[j52c]

I have tried to stop smoking a few times, had acupuncture on 2 occasions but only managed around 4 weeks at a time, it is really hard and you need a lot of willpower, which I didn't have.

I eventually stopped smoking in January this year, 3 weeks before I had a stroke, 3 weeks after that I was in hospital having a artery unblocked in the right side of my neck. That made my mind up for me, although there are times that I still fancy a quick smoke, and I suppose I always will, but I have told myself I will never start again.

The effects of the stroke are almost gone, now and again I feel a slight numbness in a small area on my left hand, but I was told by the specialist that it is quite normal for that so there is no need to worry. A lot of people say that when you quit smoking you put on a lot of weight, well, that has not happened to me, having said that, I do eat a lot more healthier food now, or at least I hope I do.

Up to having the stroke I very rarely visited my doctor, the worst thing I have ever had was a slipped disk in 1988, other than that, nothing. So the moral is, you may be healthy at present and think smoking won't affect you, it eventually will, you will do yourself a lot of good by giving up now, the extra money you will save is a nice thing, but your health is more important to you and your family.