Poll... curious about how many CPAP users smoke.

[Jaylee]

I voted no, I never have.

[thewetlizard]

I also voted no. But I'm around smokers though. Now, my weight is a differnt story I am trying to lose that.

[Goofproof]

I equate Smoking with XPAP use to using a dirty diaper for a hat. I can't see either as being a good thing. jim

[RBernier]

I was a smoker for 30+ years. Quit smoking about 16 years ago.

[cpapper]

I voted "I quit smoking before CPAP", which was 38 years ago and I started cpap treatment 2 1/2 years ago...I smoked from the time I was 16 until age 36 (now 74). I had pneumonia and was smoking while I was ill, gagging on the cigarettes (pretty stupid), that's when I decided to quit, cold turkey, no aids available at that time other than gum with some nicotine which I didn't try. My cigarette of choice was Camels, no filters...good jolt of nicotine. Now I can't stand the smell of smoke, but I don't preach to smokers as I know it's an addiction, only the smoker can make the decision to quit. My stepfather died of lung cancer, many years ago (two or more packs a day), and a niece died at age 45 about a year ago with lung cancer, also a smoker.

[Wolfhound668]

only the smoker can make the decision to quit

My mother pretty much had to quit cold turkey (with a lot of assistance from myself). She had a heart attack at the age of 53 and had to have a quadruple bypass. The law in Illinois (at the time anyway) was that after open-heart surgery a person can not drive for three months. Being the only kid left at home at the time I went through the entire house top to bottom and threw out every cigarette I could find. I then told everyone that under no circumstances were they to bring any into the house. The nearest store was about a mile away (and then only if you were willing to walk on the railroad tracks, about three miles on the road ). By the time mom was able to drive she had no interest in smoking anymore.

Of course cancer still got her at 65.

[frh]

I'm not sure why, but I started smoking after I graduated from high school in the 1970's. I quit smoking 25 years ago around 1985 when I started coughing up black stuff one morning. Since then second hand smoke was never much more than an occasional annoyance for me.

My wife was diagnosed with COPD last December. (She never smoked.) Now, even being around second hand smoke for short periods can cause her to have difficulty breathing. Fortunately people can't smoke in restaurants and stores in Arizona anymore. Sometimes it is very frustrating when someone is smoking in a place where there is no way for her to easily get away from it. Like this morning, several people were standing around smoking near the bottom of an enclosed stairwell she had to climb to get to a doctor visit. (She won't ride elevators).

[jishy]

58 days since last cigarette... but who's counting

[RLAUREN]

Way to go Jishy.....^ months for me as of tomorrow

[Slinky]

Wow, frh, your wife's COPD must be severe. I have COPD and being around smokers and second hand smoke doesn't make me any shorter of breath. My sympathies to her. Colognes, perfumes and some disinfectants do really take my breath away!

[topdragster]

Congrats to all the quitters. I too quit smoking as of jan 1st this year also, still find I get the cravings but I will never go back(famous last words). Its a day to day struggle for alot of people when they quit but it is worth it. My brother smoked briefly but has been quit for over 25 years and says he still occasionally gets a craving.

[newyorknative]

What gets me is heavy set people w/their dinner plate stacked to the roof making snide remarks about smokers a few tables away. Six of one, half dozen of the other. Kinda like the pot calling the kettle black.

Yeah, but my sky high plate won't put you in the ground!

[Slinky]

W/the recent healthcare reform and obesity now costing our healthcare system as much as smoking, I'm not so sure of that anymore, NYNative!!!

[torontoCPAPguy]

Smoking plus CPAP necessity = DEAD.
Maybe not today or tomorrow but I promise you that if you can find me a few CPAP users over 60 that are smokers I will be surprised. And I can assure you with no uncertainty WHATSOEVER that should you get sick (and you will eventually get sick - bad cold, pneumonia, flu, whatever) this combination is going to kill you dead. Period. End of story.

How do I know? You don't want to know. I was in a coma for three weeks last summer and it was only by the Grace of God that I survived. When I came to I spend three days watching them wheel out the corpses during the night past my critical care bed and I would be willing to bet that each and every one of them was compromised by either being or having been a smoke, being or having been diabetic; being or having been a CPAP user. And some were just plain stupider than even that like the kid who drank and took some pills at his prom and was brain dead. As long as I live on this earth, and keep in mind that I have seen men and women depart this earth before, I will NEVER, EVER get the wailing of that young boy's mother out of my head. I hear it all the time and it has been a year now.

You want to live or you want to die? Make up your mind. I don't have time to waste on ANYONE who would be told they need CPAP and continue to smoke cigarettes or anything else. Not a moment to spare. Much better things to do, like head off for a bathroom break or watch TV. Sorry. No sympathy here. Get rid of them! Crush to box and toss them in the garbage and be done with them! Of course, if you have no desire for a longer and healthier life, carry right on. Just don't waste our time on this board with that kind of crap.

There is no reason to smoke. None. You give me one good reason and I am all ears. Else please don't waste my time. Jeez.