Two weeks smoke free since 1AM!

Here is my story.

Last year, I was in my final year at college. During my final year last year approximately November 2016, I developed symptoms which I thought were caused an intolerance to lactose. late November to April I avoided lactose and continued on with my college degree and sat my final exams in June. Remember all this while I still though I was lactose intolerant.

Finished in June and searched for employment during the summer. September I was employed in by degree which was culinary arts. Worked on until the end of october. At this stage my symptoms had got a lot worse. (I'll not go into detail as it was quite graphic). :pac:

So I thought "This isn't right!" So I had a colonoscopy which lead to a diagnoses of Crohn's disease. I was diagnosed 4-5 weeks ago, I was told that I will be called back for an M.R.I scan on the 7th of December.

So the doctor told me to attempt to become more physically active, attempt to eat healthier (Last year, while in college I literally lived on kebabs ) and to cut down on the smoking. I was smoking 16 Pall Mall click cigarettes or Marlboro Red on special occasions.

I had my graduation a few days later, so I set a date to give up smoking shortly after. Towards the end of the night of my graduation I went to buy a box of 20 smokes from the machine in the pub. However, to my surprise there was no Pall Mall or Marlboro Red left. I decided I would buy a box of Marlboro Gold/Lights. (This was the 1st of November). Headed home after a good night out of catching up with old friends from college and chatting up a few women! .

Headed home and in the following days I continued to smoke Marlboro Gold. During this week I was smoking 20 a day. Due to how light they were. So Sunday the 6th came and I had my last smoke at 12 am that night.

I dug out the two boxes of nicorette inhaler's I had from failing to give them up a year previous. Since then I've been using the nicorette inhaler and have found it quite good. Sometimes I don't even change the cartridge in the inhaler. Although I plan on buying a E-cig and 0% e-juice as I really still miss the feeling I got on my throat when I used to smoke.

Since quieting: I am 2 weeks off them since 1 am this morning. I feel fantastic. I have also an app on my phone called "My quit buddy" which tracks cigs not smoked, money saved, mg of tar avoided and also gives info of the health risks of smoking. The app is displaying that I saved €123, avoided 1,386 mg of tar and have not smoked 198 Cigarettes

There has been an unbelievable improvement with my crohn's disease. I am very nearly symptom free apart from the odd stomach cramp now and again which happens rarely.

Yeah I know, the banner on my sig isn't working. :pac:

So, finally I urge everyone who is trying to quit, to keep going! If you're someone who is still smoking and reading this, to attempt to quit. While it's still early days yet for myself, I can still see all the positives in quieting. I also honestly believe that smoking was a major influence in me developing chrohn's disease. Which resulted me in taking sick leave etc. But I feel that everything happens for a reason.