I NEED HELP TO QUIT SMOKING!!

Hello everyone.. I need desperate advice from anyone out there who quit smoking. I've been telling myself that I'm going to quit for months, and keep chickening out. I'm at my wits end, and want to quit now, before I get a surgery date. I want to be healthy. I know there is alot of people out there who can just quit... That's not me. It's got a strong hold on me. I'm only 31 but have been smoking for 20 years!!! Shame on me... Please help me!! Thanks to all who can reply.. Angela

Angela...it's tough I know I quit after 20 years and I swear it was harder than the gastric bypass surgery! There are days, you know, when I could almost eat one, but I tell myself I am stronger than that cigarette. I would definately put you in much better shape for surgery, especially since smoking increases your risk for post op pneumonia, clots, etc. We have a smoking cessation program as OSU. I know the nurse that runs the program and she is great. If you would like I can get you some info on that and send it your way. You can email me and let me know. I really don't know much about the program, but I will get the info for you. I just quit cold turkey. It was hard. Everybody handles things differently and having a support system to quit is a great idea. Why not, we have one here for surgery right? Good luck. Nicotine is 100% addictive an is an evil little monster once it gets a hold of you. Hopefully we can find a way to help you kick it! Take care, Valerie

I cannot count the number of times I quit smoking in the 31 years I smoked. What finally forced me to quit was that every wls surgeon I saw (4 of 'em) told me they would absolutely not do surgery on a smoker, and I know there are blood tests that can tell if you're smoking or not, and you can't fake your way through them. I wanted this surgery so badly that I bought the patches and went cold turkey. It was not easy, but I had to keep telling myself it would be worth it and I had no choice in the matter, and it was only temporary. The best thing is, I have had not a single craving for a smoke since surgery. I had every intention of stopping at the closest convenience store when I left the hospital and buying a fresh pack as soon as possible so I could smoke myself silly and make up for all that lost time, because I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED my cigarettes; and I never even thought about it when that time came. I am so grateful for that. I can walk without being short of breath, my house and car smell so much better, my son is tickled to death about it and my daughter quit in support of me. It's just great. I hope you can find something that works for you, because it is so much better for your post-surgery health. Best of luck!

Angela, I too, was a smoker. I smoked about a 1 1/2 packs a day before I quit. I quit cold turkey......I had to find things that I did that I couldn't smoke or didn't smoke doing. There were 2......sleeping and taking a bath. So after about 2 weeks....I was very clean and well rested. It isn't easy but do it for your health's sake. My surgeon wants you smoke free for 3 months prior to surgery! Also heard that smoking does damage to your pouch after surgery....... Good luck! Sue

I have Dr Barbara with barix clinic in grovport. He will not do the surgery unless you quit. He said that smoking causes blood vessels to restict which causes problems with the pouch. I have smoked for over 20 years. I have to quit at least two weeks before surgery. He did tell me that the day of surgery they will do a test to make sure that I did quit. I have decided to set my quit date exactly 2 weeks prior to surgery. No matter how bad I want a cigerette, I want my surgery more, and I know if I cheat I will be caught. He even told me that after the surgery I can not smoke that if I did it would cause a lot of problems. I figure if I can make it through the two weeks I will be able to stay off of them. My husband has to quit as well, because second hand smoke will also show in the test. I wish you the best of luck. Lisa

Hi there sweetie, I quit smoking 10 years ago. I used to smoke 1 1/2 packs a day and I used the patch. I got a box of the strongest kind and trimmed a little bit more off of my daily patch until I had almost nothing to stick on me and by the time I got to that I was really ready to be done with them. I also found some other things to do with my hands like crafts. That really helped me. I hope you can find something that works for you. You'll never regret quitting. It is so much better to breathe clean air and not be chained to the pack. Best wishes to you, Hugs, Jaimee

I used the inhaler Angela. I too had tried countless times to quit, but knowing I couldn't have the surgery while smoking made me stick it out that time. The inhaler was the best aid I've ever tried. I used it just like a cigarette, and it really did help. Good luck!

THANKS TO EVERYONE *****PLIED!! I know that I have to quit smoking before the surgery. The thing that is getting me is that I don't have a date yet...lol.. So... that little voice in my head keeps saying, "you don't have to quit yet." I want to quit now, though. I know that if and when I get approved, it usually goes really quick. So... it's possible for me to have a date within the next 2 months, if everything goes smoothly. (Which I doubt)... But, stranger things have happened. I've seen the inhaler, but don't know much about it. Does it make you feel like you're smoking a cigarette? I've thought about trying the patch, but am scared to go cold turkey. My dh, has a plan that we're going to try starting tomorrow. He said he would give me 15 cigarettes a day for a week, and hide the rest. Then the next week he would give me 10 a day, and so on, until I quit. I think it's a pretty good idea. If I know I can only smoke that many a day, I'll have to ration..lol. I smoke between a pack and a half and 2 packs a day now, so I'm hoping this will work. You are all so wonderful, and supportive. By the way Jaimee... You are already looking AWESOME! And Valerie, I saw you on a commercial the other day, and was screaming "I KNOW HER!!" lol... You look soo pretty. Love to all of you, Angela

Hi, I too have smoked for over 20 years and I don't know how many times I have quit just to start up again. But this last time I was told that I needed to stop smoking or I couldn't have my surgery and that was enough for me to quit cold turkey. I ate alot of twizzlers(shame on me all sugar) but that did seem to help. My problem was I didn't know what to do with my hands all day long. I took up crafts and anything else that kept me busy. Made it easier too that I had to go outside to smoke and with it getting so cold I didn't want to stand outside and freeze. I wish you the best of luck. Take care and God Bless.