Hi! My name is Deanna, and I am 40 years old. I have been smoking since age 11, with only two breaks during that time. I was able to quit smoking last year for four months by using the patch and attending Nicotine Anonymous meetings. It took a year and a half of going to meetings to actually quit. Then I took on a new job, and the stress was unbearable, so I picked up cigarettes again. Now I've been re-hooked for almost a year and can't seem to stop! I put on the nicotine patch about once every two weeks, but never leave it on for more than four hours. I know it will help me, if I let it. I'm just stubborn I think. Also, I have so many people nagging me to quit that I feel defensive and like saying, "Screw you! I'll smoke if I want to!" I have Thyroid Eye Disease, which is a condition that comes from having Graves' disease, having taken radioactive iodine, and smoking combined. 80% of smokers who have taken radioactive iodine get Thyroid Eye Disease. I am essentially temporarily going blind and must stop smoking ASAP. My doctor says if I don't quit, he can't help me, and I'll never be able to get the surgery and radiation treatment I need to correct my eyesight. The pressure is mounting financially as well, as I am currently only working a few hours a week due to my illness, and my disability is on hold. Continuing to pay $300 a month for cigarettes that I don't have is just ridiculous. Any tips?
