Try quitting this No Smoking Day!
Give quitting a go this No Smoking Day... that’s the message from 49 year old, mum of two, Kerry who is four weeks into her no smoking journey and is already feeling the benefits.
Having smoked for most of her adult life, Kerry, who lives in Pennywell with her husband and four dogs, decided to give quitting a go because of various health problems.
She explains: “I’ve got lots of issues with my health at the moment and I just thought, smoking is the one thing which I can do something about.
“Me and my husband are both smokers so we’re giving up together.”
Kerry is quitting with the support of her local pharmacy, Tullochs, in Pennywell.
She continued: “I’ve tried quitting before a couple of times, but it hasn’t worked out for one reason or another.
“Tullochs is just round the corner from where I live and I’m in there all the time so I thought I would just ask about whether there was any support available.”
Tullochs is one of 40 pharmacies across the city who offer support to help people quit smoking and Kerry was enrolled on a 12-week programme. She is being supported by one of the pharmacy’s two stop smoking advisors, Chloe Laing.
Speaking about the support she has received, Kerry said: “Chloe is great, she’s always there if I need her and she’s very supportive.
“There are loads of options to help you stop smoking and the great thing about quitting with support from the pharmacy is that they help you work out what is going to work for you.
“I am using a combination of lozenges and patches. We have weekly sessions to see how it is all going and I know she is only ever at the end of the phone if I am struggling.”
As today is No Smoking Day, Kerry has some advice for anyone who is thinking of quitting.
She said: “I would say just try. Even if you have tried before, try again. They say every time you quit it’s a different experience and it certainly is. This time, I really feel like it is going well and I am feeling so much better already.”
Youcanfindoutaboutstopsmoking support near you at www.livelifewell. org.uk/stopping-smoking