Stop smoking panic attacks.

Chantix will do it. You won’t get the withdrawal symptoms. I was always on the nervous side perhaps your doctor can give you something for the attack’s. Good luck!

I smoked for over 45 years and tried everything there was out there Chantix did the trick for me it's been 11 years since I had a cigarette and with the Chantix I had none of the side effects that other people had you just have to find out what works for you and be committed it's a great feeling to be smoke-free

try Whole food

Thank you

Hello All- My name is Merry and I am a Mentor for Connect, mostly lung cancer. I quit smoking after 35 years because I was diagnosed with lung cancer for the first time in 1997 and have had 3 more lung cancers up until my last one in 2017.
After I was told that I had lung cancer my first thought was, sh..., I'll have to stop smoking, OMG how am I going to do that? And for one month, up until I quit 1 week before my surgery I had only panic about quitting. With all the tests that I had to endure pre-lobectomy all I did was smoke and panic about not smoking and if I would be able to stop smoking.
I was not practicing any religion, nevertheless I called my Rabbi up and he referred me to his wife Julie. I wanted to know how to pray again and I wanted to know how I could stop smoking. First Julie told me not to worry about how to pray, that I had more serious issue to deal with. Then she said a prayer could be any word, Sun, flower, etc. That there was not one way to pray for anyone. So I started to say Sun every morning and began thinking about all of the rest of her words and finally I went out and bought patches. One night, a week before surgery I woke up smoked what I hope was my last cigarette and put a patch on. That was the last time I smoked and that was 22 years ago.
I am wondering if any of you have been successful in quitting smoking and what have been your largest struggles @littleonefmohio, @pranas, @marylou705, @bluelagoon

@merpreb I quit smoking after many tries to quit. I can't remember them all, but once there w as man who came to town once or twice every month and would hypnotize a group of people for either weight loss, or stopping smoking. I went to both and the quit smoking group was really helpful. I stopped fro a good four months. that was a record for me. Of course we all flocked around after an bought up all his tapes. It helped. Some sort of stressful situation came up--really tough--I think my daughter had once of her five scoliosis surgeries and I though I'd smoke just to get me through the ordeal. Like any addition, I just smoked more from then on. I tried flat out cold turkey after that and didn't last long. There were other attempts and then I just thought the heck with it. Was back in graduate school getting a masters in counseling psychology and it was toward the end of the course and we were having the written exams for all the years of study. I developed. With my heavy smoking I was an easy mark for bronchitis, strep throat, and other such things. So, for the first time during these exams I developed severe pleurisy. Went to the exams still smoking and when they were over was about to light up. I recall the pack was almost empty and I put the cigarette back in and threw the whole thing out. That was my last cigarette. i of course used Nicorette which helped with the nicotine withdrawal. It was tough, but I haven't smoked since 1995.I think what helped was visualizing who much better I felt NOT smoking--things tasted better, smell returned, and I had much better lung function. There were a number of attempts, but those are the main ones I recall. As a smoker I had a heavy cough especially int he morning and evening and it took a bunch of tries to get my throat cleared before sleep an upon waking up--a heavy smoker's cough--it was gross and bothersome. Then as all you know this year i was diagnosed with Adenocarcinoma in my right lung. Wasn't even being tested for that, but fortunately a CT scan for heart was read by the radiologist who discovered a suspicious suspicious small spot on that right lung. Had a biopsy and it was a very small spot. Had a lobectomy in March 2019 and mercifully there was no spread to the lymph nodes, or any areas related. In September I go for a follow up CT scan. The CT scan looms if I think about it, but try and focus on other things. Sometimes that is easy adn sometimes not. I love what your Rabbi's wife said--prayer is anything we say. I think it is the meaning behind what we say. I certainly during all this have become more spiritual. We all need something greater than ourselves upon which to rely in difficult times. Now I try and be grateful for just about anything--not easy, but everyday i give thanks just for having waked up to another day and anything else that comes to mind. So there is my giving up smoking story. I inhaled deeply, had a severe smoker's cough, etc. I though it was cool when i started at 18. Now, if I am around smokers I do not like the smell. Funny I don't remember the smell of cigarette smoke being a bother while smoking. Now it is most unpleasant and has been for a good number of years. It is a tough habit to break and Nicotine is supposed to be more difficult to give up than heroine is. Anyway, I am glad to be a non-smoker and can't see every returning to the thing. I believe the basic change agent is something that wakes us up to the damage that cigarettes do us. For me it was smoking during pleurisy and I certainly can see how a lung cancer diagnosis would really be reason to stop as you did. Loved reading your story and thank you fro sharing ti with us.

@alamogal635- Hey- Thanks for pinch hitting for me when you had the time! That was certainly a hard trip for you. I'm so glad that you quit and I'm sure that you can smell and taste everything better. Thank you for sharing your story. I'll never plan to go back- but I still dream sometimes that someone catches me with cigarettes or smell smoke on me 🙁

Several of you have shared a bit about experiencing panic attacks while trying to stop smoking and what might help with that. Wanted to check in with some of you and see how things are going. I know that what you share will be beneficial for many in this discussion.

@littleonefmohio - how are things going with the stop-smoking process?

@alamogal635 - how are things going for you? Have you experienced any strong urges to start up smoking again?

@pranas - how has it gone for you? You mentioned good things coming out of stopping smoking for you. Will you share more about what those are?

@travelgirl and @gman007 - any other suggestions on the path to quitting smoking and managing panic and anxiety with that process?

@merpreb @alamogal635 @lisalucier Ladies- Sorry for being slow to respond. Been up to my eyeballs in stuff here. So much of Alamo gal rang true with me- waking up with the gross cough. knowing I should quit. I ended up using Chantix but what I really think did it was reading Easy Way to Stop Smoking by Allen Carr. He did a good job of illustrating to me how we've been hypnotized TO smoke and this is really reclaiming out lives. In my case I only quit in 2016 and then in 2018 was diagnosed from a routine ct scan and had a lobectomy. Unfortunately, mine did hit one lymph node, so there were 4 follow-up chemo treatments. Fortunately, I had minimal side effects. Most times I don't think about smoking. Unfortunately, when someone smokes I do still like the smell. Humorously, I find when a place is full of smoke (like a garage where the owner sneaks out for smokes) I think it STINKS- didn't even recognize it until it happened somewhere else! My secret weapon when I get smacked on the back of the head with an urge is a wintergreen lifesaver. Works every time- although when very bad I need 2!

@bluelagoon- Good afternoon. It's so good to hear from you again. Urges still crop up on me occasionally even after 22 years, but that's only if I am very stressed. I ride it out but sucking a mint would work too. I'm glad that you stuck it out.
I can't be in the room with smoke because I have had enough smoking and that's what caused my cancer. I don't want to smell like it or breathe it in or taste it.
How has your health been since your chemo? How often do you get follow-up CT scans?