Scared to Quit Smoking

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Here's the deal.

I'm a 22 year old male. I had my first seizure last year when I was 21. I smoked around 7-10 cigarettes a day during college. I went on the patch to quit and completely ceased cigarettes...3-4 days later I had a tonic clonic seizure, and subsequently lost my license for 6 months. After that I was put on topamax. Doctors said that the patch couldn't have caused it but I'm not so sure. After that I (stupidly) started smoking again.

After around 11 months, I decided that topamax was driving me crazy. Went to my specialist, who said that I should switch to Keppra. I did and it was okay, although I had a crazy heart beat (rushing feeling). After a few weeks, I quit smoking again..this time cold turkey. A few days later I had another rushing feeling in my heart and ended up in the ER. They switched me off Keppra and put me back on Topamax (didn't gradually do it). 2 days later I had 2 seizures in a row, and lost my license for 6 more months. I was put on depakote. The depakote made me gain large amounts of weight (25 lbs in 5 months). I stupidly started smoking again after this time too...what with college graduation, finals, and moving to a new city.

I know I need to quit smoking, but as we can see the common factor here is smoking. I know I need to deal with stress and sleep (as those are probably big factors), but I use cigarettes as a crutch.

*note- please don't lecture me about smoking-I went to a very prestigous university, have never smoked anything illegal, and am gainfully employed- ie...I'm not stupid)

I really dont know what I'm reaching for here, except I'm scared it's going to happen again if I quit. I can't afford to lose my license for another 6 months, as I am now alone (not even a roommate) in a big city that basically requires a car. It has poor public transportation and is very spread out.

What should I do? Between the weight gain (quitting will make me gain even more wait and I can barely fit into my clothes now), and fear of everything that comes with having a seizure I'm not sure if it's worth it...but then again, I know later down the road it will be worse for me to have been smoking.

Suggestions?

Comments

Re: Scared to Quit Smoking

Submitted by Seruzies on Sun, 2009-06-28 - 23:58

I've never tried, so I'm not sure what I'm afraid of. Pretty soon, I'll be more concerned with keeping a roof over my head rather than where my next smoke is coming from. But alas, I've never tried so I don't really know. I know I need to quit, but I'm not sure how I'm going to go about doing it. I guess I'm a little scared to because I've never tried. I guess I'm going to be afraid of the price of smokes pretty soon. I know it's not good for me especially because of my Epilepsy and what can happen if I have a seizure while I'm smoking. My Dr gave me the patch once and I never really tried it, too much going on in my life at the time to really try to stick with it. My Father and Brother both quit cold turkey and told me that's the easiest way to do it. I guess I am, like you say, a little afraid of quitting. Weather or not it will help or hurt my Epilepsy, that I don't know that either.

Re: Scared to Quit Smoking

Submitted by rikk on Mon, 2009-06-29 - 04:29

hi, i won't do the lecture thing. i do understand the fear. it is a bit///h. it grows with or with not smoking. problems. smoking decreases the amount of oxygen absorbed in the blood. the oxygen is replaced by carbon monoxide.(carbon monoxide attaches to the red blood cell alot faster than oxygen) the results in increased irratation to the nervous system. specifically the brain. increase irratation, increase chance of seizure. nicotine, increases heart rate increase oxygen demand, decreased amount available to feed the heart as a muscle. fear increases the need for oxygen. That is just with a couple of the chemicals in cigarettes. coming off of any addictive substance can make anyone more prone to seizures. tapper off if you quit. 3-5 days. cigarettes make the body work harder. The calm that comes from smoking is false. it is feeding the addiction in a stress situation. The doc that took you off the meds without doing it tapered needs a kick in the....tail. not a good plan. Not smoking will probably make you less likely to have a seizure. There are many kinds of seizure meds, it may be a trial and error to find the right one for you. all people are different. Keep the goals in mind. First goal. seizure control. then you look at benefit verses risks, when looking at side effects. goal 2, tolerable side effects. that is where working with the doc and both being involved in making the choices. I wish i could give you good advice as far as the fear goes. I can only tell you what i have to tell my self. courage is doing what is needed in the face of fear. i know it is corny, but it works for me. I have not been able to get rid of the fear. I have just learn how to live with it. I will tell you this. chantix is not recommend for people with seizures. I tried it. it was not fun. Many other people had similar problems. i have had positive results from quiting. easier to breathe is number one. saving the money, not having people look down there nose. The best result is that i have not had another doc, or other health care provider tell me i should quit. i have not smoked in almost 2 years, and still want one every minute. I smoked for 40 years and up to 2 packs per day. Quiting will make you less likly to seize. it is not a carved in stone result. continuing changes nothing. The end is that it is still a choice that every addicted person makes. do or don't. The thing that i noticed is like you, what am i going to fear. it is not a choice of being afraid. hope it give a different prospective, or at least validates both what you feel, and that you are not alone in your fear. rikk

hi, i won't do the lecture thing.  i do understand the fear.  it is a bit///h.  it grows with or with not smoking.  problems.  smoking decreases the amount of oxygen absorbed in the blood.  the oxygen is replaced by carbon monoxide.(carbon monoxide attaches to the red blood cell alot faster than oxygen)  the  results in increased irratation to the nervous system. specifically the brain.  increase irratation, increase chance of seizure.  nicotine, increases heart rate increase oxygen demand,  decreased amount available to feed the heart as a muscle.  fear increases the need for oxygen.  That is just with a couple of the chemicals in cigarettes.  coming off of any addictive substance can make anyone more prone to seizures.  tapper off if you quit. 3-5 days.  cigarettes make the body work harder.  The calm that comes from smoking is false.  it is feeding the addiction in a stress situation.  The doc that took you off the meds without doing it tapered needs a kick in the....tail.  not a good plan.  Not smoking will probably make you less likely to have a seizure.  There are many kinds of seizure meds, it may be a trial and error to find the right one for you.  all people are different.  Keep the goals in mind.  First goal.  seizure control.  then you look at benefit verses risks, when looking at side effects.  goal 2, tolerable side effects.  that is where working with the doc and both being involved in making the choices.  I wish i could give you good advice as far as the fear goes.  I can only tell you what i have to tell my self.  courage is doing what is needed in the face of fear.  i know it is corny, but it works for me.  I have not been able to get rid of the fear.  I have just learn how to live with it.  I will tell you this.  chantix is not recommend for people with seizures.  I tried it. it was not fun.  Many other people had similar problems.  i have had positive results from quiting.  easier to breathe is number one.  saving the money,  not having people look down there nose.  The best result is that i have not had another doc, or other health care provider tell me i should quit.  i have not smoked in almost 2 years, and still want one every minute.   I smoked for 40 years and up to 2 packs per day.  Quiting will make you less likly to seize.  it is not a carved in stone result.  continuing changes nothing.  The end is that it is still a choice that every addicted person makes.  do or don't.  The thing that i noticed is like you, what am i going to fear. it is not a choice of being afraid.  hope it give a different prospective, or at least validates both what you feel, and that you are not alone in your fear.  rikk

hi, i won't do the lecture thing. i do understand the fear. it is a bit///h. it grows with or with not smoking. problems. smoking decreases the amount of oxygen absorbed in the blood. the oxygen is replaced by carbon monoxide.(carbon monoxide attaches to the red blood cell alot faster than oxygen) the results in increased irratation to the nervous system. specifically the brain. increase irratation, increase chance of seizure. nicotine, increases heart rate increase oxygen demand, decreased amount available to feed the heart as a muscle. fear increases the need for oxygen. That is just with a couple of the chemicals in cigarettes. coming off of any addictive substance can make anyone more prone to seizures. tapper off if you quit. 3-5 days. cigarettes make the body work harder. The calm that comes from smoking is false. it is feeding the addiction in a stress situation. The doc that took you off the meds without doing it tapered needs a kick in the....tail. not a good plan. Not smoking will probably make you less likely to have a seizure. There are many kinds of seizure meds, it may be a trial and error to find the right one for you. all people are different. Keep the goals in mind. First goal. seizure control. then you look at benefit verses risks, when looking at side effects. goal 2, tolerable side effects. that is where working with the doc and both being involved in making the choices. I wish i could give you good advice as far as the fear goes. I can only tell you what i have to tell my self. courage is doing what is needed in the face of fear. i know it is corny, but it works for me. I have not been able to get rid of the fear. I have just learn how to live with it. I will tell you this. chantix is not recommend for people with seizures. I tried it. it was not fun. Many other people had similar problems. i have had positive results from quiting. easier to breathe is number one. saving the money, not having people look down there nose. The best result is that i have not had another doc, or other health care provider tell me i should quit. i have not smoked in almost 2 years, and still want one every minute. I smoked for 40 years and up to 2 packs per day. Quiting will make you less likly to seize. it is not a carved in stone result. continuing changes nothing. The end is that it is still a choice that every addicted person makes. do or don't. The thing that i noticed is like you, what am i going to fear. it is not a choice of being afraid. hope it give a different prospective, or at least validates both what you feel, and that you are not alone in your fear. rikk

Re: Scared to Quit Smoking

Submitted by kv on Sun, 2009-12-13 - 05:40

It was initially hard for me 2 quit smoking,though it was less than a pack a day...but i was determined 2 be b fully recover,hence i tried quitting,...naturally after some time,...the desire 2 want 2 smoke reduce,...It may be true tat quitting will reduce seizure...Also,..I chant...I practiced Daishonin's Buddhism. I'm still trying 2 overcome my sadness n depression of not having a full time job,a proper career.Society is cruel,..wat 2 do?Only 2 remind myself 2 b positive n b strong... All the best 2 u.....

Scared to Quit Smoking

Comments

Re: Scared to Quit Smoking

Submitted by Seruzies on Sun, 2009-06-28 - 23:58

Re: Scared to Quit Smoking

Submitted by rikk on Mon, 2009-06-29 - 04:29

Re: Scared to Quit Smoking

Submitted by kv on Sun, 2009-12-13 - 05:40

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