Hello everyone! I've been reading and learning from this forum for a few days and decided to join. Here it goes, short and sweet (like me) I'm 38 yrs old, female, 4'11" 200 lbs. have been overweight all my life, been up to 245, tried all the diets, joined the womens gym...etc

(during my 2 hr consultation, the Dr. called me a "lightweight patient"..HA, :success1: never been called that my whole life! My rolls and folded over belly couldn't help but laugh.

My BMI is 39, and I'm not 100 lbs overweight, my insurance preapproved me because of my BP and stroke

Married with 2 children 9 & 5yrs. I have had high BP for over 10 years, January 2005 I had a small stroke. (killed a 5mm section of my brain)

At that time the Dr's told me to lose weight and of course STOP smoking. I have tried both many times, have not succeded as of yet.

My #1 goal right now is stop smoking. Is there anyone else out there that can give me some encouragement?

My Lap Dr. says I have to be smoke free for 2 months before he'll schedule surgery. I'm going through the psych testing, lab work and some test that I walk on a treadmill with some sort of IV solution running through my veins (?) I've already had a 2 hr appt with a nutritionist and am fully aware what I need to do to make this LB work for me. Still have doubts in the back of my mind that this is just another ill fated attempt to change my health and my lifestyle and I'm gonna fail and dissappoint my husband and myself again.

Anyway, This site has opened my eyes to a lot of questions I've had. I;m confident with my Dr. He has performed over 500 RNY operations with no major complications. (and no death) He's done 18 Lap's with the first being 4 months ago.

Thanks for listening to me ramble. :welldone2:

Welcome to LBT Mary...wow sounds like you have your hands full with your family and planning to stop smoking...Still it will be an allover lifechange for you wont it and so GREAT! when the kilo's start melting off. I have had my lapband for a year and have lost 84lb so far...quite a few to go but I am getting there I am a solo mum with a 1yr girl and a 3yr boy and they seem to keep me on my toes! Best wishes on your quiting smoking and your surgery...keep us posted on your progress...I didnt smoke before I had lapband but I do now and boy its hard to stop! but you have a HUGE reason to now...with the lollipop of a newer, slimmer you in front of you. So go to it you'll be fine...perhaps you can give me the inspiration I need to stop too.

:welldone2: Becky

Hey Mary! I quit smoking 16 days and 18 hours ago. You can do this! Here's some good tidbits that helped me.

Quit in the middle of the day. This whole thinking about waking up one morning and not having one is for the birds. Dole out the last of your ciggies to yourself and make them last as looong as possible. Aim for your quit date, or before! And make sure you have at least 3 left when you wake up on your quit date. I had my last one at 3:30pm, after I picked up my 7yo from school. I have a 3yo, too and I get the whole "my kids are driving me nuts so I need a ciggie break or I won't make it" thing. Anyhow, that was the last of my pack. I had cleaned up and thrown out all but one ashtray, and spent a few days getting my head ready. I washed all my sweaters and clothes, changed the sheets, got everything fresh and clean. That helps, too.

Get the patches! Follow the directions. Put a new one on each morning. Get the right strength. If you smoke more than 10 a day, get the Stage 1 Patches. They help alot. Screw the gum, the patches work. I have the gum, and maybe down the line it will help but I'm not ready to do without the Patches yet. I tried a few days ago. Nope. The Patches help.

Get some cheerleading. You'll need it. You'll do lots of navel-gazing and have some nervous energy to get rid of. I plopped my butt on the 'puter for a week. House was a wreck, but I skated on by, and hubby helped me get it back together when I was ready to "open the front door" to my life again. The escape (which I used to get outside on the deck with a ciggie) came from holing up in the office on the computer. It's not as bad as it was, but computer time is helping me. Pick something and stick with it. You need a tit-for-tat trade off for the ciggies.

Lots of mind games, but you can do it if you are ready, and BE READY! You don't want those dumb ole ciggies getting in the way of your band surgery. You WANT that band. Promise. My weight loss has been slow but GOOD! I could NOT have done this without my band, so it's worth quitting over.

Come on, girl. You can do this!!!!!

Thank you so much for the encouragement! Kathy, you are in inspiration to me. I'll keep in contact and we can get thru this together!

I have set my stop smoking date for Dec 22nd. The Dr. prescribed me Chantix. It is the latest drug on the market to help with this terrible habit. It doesn't have nicotine. It is supposed to "block" the nicotine from hitting that place in your brain that produces the feeling of "euphoria" and makes you feel so good about smoking.

The statistics say that 44% of people are smoke free after 4 months. I'm gonna be one of those 44%!

I did quit smoking before both of my pregnancies with the nicorette patch with a lot of success. (why I ever picked up another cig after quitting twice, I don't know) I am on Wellbutrin XL for depression. My Dr. said not to use the patch while taking this, it would probably make me psycho!

This new drug has a website and they e-mail you each day with tips and encouragement for quitting and sticking with it. They suggest different ideas and exercises to help make it thru.

I don't get much support from my DH. His concern extends to "so, have you quit smoking yet?"

I need something to replace smoking while I'm driving. I have never smoked in my house, and I don't smoke in the car when the kids are with me. My car is funny, it doesn't seem to start until I have lit a cig!

Wish me luck!............Hey, I'm trying to download one of those cute weight tickers, but when I copy and paste it says Invalid file....anyone know what I'm doing wrong?

hi mary

you can do it !!you can do it all life long!!! lol

Oh Mary, you are SET! I'm so proud of you already!!!!

Hi There,

I need to stop smoking as well. Its a nasty habit isn't it!

Congrats on researching the lapband. I really hope thing go okay for you. I think you will find how great the lapband is because you have battled your weight your entire life like me. Its hard to believe I've lost 34 lbs with ease. You will love it.

Good luck.

Once you quit smoking never touch another. No one goes from a smoker to an occasional smoker. Had my last ciggarette in 1980 and never had one since.

Ladies:

I don't mean to get on a soap box, but I am watching my Mom die of lung cancer right now, and I am begging you for the sake of your kids (no matter how old they are) to do whatever it takes to stop smoking. pills, Patches, hypnosis, gum, chinese Water torture, please don't put your family through this type of death.

My Mom is 63 and has smoked since she was 16, but she never made the decision to stop. Well the cancer made it for her. It is a horrible way to die. The best they can do for her is treat her symptoms. SCLC (small cell lung cancer) is very invasive, it has already gone to her bones and liver in just a matter of months despite chemo. The next stop is her brain. Soon she won't know us anymore, or who she is.

Please do whatever you have to do to kick this horrible, and life ending habit.

Sorry, I this is the first time I have vented about my Mom. Thanks for listening