I just wanted to share some personal news with all of my friends here at GoTitans.com. I have been a smokeless tobacco user for 21 years. Two weeks ago, at my regular dental cleaning, my dentist noticed a patch on my gum and suggested I have a biopsy to determine if I have oral cancer. I stopped the snuff that day.
This past week has been one of the hardest of my life. On top of going through serious nicotine withdrawals, I’ve been waiting by the phone for results of the biopsy. Every time the phone rang, I got shaky. I’ve been talking with a new friend who had the same cancer I was fearing. Let me tell you something, if it doesn’t kill you, you might wish that it had. If you don’t believe me, check out his website and see first hand.
People say that smokeless tobacco isn’t as dangerous as smoking and blah blah blah. Don’t buy it. If you use smokeless, please consider quitting today. If you don’t use it, don’t ever touch it. Nothing good can come from it. You are only paying money to kill yourself.
My biopsy results came back negative today, so I got away lucky. Lots of others don’t. Nicotine is a useless and terrible drug.
… and now back to your regularly scheduled program:winker:
This past week has been one of the hardest of my life. On top of going through serious nicotine withdrawals, I’ve been waiting by the phone for results of the biopsy. Every time the phone rang, I got shaky. I’ve been talking with a new friend who had the same cancer I was fearing. Let me tell you something, if it doesn’t kill you, you might wish that it had. If you don’t believe me, check out his website and see first hand.
People say that smokeless tobacco isn’t as dangerous as smoking and blah blah blah. Don’t buy it. If you use smokeless, please consider quitting today. If you don’t use it, don’t ever touch it. Nothing good can come from it. You are only paying money to kill yourself.
My biopsy results came back negative today, so I got away lucky. Lots of others don’t. Nicotine is a useless and terrible drug.
… and now back to your regularly scheduled program:winker:
congrats on kicking the habit. It is hard to do but your life is worth it
Ewker said:
Thanks Ewker. You ain't kiddin. It hasn't been a stroll in the park, but it is definitely worth it.
LazyManJackson said:
Yeah, and ya know, I didn't really even think about it. After my biopsy, the dentist was filling out the forms and that question was on there. I had to do the math and I was pretty shocked. I went home and added it all up and I've spent somewhere in the neighborhood of $30,000 on Skoal in the last 21 years.
I'll bet your wife is happy. Hard to believe she put up with it all this time. :ha:
I'm happy to hear about the negative results. I quit that stuff the minute that I looked in the mirror and saw my gums receeding.
You're the second one this week....the guy that's singing on "What's The Story?" (Donny Thompson) just today found out that he didn't have larynx cancer. He's been in fits for a couple of weeks. Not only was he concerned for his health, but he makes a nice living as a club/restaurant performer and voiceover talent for commercials.
I'm happy to hear about the negative results. I quit that stuff the minute that I looked in the mirror and saw my gums receeding.
You're the second one this week....the guy that's singing on "What's The Story?" (Donny Thompson) just today found out that he didn't have larynx cancer. He's been in fits for a couple of weeks. Not only was he concerned for his health, but he makes a nice living as a club/restaurant performer and voiceover talent for commercials.
Good news, Brad.
I started chewing on a dare from some other guys on a hunting trip when I was a senior in high school. I didn't really start on it until college but was a can a day for about 10 years or so.
I too had the receeding gums and burning sensation along with that rough spot inside my gum which was very red. I went cold turkey the day the pain exceeded the pleasure and that was 10 years ago.
It's funny when you get the cravings. It's always the worst when I play golf. So I cut back on that too.
I started chewing on a dare from some other guys on a hunting trip when I was a senior in high school. I didn't really start on it until college but was a can a day for about 10 years or so.
I too had the receeding gums and burning sensation along with that rough spot inside my gum which was very red. I went cold turkey the day the pain exceeded the pleasure and that was 10 years ago.
It's funny when you get the cravings. It's always the worst when I play golf. So I cut back on that too.
Good for you. Congrats!
My wife gave up smoke for me before we got married.
I have always admired how she just up and quit one day and has never looked back.
My wife gave up smoke for me before we got married.
I have always admired how she just up and quit one day and has never looked back.
Glad you are OK.
Personally I've never really understood why people start, but that's just me...
I had 1 grandfather who quit a 3 pack a day addiction to cigarettes and went for the rest of his life (many years) without another one, though he did trade that for a costly addiction to peppermints... :ha: Also a grandmother on the other side who quit cold turkey as well. But her twin sister has been smoking on and off (mostly on) for decades and can't seem to quit.
Personally I've never really understood why people start, but that's just me...
I had 1 grandfather who quit a 3 pack a day addiction to cigarettes and went for the rest of his life (many years) without another one, though he did trade that for a costly addiction to peppermints... :ha: Also a grandmother on the other side who quit cold turkey as well. But her twin sister has been smoking on and off (mostly on) for decades and can't seem to quit.
Broken Record, thanks for sharing your story with us. I wish you all the best. And thanks to the other contributors as well. I hope this will raise awareness of this issue.
Guys, do yourself and your loved ones a favor. Take care of yourself and see your doctor once a year. Get an annual physical, including bloodwork, urinalysis, and chest X-ray. If you're over 40, have your doctor test for colon/rectal cancer and prostate cancer. Your medical insurance should cover most of the cost.
I can speak with some authority on the subject. I'm a former smoker and two-time cancer survivor and feel blessed to be cancer free now. Like many guys, when I was younger I didn't take care of myself or see a doctor. I'm lucky to be alive now, since in both cases the cancers were caught in the early stages. A routine chest X-ray detected the second cancer and saved my life.
I knew one guy who died only a few months after his chest X-ray detected a lung tumor. Too late for him though, it was determined to be inoperable. So sad. "But for the grace of God, there goes me," as the old saying goes.
The point is that cancer can be fast-acting. The sooner you get a checkup, the better. Especially if you're a tobacco user or if you have a family history of Cx.
Encourage the women in your lives to take care of themselves also, including annual mammograms and Pap smears.
And try to quit smoking or chewing if you currently do. Despite what the tobacco companies say, tobacco can be lethal.
Guys, do yourself and your loved ones a favor. Take care of yourself and see your doctor once a year. Get an annual physical, including bloodwork, urinalysis, and chest X-ray. If you're over 40, have your doctor test for colon/rectal cancer and prostate cancer. Your medical insurance should cover most of the cost.
I can speak with some authority on the subject. I'm a former smoker and two-time cancer survivor and feel blessed to be cancer free now. Like many guys, when I was younger I didn't take care of myself or see a doctor. I'm lucky to be alive now, since in both cases the cancers were caught in the early stages. A routine chest X-ray detected the second cancer and saved my life.
I knew one guy who died only a few months after his chest X-ray detected a lung tumor. Too late for him though, it was determined to be inoperable. So sad. "But for the grace of God, there goes me," as the old saying goes.
The point is that cancer can be fast-acting. The sooner you get a checkup, the better. Especially if you're a tobacco user or if you have a family history of Cx.
Encourage the women in your lives to take care of themselves also, including annual mammograms and Pap smears.
And try to quit smoking or chewing if you currently do. Despite what the tobacco companies say, tobacco can be lethal.
Starkiller said:
when i quit dipping i think i went through about 3 bags of sunflower seeds a day for 4 months. :ha: and i was only at it for 8 years. congrats.
Good luck in staying away from that stuff. I have lots of friend's who are going down the same path, and they know better :sad2:
I smoked off and on for 23 years until I had a bad chest xray two years ago. When I was shown a 13 mm spot on my right lung, I quit that moment. The following week, after having a CT scan, there was nothing.A.D. said:
Congrats A.D., Broken Record, and welcome to the exclusive second chance club
Nicotine addiction is 99% psycholgical. It's one of the easiest habits to quit if you put yourself in the right mind frame.
I smoked a pack a day for 15 years. I was a confirmed smoker. All my friends said, "he's one guy who will never quit".
I tried Zyban, the poatch, cold turkey...I failed miserably. Then I read a book , The "easy way to quit smoking" by Allen Carr. It attacks the psychology of your addiction.
I have been smoke free for one year. I have no cravings. I have no desire. It's been easy.
The physical addiction of nicotine is a joke. The physical withdsrawal is a mild empty feeling in the pit of your stomach which lasts for 2-3 days. It's so light you're barely cognisant of it. After that there is no physical withdrawal. It's all in your head.
Youn need to do 2 things:
1. Resolve to your self that you will NEVER use nicotine again. Do not leave your mind open even a crack.
2. CELEBRATE. Do not think of it as hard or difficult and do not be intimidated by it.
It's ALL IN YOUR HEAD. Read that book.
I smoked a pack a day for 15 years. I was a confirmed smoker. All my friends said, "he's one guy who will never quit".
I tried Zyban, the poatch, cold turkey...I failed miserably. Then I read a book , The "easy way to quit smoking" by Allen Carr. It attacks the psychology of your addiction.
I have been smoke free for one year. I have no cravings. I have no desire. It's been easy.
The physical addiction of nicotine is a joke. The physical withdsrawal is a mild empty feeling in the pit of your stomach which lasts for 2-3 days. It's so light you're barely cognisant of it. After that there is no physical withdrawal. It's all in your head.
Youn need to do 2 things:
1. Resolve to your self that you will NEVER use nicotine again. Do not leave your mind open even a crack.
2. CELEBRATE. Do not think of it as hard or difficult and do not be intimidated by it.
It's ALL IN YOUR HEAD. Read that book.
Thanks to everyone for the support and congratulations. I'm on day 10 now and I'm already noticing more energy, + I'm able to taste and smell things better. Craves are getting less. Everything is lookin' good. I always thought quitting would be impossible, but with a little resolve (not to mention having the sh*t scrared out of me with the cancer thing) it hasn't been too bad.
Great news, Brad!
So, now that you're not gonna be pushing up daisies anytime soon, are you planning on joining the digital audio revolution?
So, now that you're not gonna be pushing up daisies anytime soon, are you planning on joining the digital audio revolution?
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