Cathy from Middlewich has been a heavy smoker for 50 years, starting at the age of 12 and it was affecting her health.
Living with COPD, she tried several times to stop smoking “it never worked” she shared, until she found the Be Smoke Free programme.
Each time Cathy caught a cold, it went straight onto her chest, several times she has been taken to hospital on blue lights, straight into resus and onto oxygen.
“I knew it was only a matter of time before I was sent home with oxygen. A big wake up call for me.”
Cathy shared she loves her holidays and cruise’s and doesn’t want to carry an oxygen tank around with her, this was the big deciding factor to her “I’ve got to do something.”
Cathy found out about One You Cheshire East’s Be Smoke Free programme on Facebook, she got the phone number and decided to give it one last attempt.
“I did it at Holmes Chapel, with a lady called Lisa who is fantastic and has got the patience of a saint, it’s the best thing I did, and it never cost me a penny to do it.”
“When I met Lisa the first time, I tried patches (again) and the Nicorette inhaler (again). Lisa recommended the vape, wow how easy was that.”
With a carbon monoxide reading of over 50 when she first saw Lisa “I was off the scale”, the highest reading Lisa had seen, down to 3. Cathy has seen so many improvements since being smoke free for six months:
Cathy no longer coughs, her oxygen sats average 98% to 99%, up from 92%, her peak flow reading was 200-220 now up to 350, she sleeps better, has more energy, gardening is easier and most importantly she can play with her grandchildren.
“When the urge for a cigarette happens, I put the sats finger oximeter on and seeing the 97% to 99% reminds me that I have done the right thing and how far my health has improved.”
As soon as Cathy tasted the vape, that was it, she’s never looked back “best thing I did.” Six months ago, she started on 1.6% of nicotine, she has now dropped down to 1.2% to see how that goes, with the plan to drop down again in another 6 months.
If you would like to find out more about One You Cheshire East’s free, 12-week Be Smoke Free programme, visit www.oneyoucheshireeast.org or call 0300 123 5026
Watch Cathy’s full story here