Multiple sclerosis support

Author

Day Two

GT Tick

2005-04-28, 5:51 pm

Well I'm starting day two wondering why I squandered a fortune over the
years on tobacco. With what I've spent in the last 45 years I could
probably have purchased a nice summer home in Aspen.

I'm using the patch system to help ease off the very real physical
addiction nicotine imposes. The system I'm using is a 3 step process
and having never been a really heavy smoker I'm skipping step 1 and
starting out with step 2, 14mg patch.. Nicotine craving is nil so far.

Unlike the tough folks that went cold turkey with no problem I have
enough battles to concentrate on what with my spastisity, clumsiness,
vision, cognitive abilities, memory, etc, etc. I guess I'm as tough as
the next guy but one more foe to concentrate on just seemed like an
unnecessay distraction when the patch is available and makes a pretty
good ally. Pre MS I probably could have done it cold turkey too.

The hand to mouth thing is a whole different story. It's amusing how
many triggers there are to cause one to reach for the pocket. It's also
amazing to me how fast the impulse passes when you stay busy. A few
seconds at most then you forget all about it til the next trigger hits.

Again...I didn't mark this post off topic because it is a very real
health issue and the support from this 'support' group has been great.
Thanks.

Tick

*****Don't Cry Because It's Over...Smile Because It Happened.*****

Visit Me At Tick's Place...
http://community-2.webtv.net/OLTICK/TICKSPLACE/

None

2005-04-28, 5:51 pm

GT Tick wrote:

> Well I'm starting day two wondering why I squandered a fortune over the
> years on tobacco. With what I've spent in the last 45 years I could
> probably have purchased a nice summer home in Aspen.
<snip>
>
> The hand to mouth thing is a whole different story. It's amusing how
> many triggers there are to cause one to reach for the pocket. It's also
> amazing to me how fast the impulse passes when you stay busy. A few
> seconds at most then you forget all about it til the next trigger hits.
>
> Again...I didn't mark this post off topic because it is a very real
> health issue and the support from this 'support' group has been great.
> Thanks.
>

Hang in there, Tick. It will be better faster
than you might expect. Sure there will be times,
maybe weeks maybe months from now, when you will
have a craving or something will trigger the
foot...er, hand to mouth thing but the biggest
thing you got going for you is that you WANT to
quit. As an old friend used to say...."You gotta
wanna."

You do, you'll make it.

Kevin
(quit over 20 years ago, still occasionaly think
about lighting one up)

Roarke

2005-04-28, 5:51 pm

Tick, you're doing what I did in 1983 when I gave up, and telling
everyone, every day, what number day it was, and this is like a ladder that
enables you to move away from the weed a day at a time, just one more day at
a time. There were no patches in those days, so it was just straight off.
Never be tempted by "just one". Good luck, and please keep posting to us
every day. As for craving, I gave up 22 years ago and I still get the
cravings now and again.

Roarke

"GT Tick" <OLTICK@webtv.net> wrote in message
news:12432-427119D7-358@storefull-3231.bay.webtv.net...
> Well I'm starting day two wondering why I squandered a fortune over the
> years on tobacco. With what I've spent in the last 45 years I could
> probably have purchased a nice summer home in Aspen.
>
> I'm using the patch system to help ease off the very real physical
> addiction nicotine imposes. The system I'm using is a 3 step process
> and having never been a really heavy smoker I'm skipping step 1 and
> starting out with step 2, 14mg patch.. Nicotine craving is nil so far.
>
> Unlike the tough folks that went cold turkey with no problem I have
> enough battles to concentrate on what with my spastisity, clumsiness,
> vision, cognitive abilities, memory, etc, etc. I guess I'm as tough as
> the next guy but one more foe to concentrate on just seemed like an
> unnecessay distraction when the patch is available and makes a pretty
> good ally. Pre MS I probably could have done it cold turkey too.
>
> The hand to mouth thing is a whole different story. It's amusing how
> many triggers there are to cause one to reach for the pocket. It's also
> amazing to me how fast the impulse passes when you stay busy. A few
> seconds at most then you forget all about it til the next trigger hits.
>
> Again...I didn't mark this post off topic because it is a very real
> health issue and the support from this 'support' group has been great.
> Thanks.
>
> Tick
>
> *****Don't Cry Because It's Over...Smile Because It Happened.*****
>
> Visit Me At Tick's Place...
> http://community-2.webtv.net/OLTICK/TICKSPLACE/
>

Joan Carter

2005-04-28, 5:51 pm

On Thu, 28 Apr 2005 12:13:59 -0500, OLTICK@webtv.net (GT Tick) wrote in
alt.support.mult-sclerosis:

>Again...I didn't mark this post off topic because it is a very real
>health issue and the support from this 'support' group has been great.
>Thanks.

Good for you Tick. (Been to visit Lynne yet?) <ducking>
---
Joan

jils

2005-04-28, 5:51 pm

absolutely no need to mark OT tick
i'm fascinated and interested, even though i've never touched a cigarette.
anyone that can give up something addictive deserves recognition and
support!

do you think that smoking has affected your senses of taste & smell?
let us know when either makes a comeback!

GT Tick wrote:

> Again...I didn't mark this post off topic because it is a very real
> health issue and the support from this 'support' group has been great.
> Thanks.
>
> Tick

GT Tick

2005-04-28, 10:52 pm

Jils, I can't imagine what my senses might be like after the initial
withdrawal. I have always had an extraordinary sense of taste and smell
anyway. People comment on it when I smell things they hadn't noticed.
I use my nose as much as my eyes and ears when in the woods.

I enjoy cooking and rarely use measurements relying on my taste buds
instead. My TexMex* and southern cuisine while not world renowned are
at least famous throughout my circle of friends and family. :-)

Prior to MS my vision was also talked about amongst other hunters and
competitive shooters. I'm still classified expert but not without the
aid of my glasses and some pretty sophisticated scopes. Needless to say
my visual tracking abilities have suffered but without legs I guess it
doesn't matter much anyway. :-)

Tick

*TexMex...referring to the Mexican-American culture existing in Texas
and the southwestern US
--
--
Re: Day Two

Group: alt.support.mult-sclerosis Date: Fri, Apr 29, 2005, 7:58am
(CDT+15) From: jils@spambegone.com (jils)
absolutely no need to mark OT tick
i'm fascinated and interested, even though i've never touched a
cigarette. anyone that can give up something addictive deserves
recognition and support!
do you think that smoking has affected your senses of taste & smell? let
us know when either makes a comeback!
GT Tick wrote:
Again...I didn't mark this post off topic because it is a very real
health issue and the support from this 'support' group has been great.
Thanks.
Tick

*****Don't Cry Because It's Over...Smile Because It Happened.*****

Visit Me At Tick's Place...
http://community-2.webtv.net/OLTICK/TICKSPLACE/

Gut-buster

2005-04-28, 10:52 pm

"GT Tick" <OLTICK@webtv.net> wrote in message
news:13476-42716E90-367@storefull-3237.bay.webtv.net...
> Jils, I can't imagine what my senses might be like after the initial
> withdrawal. I have always had an extraordinary sense of taste and smell
> anyway. People comment on it when I smell things they hadn't noticed.
> I use my nose as much as my eyes and ears when in the woods.
>

Interesting thought!! When I gave up smoking, I was able to taste more. I
assumed this was the case because my tongue had been coated in whatever
stuff smoking shoves there. My breathing got better. My sense of smell never
changed. My taste has, since, gotten worse because of health problems and my
sense of smell, most of the time, doesnt exist though on occasions it can
suddenly be back with a vengeance for a short period and gone again just as
quickly. I never miss an overpowering smell though and because of that, I
feel I believe the experience to be stonger than it really is - in other
words a misconception.

So - will your sense of smell get better because you arent smoking and like
me end up worse because of health problems? Interesting to me. I wonder
whether my sense of smell was going to die off anyway because of the way I
was born and the rough treatment I got from that? Does MS kill your sense of
smell? You would think it WOULD have SOME effect but I dont know.

Oh well.....waiting on the phone all morning to transfer my account from
512/128 ADSL with 12gigs download allowance and 3 megs web space for $64.95
a month to 1500/256 ADSL with 5 gigs download peak times and 5 gigs download
off peak times and 30 megs web space for $59.95 a month. You just HAVE to
love "You call is important to us......listen to the music.....we apologise
for the wait...." over and over and over! Rang in at 8:55AM and now 11:10AM
and still waiting. Sigh..... got on to someone and spent 5 mins with them
then the line dropped out. ARGH!

> I enjoy cooking and rarely use measurements relying on my taste buds
> instead. My TexMex* and southern cuisine while not world renowned are
> at least famous throughout my circle of friends and family. :-)
>
> Prior to MS my vision was also talked about amongst other hunters and
> competitive shooters. I'm still classified expert but not without the
> aid of my glasses and some pretty sophisticated scopes. Needless to say
> my visual tracking abilities have suffered but without legs I guess it
> doesn't matter much anyway. :-)
>
> Tick
>
> *TexMex...referring to the Mexican-American culture existing in Texas
> and the southwestern US
> --
> --
> Re: Day Two
>
> Group: alt.support.mult-sclerosis Date: Fri, Apr 29, 2005, 7:58am
> (CDT+15) From: jils@spambegone.com (jils)
> absolutely no need to mark OT tick
> i'm fascinated and interested, even though i've never touched a
> cigarette. anyone that can give up something addictive deserves
> recognition and support!
> do you think that smoking has affected your senses of taste & smell? let
> us know when either makes a comeback!
> GT Tick wrote:
> Again...I didn't mark this post off topic because it is a very real
> health issue and the support from this 'support' group has been great.
> Thanks.
> Tick
>
> *****Don't Cry Because It's Over...Smile Because It Happened.*****
>
> Visit Me At Tick's Place...
> http://community-2.webtv.net/OLTICK/TICKSPLACE/
>

Dove 1

2005-04-29, 8:56 am

OK ! I know YOU can do this if you want to enough !!!
When I did manage to quit --- years ago --
the hardest part was the automatic reaching for the ciggarette --- the
patterns of my life were much harder to reprogram than the actual
nicotine craving ---
I managed for 5 months ---
All of a sudden one once in a while --- turned into a pack a day ---
I never managed to succeed again ---
Dr said my psychological addiction was very strong --- like I was losing
a lifelong friend --
You sound - and G-d willing ARE a stronger person than I ever was ---
But - do not ever think just ONE won't matter ---
Oh Tick - I really hope you do this :-)))

rose

2005-04-29, 5:51 pm

GT Tick wrote:
> Unlike the tough folks that went cold turkey with no problem I have
> enough battles to concentrate on what with my spastisity, clumsiness,
> vision, cognitive abilities, memory, etc, etc. I guess I'm as tough
as
> the next guy but one more foe to concentrate on just seemed like an
> unnecessay distraction when the patch is available and makes a pretty
> good ally. Pre MS I probably could have done it cold turkey too.

i didn't use the patch, not to be tough, but just cuz they didn't HAVE
it back then, and nicotine gum always tasted nasty. my daughter used
the patch, and she had VERY good results with it! :->

in my case, pregnancy and breastfeeding helped me deal with the
psychological cravings -- i don't reckon that's an option in your case,
though!!

the physical cravings will pass, it's those times when a smoke seems
'right' that you'll have to really watch out for. with the morning
coffee will always be the worst time for me! or times when smoking
gives you something to do while you're waiting -- like when someone
puts you on 'hold' on the phone, and leaves you there forever.

taking the coffee and sitting outside (maybe ironically, since a lot of
people go outside to smoke?) helped me a lot with the first -- early in
the morning, further outside the city than i've ever lived before,
there's a LOT going on outside to keep my interest! and, when i could,
just plain PACING helped me deal with having to wait. maybe whistling
or something would work too? ;->

you'll find your own worst times, and your own ways of dealing with
them. go, tick, go! :->

rose

Joan Carter

2005-04-29, 10:55 pm

On 29 Apr 2005 10:40:39 -0700, "rose" <rosedawn_scott@yahoo.com> wrote in
alt.support.mult-sclerosis:

>in my case, pregnancy and breastfeeding helped me deal with the
>psychological cravings -- i don't reckon that's an option in your case,
>though!!

You never know with Tick. He strikes me as the type to try anything. <innocent
look>
---
Joan