My name is Lisa and I've had Hep C since 1968. I started smoking when I was 15 years old, and I continued smoking for 40 years. Over the past 10 years I have tried several different ways and methods to quit smoking cigarettes. For the past couple of years I figured I was doing good because I was only smoking about 10 cigarettes most days, but I knew that it was not good for my health or my pocketbook.
Some of the things I've done to quit include: trying the patch 3 times, seeing Dr. "A" an addictions doctor in Victoria specializing in treating nicotine and cocaine addiction for which he prescribed a medication to help cut the cravings, two acupuncture treatments in Vancouver, two acupuncture treatments in Victoria, hypnosis by three different practitioners, cold turkey more than once, prayer more than once, nicotine stick and Zyban (which is not recommended for people with a history of depression, head injury or seizures.)
Every time I tried to quit I almost went crazy with the craving for cigarettes and after one or two weeks I would start again because I couldn't stand the pain of wanting to smoke.
I had almost resigned myself to being a smoker until the day I died, but one evening I was watching TV and I saw an ad for a treatment from Laser Centers for Health (formerly known as Total Health Laser Therapy). I called and spoke with the Registered Nurse who is the Certified Laser Therapist and I made an appointment at the Victoria clinic for July 3rd (2002). She told me to smoke right up to the door of the clinic but to be prepared to throw out any cigarettes I had left. In my car on the way to the clinic I finished off the last three cigarettes I had by chain smoking them and finished one in the parking lot before going into the clinic.
The treatment consisted of filling out a brief questionnaire, reclining on a comfortable chair, putting on a pair of dark glasses and listening to the Therapist speak as she applied low-dose laser therapy to several acupressure points in each ear, on each hand and on each side of my nose. I could feel the pulse, which was similar to a low electric pulse, which was totally painless. The Therapist gave me a cassette tape (now a CD) and some printed material to listen to and read if I was experiencing any cravings. She also advised me that I could call if I needed to talk someone. Part of the treatment included my going home and following some simple detoxification instructions for the first week, drinking lots of water and agreeing to take three anti-oxidants (which are included in the package) for one month. She also gave me several tips and hints to change my habits and thinking. One thing that she really stressed was the importance of not having even one drag off a cigarette as all the old cravings would come back with a vengeance.
When I left the clinic I was a non-smoker! It was that simple and easy. I could not believe that I was not in agony and craving a smoke.*