by Jennifer Arthur

Created on: May 26, 2009

I am a 52 year old female , l have been smoking since l was 16 years of age.

To assist my health l decided to give away the smokes , and l was able to do this with my doctor placing me on a program of Champix.

Over the years l have attempted to give up smoking many times.

I can stand up proud and say it has been 11 months since l had my last cigarette , and l do not wish to have another. I went from smoking more than 50 per day . Now none . Smoking makes me sick , the thought of having a smoke. If l had known that l was a mobile astray and the smell. It has turned my stomach many times.

Now l find myself with new issues and one of them is Inflammatory bowel disease , with this at first l found that l had permanent diarrhoea and after a few weeks l was also bleeding . Full on passing blood . Every time l used my bowels all that would happen was blood .

At first l was so worried , l did not tell anyone . I did make it worse by worring . I got so upset l was making myself vomit . Could not sleep

just kept telling myself that l had bowel cancer . And would try to work out how l could sort my life out .

As this progressed l was having serve back pain , stomach pain . Some days just could not get out of bed. All l wanted to do was sleep.

I found myself not wanting to go out , just in case l had an accident . When it started to effect my work . l started on these anti diarrhoea tablets , Just l could get by without having an accident in my pants . As it would just hit me and l could not hold on .

I did attend my doctor , and he referred my to a special doctor , but the waiting list was 3 months for an appointment . You can imagine what sort of problems this caused me and how in effected my health in general as l also have type2 diabetes.

I found it to be a major concern as l could not keep my sugars stable during this time . I had to use a towel on the bed every night , as l would just leak. I also keep knickers on each night as well . Just in case .

After having treatment , l am now finding that the medications l have to stay on are horrible . But l am finding it alittle better. The bleeding has stopped. The level of pain has reduced .

I am hoping that in time l will be able to have stable control over my BSL's . This in turn may even make it possible for me to control my type2 with diet and excerise .

Also never have another cigerette again in my lifetime

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