General Chat

Speaking from experience, to start with you need something that occupies your hands. I can't paint or draw either, but a pencil is a good cigarette substitute (you can suck it if you must!) so what about crossword puzzles, sudoku, letter writing or, without the pencil, model making, sewing, knitting or jigsaw puzzles.

Eating is a natural substitute, so try and stick to non-fattening stuff and avoid crisps and crusty bread!!

I think most people find it gets easier as time goes by.

Good luck.

Thanks everyone.

i will stick to it becuse i feel better already,

but still worried that i may look like a baby elephant by the end :-D :-D :-D

Dermot. Very moving.

One of my images of childhood was counting hundreds and hundreds of Kensitas coupons so we could buy a vacuum cleaner or teas maid or Dansette or similar.

Mum and dad used to chain smoke, so did I once I got to 16, so did my little brother.

Dad died at just 60 in 1978, mum at 63 in 1988 and brother in 2008 aged 58. All smoking related deaths. OH and myself stopped in 1984 aged 38 and 31 respectively and we are both 100% healthy (well, I am on usual old man tablets :-( :-()

It is a dreadful habit - a work colleague aged 40 has just had 8 stents put in. Chain smoking caused that. He is lucky and has a second chance. And someone at 50 - like you, Suzanne - is likely to make a full recovery (think that's right). And even at 80 your lungs can partially recover.

Well I stopped drinking 14 yrs ago and promptly had a heart attack Think that was thinning my blood. Dr. now tells me a glass or two a day is ok.. Did also stop smoking for 3rd time best thing I did do.

Carol ;-)