im just wondering if anyone who has a lapband smokes ? I smoke and im sort of worried about an occasional cough moving it....

I smoke. I quit 2 weeks before surgery and was good for 6 months post op. However, I did start smoking again. I don't think that coughing will do any damage to your band. I have been sick with the flu and I have also had bronchitis (sp) since banding. Nothing happened to my band. Coughing sucks though. Especially when your checst starts hurting after day 2 or 3. It was not a picnic but I survived.

im getting my surgery on thursday...and my doctor is only worried about the surgery itself with me being a smoker and im more worried about coughing in the mornings while the band is healing

so how much do you smoke a day?

There was just a recent thread on this. Obviously, lots of people smoke who have the band. But NO ONE will tell you it's a good idea.

Coughing, if it's severe enough, CAN slip the band's position. So if you can avoid it, try to do so.

see thats what i asked my doctor and he said that the band would not slip because they actually stich it in place, but everyone else says it can...guess there is no for sure answer...

Very helpful thread :eek:

http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=15489

Good luck with your surgery...but a little bit of a warning. After you lose a ton of weight and you have hangy bits, you'll probably want plastic surgery, and THAT'S where you'll likelly hit a snag. Because smoking interferes with the skin's healing process, more and more PS's are refusing to perform surgery on smokers. They don't want the complications.

Just so you know going in.

Sue

Smoking increases dopamine. Increased dopamine minimizes the bodies' starvation adaptations like coldness, tiredness, more colds, etc. Coughing never really negatively impacted my band. I would say smoke as you please and drink lots of coffee to keep you warm. Worry about quitting smoking in a year or so. Wait a sec...inst there an old wives tale about smoking, coffee, and fast weight loss?