Where to start ???

[Brian]

Hi, i am facing major surgery early next year and was told by the surgeon to give smoking up, because smoking can bring about very serious complications, like amomia and there is a possabilty that i could die from the complications.
I have smoked for about 30 years and smoke about 40 fags a day, i can't seem to stop myself from lighting up, even though i know its bad for you.
Anyone got any good tips to at least start me off ?
I have tried many times during that period to give up but all failed.
appreciate any help

[jingle]

Hi Brian -
First - I'm sorry you're facing the surgery - that's awful.

I smoked 3 packs a day for 42 years and I quit because I was facing terrible surgerys and knew I was going to be spending a lot of miserable time in the hospital and desperately wanting a cigarette would make me even more miserable. So I haven't had a smoke for 14 months :D and I made it through those surgeries just fine.

I leaned on those nicotine patches for 39 days but they arent considered necessary by most people. Most people just pick a day -- Jan. 1 ? -- throw away all their cigs, lighters, ash trays, and never light another one.

My best friend quit about a month ago and he's leaning on sugar-free candy suckers -- little candies he keeps in his mouth :p . And he takes a brisk walk when he gets really "desperate" for a smoke.

But Teddiebears will be in this room very soon to talk to you and she will be your best guide. Please check back soon and remember that you're free to talk to us. We want to hear from you.

[teddiebears]

jingle gave you some good suggestions - possibly using a nicotine replacement product, sugar-free hard candies, and exercise (like walking, swimming, jogging, weight-lifting, etc.) can all be helpful. :) Have you considered trying Zyban??

One important thing to remember is that the biggest aide to quitting is to change your thinking and your 'automatic' responses to certain triggers. It's necessary to become consciously aware of your reasons for smoking each cigarette so you will have a better idea how to stop smoking.

I don't believe that a person truly has to "want" to quit - in the sense of having a burning desire to stop smoking - in order to be a successful quitter, but it definitely does take determination, commitment and perseverance to follow through. :)

Hope to hear more from you. ;)

Here's an article that might give you some more tips --

Helpful Hints to Kick the (Smoking) Habit

If you are ready to quit smoking, UM smoking cessation expert Kevin Ferentz has some advice for you.

By No*l Holton, University of Maryland Medical System Web Site Writer

You know you need to quit. You really want to quit. But smoking has become such a huge part of your life that you just can't imagine waking up in the morning without reaching for a cigarette, finishing a meal without lighting up or hanging out with your friends -- all smokers -- without smoking yourself.

How does one go about kicking the habit for good? What is going to make this year any different than previous ones where you resolved to swear off nicotine?

An effective strategy can help. Armed with a little knowledge, you can improve your odds of success. You just have to know what you are up against.

"The difficulty people have when trying to quit around New Year's is that there is typically so much alcohol consumption during the holiday," said Kevin Scott Ferentz, M.D., associate professor of family medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

"The alcohol makes it much less likely that they will be able to quit because most smokers like to smoke when they drink. I tell people who want to quit around New Year's not to worry if they don't quit exactly on January 1, exactly on New Year's Day."

Ferentz, who specializes in smoking cessation, said that choosing a quit date and sticking to it is an important part of breaking the habit. Smokers who want to become ex-smokers, however, must chose a date that makes sense for them.

"There is nothing wrong with making that day January 3rd or the 4th," Ferentz said. "Choosing a day later in the week after all of the parties and activities have died down is probably more realistic. You have to do what works for you because you don't want to set yourself up for failure."

Ferentz said one of the biggest mistakes smokers make when attempting to quit is that they give up the fight too soon if their initial efforts don't work. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over half of all adult smokers do manage to quit for good. Most of them, however, aren't successful the first time around. In fact, studies show that most smokers attempt to quit several times before they are able to make it stick.

"People shouldn't be hard on themselves," said Ferentz. "Quitting is a process. Smokers who want to quit and have tried and failed in the past shouldn't feel defeated because quitting is far from impossible. It is actually quite possible. There are more people out there who have successfully quit smoking than there are people who still smoke."

Smoke-Free Suggestions

Here are some tips Ferentz suggests keeping in mind:

Put it in writing. Write down your reasons for quitting on 3 X 5-inch index cards so you can refer to them when you are tempted to smoke.

Explore your motives for smoking. Keep a journal before you quit to document your feelings about your habit. You want to include details about where you smoke most often, when you smoke, with whom and why. Review your diary after four or five days to identify feelings and circumstances that trigger your cravings for nicotine.

Modify your behavior. Write down your "triggers" on the left side of a piece of paper and on the right side, jot down how you plan to either avoid or cope with those situations or feelings that send you reaching for nicotine.

Reduce the pleasure quotient. Most people have favorite brands of cigarettes. In the week or so leading up to your quit date, ditch your favorites for other, less-appealing varieties. For example, buy menthols if you normally don't smoke them. Buy low-tar filters or light versions of your favorite brand or try new, unusual brands that you've never smoked before.

Spread the news. Tell everyone you know you're quitting to develop a network of family members, co-workers and friends who can support your efforts.

Get rid of smoking paraphernalia. Throw out all of your ashtrays, matches and lighters.

Go cold turkey. Despite an urge to gradually cut back, stopping completely on your chosen quit date is the best approach to kicking the habit for good.

Reward yourself. Come up with reasons to celebrate your quitting at regular intervals. For example, a week after you quit, go to the movies or bowling. A month after quitting, go to a nice hotel for an evening or treat yourself to a shopping spree. A year after quitting, go on a nice vacation with the money you save from no longer buying packs of cigarettes.

If you relapse, don't panic. Identify what it was that triggered your desire to smoke again and come up with a way to cope with the trigger. The urge to smoke -- no matter how overwhelming -- will pass after a few minutes, whether or not you give into it.

Seek help. If you aren't able to quit on your own, try using aids such as nicotine gum or the nicotine patch. If you still aren't able to quit, see your doctor about other options. You may also want to join a support group. Whatever you do, don't give up!

[Brian]

Jingles & Teddiebears, thankyou for your replies.
I really appreciate all your good advise, i can't try that Cyban because i use another medication [ antidepressant ] that you can not take with Cyban so my doctor said.
I have tried those patches before, they definately slowed my smoking up a fair amount, but i still continued to smoke even with the patches on.
I have even tried Hypnotherapy [spell?] many years ago, that also slowed up my smoking too, but same story, i still continued to smoke but not as much as i would have normally.
Exercise is very limited because of other health issues, but i was able to walk up and down a lane of our local swimming pool, non weight bearing and its good cardio exercise too, but silly me didn't keep it up for long.
I seem to loose interest very easily, just haven't got that will power to stick to anything that i know is good for me.
I say to myself all the time i will try to cut down my cigs tommorow , but
it never happens, as soon as i wake up in the morning the first thing i do i go for a smoke, even though i know thats its stupid to smoke.
thanks very much for your help.
take care :)

[teddiebears]

I seem to loose interest very easily, just haven't got that will power to stick to anything that i know is good for me.
I say to myself all the time i will try to cut down my cigs tommorow , but
it never happens, as soon as i wake up in the morning the first thing i do i go for a smoke, even though i know thats its stupid to smoke.

What you describe here is the addiction and habit part of smoking. Since you have reached for a cigarette in the morning for a long time (did you say 30 years of smoking???) then of course you will do it now as well - UNLESS you force yourself to do something else instead!

Nearly everyone who has smoked (especially for any length of time) has the same problem to varying degrees. I understand losing interest in quitting smoking - that is also something that many have gone through - but once again, it all comes down to the strength of the commitment that you make to yourself during the process. Remember - continuing to smoke is an example of losing interest in living since it will surely affect the quality (and probably length) of your life.

My smoking story used to be posted under the "Useful Websites" thread before this board crashed but I haven't taken the time to write it again so I'll just write a quick note about it here. I smoked heavily for nearly 25 years - over 3 packs a day at first, and 4-6 packs a day the last few years I was smoking (80-120 cigarettes daily). :rolleyes: I totally loved smoking - I enjoyed every little detail. I smoked when I felt happy, when I felt sad, when I felt angry, when I felt anxious, when I felt alone, when I felt loved, when I felt unloved, and basically any and all feelings in between!!

Now I have emphysema, asthma, hypertension, and I even had a heart attack 14 months ago. My breathing capacity is reduced by 50% and quitting smoking 11 years ago has helped tremendously to SLOW the progress of the physical damages from these illnesses. The truth is, it's entirely possible I would have died before this if I had continued to smoke.

So, the bottom line here is that YOU are the only one who can make it happen for you. If you do not put all your best efforts into quitting, then it will be pretty hard to do it. The bulk of the responsibility for the quitting process will lie on your shoulders. There is NO easy way to stop smoking. It's an addiction and breaking any addiction is never easy!! ;) Since you have a pressing medical issue with your upcoming surgery, maybe you can use it as your catalyst to take the next step to becoming an ex-smoker for good!! :)

You should toss out all cigarettes before the day you quit (and if they will be in your garbage we suggest you soak them in water first so you can't retrieve them to light up). Then alter your normal 'routine' - and drink TONS of water because it helps get the nicotine and other chemicals out of your system a little more quickly. And when/if you find yourself "reaching" for a cigarette during the day, get up and DO SOMETHING (physical, if possible) to get your mind off cigarettes and smoking and on to anything else just then. If you make the commitment to quit - AND STICK WITH IT - you may have more success in this area.

Good Luck... and please keep posting....

[jingle]

I'm SO glad you came back, Brian :) . I know how you feel about smoking -- I loved every single cigarette I smoked. And I was so very fortunate.....

Unlike Teddie I did not face the terrible diseases smoking usually causes (that does not mean I won't in the future) but I faced two other serious surgery stays in the hospital and I was terrified about those smokeless stays.
I also like the thought of the money I would save - lol :p

One thing I did for myself that worked was -- when I'd have one of those terrific urges for a smoke (like first thing in the morning) I'd say to myself, "Oh, you poor baby, OF COURSE, you can have a smoke, you just have to wait an hour." That wild urge would pass very quickly and I could go on. When the next urge hit I'd do/say the same thing.. In the evening I'd tell myself I could smoke "the next day" if I were so desperate. I told myself things like that for months and it worked !!!

And I "puffed and pulled" on my empty two fingers too.

I'm not a strong person, so my sister watched me in total amazement. She and her husband had smoked almost as long as I had. She said, "Nancy, if you can quit anybody can." With that, they put out their smokes and haven't had one since.

Brian -- give it another try :)

[Brian]

I have taken all of your very good advise in, and i am gearing myself up to give it my best shot, i give up drinking beer 2 years ago after a few decades of really loving my beer and i don't miss it at all these days, which i never thought i would be able to do.
So if i can give up the alcohol , i should be able to beat the smokes too, i hope :)
I will keep in touch, thankyou both so much for your support.
many thanks

[teddiebears]

Brian - I agree that if you've been able to stop drinking beer, you probably have some good techniques that you can use to help you quit smoking. ;)

We are here to support and encourage you in any way we can. Please do keep in touch!

"Habit is habit and not to be flung out of the window by any man, but coaxed downstairs a step at a time." Mark Twain

[softdrink]

Hi, Brian!

First, i'm so sorry you're facing surgery (don't know if you already had the surgery, as the post[s] are from a while ago), but i do hope all is well for you as it can be.

You got some really excellent suggestions. I smoked for fifteen years before finally finding the best way for me to quit. I read Allen Carr's book, The Easy Way to Stop Smoking. It also comes as a book on CD. I don't know how it works, but it was the easiest, best way to quit and the gentleman who wrote the book was four packs a day for many years prior to quitting. It's really an amazing method for anyone who's ready to quit, and it's drug-free, which is great for those of us who are on a battery of drugs already!

Best wishes to you, whatever you try!