:help: I have my surgery date set for June 20th-07 and am having a problem quiting smoking. The doc said if their is any nicotine in my system at the pre admin testing they will cancel the surgery. The question is how long does nicotine stay in you system ? can I stop now and be ok or should I postpone my date untill I officaily quite?

Givind up food and also smoking is going to be very hard for me. I am not looking for pitty. It is a problem that I have to deal with. I know smoking is not good for me but I would like to stop one thing at a time. So if anyone can give me some info on how long nicotine stays in my system I would gldly thank you

My local lap-band doctor.. (first doctor I was trying to meet with), they made me pay $250 just to get in the door.. I expected to meet the doctor that day and ask questions.. they had sent me a form to fill out medical history before coming in.. so that day, for 250, I met with a nurse, who took all my medical history--that I already filled out for her. She told me I had to quit smoking, they do a urine test night before surgery and if I fail, I forfeit all money (I am self-pay). That made me nervous right there. I've tried to quit before, and if I relapsed and had one smoke.. or hell, using the patch gives you nicotine, then what? I just lose 15k? Then, I asked if I can talk to the doctor, she said this visit was just for medical history. Really irritated me that I paid all that money for nothing.. So they had 2 strikes against them. I ended up calling all the area around me (TN, Northern AL, Southern AL) till I found a doctor who does not require me to stop smoking. It was important to me..I was trying to figure out how I could quit for 8 weeks for the surgery up until they told me I didn't get to meet the doctor that day. Then I was nervous that this doctor's office is the kind that is going to milk me for every penny they can. I know I'm suppose to say the opposite, about how I quit smoking and it was the best decision of my life and I'm healthier for it, etc.. but that's not where I am in my life right now! If I am giving up my binge eating, let me smoke.

So I did find one, and it worked out great, I didn't have to quit smoking.. I *DO* plan to quite some day.. but right now I need a vice. And I've never quit smoking for 8 weeks, and not used some sort of 'tool'.. and never gone that long without 'slipping up'. I'm human, and I can't afford to throw away money on the hope that I won't be human and slip up.

I know many people here have quit smoking for surgery, and I admire that! I'm weak..what can I say!

I know I need to stop smoking just like I have to look both ways when I cross the road . I enjoy smoking and I don't feel the need to have to quite for a doctor with a power strugle. If some doc's say its ok why do others say their is not .

I am going to a health food store today to see if their is anything I can take or use to mask the nicotine. I know body builders take stuff to mask steroids so maybe something is out their to cleanse my urin. If I know how long nicotine stays in my system then I could just stop for a couple of days and then I would be good. And then maybe I would never go back smoking but for now I'm up the nicotine creek with out A light !! So tell me something good like it only stays in my system for 72 hours would be great

Thank you for all the help

Larry

Laura,

I *completely* understand where you are coming from with the quitting right when you're going through all the other things with this surgery. I actually feel the exact same way. My husband and I were told to quit at least 2 weeks before surgery. Well.. It didn't go that well, and I ended up smoking when I was following my eating plan properly, and cheating (!) with the food plan when I didn't smoke. I just could not do both at the same time.

Im ashamed to say I smoked a few hours before going in for surgery. I'm 3 days post-op and haven't had a smoke yet, though I think its because I can't find them and I'm on pain meds. Who knows, maybe I'll end up quitting by accident. LOL.

Anyways, don't feel too bad for not quitting. All smokers know in their hearts its best to quit. But I really think there is a time and place for everything. So don't beat yourself up for not doing it. Just take care of yourself and focus on your surgery and being successful with that. When you are ready, I would definitely recommend Wellbutrin or Chantrix as they can make quitting a lot easier mentally.

I did try Wellbutrin to quit smoking once.. It didn't help with the smoking, but it did make me happy!

Chantrix, a few relatives have tried that, the concensus is.. it made them not want to finish a cigarette. They were all smoking half of a cigarette at a time.. that's progress, but they're both full time smokers again. I was waiting to meet someone personally that has done well with Chantrix before I invest in it. That, and when I am ready to quit. I think you have to WANT to quit, to quit. It's hard enough that you have to commit to it. Since I like smoking, it's a tough time for me to convince myself I don't want to.

My local lap-band doctor.. (first doctor I was trying to meet with), they made me pay $250 just to get in the door.. I expected to meet the doctor that day and ask questions.. they had sent me a form to fill out medical history before coming in.. so that day, for 250, I met with a nurse, who took all my medical history--that I already filled out for her. She told me I had to quit smoking, they do a urine test night before surgery and if I fail, I forfeit all money (I am self-pay).

That is a bit extreme i have to agree. no one is perfect. One of the reasons I quit when I did was becasue I knew there was no way i would be able to do it AND try to loose weight at the same time. My FP Doc told me " Dont try to quit and loose wt at the same time, you WILL Fail at one " .

So i tried to quit far enough in advance that the 2 woudl not over lap . I didnt know at the time It was WAY Far in advance. LOL I Still havent had surgery yet. I am glad I quit though. I feel better now than I have in quite a long time. This was the first winter that I Didnt have bronchitis in over 10 yrs. Girl , IF I CAN quit anyone can trust me .

But like anything you have to be ready to do it or it wont work .

Good luck

Mindy

Just left the health food store !! the one with all those fancy pictures of the 1% of this country with the 6 pack abs and women with tight butts. I talk to the lady behind the counter and she said to stop smoking at least three days before the urin test and drink nonstop glasses of cranberry juice. She said that the cranberry juice would flush out all the toxins from the nicotine in my urin.

well I am just not going to not buy a pack of smokes after today and see what happens. If the doc finds nicotine im my urin in two weeks I will just say hey you got your money now start cutting and banding !!

:omg:

Doctors are like everyone they all have their own ideas and opinion on things. Some agree more strongly than others that smokers heal slower and bleed longer/and or more than those who do not smoke.

I think some docs "push" the idea more than others do .

I read some where that stopping just 2 weeks prior and 2 weeks after surgery along is benifical .

Like i said though I have not had surgery yet and I cant begin to imagine what it would be like to do both at the same time. I Know myself i wouldnt be able to do it. Just know , I think the docs who are asking you to quit are doing it for your own safety .

Laura J . ... The wellbutrin for me this time cut down on my anxiety ALOT , It made me not feel like i wanted to punch everyone LOL

Just helped calm me down and make the cravings a LITTLE less.

I wish everyone good luck w/ trying to quit. I have those occasional days where i wish i still smoked( More coming w/ the kids being home for the summer LOL ) or those days when I WISH I at least drank LOL

Mindy

My doctor said he wanted me smoke free six weeks before surgery - told him i smoked about 10 a day he said "I usually don't operate on people who smoke" - but he wasn't REAL demanding about it. I am like Laurie - I enjoy smoking,... I don't know what it will be like to quit food and cigs.

I agree with the whole health issue and it would be good for me and i would save $75 a month and thaat savings along with the grocgery bill - hell i will be rolling in the dough :0).... Good Luck -

Here's another believer in Chantix! My mother stopped after 50 years of smoking thanks to this great product. The two other people I encouraged to try it have also quit. It works and it can be life-changing!