Smoking Section

[wvgal33 0]

Hello all,

I am struggling trying to quit smoking before my surgery and for life...I am on Chantix at the moment and even though my body isn't craving a cig...my mind is constantly thinking about it.

Any smokers or ex-smokers out there that have had Lap-band? Did anyone have to quit smoking in order to have the surgery? I hate smoking and being a "smoker," I am sooo ready to quit...but I am mourning over it. I know I will also heal better if I am not smoking which is a great incentive! Am I alone? or is anyone out there smoking or have quit and have any advice?

P.S. I am walking around like I am constantly forgetting something...and I realize it is my cig~!

[Susie Girl 75 0]

I did quit smoking two weeks prior to surgery per my doc's request. Somehting about sucking air in, like with a straw... I think that will worsen the gas pain you experience after surgery. I did quit for a whole month after surgery but have since cheated here and there! Shhhh.... don't tell my darling fiancee! :biggrin:

I am finding my food addiction much easier to stop. The cigs are a killer!!! I will keep trying though! it's so unhealty!

[skinnyme2be 0]

I feel your pain!! I was told that I have to quit 8 weeks prior to surgery, and was told that they test for it too... I have had chantix and take it occasionally thinking I will quit soon. But I just got approved today for surgery so now I am really going to have to actually quit. I do not take pills well, I just can't remember to take them. Although now, I am going to really start working on it. I want to surgery too bad for that to screw it up for me.

Good luck to you, I can't say that it will get easier because I don't know that it will, but people say it will... someday. :biggrin:

[wvgal33 0]

Wow! They can test for it? Well, I am going to have to get more serious about it then - can you hear the cheater in me???? Geesh why am I always looking for ways out of the right thing to do! Ok...lets get serious and quit. Keep me posted on how you are doing. The chantix will work - I quit for a few days on it with no problems other than missing my best/worst friend - the cig.

Lets quit!:biggrin:

[skinnyme2be 0]

Ok, let's quit together. Anyone out there that needs to quit can quit with

us. We can all be quitters... God that sounds so much easier when you

are typing it than when you actually go through with it. :biggrin: My problem is that I unfortunately really like to smoke. I like taking that break while I'm working to get up from my desk and get out of our office. Get fresh air, regroup and decompress. Then a couple hours later do it again. What will I do now?? I think that is my biggest thing... What do non smokers do??

What will I do with that extra time when I am not smoking??

Well.... I guess I need to just QUIT and find out what I do with myself when I'm not smoking..right?? Keep me posted how you are doing.

[wvgal33 0]

I hear ya! I like smoking too, but I don't like being a "smoker" - if that makes any sense? It's like it is not the cool thing to do anymore LOL!

I work at home as a medical transcriptionist and I "reward" myself with a cig after every few reports I type. I don't know what to replace this with. There is nothing in this house rewarding. What should I do - get up and reward myself with folding laundry? Don't say take a walk...I get paid per production and it costs me money to take a walk LOL! I can only afford like a 2 to 4 minute "reward." I tried to call friends instead of smoking but I ended up on the phone all day and didn't make much money When I tried to quit before...I would reward myself with M&Ms...well I am trying to lose weight now and I don't think it would be appropriate :biggrin:. After I am done working, I would reward myself after making dinner, after washing dishes and cleaning up kitchen, after helping child with homework, and the list goes on! When I tried to quit before, I just kind of walked around and even cried some. Oh how I wish my award fettish could be replaced with some sort of sticker on a chart - but it aint happening. Any suggestions? Oh, and I have already tried the long-term award like if I don't smoke this week I will buy me something. It didn't take long to figure out I am a short-term goal reward-right-now person.

Yes, I am seeking therapy.:cool2:

[GREATFUL 24]

Hey Guys,

I quit smoking 3 weeks and 4 days ago. I miss it so much. My doctor did not require me to quit in order to have the band. But my mom died of lung cancer almost 2 year ago. So I know how bad it is and what it can do to your health. I think about it everyday, but each day it does get less and less. My Doc. prescribed me Welbrution, it seems to have helped. When I tried to quit before it seemed I would get anxious and nervous almost highstrung. Smoking is very calming for me. I smoked when I was stressed, upset, worried etc.

What has helped me is my sister and I quit together. We called each other through out the day and sent text messages - SSF? (still smoke free?) It helped to have her and I sure did not want to be the one who had to say NO I am not SSF. I never really thought I could ever quit. But, I am almost a month out and I think now I will make it. Also what helped me was to not look at not smoking for the rest of my life.... it was like giving up my best friend. I just took it one day at at time. I told myself "I am only NOT going to smoke today!" If I want one I can have it tomorrow. Somehow that worked for me.

Good luck, it is hard, but you will be proud of yoursefl when you make it........

[RestlessMonkey 7]

I quit a 3+ pack a day habit on July 13 1995. I can't help you with quitting AND the band but I can promise you that the urge to smoke gets better and eventually goes away completely. Everyone I knew said things like "Oh it's been 5 years and I still want one" and that scared me spitless! But they were either lying or exaggerating.

After the first hard crunch, you may think about them but it's easily dismissed...and after a while you don't even think about them at all.

I had an AHA! moment when after about 6 months I realized I hadn't wanted a cigarette for a long time and hadn't even thought about snmoking for weeks. You'll have your own time line but the urge passes

Deep calming breathing really helps...it is physiologic (and one reason smoking is calming...you breathe deeply to inhale) and very useful. Try it; it helped keep me sane.

[frenchvanilla 0]

I quit smoking 9 months ago with the help of chantix! i smoked for over 20 years a pack a day! best thing i ever did, it was hard even with the chantix, u have to just stop,how long have you been taking chantix? it took me 3 weeks before i quit smoking comlpetely, u can also try those nicotin losenges they helped me alot, i also chewed,gum, bit on straws and sometimes kept a toothpick around, you have to re-learn how to do alot of things without a cigarette,but you can do it, i have very little will power but with chantix and my lap band i am now a non smoker and thinner!!!!!!!

Edited September 10, 2008 by frenchvanilla

[wvgal33 0]

THANK YOU for all the success stories - It has me motivated! I went for Chest X-ray, EKG and Lab work today....I am worried about the chest X-ray showing something. They called me back in to get another chest X-ray (same position) after I was already dressing. This worries me. I am 33 and have been smoking now for half of my life.......wow...I just realized that....HALF MY LIFE I HAVE BEEN SMOKING!

I have been on Chantix (this time) for 4 days, I think I will stay on it longer this time after I quit. It just made me sooo sick. For those of you who are getting ready to try Chantix....take with food!

Has anyone else been called back in to get another X-ray after thinking they were done? Encouraging words???? Sigh, I'm worried.

[gone 4 ever 6]

Don't worry. Your mind will catch up with your body and you will stop wanting a cig. I smoked for almost 35 yrs. I used chantex to stop. I didn't think it was working. 1 1/2 months later I woke up 1 morning and didn't want anymore.That was 1 year ago this month. I'm not saying you won't have your cravings because you will at times. it is kinda like head hunger, your body say's NO, NO, NO, but your head is saying yes, yes, yes! Resisit it. Getting the band was more important to me than smoking. I don't even begin to miss it. Good luck on both

[CountryGirlNY 0]

Im so glad I found this thread. I just posted something in the Introductions about it.

I'm going to make the commitment! Let's all quit together!

[minime890 0]

I stopped smoking 7 weeks ago for the second time.The first time I was smoke free for 2 years.I believe that you can brake the habit but the addiction never really leaves and it is for that reason that we can NEVER EVER even have a puff.

As some one else has already said it dose get easier.All of a sudden you realize that you haven't even given a cig a passing thought!

Remember that if you want something badly enough,anything can happen.Decide to do it and the rest will be a lot easier.

Good luck everyone.

Jackie.

[salome000 0]

There's no replacing a cigarette. I quit 3 years ago by chewing Nicorette. They say you're supposed to take a piece and chew a bit then tuck it in your cheek. Honey, I chewed so many pieces at times I was blowing bubbles.

While I still miss smoking, I don't miss being a smoker. You're going to have to cut out the psychological triggers...for me it was the phone and computer. I also cut out ALL alcohol.

Another thing that helped was looking at smokers in their 30's and 40's. Their skin looked horrible and they stank. Trust me when I say you don't realize how much you stink until you quit smoking. My doctor also told me if you quit by 40, the body has a chance to revert to a 'nonsmoking' body. After that, no matter when you quit, you face emphysema.

I wouldn't go out with my friends who still smoked and I spent a lot of time in places I had already trained my body not to smoke like the library or homes of friends who didn't smoke.

Take up cross stitching or something that keeps your hands busy.

Get your doctor to prescribe a low dosage of Xanax for the really bad times.

Keep telling yourself you're doing it for your kids/loved ones/anyone but yourself because in the throes of a nic fit, you don't really care about yourself, just getting a cig.

I smoked from 13 to 37 and I still have cravings occasionally. One thing that helped me quit is I got the kids to watch me like a hawk and tell me I'd better not smoke. Then, I'd look at them and think of them having to watch me die...it was harsh but it helped me through the bad times.

I quit a thousand times...it was the 1001st time that took. Good luck...it's the hardest thing I've ever done in my life. Seriously.

[Mimilou2004 13]

Excellent post, Salome. Sums it up nicely for me.

Mimi