I have had a procedure done on 4/26/13 and wondering if I can smoke.

I dont kno the answer to that but I have a ? for you. How long did you stop before the procedure? Was it a month, weeks or days...PLEASE help, my day is June 3

I quit two months before the procedure - it's been hard but I am praying to not pick it up again....the money savings alone makes it worth it. The only time I struggled with it were the first three days of my pre-op diet

OMG, I still havent stopped yet...will it affect anything? Im worried

Please, consider your question carefully. I know the addiction is strong (I smoked for over 30 yrs) but you had 85% of your stomach removed so that you could live a long, happy, healthy, and more active life and now you want to start smoking again?

The reason they have you stop smoking is because it interferes with your healing. You won't be totally healed from the operation for another month.

After the 3rd day you no longer have a physical addiction to the nicotine. It is ALL in your head. Love yourself enough to not start smoking again. And yes, it is hard. I haven't smoked since 2005 and I still want one every once in awhile.

Hang in there *HUG*

Nicotine stays in the system up to 3 months. I had a friend who works in a med lab that told me that. Most surgeons will do a pre op nicotine blood test and if it's positive, no surgery. Big risk with anesthesia and a red flag as far as self discipline goes. You can do it. I stopped no problem. And the risk of smoking after surgery is ulcers. There's not much to do with a 4oz stomach thy has a bleeding septic hole in it :/

I smoked the day they let me out of the hospital & up to the week of surgery. Luckily my surgeon didn't test me before surgery. I'm not saying I recommend this for anyone so save your self riotous comments for someone else. But as for me it didn't slow down the healing process or anything else of the sort. I get tired of seeing all the comments about smoking & all the lectures. Just bcuz one person quit doesn't mean it's for everyone. I mean congrats to them for doing so but lay off the lectures. We're all adults & are going to do as we please.

I have asked my patient adviser, she said some doctors are strict about smoking, she is also a wl patient. However I am a smoker and she told me they like you to quit so you have more oxygen in your blood and you heal faster. That being said, I haven't quit and my surgery is the 23rd of this month. I have been through a lot of

surgeries and never quit smoking. But it a risk you take, like everything else. I know I will get bashed by my words, because

smoking is unhealthy, I have gotten me an e-cigarette,for my stay in Mexico. If smoking makes me sick to my stomach I will quit, if not I will continue to smoke. Its a choice we have to make for

ourselves. Best of luck to everyone.

Most surgeons will do a pre op nicotine blood test and if it's positive, no surgery.

This is the way my doctor does it. I left nicotine forever in 2006 and have never looked back - I smoked for 16 years and dipped for over 10. I went through WAY TOO MUCH trouble to quit to ever take it up again.

If you are going to smoke than the sleeve is not for you. They will take your blood a few days before and if nicotine is in your system will tell you your to big of a risk:(

I smoked the day they let me out of the hospital & up to the week of surgery. Luckily my surgeon didn't test me before surgery. I'm not saying I recommend this for anyone so save your self riotous comments for someone else. But as for me it didn't slow down the healing process or anything else of the sort. I get tired of seeing all the comments about smoking & all the lectures. Just bcuz one person quit doesn't mean it's for everyone. I mean congrats to them for doing so but lay off the lectures. We're all adults & are going to do as we please.

If one is an adult planning on "doing as they please" they need not ask questions they don't want the answers to, hmm? The OP asked a question and got logical answers from those with experience. If you're tired of smoking lectures, it's easier to ignore them than deter the conversation.

Ah, so all you "smokers" didn't have the VSG to get healthy, you just wanted to look better? I'm not self righteous (or "riotous" :-) by a lonnnng shot but hey, even if you just want to look better do you understand that smoking ages your skin and makes you smell bad to most of the rest of the population?

Yep, you're right, it is your choice. Write a note to your future self about all the reasons you are still smoking so when you're suffering with cancer or emphezema or are just plain old looking at 40 you can justify your choice.

Nicotine is a vasoconstrictor and can delay healing of the stomach. that said, I am a social smoker and started "cheating" at 3 months. Wish I would have never started again

And as Don and Jessica Los said, most surgeons will refuse surgery, and if they don't there's a high chance th anesthesiologist will! I'd question the practice of doctors that aren't concerned about it.

If you smoke after surgery your healing takes longer, some smokers develop leaks, and get heartburn so bad it can do esophageal damage.

OP, you're about to remove a large part of an internal organ to better your health. If you wanna be healthy, might as well go all the way right? Plus it saves money by not smoking I can afford the higher quality healthy foods and they're SO worth the taste

I am not sure where anyone can come off saying that if you are a smoker then the sleeve is not right for you. I don't think it's anyone's right to say that. except for maybe your surgeon because they are taking the risk of doing a surgery on you that _could_ (not will) lead to complications. That being said, if you were able to quit pre-op and have not smoked since surgery.. KEEP IT UP! You can do it! If you're really fighting those urges then I'd go out and get an e-cigarette. Some of kind of expensive but I have seen the throw away ones at gas stations for $10 and it supposedly lasts a whole pack. I'd try to use that for those extreme cravings you're having but don't don't don't go back to the cigs. You really can do it and I think the hardest part for you is already over! Keep it up You're doing awesome.

Well personally everyone can lecture me until they are blue in the face. But there risk no matter what, walk a day in my shoes my

mother died at the age of 52, she never smoked a day in her life, nor did she drink, she was over weight her heart was damaged by the time she was 45. My sister in law quit smoking for 5 years before she was diagnosed with in operatable lung cancer at the age of 33 she died at the age of 35. My mother never got to see my sons she died when I was 5 1/2 months pregnant with my first born. My mothers only living sibling is 84 and smokes 4 packs camel no filter a day! Way I see things is God has a plan for everyone, put your faith in him and he will guide you in it, thru it, and past it, he.

has the ultimate power over our life.