Smoking Revisited

I'm not ready to quit smoking! I said so to Patrece when she said she is trying to quit. I am physically and psychologically addicted to cigarettes and furthermore, I don't think it's a good idea to try to lose weight and to try to quit at the same time. Too much stress, and I'm supposed to avoid stress.
All that being said, it looks like I will be forced to quit anyway. Doc has ordered me to cut back to less than half a pack a day (from my usual 3) and if he keeps me more than 10 days in the hospital like he said, that will be IT for me!
I obtained an electronic cigarette that I'm using now but doc forbade me to use it in the hospital. I'm at my wit's end! My addiction is so strong that I could kill for a cigarette. Seriously.
The past 2 weeks I've been eating constantly to keep from smoking. I won't be able to do that post-op though, nor do I want to. Any helpful suggestions would be welcome.

As a non smoker I have no wonderful ideas, hopefully former smokers will pop in and have ideas.  I am letting you know that I am supporting you in your efforts.  Smoking is a terrible habit to give up.  Start in the mindset that you will accomplish this.  Sending lots of hugs of support your way.  Hugs from MN, Kathy

You are lucky and wise tohave never picked up this nasty habit Kathy. Thank you for your support. 

Amalia, I did try smoking 30 years ago, back in college, never made it through the whole pack.  Couldn't take the coughing and the taste.

Of interest, the sugar free candy is a good idea, just be on the look out for sorbital.  Those are the packages that say excess consumption may cause diarrhea.  Sorbitol is a medicine (and a sweetener) that is used to treat constipation.  My 10# pomeranian got into a bag of sugar free lifesavers one day while I was gone.  I followed the trail of wrappers through the house.  He had 8-10 of them.  I found him lying on the couch, he looked a little green around the gills, so to speak.  Didn't want anyone to touch him, especially his tummy.  then 2 hours later, the diarrhea started and lasted for almost 24 hours.  Talk about mess and smell, ughhhhhh.  I love him, and he would eat it again if he could get at it.  Not happening.

Best of luck with stopping the habit.

Ahhhhhh sweetheart... I am right here with you. I am still fighting to completely let go of them. I have to be honest that yesterday and today were NOT good in that area. Not back at what I was smoking, but still more than I was as of Jan 1st.

A few ideas for you.. These are things that help me get through the really tough times without a cigarette.
* I don't know if you all have these in greece, but here we have a prescription nicotine inhaler. It doesn't make noise or smoke or steam, but lets you get a prescribed amount of nicotine with each draw you take from it. Maybe being prescription, you'd get enough nicotine to get you by without going crazy from withdrawl.
*I keep lots of Sugar Free gum around and try to make due with popping a piece of that in my mouth instead of smoking.
* Sometimes I just go sleep it off when it get too difficult to bear.

I am going to minn on friday AM. I will not be taking any with me, nor purchasing any. I'll be in a nice smoke free environment and plan to use it to my benefit. Think I would be doing much better if I were stronger, but with Paul smoking and knowing the cigarettes are right out in the garage, it does make it difficult and i do give in at times.

Amalia.. keeping you in my prayers. I do hope for you, that you are able to comply, with minimal suffering of withdrawl. I know how very hard this is.. i have smoked for 29 years of my life and am only 43. I too worry about trying to quit smoking right now in the respect of weight gain. Even tho I am not turning to food, I do know that quitting slows the metabolism and i worry about gaining from that. I am quitting to have my plastic surgery to get this excess skin removed, I DO NOT want to start filling it back in before it comes off! Or after for that matter.

I know too that with your challenges, it is even harder for you amalia. My husband is totally blind from a work accident 2 1/2 years ago, and he is always in a lot of pain. Trying to quit is so very hard on him. There's just not that much else he can do to distract himself.
Big hugs to you.

Patrece, this is probably the hardest thing I ever had to do, doubly so perhaps, because it was not in my plans. My husband is a smoker too but fortuntely, I smoke only menthol so I have no desire to rip off his cigarettes.
It's weird... I PANIC if I have no cigarettes around, even though for a couple of days now I hardly touch them. As a matter of fact, last night after almost a full day of not smoking, I lit one up and it tasted rather foul... I can only hope this continues and gets worse!
I've been smoking since I was 18 and I am now 54. That's a long time and the habit is extremely strong. The electronic cigarette helps but it seems it's not enough because I've been attacking food like I'm starving. I know my surgeon wants what is best for me, to make me as healthy as possible and I do appreciate it, I just hope my evil self won't sabotage his efforts! Is all this becoming too much of a life change for me at my old age?  I don't know. 

By the way, my insurance just called. I have an appointment with the committee first thing tomorrow morning. I don't anticipate any problems getting their approval so the op date is drawing really close!

Patrece, you hang in there too, hear? We want you nice and healthy for your plastic surgery, so you can come out looking and feeling like a million bucks! Plastic surgery is still surgery and it can be serious. You want what I want: Clear and healthy lungs!

Thanks Amalia.. Same to you. Its funny I had the same experience with cutting way back. It became really nasty tasting. But doggone it, I wish my cravings wuld "get it".  I keep trying to remind myself, I am a human with a brain. Those smokes are rolled up leaves and chemicals.. who's stronger here?! ? I HAVE GOT to be! So do you. we'll suffer through all of this together. Lean on me whenever you need to.

amalia, good luck on the quit smoking. i know from experience how hard it is.  i just laid them down and then found a hard candy i could suck on to help me.  i used wurthers, now they come in sugar free and they are still good.  they buttery taste helped me a lot.  try it. that sucking all the time really helped on the oral obsession of smoking.  be sure it is sugar free though. good luck to you. vick

Thank you so much Vicki. I had smoked only 2.5 cigarettes today then made a cup of coffee and smoked 8 more :(  I guess coffee is out too.

Unfortunately sugar free candy is hard to find in Greece and some I tasted once were vile. I can't chew gum, my teeth are in bad shape and a work in progress that never ends *sigh* I guess I'll have to kiss DH a lot more to get rid of my oral fixation! lol