hi,
i was recently diagnosed with SCC. I had a tumor on my uvula, which was removed along with soft pallet tissues around it. I'm 49, have smoked since my 20's. My problem is that i'm having a hard time quitting smoking. any hints on how to make it easier? what is the recurrence rate? i know i have to quit, but didn't realize quitting would be so hard.

Hi Farrah,

I am 59 and smoked since I was a teenager. I quit the day I was diagnosed with BOT (4 months ago). I used the nicotine patch in the beginning to help me through the rough days. After I started my chemo treatments I was so sick that the cravings were minimal.

Susan

Hello Farrah,

There are many medications that are intended to wean you off smoking. It's tough but you can do it. Some quit cold turkey. After going thru surgery and all the unknown things that can cause a recurrance I think that would be enough motavation to quit.

All My Best, Danny Boy

Hi Farrah,
While I was waiting to undergo the biopsy, I was scared to death. Even then I couldn't quit cold turkey and limited myself to 5 a day.Then I read a book entitled 'The Easy Way To Stop Smoking' by Allen Carr. I used this book as an aid to cut down to one or two a day. Then when I was diagnosed and went into the hospital for radical left neck dissection, I refrained while in the hospital and never lit up again since discharge. I, too smoked since I was a young teenager and I'm 46 now. It's been seven months for me now and the minimal cravings are not worth the risk. Did you have any radiation and/or chemo? Barbara

Farrah,

As an ex-smoker myself (I quit ten years ago), I think its worth knowing that one big predictor of whether you will be successful quitting smoking is actually how many times you have tried to quit before. The more times, the more likely you'll be successful this time.

Quitting smoking is one of those "if at first you don't succeed, try and try again" things. So don't be hard on yourself if what you've done so far hasn't worked and *especially* don't give up. Just try to figure out where you went wrong, make a plan to cover that, and TRY AGAIN.

I actually found that a lot of the little things alcoholics in recovery use to quit drinking were also helpful to me in quitting smoking.

Some of the most helpful ones for me were these two:

1. be aware of the people, places and things that trigger a craving and AVOID them no matter what. I couldn't go into bars at all for about a year after I quit smoking because I got a terrible craving to SMOKE if I was out having a drink and chatting with friends (this was when you could still smoke in bars). I also couldn't sit down with one of my research colleagues from grad school and discuss resesarch because we had ALWAYS accompanied that with lighting cigarettes and chain smoking. And any time I was angry, at first, I was *dying* for a smoke. I had to learn entirely new methods of dealing with my anger (long fast walks).

2. When you get a really intense craving, put some time around it before even thinking about giving in. I would tell myself "OK. If I'm still dying to have a cigarette in 20 minutes, I can have one, but right now, just for the next 20 minutes, I'm not going to give in". If you are craving a smoke all the time at first you may want to make it 24 hours that you give yourself. It's where the saying "one day at a time" comes from and it's incredibly effective. Cravings don't usually last that long even when they are very intense.

3. This is a biggie. Its best to presume that because you are addicted to cigs now, you will always be an addict, even after you have quit for some time. Do NOT kid yourself that you can "just have a drag or two" and be OK. Doing this had me revert to smoking at age 30 after stopping for two years in my late twenties. If I hadn't reverted, I wonder if I would have ever gotten oral cancer.

Anyway, this is what worked for me. Good luck and remember don't stop trying!

Nelie

hi farrah,

maybe this will help motivate you. June, my sister-in-law, has just been placed on a list for dual lung transplant. she is in her early 60's, a long time smoker. June has Pulmonary Fibrosis, which is not caused by smoking. she is on oxygen and mostly uses a wheelchair. when she walks, her finger nails turn blue from lack of oxygen. the blood level gets down to 50%.

3000 folks per year need lungs in the US. 1000 get them.

i didn't know that lung transplants were possible and think it is almost magic that docs can do that. June is lucky in that she still has treatment options... i don't know if lung transplants are available for cancer folks. no one that i've known with lung cancer has been offered a transplant.

i think it's great that you are trying to quit smoking and wish you my best wishes. i know it is a very difficult thing to do. be strong and do your best.

cu,
larryb

Farrah:
The bottom line is NO ONE INDIVIDUAL can recommend any procedures, patches or devices that will help you quit smoking, it is an inner thing and very personal. I was blessed 2 years ago, I awoke one morning and had no craving for a cigarette and haven't craved one since. But I enjoy being around someone that is smoking, the aroma, aahhh... It angers me when an individual is making an effort to quit smoking and everyone and their brother is constantly asking how they are coming along with quitting smoking. Don;t they realize that it makes a bad situation worse. It is not easy and it is very personal, Good Luck...
Darrell

Farrah, first of all, good for you for wanting to stop smoking! My doctors, who did not know I used to smoke, told me that smokers have a much great rate of recurrence. I did not follow up to find percentages, as I do not smoke now, but that is something for you to consider seriously. Good luck. It can be done and YOU can do it!

Farrah,

I quit smoking long enough ago that my doctor told me it wasn't a factor in my cancer. I quit when we moved into our first new house, built just for us. I used the patch (covered by insurance at the time) and hard candy for that oral fixation. Drive to work? Cinnamon disc! Drive home? Cinnamon disc! The new house kept me busy and distracted while I was home. This was probably my 5th or 6th attempt to quit.

Good luck to you.

Lisa

wow, thanks everyone for your replies! printing this out and reading again whenever i have a craving will help!

no, i was lucky and didn't need chemo or radiation. maybe if i had, it wouldn't be so hard, i'd have more motivation. i woke from surgery, and when the results came back a week later, was told they got it all. but that i have to quit, because it'll probably come back if i continue to smoke. i'm trying the patch, but the cravings are so bad, that i smoke on top of it, for an extra jolt of nicotine. i bought some lozenges, but they hurt my throat when i tried them. maybe now it's healed enough where i can try them again. i quit drinking 4 years ago, and that was a piece of cake compared to quitting smoking.

as for any kind of medication besides the patch, and lozenges, i'll have to ask the doctor when i see him next. thanks so much for your replies, and great suggestions. keep them coming! this is a great forum, and i appreciate your support.