Checking in

[Babsey]

Hello everyone.

It's DAY 5 with no smoking and no caffeine. I'm feeling better, my heart palpatations are better! Phew! I've been on the Lexapro for about a week and feel that it's helping with the anxiety. I've even started my Citracal again, but I feel like it makes me a little gassy. But that's okay, I need it cuz my teeth are starting to feel sensitive and I haven't been good with the calcium since the MC started in May.

So, I just wanted everyone to know that I'm doing better since my meltdown last week and I read all the posts every day, I just dont' always have the time to respond to all of them! But I'm always thinking about all of you and still grateful that I found this board!

[JLH]

Great to hear from you and that you are doing better.

[katinchatt]

Hi!

Yes, it's great to hear you are doing better! So, so good!
I too am on my 5th day of "feeling better", Yea! Entocort may just be my answer, for now. Long Term, who knows? Did you take your Docs advice and try the Lexapro? I remember you were on the fence about..........?? I'm a firm believer in NOT SUFFERING if you don't have to, so if it helps, why not. I fought taking drugs my whole life, and was proud that at 51, I only took 1 med for reflux a day, and one Estrogen shot per month. I felt extremely healthy 4 months ago. Well, things have changed and now I'll take whatever will make me feel better. Never in a million years would I consider taking sleep meds, but Entocort has changed my mind about that too. Tomorrow, I will begin sleep meds. Hopefully, it's all short term, but we owe it to ourselves to try everything available. I hope your work load will lesson as well, and you'll have more time to heal and rest.
I think by finding this site it shows that all of us care about each other as well. Personally, if I hadn't found this site, I would be the biggest mess you ever saw. I MEAN THAT! No medicine in the world can do what finding this site has done, I'm sure you feel the love and kindness with every dose/visit.

I prescribe one visit per day, as needed!
Dr. Kat

[tex]

Babsey,

You seem to be doing pretty well, to be five days into a program that cuts out both nicotine and caffeine - that's a pretty tall order. And, I'm glad to "hear" that the lexapro is helping.

Thanks for the update. We always wonder, when someone stops posting for a while.

Tex

P S It's none of my business, of course, so don't answer this if you don't want to, but I'm curious why you are cutting out caffeine. Is it because you feel that it affects your MC, or is it for another reason?

[katinchatt]

LOL,

I was so excited that cutting out caffeine and nicotine were helping with your anxiety, and heart palpatations, that I jumped ahead of myself :)

My husband swears I'm a selective-dyslexic & at times like this I agree. (He even made me take a test once)
Kat

[janet]

OH GOOD LUCK WITH THE STOPPING SMOKING. I WAS SUCH AN ARDENT SMOKER AND REALLY HATED IT WHEN SOMEONE WAVED MY SMOKE AWAY, MADE ME SMOKE ALL THE MORE. I WAS TERRIBLE FOR IT I ALWAYS SAID I NEEDED A CIG.
THEN I STOPPED SAME DAY AS MY HUSBAND THAT WAS L8 YEARS AGO.
WENT TO A HYPNOTIST AND BECAME A NON SMOKER JUST LIKE THAT.
THE BOTH OF US AND ALWAYS THOUGHT WE QUIT AHEADS OF THE POSI.
YOU CAN DO IT, BE A NON SMOKER LIKE ME.

TIMES ARE TOUGH BUT WE ARE TOUGHER.

KIND THOUGHTS TO YOU FROM JANET

[tex]

Kat,

I think we're all selective-dyslexic at times. We tend to see what we want to see. LOL.

Tex

[Babsey]

Hey Tex,

You can always ask me anything!!! I'm cutting out caffeine because it was making my heart palpatations worse (PVC's) and the anxiety. I think coffee did irritate the MC, because since I've stopped that, I can make it longer in the morning and i'm not panicked freak trying to drive to work.

Besides, for me personally, coffee and a cig go hand in hand so it's helping with the not smoking not to have coffee all day long, like I used to!

[Babsey]

Hey Kat,

Yup, I've been on the lexapro for about a week and starting to think it's helping! Even if I take it until this house building is completed and my stress level is minimized a little! I told my part-time job that I can only work one or two days a week and not every weekend and they said they could accomodate that, so that will help also!!!

DAY 6, smoke free and surviving!

[katinchatt]

DAY 6, smoke free and surviving!

YOU ROCK!

Keep it up,
Kat

[tex]

Babsey,

I certainly can't disagree with your logic, that definitely makes sense. Too much caffeine definitely affects my bathroom routine, but then, it did that long before my symptoms started, and I can't really tell whether that has changed, or not. If it has adverse affects on heart palpitations, though, and stress/anxiety levels, it definitely needs to go.

I just assumed that it would be harder to cut out both at the same time, rather than one at a time, but obviously, that was a poor assumption. I can certainly see that if the two are connected, as you mentioned, then cutting them both out simultaneously, will probably make it easier, not harder. Good thinking.

That was really nice of the folks at your part-time job to agree to that, also. Some employers don't like to do that. Obviously, they appreciate you, and the skills you bring with you, to work.

We're all pulling for you.

Thanks,

Tex

[Babsey]

Hey Tex,

I can tell you're not or havent ever been a smoker? lol
Everyone has their own personal triggers, mine are coffee , talking on the phone , and driving . Those are the hardest things to do without smoking. But, each day it gets easier and easier. I have to do it this time.
They are about $7 a pack up here.
Usually by my first week of not smoking, i'm for a day or so. My biggest problem in the past is that I always gave into it as soon as something stressful or upsetting happened. But, I've quit for over a year before and then started again, really really stupid.

But i wanted to report that without the nicotine and the caffeine, and trying to eat more frequently and balanced (trying to keep blood sugars and mood at an even so i don't have a meltdown and reach for smokes) the D has been less frequent and somewhat formed
It's like I get crampy for a few minutes and instead of having to run to the bathroom it just passes and then i'm fine and i never end up going!

My part-time job is just retail and when I mentioned that my doc wanted me to quit, the manager offered to let me do just minimal hours. When I told her that I didn't think that was fair for the store, being holiday season and all, she said she could work with it, that they liked having me around. So, I am very lucky. I didn't want to lose my discount either, it's Yankee Candle!!! lol

[tex]

Well, I do smoke cigars. I don't inhale 'em, so I don't seem to be addicted to them, (I'm sure the fact that I've been smoking them for over 40 years doesn't have any significance). The reason why I say that I'm not addicted to them, is because whenever I get a cold, or I don't have another reason to stay outdoors long enough to smoke one, (about an hour, because I smoke "full-grown" cigars. LOL), I don't smoke any, and don't miss 'em at all. When I catch a cold, for example, I usually wait a week or two before resuming the "habit", but I have to remind myself to smoke them, because I don't really crave them. One of these days, I reckon I'll get tired of throwing all that money down a rat hole, and give it up, too, but there are few things more relaxing than smoking a good cigar, (few legal things, anyway, LOL).

It sounds like you're making really good progress, and as long as you're motivated, you'll see it through. People who are motivated, get the job done. You're definitely making good headway on the MC symptoms, also. Until you are in remission, anytime you can ignore the "call of nature", without embarrassing consequences, you are definitely making good progress. (You're also proving that you have nerves of steel, because every so often, one of those cramps may not appreciate being ignored, at least that was my experience, while I was still healing). LOL.

Yep, it's mighty clear that those folks definitely like having you around, so that's a win-win situation, for sure.

Tex

[Babsey]

Tex,

That is so funny that you mentioned that about the cramps becuz i was thinking of that a little while ago, that one of these times, i'm going to think that it's all good and it's not going to be!
I guess I'll deal with that if it happens and I'll try not to be too over-confident in the meantime!

I think I entertain those young kids (well, people in their 20's) at the store. That's my fun job where no one is sick or whining or in pain or have something seriously wrong with them, neurologically. So, i'm usually sarcastic and i'm sure i amuse them with my stories!

[Jan]

You go gal. I had to give up the coffee when diagnosed with MC in 2005. The decaf. seems to work okay for me. I gave up cigarettes last year after my Mom was diagnosed with lung cancer. I have to admit I still get the cravings but they aren't as intense as they once were.

Good luck to you.
Jan