Justin B Smith from Justin’s HIV Journal has been smoking since the age of 17. He is 29 years old so he has been smoking for about 12 years.
According to TheBody.com, people with HIV disease are more likely to smoke than healthy people. Smoking can interfere with normal lung function in healthy people. In people with HIV, smoking can make it more difficult to fight off serious infections. People with HIV disease are now living longer. Smoking and related problems can interfere with long term quality of life.
Smoking weakens the immune system. It can make it harder to fight off HIV-related infections. This is especially true for infections related to the lungs. Smoking can interfere with processing of medications by the liver. It can also worsen liver problems like hepatitis.
People with HIV who smoke are more likely to suffer complications from HIV medication than those who don’t. For example, those who smoke are more likely to experience nausea and vomiting from taking HIV medications. Smoking increases the risk of some long-term side effects of HIV disease and treatment. These include osteoporosis . HIV treatment slightly increases the risk of heart attack, but smoking is the major controllable risk factor for heart attacks or strokes.
Recent studies found that quitting smoking reduced heart attack risk in HIV patients more than other factors such as changes in medications.
People with HIV disease who smoke are more likely to develop several opportunistic infections related to HIV. They are more likely to develop thrush, oral hairy leukoplakia (whitish mouth sores), bacterial pneumonia, pneumocystis pneumonia. For women, smoking can increase the risk and severity of infection with human papillomavirus, this increases the risk of cervical cancer.
A recent study found that smoking among people with HIV was linked to a higher rate of death. This was true for current smokers and ex-smokers; the greatest increase in the risk of death — 60% — was for cardiovascular (heart) disease and some cancers.
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quite now, live …
quite now, live longer.
you can do it Justin
you can do it Justin
you can do it …
you can do it Justin..i believe in you, did you get the video I sent you?
It is so hard to …
It is so hard to give up smoking. I started about the same age as you started and always wished I hadn’t.
I roll my own and I find the habit of doing that is automatic, I make one without even thinking about it.
I gave up a few times, once after getting a lung infection but the temptation is always there when you go out with friends and they keep offering you one.
I hope watching your progress will also help me stop
good luck with …
good luck with trying to quit ….i’ve benn struggling a long time … i quit and pick em back up …..oh well i always tell myself better luck next time …..ciao:~)
hope you quit soon …
hope you quit soon like me
GOOD LUCK with that …
GOOD LUCK with that struggle as well man ………….in my prayers ….stay blessed
Good luck with that …
Good luck with that, take it one day at a time. I personally don’t, but I have had friends that has tried. The thing I am wondering is what are you using to try to quit. Also it helps to have a support system. Meaning the guys that you are bumming cigs from, that stop doing it as well. You will and can do it.!!
good luck!!!!!!!!!! …
good luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i hear its the hardest thing to quit.. dont be surprised if you stumble every now and again. but dont get down on yourself. if you manage to permanently quit im sure it will reaffirm what a strong person you are..best wishes…
GREAT! CHEW GUM!!!! …
GREAT! CHEW GUM!!!!!!!
Im 15 Just tryed …
Im 15 Just tryed one today .. I will never start
Lookin Gorgeous
Lookin Gorgeous
Hello sweetie
…
Hello sweetie
It’s always so good to see you.. I have a vid that I made a while ago with me singing just for you and I promise to post it very soon.. You are doing the right thing by not smoking anymore and you will definitely benefit from it. Stay strong and I always wish you the best at whatever you do..
( you are now a role model for many)
Much Love
Justin! That’s an …
Justin! That’s an excellent idea! I am proud of you for this!!!! You’ll save a few dollars too!!!
Keep us posted!!!!
Love,
Calvin