Smoking

[angelofmercy36 7]

I'm having issues w this ..my surgery is August 21st and I just quit 3 days ago...my surgical clearance appt w my surgeon is less than 6 days away ..I'm scared he will change the surgery on me is this possible do all doctors test this before ur surgery ...please help ..

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[finallysleeved 120]

_{you should be fine, I would tell the DR what he wants to hear, if you really want the surgery, I quit last year and still crave like crazy but its for the best you quit forever, i got the sleev on the 24th of July and wish i had dont it years ago. good luck.}

[Heyher 581]

Will he be checking lung function? Your breathing and blood saturation improves every day you go without smoking so that will help. I can't say what he will or won't do, but the fact that you quit is huge. Be honest with them and just go in positive.

I'm trying to quit so I know the struggle. I hope you will get the all clear.

[finallysleeved 120]

i doubt serioulsy if he does a lung test. if its your pre op your going to he is going to have you signs a lot of forms, explain the risk involved and ask you if you have any questions.

[Izuri 428]

It depends on the doctor. I would be honest and up front about it though. If they do push the surgery back it's only because they want to be sure your lung function is sufficient to be able to withstand surgery and post-op. Plus the soon smoking puts you at higher risk for things like strictures and pnuemonia after surgery. I do hope that you will still be able to have the surgery though, I know waiting would be frustrating =(

And congratulations on quitting =) It's hard, but totally worth it.

[Heyher 581]

i doubt serioulsy if he does a lung test. if its your pre op your going to he is going to have you signs a lot of forms' date=' explain the risk involved and ask you if you have any questions.[/quote']

Yeah I kind of get the feeling the doc would WANT to know if your lungs are healthy. With anasthesia and liability and everything....

Or are they using your doctor so you can say for certain that its okay to lie about the condition of your lungs?

Please don't take the easy way out. That's not what this surgery is about. Just be honest because it's safer and well much better then telling a lie to the person who is responsible for your safety while on the table.

[SarahG0417 13]

My doctor says for her smoking patients they have to be smoke free for at least 6 weeks and she tests urine at the pr-op appt for nicotine. She says there is a higher risk of bleeding, healing is slowed, higher risk of leak, and higher risk of death.

That to me is scary I would let them know when you quit and if it pushes your surgery back a little but means you will heal faster and be at less risk then isn't it worth it?

Good luck, and congrats on quitting!

[Wolfgirl1978 256]

I had to quit at least a month before my surgery, it was a requirement. I don't remember having a lung test. Of course, I was self pay so there's a lot of stuff you aren't subject to, like a psych veal, a NUT, etc when your insurance doesn't pay.

I'm coming up on 3 months smoke free, and I feel good. Honestly, since my surgery I'm real sensitive to smells, and being around cigarette smoke makes me ill. Don't get me wrong, my mind still craves it, but I'm happy with how I feel and how much money I'm saving.

Good luck to you!

[sassypants 674]

i smoked and still do my doc asked me if i smoke i said yes he said ok one thing at a time deal with this first then if and when you want we will help you stop smoking.

It was never a issue for me I didn’t have high blood pressure or bad lung functions or a bad EKG.

The anaesthetist was very very anti smoking and told me I should quit!! Now!! Never smoke again!!

My doc said yeah they are like that because they have to deal with all the issues smoking throws them in surgery.

I had some issues with he told me but it wasn’t too bad.

I did have very low oxygen levels the whole next day which kept me on the nasal oxygen thing till the breathing exercises were done a few times clearing my lungs and me taking deep enough breaths not shallow light breathing which apparently I was doing I wasn’t breathing deep enough unless I thought about it and made sure I was taking big deep breaths.

Be honest because they will know and they are more prepared if you tell them you smoked or still do they know they may have problems and its on the paperwork and they have stuff to hand to deal with it you do also need to do the breathing exercises after and they need to know like for me that low oxygen or blood pressure is due to smoking and not something else.

You also take the fasttabs for longer if you smoke you take 2 a day for 6 months if you smoke then another 6 months you’re on them once a day.