All you smokers!!

[pushing 40]

If any of you guys are still smoking and want to quit, you have GOT to try Chantix. It was FDA approved last summer but for some crazy ass reason, I don't recall seeing much blitz about it. I had all the "good" reasons to just keep smoking for years: I was in Air Force special Ops and constantly deployed to every shit hole in the world; lots of stress. I worked out every day and even with smoking, I was in phenominal shape still running a 6 min mile into my late 30's and I still have almost no body fat even having been retired over a year now. Smoking wasn't hurting me right? Anyway, I heard about Chantix a couple of months ago and gave it a try.

 

My opinion: freaking MIRACLE DRUG!!!! Seriously, guys, if you really want to quit, give it a try. It is prescription only and kind of expensive but its damn well worth it. It somehow blocks the nicotine receptors in your brain and they seem to "think" they're satisfied. I had almost ZERO cravings. The emotional/mental/habit cravings still sneak up here and there, but as you smokers know they are nothing compared to the physical cravings and that's what this drug gets rid of. I hope you guys have as good a result with this as I did. I am one happy SOB.

 

BTW, only one month until I pay my visit to Dr Hasson and beautiful Vancouver!! I am starting to get more and more ecited AND nervous. I shaved my head down with a #1 clipper yesterday again. It should grow long enough not be problem before I get there I hope.

[pushing 40]

If any of you guys are still smoking and want to quit, you have GOT to try Chantix. It was FDA approved last summer but for some crazy ass reason, I don't recall seeing much blitz about it. I had all the "good" reasons to just keep smoking for years: I was in Air Force special Ops and constantly deployed to every shit hole in the world; lots of stress. I worked out every day and even with smoking, I was in phenominal shape still running a 6 min mile into my late 30's and I still have almost no body fat even having been retired over a year now. Smoking wasn't hurting me right? Anyway, I heard about Chantix a couple of months ago and gave it a try.

 

My opinion: freaking MIRACLE DRUG!!!! Seriously, guys, if you really want to quit, give it a try. It is prescription only and kind of expensive but its damn well worth it. It somehow blocks the nicotine receptors in your brain and they seem to "think" they're satisfied. I had almost ZERO cravings. The emotional/mental/habit cravings still sneak up here and there, but as you smokers know they are nothing compared to the physical cravings and that's what this drug gets rid of. I hope you guys have as good a result with this as I did. I am one happy SOB.

 

BTW, only one month until I pay my visit to Dr Hasson and beautiful Vancouver!! I am starting to get more and more ecited AND nervous. I shaved my head down with a #1 clipper yesterday again. It should grow long enough not be problem before I get there I hope.

[HK500]

Thanks for this report Pushing 40, my Doc told me to not consume ANY tobacco products in any manner 3 weeks before and 2 weeks after my HT. There is recent proof it inhibits healing, thins the blood, bad for your skin, etc ...

Try not to be nervous, we are here to give you all the aerial support you need

[Bill - Seemiller]

Smoking = smells bad = nobody wants to be around you except other smokers .

 

And if that's not enough to get you to quit smoking, it's bad for you too .

 

No offense intended to smokers...but it is the truth.

 

Pushing,

 

Hang in there buddy...you seem to be experiencing what I experienced...excitement and some anxiety. Have any HT dreams yet? I know I did pre-surgery...sort of like trying to make sense of what my experience will be like. Thankfully, since I've been in the chair before, I knew what to expect out of surgery...it was more the traveling that gave me the anxiety...but it really was a piece of cake...well...ok...a LONG piece of cake, but a piece of cake nonetheless

 

Bill

[the B spot]

Guys, I WISH I could totally kick the habit.....

 

While I only smoke about 4-5 cigarettes a day, often these little flaming sticks are the only thing standing between me killing someone or calming a bit.......

 

Imagine 75 technicians aged 19-45 in one building 7 days a week from 6:00am to 7:00pm.......and me trying to keep sane..... It's a wonder I don't drink!!!!!

 

I am hopeful that as I shift my profession into law that I can calm it down a bit and be more relaxed.....

 

I did quit a month before my session and I did not have a smoke for about 12 days after.

 

Later guys!

Cheers

[Bill - Seemiller]

B Spot,

 

I hear ya man. I hope you didn't take offense to what I wrote above. Heck, one of my best friends smokes and I love him (in a brotherly way) no less for it. Truth is...everyone has their way to escape the painful realities of life. Smoking and drinking are two big ones. But heck...there's workaholism, pornography, drugs, sex, etc. Even things that typically are good thing can be used excessively which make them a bad thing. Heck, sometimes I feel so lazy I don't even want to get out of bed. I know sometimes that's because I feel depressed...feeling like there's nothing better to do. I use laziness sometimes as a way to escape how I'm really feeling, what I'm really thinking. There are a lot of great things in the world...don't get me wrong. I'm not a pessimist by any means...but life is full of pain and hardship sometimes...and it's easier to run from it than deal with it sometimes. A little escape from reality every now and then is good...but when it becomes habitual or excessive, there's a problem. Reality must be dealt with...it's important. The only way we can truly experience joy is if we work through hardships, sadness, loss, etc and not try to escape from it. And even in our attempts to escape from it, it truly never works. We can only run for so long until it eventually catches up with us. Our habits end up bringing some temporary relief, but ultimately, the reason why they are habits is because the pleasure we take from it is only temporary. Of course I'm not saying that we should spend our lives in misery and never escape from painful realities. What I am saying, however, is that there has to be a time where we face hardships head on and deal with the pain, allowing ourselves to be sad, rather than trying to escape from it. Sadness has a function...it's designed to help us accept loss and move forward with life. Never facing harship and sadness all the time can put us in a state of numbness which can cause depression or bitterness where we experience outbursts of anger or a hopelessness or giving up such as in depression.

 

I know I'm going far beyond smoking in general...instead I'm talking about motives behind that and other habits. Ultimately we are pleasure seekers. There is nothing wrong with that...but there is a time for happiness and a time for sadness. Trying to escape sadness all the time will cause more damage than good. Well these are my deep thoughts of the day. Goodnight!

 

Bill

[YoungGuy]

No smoking before/after a HT? Doh! Why hasn't anyone told me! It's a month after for me and I'm still smoking! Is there any proof it can affect the hairs?

 

I know there's a lot of other reasons to quit, but I won't unless it affects the transplant. I'm what you'd call an unrepentant smoker - I smoked for a few years, quit for two, then picked it up again. Why? Because having thought about, I realized that I *like* smoking. I enjoy the distraction in the middle of the day, I like the act of it. We all have to die of something, don't we?

 

Still, if there's any studies done about smoking & hair restoration, please do send over some links

[pushing 40]

Well, its actually the "healing" process it affects, whether its a transplant or a cut on your leg. Smoking restricts blood flow period. It causes the veins and capillaries to constrict for long periods of time. That is why smokers heal more slowly than non-smokers; they do not have the same nourishing blood flow to the wound that it needs to heal itself. Can it actually affect the outcome in regards to graft survival, etc.? I don't know.

 

I guess being healthy is actually just the slowest rate at which one can still die, right?

[Janna]

I whole heartedly support pushing 40's comment on smoking and healing. We definately discourage our patients to stop or limit smoking after surgery.

 

Those newly transpanted grafts need all the nourishments they can get from healthy blood flow.

 

YoungGuy,

 

It's not too late, it's still better at one month post op to stop or limit as much as possible your cigarette intake.

 

B-Spot,

 

Need a prescription for Chantix?