Help! HAVE to quit smoking in a month! What did you do?

Yes, I smoke. If you're going to be mean to be, just pass on by this post. I've heard most of it all and I came here for help, not judgements. I'm pre-op, with RNY to happen in May or June. I have to quit at least 3 months before the surgery or they will cancel it. I'm having such a hard time. I'm back on Chantix, and vaping. I bought a pack of cigs yesterday. I CAN'T for the life of me (quite literally) quit. I don't know what else to do. I have absolutely NO willpower. I'm frustrated and very depressed because of it. And the worst part is that 95% of the people I'm around are non-smokers and they don't understand. They think it's easy, simple and are not very supportive. I've been smoking for going on 34 years and have been smoking a pack and a half a day for most of it. I know all the reasons I need to quit, but when it comes down to it.... well I give in. And keep giving in. I feel like such a failure.

Can anyone give me some insights into what will help me get into the right frame of mind?

No one can make you stop but yourself. You have to really want to stop. And yes I did smoke and then stop smoking. Addictive behavior is addictive behavior no matter what the vice. Once you really want to stop you will stop. Its the same as losing weight, once you really want to eat correctly, you will.

Sorry if that's not what you are looking for. There is no easy answer.

Ceci

RNY is about getting healthy.  Smoking is an oxymoron to RNY.  Get over it!  Quit today!  I did it cold turkey 30 years ago (2 packs a day) and never went back.  You can too!

I quit smoking several times (LOL)... it IS the hardest thing to do ever. Period.

The first time, I had more time than you do. I used the patches, and went through each step diligently for the 12 week program... that worked for several years, and then a couple of years ago, I just picked it back up like a bad habit.

That time, my family was on me because of the smell so I got a vape. At first, I'd only use it on the ride home (so I wouldn't stink as much when I got home)... then it progressed until I preferred the vape over the cigarettes... then when I decided to have WLS, I had to give up the nicotine... I just stepped down on the nicotine until it was zero, and made it through.

My only suggestion is this. Pick a time, whether it's in the car on the way to/from work, or after work, or after dinner, etc... pick ONE time that you DECIDE to use the vape over the cigarettes... only abide by the rules for that time... then add another short period where you pick the vape, and keep adding times throughout the day that you DECIDE to choose the vape over the cigarette.

Also, probably most importantly... don't use a cheap vape... go into a Vape store, and spend the money to get a good one that will actually satisfy you. Those cheap gas station ones won't give you the throat hit that a cigarette does. And get the correct strength in nicotine that will satisfy you. You have to be satisfied by that before you'll want it over the cigarettes...

If you can get yourself to the vape exclusively, then you can step down to the zero juice easier... Once you are at zero, then you can give up the vape if you want to...

But no matter if you decide to do the vape or quit cold turkey... the hardest part if your brain... you will HAVE to make the decision to do this... just as in your upcoming RNY surgery... you WILL have to make hard choices both before and long after surgery to become, and stay, sucessful... (and this part is still a learning process for me!)

Good Luck!! It's worth a few months of suffering to have this surgery!

I quit smoking twice.  Once to have a baby, but unfortunately picked it back up after my husband died.  Then I decided I wanted WLS and knew I had to quit again.  If you want it badly enough, you can do it.  I had to give up coffee for a while because I loved coffee and butts.  You can do this.  Good luck.

I had to quit for surgery as well.  I quit cold turkey and didn't miss it as much as I thought I would because I was so consumed with what I couldn't eat.  I would suggest reading the book- The Easy Way to Stop Smoking.  By Allen Carr.  I don't know how or why that book helped me quit, but it did.  I bought it through the Kindle store.  

I hope it works for you and good luck!  

I second the Easy Way by Allen Carr! Reading his book worked for me a long time ago and for many long-term smokers I know including DH. But you actually have to read the whole book and think about his message. You will then be able to quit mostly by understanding how irrational it is to continue to smoke. 

You can do it and you will feel SO MUCH BETTER when you are smoke free!

This book helped me as well. I quit 7 years ago and never started again.

I quit 22 years ago after smoking for almost 20 years.  It's really tough - I won't lie.  I found an online support group and logged on every night after work and stayed on for hours, sometimes "smoking" a plastic straw while reading through all the posts.  I went cold turkey, so I had to white knuckle it for a long time - but eventually, the cravings stopped.  It's hard work.  But you gotta do what you gotta do....

btw - I doubt that group is still around since I think it was a usenet group, but I'm sure there are others.

Here's the thing you either quit smoking and get WLS or you don't quit and you don't get WLS. 

What is more important to you?  Sucking on cancer sticks and being fat or crushing up those cancer sticks and being fit and healthy?

Plus think of how much money you are spending on them.  What $10 bucks a pack for name brand and you are smoking a pack and a half a day.  So lets break that down.  You are spending $15 a day on cigarettes (if you are getting say Marlboro), 30 days in a month equals $450 a month on cigarettes.  Tell me that is not crazy. 

I get it because I have two sisters who have tried and tried to quit, but they keep making up excuses as to why they can't.  I recently told my oldest sister that when she dies they won't have to embalm her because by smoking she has already preserved herself with all the chemicals she's been inhaling for years.

You have to stop with the I CAN'T.  You can, but you have to want to quit.  If you quit and then start smoking again after your surgery you can end up with ulcers and all sorts of issues. 

Is YOUR health really not that important to you?