I know it doesn't make much sense to trade one vice for another, but I very rarely drink (once a month, and a couple beers at the most) and I don't smoke cigarettes. I do, however, enjoy smoking marijuana on occasion, and I don't know who or how to ask if this is alright post op. I'm five days out and I wouldn't even think of doing it while I'm still recovering, but I was wondering if anyone had any experience with this after recovery. I'd really appreciate any advice you guys have. Thanks a lot.

I'm thinking munchies would be a problem.

LOL!!!!:party:

I'm sure they see a lot of valium. They need to know, so they dont put you to sleep forever during surgery! I have read several threads from nurses. Maybe do a search and try to ask them?

I know it doesn't make much sense to trade one vice for another, but I very rarely drink (once a month, and a couple beers at the most) and I don't smoke cigarettes. I do, however, enjoy smoking marijuana on occasion, and I don't know who or how to ask if this is alright post op. I'm five days out and I wouldn't even think of doing it while I'm still recovering, but I was wondering if anyone had any experience with this after recovery. I'd really appreciate any advice you guys have. Thanks a lot.

I HAVE BEEN SMOKING POT DAILY SINCE DAY ONE OF MY SURGERY. I HAVE BEEN BANDED ON JAN 3 2008 AND LOST 18LBS SO FAR. I SMOKE BEFORE dinner AND IT WORKS OUT GREAT. I GET FULL EASILY AND ENJOY THE RELAX IT GIVES ME. SMOKE UP...THATS ALL I HAVE TO SAY.

I smoked marijuana the first day I got home. It helped with the pain. But I do smoke recreationally now. I was also wondering if like, coughing would fuck up the band?

NO...IT WONT DO ANY DAMAGE TO THE BAND IF KEPT TO A MINIMUM......TRY TO TAKE SMALL DRAWS TO LIMIT THE COUGH. SMOKE ON!!!

I smoked marijuana the first day I got home. It helped with the pain. But I do smoke recreationally now. I was also wondering if like, coughing would fuck up the band?

You are a cutie. ok so pot and the band should not be such a big issue. Just don't eat it, haha!

Coughing and the band? Nope no problem at all. The main concern is not disturbing the formation of fibrosis on your band and that is what gets messed up 2when u eat to soon after banding. Can u say slippage? Seems u have no trouble saying fuck fuck fuck! Me either

I love talking like this online LOL!

If attached in a poor way and you were coughing a lot, it could.

Putting aside the INCREDIBLE amount of carcinogens and health issues, completely ignoring the legality of it, I would still say get over it. Your body really changes chemically when you consume THC and the body's ability become obese again is amazing.

This is ridiculous. Speaking from a standpoint of a therapist - Given, I'm still in school, but It doesn't seem that you are really working on yourself if you need to use any type of addiction to help you through life - addictions do include food and marijuana. I don't want to sound goody-goody. I have definately had my time, however, I would hate to see someone's dream go down the toilet because they had to smoke a joint.

The main problem I've seen with pot is that it completely destroys the personal initiative and discipline of SOME users. Just as I would not want to be the 1 in 10,000 who has surgical problems, I wouldn't want to be the person who becomes a sluggish, do-nuttin' pothead.

Granted, not everyone smokes enough to get that lazy about LIVING, but I know 3 men who have already wasted decades of their lives to pot. Men who lost respectable careers, stable families, home ownership. They rent rooms, live on welfare of temporary-part-time jobs, basically earning enough to buy more pot.

Tragic.

Banding offers us a New Life--why not make wise choices that build on that big but single step.

The main problem I've seen with pot is that it completely destroys the personal initiative and discipline of SOME users. Just as I would not want to be the 1 in 10,000 who has surgical problems, I wouldn't want to be the person who becomes a sluggish, do-nuttin' pothead.

I am very familiar with weed and weed users and I can say pretty much without EXCEPTION that all of them who are habitual recreational users fall into the category of "sluggish do-nuttin" potheads. I've been around this stuff for 45 years and I have never seen one person who had any kind of "epiphany" or any brain activity at all for that matter, while high. They like to say they are the exception, but they are not. If they could stand outside themselves and see themselves as they are when they are high they would realize that, but you can't tell a drunk he's drunk and the same goes with dope. Weed does pretty much one thing to a person, turn them into a potato. PERIOD.

Haha! This is getting pretty much off topic here... But I have seen the opposite side of things, and can name 50-75 people who use it regularly who have very good jobs, productive relationships and don't turn into potatoes.

Now on the other hand, I have seen 5-10 people who have suffered the potato effect.

I don't think that this is necessarily representative of the overall population of habitual marijuana users, perhaps more a representation of the type of people I work and hang out with... I work in an extremely competitive industry, where you have to have your shit together or you simply get left behind. If marijuana had a *universal* potato effect, I'd expect to see way more people losing their jobs. It just doesn't happen that way.

I've also noticed that where I grew up, which was a more rural environment, sports more of the potato types, whereas I live in a major city. Several theories on why this may be, but that discussion is for another day.

Finally, and I hope this is not taken as a criticism, rather just an opportunity to see things a different way, saying that "all people who engage in a certain behavior will have this outcome" is very similar to the perspective some people take about those of us who are heavier. To me it echoes statements like "Diet and exercise is the ONLY way to lose weight, if you're big it's your own fault. PERIOD."

I'm not saying that marijuana is "good," that I'm convinced that it should be legalized instead of alcohol, or anything like that... Just that it's a big world and there are so many different types of people and ways that people react to the drug, there are no absolutes.

I've heard good buzz, although never read Understanding Marijuana: A New Look at the Scientific Evidence by [ame=http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/105-3836504-8901208?%5Fencoding=UTF8&search-type=ss&index=books&field-author=Mitch%20Earleywine]Mitch Earleywine[/ame]. He teaches at USC where I went to school and knows this subject very well. The book is supposed to be a very balanced perspective on the issue.

I also partake in smoking occasionally. I do not have a date set yet so I should have plenty of time to make sure I would pass a drug test. Just wondering though if testing for marijuana is part of the pre admission testing?

No, they don't test for marijuana. They typically test for liver count and things like that.

No, they don't test for marijuana. They typically test for liver count and things like that.

Thanks for quick response. I was told today at my psych eval that I had to quit smoking cigarettes 2 months prior to surgery. I'm stressing over that...hopefully the don't test nicotine levels either. Although I will give it my best shot, quitting isn't something that can be done easily.

You may want to go to your Doctor and ask for Chantix. Its a 3 month plan to help you quit. It really works and the nicotine sensors work so you dont like the taste, etc. anymore. Good luck.

:confused: I was told that quitting smoking pre-op is a good thing, simply because it clears out the bronchials, lungs, arteries, etc., making the anesthesia more effective. In other words, the clearer your system of tobacco tar, the less anesthesia might be needed to get you through the surgery. I was told the same thing before my gall bladder was removed, and I did not quit, and it went fine. They don't check for nicotine or marijuana in your pre-op tests, but it is a good idea to cut down on any vices, as you are having the surgery to start a healthier life.