sadly, same here. I keep telling myself that i can lose ass, I can't gain lung. :( Hoping my body balances out soon. I have also tried a supplement called 5-HTP but I haven't been taking it long enough tio judge. Also taking ZMA ( just zinc and magnesium, REALLY helped my with the edginess and insomnia after quitting.) Need to go and get some Chromium Picolinate.The first few days I took the 5-htp I felt like I was having a hot flash! Other than that, no issues. http://www.5htp.com/

I had a triple wammy of prednisone (which causes weight gain) needing to increase my Bipolar meds (which cause weight gain) and I quit smoking..... I gained 40 lbs in 4 months. I got so desperate that I started Nutrisystem in an attempt to stop it. I have been on the Nutrisystem for about 2 weeks now and I have lost 2 lbs..... only about half of what I should have lost but at least I have stopped the dramatic increase.

Keep a food journal for a couple of days and count your calories.... you may be eating more than you think or it could just be the lack of nicotine..... the only way to stop it is to decrease your daily intake, even if your daily intake is normal.

Not happy to hear that I'm not the only one. Last time I quit smoking (10 years ago!?!?) I gained 25 pounds while dieting and exercising. When I was getting ready to quit this time around I told myself that I must have been eating more or exercising less than I remembered and no way was I going to gain weight this time around. Oh how wrong I was! My problem is also compounded by a (fairly) recent illness, a short but intense stint on high dose IV steroids and the winter months. They are all coming together and conspiring to shrink all of my pants.

I've tried using my fitness pal to track my calories. I did it for a whole week right at the beginning of my quit and I was eating *quite a bit less* than I normally would. I gained 2 pounds. That lead to my first (and worst) smoking relapse. I know that the steady gain has got to slow down or stop at some point, I just wish it would hurry up already.

No, you are not the only one. I had to join WW have lost 40 lb need to lose a bit more

You have my compassion. First thought was, something else may be going on; then you mentioned steroid therapy. That explains it. Do talk to your dr about it, please. Getting discouraged about weight has driven many backward - & well said, you can lose butt not gain lung.
Drinking lots lots lots of water? WW was a good suggestion, too.

I see you have MS. Options open to many may not be open for you. Are you able to run or do any aerobic even short spurts? It helps.

I quit smoking in may 2011 after finding out I was pregnant of course I was gaining weight do to the fact I was pregnant but that isn't the only time I had quit smoking for almost 6 months prior to my husband coming home from Korea and us moving here and I bulked up. It was depressing but after about two months the weight gained stopped and I was able to start losing the weight again. then when I got here I got so stressed out that I started for all of four months or so. I hated my self for starting back but now I am still clear from it and going strong there are so many more benefits to quitting than cons. food taste better it is so much easier to work out cause I don't get out of breath as easy I can actually smell the flowers again and its wonderful I am determined to lose weight do to my other health issues. but honestly if it is because of the quitting you shouldn't gain to much if there are other issues you may need to talk to your doctor. there may be other factors contributing to that much weight gain.

You have a LOT more going on with your weight than just quitting. What do you mean by 'mostly quitting'. Steroids are a HUGE cause of weight gain, and the weather and so much.

Our bodies change so much when we quit. It effects our metabolism by slowing it down..you have to give it time to balance out. Just don't give up..

Nobody has ever died from being overweight but smoking WILL kill you

Deb, by mostly quit I mean that I stopped smoking 2 packs a day on January 7th. I have had some minor setbacks (bumming one here or there on an off day) but I have not gotten anywhere even in the vicinity of where I was before and I do not plan to go back. I am a non smoker.

Ptriss, I actually have not been diagnosed with MS yet. I have something called Clinically Isolated Syndrome. Basically I had an MS-like episode last September and I was put on short term IV steroids. I've had several positive tests that point to MS but an MS diagnosis is a process and I can't be given that label until I have another obvious episode. (I do believe that I'll be diagnosed in the next few years but I'm in no hurry.) In the meantime I'm relatively healthy. I do plan to get up off my butt and get active. I've never been an active or physically strong person. I'm hoping I can push myself in that direction. I'd like to see what my body can do!

Thanks for the compassion and support everyone! I talked to my husband about it last night and his response was that the weight is not even something I need to be worried about right now. He says I need to get through the emotional and physical aspects of my quit before I can start to address the weight. He quit too and has put on some weight but MUCH much less than I have. I guess it's just part of the process. I'm not going back so I must keep moving forward!!!

yep the weight gain is a pain in the butt isnt it. I am juicing at the moment to try and lose the weight I gained since quitting.
But I still think quitting is the best thing I ever did for my health and my bank account. Hang in there. You can deal with the weight gain once you feel secure in your quit
Hugs Deb

I gained weight the first 6 months or so (I quit in the fall, so all winter long I gained. ) I started running in the spring and watching what I ate,,, I now weigh less than I did when I smoked. Once your body heals, it will get back to normal. Trust me, losing weight is much easier than quitting smoking!

A person who neever smoked mediblic rate is diffrent than soeone who smokes.
when we stop smokeing our medibolic goes through changes to get bk to nornal healthy medibolic rate.
so whne our rate is re adjusting to go bk to normal healthy rate, of course during process we are going to gain weight.
During this time decress cal intake. this does not mean to illinate foods, however do not have: grease white flour
limit: starch carbs salt
use olive oil.
yes we half to get off our asses more often n for longer periods of time n not have grease n white flour.