What was your reason for stopping smoking?
Health concerns. I really needed to pack up smoking but didn't really want to do this. I went for a lung scan and found out I had emphysema and COPD. That's why I knew I need to stop as this diagnosis really scared me.
Have you stopped smoking previously?
No, this was the first time.
Before your first appointment, did you believe you would be successful?
No because it was a real struggle at first. I was tempted to take the patches off at certain points, but my advisor said to keep them on and try and forget about them.
Did you use stop smoking medication to help you quit and what did you use?
I used 25 mg patches 16 hours a day alongside chewing gum.
How helpful did you find this?
Absolutely. I've tried patches before but my skin is so sensitive. They were really helpful, I wouldn't have been able to do this without the patches.
Apart from medication, what else helped you to quit and stay smoke free?
The support from my advisors, telephone calls and regular text messages really helped me.
What do you like the most about being a non-smoker?
I have always enjoyed my food, but my taste and smell is going back to how it was a long time ago which is great.I enjoy food more and the smell of baking is amazing! It's amazing how quick these changes hit you. There's a lot more advantages than just your health when you quit smoking.
Has your health improved since you quit and if so, in what ways?
At the moment it hasn't, due to me having COPD. However, I have had a positive weight gain which I am very happy about.
Other than health, have you achieved anything since quitting that you couldn't do whilst smoking?
Not really, but I have started saving a lot of money!
What have you found helpful whilst accessing Yorkshire Smokefree service?
The phone calls are really helpful and discussing with my advisor about time I felt down. Being able to talk has really helped me and knowing that there is a lot of support on the other end of the phone.
