Home     Contact Us    
Main Board Job Seeker's Board Job Wanted Board Resume Bank Company Board Word Help Medquist New MTs Classifieds Offshore Concerns VR/Speech Recognition Tech Help Coding/Medical Billing
Gab Board Politics Comedy Stop Health Issues
ADVERTISEMENT




Serving Over 20,000 US Medical Transcriptionists

I quit in 1997...almost 10 years!!!--sm

Posted By: kps on 2006-09-15
In Reply to: OK, if you'll admit to it. Are you a smoker? sm - MTPuffer

I quit with the help of a subliminal tape which advertised being able to quit in three days with the aid of the tape and diet. I quit in one day and never looked back. I cannot seem to find that product any longer (dang!) but wish I could. I wish my mother would quit too. she returned to smoking after not having smoked for five years, the very day my dad died...he was not even cold yet and she had a cigarette in her hand! He had kept her from smoking because she had had a stroke prior and he wanted her to live. He died from esophageal cancer complications. I detest the smell...it makes me ill...and I can't stand being around people who do smoke because they smell like an ashtray too, as well as their clothes, hair, house, and car. it is gross. no offense to those who do, I just don't want to be around it. good luck to those who want to quit! by the way, nicotine is addicting, but it is not that chemical that keeps you going back...it is the other *drugs* they put in it to KEEP you addicted...almost like heroine. cigarette junkies. no one will control my life and death that way! JMO.


Complete Discussion Below: marks the location of current message within thread

The messages you are viewing are archived/old.
To view latest messages and participate in discussions, select the boards given in left menu


Other related messages found in our database

I quit once for 3 years, but then started again. (Quit cold turkey when I did)


quit 4 years ago
I tried unsuccessfully to quit about 10 times, but I wasn't really mentally ready to quit.  I was smoking 1 pack to 1-1/2 packs per day when my now husband told me he wanted me to quit smoking.  That was all the motivation I needed.  I quit cold turkey.  When I first quit, I carried around ink pens and pencils and held them just like a cigarette to keep my hand busy, and I kept lots of Lifesavers and gum with me at all times.  I set aside the money that I was used to spending on cigarettes and instead used it for a vacation.  I'm just like a little kid--the reward system works pretty well for me, so I just set little rewards along the way for myself so that I would stay smoke-free.  Even now, I stay away from situations where I will be tempted to smoke because I still have cravings.  Quitting is hard to do, but you can do it!  Just focus on your specific reason for wanting to quit, and you will get there.  Good luck!
I quit them years ago when they came out with ....
the TWS system.  Prior to that I made a LOAD of money, very good pay.  I'm talking the mid 90s.  Then came TWS which was develope with one purpose in mind (I am convinced).... to rip the MT off as far as line count goes.  That's the only reason they EVER come up with new software or platforms IMHO, to make more money for them and less for you.  I had to leave.  I couldn't abide by it.
Quit for 1.5 years and was....sm
Gained 30 lbs., BP went up, retained fluids, blah, blah.  Smoked for so many years, I'm just not sure it's worth it.  I know that sounds foolish but feel the damage is done anyway.  Why be miserable???
I quit doing that years ago. It has never been worth it to me. SM

I think, though, that one reason is this. I worked for 15 years on a hospital platform that had NO spellcheck, NO NOTHING. I had to learn to proof as I went along. It gave me the terrible habit of backspacing when I make an error - something I've not yet learned how to avoid - I'd really like to type and have the spellchecker catch the errors because I think I'd be more productive, but it's turned into kind of like a facial tic, something involuntary!


I would never relisten to anything - unless it's something that gave me trouble while I was doing it - and when that happens, I leave blanks, go back to the first and listen.


I quit for several years and started again.....
I'm a moron.  I hate it and I hide it from my kids.  It stinks.
Quit 10 years ago because I ended up in the
hospital with an asthma attack. If you have asthma, you will not smoke. The way I did it was very short term use of the patch and 13 months of a low dose of Paxil. It kept me from having panic attacks from not having a cigarette. You probably know that there is more nicotine in all brands now than there was ten years ago.
I just quit this morning after 1.5 years...

... at the pay you mention.  But it was a good education.  Good luck!


I quit 2-1/2 years ago cold turkey
after smoking about 40 years.  It was one of the hardest things that I ever did.  To this day, I still want to smoke.  I am really relating to feeling like you lost your best friend because that was the same thing that I said!  I wish you well because it is hard to stick to it.  One thing I did want to tell you is that you can get support from the American Lung Association (or was it the American Cancer Society).  Anyway, they have people who can counsel with you, send you literature, can possibly hook you up with a local support group, plus they follow up with you to see how you are doing.  The more I think about it, I think I contacted the American Cancer Society 1-800-227-2345 or www.cancer.org.  Good luck!  If I could quit, anybody can! 
I too gained (30 pounds) when I quit 2 years ago. sm


What worked for me is the CORE weight watchers plan (no counting of points).  It is amazing how much you can eat and feel satisfied.  It is really not a diet but more a way of eating healthy.  It isn't Atkins or South Beach, as you get to eat carbs such as ww pasta, potato, brown rice etc.  It is very healthy and satisfying.  The weight just fell off of me 2 to 3 pounds per week.  I decided I couldn't see my self 'dieting' or counting points for the rest of my life, but I could live with eating healthy.  This plan is the BEST I ever tried, and believe me, I tried them all.  Good luck with losing the weight.  It is great that you are smoke-free now.


I quit within 24 hours and again after 8 weeks in my nearly 25 years in the biz (nm)
dd
I did child abuse reports for 2+ years then quit.

I did a report on one kid, just learning to walk, who had the little feet stomped on by mom's significant other.  That was the beginning of the end for me with that job. Of course mom kept significant other and lost the kid. 


I had to get up and walk away and go back to it.


I honestly do not know HOW you got through your report.


I've tried to quit 6 times in the past 6 years but

always went back to it. The longest I've quit was 3 weeks. My mom died from COPD and she had smoked from age 16. She really enjoyed smoking and although we kept trying, couldn't get her to quit until she was on 24 hour oxygen.  She told me if she couldn't enjoy anything in life (smoking), why live. She died 3 months later.


I started smoking at 13...you know, the "try it, you'll like it" phase. We both tried to quit when I was 19 but we only lasted a day. There was only cold turkey then.


I've tried the patch (3 weeks off cigarettes), cold turkey, herbal meds, hynosis (only lasted 5 hours), you name it. I've used all the suggestions possible to no avail.


With a cigarette dangling from my mouth, I told my boys never to start smoking because they'd never be able to quit easily. Two took my advice, one didn't. He also tried to quit smoking but failed. He was on Wellbutrin for it.


My husband started smoking at 8 while working in a coal mine. He quit cold turkey 19 years ago. He was smoking almost 4 packs a day and one day he got so disgusted with it, he  just threw them out the window of the car. Never touched one since and smoke from other people doesn't bother him.


He told me you really have to have the willpower and just get disgusted enough to quit. There's no other way. I guess I just don't have that willpower.


Quit after 2 years. If I wanted to work 8 hours a day, I would have stayed in the hospital. Seemed
to be working all day long just to make a decent living.  Although, I wanted to be home with my kids until the baby was at least 5, had to breakdown and return to working outside the home, to make ends meet. Just to stressfull trying to make a good living with the rates they are paying now. 
Guess that means my husband is doomed....quit 15+ years ago (46 now)--GF had lung cancer
so either cancer will get him (his dad had bladder cancer, doing fine now but it did recur and lost his kidney about 10 months ago)...figure either cancer or cirrhosis will get him (drinks 8-12 "light" beers a day...for over 20+ years). So can you say semi-young widow?? (39). Naw....he will probably live forever, which is good.....lots of longevity in his family despite the cancer. Good.
I quit too after 10 years. Loved Healthscribe, can't make ends meet with Spheris. NM

I have 2 (among others I have) since 1997!!..nm

panic attacks since 1997
Doctors are a waste. You'll go thru dozens w/no outcome. What is necessary is this: Find the stressor(s) and eliminate. Minimize your life. Al-Anon or other group meetings are highly effective: Need new lifestyle/change in thinking, deal w/wreckage of past, deal with fears, obsessive thinking. TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF FIRST AND FOREMOST. Hope this helped.
1997 Dodge Intrepid sm
Paid it off 5 years ago and plan to drive it until it's dead. Hate car payments.
BOS format 1997-2010 s/m

BOS format 1997--- The patient is a two-year-old female who presents to the emergency room with a chief complaint of shortness of breath.  (two spaces) For the past three days...


BOS format 2003---The patient is a two-year-old female who presents to the ER with a chief complaint of shortness of breath. (one space) For the past three days...


BOS format 2007...The patient is a 2-year-old female who presents to the ER with a chief complaint of SOB. For the past 3 days...


BOS format 2110...The patient is a 2-yo fe who presents to the ER with a CCOM of SOB.For the past 3 days...


I have a 1997 Tahoe that we bought with 55K on it - now has 160K and hoping to get to 180 K (sm)
we've had very few problems but just had to put in a new fuel pump.  Love the way the Tahoe rides - doesn't ride like a truck like some SUV's.  Good luck and have fun shopping!
I quit two months ago. I tried to quit for over a year, but I just had to be ready.
I tried the patch, NRT gum, Zyban, everything. One morning, I woke up and just quit cold turkey. There are some good online support groups out there that can help you when you're ready.
ALSO IF THEY WERE GOING TO QUIT SE, THEY WOULD QUIT ADVERTISING TO HIRE SE
And I have seen a new ad in the magazine Advance that has a sign on bonus for SE's, maybe just better pay, let's think positive!!
Do NOT quit MT yet! & dont quit looking.Try her
x
58, AHP/self-taught, trained at hospital 5 years, now with 2 of my own accounts for 10 years, employ
Also worn out 2 keyboards in 4 years. I will never retire. DH will come home some day from work and I'll be slumped over my keyboard. I put in 14 hours a day 7 days a week.
Pack years = packs smoked per day x years of smoking - sm
25 pack-years = 25 years of 1 pack a day, or 12-1/2 years of 2 packs a day.

I don't think pack-years applies to someone who smokes only cigars. But I don't know for sure.
I worked for Cbay for 3 years. I was also part of their lay off back many years ago. sm
Even though I got stuck in a lay off era, I still love the company. They paid well then. The people were nice (exception of 1 person) and if I had the opportunity I would go back again. Fortunately (or unfortunately - depending on how u look at it), I have a great paying job right now, so I am not looking for a change. I do know that at one time, they asked management to accept late paychecks, but never sure of the reason why. My check was never late.
I know it used to be 5-10 years back, but the laws changed within the last 2 years. They can only g
x
6 years legal then switched to medical 17+ years ago. sm

I don't mind doing legal and will do it now from time to time, but be prepared to be totally bored out of your mind.


At least that's the way I feel.  I love to transcribe, learned legal in college, went on to get my paralegal degree, etc., etc., but I did temp work when the kids were younger, which was about 90% medical and I would never go back to legal except for once in a while.


Booooooring.


 


 


Only 3 years away from reaching total years for retirement
but if I had to do this and raise a family, would feel exactly like you do. The pay is terrible compared to what I used to make. I work 32 hours a week, hope to be able to continue even after full retirement age. I have worked on VR now and unless places get to where they really do not care about how their reports look, think they will need MTs. I very seldom do a report and it is 100%, just cannot remember 1 like that and most take a lot more editing. Working now because want to, not have to anymore, thank goodness!!
TC quit
Yerica, LOL..No such luck.  Peggy quit, so did Miranda who worked in the digital room.  They both went to FutureNet, same place April went last November.  Jessie from the digital room is gone too..
Quit then if it's really that bad for you. sm
I don't like the e-mails either but you need to take this up with Joann rather than coming here and screaming at everybody. If it doesn't pertain to you, then ignore it. Why you're so uptight about something that isn't addressed to you is crazy.
LOL....I'd have quit after 1!!!!
now mine just takes in live-in strays since he can't get married again, he's still married in a different state and can't find the wife to get the divorce. IT's probably a good thing that he can't. He's be the one with 32 wives and still counting, some all at the same time. LOLOLOLOL
For those who want to quit
We need a MT smoker board any ideas???? Since we listen to what doctors say and know more than the average person (because we our brilliant people) we need a support group..
Here is how I quit MQ.
I took another FT job. Did not say a word to MQ. Just simply went about working for new job. I was not able to type at all for MQ. They did not call me. After about three months, I finally was contacted. Told them I had to take another job and that after eight hours with it, I was too tired to type for them. They asked me to go PT and I said I would try. Waited another three months and could not meet PT criteria (did not actually type a thing but wanted to see if FT job would work age - it was). After another 3 months, I called them and told them I would be shipping their things back. End of story. Of course, I doubt if I could ever go back there.

Sometimes in life you get what you give.
quit being mean
quit it!!!
Quit, got that right....sm
I quit two positions on the FIRST day because I could see that it was going to be impossible to get the production I want/need with the system as they were training me. No sense wasting my time or theirs...just got outta there.
I would not quit what I am now doing.
I just want more radiology work.  I do basic 4 and radiology with radiology being a 1/3 of my work.  I would like to keep the rad work but replace basic four with more rad work elsewhere.
yup, das y i quit
/
I quit!
Could you tell me the name of the company? I just started with a company, and I honestly don't think I will EVER be able to make the line count .... 11,000. Have never made that many lines. Am a good MT but takes time to do short reports, proof, etc. Even a short report can take awhile depending on extra things doctor wants you to do, like send a cc to different people, do this, do that, etc. By the time I proof the report, it could easily take 15 minutes or more. Takes time to proof and to try and find a doctor's name, etc., esp. in a big hospital.
I quit!
Just curious...how long were you on-board? I think I know the place.
i quit
I smoked up to a pack a day.  I quit 20+ years ago and never regretted it.  It was tough but I first figured out why I smoked (as a reward) and then started replacing the reward cigarette with something else - food, a small gift for myself, whatever... I had it licked in a few weeks but then slipped over the New Year's weekend.  I quit again and that was for good.  All the women in my family quit as well!  It was a very liberating experience.
Quit, yes...sm
I have always wanted to be able to travel the country and help out with Habitat for Humanity and other such organizations to help those who really need it. There are millions of poor people here who need the help and we should all give something back.  If it was a substantial amount (like a couple of million or more) I would help my siblings pay off homes, etc., volunteer, and travel.
Quit then and go somewhere else
Either keep up with the technology changes, do your work or quit. Just quit whining.  These changes are here, work with them.  And yes, to me it is good money.   Got two new accounts the past 6 weeks, good money, older doctors that will stay with me for the last ten years I plan on working as they don't like the EMR's, internet or whatever and just want to dictate and have someone type up the chart notes/OP notes/letters and be done with it.  My one larger account will bring in over $400 per week for 4 days of dictation.  One dermatology doctor, lots of Op notes and consults -- good lines, repetitive typing and good pay.   So either do something about your job situation or income to make it what you want or find another line of work. 
Anyone quit due to ASR?
I'm really worried about it.  I think it's just going to cut my pay in half or maybe even worse.
I'd quit in a second
What I would probably do is invest a lot of it, and get a part-time job doing something that I really loved. No way would I stay working as an MT full-time. Oh, and congratulations!
Quit..

My late payments were 2 weeks at first too, and then it got to be a month, and then very sporadically late and then finally after 10 years of this waiting and wondering, I quit.  I can't work like that.  I didn't know if I'd ever get paid this last time.  I think once they see that you'll tolerate it, then it continues to happen. 


Do not quit
If you are happy then stay doing what you are doing, not many can spend time with kids, avoid day care, etc. My husband told me my salary was NOT worth it and convinced me to retire. aI did very well $$$ wise.  I am not totally and completely miserable. He would not even help me return the doc's stationery and I had to mail some back so the other company could use it. I cried on a daily basis. The docs and hospitals were angry with me and I don't think they would even give me a reference if I wanted one.I did give a notice, I did not sell as it would be like selling one of my kids, it was that much a part of my heart. I am very angry with my husband as well as being heartbroken and lost. I am not up to savvy on file transfer protocol, etc., and a lot of things that have come up in the last two years. I am one heartbroken woman. Your husband is only thinking of himself and wanting to own you. Don't let that happen. I am at the point where I want to start all over as a newbie after years of being #1 in my area. Men are ego maniacs! I am one unhappy former service owner, don't let it happen to you! And please, no nay sayer meanie responses, I don't need that at this point in my life. There are some on here who just love to jump all over your heartfelt concerns, been there too!! Stay with the supporters of what you are going through. Don't give it up!
Quit.
I liked my accounts, easy docs but I never knew when I was going to be paid and was fed a line of bull every time I asked about it. There are nice accounts that pay on time out there.
Quit
I quit an account that did not pay on time.  I had to wait 3 months; welp, I said see ya'...  wasn't worth my time.
did you quit your old job before
starting this new one?