Ok so here's the deal I've been a smoker since my freshman year in High School!! I smoke the same cigarettes now as I did back then!! I know I have to quit smoking for the surgery and I thought "Well no time like the present!!" So I am now officialy quitting smoking after finishing the one I'm smoking now!! I'm scared to be without my "friends"!! But I can do it!! Because the RNY is a tool for me to live a healthier life!! So I guess giving up all the "bad" things goes for all the "bad" things in my life!! I used to be a drug addict and I detoxed myself off of the drug so how hard can it be to quit smoking right? I'd rather use the $ I spend on cigarettes to get my nails, hair and feet done anyway!! Wish me luck!!

You can do it.  Just take it one day at a time and replace the habit of smoking with another habit that gives you something to do like chewing gum when stressed.

You are so taking the right step and your lungs are clapping for you right now!

Start to keep a journal of your journey and mark this day as one of the things you have done in order to prepare for surgery!

Thank you I know I can do it it's just gonna be hard I've been without cigarettes before and all I do is sleep and get up to eat only 2x's a day then back to sleep!! I'll only stay up for about 2 hours out of a whole day!! But this only lasts for a week or so then I feel like myself!! Like I said I've detoxed my body off of worse things!! I'm going to start blogging!! Since I have my computer I don't really have any journals anymore!! I'm a computer!! LOL!! I know my lungs and the rest of my body are very happy!! I'll keep ya updated on how it goes!!

I know you have expressed a wish to get pregnant and this should be a huge incentive for you to give up too.

I used to be a midwife and I could tell just by looking at a placenta whether a mother smoked or not - HUGE difference and it's what sustains your baby in utero.  

Think how much healthier you and your future children will be ...

I used the patches when I gave up - only needed them for about 2 weeks - and it made a huge difference for me.   (I gave up 10 years ago this year!)

I was going to put off quitting smoking till I started getting tests and those sort of things but then I thought about it and I realized that there's no time like the present!! So I'm already making healthy choices!! I wish I never started smoking but in HS it was peer pressure and if you didn't smoke you weren't cool!! Now that I look back on it it was so stupid!! And my fiance said that I had to quit smoking atleast 6 months before we start trying to have a baby(this was b4 I decided to have RNY) and that if he ever caught me with a cigarette in my hand while I am pregnant he would smack the cigarette out of my hand!! And be disappointed in me!! Some1 that I love being disappointed in me is the one thing that will deture me from doing anything!! I'm one of those people that can't handle some1 I love being disappointed in me!! It sends me into a deep depression!! But that won't happen because I will quit and stay quit!!

I smoked for almost 30 years. They were by best bud, still crave them. But once over the hump, It was fantastic. Cold turkey worked for me. By the way, it makes your post surgery experience much easier to deal with. Smokeless for 3 years now. I know you can do it. I had the least will power of anyone I know. If I could, you can.

Thank you for your support I never had will power when it came to smoking but now I do because I want this surgery and I don't want to have any problems post op like ulsers which I've read can be caused post op by being a smoker!!

You can do it. I smoked for about 10 years and I have now been quit for 81/2. I do not miss cigarettes or smoking.

My top tips for quitting: Find ways to distract yourself during times you would ordinarily smoke. Example: I used to light up after dinner, so I started jumping up and immediately doing the dishes so I could keep my hands busy and my mind off cigarettes.

If you fall off the wagon, get back on. One slip up doesn't mean your progress is doomed.

Try to find ways to socialize other than smoking. This was integral for me. I used to use my smoke breaks as a time to catch up. I had to find other ways to spend my breaks.

Off topic: I like your new screen name. much more positive

Thank you for the tips!! I will have to try that!! And I like this screen name much better also!! The other screen name was made when I joined this site on 6/8/12 and that was the same day I went to the dr and found out that I gained 30lbs in 3 months!! So I was depressed but that was also the day I decided to have RNY!! So it was a negitive and a positive!! Thanks again!!

There's an excellent support web site for smoking cessation:  QuitNet.com

It's helped me tremendously and I'm now on day 48 of my quit.
Kathy

I quit about 7 years ago.  It was the best decision I ever made!  I used the lozenge.  I also got once of those teach yourself to crochet books so I could keep my hands busy.  The number one helper for me though for the long run was I kept up with how many days I hadn't smoked...so I KNEW if I smoked I HAD to start over the days and I didn't want to have to start over.  I still slipped up, but it helped keep me motivated.

I love to chrochet!! I have one of the magazines that give you different patterns and ideas haven't read it yet but there couldn't be a better time!! Thanks for the idea!! I have engough yarn in my house to chrochet a sweater for everyone in my family and make baby blankets for all the babys that are due in my family!! That's a lot of yarn!! LOL!! Thanks again

 Good Luck! I was a pack-a-day smoker for 30 years and finally quit -- it isn't easy but it is achievable -- be very patient and understanding with yourself -- you can do it!