Hello all,

I am struggling trying to quit smoking before my surgery and for life...I am on Chantix at the moment and even though my body isn't craving a cig...my mind is constantly thinking about it.

Any smokers or ex-smokers out there that have had Lap-band? Did anyone have to quit smoking in order to have the surgery? I hate smoking and being a "smoker," I am sooo ready to quit...but I am mourning over it. I know I will also heal better if I am not smoking which is a great incentive! Am I alone? or is anyone out there smoking or have quit and have any advice?

P.S. I am walking around like I am constantly forgetting something...and I realize it is my cig~!

I wanted to add....it's ALWAYS good to quit. The earlier, the better. BUT it is not true that if you are 40 or over you face emphysema. Just wanted to make sure any smokers of that age don't get disheartened. Not all smokers develop emphysema, any more than all develop lung cancer. It's a roll of the dice, as far as medicine goes; they can't yet predict who will get what disease. But it is better to quit, and the sooner you quit, the sooner you will get healthy.

I smoked right up til the nite before....I only smoked like 3-4 a day....they did not check, I do NOT intend to continue smoking now....the fear of ulceration alone makes me not even want one! I have had a GREAT recoup, surgery was Mon. w/ a substantial hiatal hernia repair. I am on 1/2 dose pain meds just because...but do not NEED them!

:crying:

Joy

I need to re-start my Chantix...does anyone know if I need to get a new prescription - or can I just half the pills for the first week or two?

My surgeon will not operate on a smoker. I quit in July and I'm so glad I did. I feel so much better. Honestly, the only reason I quit was for surgery. I won't start back though. It was hard for about 2 weeks, and I still had cravings for an additional 2 weeks (the kind that you get just because you're used to smoking at that time... like as soon as you leave work or right after a meal... not so much a craving, just a little reminder that says 'hey, isn't it smoke time?').

Since I quit, I feel much better in general. Plus I'll have less risk of complications from anesthesia and my body will recover much faster.

wvgal... How long have you not been taking the chantix? I just started taking the blue pills again for the first couple of days I only took 1 a day then moved to the 2 per day. IMO you don't have to get a new script. I have finally taken the full plunge and have been smoke free for 2 full days. It actually feels really good, I thought that I would be freeking out by now. But.. I am not.. Something I finally realized after taking the chantix for about 2 weeks faithfully, when I would have a cigarette, it wouldn't do anything for me. No feeling of calm, no reward... I finally figured out that the chantix was working..so I went home for lunch and came back to work without my smokes... Surprisingly it has been o.k.... You can do it. The thing to

remember is that you have to do it for WLS.. you have to do it for YOU!! I am taking it one day at a time so far. That is how you should do it too. So the next time you are out of smokes, don't buy anymore and just see how long you can go. Take the chantix and just keep yourself distracted. I wake up and don't even go for them first thing now. If I can do it, so can you. I was always the Queen of NO WILLPOWER...

I was a "closet" smoker for over 25 years and finally quit in 2006 for good. Yoo hoo!! It got pretty bad at the end when I was smoking nearly two packs a day and still pretending like no one else knew (how insane is that??) Besides a bout w/ bronchitis I knew that I wanted to get healthy; mind, body and soul. So, I bought one final pack of cigarettes and said that I would enjoy that pack as if it were my last (because it was). So, when I got down to five cigarettes and I began to "mourn" the loss of my friend (?) I began to countdown...5,4,3,2 and that last one like a funeral / celebration, a new beginning (and I prayed for God to give me strength and something to do w/ my hands). I haven't had another cigarette or the desire for another since. I did have to wein (sp?) myself off caffeine several weeks before surgery (3 weeks prior I began drinking half decaf / half reg...2 weeks out 3/4 decaf and 1/4 reg...week before all decaf) otherwise I would have been like a junkie needing a fix. I hope this helps - be encouraged - you have your whole life ahead of you to be healthy :thumbup:

My PCP told me to quit and I wanted to anyways. I've been on Wellbutrin for a little over 2 weeks. My stop date was Monday, Sept. 15th. I have not had a cigarette for 5 days. I was smoking 1 to 1 1/2 packs per day before Monday. I have been pretty miserable. I chew gum, keep busy, and take Xanax when I get in a really awful mood. I also go to bed early and didn't do any trigger things the first few days (computer, friends that smoke, porch, etc). It's Friday night and I usually have a drink and smoke and now I really don't know what to do with myself.

I also think, so what do the nonsmokers do with their time and their hands? I miss my buddy, but I also realize that he'll kill me if I let him...

I'm trying to take it one day at a time. I have a goal right now of Tuesday, as that is when I see my PCP again and she said I have to quit or she won't approve me for surgery. Once I hit Tuesday, I'm hoping the cravings won't be as bad and then I'll stretch my goal out to when I meet with my surgeon, etc. and then I'm hoping after my surgery, I"ll have pretty much kicked the habit.

But for now,...day 5 and counting...

Chantix does work, I was a smoker for 25 years and yes I won't lie, the first two weeks were horrible, my hands shook, I couldn't drink coffee (still don't), I can't play on the computer or watch TV like I used to but after the first two weeks it got better. My doctor required I quit or no surgery and they did blood test me to verify I did quit..today is day 62, surgery is Sept 29!!!!!