I havent got health issues but feel tired all the time. And just wasting huge amount of money on cigarettes. Please help
Dear Kim, what a fright! Poor you! I send you all the best wishes for the examinations. And I think it is good to know that you are ready to continue your path on being an Ex-smoker now, which will reduce your risk of stroke even more...Good luck!
Hope everything is OK. Stay on top of it. This definitely needs attention.
Stay in touch and let us know how things go. I'll keep you in prayers.
Hi Kim, sorry to hear about your recent health issue. I would advise as Wendy has said eliminate all the patches,lozenges etc. as nicotine will not do you any good even in small doses. Drink water and try hard to bear the cravings. Hope your health tests are good. Keep posting...bye for now.
Hi all,
Thank you to each and everyone of you who
replied. I ended up at the hospital late
this afternoon and it has been confirmed
that I had. TIA in my eye. They have put
me through lots of tests and also started
me on aspirin and a statin. According to
them I am doing all the right things and
most definitely one of them is being
smoke free. They took a really good
history and I am to have more tests done.
I promise, I did tell them about the NRT
I am doing and they have said for now
to keep continuing what I am doing. As
they said, smoking is the worst thing you
can do and small amounts of NRT is not
putting me at any risk. Once stroke patients
or heart attack patients have stabilised,
they even allow them on it. I'm not advising
anyone else, just what they have told me.
I have to attend a TIA clinic with a neurologist
in a few weeks. Of course if anything else
develops in the meantime, I'm to come
straight back in. The team tonight said
that I have a 98% chance of not having a
major stroke so to keep my sanity, I have
to trust in what they are saying. My BMI
is brilliant meaning very healthy height
weight and blood pressure is perfect.
I just have to try and remain calm and
positive. My hubby did have a major
stroke about 16 months ago but has made
a fantastic recovery.
I will never smoke again, no matter what.
We all can think we are invincible at times
but that isn't always the case.
I now have to focus on bringing my
anxiety down.
Thanks so much for all your thoughts and
kind words.
Hi Kim. Just read you story. How scary. Yes, we often talk not the what ifs about our health on this site and now you have painted a vivid picture of the scary reality that smokers can look forward to... Often not if, but when... You said it, how scary and stressful for family members. Does a smoker have the right to do this to family? Well according to you it is a resounding, NO! I wish you a speedy recovery and may you join the 6% Club who are determined to stay quit for the long haul. What a good reminder for us all.
Hi Red,
Yes I'm trying to do heaps of that. I think
once I'm through with all the tests, I'll at
least know what's going on. That's the
hardest part, waiting to find out what made
it occur.
Hi Lia,
You can actually pen me in for that club
because no matter the outcome, I'll never
smoke again.
It really did make me realise so many things
and I think when we used to smoke, it
was just so habitual that we don't think
or more to the point, we don't want to think
about smoking related diseases. The ED
doctor isn't blaming it all on smoking
because these things can happen to non
smokers but it's like I said to him, it's the
wake up call to needed. I don't think
I would have gone back to smoking even
if this didn't occur. It's tough to do, but
so worth it. Now that I'm at the stage where
I don't think about it much. I have the
occasional day here and there where I might
crave but that feeling does pass.
I didn't mean for my post to scare anyone,
but more so to help those thinking of
of quitting or struggling to remain smoke
free, that these truly are what I now call
them "death sticks".
They are a vicious enemy and no friend at
all.