Hello Everyone!

I was wondering how many banded smokers are out there. I am wondering if you quit smoking before your surgery, if so, how long before, did you remain a non-smoker? Did you pick up smoking again? Basically, share your smoking habits with me if youd like!

Hello Everyone!

I was wondering how many banded smokers are out there. I am wondering if you quit smoking before your surgery, if so, how long before, did you remain a non-smoker? Did you pick up smoking again? Basically, share your smoking habits with me if youd like!

I smoked for 15 yrs a pack to pack and half a day ( Im 31 now ) and once I knew I was getting banded ( im getting banded in December or January) I decided I was going to quit. I decided i was going to set a quit date. A friend of mine was a respitory therapist and she told me that smokers who quit with the help of the patch or smoking aid are more likely to remain non smokers.

SO i set a quit date, one day i was walking through the grocery store picked up a box of nicoderm Patches and threw away my cigerettes on the way out of the store . I have NO IDEA what made me do that to this day lol . I decided before hand though that it would be better to quit and gain weight now than after surgery . The patches helped ALOT . I quit one other time when i was pregnant and it was HELL, i did it cold turkey as well. Im also on wellbutrin for migraines and I think that Helped ALOT too . SO long story short its been since September 19th since i have had a smoke . I no longer have the urge . I really enjoyed smoking . But I wont start again . I feel SO MUCH better now. I am not out of breathe as easy. And this is something that is funny . I use to be Hot ALL THE TIME . Now I am COLD . I always have socks and sweaters on now. ( I LIVE IN TEXAS TOO LOL )

SO If your not banded yet , even if you are I say quit. Email me privately if you need some support i know its rough.

Mindy

You should add another category to the poll. "Quit before surgery and Still do not smoke: LOL

MIndy

Hello Everyone!

I was wondering how many banded smokers are out there. I am wondering if you quit smoking before your surgery, if so, how long before, did you remain a non-smoker? Did you pick up smoking again? Basically, share your smoking habits with me if youd like!

:Banane20: Hi girl!

I was banded 16 days ago (10/25/06) and can proudly say that I haven't smoked since my surgery. I'm a smoker (or I was, I'm not sure) I used to smoke 3-6 cigars per day. I must confess that I didn't feel like smoking from the first to the fourth day because of the gas pain and the pressure I felt on my chest, but now...OMG!!! :help: Then I realized that I had made a new lifestyle decision where giving up smoking should be included too.

I hope I can quit smoking definitely. :speechles

If not... why don't we try to reduce our tobacco consumption?:nervous

I wish i had given up b4 surgery, its highly recommended that you do as it slows down the healing process, and you are more likley to get infection. Im waiting 4 a tummy tuck now and packed in smoking 5 weeks ago now for that op, under no circumstances will they operate on me if i continue to smoke, as the say the risks are too high. So now im a ex smoker !! finding it hard but it will be worth it in the end. The only down side to stopping smoking this time is ive regained a little weight back, but im trying to sort that problem out now .

Hi girl!

on my chest, but now...OMG!!! :help: Then I realized that I had made a new lifestyle decision where giving up smoking should be included too.

I hope I can quit smoking definitely. :speechles

If not... why don't we try to reduce our tobacco consumption?:nervous

You have made it this far your through the worst ! . The cravings stop shortly I PROMISE . The first 2 weeks are the hardest. There was NO WAY I was going to cheat once i stopped because I didnt want to start withdrawls all over again . If you feel like smoking chew gum . Your cravings should get alot better any day now. Try not to think about it and find something else to do with your time. As someone who quit before and started ONce you quit DO NOT START AGAIN . it sucks to start again .

Mindy

I had to quite 2 months before surgery or my surgeon wouldn't do it. Then, unfortunately, I picked it back up. I really need to quit for good, hopefully I'll get there.

I quit smoking about 6 week AFTER my surgery...need a category for that...lol...

You have made it this far your through the worst ! . The cravings stop shortly I PROMISE . The first 2 weeks are the hardest. There was NO WAY I was going to cheat once i stopped because I didnt want to start withdrawls all over again . If you feel like smoking chew gum . Your cravings should get alot better any day now. Try not to think about it and find something else to do with your time. As someone who quit before and started ONce you quit DO NOT START AGAIN . it sucks to start again .

Mindy

:nervous Thanks for your advice. I'll try to do my best! I want to quit smoking definitely!!! :clap2:

:nervous Thanks for your advice. I'll try to do my best! I want to quit smoking definitely!!! :clap2:

I can tell you that something that has helped me alot and you might want to ask your doc about it. I am on wellbutrin for my migraines. That has helped ALOT this time around as far as cutting down the anxiety . But your almost over the hump. it mighht not feel like it but it does get better.

Mindy

I am a smoker I wish I could give it up for good. I quit once before my surgery for about 6 weeks and eneded up going back. Even though it had no effects on my healing I wish I would have stuck with it. Some days when I smoke my band tightens (I know that sounds kinda crazy) but it actually does.

I smoked from the time I was fifteen until I was 23. I then quit cold turkey and remained a non-smoker for almost 14 years until after banding surgery, when I picked it back up. I'm now 36 and so disappointed in myself. I have it down to about 1-4 cigs per day, but they say it makes no difference if you smoke few or many cigs, the risk of lung cancer is the same. I don't know if I buy that, though...

I quit smoking 16 years ago!!! I had smoked since I was 15, and was smoking close to 2 packs a day. 3 friends of mine decided to join me in quitting, so I chose a day April 1st 1991. To be honest I chose that date so if I backed out I could claim it was an April Fools joke. In the meantime, my EX DH, told my DD there was no way in hell I could quit. I may not have if he hadn't given me the push I needed!!! I know exactly what you mean Mindy--if I started again, someday I would have to quit again, and that sucked!!! I have not had a single cigarette in all those years, but still on occasion, following dinner, I will reach down in the side of the chair I sit in looking for my cigarette case!!! I used to hide it in the chair from the kids! I don't actually "want" a cigarette, but the move is just a long left over habit I guess!!!

Good Luck everyone---my suggestion to my DS who smokes, is to get a jar, and put an equal amount of money in it, as you spend on cigarettes. If you can't afford to put the money in the jar as well, then do without the cigarettes. Seeing how much you spend may help. A co-worker made me a huge cigarette bank, out of a map tube. I quit when cigarettes cost me $1.50 a pack. I out my $3.00 a day in there, and took my DD to Disneyland the following summer and we spent it on fun!!!

Best of luck to you all!!! I too was unsure of how to vote...I used to smoke, but.....

Kat

I am on my 3rd day of not smoking. I hope to get the band either December or January. I've been journaling about it. I quit for 3 1/2 years, and then just about a year ago I thought "just one couldn't hurt" . . . boy did it. The first time I quit it was cold turkey, this time it's cold turkey again, but man it's harder than the first time. I'm considering the nicotine patch. Today was the hardest, and I found myself sitting out side the 7-Eleven on my home today. However, I stayed in the car, and made myself come home. My Dr won't do the surgery unless I've been smoke free for at least 14 days. This time is for good. Once I get past this initial phase, I will never ever smoke again!

I am on my 3rd day of not smoking. I hope to get the band either December or January. I've been journaling about it. I quit for 3 1/2 years, and then just about a year ago I thought "just one couldn't hurt" . . . boy did it. The first time I quit it was cold turkey, this time it's cold turkey again, but man it's harder than the first time. I'm considering the nicotine patch. Today was the hardest, and I found myself sitting out side the 7-Eleven on my home today. However, I stayed in the car, and made myself come home. My Dr won't do the surgery unless I've been smoke free for at least 14 days. This time is for good. Once I get past this initial phase, I will never ever smoke again!

GET THE PATCH !!!!!!!!!! The patch if anything for me helped pyschologically .

I would think " Aww the patch works. I bougt " Phase 2 " of the batch and used 3 of them and was done didnt need them anymore. I have that box left if you send me your address i'll mail them to you !

the patch helps I promise

Mindy

Thanks Mindy -- I was wondering if it would help get me through the first week or two. I used the patch once when they first came out, and you could only get them by prescription (think it was the late 80's or early 90's). Back then, it made me sick. I hope they've improved them since then. I will have my DH pick me up a box on the way home.