Quitting Smoking Pre-Op

[bree1289 6]

I've been a heavy smoker for over 7 years. I'm aware that you CANNOT smoke throughout (before or after) this process, but I need some encouragement on how to become 100% smoke free. I started a habit of drinking a cup of tea every time I was going out for a cigarette. Sometimes I would have both cigarette and tea in my hand, (addiction is addiction) but other times I would get annoyed with the process and just have the tea instead. I've successfully cut back from two packs a day to 4-5 cigarettes a day by doing this alone. Does anybody have any advice for me? I really want to be ready for my first appointment this month and would love to say I've been smoke free for a week rather than I still smoke occasionally. Please be kind, but all advice is very much so appreciated.

[rachel62073 3]

If you really want the surgery you will easily be able to do it. I was a 20 yr smoker and I am 2 months smoke free. Just put them in the trash. When I felt like i wanted one i cleaned something to stay busy. its unbelievable how much better I feel. Good luck.

[bree1289 6]

If you really want the surgery you will easily be able to do it. I was a 20 yr smoker and I am 2 months smoke free. Just put them in the trash. When I felt like i wanted one i cleaned something to stay busy. its unbelievable how much better I feel. Good luck.

Thank you. I keep telling myself I've already given up so much of them, I don't know why I'm clutching to the last few. I'll just throw them away, again thanks for the advice :]

[rachel62073 3]

Good luck..

[VSGmary 418]

Hello there, i was a heavy smoker for close to 33 years, i tried quitting not once, not twice but three times and was finally successful dec 1st 2013! It takes time and determination and a lot of will to do it but its just so worth it. Smoking had so much control of everything i did. I didnt realise it until i sat down and thought how crazy i was thinking about waking up and panicking about not having a smoke ready and waiting for me when i woke up in the morning! Seriously, how disgusting was that?!

I am in Australia and i used both Champix and Nicorette Inhalator. One to remove the cravings and the other to help with the habit of putting something in my mouth! This helped me immensely. Within 2 weeks of starting the Champix i stopped smoking!

I dont crave a cigarette but also having said that, i will never ever contemplate having one EVER again, as i know that i will fall into the trap again. Life is just so much better now having quit!

Keep up your Vitamin C up as you quit as this also helps.

Wish you all the best xox

[wannaBthinsoon 1,634]

I was a heavy smoker for 35 years. I decided on April 1st last year that I wanted this surgery. I read a book by Allen Carr called The easy way to stop smoking. I smoked while reading it, and once I finished the book, the instructions were to throw whatever cigs I had left into the trash and never pick up another one. It worked. I believe it may have something to do with self hypnosis, as there was quite a bit of repetition. But that along with the determination to become healthy and have a safe surgery, it was easy peasy to just walk away. Weigh your pros and cons. What do cigs Do for you? Besides kill you slowly? Nothing. I will be 1 year smoke free on April 1, and I'm damn proud!! Best of luck to you on your Quest to good health

[bree1289 6]

Hello there, i was a heavy smoker for close to 33 years, i tried quitting not once, not twice but three times and was finally successful dec 1st 2013! It takes time and determination and a lot of will to do it but its just so worth it. Smoking had so much control of everything i did. I didnt realise it until i sat down and thought how crazy i was thinking about waking up and panicking about not having a smoke ready and waiting for me when i woke up in the morning! Seriously, how disgusting was that?!

I am in Australia and i used both Champix and Nicorette Inhalator. One to remove the cravings and the other to help with the habit of putting something in my mouth! This helped me immensely. Within 2 weeks of starting the Champix i stopped smoking!

I dont crave a cigarette but also having said that, i will never ever contemplate having one EVER again, as i know that i will fall into the trap again. Life is just so much better now having quit!

Keep up your Vitamin C up as you quit as this also helps.

Wish you all the best xox

Thank you so much! Looking at my habits from just a few weeks ago I totally get what you mean, I really was controlled by smoking. I'll definitely stock up on Vitamin C (never knew that helped with quitting!) and the last of my cigarettes will be going in the garbage tonight. I'm so ready to start a new chapter.

[bree1289 6]

I was a heavy smoker for 35 years. I decided on April 1st last year that I wanted this surgery. I read a book by Allen Carr called The easy way to stop smoking. I smoked while reading it, and once I finished the book, the instructions were to throw whatever cigs I had left into the trash and never pick up another one. It worked. I believe it may have something to do with self hypnosis, as there was quite a bit of repetition. But that along with the determination to become healthy and have a safe surgery, it was easy peasy to just walk away. Weigh your pros and cons. What do cigs Do for you? Besides kill you slowly? Nothing. I will be 1 year smoke free on April 1, and I'm damn proud!! Best of luck to you on your Quest to good health

Congratulations! I'm going to be taking the same route, throwing the rest of them in the garbage and just deciding I'm no longer a smoker. Thanks for the advice and the luck, I definitely needed both!

[Deleted User 1]

Just do it! I smoked more than a pack a day for more than 20 years. In 2010 I cut back to 6 or 7 a day - one pack every three days. I felt noticeably better, but I felt powerless to quit, having not been able to the other times I'd tried. Fast-forward to making the decision to have WLS last fall. They told me I HAD to quit. OK... After a (very) brief inner struggle, I decided to quit. I have been nicotine free since December 16, 2014.

It was not easy. I felt like I was going to jump out of my skin for over a week. I was cranky, and I didn't care. My body wanted a cigarette. I just kept telling it, "No, I want this surgery more than I want you." I made it through the physical withdrawals and soon wondered if they lasted longer than a month. (LOL) Hello, psychological addiction withdrawal. For me, this mental addiction phase was the toughest one. I still sometimes hear "I sure would like a smoke right about now." after a stressful situation. No. I find something else to do, and it passes. After about six weeks, I noticed I was very sensitive to other smokers. "OMG, did I SMELL like that?" Of course I did, I smoked just like they do. It's intolerable and thoroughly disgusting now. I breathe better, I don't smell like that, I don't panic if I run low - worried about a continuing fix, I've saved a fair bit of money, and I will not be disqualified from surgery because I couldn't quit. You CAN do it. You just have to finally, really, want to.

Edited March 13, 2015 by Anji330

[Monster 1]

That is a game changer. I'm on your team, smoking is a tough habit to drop. You have to keep your eyes on the prize.

[cfinch70 56]

Drink carrot juice it help the flush out the nicotine from your system.