Sandra had been smoking for 49 years, and before she became smoke free, would smoke around 15 cigarettes a day.
When Sandra’s mother was the same age as she is now she sadly suffered a stroke, and Sandra firmly believes that her mother’s smoking habit was the main cause of this life-changing trauma. Sandra was fully aware that smoking can significantly increase her own chances of having a stroke, due to its negative impact on blood vessels and the inevitable likelihood of developing blood clots. She felt frightened and knew she had to quit.
In addition, knowing that smoking is a major risk factor in developing several types of cancer concerned Sandra greatly, saying: “I discovered a lump in the side of my neck and my face kept swelling up. I had a scan and fortunately it turned out to be just an inflamed gland. I was so relieved, because I smoked, I was convinced it was cancerous, and it really frightened me. Now that I’ve quit smoking, there’s less chance of that being the case as I’m not constantly putting poisonous chemicals into my body.”
Subsequently Sandra visited her GP for help, and they recommended our expert stop smoking support services. She called our friendly wellbeing team and was put in contact with Lisa, one of our expert health improvement practitioners.
Lisa provided support and guidance, and together they created a personalised quit plan, advice on nicotine replacement medications, plus strategies for managing cravings and triggers. Lisa also provided ongoing encouragement, monitoring Sandra’s progress throughout the quitting process.
Of all the options, Sandra chose to quit smoking by switching to vaping. Sandra was provided with a free vaping kit and 5 weeks’ worth of vaping fluid to get her started: “Vaping really worked for me as it copied the habit of having something in my hand. It also tasted so much fresher. Now I’ve quit, I can always smell when someone has had a cigarette, and I really don’t like the smell. I can’t believe I used to smell like that! Overtime, I gradually reduced the amount of times I’d use the vape. My husband still smokes but he saw how well I get on with vaping and wants to give it a go himself.”
Within weeks of being smoke free, Sandra was delighted to see significant improvements to her fitness levels, saying: “I feel so much healthier. There’s quite a hill I have to go up to walk the dog from my house and when I was smoking I would be stopping for rests and huffing and puffing. Now, it’s a breeze! I can go straight up that hill without stopping or feeling breathless. I’ve got much more energy. My cough’s gone and my sinuses don’t play up anymore.”
Quitting smoking has seriously boosted Sandra’s bank balance too, giving her more money to spend on the things that matter: “I was wasting around £200 a month on smoking. My daughter’s taking me to Egypt next April and I’m going to save up all the money I would have spent on cigarettes so that I have lots of spending money while I’m away.”
Sandra expressed how much she valued Lisa’s motivational support, saying: “Lisa was amazing. I’ve tried to quit smoking before, but I was successful this time because I had Lisa’s support. I knew she was going to be calling me and I wanted to prove to myself and to Lisa that it is possible to quit.”
Sandra knew that smoking was bad for her health, but when Lisa described exactly what is inside a cigarette, one poisonous chemical at a time, she was shocked: “When Lisa described all the poisonous chemicals in cigarettes and the damage they do to your body I was horrified. It’s like smoking an exhaust pipe! I didn’t realise just how bad it was until she laid it all out for me. I’ll never smoke again.”
Lisa said: “Sandra was ready to embrace the quit right from the beginning – she was so keen and positive. I could hear in her voice each time I called that she was doing well before she even said it. To get her husband on board with a quit was also great as he was not interested when Sandra first started. Well done both of you.”
Clearly, becoming smoke free is one of the best decisions Sandra has ever made. She is now reaping all the benefits, from better health to more money in her pocket. Evidence shows that you are three times more likely to stop smoking with specialist support. Our health improvement practitioners work with you to understand your triggers, manage any cravings and support you all the way. If you’re also looking for a specialist advisor that can help you change your life, get in touch today.