A Little About My Quit
Having smoked for over forty years, in 1995, I attended a smoking cessation class ... again. At the time, I was 60 years old and still smoking 1-2 packs a day. In the class I learned that if I was able to live to 70 years of age, I would be losing about 38 percent of my lung capacity, for this is how much a healthy person loses just from aging. And here I was still smoking...how much lung capacity would I have left in 10 years? This info was enough to motivate me to stop, and that's exactly what I did. I smoked my last cigarette on September 3rd, 1995. Doesn't that have a good ring to it?
What Cessation Has Taught Me
If you want to keep living, you have got to stop smoking as soon as possible and now would be a great time. I am on oxygen therapy now, but otherwise am in good shape. I take Spiriva to keep my airways open and use albuterol in case of emergencies.
When you stop smoking learn everything you can about COPD, because most long term smokers have this disease to some degree or another. Ask your doctor about getting a a simple test called a spirometry test. It will help your doctor diagnose damage to your lungs.
Advice
- The best advice I can offer is for you to read, very carefully, a book written by Allen Carr, titled, "The Easyway to Stop Smoking" for it will really help you to stop smoking.
