Still smoking support and chat thread

[beebopnjazz]

Yeah, Andria, WTH is wrong with them??? I have never felt so nauseated lol! I just dunno how we are going to get out of here. I found out I need two more surgeries and am starting to lose it. I thought about that unhappy woman who is a supervisor at the salon and appreciated what you wrote a lot. But I just can't stand being a total misanthrope anymore. I'm trying to find new ways to cope with this place. There are some venues hiding out here and pot is now legal, but I would have loved that way before I got too old to be high all the time, ha-ha!!! I feel high from the drugs they have me on right now! They upped my thyroid medication to see if it would help stimulate my metabolism and help me lose a pound a week. So far, nothing, and I'm really sticking to a 1,500 calorie diet with no cheating. I had no idea a hysterectomy could cause me to gain over twenty pounds. When I smoked cigs I had no problems with losing weight and keeping it under control. Maybe I should start buying the nicotine liquid again instead of the zero mg juice.

Have people reported weight gain when they quit and started vaping? I have to starve myself in order to lose an ounce. I have wanted to start a blog for years because I love writing so much and I discover new things about myself when I write. I have never been so isolated from health problems before. I'm way past cabin fever. I'm entering cabin psychosis!!!!!! I have to work night and day on my song writing, guitar playing, and odd stuff I like to do. It keeps me sane. I like this forum a lot. Thanks for putting up with my labile moods!!! I really like thayamaxes avatar because it reminds me of Eddie and Patsy from AbFab -- but for the life of me, I can't remember who that is! Now I know I'm getting old. My mind is going.

You're probably being too strict on that diet. Your body is in starvation mode and slowing your metabolism further. I don't know how tall you are.....I'm 5'5" and I used a program once that even told me I hadn't eaten enough to continue to lose weight- it said 1600 or so. Also, Lox's doctor advised him that you MUST cheat one day a week to prevent starvation mode. He lost a tremendous amount of weight prior to our meeting using the 1500 or so calories plus 1 cheat day per week.

I've gained weight since we've been married - I really need to get back to it.

 

[AndriaD]

Yeah, Andria, WTH is wrong with them??? I have never felt so nauseated lol! I just dunno how we are going to get out of here. I found out I need two more surgeries and am starting to lose it. I thought about that unhappy woman who is a supervisor at the salon and appreciated what you wrote a lot. But I just can't stand being a total misanthrope anymore. I'm trying to find new ways to cope with this place. There are some venues hiding out here and pot is now legal, but I would have loved that way before I got too old to be high all the time, ha-ha!!! I feel high from the drugs they have me on right now! They upped my thyroid medication to see if it would help stimulate my metabolism and help me lose a pound a week. So far, nothing, and I'm really sticking to a 1,500 calorie diet with no cheating. I had no idea a hysterectomy could cause me to gain over twenty pounds. When I smoked cigs I had no problems with losing weight and keeping it under control. Maybe I should start buying the nicotine liquid again instead of the zero mg juice.

Have people reported weight gain when they quit and started vaping? I have to starve myself in order to lose an ounce. I have wanted to start a blog for years because I love writing so much and I discover new things about myself when I write. I have never been so isolated from health problems before. I'm way past cabin fever. I'm entering cabin psychosis!!!!!! I have to work night and day on my song writing, guitar playing, and odd stuff I like to do. It keeps me sane. I like this forum a lot. Thanks for putting up with my labile moods!!! I really like thayamaxes avatar because it reminds me of Eddie and Patsy from AbFab -- but for the life of me, I can't remember who that is! Now I know I'm getting old. My mind is going.

I may have gained a little, and I think it might be because everything tastes so good now; for several months I went kinda nuts on the yummies, and now I seem to be stuck with this extra 15 lbs (slower metabolism too, with my age and post-menopause). But I've started walking in the evening, mainly to try to get my lungs back into some kind of working order, now that I don't smoke; still got asthma, but just sitting around on my .... isn't going to help either my asthma OR my waistline! I'm just starting to see a tiny bit of improvement in my breathing; can make it most of the way up the hill without feeling I'm about to die, and Sunday when we went to visit my mom in the hospital, I was actually able to keep up with my husband thru that long parking-lot walk. So maybe the 15 lbs will start to give way a little, just by adding a little more activity.

I have some medication issues at the moment too; changed my Advair scrip from 250/50 to 500/50 -- and it really is helping my asthma, but it's also giving me some insomnia problems, with the doubling of the steroid. Last night I decided to skip my bedtime dose of the Advair so I could sleep, and dang, did I ever! Didn't wake up till 1pm! Guess I needed it, after the mostly-sleepless night before.

Andria

 

[Vape Suzette]

Hi, beebopnjazz, is there any way a person can lose weight if they have six cheat days a week and one starvation day -- LOL!!!!

I know, I know. I am punch-drunk from not enough sleep and now strong coffee. And I have also started talking to myself. I have heard of dieters who lose and feel happier when they eat what they want once a week. Is it called stock piling? Anyway, I love your quote "Oh, crap, she's up!" Ha-ha!

Andria! Hi! Augh, steroid hell! Yeah, I used to take Prednisone all the time and felt like I was on some kind of speed. My athsma has completely disappeared after living out here in this arid climate. The worst thing about New England is the humidity, but Georgia has that beat. I would still be using my inhaler even after all this time without a cig. I have been dreaming I am eating in my sleep. I do not want to be thin. It's just a cold fact that I never will be thin. All I want is to be like I was before all the surgery and the menopause shock after they took everything out. I sweat in the winter and even slept with the windows open and it drove my husband crazy! Glad you slept. I have to do more sleeping. I am cutting my Levoxyl in half today so I don't freak out again. Take care!

 

[Vape Suzette]

Hello, thayamax:

IT JUST HIT ME! Sometimes things really drive me insane when it comes to memory problems. Your Avatar is Tim Curry -- Frank N. Furter!!!!!!!!!!!!!! RHPS! I used to wish I could be one of the characters, but the only one that worked for a woman my size was Divine. I miss Divine and dress up like him/her at Halloween and scare the hell out of the people in small mountain towns. I'll have to find some pics to post. I used to go to Baltimore often and wish Edith Massey still had her thrift shop.

 

[Thayamax]

Ding, ding, ding...you are correct!! Frank N Furter from RHPS is my avatar. I love that movie...and Tim Curry. I've never dressed up as him for Halloween, but seeing as I live in the suburbs of Detroit I'm not sure I'd scare the hell out of anyone anyway. Maybe if I broke into a chorus of "Sweet Transvestite" I'd get a few sideways glances, and more than a few chuckles, especially since I also suffer from the dreaded post-menopausal bloat.

 

[Vape Suzette]

Wow! How is Detroit? I hope that Motown is being properly immortalized. That great musician/artist who lives in the historical section of Detroit, Sixto Rodriguez, aka Sugarman, is finally being honored. The university there gave him an honorary doctorate in philosophy. I listen to him a lot.

I miss the days of RHPS!!!!!!!!!! It had better come back 'round again! It had been driving me nuts trying to place it, and at first I thought, NY Dolls, then Lou Reed, but .. then it HIT me -- lol!

 

[AndriaD]

I started having hot flashes when I was freaking 38 yrs old... and the stupid doctor: "Oh, you're much too young for that." Yeah, doc, tell that to my ovaries: I was POST-menopausal before I was 48! But I have to say, I like it; none of that monthly insanity to deal with. I'll just have to get out there and walk off this 15 lbs.

Andria

 

[Vape Suzette]

Oh wow, Andria, I so know about the egos of doctors. Even the female ones that still look like fetuses. Whew! If they woke up in a pool of sweat they would not tolerate it and start to cry. I had a palliative care Dr. and she came over to see me every month. She came to my home! I still write to her because it's a rare thing to have someone care about you when you can't even get to the hospital on your own. I could barely sit up in a wheelchair at the time. She often did not even charge me the 50.00 dollar out of pocket specialist co-pay, and I am blessed to have incredible insurance. I used to remind her to please charge my insurance! The woman was a humanist saint! She prescribed me pain medication when no one else was doing that.

I had a tumor hitting my spine and three ruptured discs, It was insane. It's total BS to meditate or wish the pain away and bio feedback was a cruel joke. If not for her I would have died.

She also prescribed the best med that many doctors (especially the male ones) never heard of for ending night sweats. She started me on what she called "the best kept secret medication", just 400 mg Gabapentin because when she saw me in the hospital first, I was drowning in sweat. My pillow and bed clothes were soaking wet. I started taking Gabapentin at bedtime, and I have not had night sweats once since! If I forget to take it I look like a drowned rat.

I sure don't miss the monthly mood swings at all. When my husband came home, I said, "is that a vape in your pocket or are you just glad to see me?!" The funny thing is that he has never even smoked!

 

[Thayamax]

I've been having hot flashes for 15 years and they still continue, although they've lessened from having at least 25 a day to 2 or 3 a day. I've been taking Gabapentin for diabetic neuropathy in my feet and hands for well over 10 years and am now up to 600 to 900 mgs 3 times a day. It didn't seem to help my hot flashes, more like they've gotten fewer over time. Either way, I just wish they'd stop already!

 

[josh w]

Treatment starts today. I can only hope and pray for the best now. On a plus note, being an ex menthol smoker I decided to try a mint flavor. So I played mad scientist last night and mixed up a creme de mint concoction. Think it's just what I needed. I can already feel my nerves calming.

 

[AndriaD]

I've been having hot flashes for 15 years and they still continue, although they've lessened from having at least 25 a day to 2 or 3 a day. I've been taking Gabapentin for diabetic neuropathy in my feet and hands for well over 10 years and am now up to 600 to 900 mgs 3 times a day. It didn't seem to help my hot flashes, more like they've gotten fewer over time. Either way, I just wish they'd stop already!

I know the feeling, and also that waking up in a freaking PUDDLE! Air conditioning MUST have been invented by a peri-menopausal woman...

I still get the hot flashes a little, but not as often, and not as extreme; think my hypothalamus is finally starting to get the drift: there ain't gonna BE any more estrogen!

Andria

 

[beebopnjazz]

L-Arginene for hot flashes. A doctor wrote a book called "The Menopause Diet" - L-Arginene worked quite well.

 

[beebopnjazz]

Josh - way to go on your juice! Good luck to your dad.

 

[Vape Suzette]

Thayamax: Sorry to hear that. Peripheral neuropathy is difficult to say the least. I have it in my feet, but it has not spread to my hands. I had an EMG done on my hands in case it was diabetic neuropathy -- and I was scared because I am a musician. I developed it from a botched epidural steroid injection in my low back. Sorry to hear Gabapentin does not help you with hot flashes. There are so many doctors out there who think that what works for a some patients will work for all of them. I remember trying Lyrica shortly after it came out and it made me feel worse, and the neurologist talked to the drug rep who told her it was all in my head! The doctor believed me and told the drug rep off. I really enjoyed that! They said Lyrica had no side effects. Oh, yeah, and now they are reporting it's causing suicidal ideation. ? That's big pharma.

Andria, I'm sure I am completely out of estrogen. I wish I could take replacement hormone therapy but I am on Coumadin, Plavix and aspirin for a missing blood protein that causes me to develop arterial clots. I had a heart attack in my thirties and three stents placed, then I got a clot in my popliteal artery. I almost lost my right foot and was in and out of the cath lab over eight times and in ICU for a couple weeks. When I prep for surgery I have to go off all blood thinners and do a Lovenox bridge, and I hate giving myself shots. I have tried to find natural sources of estrogen and only came up with yams and tofu. I can't use the herbal stuff because even those cause clots. I'm just glad vaping does not cause clots!

 

[etherealink]

I guess I am, Lox. Above-ohm coils, under 20 w power, stronger e juice (because I'm still trying to quit smoking), mouth-to-lung hitter (tried a couple of straight lung hits with what I presently have, and it nearly took my breath away). Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

Dead on. Think anti-cloud chaser

 

[Vape Suzette]

Hi, Josh: I started smoking menthol cigarettes first, then switched to non-menthol and kept that up until I found vaping. I tried several flavors, but found success when I started vaping menthol juice. It gave me that TH that I had not been able to get from other flavors. Creme de mint sounds like a flavor I'll have to try!

 

[Thayamax]

I only smoked menthol for a couple of years when I first started smoking (doesn't everyone?) I switched to regular during my second pregnancy when everything,including menthol cigarettes, gave me heartburn. Yes...we smoked during pregnancy back then. I still can't stand menthol or mint.

@josh w - Good luck to your dad.

 

[beebopnjazz]

Thayamax: Sorry to hear that. Peripheral neuropathy is difficult to say the least. I have it in my feet, but it has not spread to my hands. I had an EMG done on my hands in case it was diabetic neuropathy -- and I was scared because I am a musician. I developed it from a botched epidural steroid injection in my low back. Sorry to hear Gabapentin does not help you with hot flashes. There are so many doctors out there who think that what works for a some patients will work for all of them. I remember trying Lyrica shortly after it came out and it made me feel worse, and the neurologist talked to the drug rep who told her it was all in my head! The doctor believed me and told the drug rep off. I really enjoyed that! They said Lyrica had no side effects. Oh, yeah, and now they are reporting it's causing suicidal ideation. ? That's big pharma.

Andria, I'm sure I am completely out of estrogen. I wish I could take replacement hormone therapy but I am on Coumadin, Plavix and aspirin for a missing blood protein that causes me to develop arterial clots. I had a heart attack in my thirties and three stents placed, then I got a clot in my popliteal artery. I almost lost my right foot and was in and out of the cath lab over eight times and in ICU for a couple weeks. When I prep for surgery I have to go off all blood thinners and do a Lovenox bridge, and I hate giving myself shots. I have tried to find natural sources of estrogen and only came up with yams and tofu. I can't use the herbal stuff because even those cause clots. I'm just glad vaping does not cause clots!

Estroven - plant based and soy. There was another and I can't remember what it was. As long as you don't have thyroid issues - regular soy consumption is a no-no. Is black cohosh a problem?

The book I was talking about was written by Larrian Gillespie. She pointed out that thyroid people should not take the soy based estrogens and that stopping them will cause joint pain but it's temporary. I had emailed late one night about dosage (which is in the book I believe) - explained about the kidney stones due to hot flashes - she told me to change the dose. I think it was to 1800 vs 600 (but I could be wrong on those numbers). I too hit the wall in my late 30s - and while most doctors won't tell you about it - an underactive thyroid can be the blame. My mother and I at the same time *smh.

 

[AndriaD]

Thayamax: Sorry to hear that. Peripheral neuropathy is difficult to say the least. I have it in my feet, but it has not spread to my hands. I had an EMG done on my hands in case it was diabetic neuropathy -- and I was scared because I am a musician. I developed it from a botched epidural steroid injection in my low back. Sorry to hear Gabapentin does not help you with hot flashes. There are so many doctors out there who think that what works for a some patients will work for all of them. I remember trying Lyrica shortly after it came out and it made me feel worse, and the neurologist talked to the drug rep who told her it was all in my head! The doctor believed me and told the drug rep off. I really enjoyed that! They said Lyrica had no side effects. Oh, yeah, and now they are reporting it's causing suicidal ideation. ? That's big pharma.

Andria, I'm sure I am completely out of estrogen. I wish I could take replacement hormone therapy but I am on Coumadin, Plavix and aspirin for a missing blood protein that causes me to develop arterial clots. I had a heart attack in my thirties and three stents placed, then I got a clot in my popliteal artery. I almost lost my right foot and was in and out of the cath lab over eight times and in ICU for a couple weeks. When I prep for surgery I have to go off all blood thinners and do a Lovenox bridge, and I hate giving myself shots. I have tried to find natural sources of estrogen and only came up with yams and tofu. I can't use the herbal stuff because even those cause clots. I'm just glad vaping does not cause clots!

I've read up on HRT, back when my mom was on it, post-hysterectomy; from what I managed to glean, a woman in "normal" health has roughly an 11 yr window before the risk of various cancers sky-rockets, and I advised my mom to that effect, so she gradually weaned off it after about 8-9 yrs.

My menopause was entirely natural, if rather drastically early -- still not outside the realm of "normalcy," in my late 40s, just maybe about a decade-ish early, for menopause to be complete. I've given some thought to HRT, but at first I didn't want to even try it, because of the risk of bleeding, and I had plenty enough of that in my last 10 yrs pre-menopause -- plus, I smoked, so no doctor would agree to it anyway. Now I'm 6 yrs post, and I think of it, especially now that I've become a non-smoker and thus eligible for it, but I just dunno. I subscribe very strongly to that idea about it not being nice to fool mother nature, and apparently mother nature decided that my fertile years were over, so I should just learn to live with it. Plus I can't possibly describe how much I loathe doctors and their "magic" pills that cause even more problems for the patient so the doctor has guaranteed his livelihood for even longer. It's such a racket. My lack of medical insurance, I think, is one reason I remain as healthy as I am.

Andria

 

[Vape Suzette]

Thanks, Beeebopnjazz! I have just had my thyroid dosage upped. I was so exhausted I was sleeping 14 hours a day. I'm hypothyroid. I was warned not to start black cohosh and soy. I'll often hear some great news, then I find out it'll make me worse. (darn) I think as long as my tumor markers and stress tests come back in good standing, then I will find a way to cope.

Wow, Andria. 38 it started? That is early peri. I was early too with peri, but was not full stop till they took out literally everything. The last three years or so before the hysterectomy and oophorectomy ... our bed was soaking wet. I'm glad they got that outta me before it metastasized to my lungs or colon.

Thayamax: Did you by chance start smoking Cools? I sure did!!! And it lasted about three years! My mom smoked all during her pregnancy, too! Doctor's recommend Chesterfields!!!!!!!!!!