I have been smoking for about 30 to 40 years, and I have never thought of giving up as I really enjoy my cigarettes. I have five sisters, two brothers three sons, ten grand children and four great grandchildren, my mother, sisters, sons, and grandson all gave up smoking and I still didn’t give it a thought to give up, even though I suffer with asthma, angina, and high cholesterol, along with arthritis in all my joints due to psoriasis.

Then one day the nurse from my doctor’s surgery phoned me and asked me to go in for a blood test, of course I went. She sent the blood test to the hospital for further testing, she then phoned me again to ask me to go in and see her as it was urgent. She said my cholesterol was very high, so she changed the dose of my tablets from 10mg to 40 mg. I still didn’t give it any thought to giving up smoking after all that has been my lifeline for most of my life.

I had to go back to have another blood test after three months, and my cholesterol was still very high. That’s when the nurse got really tough with me and told me I really, really, should think about giving up smoking. She gave me a prescription for the patches, I did try these but I am afraid they made me feel very ill so I just didn’t bother again for a while. After all other people seemed to be worrying about me smoking, but I wasn’t at all worried. To me smoking was just like breathing it was an every day thing.

Well after a couple of months I had to go back to the nurse for another blood test and of course my cholesterol was still very high. So she urged me to try some thing else, I said ok so we decided on the extra strength mint lozenge, once again I didn’t bother to take them as my friend and my husband were both ill so I was going to my friends house and helping her out and doing her shopping, and then I was running about for my husband and looking after him. At the same time I still had to look after my two little dogs and take them for walks along with my own housework, shopping and things, so I was too busy and occupied to think or even worry about me smoking.

Once my friend was better and my husband didn’t need so much looking after I gave these Lozenges a thought. I kept thinking I would give them a try, this went on for a couple of weeks. Then out of the blue one evening I thought right I would have this last cigarette then in the morning I will try these Lozenges and so far, touch wood, I am still on them. I have never actually said to my self I am giving up smoking. The thing that worries me now though is will I get dependent on the Lozenge’s instead of the cigarettes, but I will cross that bridge when I come to it.

                                                                 by Rita  Joel