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Give and get support around quitting

i need to quit smoking i got to have surgery and my doctor wont do it until i quit it has to be done in 3 month

I got to have surgery and I need to quit smoking

9 Replies
CommunityAdmin
Community Manager
Community Manager

Glad you made it here. There are a lot of helpful resources both in content to read here on the community and also on BecomeAnEX.org

Mark
EX Community Manager

EX Community Admin Team
MarilynH
Member

Welcome to the community cherokeepeacock, please read everything you can about quitting smoking and remaining quit because there's a wealth of information right here on this site to strengthen your resolve to quit and stay quit, there should be more people along to post some specific links for you to read but in the meantime check out the community and know that we're all here to help you in any way we can, you can and will be successful in your upcoming quit believe it deep breaths and prepare yourself for Day ONE then at the end of the day you'll be able to able to look yourself in the mirror and smile and say YAY for Day WON with many more to come......

Roller831
Member

Welcome!  I am sure  Youngatheart.7.4.12 Nancy will post a wonderful welcome message to you as well, but thought I would chime in since I also quit smoking due to various surgeries.  I can tell you that my recovery was quicker AND I did not have a recurrence after I quit smoking!

 

There is a great blog out there for our new quitters.  For Our New Years' Quitters (and community members, too) .  You may also want to check out posts in Best of EX.  We are here to help you on this journey to freedom!  

 

Welcome!  I know when I first found this site, many Elders told me to read read read….and I did.  Elders are those with one or more years of being quit.  If you like what someone has to say, then you may want to read their blogs.  I have some listed below.

 

A list of our Elders  ELDER'S LIST 

 

So here's the thing.....and you may not like what I am about to say....and that's ok.  I get it.  You need to accept that this is an addiction.  Before you do that, it will be much more difficult to quit and stay quit. 

 

Read read read.  Do the steps to PREPARE yourself to quit.  Do the steps so you are PREPARED on quit day and for the days AFTER quit day.  

 

Some of the things I read in my first few days that helped me:

Dale’s Welcome to New Members My Welcome To New Members (10 Years Of Watching) 

 

Nancy’s Blog 101 Things to Do Instead of Smoke 

 

jonescarp.aka.dale.Jan_2007  Dale’s Blog What To Expect In The First Four Months 

 

 

JACKIE1-25-15  gave me the link to Alan Carr’s book, “Easy Way to Quit Smoking”.  I actually didn’t read the online PDF, but purchased a book on CD from Amazon and listened to it in my car over and over again for the first two weeks of my quit. 

 

Keep this site close and keep posting and asking for help.  You will get it.  You will get things you like and things you don't like, but don't give up!!!  We have been through similar experiences and can share our strength and hope.  We are here to support you!

YoungAtHeart
Member

Welcome to our community!

Sorry to be late.  No matter the reason, nobody ever said they wish they had quit later.  Everybody pretty much said they wish they had quit sooner.  You don't have to want to quit; you DO have to be willing to quit.

The most important thing you can do right now is to educate yourself on what nicotine does to your body and mind. To that end, I highly recommend Allen Carr's “The Easy Way to Stop Smoking.” This is an easy and entertaining read. You can search for it  or at your local library. Here's a link to a video here on the site which describes nicotine addiction: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpWMgPHn0Lo&feature=youtu.be.
 
 You should also read the posts here and perhaps go to the pages of folks who you think might be helpful. You might visit whyquit.com, quitsmoking.com and livewell.com for the good information contained there. @https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/groups/best-of-ex has lots of blogs written by members of this site with their experiences and guidance. You should also do the tracking and separation exercises recommended here on the site.
 
 After you have completed the recommended reading, it will be time to make an informed choice of the quit aid, if any, you will use. If you go that route, I personally recommend the aids that don't let the addict control the dose such as the available prescription drugs or the patch. If used properly, gum, lozenges and inhalers are fine, but they need to be used only as a last resort.  I have seen folks become addicted to them if they substitute them for every cigarette they used to smoke - just trading one addiction for another.  I do not recommend the e-cigarette for three reasons: 1) the vapor has been compared to the polluted air in Bejing on a bad day, 2) they just provide another nicotine delivery system while continuing the hand to mouth smoking motion, and 3) the batteries can spontaneously catch on fire. . But – any method that you think will work well for you will be best for you.
 
The idea is to change up your routines so the smoking associations are reduced.  Drink your coffee with your OTHER hand in a place different from when you smoked. Maybe switch to tea for a bit.  If you always had that first smoke with your coffee, try putting your tennies on right out of bed, going for a quick walk, then taking your shower and THEN your coffee! Rearrange the furniture in the areas you used to smoke so the view is different. Buy your gas at a different station. Take a different route to work. Take a quick walk at break time where the smokers AREN'T.
 
You need to distract yourself through any craves.  You can take a bite out of a lemon (yup - rind and all), put your head in the freezer and take a deep breath of cold air, do a few jumping jacks, go for a brisk walk or march in place, play a computer game.  Keep a cold bottle of water with you from which to sip. Don't let that smoking thought rattle around in your brain unchallenged. Sometimes you need to quit a minute or an hour at a time.  You will need to be disciplined in the early days to distract yourself when a crave hits.    Get busy!  Here is a link to a list of things to do instead of smoke if you need some fresh ideas:
 https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/blogs/Youngatheart.7.4.12-blog/2013/02/25/100-things-to-do-instea...


The conversation in your head in response to the "I want a cigarette" thought needs to be, "Well, since I have decided not to do that anymore, what shall I do instead for the three minutes this crave will last?"  Then DO it.  You will need to put some effort into this in the early days, but it gets easier and easier to do.
 
Stay close to us here and ask questions when you have them and for support when you need it. We will be with you every step of the way!


 Nancy

ash2lar
Member

I can say that Allan Carr's book is what led to my quit almost 5 yrs. ago. Although due to recent circumstances, I find myself back here to get support to continue my quit, since I've slipped a bit.

But statements like 'smoking doesn't make anything better' stuck in my brain. I have to be concerned about me, regardless if my spouse wants to continue to smoke.

elvan
Member

Welcome to EX, you have gotten some really good advice from those above...you will heal much faster and more completely after surgery if you are not a smoker.  I know it is probably hard to hear that you have to quit to have the surgery, but it's really something that will be very beneficial.  I suggest you do all of the recommended reading, make a plan, set a date, and commit to the quit.  No one can do it FOR you and no one can make you fail.  You need to understand that you will go through a physical withdrawal that will be over fairly soon but the psychological withdrawal takes time and effort.  There are three really important factors to a successful quit, Education, Support, and Commitment.  You can get the education and references and support from here, you need to bring the commitment.  We have all had to start at the beginning and we all want very much for you to succeed.  Stay close to the site, let us know how you are doing, what you are feeling, any way that you think we might be able to help.  For ME, the mantra NOPE, Not One Puff Ever worked.  It was simple and short and I could say it over and over and over again and it really embedded itself in my brain.  I suggest that you write a blog...go to the pencil, select Blog Post and introduce yourself to the community.  I think you will find that more people will see a blog and respond.  We want to help.

Welcome,

Ellen

NancyJC
Member

Welcome cherokeepeacock.  You have come to a very good site to help with your quit.  I have now been quit for nearly 10 years.  This site helped me tremendously.  There are a lot of good people here to help you.  Good luck and stay strong.  You really can do this.

Peace,

Nancy

virgomama
Member

Hi cherokeepeacock.  I suggest you read everything that was mentioned in the above blogs.  I did and I can't tell you how much they all helped me.  My quit is 11 days and the information I learned had made me feel ready to conquer this and join the group nonsmokers .   Reading on this site will be one of the best things you could do for yourself.

Posamari
Member

Welcome! 

Again, read everything you can on this site. Educate yourself on addiction and nicotine. Like what's been expressed above, no one ever regretted quitting smoking, only regretted they didn't quit sooner. We've all been prior smokers here. 10-over 50 years of smoking. That's a lot of cigarettes but also gives good advice. Been there, done that.

My advice after you educate yourself is pick a date and get it over with. Personally I think cold turkey is the best way to go , it was for me, you don't have to wean yourself off of gum or pills or whatever, but some have been successful with NRT. 

It's like jumping in the pool first thing in morning. The initial shock of the cold water, but you get used to it in time--- that's why I recommend just jumping in and getting it over with.

Stay close and good luck! 

--Posamari