My dr. backed me into a corner......The lap band or the cigs~ I chose the lap band! The truth is, I want the surgery, the new lifestyle and the ability to exercise worse than I want to smoke.

My doctor told me he would NOT do my surgery until I had been smoke free for 8 weeks. I went to my general dr., got Chantix and have been smoke FREE for 3 weeks. Never had one urge. I have to have a letter from my dr. to my surgeon stating that I am smoke free.

Has anyone else had to stop smoking before the surgery and if so, how did you do it?

My dr. backed me into a corner......The lap band or the cigs~ I chose the lap band! The truth is, I want the surgery, the new lifestyle and the ability to exercise worse than I want to smoke.

My doctor told me he would NOT do my surgery until I had been smoke free for 8 weeks. I went to my general dr., got Chantix and have been smoke FREE for 3 weeks. Never had one urge. I have to have a letter from my dr. to my surgeon stating that I am smoke free.

Has anyone else had to stop smoking before the surgery and if so, how did you do it?

I quit smoking 5 years ago. I was going to take Chantix but my ins. didn't pay for it and I couldn't afford it. so my dr. gave me a rx for a mild sedative, like valium but a lot weaker. I don't remember the name. Anyway when the craving got really bad I took one and it helped take the edge off. I was in hell for about 3 days (and so was everyone around me!) then it started getting easier. Haven't smoked since.

Glad to hear the Chantix works!

Hey Gina I had the same issue my doc said if I wasn't smoke free he wouldn't touch me. I quit cold turkey on 12/14 and had my surgery 2/14. After the first few days I was fine and didn't look back. I REALLY wanted the band so I guess that's why. Good for you!

Jamie

My doctor didn't say I had to quit, but I wanted to quit just because I know going under anethesia when you're a smoker can cause complications.

I've tried Chantix (made me nuts, I couldn't handle the vivid dreams), gum and the patch (didn't do a darn thing for me at all), and cold turkey (ha, right).

This time I went with the e-cigarette. You are not smoking tobacco, you are inhaling a liquid nicotine, so you're not getting all the tar and carcinogens but you still get some level of nicotine. And it worked

I've smoked for 28 years, and I've now been tobacco free since December 27th. The first two days I went through a mild withdrawal, then everything smoothed out. I started out smoking my e-cig just like a regular cigarette, but found that with the nicotine being directly inhaled as a vapor, I didn't need to smoke as much, and I smoke less often to get the nicotine into my system. Today, I only puff three or four times, and don't even think about it again for four or five hours. I'm slowly weaning myself down to the "low" level of nicotine (I started on the "medium") and I think that I should be off this completely within a few months.

If nothing else works, try this - simply amazing. For more info, look in YouTube and type in e-cig and you can see videos.

Carlene

My dr. backed me into a corner......The lap band or the cigs~ I chose the lap band! The truth is, I want the surgery, the new lifestyle and the ability to exercise worse than I want to smoke.

My doctor told me he would NOT do my surgery until I had been smoke free for 8 weeks. I went to my general dr., got Chantix and have been smoke FREE for 3 weeks. Never had one urge. I have to have a letter from my dr. to my surgeon stating that I am smoke free.

Has anyone else had to stop smoking before the surgery and if so, how did you do it?

I quit smoking almost 2 years ago with Chantix. I truly call it the smokers miracle drug! Anyway, my surgeon will not touch a patient who is smoking. There are a lot of complications that could arise with a smoker and anethesia.

Smoking is a choice at this point in my life. I chose every day not to be a smoker.

Congrats on quitting smoking and on getting the Lap Band!!!

I also quit smoking due to the lap band surgery and I'm scheduled to be banded on March 1. I quit approximately one month ago using CHANTIX...this is a wonder drug!!!! I was a 1 pack a day smoker for 20 years with only a few hours ever going by without a cigarette mostly when I was on an airplane....but after about the 3rd week of chantix...i am proud to say I am completely done and feel great because of it!!!!

I'm so glad I saw this post! my dr did not make me quit smoking but I have promised my fiance I would get after my surgery. Well I had surgery feb 2nd and we started chantix feb 14th. I'm not sure how its working. I honestly think trying to go thru this change of diet and eating habits and also giving up smoking all together is harder than I thought. I just hope things get better!

i quit cold turkey....but i would definitely recommend that if you need the additional assistance of chantix or the patch or gum or whatever - take it! it's still a challenge all these months later not to slip back into old habits, but that's what the surgery is about, right? new lifestyle, new you! don't get discouraged if you slip; only us who have been there can really understand how difficult it is to quit. good luck!