Anyone smoke? I am having a really hard time quitting. I quit for a while then started up again. I have a Pulmonary appointment this Monday. I hope I make it thru it ok.

Anyone deal with smoking and the sleeve surgery at the same time? Any words of encouragement?

Emathy: it can be VERY diifficult to quit. It is indeed a strong addiction.

Admonition: you must quit. Smoking greatly increases you chance of complications. My surgeon would NOT operate if he had the slightest indication of smoking still being entertained. His only complication...a near death...was smoking related.

Encouragement: you can quit, for good. Sleeving is hard as you are coming to know, it is a drastic change. Throw all your drastic changes in together. Be an all out warrior for your health. Eat well, exercise like an athlete, breath clean air. You are more powerful than burning paper and leaves. Freedom!

• Antonette,

I smoked for 18 years- a pack a day. I know how hard it is and I understand your frustration. Please NEVER QUIT TRYING TO QUIT. It almost never happens on the first try.

What worked for me and was a try godsend was Chantix. There's a lot of hype out there and a lot of fear mongering as well. I will always give Chantix credit for allowing me to quit. I haven't smoked since September of 2010 after my second Chantix attempt.

Are there side effects? Yes. The dreams are incredibly vivid and I had come bad nightmares. Are there mood swings? Of course! You just quit smoking. Do I think of having a cigarette every minute of life anymore-- hell no!

It's not for everyone and you and your doctor have to decide if it's for you, but it was a miracle for me.

Quitting may be the only thing between you and your surgery. Is it worth it?

I had to quit or no surgery. Was hard but want surgery more. You can do it!

I had to quit or no surgery. Was hard but want surgery more. You can do it!

After years of trying to quit smoking, including the Rx med's and hypnosis, I finally quit for good by using the e-cigarette. I already hated everything about smoking....the smell, the taste, the cost, the image...I really just needed some type of crutch to break the physical habit of holding and puffing on a cigarette. I went through one e-cig every three-five days. Eventually I just naturally slacked off on the usage until finally I noticed I went an entire day without it. And then it was a couple of days without it. And now I am 100% smoke-free and have NO desire to ever go back.

I had to quit too to have my surgery. I wanted this surgery more than anything. I have been desiring to quit for years but never really put much effort into.

I had to go cold turkey. No nicotine replacement or Rx's. I couldn't take Chantix b/c my Psychiatrist strongly discouraged it do to my mental health conditions. I couldn't use many of the nicotine replacements b/c several of them contain gluten. Anyhooo it was cold turkey for me. Here is my experience. I hope this helps encourage you to do it too.

First of all I quit on a Saturday so I wouldn't have to be at work.

Day 1 was not too bad. I tried to sleep in and sleep as much as I could to get through the day.

Day 2 the withdrawals started to kick in but it was still a lot of mind over matter.

Day 3 Oh lordy this was the worst day. The withdrawals were really bad. I will not tell a lie. I had anxiety, Hot flashes, Trouble concentrating, it goes on and on. But I was 3 days into this I was not giving up at this point. So I pushed through.

Day 4 was a tiny bit better than day 3, but still pretty bad

Day 5 okay the withdrawals are lightening up and I am starting to feel there is some hope.

Day 6 I started to know I was gonna make it.

Day 7 I started believing and thinking like a non-smoker.

Here are a few things that I have noticed and relished about quitting smoking. My voice has changed and sounds much clearer and not as raspy. My resting breathing has improved. My skin color is much healthier looking. And I attribute quitting smoking and losing weight to NO MORE SNORING I feel really great now and have no desire to go back. It was so hard to quit and I never want to have to go through that again.

I smoked for 23 years at least 2 packs a day. It is not easy but never give up trying. You just need to find something you want more than smoking.

Good Luck to you! You can do this!

Bonnie

Girllll I am trying so hard to quit now!!! From 15 cigs a day I'm down to 3-4 I've tried the patch and chewing gum... Now I started Zyban and it seems to be helping with cravings I'm sure in a week or so I shouldn't be smoking at all ( I hope) it truly is a battle especially if you have been smoking for years I've been smoking for 10 years! Good luck to u on quitting because our new lease on life doesn't include smoking girl!

I just did sleeve surgery and I had low oxygen because of smoking even thought I quited 2 weeks before, I almosted died so please for you sake stop

Gmanbat was the right combination of soft, sweet and hard.

Quit darlin... quit and quit for good.

Stopping smoking has literally been one of the hardest things I have tried doing. I work a super stressful, intense, job as a law enforcement operator and had a habit of taking a break every 2 hours for at least 2 cigarettes. 2 weeks ago, I located a shop with electronic cigarettes. After weighing the prices, seeing how much I would actually save, and knowing that I could not have my surgery unless I had quit, I purchased one. 2 weeks and only 4 cigarettes later it is still not easy. I crave the habit, but no longer the taste or smell. Shew. The smell. I never realized how horrid it was until my 3 day stretch without one(I didn't charge my other e cig and was about to go nuts, lol. I broke weak!). I seem to feel better, have saved quite a bit of money at this point(on avg I'd spend 75-100.00 a month -- easily and right now I'm at 60.00[54 for my 2 cigs and 5 for my liquid]), and know that it will truly aid in my recovery in a few months. Good luck!

<p>Stopping smoking has literally been one of the hardest things I have tried doing. I work a super stressful, intense, job as a law enforcement operator and had a habit of taking a break every 2 hours for at least 2 cigarettes. 2 weeks ago, I located a shop with electronic cigarettes. After weighing the prices, seeing how much I would actually save, and knowing that I could not have my surgery unless I had quit, I purchased one. 2 weeks and only 4 cigarettes later it is still not easy. I crave the habit, but no longer the taste or smell. Shew. The smell. I never realized how horrid it was until my 3 day stretch without one(I didn't charge my other e cig and was about to go nuts, lol. I broke weak!). I seem to feel better, have saved quite a bit of money at this point(on avg I'd spend 75-100.00 a month -- easily and right now I'm at 60.00[54 for my 2 cigs and 5 for my liquid]), and know that it will truly aid in my recovery in a few months. Good luck!</p>

I tried those e cig and Oh my god how horrible, maybe it was the one I choose but it didn't taste like menthol instead it taste like licorice ahhh disgusting! I'm looking for one similar to Newport if u know any let me know

Hang on just a second AmandaLove820. I'm trying to find the business card of where I purchased mine. They have online ordering and I believe I seen the Kool version. My friend actually has their standard menthol and minus the smoke, tar flavor of menthol cigarettes, it tastes just like a menthol.

Ok. Here it is: shop.ourpricesarecheap.com If you choose to order, use code: TAKE15OFF for 15%off your order. Now the cigarette package I ordered was 49.00. It came with 2 cigarettes, battery charger and a 5ml bottle of liquid. The Kool liquid is a 10ml bottle for 7.00. I don't see the Newport. I have been using the same bottle for 2weeks and have just now decided I needed to purchase another before being stranded.

<p>Ok. Here it is: shop.ourpricesarecheap.com If you choose to order, use code: TAKE15OFF for 15%off your order. Now the cigarette package I ordered was 49.00. It came with 2 cigarettes, battery charger and a 5ml bottle of liquid. The Kool liquid is a 10ml bottle for 7.00. I don't see the Newport. I have been using the same bottle for 2weeks and have just now decided I needed to purchase another before being stranded.</p>

Wow thanks so much I will check it out right now!

Dude, I love my ecig! I quit smoking in January cold turkey. I had a full pack in my car and used my ecig for a weekend. I tried a normal cig again Monday morning and almost choked on how bad it tasted! I swore I'd never do it again... and I didn't. I slowly decreased the nicotine in my Fluid over the next months and have been vaping nicotine free fluid since early August. Its like a pacifier at this point - just helps with the habit... though I've been noticing that's even starting to diminish now.

Personally, I'd tried Chantix three times and it never stuck because I missed my friends who still smoked and the hand/mouth habit. All my smoking friends switched to the ecig and we still had social time! Made it so much easier for me! I am glad the Chantix works for some, that is awesome, it just wasn't for me.

My advice? Find a high quality ecig shop - they're popping up everywhere near me. Most will let you taste all of their fluids before you buy, help you find what you're looking for, and teach you how it all works! It was like magic for me, and I can't even imagine a situation that would make me want to go back.