Smoking or non smoking

[Razzle]

i am a 20 a day man finding hard to quit will stopping bring my levels down and by how much l avg 10.5 a day and have a reasonable diet more exercise is a must tiny steps at the moment but need to take control any ideas ? Thanks in anticipation

 

[Pinkorchid]

How much do you actually want to give up . If you are really committed to doing it it is not that difficult When I was told by my doctor 10 years ago that I had high blood pressure and giving up smoking was the best thing I could do for myself. I was a 20 a day smoker for over 40 years but I gave it up that day and never smoked another cigarette for me it was a no brainer. I did not use any nicotine aids just went cold turkey and I did not have any really bad cravings at all I just chewed normal gum when I had the urge to smoke and after about 4 weeks I didn't even need that Wish I had done it years before

 

[chalup]

Quitting smoking is always a good idea. I quit by switching to vaping and I am almost totally weaned off nicotine at this point with no weight gain and no withdrawal symptoms. I would suggest going to a good vape shop and asking questions. You dont need fancy just basic. The more important thing to address is your diet. If you are averaging 10.5 then you are not eating a reasonable diet for you. If you were, your numbers would be much lower. I am going to tag @daisy1 to send you an information packet that is well worth the read. At the bottom is a link to the low carb program. Taking control of your diabetes means taking control of your diet. I hope to see you posting your victories soon. Welcome to the forum.

 

[daisy1]

@Razzle

Hello Razzle and welcome to the forum I used to smoke more than 2 packets a day and one day I got tired of wanting to give up smoking and being unsuccessful. I decided to use nicotine gum and a lot of willpower and stopped immediately - never had another cigarette again. I wasn't diabetic then. On another subject, here is the basic information, mentioned above, which we give to new members and I hope you will find it useful. Ask as many questions as you need to and someone will be able to help


BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEW MEMBERS

Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.

A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you'll find well over 210,000 people who are demonstrating this.

On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.

The role of carbohydrate

Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.

If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.

The bad news

Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.

The good news

People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.

Controlling your carbs

The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.

There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:

• Reduce your carbohydrate intake
• Choose ‘better’ carbohydrates

Reduce your carbohydrates

A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.

The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.

Choosing better carbohydrates

The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.

Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes.

Over 145,000 people have taken part in the Low Carb Program - a free 10 week structured education course that is helping people lose weight and reduce medication dependency by explaining the science behind carbs, insulin and GI.

Eating what works for you

Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.

To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.

The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:

Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes

• Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
• 2 hours after meals: under 8.5 mmol/l

Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (adults)

• Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
• 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l

Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (children)

• Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
• 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l

However, those that are able to, may wish to keep blood sugar levels below the NICE after meal targets.

Access to blood glucose test strips

The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:

• structured education to every person and/or their carer at and around the time of diagnosis, with annual reinforcement and review
• self-monitoring of plasma glucose to a person newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes only as an integral part of his or her self-management education

Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to blood glucose testing supplies.

You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic.

Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.

 

[ChrisSamsDad]

It's the single most important health related improvement you can make. Don't TRY to give up, just give up.

Now

Don't mess about with vaping and patches and stuff. Just tell yourself that's it, you've stopped and don't smoke any more, there'll never be a better time than now, don't wait for some random date or imagined event when you can convince yourself it'll be easier, don't even finish the packet. Just because you've paid for a poison is no reason to consume it, you won't be saving money, it'd be like stabbing yourself just because you've bought a knife.

You'll feel for a few days with physical withdrawal symptoms, then have to get over the habit for a while longer, but you just need to find something to do with your hands - licquorice root helped me, or a grip trainer or something.

Welcome to the world of ex-smokers, you've not got £30 or £40 quid a week extra, will smell nice, live 10 years longer, make those around you happier, feel healthier and fitter and most importantly be able to sneer at smokers for continuing to be so stupid, smell bad, die younger and give legalised death-dealers £30 or £40 a week.(tobacco companies and the government in case you're wondering).

 

[JohnEGreen]

I think smokers are addicted not stupid like many here who were addicted to carbs but never gave them up till they became diabetic.

I mean nobody would call Albert Einstein stupid or would they.

Smoke or not smoke it's up to you and if you wish to stop then the method is up to you also but I do not think it will affect your blood sugar much either way.

 

[ChrisSamsDad]

I think smokers are addicted not stupid like many here who were addicted to carbs but never gave them up till they became diabetic.

I mean nobody would call Albert Einstein stupid or would they.

Smoke or not smoke it's up to you and if you wish to stop then the method is up to you also but I do not think it will affect your blood sugar much either way.

They're only stupid once you've given up yourself and can look down on them. It helps to think like that so that you are dissuaded from starting again.

 

[JohnEGreen]

That's an attitude I find abhorrent. And self righteous. I suppose by that logic you would also sneer at fat or obese people . I try not to look down on any one in order to make my self feel better about my self.

Regards John

 

[ChrisSamsDad]

Who are you to look down on anyone? How dare you!

I'm 6ft 5in and an ex-smoker.

 

[donnellysdogs]

I do not know if stopping smoking will
Increase or decrease your blood readings.

However, if you aregoing to snack more, then unless on insulin your bloods are likely to go higher.

That is something to be aware of.. Not a reason not to quit.

Every person has some addiction or flaw in life..nobody is perfect..carbs to me are an addictive, **** food is addictive, so is gambling, playstations or even looking forward to having a regular drink of red wine on a Saturday night etc.. Just because its once a week - try giving it up forever.. Nobody is perfect.

Good luck on giving up.

 

[Gaz-M]

I was a 30-40 man a day until last August, for the second time I was rushed into hospital because I was unable to breathe (literally) BO was 65% and the left side of my heart had enlarged which was showing on the egm. I was diagnosed with severe COPD and spent 8 days in hospital having tests done, after that i thought thats it and gave up with the help from the smoking clinic. I use a e-cig now and never looked back

 

[Razzle]

Thanks for all your comments I think it's time to man up throw what's left in the bin and start my first smoke free day (as a smoker or soon hopefully to be a non smoker please don't judge us as we all have some type of addiction that's what makes the world go round) again many thanks for all your input keep those blood sugar low

 

[Julesatnotts]

I was a 20 a day smoker for 40 years or more and I had one session of hypnotherapy which cost £297 and have never smoked since even though my husband and nearly everyone at work does.
It only works if you really want to stop and the lady I went to said that if I smoked again she would do it again free.
My supervisor often leaves her cigarettes and lighter on our shared desk and I can honestly say I gave never been tempted.

 

[Tabbyjoolz]

Hi Razzle, another ex-smoker and committed vaper here. Vaping, combined with sugar-free nicotine gum, has helped me stay quit for six months so far. I feel so much better for it. If you have a vape shop near you, you can try before you buy, so you can see whether it's for you or not. I wish you the very best of luck.

 

[Jo123]

Thanks for all your comments I think it's time to man up throw what's left in the bin and start my first smoke free day (as a smoker or soon hopefully to be a non smoker please don't judge us as we all have some type of addiction that's what makes the world go round) again many thanks for all your input keep those blood sugar low

Well done! And good luck, a couple of friends went on the Alan Carr course and it worked. My brother in law vaped to stop now doesn't vape either.
Keep us posted on your progress.

 

[ladybird64]

They're only stupid once you've given up yourself and can look down on them. It helps to think like that so that you are dissuaded from starting again.

If you have to adopt a condescending attitude/thought pattern to keep you off the cigs, maybe you are insecure - very much so.
I look to my own health as my incentive and keep me off them, not the perceived stupidity of others. I'm 5 5", and I don't feel the need to look down on anybody

 

[MikeTurin]

Ex smoker here - quit cold turkey from a pack a day to 0 some years ago. I don't remember exactly the day now.
Yes it's hard, especially the first days and months. But I think it's totally worth it.

Found a lot of support on USENET https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/alt.support.stop-smoking
but nowadays NNTP is a bit dead protocol.

 

[ChrisSamsDad]

If you have to adopt a condescending attitude/thought pattern to keep you off the cigs, maybe you are insecure - very much so.
I look to my own health as my incentive and keep me off them, not the perceived stupidity of others. I'm 5 5", and I don't feel the need to look down on anybody

I'm not the kind of person to telegraph a joke by putting emoticons and stuff, but I was jokingly referring to the generally excepted stereotype of ex-smokers as feeling superior and self-righteous, and also trying to give encouragement to the OP about one of the ways in which they'll be happier after giving up.

Thank you, nothing ruins a joke more than explaining it.

Although, frankly, if you smoke and don't at any point ever think - "I am so stupid to be paying all this money to kill myself slowly and painfully, while making life a misery for myself and those around me", then you're unlike any smoker or other drug addict I've ever met. I frequently found myself walking miles in the rain to the nearest allnight garage, or even rolling up the remains of previously smoked fags and thinking precisely this.

And also, frankly, everyone looks down on someone - Brexit voters, Trump supports, anti-vaccine parents, parents who scream at and smack their children in supermarkets, BMW drivers, cyclists on the pavement, drunken revellers in town on a Saturday night - we all find some group of people stupid (Although to clarify, I do mean 'doing a stupid thing' rather than born less intelligent)

 

[carty]

I gave up over 40years ago ,cold turkey was the only way to go then and I found it very hard I didn't believe that I was addicted to tobacco but was I wrong !!! The crunch came when the only thing that I could find to smoke was a half smoked cigar that I found in my husband's drawer .I sat in the bath with the cigar in tears and thought " What have you come to Carol " Then I was determined that I would beat it no nasty tube of tobacco was going to get the better of me .You have to want to stop but it can be done and the advantages are many as have been outlined on here
CAROL

 

[Jaylee]

I'm not the kind of person to telegraph a joke by putting emoticons and stuff, but I was jokingly referring to the generally excepted stereotype of ex-smokers as feeling superior and self-righteous, and also trying to give encouragement to the OP about one of the ways in which they'll be happier after giving up.

Thank you, nothing ruins a joke more than explaining it.

Although, frankly, if you smoke and don't at any point ever think - "I am so stupid to be paying all this money to kill myself slowly and painfully, while making life a misery for myself and those around me", then you're unlike any smoker or other drug addict I've ever met. I frequently found myself walking miles in the rain to the nearest allnight garage, or even rolling up the remains of previously smoked fags and thinking precisely this.

And also, frankly, everyone looks down on someone - Brexit voters, Trump supports, anti-vaccine parents, parents who scream at and smack their children in supermarkets, BMW drivers, cyclists on the pavement, drunken revellers in town on a Saturday night - we all find some group of people stupid (Although to clarify, I do mean 'doing a stupid thing' rather than born less intelligent)

Hi,

I don't often agree with half the "guff" you come out with..?! Stay with me..

However, I do get your challenging "devil's advocate" humour.. In this case. "Lampooning" the ASH magnets.
Yer starting to endear yourself in this quarter!