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A question about smokers and hospitals.......

Posted: Jul 21, 2010

My sister and I were discussing what would happen if our mom, who is a major, MAJOR smoker, ever had to go to the hospital. (She rarely even sees a doctor). She's getting on in years, has some growing health issues, and avoids going to a doctor because she doesn't want to go to a hospital. The reason? Because she won't be able to smoke! (For this reason she won't go anywhere anymore... restaurants, plane trips, etc., because she won't have access to her cigarettes for more than an hour or so.)

So! What happens to people like her who are totally addicted smokers, who have no intention of quitting or desire to quit, who have to go to the hospital for say, a week or two, or more? I know heroin addicts get methadone.... what do they give smokers to keep them from going through major nicotine withdrawal?

My sister and I would really like to know!

;

nicotine patch - nm

[ In Reply To ..]
nm

Smoking - Linda

[ In Reply To ..]
I chain smoked for many years. I worked 12-hour shifts and when they began the smoke ban, I used Nicorette while at work and smoked at home. When I got tired of the gum, I would use the losenges. If she will give them a chance, they will help. I finally quit smoking - but it is an addiction for some people as bad as any drug or alcohol addiction. It was for me. I actually didn't quit until my sister had to have surgery on each lung (at different times)for cancer.

My mom was the same way. A nicotine patch did help somewhat - Backwards Typist

[ In Reply To ..]
but when she broke her hip, she spent a week in the hospital and 6 weeks in rehab (nursing home). No smoking at all. She never complained either but the minute she was discharged and we got into the car, she wanted a cigarette. Even though she was off them 7 weeks, it's all she wanted.

She never wanted to quit. She liked smoking. I couldn't get her to quit even though near the end, I lied and told her I quit so she wouldn't ask for any. I had quit buying them for her because she would fall asleep with a lit one and burn furniture, the rug, and her clothes, but when she was still able to walk, she's sneak out of her room and steal a pack or two of mine (before I told her I quit). When she died found 3 packs of cigs hidden in her room.

Truthfully, it was the only thing she enjoyed since she was legally blind and deaf, and I hated doing it to her, but I had no choice at the time.

Thanks for the answers! My mom loves smoking, - too, and I know she would never quit. -sm

[ In Reply To ..]
But not only does she like it, but she's about as addicted as a person can get. So far she's beat the odds, and doesn't have lung cancer or anything. But she's in her mid-80s, and not that well anymore, so you never know. Good to know they can at least use nicotine patches. I would imagine, also, that if you're sick enough to be in a hospital, you probably have other symptoms to distract you from cigarettes! ;)

As long as she didn't feel well while in the hospital - Backwards Typist

[ In Reply To ..]
she was fine with the patch. It was when she was back to normal that the problem started all over again. I think she could have lived a few more years but she had the shingles when she was 75 and that's when she started to go downhill. She had constant pain in the shoulder after the shingles and not being able to do crossword puzzles or read because of her blindness, not being able to hear the TV, and not able to smoke, she just gave up. A week before she died, she told me she was tired of living like that. She was 79.

If your mom doesn't have any signs of disease from smoking, I'd let it alone.

My aunt wss also a smoker; in fact, she was a chain smoker and was always healthy. Great lungs. No cough, SOB, etc. She went to the ER one day because she wasn't feeling well, which was very unusual, and was diagnosed with pneumonia. ER sent her home and she died that night. She was only 75.

smoking - enigma

[ In Reply To ..]
My ex-husband smoked while he was IN the hospital. He went in the bathroom and smoked! He always said he would be smoking while he was on oxygen. Too bad he didn't live long enough to be on oxygen (died of lung cancer at 57).

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