The Clinic

Hey everyone,

I decided to tell you about my current situation of becoming a non-smoker.

Two weeks ago i had an appointment at a non-smoking clinic at my local doctors. The appointment consisted of me talking about my bad habit, why i wanted to quit and the options i could take to help me to quit. I slowly took a deep breath out into the carbon monoxide reader and found myself in an amber warning light situation. My carbon monoxide reading came out at 10ppm. This placed me in the region of light smokers, however if my reading was 11ppm i would have been classed as a heavy smoker and have a red warning light. This was quite a shock to me!

I was eventually put onto a twelve week program run by the NHS to becoming smoke free. I was prescribed a pack of Invisi-patches with the highest nicotine dose the patches provided (25mg). One patch is to be used daily for the next couple of weeks to ensure that my nicotine addiction is being fed safely, my habit of putting the cigarette in my mouth is gone (AND REPLACED WITH FOOD, i might add) and then my nicotine addiction can be slowly weened off in the next twelve weeks. 

Currently, i have just finished my 9th day of non-smoking and using the patches and i have not had a cigarette since Sunday 30th July. It has seriously surprised me at how well i have done over the past days. I have not felt an urge to have a cigarette to the point where i have been really angry or stressed out! The patches seem to be working as i haven't had an issue at all really with not smoking, after a three year period of non stop puffing! For this fact, i am proud of myself!  My friends still smoke, so i thought it would be difficult if i went for a night in town with them at the weekend, whilst drinking alcohol, but i still did not want even a puff of the addictive little 'stick'. 

Last week, at my second clinic appointment i had a carbon monoxide reading of 2ppm, i am officially in the green light and classed as a non-smoker on my carbon monoxide reading. This was a high point for me, as on this day i did have a cigarette with me in my bag as my car had broken and i had to walk in the rain to the doctors and wait another two hours before work, meaning i had to change into my work clothes in a supermarket toilet..i was not pleased-it was one of those days!.

 However as soon as i saw my reading had gone right down i felt so good about myself that i threw the cigarette away and treated myself to lunch a Costa Coffee. That was the only bad urge i have had to have a smoke, and i managed to fight it...quite an achievement i think!

I have another appointment tomorrow at the clinic to see how i am getting on and check my carbon levels again. I shall let you know how it goes! 

But seriously, if you are thinking of quitting i really suggest the clinic...so helpful, and supportive!

Hope your all well :)

Smoke-free Beaumont xxx