Hi,

I first want to apologize for posting a topic and not responding to it sooner. But there was a sickness in the family and I was away for a few days.

I just want to say I was amazed as to how many people responded to my post. And I would just like to take the time to say thanks to everyone who shared there stories and provided with advice. And my thoughts and prayers go out to everyone going through this disease and their families.

I was shocked to learn that so many people devoloped oral cancer and never used tobacco. In fact I thought that using tobacco was about the only way to get mouth cancer. Boy was I suprised.

Jupping back to my original post about using smokeless tobacco. I asked the question b/c I am a very health concious (think I mispelled that) person. I had asthma real bad as a child and stayed sick alot. So, as an adult I don't want to go down that road again.

I know there is no exuse for me to use smokeless tobacco and what I am about to say gives no justification for me to continue to use tobacco. But I have OCD (obssessive compulsive disorder). It is a neurological disorder and it causes alot of physical as well as emotional anxiety. The tobacco helps with the anxiety, so I guess that is why it is so hard for me to quit. Believe me I have tried nicotine gum, patches, lozengers (mispelled that one to). I have cut down a great deal. And I know I will eventually quit.

I see a GP, nuerologist, you name it for my OCD. So, I am getting the best of care for the disorder. I also take medication. Some of the same medication doctor's prescribe for people to "kick the tobacco habbit".

BRC

Hi BRC - Sorry to hear there was sickness in your family. Hope they are doing better, now. There is so much valuable information and support at this site, so please do stay in touch. Having never smoked, I cannot even begin to understand how difficult it is to quit, especially if you are also battling OCD, but I have relatives (my mother for one) and dear friends that died too early as a result of smoking or using tobacco. I do know that there are a lot more strategies and types of help in quitting today than we had a few years ago. Perhaps you will find one that works for you. I hope so.

BRC,

It may be difficult to quit but believe me you don't want to face quitting while you're also going thru chemo and radiation and that may be just the situation you will wind up facing unless you quit NOW. I quit smoking over 35 years ago and I was a minor smoker but to this day I remember how difficult it was to quit but you MUST QUIT for 1000 reasons including the possibility of this barbaric disease and treatment.

BRC,

I do some smoke cessation counceling in my office and recently took a continuing education course on the subject. The lecturer cited a study that showed that the addiction to nicotine was stronger than the addiction to heroin. That sure says something. I'm sure that the OCD makes it even tougher for you to quit.

In the previous thread, I think it was Gary that gave you a link to an OCF memeber's website, www.outdoortexan.com. I think that it might be helpful if you went to this site. He very graphically shows what he went through after developing oral cancer from chewing tobacco. He has a warning about the pictures, but I think that it could be just the motivation that you need to try a little harder to stop.

Everyone on this site has been touched by oral cancer in some way and we all are thrilled when someone comes here for advice and they are successful in quiting or their tests come back negative.

From personal experience with patients, I can tell you that if you don't have cancer now and you stop dipping, you will probably find that your mouth tissues will return to normal. No guarantees that it can't develope later, but it sure increases the odds that it won't.

Good luck and please keep us posted.

Jerry

Good Luck, B!! You've done a lot of work to get to this point. You have reached out for advice and assistance, and you sound like you are listening. I respect your sharing your OCD condition. That makes the quitting even harder, but I hope that perhaps you can use the OCD to your advantage. Maybe you can be just as O-C about NOT dipping as you are about dipping. I'll bet that if you made up your mind to not dip, there would be no force that could make you do it.

I hope that you'll keep us posted about your success. I know that you will be successful...it's just a matter of when. How about telling yourself "no" just once a day for a week. Then the next week, say "no" two times a day...etc. (I know that you don't need my advice.)

The longest journeys begin with the first step. Take it!!

Hi Bill - David is right - you don't want to have to quit while going thru radiation where they tie your body down on a slab and put a mask over your head so that you are immobile for what seems an eternity. Something Colleen said reminded me of a strategy I read about from a former smoker: "Hang on for five minutes and the out-of-control urge will pass". And do that whenever the urge attacks. (once a day, etc.) Maybe during those five minutes you can get on the computer and talk to us! Sounds like you've already taken the first steps in informing yourself and that's great! Please keep us posted.