This morning was my surgery and I arrived at 7:30am and was at home by 1:00pm. Definitely felt the gas pains but had my Gas-X standing by at my house...walk around alot and feeling great. I feel like I did a bunch of crunches this morning for a workout and I am a little sore. I have not taken anything for pain and I have been sipping on some chicken broth. I had lost 20 lbs. prior to surgery and now I don't see anything but a bright future...ONE QUESTION FOR ANYONE WHO KNOWS:

1) How long till you can smoke a cigarrette...Yes, I know it is bad for you but I would rather focus on one vice at a time. But I would like to know if anyone knows if it would hurt to smoke one????

This morning was my surgery and I arrived at 7:30am and was at home by 1:00pm. Definitely felt the gas pains but had my Gas-X standing by at my house...walk around alot and feeling great. I feel like I did a bunch of crunches this morning for a workout and I am a little sore. I have not taken anything for pain and I have been sipping on some chicken broth. I had lost 20 lbs. prior to surgery and now I don't see anything but a bright future...ONE QUESTION FOR ANYONE WHO KNOWS:

1) How long till you can smoke a cigarrette...Yes, I know it is bad for you but I would rather focus on one vice at a time. But I would like to know if anyone knows if it would hurt to smoke one????

I am laughing so hard, I thought you said you DID do a bunch of crunches after you got home. I was getting ready to ask you... You're concerned about a smoke and you did crunches with heaping wounds in your stomach. LOL

I was really wondering if you were that motivated to do crunches why you needed surgery. Sorry I can't help I am a non smoker.

I am a smoker as well..I know it was not good prior to surgery or after but i just tried to slow way down b4 and after. I am 5 days post-op and smoking I to feel like i can only concentrate on changing one thing at a time! Glad your feeling well and congrats on your new life change!

I'm a former smoker, so I really do empathize. BUT, wound-healing really will go so much more smoothly if you can hold off.

Hold off as long as you can to give your body a chance to work its miracles. And then, really try to limit the amount you smoke. It really makes a huge difference.

Maybe even more importantly in the short term: you were intubated just a very short time ago. Your body needs to mobilize the secretions from the surgery and adding more gunk to your lungs just isn't a good idea. I stayed in the hospital overnight (surgeon policy), and my O2 sats (as a 10-year nonsmoker) were lousy enough that if cigarette smoke were added, it really would have compromised my health.

Add to that the increased chance of blood clots that smoking brings...

It's not worth it.

Your body can handle conquering more than once vice at a time. I understand the addiction; quitting was the hardest thing I've ever done. But now's not the time to pick up a cigarette. It can cost your life.

I am not a smoker, but a friend of mine is and 3 weeks post op developed bronchitus that then turned into pneumonia. Doc Said it was because she started smoking 2 weeks post op and her lungs still had Fluid from surgery. She has yet to be back to work and she was banded a month ago.

Please be careful.

I'm two weeks post op today and started smoking the day after my surgery...I only quit the day before :biggrin:. I agree - it's tough to give up all your vices at once! I found myself on my pre-op diet giving up my Diet Coke addiction, food addiction and smokes all at once...it was too much to bear! I *will* say that I smoke less than I used to (pack a day down to about half a pack), but it's something I haven't quite been able to give up yet. My wounds healed just fine, I'm losing weight, I feel healthy and great...and even my smoker's cough has diminished because I'm smoking less! While I don't advocate smoking, I just thought I'd give you my two cents!

I'm not proud to admit it, but I smoked a cig about 4 hours before surgery. I felt like crap after surgery, but 5 days post-op I started smoking again. Right now I have it in me to focus on my weight and being caffeine free. Once I reach restriction I intend on starting chantix, but one thing at a time.

I would try to take it easy on the smokes, because it will interfere with healing, but can relate if you've already had one by the time you read this. Just remember to do your breathing exercises. My doctor sent me home with this plastic thing-a-majig and I made sure to use it every few hours - it's supposed to prevent pneumonia and probs with your lungs.