Toomanytacos

Being silly and filming all the stages
Preop diet Nov 27: 344lbs
Vertical sleeve gastrectomy Dec 11, 2017 (321lbs)
Today April 5, 2018: 278lbs

Being silly and filming all the stages
Preop diet Nov 27: 344lbs
Vertical sleeve gastrectomy Dec 11, 2017 (321lbs)
Today April 5, 2018: 278lbs

Being silly and filming all the stages
Preop diet Nov 27: 344lbs
Vertical sleeve gastrectomy Dec 11, 2017 (321lbs)
Today April 5, 2018: 278lbs

Being silly and filming all the stages
Preop diet Nov 27: 344lbs
Vertical sleeve gastrectomy Dec 11, 2017 (321lbs)
Today April 5, 2018: 278lbs

Being silly and filming all the stages
Preop diet Nov 27: 344lbs
Vertical sleeve gastrectomy Dec 11, 2017 (321lbs)
Today April 5, 2018: 278lbs

Being silly and filming all the stages
Preop diet Nov 27: 344lbs
Vertical sleeve gastrectomy Dec 11, 2017 (321lbs)
Today April 5, 2018: 278lbs

I feel you on the arms! Keep up the great work. YOU GO GIRL!

Being silly and filming all the stages
Preop diet Nov 27: 344lbs
Vertical sleeve gastrectomy Dec 11, 2017 (321lbs)
Today April 5, 2018: 278lbs

Being silly and filming all the stages
Preop diet Nov 27: 344lbs
Vertical sleeve gastrectomy Dec 11, 2017 (321lbs)
Today April 5, 2018: 278lbs

Being silly and filming all the stages
Preop diet Nov 27: 344lbs
Vertical sleeve gastrectomy Dec 11, 2017 (321lbs)
Today April 5, 2018: 278lbs

Hi Sweetheart
I know by reading these responses, you're probably feeling really shitty. I get it. I LOVED smoking. IT was my favorite thing. IT was my "crack cocaine" I had smoked since I was 14 years old. IT began as a fun thing, a sneaky thing, that made us kids feel so cool. By age 15, I was an addict. I started out, half a pack, then a pack, then.. you know how it goes. I was smoking easy, 2 1/2 packs - 3 a day. I loved ciggs. It became me. I t was my friend, my companion. I couldnt even watch a movie without smoking.. An hour of not smoking , miserable
I always wanted to quit, but just the idea, I couldnt. Well that's not entirely true. I never wanted to quit for the first 20 years. I vowed , "I'll go to my deathbed , smoking". My justification. "I'd rather smoke and be happy. Besides they only take off the last few years and those are shitty anyways" But I started to feel the effects of smoking in my early 30's, ( not my last years, that would be shitty anyways)
But I never considered quitting because, I knew I couldnt do it
Fast forward, the surgery. When I found out quitting smoking was a requirement. I hung up the idea of getting the surgery. I mean, I qualified in every way, but the nictoine testing they'd do in order for my insurance to approve me.
I got home, called my aunt and told her I wasn't going to get the surgery afterall.. The reason. I had to quit smoking, which I wasn't willing or able to do. She, as a former smoker who'd quit many times told me, she understood. But I heard disappointment in her voice. Why not even try. Just try. I told her, what if I try and can't. Id be so embarrassed..
She told me, Joanna, people quit many times usually before they are finally successful, but so you owe it to yourself to atleast try. And I did.
I got with my doctor for the Chantix medicine. I liked it because you could still smoke while taking the medicine. I also underwent EMDR with the therapist I've already been seeing for years and years to help get to the beginning of the core of my "love for smoking".
Was it easy? Hell no. I thought I was going to go crazy. I , like you, narrowed it down, and down and down, until I was like 5 ciggs a day, and had to space it out, 5 ciggs in a 24 hour period.
Then I smoked my last cigg, without realizing my las cigg on July 25th around noon. Later that evening, I had 2 more allowed ciggs and I thought to myself, Jo, why not just not smoke them. Smoking them is only going to prolong your imminent quitting. So I did
I never got to realize that cigg I smoked earlier in the day would be my last and I think, maybe that was a good thing.
It's been 8 months (tomorrow) since I've quit. There are many times I still miss it. And it's understandable. We're talking about a 23 year addiction.
But what I learned in quitting
If you can just NOT pick them up, that next cigg, that 1 cigg we all lie to ourselves that will be " all we need" that feeling of needing a cigg will pass, if you can refrain from acting on that nightmareish urge to pick up " just one"
It will pass
And it will come again
But you keep fighting those "moments" .. I compare them to contractions. Those mind blowing moments of misery, where you think you'll die and would give anything for it to just go away. And then it goes away. Those cigg contractions will too

While you're fighting this habit, have zero ciggs in your house . Throw what you do have away
Don't go into the mindset of , "After I have the surgery, I can smoke again"
There are heroin addicts and drug addicts who have quit hard drugs, who have not mastered quitting smoking, tha'ts how hard it is, but so if you're down to 1 cigg, you don't believe this about yourself, but I am here to tell you, you CAN quit. Trust me
I still get people who glare at me when they realize I am a non smoker
Joanna (me) would be the last person in the world you'd ever think would quit.
But it can be done. But you have to really want to do it and by that, you're going to have to find yoru reason for NOT wanting it
Initially for me, it was to get the surgery. But then, it was to get better health. I hated the addiction, the fact that I coudlnt go an hour and half movie with my daughters without a cigg. I hated that I had so much fear of ever being without a cigg in my possession.
Now, I am free of that
and the longer it goes, the easier it becomes
You'll always wish you could smoke, you'll always miss it. Well most people do.
But it gets easier
You'll become it's boss, not the other way around
The key to nicotine is that it makes you think you CANNOT quit, when really, you can
Nicotine is a liar
and once it's out of your system, roughly about a week, youll be left to only deal with the mental anguish of missing it , and that too will subside
Best of luck
Joanna

Hi Sweetheart
I know by reading these responses, you're probably feeling really shitty. I get it. I LOVED smoking. IT was my favorite thing. IT was my "crack cocaine" I had smoked since I was 14 years old. IT began as a fun thing, a sneaky thing, that made us kids feel so cool. By age 15, I was an addict. I started out, half a pack, then a pack, then.. you know how it goes. I was smoking easy, 2 1/2 packs - 3 a day. I loved ciggs. It became me. I t was my friend, my companion. I couldnt even watch a movie without smoking.. An hour of not smoking , miserable
I always wanted to quit, but just the idea, I couldnt. Well that's not entirely true. I never wanted to quit for the first 20 years. I vowed , "I'll go to my deathbed , smoking". My justification. "I'd rather smoke and be happy. Besides they only take off the last few years and those are shitty anyways" But I started to feel the effects of smoking in my early 30's, ( not my last years, that would be shitty anyways)
But I never considered quitting because, I knew I couldnt do it
Fast forward, the surgery. When I found out quitting smoking was a requirement. I hung up the idea of getting the surgery. I mean, I qualified in every way, but the nictoine testing they'd do in order for my insurance to approve me.
I got home, called my aunt and told her I wasn't going to get the surgery afterall.. The reason. I had to quit smoking, which I wasn't willing or able to do. She, as a former smoker who'd quit many times told me, she understood. But I heard disappointment in her voice. Why not even try. Just try. I told her, what if I try and can't. Id be so embarrassed..
She told me, Joanna, people quit many times usually before they are finally successful, but so you owe it to yourself to atleast try. And I did.
I got with my doctor for the Chantix medicine. I liked it because you could still smoke while taking the medicine. I also underwent EMDR with the therapist I've already been seeing for years and years to help get to the beginning of the core of my "love for smoking".
Was it easy? Hell no. I thought I was going to go crazy. I , like you, narrowed it down, and down and down, until I was like 5 ciggs a day, and had to space it out, 5 ciggs in a 24 hour period.
Then I smoked my last cigg, without realizing my las cigg on July 25th around noon. Later that evening, I had 2 more allowed ciggs and I thought to myself, Jo, why not just not smoke them. Smoking them is only going to prolong your imminent quitting. So I did
I never got to realize that cigg I smoked earlier in the day would be my last and I think, maybe that was a good thing.
It's been 8 months (tomorrow) since I've quit. There are many times I still miss it. And it's understandable. We're talking about a 23 year addiction.
But what I learned in quitting
If you can just NOT pick them up, that next cigg, that 1 cigg we all lie to ourselves that will be " all we need" that feeling of needing a cigg will pass, if you can refrain from acting on that nightmareish urge to pick up " just one"
It will pass
And it will come again
But you keep fighting those "moments" .. I compare them to contractions. Those mind blowing moments of misery, where you think you'll die and would give anything for it to just go away. And then it goes away. Those cigg contractions will too

While you're fighting this habit, have zero ciggs in your house . Throw what you do have away
Don't go into the mindset of , "After I have the surgery, I can smoke again"
There are heroin addicts and drug addicts who have quit hard drugs, who have not mastered quitting smoking, tha'ts how hard it is, but so if you're down to 1 cigg, you don't believe this about yourself, but I am here to tell you, you CAN quit. Trust me
I still get people who glare at me when they realize I am a non smoker
Joanna (me) would be the last person in the world you'd ever think would quit.
But it can be done. But you have to really want to do it and by that, you're going to have to find yoru reason for NOT wanting it
Initially for me, it was to get the surgery. But then, it was to get better health. I hated the addiction, the fact that I coudlnt go an hour and half movie with my daughters without a cigg. I hated that I had so much fear of ever being without a cigg in my possession.
Now, I am free of that
and the longer it goes, the easier it becomes
You'll always wish you could smoke, you'll always miss it. Well most people do.
But it gets easier
You'll become it's boss, not the other way around
The key to nicotine is that it makes you think you CANNOT quit, when really, you can
Nicotine is a liar
and once it's out of your system, roughly about a week, youll be left to only deal with the mental anguish of missing it , and that too will subside
Best of luck
Joanna

Hi Sweetheart
I know by reading these responses, you're probably feeling really shitty. I get it. I LOVED smoking. IT was my favorite thing. IT was my "crack cocaine" I had smoked since I was 14 years old. IT began as a fun thing, a sneaky thing, that made us kids feel so cool. By age 15, I was an addict. I started out, half a pack, then a pack, then.. you know how it goes. I was smoking easy, 2 1/2 packs - 3 a day. I loved ciggs. It became me. I t was my friend, my companion. I couldnt even watch a movie without smoking.. An hour of not smoking , miserable
I always wanted to quit, but just the idea, I couldnt. Well that's not entirely true. I never wanted to quit for the first 20 years. I vowed , "I'll go to my deathbed , smoking". My justification. "I'd rather smoke and be happy. Besides they only take off the last few years and those are shitty anyways" But I started to feel the effects of smoking in my early 30's, ( not my last years, that would be shitty anyways)
But I never considered quitting because, I knew I couldnt do it
Fast forward, the surgery. When I found out quitting smoking was a requirement. I hung up the idea of getting the surgery. I mean, I qualified in every way, but the nictoine testing they'd do in order for my insurance to approve me.
I got home, called my aunt and told her I wasn't going to get the surgery afterall.. The reason. I had to quit smoking, which I wasn't willing or able to do. She, as a former smoker who'd quit many times told me, she understood. But I heard disappointment in her voice. Why not even try. Just try. I told her, what if I try and can't. Id be so embarrassed..
She told me, Joanna, people quit many times usually before they are finally successful, but so you owe it to yourself to atleast try. And I did.
I got with my doctor for the Chantix medicine. I liked it because you could still smoke while taking the medicine. I also underwent EMDR with the therapist I've already been seeing for years and years to help get to the beginning of the core of my "love for smoking".
Was it easy? Hell no. I thought I was going to go crazy. I , like you, narrowed it down, and down and down, until I was like 5 ciggs a day, and had to space it out, 5 ciggs in a 24 hour period.
Then I smoked my last cigg, without realizing my las cigg on July 25th around noon. Later that evening, I had 2 more allowed ciggs and I thought to myself, Jo, why not just not smoke them. Smoking them is only going to prolong your imminent quitting. So I did
I never got to realize that cigg I smoked earlier in the day would be my last and I think, maybe that was a good thing.
It's been 8 months (tomorrow) since I've quit. There are many times I still miss it. And it's understandable. We're talking about a 23 year addiction.
But what I learned in quitting
If you can just NOT pick them up, that next cigg, that 1 cigg we all lie to ourselves that will be " all we need" that feeling of needing a cigg will pass, if you can refrain from acting on that nightmareish urge to pick up " just one"
It will pass
And it will come again
But you keep fighting those "moments" .. I compare them to contractions. Those mind blowing moments of misery, where you think you'll die and would give anything for it to just go away. And then it goes away. Those cigg contractions will too

While you're fighting this habit, have zero ciggs in your house . Throw what you do have away
Don't go into the mindset of , "After I have the surgery, I can smoke again"
There are heroin addicts and drug addicts who have quit hard drugs, who have not mastered quitting smoking, tha'ts how hard it is, but so if you're down to 1 cigg, you don't believe this about yourself, but I am here to tell you, you CAN quit. Trust me
I still get people who glare at me when they realize I am a non smoker
Joanna (me) would be the last person in the world you'd ever think would quit.
But it can be done. But you have to really want to do it and by that, you're going to have to find yoru reason for NOT wanting it
Initially for me, it was to get the surgery. But then, it was to get better health. I hated the addiction, the fact that I coudlnt go an hour and half movie with my daughters without a cigg. I hated that I had so much fear of ever being without a cigg in my possession.
Now, I am free of that
and the longer it goes, the easier it becomes
You'll always wish you could smoke, you'll always miss it. Well most people do.
But it gets easier
You'll become it's boss, not the other way around
The key to nicotine is that it makes you think you CANNOT quit, when really, you can
Nicotine is a liar
and once it's out of your system, roughly about a week, youll be left to only deal with the mental anguish of missing it , and that too will subside
Best of luck
Joanna

Hi Sweetheart
I know by reading these responses, you're probably feeling really shitty. I get it. I LOVED smoking. IT was my favorite thing. IT was my "crack cocaine" I had smoked since I was 14 years old. IT began as a fun thing, a sneaky thing, that made us kids feel so cool. By age 15, I was an addict. I started out, half a pack, then a pack, then.. you know how it goes. I was smoking easy, 2 1/2 packs - 3 a day. I loved ciggs. It became me. I t was my friend, my companion. I couldnt even watch a movie without smoking.. An hour of not smoking , miserable
I always wanted to quit, but just the idea, I couldnt. Well that's not entirely true. I never wanted to quit for the first 20 years. I vowed , "I'll go to my deathbed , smoking". My justification. "I'd rather smoke and be happy. Besides they only take off the last few years and those are shitty anyways" But I started to feel the effects of smoking in my early 30's, ( not my last years, that would be shitty anyways)
But I never considered quitting because, I knew I couldnt do it
Fast forward, the surgery. When I found out quitting smoking was a requirement. I hung up the idea of getting the surgery. I mean, I qualified in every way, but the nictoine testing they'd do in order for my insurance to approve me.
I got home, called my aunt and told her I wasn't going to get the surgery afterall.. The reason. I had to quit smoking, which I wasn't willing or able to do. She, as a former smoker who'd quit many times told me, she understood. But I heard disappointment in her voice. Why not even try. Just try. I told her, what if I try and can't. Id be so embarrassed..
She told me, Joanna, people quit many times usually before they are finally successful, but so you owe it to yourself to atleast try. And I did.
I got with my doctor for the Chantix medicine. I liked it because you could still smoke while taking the medicine. I also underwent EMDR with the therapist I've already been seeing for years and years to help get to the beginning of the core of my "love for smoking".
Was it easy? Hell no. I thought I was going to go crazy. I , like you, narrowed it down, and down and down, until I was like 5 ciggs a day, and had to space it out, 5 ciggs in a 24 hour period.
Then I smoked my last cigg, without realizing my las cigg on July 25th around noon. Later that evening, I had 2 more allowed ciggs and I thought to myself, Jo, why not just not smoke them. Smoking them is only going to prolong your imminent quitting. So I did
I never got to realize that cigg I smoked earlier in the day would be my last and I think, maybe that was a good thing.
It's been 8 months (tomorrow) since I've quit. There are many times I still miss it. And it's understandable. We're talking about a 23 year addiction.
But what I learned in quitting
If you can just NOT pick them up, that next cigg, that 1 cigg we all lie to ourselves that will be " all we need" that feeling of needing a cigg will pass, if you can refrain from acting on that nightmareish urge to pick up " just one"
It will pass
And it will come again
But you keep fighting those "moments" .. I compare them to contractions. Those mind blowing moments of misery, where you think you'll die and would give anything for it to just go away. And then it goes away. Those cigg contractions will too

While you're fighting this habit, have zero ciggs in your house . Throw what you do have away
Don't go into the mindset of , "After I have the surgery, I can smoke again"
There are heroin addicts and drug addicts who have quit hard drugs, who have not mastered quitting smoking, tha'ts how hard it is, but so if you're down to 1 cigg, you don't believe this about yourself, but I am here to tell you, you CAN quit. Trust me
I still get people who glare at me when they realize I am a non smoker
Joanna (me) would be the last person in the world you'd ever think would quit.
But it can be done. But you have to really want to do it and by that, you're going to have to find yoru reason for NOT wanting it
Initially for me, it was to get the surgery. But then, it was to get better health. I hated the addiction, the fact that I coudlnt go an hour and half movie with my daughters without a cigg. I hated that I had so much fear of ever being without a cigg in my possession.
Now, I am free of that
and the longer it goes, the easier it becomes
You'll always wish you could smoke, you'll always miss it. Well most people do.
But it gets easier
You'll become it's boss, not the other way around
The key to nicotine is that it makes you think you CANNOT quit, when really, you can
Nicotine is a liar
and once it's out of your system, roughly about a week, youll be left to only deal with the mental anguish of missing it , and that too will subside
Best of luck
Joanna

Hi Sweetheart
I know by reading these responses, you're probably feeling really shitty. I get it. I LOVED smoking. IT was my favorite thing. IT was my "crack cocaine" I had smoked since I was 14 years old. IT began as a fun thing, a sneaky thing, that made us kids feel so cool. By age 15, I was an addict. I started out, half a pack, then a pack, then.. you know how it goes. I was smoking easy, 2 1/2 packs - 3 a day. I loved ciggs. It became me. I t was my friend, my companion. I couldnt even watch a movie without smoking.. An hour of not smoking , miserable
I always wanted to quit, but just the idea, I couldnt. Well that's not entirely true. I never wanted to quit for the first 20 years. I vowed , "I'll go to my deathbed , smoking". My justification. "I'd rather smoke and be happy. Besides they only take off the last few years and those are shitty anyways" But I started to feel the effects of smoking in my early 30's, ( not my last years, that would be shitty anyways)
But I never considered quitting because, I knew I couldnt do it
Fast forward, the surgery. When I found out quitting smoking was a requirement. I hung up the idea of getting the surgery. I mean, I qualified in every way, but the nictoine testing they'd do in order for my insurance to approve me.
I got home, called my aunt and told her I wasn't going to get the surgery afterall.. The reason. I had to quit smoking, which I wasn't willing or able to do. She, as a former smoker who'd quit many times told me, she understood. But I heard disappointment in her voice. Why not even try. Just try. I told her, what if I try and can't. Id be so embarrassed..
She told me, Joanna, people quit many times usually before they are finally successful, but so you owe it to yourself to atleast try. And I did.
I got with my doctor for the Chantix medicine. I liked it because you could still smoke while taking the medicine. I also underwent EMDR with the therapist I've already been seeing for years and years to help get to the beginning of the core of my "love for smoking".
Was it easy? Hell no. I thought I was going to go crazy. I , like you, narrowed it down, and down and down, until I was like 5 ciggs a day, and had to space it out, 5 ciggs in a 24 hour period.
Then I smoked my last cigg, without realizing my las cigg on July 25th around noon. Later that evening, I had 2 more allowed ciggs and I thought to myself, Jo, why not just not smoke them. Smoking them is only going to prolong your imminent quitting. So I did
I never got to realize that cigg I smoked earlier in the day would be my last and I think, maybe that was a good thing.
It's been 8 months (tomorrow) since I've quit. There are many times I still miss it. And it's understandable. We're talking about a 23 year addiction.
But what I learned in quitting
If you can just NOT pick them up, that next cigg, that 1 cigg we all lie to ourselves that will be " all we need" that feeling of needing a cigg will pass, if you can refrain from acting on that nightmareish urge to pick up " just one"
It will pass
And it will come again
But you keep fighting those "moments" .. I compare them to contractions. Those mind blowing moments of misery, where you think you'll die and would give anything for it to just go away. And then it goes away. Those cigg contractions will too

While you're fighting this habit, have zero ciggs in your house . Throw what you do have away
Don't go into the mindset of , "After I have the surgery, I can smoke again"
There are heroin addicts and drug addicts who have quit hard drugs, who have not mastered quitting smoking, tha'ts how hard it is, but so if you're down to 1 cigg, you don't believe this about yourself, but I am here to tell you, you CAN quit. Trust me
I still get people who glare at me when they realize I am a non smoker
Joanna (me) would be the last person in the world you'd ever think would quit.
But it can be done. But you have to really want to do it and by that, you're going to have to find yoru reason for NOT wanting it
Initially for me, it was to get the surgery. But then, it was to get better health. I hated the addiction, the fact that I coudlnt go an hour and half movie with my daughters without a cigg. I hated that I had so much fear of ever being without a cigg in my possession.
Now, I am free of that
and the longer it goes, the easier it becomes
You'll always wish you could smoke, you'll always miss it. Well most people do.
But it gets easier
You'll become it's boss, not the other way around
The key to nicotine is that it makes you think you CANNOT quit, when really, you can
Nicotine is a liar
and once it's out of your system, roughly about a week, youll be left to only deal with the mental anguish of missing it , and that too will subside
Best of luck
Joanna

Hi Sweetheart
I know by reading these responses, you're probably feeling really shitty. I get it. I LOVED smoking. IT was my favorite thing. IT was my "crack cocaine" I had smoked since I was 14 years old. IT began as a fun thing, a sneaky thing, that made us kids feel so cool. By age 15, I was an addict. I started out, half a pack, then a pack, then.. you know how it goes. I was smoking easy, 2 1/2 packs - 3 a day. I loved ciggs. It became me. I t was my friend, my companion. I couldnt even watch a movie without smoking.. An hour of not smoking , miserable
I always wanted to quit, but just the idea, I couldnt. Well that's not entirely true. I never wanted to quit for the first 20 years. I vowed , "I'll go to my deathbed , smoking". My justification. "I'd rather smoke and be happy. Besides they only take off the last few years and those are shitty anyways" But I started to feel the effects of smoking in my early 30's, ( not my last years, that would be shitty anyways)
But I never considered quitting because, I knew I couldnt do it
Fast forward, the surgery. When I found out quitting smoking was a requirement. I hung up the idea of getting the surgery. I mean, I qualified in every way, but the nictoine testing they'd do in order for my insurance to approve me.
I got home, called my aunt and told her I wasn't going to get the surgery afterall.. The reason. I had to quit smoking, which I wasn't willing or able to do. She, as a former smoker who'd quit many times told me, she understood. But I heard disappointment in her voice. Why not even try. Just try. I told her, what if I try and can't. Id be so embarrassed..
She told me, Joanna, people quit many times usually before they are finally successful, but so you owe it to yourself to atleast try. And I did.
I got with my doctor for the Chantix medicine. I liked it because you could still smoke while taking the medicine. I also underwent EMDR with the therapist I've already been seeing for years and years to help get to the beginning of the core of my "love for smoking".
Was it easy? Hell no. I thought I was going to go crazy. I , like you, narrowed it down, and down and down, until I was like 5 ciggs a day, and had to space it out, 5 ciggs in a 24 hour period.
Then I smoked my last cigg, without realizing my las cigg on July 25th around noon. Later that evening, I had 2 more allowed ciggs and I thought to myself, Jo, why not just not smoke them. Smoking them is only going to prolong your imminent quitting. So I did
I never got to realize that cigg I smoked earlier in the day would be my last and I think, maybe that was a good thing.
It's been 8 months (tomorrow) since I've quit. There are many times I still miss it. And it's understandable. We're talking about a 23 year addiction.
But what I learned in quitting
If you can just NOT pick them up, that next cigg, that 1 cigg we all lie to ourselves that will be " all we need" that feeling of needing a cigg will pass, if you can refrain from acting on that nightmareish urge to pick up " just one"
It will pass
And it will come again
But you keep fighting those "moments" .. I compare them to contractions. Those mind blowing moments of misery, where you think you'll die and would give anything for it to just go away. And then it goes away. Those cigg contractions will too

While you're fighting this habit, have zero ciggs in your house . Throw what you do have away
Don't go into the mindset of , "After I have the surgery, I can smoke again"
There are heroin addicts and drug addicts who have quit hard drugs, who have not mastered quitting smoking, tha'ts how hard it is, but so if you're down to 1 cigg, you don't believe this about yourself, but I am here to tell you, you CAN quit. Trust me
I still get people who glare at me when they realize I am a non smoker
Joanna (me) would be the last person in the world you'd ever think would quit.
But it can be done. But you have to really want to do it and by that, you're going to have to find yoru reason for NOT wanting it
Initially for me, it was to get the surgery. But then, it was to get better health. I hated the addiction, the fact that I coudlnt go an hour and half movie with my daughters without a cigg. I hated that I had so much fear of ever being without a cigg in my possession.
Now, I am free of that
and the longer it goes, the easier it becomes
You'll always wish you could smoke, you'll always miss it. Well most people do.
But it gets easier
You'll become it's boss, not the other way around
The key to nicotine is that it makes you think you CANNOT quit, when really, you can
Nicotine is a liar
and once it's out of your system, roughly about a week, youll be left to only deal with the mental anguish of missing it , and that too will subside
Best of luck
Joanna

I had my 3-month follow up on Friday. The surgeon told me that, if I tried to have the surgery now (at my current height/weight and with my current medical conditions), I wouldn’t qualify.

Hi Sweetheart
I know by reading these responses, you're probably feeling really shitty. I get it. I LOVED smoking. IT was my favorite thing. IT was my "crack cocaine" I had smoked since I was 14 years old. IT began as a fun thing, a sneaky thing, that made us kids feel so cool. By age 15, I was an addict. I started out, half a pack, then a pack, then.. you know how it goes. I was smoking easy, 2 1/2 packs - 3 a day. I loved ciggs. It became me. I t was my friend, my companion. I couldnt even watch a movie without smoking.. An hour of not smoking , miserable
I always wanted to quit, but just the idea, I couldnt. Well that's not entirely true. I never wanted to quit for the first 20 years. I vowed , "I'll go to my deathbed , smoking". My justification. "I'd rather smoke and be happy. Besides they only take off the last few years and those are shitty anyways" But I started to feel the effects of smoking in my early 30's, ( not my last years, that would be shitty anyways)
But I never considered quitting because, I knew I couldnt do it
Fast forward, the surgery. When I found out quitting smoking was a requirement. I hung up the idea of getting the surgery. I mean, I qualified in every way, but the nictoine testing they'd do in order for my insurance to approve me.
I got home, called my aunt and told her I wasn't going to get the surgery afterall.. The reason. I had to quit smoking, which I wasn't willing or able to do. She, as a former smoker who'd quit many times told me, she understood. But I heard disappointment in her voice. Why not even try. Just try. I told her, what if I try and can't. Id be so embarrassed..
She told me, Joanna, people quit many times usually before they are finally successful, but so you owe it to yourself to atleast try. And I did.
I got with my doctor for the Chantix medicine. I liked it because you could still smoke while taking the medicine. I also underwent EMDR with the therapist I've already been seeing for years and years to help get to the beginning of the core of my "love for smoking".
Was it easy? Hell no. I thought I was going to go crazy. I , like you, narrowed it down, and down and down, until I was like 5 ciggs a day, and had to space it out, 5 ciggs in a 24 hour period.
Then I smoked my last cigg, without realizing my las cigg on July 25th around noon. Later that evening, I had 2 more allowed ciggs and I thought to myself, Jo, why not just not smoke them. Smoking them is only going to prolong your imminent quitting. So I did
I never got to realize that cigg I smoked earlier in the day would be my last and I think, maybe that was a good thing.
It's been 8 months (tomorrow) since I've quit. There are many times I still miss it. And it's understandable. We're talking about a 23 year addiction.
But what I learned in quitting
If you can just NOT pick them up, that next cigg, that 1 cigg we all lie to ourselves that will be " all we need" that feeling of needing a cigg will pass, if you can refrain from acting on that nightmareish urge to pick up " just one"
It will pass
And it will come again
But you keep fighting those "moments" .. I compare them to contractions. Those mind blowing moments of misery, where you think you'll die and would give anything for it to just go away. And then it goes away. Those cigg contractions will too

While you're fighting this habit, have zero ciggs in your house . Throw what you do have away
Don't go into the mindset of , "After I have the surgery, I can smoke again"
There are heroin addicts and drug addicts who have quit hard drugs, who have not mastered quitting smoking, tha'ts how hard it is, but so if you're down to 1 cigg, you don't believe this about yourself, but I am here to tell you, you CAN quit. Trust me
I still get people who glare at me when they realize I am a non smoker
Joanna (me) would be the last person in the world you'd ever think would quit.
But it can be done. But you have to really want to do it and by that, you're going to have to find yoru reason for NOT wanting it
Initially for me, it was to get the surgery. But then, it was to get better health. I hated the addiction, the fact that I coudlnt go an hour and half movie with my daughters without a cigg. I hated that I had so much fear of ever being without a cigg in my possession.
Now, I am free of that
and the longer it goes, the easier it becomes
You'll always wish you could smoke, you'll always miss it. Well most people do.
But it gets easier
You'll become it's boss, not the other way around
The key to nicotine is that it makes you think you CANNOT quit, when really, you can
Nicotine is a liar
and once it's out of your system, roughly about a week, youll be left to only deal with the mental anguish of missing it , and that too will subside
Best of luck
Joanna

Never. I know that's not what you want to hear but it's the truth.

Hey you guys
Today I weighed and
Here we go
It's been 13 weeks since vsg surgery (Dec 11) Weight on day of surgery 321
Today
282.2

Yep logicwand, B.P.and I had trouble with me signing in one day. After trying everything I could think,of to get back in I said,"ooh you frust8 me "and they ,let me back in good standing with a new nom de plume. Yep but I'm still doing business at the same bariatric roadstand. Some days I'm barely literate electronically but doggone if I'm still loveable as all get out.[emoji12][emoji12][emoji12]

Sent from my VS880PP using BariatricPal mobile app

Amen Creekimp13.I luv reading everyone’s stories,experiences,& advice.i take it all in & take what is gonna b useful & wk for me.This world would b a boring place if we all were the same.Despite me being overweight part of my life or up & dwn on the scale, i always tell everyone who may b down about themselves ,there is only one of u,remember that,u are unique & special.its important to get healthy,its nice to look good in your clothes,b able to do all the things u havent been able to do for awhile,but dont forget who u are & whats on the inside either.

There is "One Answer" for everything though...


It's whatever works for you.

This thread is so important. Just the same for those who do not have surgery. There are different ways of getting to “goal”.
I’m just happy to be here, having made it this far. I have no idea how things will progress or how far I will go, the important thing is that I’m getting there.


Hw-378
Sw- 363 (2/27/18)
CW-334.2

Many different plans seem to work, yes. The only thing that seems like an absolute is that the people who succeed have a plan, execute it as best they can, track their results, and hold themselves accountable. Slip-ups here and there, sure. Differences in approach, you bet. Creekimp and I eat very differently, but what we share in common is a that we follow a plan and give it a lot of thought and consideration and put real effort into making sure we stay on track.
Occasionally, people will say some very pleasant sounding stuff about "not worrying about all those numbers" and "just using your best judgment" ...and I have to bite my tongue not to remind them their best judgment made them a seriously obese person who needed major surgery to get their weight under control. Notice also how many of the "I'm not getting results!" and "I'm backsliding!" posts indicate the same kind of lack of plan and "going by what feels right" approach. This is not a coincidence.
There are many different ways to do this right. But they all involve putting in effort and holding yourself accountable.
Lots of roads to the same destination, but to get there, you have to get going, stay in motion, and follow your own map.