Question:
Has any one had problems quiting smoking?

   — Lisaslovinghands (posted on May 10, 2009)

May 10, 2009
i smoked for 13 years. i tried a couple of times before last year and couldn't quit. i used chantix and honestly it was pretty easy for me w/that. i've had friends that didn't have the same result but for me it was great. i did have odd dreams when i had a dosage change but they only last for 2 days at a time. good luck
   — Julzizhr

May 10, 2009
Hey Lisa, I smoked for about 25 years and I have tried to stop many times but my attempts would only last a couple weeks as most. Now that I'm 38 and determined to have WLS I know one of the requirements is that I quit smoking. I guess because my drive for the surgery is so strong was the only reason it has been so easy this time. I quit over a month ago cold turkey and have NOT cheated once. Nor do I have the desire to. I am ready to have a healthy life and smoking is not part of it. As for the Chantex, I tried that about 2 years ago and quit taking it after about 2 weeks because I was scared of all the side affects and started smoking again shortly after that. So I wish anyone who is trying to quit the best of luck with or without help.
   — [Deactivated Member]

May 10, 2009
Hi Lisa. I smoked for several years. Tried patches, gum, cold turkey, hypnosis etc. Finally got fed up with my failure rate and asked my Dr. to put me on Welbutrin. I have not had a smoke in a shade over 5 years. It really was the best decision I made. The pills can be expensive if your insurance won't cover it, but really.... $40-100/month for 2-3 months compaired to $5-$8/pack?! I have a ticker on my livejournal profile, set at the price and the rate of cigs I smoked a day. According to that, I've saved nearly $6,000.
   — Snapefantasy

May 10, 2009
I smoked for 21 years, 1 1/2 packs to 2 packs a day. Last year I tried Chantex I could not even stand to be in the same room with myself. It made me feel stressed out. And I was a big witch with a B. This year I tried Hypnosis, it took 5 weeks to stop smoking with the program. I have been smoke free for 5 months and feel great. I cut back from 40 cigs the first week to 25. Each morning I had to go buy I different type of cig. If there were any left out of the 25 when I went to bed I had to break them up and put them in the trash. Each week the amount went down. My son really liked going a buying my cigs. He would get the worse ones he could find. I wasn't a big witch this time. Then the morning of my quiet date 1/09/09 I woke up and didn't want to smoke anymore. And haven't sense. I have been out to bars with my friends, around people that smoke it does not bother me. Well the smoke bothers me now. I can smell now. Each person is different you have to find what works for you. Good luck.
   — dsquire

May 11, 2009
Lisa, I quit about 20 years ago. I had been smoking for about 25 years but when my brother & sister-in-law had a baby and named her after me I quit. Every time I wanted a cigarette I remember telling myself that all I really wanted was that first puff - the rest was superfluous. Then I took a big breath of air and the craving went away. Life has been so great since I quit smoking. You won't regret it. Good luck to you and please contact me if you need support. Maureen, Akron, Ohio
   — Muggs

May 11, 2009
Quitting smoking is probably the hardest thing next to keeping weight off that I ever did...But I think it's something that if you have not totally become hateful of every aspect of smoking and REALLY have lost every good reason to smoke(In your mind, because there really is NO good reason to smoke in reality), you can do it...If you keep telling yourself that "I really enjoy it...It keeps the stress down...It's my only bad habit" kind of mentality...You aren't ready mentally and will find a way to sabotage any success! I know I was a smoker trying to kick a 2 pack a day habit for 24 years myself! I quit one year prior to my surgery date on the day I decided to have WLS...I wanted to lose weight and be helathy and I MEANT IT! Smoking was not going to make a thin person any healthier...I had to quit both...I could find NO good reason to smoke anymore once I made up my mind to get thin...I did it by using the 4 mg nicorette gum for a month...then switched to 2 mg...and by the end of the month I had totally weened myself from the nicorette and switched to regular SF peppermint gum...That was 6 plus years ago...WLS for 5+ years...I never felt better in my entire adult life after WLS and quitting smoking! There is NOTHING about smoking that I miss...I did have to stay away from friends who smoked for a good year...That was hard...but the temptation was too great and it was that inmportant to me...I cleaned my house from top to bottom...and even had the carpets and drapes steam cleaned to get rid of the nicotine and tar on everything...I went to web sites that showed how my body was healing from the hours after quitting...I LOVED knowing that I was healing and adding years BACK to my life...It made a huge difference and pushed me to get to the next level of healing which was weeks at a time...I felt so great...It's nice to wake up and smell fresh hair and clothes! Everything tastes so good as your taste buds get back to normal ...then everything tastes bad because then you can taste cheap over quality food! LOL It's so hard...I gained a LOT of weight that year...my thyroid also quit and I was newly diabetic and life was going down hill fast! Living is so much more worth the few times that cig even tastes good...after a meal or a drink...The rest of the time it didn't even feel good anymore...So HATE IT because it feels soooo amazing to quit...Here's one site that shows you what happens within hours, days, weeks and years of quitting...I printed such a list and wrote each stage in on my calendar as something to look forward to...I hope this helps in some way! It's the hardest thing ever! My parents and brother are all three trying to quit right now...My dad was hypnotized and uses the lozenges...Mom and bro are only using the lozenges...So far it's been a week and all three are doing okay! It's a start! Print the list of healing stages and hopefully that will help motivate you as it did me 6 years ago! http://www.stop-smoking-tips.com/benefits-quitting-smoking.html Good luck! YES! It is sooooo hard! You really have to go deep for inner strength! We all have it! DIG deep, and tell yourself who the heck you are!!! A QUITTER and a LOSER! (well only as far as smoking and weight goes!) LOL
   — .Anita R.

May 11, 2009
I was always a quitter but could never stick to it. My favorite method of failure was to cut back gradually-never worked. I finally quit 12 yrs ago after smoking for 10 plus for money reasons. I didn't do it for my health but my wallet! I financed a computer with the money I'd be spending on cigs so it gave me additional motivation not to smoke. You can do it!!! I will never be able to smoke again- not even one drag because I'll be hooked. I enjoyed smoking too much but it is so worth it! Clean smelling house, hair, extra cash, and no running to 7 eleven during a snow storm :)
   — Jung

May 23, 2009
When I decided to have WLS the surgeon told me that smoking was a dealbreaker and she would not consider it if I was smoking. It took me almost six months of all the testing and getting ready for the surgery to finally quit, but I did. Good thing to, because when I got the insurance approval and they were ready to schedule me, they called and told me they wanted me to go RIGHT THEN and have a urine test for nicotine! If I had continued to smoke, I wouldn't have a date now. Was it hard? Really hard, I have smoked off and on for about 35 years. I miss it, but I want this more. Keep trying, you'll make it
   — Maggie Cruz