Emphysema as a Lifestyle

TANGLES

The tubing (which looks like aquarium air line) can become kinked and tangled after a day of going back and forth and can actually become kinked to the point of nearly shutting off your air. Where you were at 2 liters before, you are now down to below one. Now you'll need to find the kink and un-kink it. As you do, you'll see the level on your concentrator return to 2. You'll need to check your concentrator as you go by to be sure you are getting the air you need. The concentrator machine is a bit noisy, so you might want to keep it away from your living room and sleeping areas.

When sleeping, you never know if you are going to wake up with your nose hose still in your nose, or if it's to be found atop your head where you pushed it in the night while asleep, or it may be lost on the floor. Aghast, you wonder if you got enough oxygen during the night. You must also remember to take your medicine, including any inhaler prescriptions nightly.

THE PET THING

If you have dogs or other pets at home, they will react to it in different ways. One of mine hates the hose and avoids it like the plague. It's taken him a year to even accept it. The other seems to think it links us together like Siamese twins, and she sits or lays on it every chance she gets. She's responsible for some of my ear tugs, let me tell you! Cats, as you know, love to chase moving "strings". Keep her nails trimmed.

OXYGEN LEVELS

Power failures are worse for you than your computer dying from power failure. If the power goes off, you need to plug into your bottle oxygen, which only lasts a short time, so it's a good idea to have at least 4 filled bottles around continuously. Vacations are planned around your oxygen provider's nationwide or worldwide reach and availability of oxygen wherever you go and when you need it. Trips into town or to the grocery store have to be planned by how much oxygen is in the tank you are taking with you. If it's not enough, you will have to change the tank, removing the regulator and putting it on a full tank before going shopping.

STARING MATCHES

Once outside either with your large tank with the wheels, or with the portable unit, you cannot elude the stares of both children and adults. The worst are the smokers whose minds you can just about read by the way they look at you in horror. "I wonder if that could possibly happen to me? Nahhhh! I'm not old enough yet!" they think. Well, I used to think the very same way! When you have an oxygen tank, you no longer have an "invisible" disease. It is all too visible to the whole world. And it becomes scary. Almost all emphysema is cause by smoking, did you know that?

PREVENTABLE, BUT NON-REVERSIBLE

Emphysema is not a reversible disease because of the manner in which the lung is damaged. You lose more and more elasticity within the lungs as time goes on, and it becomes harder to breathe. You can avoid getting emphysema by quitting smoking just as soon as possible. "Now" would be best. The other option is to never start smoking. Believe me, smoking is not worth going through this in any way, and I wish I had never started smoking as a teen. Guess I should have listened to my Dad, right?

GRATITUDE

The good thing about having this oxygen 24/7 is that my gratitude has grown because my life has been extended for a time by having oxygen to help my body operate as well as it can. Without it, who knows how short the time would be. I hope that my life will be extended long enough for a miracle to happen; medical or otherwise. Truly, I pray a smoking-related disease NEVER ever happens to you.

Christine Rowley

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Nicotine Inhaler Facts

The Nicotrol nicotine inhaler is a NRT that consists of a plastic cigarette-like tube that houses a replaceable nicotine cartridge and a mouthpiece. The cartridge contains 10mg of nicotine.

When one draws on the mouthpiece end of the nicotine inhaler over the course of about 20 minutes / 80 puffs, 4mg of nicotine is released and 2mg is absorbed through the membranes in the mouth and throat. Less than 5 percent of the inhaled nicotine reaches the respiratory tract. This can be repeated every 1-2 hours.

One Nicotrol cartridge delivers about the same amount of nicotine to the user as one cigarette.

Pros:

The nicotine inhaler reduces symptoms of nicotine withdrawal by allowing ex-smokers to quit using nicotine gradually.

Cons:

The nicotine inhaler reinforces smoking behavior.
When we quit smoking, it is counter-productive to use a NRT that mimics the cigarettes we are working so hard to break free of, both in looks and in how it is used.

Risk of re-addiction.
Because the nicotine inhaler is used on an as-needed basis, the potential to abuse this quit aid is significant. As mentioned above, it is critical to use this nicotine-based product exactly as prescribed, weaning off of it in the amount of time suggested.

The nicotine inhaler is a solid tool that can help you quit smoking, but remember that it is a quit aid, not a miracle worker. The magic for success with smoking cessation lies within you, not a product.

Work on developing the resolve to quit smoking one simple day at a time and be patient.

Time, determination and support will help you win this race. Believe that, believe in yourself and be willing to do the work it takes to quit for as long as it takes. You'll find that you can quit smoking, just as others have.

Sources:

National Institutes of Health. Nicotine Oral Inhalation. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/meds/a606021.html Accessed August 2010.

Smokefree.gov. Nicotine Inhaler Fact Sheet. http://www.smokefree.gov/mg-nicotine_inhaler.aspx Accessed August 2010.

Pfizer - Pharmacia & Upjohn Co. Nicotrol® Inhaler. http://media.pfizer.com/files/products/uspi_nicotrol_inhaler.pdf Accessed August 2010.

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One Week Smoke Free

I have made it one whole week without smoking and I am weak with disbelief. Although I feel a bit shaky at night lately, I've awoken with this new promise of a new day, and no cough! And sweeter breath! I hit a note singing along to the radio that I have not been able to reach in a long, long time. I am coughing, but not as much as I thought I would.

This morning was rough, however. I really wanted a smoke. I have a few left in a pack on top of the fridge. My friend Geo had wanted me to throw them out (he has been instrumental in this process, and quit smoking a month before me), but the thought of that was too much to bear.

I walked to the fridge and raised my eyes to the top of the very place I'd been avoiding for one week. The nico-lair. Where they lay nestled in their packet, seemingly harmless. Sure enough, there they were. All perfectly white and compact, standing at attention in their wee box, looking at once both stoic and vulnerable. They'd helped me through so much, I thought. They had enveloped me and hid me from all of the scary moments of life. Moments like meeting new people, helping me to looking defiant and cool when in reality I felt self-conscious and shy. The veritable smoke screen, the wall of toxicity that put an effective screen between myself and the world. I didn't realize how much of a screen it was putting between me and myself.

So there they were. We'd been through a lot together. I shakily held the pack and wondered if I really felt like I could smoke. One of the things I had thought I missed were the accessories to smoking. The gold cases of yore, the cigarette holders I remember my Aunt Olive (who looked like Joan Crawford) toting, as her ruby red lips blew the smoke lazily into the lamplight. I was conveniently forgetting her death at 51 from a smoking-related illness, I was too lost in my illusive fantasy. There were so many cool lighters out, too! Flourescent ones that lit up, silver ones with etchings, pigs whose nostrils spewed flames, gorgeous seascapes, sports themes, psychedelic colors. All designed by their beauty to make us inhale the most toxic and dangerous substance legally available to mankind.

Hmmm. I pulled one out and sniffed it. A mixture of desire and disgust. It had held me captive for so many years, forcing me outside in freezing temperatures, while those healthier stayed warmly indoors and looked on me with sympathy, and some with empathy. It had made me panic as snowstorms came for fear of having to go out and by more in the cold. I had lit my cigarettes on stove burners when I had run out of lighter fluid - leaving circlets of burnt ash on the elements. I had tried cigarettes all over the world, Turkish cigarettes, English and French, cigarettes in Australia, Italy and Spain. We had been around the world together.

I remember one incident in London when I was on a date. My date had a gas stove in his apartment. I needed a light and could not find any matches. I bent over in what I thought was a very sexy pose to light my ciggy on his burner...a second later there was this WHOOOSH and I felt heat on my face. My eyelashes felt stubby and I noticed blackened stringy things like webs were floating around my personage. My nostrils filled with the acrid scent and I realized then that I'd gotten a tad too close! I raced to the mirror to check how much hair had been burnt! Whew! Not much, thank goodness. My date was alas, in hysterics on the floor. So much for the vamp in me.

And now, I was back in my kitchen staring at my travel buddies. I brought one gently to my lips and I spoke to it. 'You suck!' , I said, 'I mean seriously...thanks for the memories, but you are really making me ill. You have to go now, because I want to live a long and healthy life. I am really tired of feeling ill, dizzy, embarrassed and fatigued. So, see ya!'...and then I crushed it. Then I took them all out, ripped them to shreds, placed them in the garbage, and poured water over the broken bits.

Who needs friends that try to kill you? They have deluded me for far too long, it is the addiction that makes me think their blue smoke is soothing, it is only relieving the craving, it does not, and has not ever calmed me down. It has only been a week, and already my heart beat slows instead of the racy, jerkiness I'd experienced in the evenings. Goodbye, friend.

More from Leslie:
The Seduction
The Smokescreen
Replacement Therapy
Not One Puff Ever (N.O.P.E.) - Part One
Not One Puff Ever (N.O.P.E.) - Part Two

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How to Avoid a Smoking Relapse

"Quitting isn't so hard. I think I've got this thing licked and can handle smoking just one cigarette tonight. I'll get right back to my quit program tomorrow."

Otherwise known as romancing the cigarette, or junkie thinking, this kind of thought pattern gets us into hot water fast. Time away from smoking can blur the edges of the reasons we had for putting those cigarettes down in the first place. We forget the chronic cough and lose touch with the racing heart and breathlessness that came from climbing a flight of stairs.

As we gather a head of steam and start logging smoke-free time, it's easy to fall into thinking that we have control over our addiction. Make no mistake about it, though; as nicotine addicts, we will always be susceptible to dependence once again if we introduce nicotine back into our systems. The only way to maintain control for the long haul is to have a zero tolerance policy with nicotine. Remember that there is no such thing as just one cigarette, and adopt N.O.P.E. as your motto.

More:

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Hydrogen Cyanide

Cigarettes can contain up to 599 possible additives, all of which are approved for use by the U.S. government.

When the ingredients in cigarettes are burned, they produce a whole host of chemical compounds, many of which are poisonous and/or carcinogenic. Hydrogen cyanide, a colorless, poisonous gas, is one of the toxic byproducts present in cigarette smoke.

Under the name of Zyklon B, hydrogen cyanide was used as a genocidal agent during World War II. While no one would willingly breathe hydrogen cyanide into their lungs, smokers do it multiple times with every cigarette they inhale. And because hydrogen cyanide is present in secondhand smoke, nonsmokers are also at risk of breathing in this poison when they are exposed to cigarette smoke. Smoking cigarettes is probably a major source of cyanide exposure for people who do not work in cyanide-related industries.

In manufacturing, cyanide is present in the chemicals used to make numerous products such as paper, textiles and plastics. In gaseous form, cyanide is used in pesticides to exterminate rats and other undesirable vermin.

While it is unlikely that a person would suffer cyanide poisoning from cigarette smoke, breathing in small amounts of hydrogen cyanide may cause: headache dizziness weakness nausea vomitingLarger amounts may cause: gasping irregular heartbeats seizures fainting rapid deathGenerally, the more serious the exposure, the more severe the symptoms. Similar symptoms may be produced when solutions of cyanide are ingested or come in contact with the skin.

Treatment for hydrogen cyanide poisoning includes breathing pure oxygen, and in the case of serious symptoms, treatment with specific cyanide antidotes. Persons with serious symptoms will need to be hospitalized.

See Also: Pesticides in Cigarette Smoke

Source:

Facts About Cyanide. 27 January, 2004. Centers for Disease Control.

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Smoking and DDD

Ex-smoker Michelle Boisvert suffers from degenerative disc disease (DDD). Diagnosed at the age of 33, she has since learned that cigarette smoking is a leading risk factor for degenerative disc disease.

From Michelle:

As someone who is very grateful to have found freedom from nicotine addiction and as someone who suffers from a smoking-related illness, I have been prompted to research and offer my findings about the relationship between smoking and degenerative disc disease.

I was diagnosed with severe DDD in 1998 when I was 33 years old and still a smoker. My orthopedic surgeon discovered the DDD while he was performing surgery after I ruptured a disc in my lower back. Discs are the pliable “cushions” found between the vertebrae, which serve as shock absorbers for the bones in the neck and back.

The term “degenerative disc disease” has met with criticism by some because all discs do degenerate naturally over time. It is a normal part of the aging process, but in some younger adults the discs degenerate more quickly than in others, causing the discs to lose fluid, become less pliable and less able to protect and support the vertebrae. The result can be chronic and debilitating pain.

Although genetic predisposition is the #1 risk factor, a growing number of studies indicate that smoking is a leading risk factor for DDD, both in the lumbar discs (lower back) and cervical discs (neck). Research suggests that smokers have a 3-4 times higher risk of developing DDD and that smoking can exacerbate pre-existing disc degeneration.

Nicotine deprives disc cells of vital nutrients. In addition to nicotine, smokers introduce carbon monoxide into the blood stream and from there into body tissues. These poisons inhibit the discs’ ability to absorb the nutrients they need from the blood. The result can be prematurely dehydrated, less pliable discs – degenerated discs.

As the discs become more and more malnourished, there is a greater risk of a ruptured disc. This occurs when the disc contents break through the outer layer of the disc, often impinging on nerves and causing great pain, numbness, and in some cases nerve damage in the legs or arms. These same poisons also interfere with the absorption of calcium, leading to a compromised vertebral structure.

Coughing, which is more prevalent among smokers, can also add to the risk. Coughing causes increased pressure between discs. This puts added strain on the spine and discs, creating greater risk of disc bulges and ruptures, especially in a spine already weakened because of smoking-related toxins.

Inactivity, which is also frequently associated with the smoker’s lifestyle, can result in a higher frequency of back pain in general, and unfortunately pain associated with DDD can make an active lifestyle more difficult to enjoy.

Treatment for DDD and disc ruptures range from doing nothing to major surgery, including spinal fusion. This surgical procedure involves removing disc material and fusing the vertebrae together with bone grafts and sometimes metal plates, rods and screws.

Anyone who is still smoking by the time this surgery is required is strongly advised to quit smoking prior to surgery. Many surgeons will not perform the surgery until the patient has been smoke-free for several months. Smoking impedes new bone growth, which is instrumental in the success of spinal fusion. Researchers have determined that nicotine is a bone toxin and as a result, the failure rate for many types of fusions can be 3-4 times higher for smokers.

More research is being done to study the relationship between smoking and DDD, but there is ample evidence already to suggest that quitting smoking now may reduce the risk of developing or exacerbating DDD.

To those who might be contemplating quitting and wondering if you have another 10, 20, or 30 years to smoke before you do any real or lasting damage, please think again and don’t take the gamble. It’s so risky, and I urge you to think about what you’re putting on the line. For every warning actually listed on a pack of cigarettes there are many more illnesses, diseases, and complications that smoking can cause. Quit now, and at least know that from this day forward you are doing all you can to protect your health and well-being.

Please take advantage of the wealth of knowledge to be found at the About.com Smoking Cessation web site and check out the Smoking Cessation Forum for the best support on the web.

~Michelle Boisvert~

Sources:

Effect of Nicotine on Spinal Disc Cells. Akmal M, Kesani A, Anand B, Singh A,et al. 1 March, 2004. National Center for Biotechnology Information.

Lumbar Degenerative Disc Disease. Rajeev K Patel, MD. 3 August, 2009. EMedicine.com.

Degenerative Disc Disease and Low Back Pain Thomas G. Lowe, M.D. Spine Universe.

Cigarette Smoking and its Impact on Spinal Fusions. Larry Davidson, M.D. 13 August, 2007.

Spine Surgery and Cigarette Smoking. The Burton Report.

More from Michelle:

]Michelle's Quit Story
Michelle's 1 Year Milestone
Michelle's 2 Year Milestone
Michelle's 3 Year Milestone
Michelle's 4 Year Milestone
Michelle's 5 Year Milestone
Patience With the Process
A Perspective on Using NRT's
There is No Substitute for Time
Managing Quit-Related Depression

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Quit Aids and Weight Gain

I'm so afraid I'll gain weight when I quit smoking. I've heard that Zyban or Wellbutrin will help me avoid weight gain. Is this true?Answer: Bupropion hydrochloride, better known as Zyban or Wellbutrin, has a side effect for some people of a reduced appetite, which can be a nice benefit for people who want to quit smoking. Bupropion is a prescription drug though, and must be used under a doctor's direction.

Nicotine lozenges may also help curb appetite to some extent early on in a person's quit program. A year long study looking at the efficacy of nicotine lozenges was conducted in 2002. It followed approximately 1800 people who quit smoking using either nicotine lozenges or placebos. Indications were that those participants using 4-mg nicotine lozenges had 45 percent less weight gain 6 weeks after quitting than those using the placebo. At 12 weeks quit, weight gain was 21 percent less, and at 6 months, the difference in weight gain between the two groups wasn't enough to be of significance.(1)

Medications to Help You Quit Smoking:

Some of the above medications are available without a prescription, however, do check in with your doctor and discuss your options in order to choose a quit aid that's right for you.

See Also:
The Chubster
Minimizing Weight Gain When You Quit Smoking
Maia's Thoughts on Weight Loss at 6 Months Smoke Free

(1)Arch Intern Med. 2002;162:1267-1276

Updated: 2-20-2006

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