Thinking About Giving Up Cigarettes? Doc Velocity Just Had a Stroke...

Wow ! What a disturbing and amazing story.

I hope it won't happen again.
I'll wish you the best of health.

Get well soon.

Kind regards
~ SK

reply to post by Doc Velocity


Nice one Doc,
Stick with it and keep telling yourself "you are a non smoker" and "Tar will kill you." I also started smoking in 1978 and gave up 20 days ago (I have lost 3 good friends from smoking related illness in the past 12 months).
Glad for ya,
Best wishes,

PEACE,
RK

Originally posted by spurge
Hey OP, may I ask your approx. age? Reason I ask is I have been a smoker for about as long as yourself, and quite a heavy smoker (pack a day).

I turned 50 in December, have been smoking about a pack a day (more or less) since 1978... So, about 32 years of smoking.

The technician on the doppler-carotid ultrasound remarked that I was "too young" to be having a stroke — she said she usually doesn't see this in 50-year-olds.

— Doc Velocity

Wow, and I have paid good money to have the same experience!


Seriously, I am glad that you dodged that bullet and I hope your recovery is swift and complete.

reply to post by Doc Velocity

Age — The chance of having a stroke approximately doubles for each decade of life after age 55. While stroke is common among the elderly, a lot of people under 65 also have strokes.

www.americanheart.org...

Sorry to hear, but great news about the outcome. It's tremendous that you've been given the opportunity to heed what amounts to a very serious wake up call, and I'm glad you're taking the appropriate action.

ATS would certainly be all the poorer for your absence, which is of course, the very least of it.

But, sue me. I'm self-centered.

Great thread Doc!!! Glad you are ok, and your retelling brought tears to my eyes.

The only thing I want to add to this thread is that if you just CANNOT will yourself away from cigs, look into e-cigarettes or tobacco vaporization. It is not smoking, but gives the sensation of it for your fix.

EDIT: beware the cheap chinese ones, plastic fumes might not be much better for you than cig smoke.
[edit on 28-5-2010 by aching_knuckles]

[edit on 28-5-2010 by aching_knuckles]

thanks so much Doc for telling us your story. I just quit smoking about a month ago, cold turkey. Im 24 and have been smoking about half a pack a day for 4 years. I am so glad that you are ok, and this story will give me even more willpower next time Im at the bar and everyone is passing me smokes/joints to puff on. I will just tell them no "I dont want to have a stroke thanks again"

reply to post by Doc Velocity


Great news on recovery. Nice prose, very readable. Stay with the aspirin, or anti-inflammatory of choice, and of course, your spirit guide.



[edit on 28-5-2010 by davidmann]

[edit on 28-5-2010 by davidmann]

Thanks for sharing. Have a speedy recovery! S&F.

I'm very thankful to hear that you made it out alright, Doc. It was also very interesting to read exactly what goes on when that sort of thing is taking place. I pray that I never have to go through anything like that.

I wish you a full and speedy recovery.

And thank you for the interesting description of your experience. I'm sure it will be helpful to others.

You should quit smoking regardless, but I don't know if you can definitively say if it was the cigarettes alone that caused your stroke. Likely a combination of factors.

[edit on 28-5-2010 by TheComte]

reply to post by Doc Velocity


Glad to hear you're ok, buddy!

....and a word of advice to others that are inspired to stop smoking by Doc's experience:

If you're a post menopausal woman or a man that's been smoking for a long time, please consult your doctor before quitting and don't be afraid to ask what available aids would be best for you. There is a significant risk of Myocardial Infarction in individuals who quit smoking suddenly after many years of smoking. I'm not sure of the numbers, but I want to say that the largest percentage of heart attacks in america occur after an individual stops smoking.

The reason I say post menopausal women.....very rarely does a pre-menopausal woman have a heart attack.

Thanks for sharing, Doc.

-Dev

Awesome post Doc, glad to hear you made it out safe. I actually just quit a month back, this story def. will help keep me in line. Stay safe.

Great story Doc - glad you made it back, now you just have to follow your doctors orders to help prevent this again.

Good thing this happened before our forced Sick Care program our most illustrious leader recently forced on us. I wonder what would have happened if your stroke had occurred in 2014 after it goes into affect? You may still be in the waiting room doing paperwork or even worse. Guess we will all have to wait and see.

Glad you are well - Stay true.

stone

I was a bit misled by the title. The Doc had a TIA episode which is a stroke warning. I have only read the first couple of posts.

I went through this in 2005, only they let me have a stroke during the night, while in Emergency and I was paralysed on my right side after the stroke. What you described was similar to a TIA attack, which I also experienced before the stroke.

What I wanted to say is that people should pay very close attention to their blood pressure. If that is above 130 with any regularity, you would be wise to take action before pills become mandatory and a stroke is a definite possibility.

I have lost about 40 lbs, now at 5'11" and 210 lbs. My BP is steady at 120 - 130, but the effects of the stroke are permanent. The effect of a TIA episode does not last, like a stroke.

So take care of your health. It is all about what you put into your body, that you will have to deal with later and believe me, later comes sooner than you want.

PS: I had that stroke in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada.

[edit on 28-5-2010 by win 52]

First off, glad you are okay! Secondly, thank you for posting your experience in such detail. Man, I am in a constant "quit" mode with smokes, but it never seems to stick. I have had 3 friends quit successfully with hypnosis so I am ready to try it. I quit today!!!!!!! You seem to be a major contributer here at ats and I enjoy reading your posts and responses. The responses from members on your situation is inspiring and further strengthens my pride of being part of this community.
Best Wishes Doc, to you and yours! Blessings and full recovery too!
Peace

reply to post by Doc Velocity



I don't know you and you don't know me, that doesn't matter, I'm glad that you're ok, sounds like it wasn't your time yet . Thank you for your willingness to re-tell the event and hopefully, people on here will share it with someone. You never know what will make a difference in someone elses life.

I hope for a full recovery and God's blessing on you and yours.

Oh wow, this was just like reading a Chick Tract. Thanks for making this thread, it shows that religious message stupidity has done a fine job of permeating ATS.

No S+F from me, but are you cool with me pointing and laughing?

One of your avatars, I am completely certain, will give me an epileptic seizure one of these days......but I am glad as hell that you made it through...and with a good memory of the experience.

Thanks for the post and the reminder...