Asking for success stories, encouragment

[lusciousleaves]

a kick in the pants, or any other approach that might be useful to get me back on the wagon. I've fallen off, big time. Started smoking again, slacking on the fruits and veggies, increased the gluten and dairy. In fact, my fruits and veggies are juicing themselves in the fridge as we speak. I got so focused on taking care of outside chores, the one thing I needed most got put on the back burner and burnt to a crisp.

I'm stuck between sitting on my duff pouting about falling down so far and getting up and swinging again. I need an intervention. All comments are welcome. I have donned my emotional body armor and am ready for the onslaught. Dear MSWorld friends, let me have it.

[Camsue]

Hi lusciousleaves

Ha Ha, you sound pretty young ...I recently made goal on Weight Watchers (68 lbs down) and I feel so much better and have more energy...

I don't eat meat so I do alot of tofu and soy to 'beef up' on protein..I recommend not trying to change everything at once, maybe that's why you're giving up or in..

You know you feel better when you eat better and this MonSter can't attack as much!

Now get back out there and take care of yourself!!

[limbo-lifer.73]

Jumpy, Jumpy...what are we going to do with you!!!

AHH HAA!!! IT'S FORTY LASHES AT DAWN!!!
(which is right now, by the way)

So here's the drill:

1) Quit the cigs, again! My heart goes out to you
on this one. I've been nicotine free for 19.5 years. My
addiction wasn't that strong, so it's really been clear sailing,
but, I still get those "OMG, I started up again" dreams from
time to time. THROW THE BUTTS OUT!!!!

2)Clean out that fridge and pantry....again! Go grocery
shopping for only those things that are on your MS
diet of choice. Have only MS friendly foods all prepped
and ready to go in your fridge, so there's no excuse NOT
to eat right.

3)Start exercising, again! Granted, your gardening counts,
but you know already what you are capable of doing, what
you should be doing. That phrase: JUST DO IT fits in
nicely here.

4) Finally, and most importantly, here's a saying I've had
to learn, and re-learn, over and over, more times than I'd
like to admit. They are:

YOU CAN'T START FROM ANYWHERE, THAN WHERE YOU ARE RIGHT NOW!

I know, it seems so "ummm-duuhh", but it's true. Don't keep
comparing, now with what use to be. Start fresh with now!
Doesn't matter if you're coming off a flare, an injure, or in
your case, a major oops.

Sounds like you've got nowhere to go but up, so chart it!
Keep track of your progress...a lot of the best change happens
at new beginnings.

And stop beating yourself up, just roll up your proverbial sleeves,
and get started. And do keep us apprised of your progress!

Best wishes! Good luck! Get going, NOW!

Take care of you, friend.

me

[rainykatie]

i am a respiratory therapist- i see a lot of horrible things and watching someone die of COPD or lung CA from smoking is one of the toughest things for me. SO QUIT!!!

[lusciousleaves]

I love you guys. Thank you for sharing and the wee kick in the pants.

Rainykate, my mom has lung cancer and she never smoked, so I know what you're talking about. It was my motivation to stop earlier in the year. I know the smoking is part of why I'm feeling worse right now. I was trying to go without the patches and did well until my friend passed away.

Anyhow, have to get back on the health kick. I was feeling so much better and then boom! Still clawing my way back from the pit.

Wish I could get hubs to quit. They're always here when that weak moment comes along. Believe me when I say he really, really needs to quit. Don't know why he won't even try. I so wish he would. Talk about someone needing an intervention.

[hunterd]

All you have to remember is; yoda from star wars; try not, do! I think thats what he said.

[lusciousleaves]

All you have to remember is; yoda from star wars; try not, do! I think thats what he said.

I remember. Tell myself that a lot, actually. If only we could be like whales and sleep one side of the brain at a time.

If only I were rich enough to hire a chef! Maybe I could make a trade with a local retiree to keep up with the juicing. That alone would be a big help. Good golly, I may be onto something here. Going to have to put that out there and see if I get any takers.

[lovejoy]

AW YES THE SMOKING THING LOL, I STOPED THAT YEARS AGO ONLY BECAUSE THE PRICE KEPT GOING UP BUT I DO ENJOY A GOOD CIGAR FROM TIME TO TIME AND MY MEDICAL MJ , EITHER OPTION YOU TAKE ENJOY LIFE THAT IS THE MAIN THING IN MY BOOK SINCE MY BELIEF IS WE DONT HAVE CONTROL OF WHEN WE DIE ANYWAYS

[New normal]

Luscious leaves ...the warrior!

Hey, SOOOOO glad u started this thread. All the comments are great, and spoken from those who really know from experiencing the heat of battle themselves.

From my lens, however, I think you may be fighting the wrong enemy right now.....I think you are attacking your own self worth when the real foe is the ugly head of depression. Perhaps reevaluate your meds, face another doctor appointment, and partner with a medic you trust.

MS harbors depression and discouragement is the adversary's best tool. Our mental status is changing constantly, and I know there is the right tool out there for you. I am on Pritique which is an uptake of two "whatevers" (can't remember now) but, within thirty minutes, the fog cleared and I was empowered.

Sounds like you have been trying to fight hard against the opposition with all the strength you have....quit blaming yourself for not having the power....the short time I have "known" you, I believe you definitely do NOT lack the will OR discipline...you simply don't have the tools on board to do the work...

In short, (since I never can say ANYTHING in short), get to the dr and revisit killing the monster "depression" with a new approach.....it may take more effort than cleaning out your frig, but well worth it..

AND, keep posting. It helps us all to see the real human side of others!! I still believe you are a warrior....and the toughest thing we all face is admitting we have to go back into a treatment room and face a doctor......

Will be watching for your updates....we care about u.

PS. Cigs are not the opposition .... Just a symptom. Prayers are with you, my friend.

[JayEm]

I have managed to quit smoking, but I wound up having to go back to using nicotine gum because it seemed that nicotine was working as a kind of antidepressant for me, and I got a little crazy without it. I'm working on quitting it again, but I cut myself slack.

What works best for me--might not work for you, but it might--is to focus on changing my *attitude* about things, rather than trying to change my habits head-on. So I work on being just a little more active, a little more attentive to the food I eat, and so forth. I give myself permission to be imperfect, and find it easier to succeed at my goal than I did when I tried to do everything "right."

[lusciousleaves]

New normal, thank you for the input. I'm already taking one of those two uptake whatevers and it works really well. You may be right on that point a little bit because I picked it up again the day after the last neuro visit and lost my friend that day. It was a temporary setback, but not all is lost. Three weeks of smoking out of the last five isn't bad.There might even be a little bit of a seasonal shift going on. It adds more to the plate than was there before. Harder to juggle it all and something has to give.

JayEm, the patch works best for me but I was really hoping to be free of them for the summer. I almost made it, too! Oh well. Better to sweat them off than not have them at all, I guess. It works, along with a little gum and some lozenges too.

Thanks for the encouragement. I'm still not back into this diet thing, but have quit smoking again. One thing at a time . . .

[DaraPe]

I am so sorry to hear you started smoking again. How long you did not smoke?

[Sequoia]

MS harbors depression and discouragement is the adversary's best tool. Our mental status is changing constantly, and I know there is the right tool out there for you. I am on Pritique which is an uptake of two "whatevers" (can't remember now) but, within thirty minutes, the fog cleared and I was empowered.

Pristiq (I know, the spelling is weird, but that's what it is) is a selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SSNRI). It's the antidepressant of choice of my psychopharmacologist (psychiatrist who specializes in prescribing psychoactive medications). Sadly, I can't take it because I responded badly to Effexor, which is a specific contraindication for Pristiq since the two are so closely related chemically.

To the OP, I'd just like to reinforce the idea that you can't start from anyplace other than where you are. Good advice, that!

[lusciousleaves]

DaraPe, I've quit multiple times. This last time was for 5 months. The time before that was for a year. The more I quit, the easier each quit gets. Quitting is easy. The hard part is sticking with it for the long term, because they're always around the house.

[limbo-lifer.73]

AAAaaahhhh........ Jumpy........

So, it's not about the resolve in quitting the cigs.....again....

It's about strength of resolve! My last, and final quit
was successful, solely, because of strength of resolve!

I decided I AM NOT A SMOKER!!! Period!!
Not just "anymore", or "use to be", or "former"! I use to
smoke, now I don't smoke, and never will again!!

Once that was firmly established in my mindset, it did not matter
if that pack was 5 inches away from my hand, or five miles
down the road. The decision was made!

A good start, tho, to help you out would be to ask others
to kindly light up outside. They'll have a lot of company
these days. AND, your house will smell better, your
clothes won't stink, and YOU won't be still breathing
second hand smoke! It's a hard step to make, but most
smokers know deep down they should quit "again" too!

Pluck up that serious resolve! Firm up your commitment
to you, and YOU, WON'T LET YOU, DOWN!

Keep us posted on your progress!
Take care of you! Your limbo-like friend,

me