Had you smoked or quit?

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MichelleP
MichelleP Member Posts: 254
edited March 2014 in Lung Cancer #1
I would like to know how many LC survivors were diagnosed at the time they were still smoking or had they previously quit. I'd also like to hear from people who had never smoked. I'm very curious about this subject because whether it's true or not, I heard that the majority of LC survivors were actually diagnosed "after they had quit smoking". Please tell me your story?

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  • Greggriggs
    Greggriggs Member Posts: 132
    #2
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    Michelle
    I smoked for 52 years.I had to quit or they would not do the surgery.
    I am not sticking up for smoking but I think smokers or not if you get lung cancer it is not always caused by smoking .
    I think smoking is a waste if time an a dirty habit.
    But i sure did like smoking.
    Talk about lung cancer sitting in a car on a crowded freeway breathing exhaust fumes.
    What I am getting at is there are a lot of reasons people get lung cancer.
    If you tell someone you have lung cancer the first thing they say is DID you smoke.
    Like you deserve it for smoking.
    Thank you for asking .
    Hope things are going well.
    Greg
  • suebanj
    suebanj Member Posts: 16
    #3
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    smoking
    I smoked right up to the point when the surgeon said you quit right now or I won't do the surgery..The next day I put the patch on, had surgery two weeks later and it is now 2 1/2 months without a cigarette.... Do I miss it at times, yes....but do I want to smoke again..I home never!!
  • cobra1122
    cobra1122 Member Posts: 244
    #4
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    Still Smokin'
    I guess I am both an oddity and dumby, but after being diagnosed with the stage 4 lung cancer i continued to smoke. I have smoke since I was 9 yrs old so say 40 years. I smoked after my bypass and numerous other heart problems, through numerous head injuries and strokes, adn through my chemo.. The Docs say they are happy that I at least cut back, but now think that smoking isn't going to severly increase or decrease anything, as most of mine is heireitry (can't spell). And that the stress of quiting maybe a lot on my system.
    I tried to quit but it was so second nature that I was unsuccessful. My family has spoken with the Doctors and know it now is just one problem I may never beat. I survived so many things and beat the odds, but smoking has always had the best of me. In that regard I am not someone to ask if smoking makes a difference. If you read my bio, I have contiinued to have health issues and yet still smoke, some people thing I am crazy maybe I am, but I haven't found anything that helps, been through even treatment there is even hypno and yet I continue to smoke, it is more like a mechanical process for me just like breathing, hearing, talking, walking and I continue to cut back....
  • MichelleP
    MichelleP Member Posts: 254
    #5
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    cobra1122 said:

    Still Smokin'
    I guess I am both an oddity and dumby, but after being diagnosed with the stage 4 lung cancer i continued to smoke. I have smoke since I was 9 yrs old so say 40 years. I smoked after my bypass and numerous other heart problems, through numerous head injuries and strokes, adn through my chemo.. The Docs say they are happy that I at least cut back, but now think that smoking isn't going to severly increase or decrease anything, as most of mine is heireitry (can't spell). And that the stress of quiting maybe a lot on my system.
    I tried to quit but it was so second nature that I was unsuccessful. My family has spoken with the Doctors and know it now is just one problem I may never beat. I survived so many things and beat the odds, but smoking has always had the best of me. In that regard I am not someone to ask if smoking makes a difference. If you read my bio, I have contiinued to have health issues and yet still smoke, some people thing I am crazy maybe I am, but I haven't found anything that helps, been through even treatment there is even hypno and yet I continue to smoke, it is more like a mechanical process for me just like breathing, hearing, talking, walking and I continue to cut back....

    Cobra
    Here is some information for you.

    http://www.lungcanceralliance.org/facing/facts.html

    Over 60% of New Cases are never smokers or former smokers, many of whom quit decades ago.

    Interesting reading and also upsetting to know lung cancer has the least about of research funding. :( Maybe since so many automatically relate cigarettes to lung cancer even though it might not be fact after all?
  • srbundy05
    srbundy05 Member Posts: 1
    #6
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    quit smoking
    My husband and I quit smoking 4 1/2 years ago. H was diagnosed on christmas eve of last year and died the 26th of Dec/ I was diagnosed on my birthday in July and had alobectomy, and started chemo today. I am recovering well and did not loose much breathing . I am really lucky I smoked very heavily for years.
  • nanaof7
    nanaof7 Member Posts: 127
    #7
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    srbundy05 said:

    quit smoking
    My husband and I quit smoking 4 1/2 years ago. H was diagnosed on christmas eve of last year and died the 26th of Dec/ I was diagnosed on my birthday in July and had alobectomy, and started chemo today. I am recovering well and did not loose much breathing . I am really lucky I smoked very heavily for years.

    quit smoking
    22 years ago my sister was dx with adenocarcinoma she was a smoker she was 47 and passed within 4 months of being dx it was a wake up call to me watching her get sicker and sicker so I quit smoking I even went so far as to not use candles arisols or anything that might hurt my lungs and guess what in march of this year I was diagnosed with the same cancer my sister had I was a big anti smoker to my friends and family lecturing them not to smoke well the joke was on me so now I am not sure smoking has anything to do with it and my smoking friends that smoked alot longer then me are fine; I don't know what the answer is
  • mshutt58
    mshutt58 Member Posts: 3
    #8
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    smoking and cancer
    Hello, I have smoked most of my life, I was diagnosed with lung cancer after surgery to remove a nodule in july of 09. I am told they got it all but the pathology says some vascular infiltration and it was attached to the pleure wall. They only took out a little bit of the center lobe on my right lung as my lungs were not in good eneough shape because of the emphysyma and chronic bronchitas. I have just about finaly quit smoking and it was one of the hardest things I have had to do. I started chemo last week for what they say is 3 rounds of the weakest drug (chemo)there is. It's called Alimta. No side effects after 5 days so far! I am staying open minded and if I do get some side effects I will deal with them as they come.I am still sore after the surgery though, and tired. I have stopped working for now and will take it as it comes.Mike s

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