I am still having pain in the upper right and then lower down in the center. It's very strange. It's like my entire trunk area is sore and hurting. I get more and more bloated as the day goes on, no matter what I eat. It's so frustrating. I guess the next step will be blood work and a CT scan.
As a former smoker, I am very conscious of what is going on in my body. I am always wondering if the big C (cancer) will rear its ugly head. I have been trying so hard to eat right and get exercise, and now I can't do the exercises I really want to do.
I'm hoping further testing will show what is wrong, and it's something that can be fixed. This is very frustrating. Even with the frustration and stress, I'm still not smoking. It CAN be done. All I'm using at this point is will power, but I don't think I could have quit without the help of Chantix.
I've been reading in the forums about people who had quit for years, and then started back up again. They decided at some point during a stressful time or a party, that just one cigarette would be OK, but it wasn't, and they fell off the wagon. I am learning that I should stick to the N.O.P.E. pledge. Not One Puff Ever! I know if I took even a puff of a cigarette, I would destroy my quit. I do NOT want to go through the quitting process again, with the cravings and withdrawal from nicotine.
I hope my blog is helping some people make the decision to quit. It's not easy, but it is sooo worth it. I used Chantix, but I believe whatever works for you is great. Just don't get hooked on another form of nicotine like gum or patches. I've read of people being hooked on the gum for years. If you are going to kick butts, you will need to kick the drug habit. Gum and patches and weaning off them over time works for some people. Just remember, they contain the drug you're actually trying to quit, so use them as directed. The same thing goes for Chantix and other quit methods. Education about nicotine and the effects of it over time are important tools in quitting also. Check out WhyQuit.com.
That's it for now. I'll update about what is wrong with me when I know, and also, you know I have to blog about the new cigarette labels coming out with the graphic pictures like the one below. Pretty graphic, but there are others that are not so graphic.
