• From: South Wales. UK
  • Registered: 2009-09-28
  • Posts: 56

Topic: Feeling 100% better.

Last October I went into hospital with an heart attack, the previous 6 months i had been seriously short of breath waking up in the night not being able to breath, having to stop when i walked anywhere.

When I went in i felt so ill that i thought i was going to pop my clogs,(as they say), my heart was beating at 180 to 200 BPM, i had a kidney infection, lung problems(enfacemia), chest problems with some pnumonia, anyway to cut a long story short, it is 6months now since i went into hospital they have controlled my heart back to normal rythem, my kidneys are back to good, chest cleared up, breathing very good, in fact i feel 30yrs younger.

The main problem was smoking, I have not smoked again since going into hospital and i cannot explain how much better i feel. so anybody on chordie who smokes, think about me and look after yourselvs. Tony. I will never smoke again, never.

tonynulty's Website

  • selso
  • selso
  • Senior Member
  • Offline
  • From: El Paso, TX
  • Registered: 2007-07-18
  • Posts: 994

Re: Feeling 100% better.

Defiantly makes me think about quitting. I'm glad you feel better.

Everything is bad including me
But being bad is good policy
Reverend Horton Heat
  • From: Alabama Gulf Coast
  • Registered: 2008-06-24
  • Posts: 1,819

Re: Feeling 100% better.

Hey, Tony. Like you I failed to quit until the onset of heart disease and a quintuple bypass operation, but after 9 days in the hospital I was past the worst of to tobacco jones and I haven't smoked since 2001.
My weight gain is about to kill me now.
toots

We pronounce it "Guf Coast".
Ya'll wanna go down to the Guf?

tubatooter1940's Website

  • KAP54
  • Honoured Member
  • Offline
  • From: London Ontario Canada
  • Registered: 2008-06-04
  • Posts: 1,746

Re: Feeling 100% better.

HI Tony,
Glad to hear things are going in the right direction for you. Smoking will do it to you for sure. Why it affects some people and not others is probably why there's still a lot of smokers. I've been diagnosed with Peripheral Artery Disease which I can say 100% is due to smoking. I haven't quit yet but have knocked my smoking down at least 90% (I plan to be 100% real soon) and my symptoms have decreased by the same margins. It's tough to quit but for those that smoke and don't show any symptoms there's no time like the present to quit...before you have symptoms.

Good for you Tony big_smile

Keep at it

Kenny

Just Keepin on Keepin on
Martin DC15E
Cort MR710F
Squire Strat (Chinese)
  • Zurf
  • Zurf
  • Blunt but well meaning moderator
  • Offline
  • From: Virginia, USA
  • Registered: 2007-06-27
  • Posts: 7,522

Re: Feeling 100% better.

Here's a story that one of my professors told me.  It's just a cute story and in no way meant to downplay the seriousness of Tony's message (and hey Tony - congratulations on feeling so great!). 

He told us his brother was out hunting when he began to feel tightness in his chest and numbness in his left arm.  Having heard the symptoms of heart attack, he headed for the nearest hospital.  Unfortunately, that was some distance as he was deep in the woods high up in a tree stand.  So he climbed down, hiked back to his truck, and then he still had a long drive to civilization.  As he drove out of the state game forest, he saw a small hotel and decided to go in there and call an ambulance rather than trying to continue to drive.  He pulled into the lot and parked in front of the office.  When he opened the door that was as far as he could get and he collapsed out of his truck.   He had no strength, but a strong hand lifted his head, opened his mouth, and stuck something under tongue.  Then he passed out. 

The strong hand belonged to the gentleman who ran the hotel, who had had a heart attack a couple years prior and always kept nitro-glycerin tablets on him.  He called 911 when he saw my professor's brother collapse, then went out and put a nitro tablet under his tongue.  The EMT's arrived and after reviving him transported him to the hospital.  As they were taking his history they asked him "Have you ever smoked?"  "Yes."  "Do you smoke now?"  "No," replied the brother.  "When did you quit?", asked the EMT.  "About twenty minutes ago," was the most honest reply that brother had ever made to a question. 

- Zurf

Granted B chord amnesty by King of the Mutants (Long live the king).
If it comes from the heart and you add a few beers... it'll be awesome! - Mekidsmom
When in doubt ... hats. - B.G. Dude
  • zguitar
  • Don't call me Sir
  • Offline
  • From: Mentone, Ca
  • Registered: 2009-01-10
  • Posts: 1,367

Re: Feeling 100% better.

Glad to hear that you have your health back. Now get back to strumming your guitar.

To all the smokers, you could buy a new guitar every year with the money you would save if you stopped smoking. Good incentive to stop huh?

Keep Rockin!!!!!!!!!!!
  • henryb
  • Senior Member
  • Offline
  • From: Lhanbryde
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 204

Re: Feeling 100% better.

Real pleased you pulled through Tony , 180 bpm that,s a real foot-tapper . Giving up the weed has been the best thing I have ever done .,and my collection of gear is now quite good too.

  • From: NY
  • Registered: 2009-08-26
  • Posts: 4,320

Re: Feeling 100% better.

Tony... glad to hear you're doing well!  Tuba... congrats also on quitting!  Kenny... 90% is nothing to scoff at!  You'll get there soon!

The constant barrage of stories absolutely make me think... the one thing my Doctor said was this, "At this point, we know that smoking is not good for you.  It's not a matter of IF you will have problems from smoking down the road... it's just a question of WHICH problem you will have.  Keep smoking and that's one promise I can make you... you will have SOME effect from it"

I know I need to quit... I know I have little kids and that should be reason enough to quit.  I'm a smart lady, I know all the reasons I should quit... I feel sometimes the barrage of reasons being slung at me makes me not want to quit... the kid in me fighting "authority"... and then, it seems every time I get serious about considering quitting, some other huge stresser comes into my life and I don't "feel" like I can handle that and quitting at the same time.  Some might call that an excuse, however it is my mind set.  As soon as I figure out how to get past holding myself back, it will get done. Hopefully it'll be before I have any major health issues.  UGH!

Art and beauty are in the eyes of the beholder.
What constitutes excellent music is in the ears of the listener.

mekidsmom's Website

  • badeye
  • The Blues Fixer
  • Offline
  • From: Cape Breton Island, Canada
  • Registered: 2006-09-02
  • Posts: 3,381

Re: Feeling 100% better.

Great News Tony, I quit over three years ago, started learning guitar and feel way better with lots of energy. tobacco is a killer.


glad your feeling better...   badeye   cool

one caper after another
  • From: Belfast
  • Registered: 2009-03-31
  • Posts: 330

Re: Feeling 100% better.

Tony,

Congratulations. I quit twenty-odd years ago, best thing I ever did bar marrying a good woman.

What I find concerning is the number of young girls smoking. Women are supposed to be more mature than guys, you'd think they'd have more sense. They just brought out an advert here specifically for teen  girl smokers . It says :-

"I smoke to lose weight - limb by limb, organ by organ. "

"Don't play what's there, play what's not there." Miles Davis

StranSongs's Website

  • From: A black hole in deep space
  • Registered: 2007-10-28
  • Posts: 7,865

Re: Feeling 100% better.

Tony good to hear of you recovery I quit smoking ten yrs ago but not before I was diagnosed with emphysema I had to go through a rehab program and I take medications 4 times a day including blood pressure medications I gave up drinking 3 yrs ago because it landed me in the hospital with tubes stuck in my arms my doctors said I was very lucky to be alive I lost a very dear friend (my drummer) he was on oxygen (a portable unit) plus useing inhalers and other medications but he refused to give up smoking died in his sleep he was 58 left behind a wife and son few are lucky to survive as you and me if they do major life changes need to be taken but life is to precious to ignore warning signs I wish you continued good health and recovery smile

"Growing old is not for sissies"

Russell_Harding's Website

  • From: Tooele Ut
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 4,049

Re: Feeling 100% better.

Thanks Tony for a little extra inspiration.  I am glad you are feeling better.  I quit 10 years ago, but secretly kept smoking a few a day until recently.  My wife found my hidden pack in the trunk of the car.  So, I am now wearing patyches again, which do help, and I haven't had one for three weeks.  I have been thinkinking alot about possibly sneaking another, but haven't yet.  Reading this thread will help me through this.  I hope.  And congratulations to all of you who have sincerley quit.  I hope to be one of you as of now.

You can see all my video covers on [url]http://www.youtube.com/bensonp1000[/url]
I have finally found happiness in my life.  Guitars, singing, beer and camping.  And they all intertwine wonderfully.
  • KAP54
  • Honoured Member
  • Offline
  • From: London Ontario Canada
  • Registered: 2008-06-04
  • Posts: 1,746

Re: Feeling 100% better.

To help me quit smoking I have been on a medication called Chempix. It is called a Beta Blocker (I think) but what it does is physically block the craving for nicotine in your brain so you don't get the cravings like you normally do. It's a bizarre feeling to want to have a cigarette and not have a craving.
Have a good support group handy and it should be a shoe in. It's expensive but worth it $60 per week (Canadian) for 12 week course but the benefits outweigh the obvious outcome.

Thanks for the educational thread Tony big_smile

Keep at it

Kap

Just Keepin on Keepin on
Martin DC15E
Cort MR710F
Squire Strat (Chinese)