This is really a struggle for me because I'm a smoker. I have cut down a lot because the only time I smoke is when I go out and that's once a week, usually Friday night. I know that your surgeon will not operate on you if you are a smoker but I don't really consider myself a smoker because I maybe smoke about 2 - 3 cigs a week. I've even gone 30 days without smoking. What do you think. Also if you have any tips on how I can quit it would be appreciated because obviously cold turkey does not work.

Those are all really good suggestions, but unfortunately I haven't found one e-cig that I like. The gum does help though and I like the idea of just holding an actual cigarette in hand without lighting it up.

I was really excited to begin the process of having the sleeve surgery and decided to quit smoking immediately so that it would not hinder my ability to have the surgery.... unfortunately I have now found out my insurance won't pay and it's a no go, but the reality is that this surgery is waaaay more important than a puff of a cigarette. I do have a no nicotine e cig that I utilize every once and a while.

It is my understanding that the reason you can't be a smoker and get the sleeve is because when you receive your sleeve they cut through blood vessels in your stomach causing you to have less of a supply going to the stomach which does not cause you issue but smoking slows the blood supply going through the vessels and therefore it could then cause stress on your new stomach.

I wish you the best of luck in your quitting... it's so worth it to quit but I completely understand how difficult it is.

Also, people who smoke have a significant risk increase of getting pneumonia after surgery, besides who wouldn't want their lungs to start getting better with no smoking.

Agreed and the gum is definitely working

My surgeon tests for nicotine in your system just before surgery. He will not do the surgery if there is any nicotine in your system. It must cause serious problems for him to be so strict about it.

I'm not a smoker and I've not seen anyone post this yet... But my surgeon says that people who smoke after surgery are more likely within 5 years of their surgery to develop stomach ulcers. Soooo I'd rather not have a stomach ulcer if I were you.

I started taking Wellbutrin last year and haven't had a cigarette since. It's normally prescribed for depression but my doc said she also prescribes it for weight loss and help quitting smoking. Haven't lost any weight , but I was able to quit smoking. I was smoking pack a day for 10+ years. The only downside of taking it that I've had some hair loss.

Well I tried Buproprion(Wellbutrin) and it didn't work for me because I still had the cravings. So I stopped taking it and Chantix isn't covered by my insurance and it's expensive.

I preface this comment by saying I was a pack a day smoker for 15 years before quitting cold turkey in 2012 (because of dental implant surgery and pregnancy. I had my lapband in 2014).

In 2011, I had jury duty in a case where a woman had a breast augmentation where she was claiming it was botched by her surgeon. She was warned by the surgeon to quit smoking because it can drastically effect the healing of the surgical wounds. Well, she admitted that she did not quit smoking prior to the surgery even though she had been warned.

I had the unfortunate luck of seeing the result of consequence of her not quitting. Her incisions were, black, decayed and gaping wounds. I can't see how anyone can heal from those kinds of scars (mentally or physically).

We, the jury, didn't find in her favor of sueing this doctor because she didn't quit after being told to.

I know that this is a completely different surgery, but its surgery and is the consequence worth it?

Quitting for me was completely psychological. I spent a lot of $$ that I didn't have to repair a missing tooth with an implant. I was warned by the dentist that it would fail if I didn't quit. I was also pregnant and did not want to harm my baby. After he was born I had one, while out in a social scene and it was the worst taste/headache I had had in 17 years.

The only advice I can give is love yourself enough to not only start this journey to a healthier you, but to not risk finding out what not quitting smoking before surgery can do to you.

If all else fails maybe wait until you're all healed up. Maybe by then you won't want a cig.

Hope this helps.

Ieag,

I started my 6 month process in October. I quit smoking on 9/29, by the end of December early January, I started smoking again. Lots of stress, the holidays, family matters etc. I picked back up. I'm now on day 2 of the 14 mg patch and doing okay. I'm fine at work all day...it's being home that makes me want to smoke. I've resisted. I hate myself for being so weak....but if you want the surgery, you have to quit. My doctor screens for nicotine. I have to be nicotine free and that includes Patches or e cigs. And to boot I have to lose at least 10lbs. I think the weight loss will be easier then the cigs, but then again, what the hell do I know. I just take it one day at a time. I will likely postpone any surgery dates until I have things under wraps. I'm so weak willed, I loathe me.

Robin

It's hard to quit a habit that if you're like me you've smoked for years. Especially when there are triggers, like going out for me, and home life for you, and those triggers sparks up the urge to smoke, no pun intended. ..lol...but you make a decision to stop and you find yourself falling back on old habits or making excuses as to why you back slid in the first place, like myself. But I'm only human and although I've been smoke free for about 2 weeks now, I still think about smoking, but then I think about how badly I want the surgery and I'm back on track. That's what's been helping and lots of gum chewing...lol

I've heard that quitting smoking is harder than quitting heroin. I never smoked, but grew up in a family of smokers. I saw what a hard time they had quitting. With that said, I really hope you can quit. Your body heals so much better when your circulation is improved after you quit. My best friend quit a year and a half ago at the age of 62. She coughed so hard when she smoked that she would have trouble catching her breath. She had a constant smoker's cough. Now- no cough! I am so proud of her. My cousin cannot get a breast reduction because she hasn't been able to quit. The surgeon told her that her nipples would probably fall off if she smoked. THAT is scary. best wishes to you.

Smoking after wls causes ulcers .

My dietician said 8 weeks before surgery, you have to quit. I am on the patch, and today if my first day as a non-smoker. I am doing fine. Remember, you want to be healthier, and smoking is not healthy at all. As some said, use the surgery as motivation to quit.

Wendy

The only thing I disagree with the Doctors when they say if you can't quit smoking then your chances of succeeding after surgery will decrease because one has nothing to do with the other. The surgery is a tool to help me control the my eating habits and unfortunately there is no surgery that I know of to help with nicotine cravings. So the 2 are very different. I know that I'll follow all the rules post surgery and I'm gonna figure out how to quit smoking but it's just really hard. I've even prayed about it, asking the Lord for help.

My idea is to try the gum to control the cravings, and try to stay home, because going out seems to be the trigger. I'm fine at home. I Don't even think about smoking at all, it's just when I leave the house and go out and party.

Start vaping and then keep lowering your nicotine levels down.. I vape now but am 100% nicotine free!!

Hope this helps and good luck ????