Stopped Smoking

[IrishHeart]

Photography and being out in the fresh air is good.

(having suffered intense jaw pain, I soooo get that.)

We're photographers in this house, too. It's a great way to lose yourself in the creative process.

okay, here's another idea:

You need a massage!

Go get one!!

It will relax your muscles and detox the tissues.

and you will sleep well.

[ravenwoodglass]

Acupuncture can be very helpful with quiting smoking. If you have a practioner near you maybe give them a call. I went to a naturopath for a short time that would do both acupuncture and massage. There are also pressure points that you can massage yourself with acupressure that can help.

I hope you will pick up that camera again. I know the feeling and the mourning when you lose a large body or your work. I lost every painting I had ever done when I was in my 20's. It was devestating and I didn't pick up a paintbrush for many, many years. When I did start to paint again I realized it really was quite theraputic.

When you put those photos on your computer do make sure you do a back up of them right away if they are ones you like. I learned that one the hard way too. I still mourn the loss of a set of photos of a praying mantis that was very cooperative. Even let me move it from front porch to back yard on a stick and didn't mind close ups.

Keep going. The withdrawl from the nicotine will be over before too long. It will likely still be hard but you've come this far and you can go all the way.

[GF Lover]

I have rash squares where the adhesive pads were and she had also put a strip of tape over them. When she ripped it off I actually screamed.

When I like millions of others, was diagnosed with fibro, it was for pain from pressure on my skin. I haven't been able to use a bar of soap in the shower in years. It was so excruciatingly painful when she ripped. The top of my chest is now just all rash and feels bruised.

Then we went to the golf course, these hugh horse flys were out in droves. They were at least 1 1/2" long, I've never seen them so big. I told hubs "this isn't working for me", and it was so hot again.

I think that's enough complaining for one day.

Good news is, still smoke free

[IrishHeart]

It is my deepest hope that you will see that sensitive skin sensation go away. I had it. I wanted to die rather than put up with that sh*t. Misery for years.

I heard the word fibro, too from doctors who guessed what it could be going on inside me.

I was ON FIRE from head to toe and I could barely stand the water in the shower or towel drying off. Hurt to be rubbed.

Wearing clothes hurt. Laying down in bed hurt. Sitting hurt.

Now, I am in intense physical therapy and have deep massages. Why? The high histamine response inside me is dying down. My muscles, tissues and tendons are not so severely compromised as they once were. I am gaining ground every month. I could not open a jar or lift my arms over my head. I could not tie my own shoes. In fact, shoes HURT, so I went barefoot. I had to be dressed when it was bad. Hubs joked about my bra: I know how to take these things off, but putting them on is tricky!

Many of us had this painful skin/muscle issue. (Love2Travel, included. I know she will not mind me saying that)

It can go away. You may discover you do not even have fibromyalgia at all. My GI doc calls it "a secondary" response to the gluten. The MT I work with suggests a gluten-free diet to her fibro patients to see what happens. They ALL have no pain now. Coincidence? I think not.

Put a COLD cloth on your chest. Try some lotion on it. I know it hurts, believe me.

Sorry, kiddo.

Hope today is a better day.

[GF Lover]

Your making me cry but it's a good cry. This has been the first time in my life that I have not felt so alone. So few people in my life understand how painful things can get. I know that it's gonna keep getting better. I have already had some improvement in some of my back muscles. I have always felt that fibro is another catchall, just like IBS.

I think trying to increase my activities has put too much of a strain on me. The cig cravings are subsiding so I can relax about that. Since all of me hurts, I'm gonna continue to gingerly lay on the couch and be content to let Hubs and my son wait on me.

You give me so much hope Irish, I can never thank you enough.

I've got ice on my chest and seeing I'm gonna try and nap for awhile. I know tomorrow will be a better day and can't wait

[IrishHeart]

Do NOT try to over- exercise until your muscles have healed some more!! I made this mistake so many times.

I will tell you what my doc said to me:

Slow and steady wins the race.

Yeah, I don't like that either, but it is what it is.

We have to be patient with tissue and muscle repair.

I want to share something else with you. This young woman came on the sit e a few weeks ago. At 34, she had spent 4 years in pain, unable to pick up her own child. I saw her post. She was trying so hard to get a DX, but to no avail She knew it was gluten.

She just wrote me an email this morning as I had asked her to keep me posted. 16 days gluten-free and her life has turned around. She no longer needs her pain meds and is not in agony every day. Now, I am crying!

Stay the course and take it slow. Your body is going through major changes--between no gluten and quitting smoking, it's wondering what the sam hill is going on.

[IrishHeart]

You need to laugh your head off right now, so look at this:

when you get to the site, there are about 13 pages, so keep scrolling.

[Judyin Philly]

way to go G F Lover

haven't been on the forum in a couple years but I did quit smoking a year and 7 months ago

just wanted to post a congrats so I can get alerts and keep tabs on you

[nomoregluten]

hang in there! it's hard but you can do it! Quit 6 years ago when i went on a family hike and i was the only one who couldnt make it to the top of the mountain.

[GF Lover]

hang in there! it's hard but you can do it! Quit 6 years ago when i went on a family hike and i was the only one who couldnt make it to the top of the mountain.

Thanks. It's been a few weeks now and have not had one cig. I'm super proud of myself. Thanks for checking on me

:D

[msmini14]

I want to say congrats to all the people out there that have been able to kick this unhealthy habit.

I finally stopped smoking in March of 2009 and have not had one since! I smoked for 14 years straight at an average of 1 pack a day.

Quitting was soooo hard but I did it. And like others have said, "If you can stop eating gluten, you can stop smoking".

During my quit I told myself "I only feel this way because I smoked and not because I quit."

It is easy to say, I feel horrible because I stopped smoking but in reality you feel this way because you started to smoke.

Good luck to you and remember it is a long process but you can do it =)