I'm still in the pre testing phase... im about half done. I have 2 more psych appts, my sleep study, pft, and a dietician appt left. Problem is... i can not seem to quit smoking. Anyone else have this issue? I never thought it would be this difficult. I tried to quit.. made it 3 days and snuck out of the house at 3 am to the gas station... chained smoked 3 cigs before i felt bad and broke the rest. Only after all of that dramatic mess was i able to sleep that night! Is there any hope?

It's the toughest habit I ever broke. I eventually settled on vaping. Keeps me tobacco free, doesn't smell and is almost socially acceptable. The chemicals in the smoke (and my chewing tobacco, yes I used to do both) really irritated my stomach. Vaping does not. Nicotine and PPG are the only ingredients in my mixture, and while nicotine isn't good for you, it isn't really harmful either. So might be a reasonable solution.

Hi there,

You need to find a way, try nicotine batches or nicotine chewing gum. It's very essential to stop the smocking a couple at least 10 days before your operation.

when you smoke, all the cilia in your lungs becomes inactive, therefore leading to accumulation of all the dirt and sputum in your lungs. During the operation, you will receive a medication that will dry up all your secretions in your body (saliva and Sputum), so after the operation will feel like having cement inside of your lungs, you'll be coughing trying to expectorate the sputum. So the easiest way to prevent this is STOP SMOKING. Couple of days after you stop, you're cilia will become functional again, and will start cleaning up the lungs, and you'll be going to your operation more in ease.

Try also to secure a couple of days before your operation an incentive spirometer, a respiratory device that you will be using much after you go to your room. Getting it before the operations, will allow your lungs to expand, loose all the secretions you have in the lungs, and spiting it out.

Good luck

It's the toughest habit I ever broke. I eventually settled on vaping. Keeps me tobacco free, doesn't smell and is almost socially acceptable. The chemicals in the smoke (and my chewing tobacco, yes I used to do both) really irritated my stomach. Vaping does not. Nicotine and PPG are the only ingredients in my mixture, and while nicotine isn't good for you, it isn't really harmful either. So might be a reasonable solution.

Do you still vape? My friend does.. she is at 0 nicotine now. I just thought id be able to quit without starting another addiction... did you stop smoking and vape before your surgery?

Chantix really helps. I called my pcp, asked her for a script and stop with the frist pill. I haven't smoked since April 24,1 2015

It's August 26,2015 I'm having surgery today. The meds are on a step down bases. Therefore, you can still smoke it just reduced the urge.

Wellbutrin, helped at frist but my well to smoke at that time was more powerful.

Vaping help me tremendously. I obviously have an oral fetish hence the over eating and smoking etc so I was able to cut back the amount of nicotine in the oils and over 7 months I was able to go down to 0. I still vape when I'm stressed out.

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@@Jrenae00 - I quit tobacco 3 years ago. I still vape. I vaped before, in the hospital and after the surgery, without any discernible negative effect. I tried Welbutrin (but it caused my ex-wife to go to the hospital with stroke like symptoms) and Chantix (which made me fuzzy) but neither worked.

That part of the surgery really suc*ed! I quit cold turkey on Jan 13, 2015 and surgery was March 26, 2015. I had been prescribed Chantix but never took it because it was so expensive. I don't have words of wisdom for you. It's so hard and cravings are beyond words. YOU CAN DO THIS! It is so worth it being healthy all around. You will be able to breathe better, making exercise post-op so much easier. Good luck!!

I can breathe much better. Just try everything you can until you find something that works for you.

Yeah I quit cold turkey on July 4th! Not one Black n Mild since. It hasnt been as hard as I thought even though I get lots of cravings at work when people light up. You can do it because it is definitely all worth it in the long run!

Vape! Vape! Vape! That's how I quit before surgery! I'm now 15 months smoke free.

I just tapered down until I was at 0 and then completely lost interest in the vape.

I've said it before, I'm more proud of quitting smoking after 25 years than even having the surgery

You can do it! Nothing worth doing is ever easy!

I've decided to vape. I'm going to friday and explore my options lol do you think i should just try and start with 0 nicotine? Or taper down?

@@Jrenae00

I think it will be easier for you to taper down. But start with a low nicotine juice. I think I started at like a 16, then went down to 12 and so on....

Good for you! Good luck!

I'm so thankful for everyone on here.. I don't know what I would do without everyones input to my stupid questions I'm sure have been asked a million times!

Cold turkey 15 years ago.

It took a couple weeks to get past it, but became much, much easier after that.

In no time I began feeling a great deal better.

For months afterwards I had episodes in the hot & steamy showers where I'd cough up nasty crud.

My breathing became much easier and life was improved in many ways.

I've owned two cars since that I bought new and never smoked in them. It's great having a vehicle that doesn't smell like cigarettes or have that film build up on your windshield (same junk was building up in my lungs while smoking).

Getting past smoking was a huge hurdle in my life.

You will feel so much better. Combine that with the relief you'll get through upcoming weight loss.......you'll feel like a lottery winner.

Good luck. It's worth it !!!!