I have been following this site for quite some time and am wondering why I haven't come across anyone who has struggled with giving up the "comfort zone." Sweets, cigarettes and diet coke have been my best friends for a very long time I have managed to give up the diet coke, sweets most of the time but still struggle with the cigarettes. I have cut back from 2 packs a day to 3 cigarettes a day, but find that I get very nervous and feel lost without these things. If anyone has the "magic" replacements please help me. I also go back and forth about the surgery as I am close to getting a surgery day, having completed all the requirements. I get afraid of it but weigh the benefits and push forward. My health sucks because of my weight and I wish I were more stable emotionally as most of you sound to be. Any help would be appreciated.

I loved loved loves to smoke! I knew they wouldn't do surgery on me unless I quit for 6 months! I went to see a hypnotist. I am now smoke free for 13 months and having surgery tomorrow! Just an idea! Good luck, hoe it works out for you!

I was happy to hear your passion for smoking. I was happier to learn that you quit and remained smoke free! Best wishes for your surgery.

I understand the addictions as far as sweets and soda. Never smoked but my mom does non stop. I know how hard it is to give every bad habit up. One year out and have started sneaking the sweets and soda once in awhile. The soda does not feel good, carbonation I guess. But I can have some sweets without dumping. Hope I don't have any weight gain. So far it's good. My nutrionist wants me to gain 5 pounds but in a healthy way. It will be hard, but I am trying to get back on track. I know you will find a way to stop these bad habits before surgery, it's after that gets hard.

I used to smoke too. I smoked for 25 years :/ Every time I would go to the doctor for anything they would blame it on smoking. "Your back hurts? It's because you smoke. You have a cold? It's because you smoke. You have an ingrown toenail? You smoke."!!!!!!! Every single time. Then I quit smoking cold turkey. I gained 60 pounds. Now when I go to the doctor it's "Your back hurts? You're overweight!" LOL Seriously. That is exactly how it is. But am I glad I quit smoking. Even with all the weight gain. I feel so much better. And I really loved to smoke. I prayed about it while I was quitting. I asked Jesus to help me not to indulge in something so unhealthy for me. I should have prayed not to replace cigarettes with twinkies..............SMH

Edited January 4, 201511 yr by lovedXJesus

For me the best way to stop smoking is literally take a day at a time. It was like trying to beat a high score! I would say to myself each day that's another day without a cigarette, how many more days can I go? And eventually you get to 30 days and you think I don't want to ruin my high score haha. Plus try and spot the places you 'always' smoke at, for me I used to automatically smoke in my car or if I was outside, it's pure habit and if you can break each of these habits by mentally stopping yourself and telling yourself it's just out of habit it gets so much easier. It's worked for me so far and I'm now 2 1/2 years smoke free.

Have you thought of vaping? There are very good quality ejuices that are not weird chemicals, and you can get nicotine free. I never smoked save the 2nd hand smoke of my.2 pack a day parents exposed me to as a kid. But I vape, when I'm hungry but shouldn't eat I puff away. Since it's nicotine free I meet the surgeon's guidelines preop. Initial expense might run you $30-50 for a tank,coils, rechargeable battery, and ejuice. I'm no expert in this area, just like what works for me.

I don't smoke nor have but I'm sure I have some lung issues thanks to my parents who chain smoked while I grew up but my mom smoked while pregnant...which might explain a few things...hmmmm

Anyway, my husband quite smoking with the prescription Chantix and using e-cigs. Like someone else said you can get the juice that is nicotine free so you still get the physical feeling of smoking, the "high" from the juice (if any), and you stay healthier.

Good luck!

@@saj54539@yahoo.com, you have my sympathy. Like one poster on the other thread, I quit smoking after a bout of respiratory illness that prevented me from lighting up for a week. Since I'd made it through the "hard part" of the immediate withdrawal and was too sick to notice, I decided to keep it rolling and quit then and there. That was 10 years ago.

I think all of us have terrible habits that are ingrained and very difficult to change. I'm not sure what hits the level of "addiction", but each of us as some big obstacles to overcome in getting ready for surgery and then taking care of ourselves afterward. My stress responses have been eating and shopping. I hate going to stores, but my husband can get a good sense of my stress level when the boxes from Amazon start piling up outside the door.

It's only through this process that I have come to realize how much of an emotional eater I am. I thought I was eating crappy fast food and junk food because I was too busy to do otherwise, but in the past few months I've come to realize it's so much more than that. I feel immense pressure to eat when I am feeling sad and bored, but also when hit with feeling ashamed, angry, anxious, and the whole rest of it.

One of the reasons that many of us consider starting (or increasing) counseling through this process is the awareness that we are all at risk for substituting one addiction or abuse for another. If you take away food, the emotional needs that are met by food need somewhere to go. There are lots of reasons why we all ended up where we are, and counseling can help with some of the gnarliest. Also, there's a book called "The Food & Feelings Workbook" with exercises that I've found helpful for dealing with these issues. Might be worth checking out.

Hope this helps.