I wanted to know, I quit smoking on Jan 2nd and my surgery is scheduled for April 2nd. Although I haven't smoked a cigarette, I have been using either the nicotine patch or the e-cig, both of which have nicotine in them. When I get tested on the day of my surgery is this going to be a problem? Do they really test you that day? Is it just the smoking they care about or the nicotine in any form as well? Please help I don't want to get denied my surgery because of this, it's in less then 2 weeks! Thanks, Kari

Hi' date=' I am new here, and had my surgery on 3/20/13. I was a pack a day smoker and told my doctor this. While he suggested that I quit, I just wasn't ready to do so. I have had little complications, but I would assume it would be better to not have smoked.

I will tell you this.. I had a 10am appt. for surgery lastcigg was about 9:30. After the surgery I was very worried about withdrawel, but smoking was the LAST thing on my mind. They had me extremely doped up on Dulaudin (spelling?) and since the surgery I really haven't had huge craving to smoke. I did not quit, but I may in the coming days if this lack of urge continues. I am going to make a post on everything shortly to go into more detail.. As soon as I find that forum.[/quote']

Thank you for your candidness. I just posted a thread about my huge anxiety about quitting smoking. I'm willing to do it with the patch, but I know that if I quit cold turkey i'd be climbing the walls and knocking out anyone who refuses to give me a cigarette (and I'm a girl). When I first met with my surgeon I asked him if I was allowed to wear a patch to surgery (doctors gave me a patch for my appendectomy not too long ago), he said yes, but everyone else I've seen since seeing the surgeon (endocrinologist, pulmonologist, psychologist) have said I have to quit smoking, I never mentioned to any of them what the surgeon had said about the patch. I'm very much aware of why I should quit smoking, it just doesn't scare me enough (my addiction is far greater than any medical threat).

I WILL try to give up smoking. My plan is to quit on April 1st (10 days before surgery), but I'll be using patches -- i'll go through all 3 steps in 9 days, 3 days each. I do hope I end up like you: without the cravings after surgery.

What kind of complications have you had?

I don't know that it was related to smoking but I was tachy.. My heart rate was at a steady 100-120 and jumped to 150 the entire night after the surgery. The nurse said it was due to pain level which was VERY high for me. Other then that no other complications that have shown up.

My Dr. said he did not want to give me the patch because nicotine and caffine cause blood vessles to restrict too much and can cause issues.

My surgeon made it very clear at the seminar that you must quit 2 months before surgery or he will not do the surgery and says that a nicotine test will be done the morning of the surgery and if it's positive he won't do the surgery, that's what just made me realize about the patch..I see him on friday and will discuss this with him because I did quit and there is no way I could have done it cold turkey! Good luck to all of you that are trying to quit, it is the hardest thing ever, but my wanting this surgery so bad was the motivation that I needed to finally do it!

My surgeon made it very clear at the seminar that you must quit 2 months before surgery or he will not do the surgery and says that a nicotine test will be done the morning of the surgery and if it's positive he won't do the surgery, that's what just made me realize about the patch..I see him on friday and will discuss this with him because I did quit and there is no way I could have done it cold turkey! Good luck to all of you that are trying to quit, it is the hardest thing ever, but my wanting this surgery so bad was the motivation that I needed to finally do it!

What happened???

I talked to my surgeon about it at my last pre-op appt and he said it was ok..I had my surgery on April 2nd and all is well, thank you....

I asked my surgeon about the e-cig and patch and she was fine with both!

Yeah I dont see how they can expect us to go cold turkey..My surgeon was fine with it too, I quit smoking in January but unfortunately I am still using the e-cig..

I actually smoked up until 10 days before my surgery and if I wasn't severely sick that day (4/1) I would probably still smoke today.. However I can tell you that my lungs went 'flat' after surgery- the r n's couldn't get any respirations out of my upper lungs and I was VERY short of breath.. 24 hrs later and a lot of work I was ok but I always wonder if it would've been worse if I were still smoking.. Not a major complication however a little scary :-/

I know how you feel, my oxygen levels were so low after surgery that they had to put me in ICU..I had trouble breathing for about a week, and it was scary..I'm sure 30 years of smoking was the culprit, even though I had quit 2 months before..Good for you that your not smoking though, keep it up..

I actually smoked up until 10 days before my surgery and if I wasn't severely sick that day (4/1) I would probably still smoke today.. However I can tell you that my lungs went 'flat' after surgery- the r n's couldn't get any respirations out of my upper lungs and I was VERY short of breath.. 24 hrs later and a lot of work I was ok but I always wonder if it would've been worse if I were still smoking.. Not a major complication however a little scary :-/

Did your doctor test you for nicotine?

Not that I know of.. I think it's a scare tactic honestly.

Same here...I don't think mine did either...

Mine didn't...