DEAR DOCTOR K: My husband smokes. Is secondhand smoke really as dangerous for me as I've heard?
DEAR READER: When I first became a doctor, very few people thought that secondhand smoke affected your health. I was one of the skeptics. It just seemed like the amount of smoke you take into your lungs when you smoke is so much more than when you are with a smoker.
DEAR DOCTOR K: Is smokeless tobacco safer than cigarettes? What about other non-cigarette tobacco products?
DEAR READER: It's tempting to think so, but there is no safe way to use tobacco. Any level of tobacco, in any form, increases your risk of heart attack, stroke, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, pneumonia, lung cancer and other cancers. Don't fool yourself into thinking that any tobacco products are safe to use.
DEAR DOCTOR K: I have tried to quit smoking several times but just can't. The patch and Chantix didn't work. Support groups aren't for me. Are there any other approaches that might help?
DEAR READER: Keep trying. It often takes smokers several tries before they are successful. I spoke to my colleague, Dr. Thomas Lee, editor-in-chief of the Harvard Heart Letter, who has heard this question from many of his patients. Here are our thoughts.
DEAR DOCTOR K: After years of smoking I've developed chronic bronchitis. Every morning I cough up lots of mucus. What can I do to control this cough?
DEAR READER: Chronic bronchitis is a common form of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD. COPD refers to a group of disorders that damage the lungs and make breathing increasingly difficult over time. Most cases of COPD are related to cigarette smoking.
DEAR DOCTOR K: At a recent medical visit for my heart condition, my doctor urged me again to quit smoking. At 70, I've quit repeatedly without lasting success. I've tried the patch. I've tried medicine. Neither has worked. Support groups aren't for me. Being told over and over that I need to quit smoking just leaves me feeling depressed and weak. Can you offer me any hope?
DEAR READER: Yes, absolutely! The fact that you've tried so hard to quit smoking is a good sign: Wanting to quit is the necessary first step. I know you feel discouraged right now. I've had many patients in exactly your situation who have successfully become ex-smokers. That's why I'm going to encourage you to try again.
Sign Up Now ForGet weekly health information and advice from the experts at Harvard Medical School.
Dr. Anthony Komaroff is a practicing physician, Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, and Editor in Chief of Harvard Health Publications. Learn more »
Harvard Health Publications is the publishing division of Harvard Medical School, providing the general public with authoritative, trustworthy, and accessible health information. Learn more »
To submit your own health question to Doctor K for consideration in a future column, click here.
The contents displayed within this public group(s), such as text, graphics, and other material ("Content") are intended for educational purposes only. The Content is not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding your medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in a public group(s).
If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your healthcare provider or 911 immediately. Any mention of products or services is not meant as a guarantee, endorsement, or recommendation of the products, services, or companies. Reliance on any information provided is solely at your own risk. Please discuss any options with your healthcare provider.
The information you share, including that which might otherwise be Protected Health Information, to this site is by design open to the public and is not a private, secure service. You should think carefully before disclosing any personal information in any public forum. What you have written may be seen, disclosed to, or collected by third parties and may be used by others in ways we are unable to control or predict, including to contact you or otherwise be used for unauthorized or unlawful purposes. As with any public forum on any site, this information may also appear in third-party search engines like Google, MSN, Yahoo, etc. Your use of this site is governed by Harvard University and its affiliates Terms of Use located at www.askdoctork.com/privacy-policy and may be amended from time to time.
View LessThe contents displayed within this public group(s), such as text, graphics, and other material ("Content") are intended for educational purposes only. The Content is not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. . . .
View More
