| I've been type 1 for 34 years (since age 21) and smoked on and off for most of that time. Usually I did not smoke more than 10 cigarettes a day. In October of 2004 I quit smoking. Two months later I was diagnosed with a blockage in one of my coronary arteries. I was shocked! My weight has always been normal, I have always exercised, and my cholesterol was not high. I have no other major diabetes complications. When my cardiologist asked if I smoked and I told him I had off and on for years, he said "Well, what did you expect? Diabetics are at high risk for heart disease and smoking makes it so much worse."
I was "stented" and have been fine so far. My recent nuclear stress test was normal. Sometimes I beat myself up for ever having smoked, but most of the time I'm just glad that I was able to stop. When I saw my cardiologist after the stress test he said "You have done the best thing you possibly could have done for your health."
Enough said. I just hope that reading about my experience might encourage others to quit.  | 
