• American Bariatrics is a free online Bariatric Support Group. Register for your free account and get access to all of our great features!

Smoking

I had to be 6 weeks nicotine free. My Doctor does nicotine tests and if you have nicotine in your system she will make you go another 6 weeks befoe she can schedule you for surgery. It is so very hard. I still dream of smoking. I have not smoked in 5 years and I still think about it often. I hope this helps.
 
MamaQBear said:
I had to be 6 weeks nicotine free. My Doctor does nicotine tests and if you have nicotine in your system she will make you go another 6 weeks befoe she can schedule you for surgery. It is so very hard. I still dream of smoking. I have not smoked in 5 years and I still think about it often. I hope this helps.
Click to expand...
Congratulations on 5 years!!! Incredible determination and strength. I've never smoked but parents both did. My mom quit the morning of her lung-cancer surgery, 3 years ago this past May. Dad still smokes, he'll never quit. So I know how hard it is and I'm proud of you!!!
 
Yeah, it's really bloody hard. I am an occasional smoker but haven't been habitual for many many years. People hate me because I can smoke one or two cigarettes in the evening and then next day I'm a non-smoker again. However, that doesn't mean I haven't been jonesing for a cigarette in the past. I remember once my dad telling me that after 25 years as a non-smoker, he still wanted a cigarette every single day. I said "Dad, that sounds like hell on Earth. Why did you even quit?" He said "I don't remember why I even started." (He was in the Army Air Corps in World War II and the US government put cigarettes in every GI's ration kits.)

Just bite down hard and if you can't quit cold turkey or by using the gum, ask your family doctor for one of those nicotine suppressing pills, like Chantix. They must work or they wouldn't still be in business.
 
Diane, I like you too much to hate you but I am so envious of you! I quit smoking 1 year, 1 month, and 20 days ago ( I have an app that tracks it lol). I am one of the ones that absolutely loved smoking. But when your seven year old nephew approaches you and tries to bargain with you to quit and even breaks into tears because he knows that cigarettes can lead to cancer, I just couldn't keep smoking them. It was extremely hard as I wasn't doing it for me at the time, I was doing it for him. But as the weeks went on it started getting easier and I stopped thinking about it as much. The nicotine leaving my body was one thing, but I was so used to it being "time" to smoke. I finished eating, time to smoke. I am driving, time to smoke. So I had to find something else to occupy myself during those times. When I was in the car, I started learning a second language (I was so focused on trying to get the pronunciations right as well as driving that it didn't bother me as much). After dinner my sister and I would go for a walk or play a board game (she quit with me, same tearful request from the nephew). It is hard work and I miss it, but I don't regret it. This is how I hope I will feel about this process and some of my old favorite foods.
 
I know exactly how your feeling, focus on the end goal, at least that's what I am doing. Oh and every time I think I have to have one I tell myself wait five minutes and most of the time that helps cause you forget or get involved with something else. The hardest time for me is my morning tea or coffee. If I make it through that I am ok the rest of the day. Good luck!!!!!
 
I tried c
dianeseattle said:
Yeah, it's really bloody hard. I am an occasional smoker but haven't been habitual for many many years. People hate me because I can smoke one or two cigarettes in the evening and then next day I'm a non-smoker again. However, that doesn't mean I haven't been jonesing for a cigarette in the past. I remember once my dad telling me that after 25 years as a non-smoker, he still wanted a cigarette every single day. I said "Dad, that sounds like hell on Earth. Why did you even quit?" He said "I don't remember why I even started." (He was in the Army Air Corps in World War II and the US government put cigarettes in every GI's ration kits.)

Just bite down hard and if you can't quit cold turkey or by using the gum, ask your family doctor for one of those nicotine suppressing pills, like Chantix. They must work or they wouldn't still be in business.
[/QUOTE
Click to expand...
 
Meranda said:
I tried c
Click to expand...
Me too! I can go years without a cigarette and then buy a pack and smoke it over a month or even just a few days. I have done that lately. I have purchased two packs in 3 months. It really helps but boy does my throat hurt. And even though I have disability I still can't quit very easily. I can stay quit for a long time but on the day that I decide to quit I am just as screwed up as any junkie with a monkey on her back. It also lasts for about 5 days. I picked up the cigarette for a reason. I needed to calm down and I didn't want to take the various narcotics available to me. I'm just not sure what's worse but I know I function better on cigarettes than I do on a sedative.
 
tallgirlani said:
How long before surgery did you stop smoking? I'm having a hard time not smoking & trying to stay motivated.
Click to expand...
The day I scheduled my first appointment was my last cigarette but I dream about them actually thought I had really smoked one! I stayed away from my smoker friends got rid of all lighters and cigarettes and started chewing gum when the craving hit. It doesn’t work for everyone but I wanted the surgery and that out weighed the cigarettes. You can do it stay motivated and remember while your not smoking your also purging your lungs to be healthy too! Best of luck wishing you nothing but the best
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top