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You look like Jennifer Garner now, in this pix. (Without her fish lips.) Nice look, very soft...

Sarah, baby, showing us how it's done!!!!!!!!! How cool that in one year you've not only built a solid quit but are inspiring others. I laughed when Raya posted something like ride it out and you said you cried it out! Something like that. It made me laugh, and kinda gave me permission to cry, cuz sometimes I do get overwhelmed and feel like crying. Did it this week, and breathed better. So, I figure, it's okay. Remember that, Sarah, you are a new person, because to me you have only been A PERSON WHO DOESN'T SMOKE, as well as funny, strong, wise, and a hot babe. Be kind to yourself, give yourself the love and respect you deserve. Get a pocket dog. You can take them everywhere. I had mini Dach. Easy peasy dog, and loads of fun. Get two. Instant family. :)

I like this, Mr. Robert. It takes a lot of getting out of ego's way to see where someone else is coming from. I think that's the key. I think quitting smoking is a brilliant way to support this process...as addiction is such an narcissistic thing. I also find the beginning quit is pretty narcissistic, and I can't wait for the time when I'm detached from smoking completely, with a neutral attitude. I also think to dissipate negativity on the fly you have to be living in a lot of love. Wow, I'm inspired to go hit the cushion now and do some meditating. Thanks. Practice and Patience. Practice and Patience. :)

I adore this. I came up on a rough situation yesterday, with someone from my past, who could have driven me to smoking before. I said, "I'm not smoking now, and I keep my quit, and not anyone, or anything will interfere with that." Larks, I never said that before during ANY quit. Get out on the forum and post. You're brilliant. Time to start paying it forward, buddy. (Although you've done that with me countless times, I want everyone to know what a sound quit you are.)

Wow, I am so sorry to hear about your chest tightness and coughing. It sounds like you have done everything physically possible. Do you think some of it could be related to just the stress of parenting young children, a full life with a lot of responsibility, on top of recovering? But you know, I guess there has to be some acceptance. That's why I have decided to do Mr. Bakon's Easy Quit Program. Mr. Bakon might even advise you to not exercise for a couple of months, have more sex (maybe including a paddle??) , and drink more beer. :) Life is short, get a babysitter. Haha. I admire the length of your quit and I will get there, and in the meantime, we've got to be a bit philosophical. It's the Bakon way. Embrace it, bro! Have you noticed laughing out loud brings a bit of physical relief? I have. Cuz I laugh at my own jokes! :) PS Keep going for the check-ups, too, okay? For some yeah, maybe the healing happens over a longer period of time...you'll get there.

Did someone actually call you Mr. Bakon on this thread? You had better do something silly in a hurry and offend someone. (Oh, guess you already did.) Well, as I reported to Mr. Robert I ran around my place tonight in my short skirt and cowgirl boots, then I ran out and got coffee, than I ran back and did some other stuff at my place. Then I thought, oh, I think the village idiot is right. I just need to GET MOVING. I am going to start following Mr. Bakon's Easy Way to Quit Smoking. Some reading, some posting, some exercise. I have to respect that smoking and other bad lifestyle stuff put me in a weak position, and getting out is gonna take time. This mindset is good discipline. Addiction is about pushing things to the limit like smoking things called cancer sticks. Maybe freedom from addiction is realizing...I'm okay now, I've stopped the cancer sticks. Maybe I need improving, but basically I'm okay. If a village idiot can do this, I can too! When I have these kinds of thoughts I'm all around happier, and my quit feels beautiful. Amen.

About sleep...don't think I was ever a great sleeper. Always woke up at least once, had a smoke, went back to sleep. Now that has been interrupted. One night when I woke up I forced myself to stay in bed with the lights out and took an extra melatonin (had it and water on side table) --- and went back to sleep. One night! But a victory. I'm beginning to think that's what this journey is all about...every single small victory MUST BE COUNTED. Tyme, please keep posting on the sleep thing, as I am following you on this. Thanks.

Oh yeah, I always try to get Sleepy Time Plus or whatever it's called...has valerian in it. Not necessary as I eat valerian capsules like candy. But one should do valerian two weeks on, two weeks off. So check if the Sleepy Time you got has valerian in it. Chamomile is good, too. Also, something called Calms Forte. Good thing about herbs is there is no hang-over, which I sometimes get on meditations. Having said that...a hot toddy??? Booze as medicine? I will go there...but it hasn't yet been necessary because I just get up and post.

I ran around doing stuff in my place tonight, in a short skirt and cowgirl boots. Then I ran (no, walked fast) to the local coffee shop and back, and then ran around my place some more doing stuff. My lungs don't feel quite right, feel a little tight but I just told them, "Look, lungs, adapt, cuz I'm gonna start amping it up." I feel a little afraid to use my lungs but you and many others here has said what I will now trust...The best thing that you can do for your lungs is use them. THANK YOU!

Maybe long time quits feel like it's done and dusted, and no one's paying attention. I think maybe that's not true. I think you are being watched. Haha. That sounds scary. As a newbie, I'm being watched because people assume it's just a matter of time until a relapse. THAT'S PRETTY BORING IN AN IRRITATING WAY. But how cool it would be if someone new in my life said, "Gosh, you smoked? Can't imagine it." So you get to wear the star forever, even if mostly invisible. Way to Go, fish!

I like running when I want. Or need. Like Ava running for her plane. Like Babs running away from the surprise stranger staying at her vacation house. Mike running away from the parking meters. Tom and DD running towards a cure. A lot a running on this site. Infectious...not like smokers' world where everyone sitting on their butts watching sports and yada yada being social critis 'bout everythin' wrong with the world. Just sayin...Frez especially makes it seem like fun to run...she works, runs, drinks her wine...then rinse and repeat.

Oh yeah, this thread was mainly about health anxiety. I am STILL AT IT...posting about herbs and such. Hard habit to break. This probably stems from guilt about smoking, which is really not necessary. I think good answer about health and quitting smoking is, try to enjoy your quit, and wait for 9 months to a year, patiently. That is just what its going to take. A year of seasons, and changes, and transitions. One year is my magic number.

Thanks. I am agreeing with you that smoking needs to be put in its place. In the past. Not an issue. I agree that it is best to not over-think, which the village idiot is kind enough to remind me of from time to time. :)

Herbs are not for cravings. Herbs are to help repair lung damage, bronchial damage. You didn't get serious about cardio until about 10 months into your quit, right? Cuz just a little scary, right? Admit it! Maybe I am being antsy and scardy but exercise is next big thing...jog/walk, 10K race, 5K race, swimming. Cardio.This whole post was a brain fart. I just drank too much coffee and started thinking too much. Too much empty space left in my life where maybe I smoked. I used to write and smoke, read and smoke. Lost taste for those things. Sitting down stuff. Want running around stuff. Getting antsy, reading too much, posting too much. Want Phase II to begin: Life free of talking about and thinking about smoking. Bad, dead relationship. Can never be "friends." F.O.A.D. TO SMOKES.

I started herbs today and already feel some relief. "Lung support" tonic with mullein, lobelia, passionflower etc. Also taking nettles. They are to soothe respiratory inflammation. I think it's partly anxiety, party inflamed and irritated bronchial tissue. Yes, I too would advise seeing your physician if that's the usual path you take. I'm feeling better. I think the caffeine in coffee increased my anxiety. Guess I learned firsthand that coffee really does pack more power after you quit. I'm now drinking almost entirely decaf coffee. Think I had better stick with that for awhile. :)

The whole chemical brain mechanism was hijacked by nicotine and all the other poisons in cigarettes. No one knows for sure how long it takes for healthy brain reregulation to occur. I think Mike offered some good links on this awhile back. That's why support forums are great. People supporting people through no man's land while the brain is repairing itself, and behaviors are being rewired. I love cyber hugs! :wub:

Inspiring, and uplifting. Thank you for sharing this. I remember you mentioning before having overcome great adversity, and this story is mind-blowing. I am so sorry for your loss. I am sure, as Bakon says, there are many behind-the-scene stories. Thank you for sharing yours...a reminder of the persevering human spirit!

I am a certified mindfulness meditation instructor. This may be why I know with certainty I will keep this quit. Without mindfulness meditation training I would probably have dumped this quit by now, so I consider my training to be working. Mindfulness meditation practice allows whatever happening to breathe more fully, but in a personality prone to anxiety the anxiety isn't completely eradicated. Quitting smoking is a destabilizing event, not just mentally but physically. Long time meditators who smoke have the same amount of angst not smoking as anyone else. Just go on a 10 day or month long retreat...and you'll find plenty of folk suffering while refraining from smoking during the longer meditation sessions. In my training everything is taken into consideration including diet, exercise, sun and fresh air exposure, one's environment, and those people one chooses to be with. I'm glad this was brought up because it reminds me that anxiety should not be seen as a failure, but more what Marti calls (and I love this!) a brain flit, or a series of brain flits that cause a certain mood. It just is. I actually feel better from writing this. It's one of many of the brain flits that happen while quitting. Thanks Smarti!!!

:) Congratulations, and thank you! :) From where I stand, barely at three months, your smober time is both enviable and inspiring. I know I can get to where you are by putting one foot in front of the other, and I would welcome your kind of boredom. I look forward to it. Thank you for your support. I hope you have something special planned, as quit anniversaries are very special :wub: even if seemingly boring. :rolleyes: KUDOS !!!

Congrats... :wub:

I felt that hug!!! :D

I have googled this chest tightness thing tons! Not once did I get anything that helped!!! I am going to stop!!! I'm going to try herbal tincture (here in US called "lung support") with mullein and lobelia. Can get at health food store. Yoga. Swimming. And "forget about it" and do something else. I promised Leanne - NO MORE GOOGLING. You too, Rob!

Guys: Joe suggested early in my quit to get more protein in my diet. I never was a big sugar eater, and now realize I have been eating more carbs/sugar last months since quitting. May have destabilized blood sugar levels, causing mood swings. Have now switched to diet with high quality protein, and vegetables and no more refined carbs or sugar. Mega vitamins, omega3 too. Also, this week switched to half caffeine/have decaf coffee. I think I should have done this from start. Yes, tymie, my staple during early quit was hibiscus tea (herbal, no caffeine) but then I started drinking more coffee to counteract fatigue. I'm not much of a pillow beater, but yoga is a no brain-er. I'll be doing the legs on the wall thing, tymie. (I already take melatonin) I will be known as the person who wanted to condense a first year quit into three months!! Not a good idea, because as bakon says, it only adds strain to keep pushing, pushing, pushing the quit. Also, (for Rob and me) there are herbal lung support herbal tinctures. Maybe they don't do much but I feel better when I take them. Have stuff in them like lobelia and mullein. Rob, get at health food store. Jackie, less thinking! Ta! Good Advice!!! Tracey, more laptop meditation music. Bakon, "Amen" (RnRoll Jes CD) is all the KR I need for this quit. The best of KD is in that CD! SORRY FOR THE FREAK OUT. I NEEDED HELP. THANK YOU SO MUCH, ALL, FOR ADVICE AND CYBER HUGS!

Thank you, everyone. I had a heavy dose of health anxiety!

Thanks, Marti Smarty. I was thinking of doing some bikram yoga classes because of the heat. I spend a lot of evenings over a steam vaporizor. I live in a VERY DRY climate (desert mesa) so maybe I could give my lungs a bit of moisture, Yes, I do have other stressful things. Quitting smoking was part of my plan to eliminate stress! It will in the long run. But now...it's hard. I have read your blog and your older posts, Marti, so I know a bit of what you went through. Thank you for all you wrote.