I had an appointment last Thursday with my Primary Care Physician. I've been seeing him for over ten years and he knows my heavy smoking history well.
He's never pressured me to quit, he completely understands the stress-smoking connection (and my personal situation and circumstances which cause a great deal of stress and anxiety) and can truly empathize as he's struggled with quitting smoking as well over the years.
I proudly announced "I quit smoking over a month ago!". He sat back and raised his eyebrows. I really believe he thought I was joking around. I nodded emphatically, "No, really! I quit!". He laughed and looked puzzled and said, "How?"
I asked, "Have you heard about e-cigs?"
I pulled out my PV and showed him. He told me he's heard about them and read about them, but hasn't actually seen one. He was really interested and curious. I vaped on it for him and blew a big cloud of vapor in his face. He chuckled and said it smelled good. We chatted about it for a while, and I blew a few more vapor clouds at him.
He listened to my lungs. I have a long history of asthma, I received a COPD diagnosis 16 months ago, and have frequent bouts of asthmatic bronchitis that can get bad enough to buy me a 5 day hospital stay about once a year, plus I have 2 small lung nodules that they've been watching regularly for a couple of years.
He said, "Wow, this is the first time I have ever listened to your lungs and heard nothing... no wheezing at all, you are completely clear!"
He asked me how often I need to do breathing treatments and if I'm using my Advair and my Xopenex (or albuterol) rescue inhalers. I reported that I haven't needed my nebulizer (so no breathing treatments) and I have stopped my Advair and have maybe used my rescue inhaler ... twice? only because I had some tightness after using my fireplace every night for several weeks.
It was honest and safe to say that I have been breathing much better and I notice increased stamina and increased ability to do a lot of things easily as opposed to the tightness, wheezing, shortness of breath and exhaustion I'd learned to just put up with over the years.
He was visibly and verbally very pleased, and seemed rather excited and happy for me!
He made a big deal of showing me what he wrote on my chart. "Quit smoking - non-smoker"
He also gave me two big thumbs up on vaping. He said he doesn't see any problem with it at all and said he wishes more people who have a hard time quitting would try it.
I asked him if he wanted one, or the information on where to get one and he told me that he would have no hesitation using one but he was finally able to just quit on his own.
My doctor is a Registered Pharmacist, PHD in Clinical Psychology, and dual board certified in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics.
He's current, relevant and if he doesn't know the answer to a question, or is stumped by a particular problem he will say so, do the required research and follow up with documentation when he reports back his recommendations.
It was positive all the way around and I felt really proud of myself!
So - I am happy to say I got a big
from my physician, and a Way to Go! on quitting... a "quit smoking - non-smoker" status in my chart, and encouragement to keep it up because my lungs sound "markedly improved".
I am not due to see the Pulmonologist until June, and I am only looking forward to good news after my next pulmonary function and nuclear diagnostic testing
I just had to share!!
vape on
He's never pressured me to quit, he completely understands the stress-smoking connection (and my personal situation and circumstances which cause a great deal of stress and anxiety) and can truly empathize as he's struggled with quitting smoking as well over the years.
I proudly announced "I quit smoking over a month ago!". He sat back and raised his eyebrows. I really believe he thought I was joking around. I nodded emphatically, "No, really! I quit!". He laughed and looked puzzled and said, "How?"
I asked, "Have you heard about e-cigs?"
I pulled out my PV and showed him. He told me he's heard about them and read about them, but hasn't actually seen one. He was really interested and curious. I vaped on it for him and blew a big cloud of vapor in his face. He chuckled and said it smelled good. We chatted about it for a while, and I blew a few more vapor clouds at him.
He listened to my lungs. I have a long history of asthma, I received a COPD diagnosis 16 months ago, and have frequent bouts of asthmatic bronchitis that can get bad enough to buy me a 5 day hospital stay about once a year, plus I have 2 small lung nodules that they've been watching regularly for a couple of years.
He said, "Wow, this is the first time I have ever listened to your lungs and heard nothing... no wheezing at all, you are completely clear!"
He asked me how often I need to do breathing treatments and if I'm using my Advair and my Xopenex (or albuterol) rescue inhalers. I reported that I haven't needed my nebulizer (so no breathing treatments) and I have stopped my Advair and have maybe used my rescue inhaler ... twice? only because I had some tightness after using my fireplace every night for several weeks.
It was honest and safe to say that I have been breathing much better and I notice increased stamina and increased ability to do a lot of things easily as opposed to the tightness, wheezing, shortness of breath and exhaustion I'd learned to just put up with over the years.
He was visibly and verbally very pleased, and seemed rather excited and happy for me!
He made a big deal of showing me what he wrote on my chart. "Quit smoking - non-smoker"
He also gave me two big thumbs up on vaping. He said he doesn't see any problem with it at all and said he wishes more people who have a hard time quitting would try it.
I asked him if he wanted one, or the information on where to get one and he told me that he would have no hesitation using one but he was finally able to just quit on his own.
My doctor is a Registered Pharmacist, PHD in Clinical Psychology, and dual board certified in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics.
He's current, relevant and if he doesn't know the answer to a question, or is stumped by a particular problem he will say so, do the required research and follow up with documentation when he reports back his recommendations.
It was positive all the way around and I felt really proud of myself!
So - I am happy to say I got a big
from my physician, and a Way to Go! on quitting... a "quit smoking - non-smoker" status in my chart, and encouragement to keep it up because my lungs sound "markedly improved". I am not due to see the Pulmonologist until June, and I am only looking forward to good news after my next pulmonary function and nuclear diagnostic testing
I just had to share!!
vape on
