I am a smoker and have been for 20 years. I know that the surgeon I'm using requires that I stop smoking for the month prior to surgery and the month afterwards to aid in the healing process. I was wondering if any other smokers have had to meet this requirement and how hard it was for you to stop.

Please don't reply only to tell me how bad smoking is for me. I know everything there is to know regarding how bad smoking is for my health. This is a choice I've made throughout the past 20 years of my life and I become extremely offended when I feel that I'm being judged for this habit. So, unless you can provide constructive support and/or advice related to my stopping smoking, please do not reply to this post.

Thanks

I quit a few months before the surgery using Chantix. The doctor told me they would be checking my blood for nicotine before surgery and if there was any, the surgery would be off. I did gain over 15 pounds (partly from not smoking and partly from too many 'last suppers' thinking I would never be eating these foods again). I then had to lose that 15 before the surgery... which sucked, but wasn't as hard as giving up smoking was. I'm now 10 months smoke-free, which is the best I've ever managed with the 10 + times I've tried quitting. You can do it! Just think of how much faster you'll feel better & how much easier it will be to start an exercise regime when you can breath easier.

Well probably unfortunately for me, I have worked for one of the largest medical laboratory testing facilities in the U.S. and I am aware of how long various things are "testable". Nicotine tested by blood is typically only going to show up in the last 5 days from testing. If they take a hair sample it can be up to 10 to 12 days.

Now, it's our own health we are messing with and will have to suffer the consequences if there are problems for not following Dr. orders.

Even reading this thread makes me crave one, but I'm holding out.

I can totally relate to what your asking! I've quit 3 times in the past 15 years. Each time I quit I used the step down method. From a pack and a half a day down to 4-5 over a few weeks time, then gave it up. This most recent time I quit for the surgery and because I know it's the right thing to do but deep down inside I still want to smoke. I just refuse to.

The main difference this time is that I switched to an E cigarette. The first few days I hated it but then I really started to like it. I used that to slowly stop smoking by waiting an hour or two later each day before I would use it. When I got to the point that I was only using it after dinner I just let it go.

I'm sure the desire will always be there and it will be something I'll just have to fight off as the years go by. I'm even realistic enough to know that I will probably smoke again one day and quit again over and over. Keep up the fight and try the E cig. I used SafeCig because the cartridges were disposabale. Didn't want to deal with filling liquids and such each day.

Please.... no bashing, my head is already hung!

I'm a smoker and haven't stopped. I smoked the day of surgery and the day I got home. In fact, I'm still smoking. My insurance required me to be smoke free for no less than 6 months prior to surgery so when the doctors asked if I smoked I always said no. I know it was wrong for me to lie, but I didnt have the will power to quit and really dont see myself quitting just yet. I know I will eventually, but not right now.

I have had NO complications post-op regarding my stomach not healing or anything crazy like that. In fact, I am completely normal and am on soft foods and am not having any issues. Please, dont take this as encouragement to continue smoking, not by any means! If you can quit... then quit!!! I just wanted to throw my 2 cents in.

Please.... no bashing, my head is already hung!

I'm a smoker and haven't stopped. I smoked the day of surgery and the day I got home. In fact, I'm still smoking. My insurance required me to be smoke free for no less than 6 months prior to surgery so when the doctors asked if I smoked I always said no. I know it was wrong for me to lie, but I didnt have the will power to quit and really dont see myself quitting just yet. I know I will eventually, but not right now.

I have had NO complications post-op regarding my stomach not healing or anything crazy like that. In fact, I am completely normal and am on soft foods and am not having any issues. Please, dont take this as encouragement to continue smoking, not by any means! If you can quit... then quit!!! I just wanted to throw my 2 cents in.

Thank you for sharing. That was brave to post that. I can definitely sympathize and I'm sure others here can too.

I smoked for over 20 years, told the surgeon I had quit, got busted on the pre op labs the week b4 my surgery. When I went in for the appointment 3 days prior the PA told me we found nicotine traces in your lab work. Fortunatly for me I had put on a nicotine patch that morning because I did not want the doctor or PA to smell the smoke on me. I told her that I had quit, and that some days I wear a patch if I am having a tough day. She asked me to take the patch off, and I did. I did not smoke again until 2 moths post surgery, I cant even tell you why I started again, I just did. I will say that for the time that I wasn't smoking it really didn't bother me, I wanted the surgery more than the cigarettes. Its not that hard to quit with the patch, my suggestion would be to by the walmart house brand patches at a fraction of the cost compared to nicorette patches.

I smoked for over 20 years, told the surgeon I had quit, got busted on the pre op labs the week b4 my surgery. When I went in for the appointment 3 days prior the PA told me we found nicotine traces in your lab work. Fortunatly for me I had put on a nicotine patch that morning because I did not want the doctor or PA to smell the smoke on me. I told her that I had quit, and that some days I wear a patch if I am having a tough day. She asked me to take the patch off, and I did. I did not smoke again until 2 moths post surgery, I cant even tell you why I started again, I just did. I will say that for the time that I wasn't smoking it really didn't bother me, I wanted the surgery more than the cigarettes. Its not that hard to quit with the patch, my suggestion would be to by the walmart house brand Patches at a fraction of the cost compared to nicorette patches.

So, did they postpone your surgery then?

I am a smoker too. My doc required that I quit three months prior to surgery. I have been smoking since I was 13 and am 44 now. So I know as well as many people do, what you are going through. The only thing in the past 31 years that has helped me "quit" is Chantix. I've tried cold turkey, the patch, the gum and even hypnosis. Nothing worked. I have actually quit 2x on the Chantix once for almost a year and the second time for 7 months. There are side effects to this so beware of them and if you choose this let your doc know if you get them. My doc did a carbon test on my blood to see if I was smoking. I got seriously stressed on a business trip to Chicago in October (quit in March 2010) and one cig led to a whole pack. I didn't tell my surgeon that I started again, not sure how he could not know to be honest with you. I am still smoking and have been since I got home from the hospital and I have had no complications since being home. Hope this helps.

WOW!! that is insane that you dr. just took your word for it that you did not smoke!

By the time I was ready for surgery, I had been a non-smoker for over a year. But, my dr. made me take a nicotene test. It was a urine sample test and took a week to get back. He said if it was positive, he would cancel my surgery and would not be my dr. anymore!!!

I never wanted to have RYN, but he told me that he would NEVER do that surgery on ANYONE that had ever smoked. He said that most smokers will smoke again and if you have RYN and smoke, your chances of living on a feeding tube for the rest of your life are 80%. NOT GOOD!

He made me pinky swear to him that I would never smoke again....and I won't. I am done, but he showed me pics of people's stomachs that do smoke after surgery and it was NASTY!!

Kelly

Please.... no bashing, my head is already hung!

I'm a smoker and haven't stopped. I smoked the day of surgery and the day I got home. In fact, I'm still smoking. My insurance required me to be smoke free for no less than 6 months prior to surgery so when the doctors asked if I smoked I always said no. I know it was wrong for me to lie, but I didnt have the will power to quit and really dont see myself quitting just yet. I know I will eventually, but not right now.

I have had NO complications post-op regarding my stomach not healing or anything crazy like that. In fact, I am completely normal and am on soft foods and am not having any issues. Please, dont take this as encouragement to continue smoking, not by any means! If you can quit... then quit!!! I just wanted to throw my 2 cents in.

Kelly, Your doctor was trying to scare you and succeeded. Yes there are risks involved with smoking and surgery. I have had 4 surgeries prior to this one (all unrealated to eachother) and with each one I healed fine and was fine and I smoked before and after all of them. I am not saying to smoke and if you can quit then by all means quit. I was one of those people that couldn't and the 2x I did quit, I went back to smoking just as much. I will try and quit again because I know its what I should do. But like others have said and this stands the same for me I really don't want to.

Yes, I was extremely surprised my doctor didnt "catch" it, but why would he if he wasnt looking for it, right?! I did read on here that they usually do a blood test or something before surgery to see if there's traces of nicotine in your system, but the only blood work I had done was 3days before surgery.... So, IDK. I'm either lucky or unlucky, depending on who's looking at it. LOL.

So, did they postpone your surgery then?

Nope, once I took the patch off and swore up and down that I was good to go, they said ok, and I had surgery the following Monday.

I am a smoker, have been for 30 years and sad to say i like smoking.........but - i haven't had a cigarette in 7 days!.......I started off with the patch for 2 days until i developed a rash and swelling on one arm so then i started using snus pouches like my husband is using........it helps with the craving.......but i am trying to cut that down to nothing as well......yes - most hospitals will not operate, (Zero tolerance policy) if u are still smoking and they will perform a test to see if u have been smoking......so don't mess up ur chance for surgery........I don't have a date yet for my surgery but hoping in a month or so.......good luck.....i know its hard....

I have had to quit smoking before my surgery as well - I don't even have a surgery date yet but I am already quit. I figured it would just be easier that way. I have had success in the past with quitting - my problem is not letting stress get to me and starting back up again a year or more later, which I have done twice now.

This time I used the Patches to help me quit. So far I have been smoke free since the last week of March.

It is really hard, I had cravings for the first week or so but then it got better.

Good luck!

Thanks for the advice. I work for the Health Department as a Social Worker and you're right. They do have options to help people stop smoking. Sad thing is, I would've not thought about that unless you mentioned it!

I talked to my the Surgeon today about it and he was very supportive. My smoking is not a "deal breaker", but he explained the reasons why I needed to quit in relation to the surgery. He suggested the "electric cigarette" which gives you nicotine, but does not have the carbon monoxide and other harsh chemicals. It even lets you blow steam like you're blowing smoke! That may be the route I need to go because it is such a habit for me.

Thanks again for the response and advice.

A friend of mine who smoked went to his PCP and got a prescription to help him stop smoking - it really worked for him. I've known others who have used the OTC Patches and have had success. My parents quit cold turkey when the price went up too high for them about 20 years ago. Check with your state health department - they might have some stop smoking programs that can help you as well.

From what research I have done, every surgeon will require you to stop smoking prior to surgery - so it's not just your surgeon.

Sorry, I've never smoked, but I know there are options out there that will help. Good luck!

Thanks to everybody for your support and your honesty. I have a friend who had bypass 6 years ago and she smoked like a chimney before her surgery and never quit. She healed fine. I, too, have had 3 surgeries since I've smoked- the first was a tonsillectomy and the last surgery was for my sinuses. All the ENT told me was that the surgery wouldn't help my sinuses 100% if I didn't quit.

I used to work at a residential treatment facility and they used to test the boys for nicotine after their home passes. It went through my mind that the surgeons office could do a urine test to check for nicotine, but I didn't really think a Surgeon would do that!

I could've lied about several things today. I could've gotten out of the Psych Eval by saying that I don't take anything for depression or anxiety. I also could've gotten out of the sleep study by saying that I have no symptoms. But, I was honest because I didn't want a lie to keep me from having a trusting relationship with my Surgeon.

I can't believe that kellyw74 was treated like that because she smokes. I think that's a type of descrimination. I was messaging someone the other day about this and I just get so tired of being treated like a second class citizen because I smoke. I know people who don't smoke get offended when others do. But I get offended when people get drunk and obnoxious. I get offended when people make out in public. And as a Christian, I get extremely offended when people blaspheme God. But I bet people who do these things weren't told they had to stop their behaviors in order to have this surgery.

I was going to be referred to a new Endocrinologist, but he wouldn't accept patients who smoke. I know Pulmonologists who treat smokers, but an Endocrinologist woudn't? I know that smoking is a terribly unhealthy habit. But doctors should take the time to educate- not preach at, fuss at, or refuse to treat those who smoke.

Again, thank y'all for the support. And thanks for letting me get up on my soapbox and vent for the night!