Scuba diving and smoking

[TSandM]

Congratulations on quitting! It's a very difficult habit to break. As Bob says, the long-term return on that investment in willpower will be significant. As someone who works every day with the tragic consequences of smoking (lung disease, heart disease, cancer, etc.) I often tell patients that the single biggest thing they can do for their long-term good health is quit smoking. I don't think anybody starts life wanting to end it dragging an oxygen tank around with them, and running out of air before they can walk from the bed to the bathroom.

If diving inspired you to do this, hooray for diving!

 

[Doubler]

Good for you Melissa!
I know what you went through as I am on day 6. I have been smoking since 1964 and this is my fifth try at quitting. I've done patches, gum, hypnotism, acupuncture and cold turkey. None of them worked. I was tired of being out of breath just doing simple things so I asked my doctor to write me a script for Chantix. There are many horror stories associated with this drug and I was worried. Trisha was REAL worried after my sister told her that how angry and violent her husband got when using the drug. Anyway it works. After two weeks I just quit, it was simple as that. The only problem so far is nothing is safe in the refrigerator. I feel much better already.

 

[starrlamia]

chantix is awesome. I quit using it a few years ago however picked the habit back up last year, I am going to quit again and reading these stories is giving me the kick in the butt to do it. Thanks guys!

 

[ajtoady]

I also like Melissa quit smoking cold turkey. I however quit cigars and the occasional cigarette. Yes it was tough but at 57 I figured I had enough. New York State pricing also helped. The real inspiration came from my intro into diving. I never really had any smoking related health issues but you kinda know when it is no longer fun. In the time since I started diving until now my SAC has improved and I generally feel more energetic. The down side of quitting is food and my other weakness, beer taste a whole lot better. In all honesty diving pushed me away from tobacco products and continues to keep me there.

 

[CJ76]

Same here, cold turkey as well. it'll be 2 years on Nov 8th.

 

[LowDrag]

Congrat's Melissa

I used the Chantix myself starting back in February IIRC. I was at the Oregon Coast the thrid week of August when I ran out of Chantix. At the same time I ran into a couple of guys that were all geared up for free diving and spear fishing. Talking to them started a fire in me to get my OW cert. I decided right then and there that I was never going to pick up another cigarette again. I have a few bottles of liquor in my pantry that have been there for months even years and they rarely get touched. Funny how one thing can be the toughest thing in the world to quit but another is no problem at all. Cigarettes for me is about as tough of habit to kick as there is. Thanks for sharing your story, I know I don't have any erxperience with tank diving yet but I would have to believe that quitting is nothing but good for anyone who wants to stay healthy let alone dive.

 

[Phil_C]

Quit if you can ! I smoked brieifly in my late teens but never really picked up the habit/addiction, so quit before I was 20 (nearly 30 years ago). I have now seen too many close friends and relatives pass on with smoking related illnesses.

But does it affect your SAC? I don't know - my dive buddy who is also my instructor (Russian, 34, and female) smokes like a train before and after each dive yet still manages to do 2 dives of 40-45 minutes on a single 12 lt tank with a reserve left afterwards, during which time I have gone through two complete tanks with just a small reserve left. I guess experience does count ! - and according to the calculations I don't have a bad SAC at all.

 

[LowDrag]

Pardon the dumb question but what is a "SAC"?

Thanks

 

[fisheater]

SAC = Surface Air Consumption.

It's how fast you go through your air, normalized for one atmosphere.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Phil_C]

Sorry thought SAC - Surface air consumption was a well used acronym. One of the first things I learnt was how to calculate it and use it in dive planning.