Quitting Smoking

[GulfCoastCivil]

UGH! I'm so frustrated. I have filled out every form the day I got it and sent it in. I filled out the form to join the be smoke free program the day my employer gave it to me. The day after I received the packet from the program which outlines how to obtain medicine, I went to the pharmacy to get my patches like the form told me. The pharmacist said there is a state law which says that they cannot run something through insurance without a prescription. Which tells me how poorly thought out this program is when it is with a Mississippi only insurance company and in their packet they tell you to do something that's illegal. I showed the pharmacist the packet showing where it said to just bring the form to her, so she called the insurance company. When she got off the phone with them she told me that what the insurance company instructed her to do was devious and illegal and she would not do it, something about putting in a false script number or something like that. I don't blame her, I wouldn't do it either, and for an insurance company to tell her to do that as their policy is just wrong. So, instead she called my two doctors offices to get them to write me a script for the patches. So today the pharmacy calls me and says my doctor sent in a script for wellbutrin. I called the doctor's office and they told me that the pharmacist just faxed over the form and did not include a note on what I wanted. They are going to straighten it out today.

I didn't receive the smoke free packet until Wednesday. No tobacco policy starts Monday. It's barely enough time to get the stuff I need for my June 1 quit date. If I had procrastinated at all I wouldn't make it. I think my company should push back the start date since they did not give out the forms soon enough for people to get stuff done. Some people may need to make an appointment and see their doctor before getting their prescriptions or plans together, and you have to wait for the packet to do that.

 

[MA_PE]

GCC: At least you're making some good positive steps. don't let the frustration diminish your drive!

 

[MGX]

No plan to quit smoking goes unfettered. You'll have setbacks or maybe you'll give up and start smoking again and forget the whole thing.

Most who set out to quit take about six attempts to actually pull through and I understand why.

I do agree that a strong desire to cease is required and I wish the best to you.

 

[frazil]

good luck GulfCoastCivil!! hang in there.

 

[TXengrChickPE]

IIRC, I have quit smoking 10 or 12 times... and that's only counting the times where I made it more than a week.

The most recent (and so far, still successful) try was when I found out I was pregnant 2 years ago. I'm still not sure how I managed it... I was in the middle of studying for the PE, was having some marital "issues", and work was crazy-busy... and, oh yeah, I had just found out that I was pregnant *while on birth control*!! And, hubby refused to quit with me because he was "stressed". (He did quit later... but only because I refused to kiss him when he smelled like smoke)

Previous attempts were usually w/ hubby or a friend. I never tried the patches or gum or meds.

My usual reason for not making it was my partner giving up... I am another person who truly enjoyed smoking.

Good luck.

 

[maryannette]

Good luck on quitting. I never enjoyed smoking and was never "a smoker". I know it can be hard to quit, but I hope you'll find it easy this time.

 

[MGX]

I enjoyed smoking for years. After a point I didn't enjoy it nearly as much and then soon after it felt like a chore. Perhaps the tobacco makers changed the formulas or increased the ammonia because ammonia was all I could taste from any cigarette. If smoking is that sort of experience I'll pass.

 

[GulfCoastCivil]

Thanks for the encouragement. Still don't have the patch situation straightened out. I'm wearing the last one from the last time I quit. I'll just pay out of pocket if it's not straight today, and submit the receipt to my company. I'm sure they'll fight me on it, but at least they will be aware that we were not given enough time to get what we needed.

Went to the pharmacy yesterday and the lady behind the counter said this is a big issue, the quit smoking stuff. That a few months ago a bunch of companies put these posters up all over the work place about the wonders of Chantix and stating that it would be covered by insurance. A lot of people made doc appts, paid the copay, got the script and dropped it off. When they went to pick it up insurance would not cover the cost. Chantix is $120 a month. She also said that it's strange how the price of cigarettes went up and magically so did the cost of Chantix, now it's $140 a month.

 

[MA_PE]

Thanks for the encouragement. Still don't have the patch situation straightened out. I'm wearing the last one from the last time I quit. I'll just pay out of pocket if it's not straight today, and submit the receipt to my company. I'm sure they'll fight me on it, but at least they will be aware that we were not given enough time to get what we needed.
Went to the pharmacy yesterday and the lady behind the counter said this is a big issue, the quit smoking stuff. That a few months ago a bunch of companies put these posters up all over the work place about the wonders of Chantix and stating that it would be covered by insurance. A lot of people made doc appts, paid the copay, got the script and dropped it off. When they went to pick it up insurance would not cover the cost. Chantix is $120 a month. She also said that it's strange how the price of cigarettes went up and magically so did the cost of Chantix, now it's $140 a month.

AAAH. the "vice" or "sin" tax. :smileyballs:

 

[GulfCoastCivil]

Just got back from the pharmacy. The lady who has been helping me all along was there. She said that my doctor didn't send over the corrected form (for the patches) until Friday at 4pm. They ran it through insurance and it was denied. She said this was surprising because she had spoke with them the first day and they said I had my PA (don't know what that means) number and was all set for the smoking cessation stuff. The hotline for the pharmacy to call closed at 4pm on Friday. She said she was going to call today as soon as she got a chance and see if she can straighten it out.

 

[maryannette]

Hopefully, you'll need only a short time on patches. Good luck.

 

[RIP - VTEnviro]

I'm glad that none of the folks I currently hang out with are smokers. Given that the wife works in a cancer related research lab, I suppose its not that surprising no one there does. No one I deal with here does either. Which is good, because it sucks to work next to someone who smells smokey.

For a while in college, every one of my friends smoked it seemed and it was hard to get away from. Being asthmatic, I'm real sensitive to it.

 

[Guest]

Awesome signature line GCC - good luck!!

VTE -

I have found that smoking vs. non-smoking enclaves seems to switch around a bit. Currently, I am not really around many people who smoke, except for my excursions out for field work and then they all seem to smoke. One thing I found odd is that there seems to be more smokers in Michigan than in Florida (generally speaking). I still don't have a theory as to why ....

JR

 

[snickerd3]

My mom's eye dr told her this week that smoking or being around a lot of second hand smoke plays a major role in whether or not you would get cataracts later in life. Holds true in my family at least. Those who smoked or lived in a smoking household ended up with cataracts, those that didn't, did not get cataracts.

 

[chaosiscash]

Given that the wife works in a cancer related research lab, I suppose its not that surprising no one there does.

I've always been surprised at stuff like that. My wife is a nurse, and you would be amazed at the number of her coworkers (RNs and MDs) that smoke, even though you would assume that those folks are very knowledgable of the health effects.

 

[MA_PE]

I've always been surprised at stuff like that. My wife is a nurse, and you would be amazed at the number of her coworkers (RNs and MDs) that smoke, even though you would assume that those folks are very knowledgable of the health effects.

I think it has something to do with a "service" type job where you're responding to the uncontrolled needs of other people, nurses are always on duty and the call button could ring at any time, waitresses, retail people, etc. same thing they are always on the ready. Taking a quick "smoke break" adds a level of justification to taking a breather and not responding immediately. You can say to other co-workers "cover for me, I'm going for a smoke" which sounds better than "cover for me, I just want to sit for 5-10 minutes".

 

[cement]

Awesome signature line GCC - good luck!!
JR

does that update automaticly like the fabulous EB results clock? now that would be awesome!

 

[GulfCoastCivil]

oh yeah, it automatically updates. Found it on a weird site too. I think now it's available through like smokefreequitmeter.com or something, but I originally found it on www.haqur.com. Now it has an advertisement for e cigs on the screen you fill it out on, so I'm guessing the haqur guy sold it.

 

[csb]

Okay, how many cigarettes are in a pack? 35 seems like a lot for 1 day and 17 hours...but I've never smoked. Had a grandmother who was a 3-4 packs a day smoker.

 

[wilheldp_PE]

Okay, how many cigarettes are in a pack? 35 seems like a lot for 1 day and 17 hours...but I've never smoked. Had a grandmother who was a 3-4 packs a day smoker.

20 per pack.