Okay okay yes I know all the typical answers that are popping into everyone's head. It is bad bad bad I know. Right now the thought of having to give up foods, regular coffee, cokes, everything I know seems a lot to digest <Pardon the pun> anywhoo.... I have told my doctor I have quit in preparation for surgery <gasp> yes I LIED... So yes I feel bad and really intend to not smoke in the weeks prior to my surgery but did anyone else not quit? Anyone get caught by there surgeon?

Hi kim yep I have one of those and yes it does help I love the fact that you actually feel the heat. Anywhoo I have a really stressful job <Critical care nurse> and I also like you said I would quit before my surgery so yes I am trying that it is wonderful at work! I am working on it I promise!! since I got my surgery date today!!!! 1-25-11!!!!! yeah not much time to correct the before hand but maybe do better in the after. I too have been motivated by the fact that I have been unable to get pregnant and hope that a major weight loss and a healthier me will help!

As you might know that Smoking damages the lungs which increases the chance of surgical complications, anesthetic problems, and developing pneumonia after surgery. The best option which i know is QUIT SMOKING!!!!!

Good Luck!

I am not a Dr or an expert. I can only tell you about my personal experience. This wont be the popular reply but it is honest. I smoke about 1/2 pack a day. I was scared that my Dr would suggest or even make me quit before my surgery in December. He did not. I was honest with him and told him I just didnt feel I could tackle both at the same time. He said he didnt like it but he understood.

When I was in pre-op I was asked if I smoked and again I was honest. I got the lecture from the Anesthesiologist and I told him the same thing.... one thing at a time. I asked him if there would be any complications and he said that there wouldnt be since I was honest with him. He is a scientist and scientists do best with facts. But he added that its in my best interest to quit which of course I know.

Now I am almost month post op and as I am losing weight I am have started to walk for some exercise which doesnt make me want to smoke... so I believe that the more successful I am with my weightloss it will lessen the need or desire for me to smoke. And some day I will be ready to give it up all together... just like I did with Diet coke and pizza!

I didnt have a single complication due to my smoking. So just be honest with your Dr in a rational way and you should be fine.

I also lied and said I quit smoking. i did not quit at all. I'm at the end of the road with doctor apts and almost ready to submit for approval. I also dont know what to do about quitting. however, i read a post above about the electronic cig. i have one and its amazing...thank you for reminding me to use it.

I was told that smoking also causes blood clots as well as having trouble breathing after the surgery.

i smoked about a pack a day since i was in 9th grade. I am now 23. I stopped smoking the day after my second class at the begining of the whole process. Honestly, the thing that helped me most was having my husband stop smoking with me. he smoked more than i did and for even longer and having his support REALLY helped. We did use this electronic cigarette called the "e cigarette" which you can get a any 7-11. The have cartridges that dont have nicotine in then and also flavored hookah ones as well which dont contain nicotine either. This really helped me on the nights when i would drink heavily or was out with other smokers.... not smoking while driving was the hard one for me, but after about a month of not smoking, you can smell how nasty it smells on other people that do smoke. its amazing how you dont smell it on yourself while you smoking and when you quit, it just smells so gross!!!

I do however still smoke pot. I have a medical persciption for it since it is legal in California. The hard part is getting the muchies, but i just keep thinking.... I DONT WANT TO THROW UP! and i've noticed that the drug does what is suppose to do... help calm my anxioty and help me sleep and well as help my pain.

Just remember... whatever you want to do... do it for yourself and think about how much better life could be without it.

Hope you the best of luck with quiting

I just spoke to a friend of mine who had lapband and she told me that they do test your blood for smoking.

they do it at the hospital and may cancel the surgery because of it.

i am freaking out because i am a smoker and i am having a hard time quitting.

I have heard some doctors do a blood test to determine whether someone is smoking. There is a chemical in your blood from the nicotene. Some doctors have been known to cancel the surgery.

I am not unsymathetic to your case. My brother is a recovering alcoholic and he says tobacco is the hardest thing to give up. He has given up both pot and alcohol. At AA meetings they have coffee and cigs and the room is blue from the smoke.

I had no blood draw at the hospital before surgery. Perhaps they would have if they thought I was smoking.

I'm in the process of quitting smoking too. I know its a hard process, I had only 2 packs of cigs last week then on Friday I brought a whole pack and finished that today (Sunday) but I can say that I don't crave anything right now, not sure how it'll be in a few hours..lol..but my plan is to totally ween off of them. I've been told that the ball rolls fast once my info is submitted to insurance and I know for a fact that my surgeon will be doing pre op blood test, so I need to get it in gear. I did see somewhere online that nicotine can stay in your system for 3weeks. So I want to be clean for at least that when I go for my bloodwork. Btw, I'm not trying to beat the system, just needed to know how long I had left with them...

Hehehe. I don't really even remember where I heard of it, but somehow I did. I've been thinking about it for a few months so just went online and typed into Google, electronic cigarette. A BUNCH of different ones came up, so I did some research and went with the one that seemed to suit me best.

The one I have is black, approx the same size of a cigarette, and a bit heavier, it looks like a Clove cig if you've ever seen one of those. It is essentially (forgive me...this will be VERY simplistic..) a battery with a light at one end that glows red when you inhale, I'm guessing they wanted to make it as much like a cig as possible. The battery twists into a heating element. The heating element twists into a cartridge that is filled with some type of Fiber that is soaked in menthol flavored liquid nicotine. You charge the battery in the wall, or your pc via a USB cord. The battery charges the heating element, the heating element vaporizes the liquid, and you inhale menthol nicotine vapor.

Its pretty nifty. All the benefits of appeasing a smoking addiciton, without all the negatives. Plus, you can "vape" it anywhere. (Although, to be honest, I still get weird looks from people, and have since quit smoking it anywhere I felt like it..plus it fools my mind into thinking it is a "real" cigarette when I tell myself I can only smoke it outside, etc.)

Electronic Cigarette: I stopped smoking 2 years ago with the electronic cigarette. Before this I was coughing ever breath and using Proventil treatments every 4 hours. Since switching I no longer cough and don't use any treatments. My lungs are completely clear, My doctor even says my lungs are completely clear. I know nicotine is not good for you but the electronic cigarette is so much better than smoking. All you are getting is prophylene glycol (used in smoke machines at concerts). None of the 4000 chemicals in cigarettes. You would not believe how many electronic cigarette users there are. I below to the Electronic Cigarette forum. Check it out.

I didn't know anything about the not smoking. I have been trying to quit and have been using an electronic cigarette because I don't like going out in the cold. My surgery is not supposed to be until early March but I guess I should quit now.

Okay okay yes I know all the typical answers that are popping into everyone's head. It is bad bad bad I know. Right now the thought of having to give up foods, regular coffee, cokes, everything I know seems a lot to digest <Pardon the pun> anywhoo.... I have told my doctor I have quit in preparation for surgery <gasp> yes I LIED... So yes I feel bad and really intend to not smoke in the weeks prior to my surgery but did anyone else not quit? Anyone get caught by there surgeon?

The first meeting with the surgeon he asked if I smoked, I told him yes and of course he suggested I stop. However, I didn't and no one said anything about it during the pre-op appts, nothing was said the day of surgery, and nothing has been said at any of the post-op appts.

I smoke. I have been trying to quit and I can give you a list of stressful issues, obsticles, and daily occurances that I have used to justify me smoking still. I am scheduled to be banded on the 30th...yep in 8 days. It scares the poopies outta me thinking of a harder recovery in post op so instead of saying I want to quit, Im goin to say I am quitting. I know its only 7 or 8 days out but I figure everyday smoke free is a better chance of no complications right? Wish me luck!

I bought an E-Cigarette from 7Eleven and it was a starter pack with non-menthol for $20. it had the battery and 2 filters (equal to 2 packs). Then I bought Methol filters and That was $10 (equal to 5 packs for 5 filter). It feels very close to the same thing and its a good substitute.

Hehehe. I don't really even remember where I heard of it, but somehow I did. I've been thinking about it for a few months so just went online and typed into Google, electronic cigarette. A BUNCH of different ones came up, so I did some research and went with the one that seemed to suit me best.

The one I have is black, approx the same size of a cigarette, and a bit heavier, it looks like a Clove cig if you've ever seen one of those. It is essentially (forgive me...this will be VERY simplistic..) a battery with a light at one end that glows red when you inhale, I'm guessing they wanted to make it as much like a cig as possible. The battery twists into a heating element. The heating element twists into a cartridge that is filled with some type of fiber that is soaked in menthol flavored liquid nicotine. You charge the battery in the wall, or your pc via a USB cord. The battery charges the heating element, the heating element vaporizes the liquid, and you inhale menthol nicotine vapor.

Its pretty nifty. All the benefits of appeasing a smoking addiciton, without all the negatives. Plus, you can "vape" it anywhere. (Although, to be honest, I still get weird looks from people, and have since quit smoking it anywhere I felt like it..plus it fools my mind into thinking it is a "real" cigarette when I tell myself I can only smoke it outside, etc.)

I'm due to have my surgery on April 5, 2011. I quit smoking tobacco products on December 27th and I did it with the e-cigarette. However, I didn't keep smoking regular cigarettes, I literally switched over and I am SO glad I did!

I'll wager that the wave of the future will be "e-cigarettes" cuz they are cool. You will see people in clubs and restaurants smoking them like they are stylin.....LOL