hi Blue - and good for you deciding you want to stop. I was the worlds best smoker and loved it sooooo much and one day my heart went in to a wrong rhythm and an hour later I was in intensive cardiac care, the cardiolologist said - Do you smoke? I said - Yes. He said - Now, you dont. it was hard at first and a friend said he had had hypnotherapy to stop and he was successful. it cost him £65 and I decided to have it too. then I thought - why am I paying someone to tell me I want to stop smoking? So I stopped. the greatest thing is the feeling so good about myself for stopping. I used the gum to help me at first and re-chewed on the same bit of gum and found that I was just chewing on bland gum. That was 3 yrs ago. I wish now Id never smoked and I hate the smell now. Please dont leave it til you have a health probelm to give up do it so you WONT have a health problem. There is a good website called ASH
quote
Time since quitting
Beneficial health changes that take place
8 hours
Nicotine and carbon monoxide levels in blood reduce by half, oxygen levels return to normal. Circulation improves.
24 hours
Carbon monoxide and nicotine eliminated from the body.
48 hours
The decline in lung function and excess risk of lung cancer halts.
1 month
Appearance improves – skin loses its grayish pallor and becomes less wrinkled
3 - 9 months
Coughs and wheezing declines
1 year
The excess risk of a heart attack reduces by half compared to that of a smoker.
15 years
Risk of heart attack falls to the same as someone who has never smoked.
Good luck Blue.