What was your reasons for stopping smoking?
I was coughing a lot after having Covid, I then had some tests to find why I was still coughing, I was diagnosed COPD and Emphysema, they then found a mass in my chest and it needed to be removed. I was advised by the surgeon to stop Smoking as it was dangerous to smoke due to the operation and the recovery of the wound. My chest needed to heal.
Have you stopped smoking previously?
Yes, but I was not successful.
Before your first appointment, did you believe you would be successful?
I really hoped that I would be successful this time, but I had my doubts.
Did you use stop smoking medication to help you quit and what did you use?
I used the patches on their own, they really worked great for me.
How helpful did you find this?
Very helpful I would 100% recommend people give it a try in order to quit.
Apart from medication, what else helped you to quit and stay smokefree?
The calls from Sarah my stop smoking advisor have really been helpful. My Husband and the rest of my family have also been so supportive from the very first day I started my quit.
What do you like the most about being a non-smoker / quit?
I don’t have to go out in the cold to have a smoke anymore, I am not coughing all the time, I am saving money and my clothes don’t smell of smoke anymore. My family are very proud of me.
Has your health improved since your quit and if so, in what ways?
Yes, my emphysema and COPD is still there but it is a little better, my cough as gone.
Other than health, have you achieved anything since quitting that you couldn’t do whilst smoking?
I am still recovering from my operation. so, it’s too early to tell.
What have you found helpful whilst accessing Yorkshire Smokefree service?
Talking to Sarah my stop smoking advisor, the weekly calls from her have been great, she completely understood what I was talking about and going through. She has been very supportive throughout my quit, she has been a great help to me.
Could you give us a quote about your experience of becoming smokefree that may help others to take the same step.
Just don’t do it! Everyone tells you that and you still do it, but just try not to pick up a cig and get the support and products to help.
