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 quit smoking when my dad was dying of lung cancer. He was a very healthy young active 66 year old still working, still swimming in the Ocean, traveling, hunting, riding 4 wheelers etc. He was diagnosed in August of 2004 and He died on Jan 21 of 2005. I lost my best friend and my family lost the glue that held us together. I was 41 years old and 1 month to the day of his death I was diagnosed with lung cancer (a metastisis of my breast cancer that I had 4 years prior...which amazingly the surgeon told me at the time of my lumpectomy that that cancer had nothing whatsoever to do with my smoking....that gave me a license to keep smoking!) I had been a smoker for about 20 years all together and I had only quit 8 weeks before I was diagnosed. I have never even thought of smoking again. Losing my dad to cigarettes was the biggest waste of a wonderful life and I knew that I could never endure having to leave my kids over a selfish habit...I have never looked back. I am healthy, and cancer free right now as far as I know and I pray every day for another day with my family.

Way to go - bitteroldhag!!!!!

I cannot believe these people trying to quit smoking at the same time as having a lap band - when things get tough I rely on smoking as the one constant. This whole process is ultimately great - but - there are times when I feel like I have lost a companion (food) and I couldn't stand to loose another one (smoking).

Although I am planning to quit eventually - I agree with you - I love it.

I live in Australia and although smoking makes you a kind of outcast it doesn't compare to treatment I have received when visiting California to visit my sister. I feel really sorry for people who smoke when they have to put up with being abused and stared at.

Cheers

Amanda

Melbourne Australia

Banded 26th September 2006

Hi.I was just reading everyones posts & just had to comment.I too am a smoker.I`ve tried to quit so many times,only to last no longer than about a month.This & food are my only two vises.I`ve smoked 1 to 2 packs pr.day,depending on my stress level.The last time I tried to quit was Dec.2005 with the Nicoderm CQ patches when I was persuing WLS.They worked good for the 1st month.I made it thru April2006(cheating all the way).I`d get mad at myself every time I cheated.But it`s so hard when youv`e smoked over 24 years,& almost everyone around you smokes.What am I suppose to do?Become a hermit & not go around my family and friends ever again?What about when I`m stressed out(which I am most of the time)That`s when I crave most.I don`t like smoking.I don`t want to smoke.But I have to.A lot of people say,ahhhh,it`s all in your mind.Well,let them experience the withdrawl symptoms for a week and see how they feel.This last time trying to quit was the worst for me.I was so nervous all the time.Dizzy,Jumpy,shaky,& I felt like I was going to hyperventilate at times.I had feelings of being terrified because the withdrawls were sooo bad.I thought I was going to go crazy.I got down & depressed,cried,got really irritated at people so I thought I can`t do this anymore.It`s too hard.Plus I gained over 20 pounds.So I went back to smoking.I hate myself for it as I do for being so overweight.I`m having to find another surgeon because the one I had stopped accepting medicaid.& hardly anyone will take it anymore.I know I will have to quit again in order to have the surgery,& I will try again.I will never give up on trying to quit.Some day I will find something that helps me.But for now.I`m not giving them up untill I find a surgeon & he tells me I have to quit to get the surgery.I don`t understand why some people have to be so critical of others especially when they don`t know the other persons situation &/or circumstances.For those of you that have broken the habit,I aplaud you.For those of you that havn`t,don`t give up.Some day we will be able to quit.Take care everyone and good luck.

Kimberly Brich

lildolphin603

I suspect the smoking Nazis are on this website. I smoke a couple of packs a day and don't intend to quit. I like smoking. I don't care if I annoy people. They annoy me. I may quit when I get some sort of horrible disease, but I will continue to smoke at the moment just to irritate the smoking Nazis. Isn't it grand to be superior to others?

I smoke, too. I use the patch whenever I have to fly. I take Zyban/Wellbutrin for depression and I did hope that it would help me quit but it didn't. It seems that few people smoke now except for the working class and people under 25. I've heard that the only people in California who smoke are Hollywood stars. I don't understand the smoking Nazis. Cars do much more environmental damage....

I haven't smoked since January of this year. Every spare minute or half hour that I would have would be spent outside in the rain, cold, heat, wind puffing on a cigarette. I started counting up the time I spent smoking and realized I was wasting a lot of my time. There was so much more I could be doing that was positive. My house is a lot cleaner now. Laundry isn't piled up so high. Doesn't mean I don't miss it, but it's gets better as the months go by. And now that I have quit, I have to tell myself daily that I can never put one of those things to my lips again--not even one single puff---or I'll be at the store buying a pack. Best of luck to those who are trying to quit.

I smoke, too. I use the patch whenever I have to fly. I take Zyban/Wellbutrin for depression and I did hope that it would help me quit but it didn't. It seems that few people smoke now except for the working class and people under 25. I've heard that the only people in California who smoke are Hollywood stars. I don't understand the smoking Nazis. Cars do much more environmental damage....

Welbutrin taken for depression wont work as "Zyban" will for helping you quit. Its taking totally differently . Wellbutrin taken for depression helped me take the edge off my cravings and my irritability thouhg and it made quitting this time MUCH More bearable. HTH

Mindy

But it`s so hard when youv`e smoked over 24 years,& almost everyone around you smokes.What am I suppose to do?Become a hermit & not go around my family and friends ever again?What about when I`m stressed out(which I am most of the time)That`s when I crave most.I don`t like smoking.I don`t want to smoke.But I have to.

Kimberly Brich

lildolphin603

Kimberly, Sorry I have to say somethings to what you said. You do not HAVE To smoke .. NOW , first let me say this, I am NOT one of those " Ex" Smokers who thinks EVERYONE should quit and will lecture everyone about it . Or think im a goodie goodie because i have quit.

BUT i will tell you I have the will power of a fly , none, nada , zero ! I smoked for over 15 yrs at least a pack a day . And to answer your question "What am I suppose to do?Become a hermit & not go around my family and friends ever again?" YES , Not ever again but You tell ANYONE who smokes to NOT COME AROUND YOU SMOKING until you feel you can be around it and not have the urge to smoke. You do what EVER IT TAKES , what ever you feel you have to do to quit . I did what EVER I felt I HAD to do to quit. THat meant when friends and my dad came over ( I Smoked outside) NO SMOKING Outside, I threw away ANYTHING that was realated to smoking , Every single butt around my house , lighters, ashtrays ANYTHING. Stress is something else,.. I realized that when i quit smoking I had NO IDEA how to deal with stress with out cigs. I was SO VERY Stressed out when things stressed me out . BUT I learned to talk things out when they stressed me out and that helped alot. But my husband made a comment to me the other day , he said ' Do you know that since you quit smoking things do not stress you out as much and as easily as they use to " So maybe ciggs exaggerated stress symptoms.

NOW I quit before i was banded to avoid having to quit and loose wt. But I kind of dont see the point of surgery to make yourself healthy if your going to smoke still ? It made more sense for me to quit before surgery than after.

But TRUST ME IF I CAN Quit anyone can lol .

Good luck and you can do it .

HTH

Mindy

:girl_hug: Hi Everyone!

I just want to share that it has been a month without smoking!!!

:nervous It may not be too much, but believe me... it is to me.

It doesn't mean it has been easy:think but whenever I feel like smoking I chew gum or drink a lot of Water, it has helped me.

I hope to quit smoking definitely!! At least I haven't smoked since my surgery :clap2:

I quit couple years ago, and I remember that first month! You are right, it is not easy, but because you have made it a month, it will be easier not go back!

Congrats!

Kat.:clap2:

Once i hit the one month mark it was pretty much up hill from there.

I remeber thinking this is NEVER going to get better on some days. But by time i got to one month i wasnt thinking of smoking as much . You should be up hill from here. I use gum too if i wanted to smoke. Still do if i get stressed out

Mindy

PS GOOD JOB Your doing AWESOME

15 days smoke free as of today! Cravings are smaller and less frequent, so I can't wait until the 30 day mark!

I have officially made it 3 weeks and am so proud! I quit smoking for several years but picked it up again when my oldest hit the teenage years (a little stress) I cant say the cravings are gone (they are not) but I am also on the prediet so fighting a few addictions/demons at the same time. Wish me luck! Good luck to all those others that are quiting!

I am planning on laying down the ciggies for good next Monday.

Wish me luck!

Today makes 35 days smoke-free for me.

I have reached a turning point now. I no longer have this "empty void" feeling inside, and I am no longer irritable and gritchy, edgy and anxious.

I am SO glad that Dr. Curry told me that I have to quit smoking before he will do the surgery on me!

...I just got my wisdom teeth out today so I definitely wont be lighting up for a few days now!<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

Yeah, that would be bad. Very, very bad. I had a jaw tooth pulled a few months ago and was told not to suck on anything, including a cigarette, or else the clot would come out and I would get dry socket.

Did I listen? Nooooooo. While waiting for my pain Rx to be filled, I was outside the pharmacy puffing away.

The next day -- and several days continuously, I had THE most excruciating pain I've ever had in my LIFE. I've been through child birth four times and NOTHING comes close to the pain I experienced in my jaw when I got the dry socket.

Anyway....just wanted to inject that comment, and also toot my own horn in saying that I'm now 41 days smoke-free, and it's getting easier and easier.