Hello everyone. This is my first post.
I'm 22 days away from my 45th birthday, and 17 days away from Skoal Mint Long Cut...at least if my math is right. I had my last pinch on Saturday, May 4 , 2013.
I'm married and have two young kids and it finally hit me that I needed to stop poisoning my body. I started in the ninth grade, so I suppose it's been 30 years, give or take.
I've been avoiding dentists for years but was referred to a dentist that turned out to be extremely plain-spoken, informative, and caring. He explained he was a baseball player all through school (which for anyone my age needs no explanation...I guess they don't chew any more in the pros but wow, they sure used to, and on TV) and told me he chewed and dipped through school and college and he made me very comfortable as a guy who understood my anxiety.
After X-Rays and a manual (fingers) exam of the lymph nodes under my jaw and down my neck...where I've been feeling the most pain since quitting...he said I seem to be healthy. I have an appointment for a regular cleaning in a month. Today was just a cancer screening.
Guys, if you quit and your mouth/jaw/throat/neck hurts (and all of mine hurts like hell here on Day 17), go see a good dentist and put your mind at ease. I got through the mental fog okay but the physical pain....and it's not bad pain, just dull aches...really scared me and I needed to know either way...did I just have sore chops or was I already riddled with cancer?
Thanks for this forum. I really appreciate what I've read so far.
