Tobacco Use Cessation and SCI

[puddels]

any ideas?

I'm new comer to this site. SCI 26 yrs ago C5-6 Incomplete Quad. Started smoking a few months after the halo came off. My spasms didn't throw me outta bed when I started smoking. I Quit almost a year ago for the obvious reasons of my health. However for the past year I have really bad pain & spasms from the knees down, Doc says it's neru pain (which I never had before) I asked if it was because I quit smoking? Doc says no!
I don't believe everthing my Doc says, this Doc has put my health at risk a few times over the years any learned very early you have to also be your own Doc.
I have had to go off work and I love my job, not sleeping cause of the pain, had to start drugs (baclofen), haven't been taking hardly any since injured (very lucky) I just don't like being physically weak from the drugs.
I guess I'm asking if anyone else has experienced this so many yrs after their injury? Any ideas from anyone out there? I want my life back!!!

[Imight]

I'm working on it. Altho living an extra ten years in this body isn't exactly ideal either. lol

[SCI-Nurse]

Puddels, all evidence is that smoking makes neuropathic pain worse, so I would suspect that it is just a coincidence that your neuropathic pain started at the same time you stopped smoking. What are you doing for your pain and spasticity now? Meds? Stretching? Standing? Exercise? Baclofen is a poor drug for neuropathic pain, but can help many with spasticity.

(KLD)

[puddels]

KLD......Thanks for responding!. I'm seeing a neruphysio, kinesiologist, massage therapist. I also do some leg work (lifting & pushing with assistance from the the therapists. I do tons of stretching both at home & with the therapist, cycling on a power assist bike up to 12 mins now increasing by the week. I take baclofen only at night, I've never been comfortable taking meds I would rather alternate therapys. I'm open to any suggestions, just want to get back to my job & my life!
Any idea why this pain would start after 26 yrs post injury, have you come across this before?
Thanks again for responding!!!!

[SCI-Nurse]

Unfortunately, it is fairly common for neuropathic pain to worsen with aging in SCI, but if this is completely new, and the suddenly increased spasticity is new, I would at least want to rule out a syrinx as the cause. Don't you have a physician? Generally a physiatrist or neurologist would need to order an MRI to evaluate you for a possible syrinx.

(KLD)

[puddels]

I had to fight with the Doc for an MRI.................I won! I'm getting one in March.
Today is very bad day, no sleep at all, pain in my legs is almost unbearable, had a lot of trouble just getting on & off the toilet & getting in & out of the shower.
I pride myself on being a very strong person, however lately I'm just tired of being strong!

[Lola_wheelie]

i'm sorry KLD and y'all non smokers, but smoking is one of the few pleasures i still have and can enjoy. i don't cough nor do i get shot of breath. i guess i am just a hard core smoker that hides under a cloud of smoke and is not about to give up her pleasure for more ys of life.

sorry!

lola

[bethanyjoy1]

I'm a new person on the block on this forum. I clicked on this message because...I was wondering if my quitting smoking could have been a factor in causing the spinal stroke I had in December 2009? Of course, no medical professional will say that quitting actually led to a spinal stroke... That would be contrary to everything they say about the bad effects of smoking.

I find it really interesting, though, that I joined a gym, started working out, quit smoking, then this spinal stroke occurs. I was in fairly good health before this, albeit needing improvement in physical stamina and strength, which is why I joined the gym and quit smoking in the first place.

Almost makes me want to turn back the hands of time and not join the gym, not quit smoking, see if this malady would have still hit me.

[zepac]

i'm sorry KLD and y'all non smokers, but smoking is one of the few pleasures i still have and can enjoy. i don't cough nor do i get shot of breath. i guess i am just a hard core smoker that hides under a cloud of smoke and is not about to give up her pleasure for more ys of life.

sorry!

lola

This is all true. Im a c4-c5 myself too and i damn love golden Camel cigs Im sure its hard on our lungs(esp at my and your level or injury where lungs are bit weaker), but screw that. It really is one of the few things i can really enjoy. It gives me more than it takes. And if i die bc of smoking then so be it, being dead cant be worse than SCI

[zepac]

Its bullc* Waste of your time.

[Lola_wheelie]

This is all true. Im a c4-c5 myself too and i damn love golden Camel cigs Im sure its hard on our lungs(esp at my and your level or injury where lungs are bit weaker), but screw that. It really is one of the few things i can really enjoy. It gives me more than it takes. And if i die bc of smoking then so be it, being dead cant be worse than SCI

amen, zepac!!!

[dash]

I loved smoking starting when a young teen. I had pneumonia several times after becoming a quad at 16 .Competed in track and lit up. Got in my car and lit up. Smoked lots when Mother visited. Quit at 45 and at 47 caught the virilant flu and brought the new mellinum on a vent. It took 3mos to get off it. I then got that blood clot in my lung. Ended up w/ a trach and it took a year to be free. The most frightening thing thing ever is being unable to breathe.
I sometimes wake up reaching for my cigarettes. I can hardly spend any length of time w/ Mother but know I love her, she'll soon turn 80. Strange. I won't go anywhere there is smoke after the trach deal but still crave nicotine over 10yrs after quitting.

[garyv]

Well I had started smoking when I was in junior high at about 13 smoked until I was in my 30s then quit for 7 years and picked it up one day just like I had never even stopped smoking and even smoked more I think . Then about 4-5 months ago a friend of mine was going to the quit smoking clinic that the hospital is doing by using the money from the cigarette lawsuit that helped make smokes 5 bucks a pack, So I went to the course , it takes 6 weeks but it is free from the hospital and they give you all of the patches ,gum ,losenges, mints all the stuff out on the market for free. But you have to go to the meetings they give you a 1 week supply at a time.But ehen you finish the course they give you 6 weeks worth and a voucher from the health dept to get more stuff if you need it.The first time I quit it was cold turkey and it was hell for me and anyone around me , but this time with all of the stuff they give you it was not too bad but I do have to say you have to want to quit or dont even go and waste you time going. I did quit and have been smoke free for about 5 months now and have not missed it and am saving almost ten bucks a day , But the bad part is the person who I went with did not quit and he has been through the course 2 times , but he does not want to quit, He even went in the meeting telling the teacher that he likes to smoke ..
But I think ALL citties have these free programs now just check with your local hospitals or clinics.Or go online in your state for quiting smoking.
Gary

[rollin64]

Well I had started smoking when I was in junior high at about 13 smoked until I was in my 30s then quit for 7 years and picked it up one day just like I had never even stopped smoking and even smoked more I think . Then about 4-5 months ago a friend of mine was going to the quit smoking clinic that the hospital is doing by using the money from the cigarette lawsuit that helped make smokes 5 bucks a pack, So I went to the course , it takes 6 weeks but it is free from the hospital and they give you all of the patches ,gum ,losenges, mints all the stuff out on the market for free. But you have to go to the meetings they give you a 1 week supply at a time.But ehen you finish the course they give you 6 weeks worth and a voucher from the health dept to get more stuff if you need it.The first time I quit it was cold turkey and it was hell for me and anyone around me , but this time with all of the stuff they give you it was not too bad but I do have to say you have to want to quit or dont even go and waste you time going. I did quit and have been smoke free for about 5 months now and have not missed it and am saving almost ten bucks a day , But the bad part is the person who I went with did not quit and he has been through the course 2 times , but he does not want to quit, He even went in the meeting telling the teacher that he likes to smoke ..
But I think ALL citties have these free programs now just check with your local hospitals or clinics.Or go online in your state for quiting smoking.
Gary

im gonna have to check into that here in so. ga.

i know when im in the hospital they give me the patch and i dont think of smoking at all.

[feisty]

I'm officially a non-smoker, you just have to decide to do it. Luckily I'm super stubborn and went cold turkey after my doctor told me to quit when my birth control tried to take me out last year.

I will admit I was never a heavy smoker, and couldn't imagine getting anywhere close to a pack a day (where do you guys find the time??) but it's so nice to smell good and not worry about all the side effects for a few cancer sticks a day (wrinkles, teeth whitening, smokers breath etc)