[girl_dee]

Originally Posted by Incubus

Good luck to all trying or aiming to give up. You can do it!!

I said I'd give up at 40 and didn't. Bad move! I carried on and was diagnosed with COPD - a directly smoking related disease - approximately 5 yrs ago, not long after I was 40 infact.

I'd tried several times to give up tobacco but never succeeded, I tend to fall down on the 'will power' thang and have always hated being denied something I want....who doesn't?

Earlier this year after what was the worst chest infection I've ever had - me and my girl thought I was going to die, I started taking the tablet we know here in the UK as Champix. I don't think I would have done it without the Champix but oh man fear is a great motivator too and I had my first tobacco free day on 26th April 2010. I'm still going over 8months later!

But...

...Yup there's that 'but'. I still have COPD and pretty damaged lungs which will never go away. I can arrest the disease but I can't heal it by stopping sadly but my daily hacking cough left me from day one of being tobacco free which was weird.

But...

...despite having a respiratory disease I have started cycling again, it's hard but I'm starting to be able to get up 'inclines' again. I also bought and am still learning to ride a unicycle.....the abs workout of the century which is exhausting and leaves me gasping for breath but I'm loving it.

Take heart all you quitters there is life beyond smoking. It's life Jim, just not as we know it!

I hope everyone that reads this gets even more encouragement to quit.. Someone very dear to me was just diagnosed with COPD and thankfully is not smoking but unfortunately it may have taken that diagnoses to get to that point.

It is VERY hard to watch those you care about go through the repercussions of this addiction.. very. It's also hard to watch people smoke killing their lungs consciously when my lungs are in such bad shape..and I was never a smoker. I know it's so not about me but it's hard on my heart.