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Smoking and the band



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One doctor required 8 weeks clean of cigs before surgery, the day before surgery they do a nicotine test, if you fail, you forfeit all your payment (I am self-pay).

I said screw that, no way I can guarantee..

So anyway, the doc (ended up being the better choice) I ended up going with just said smoking is bad, but didn't require I quit.

Now I smoke twice what I did pre-band, and I have a box of Chantix, waiting for DH to get his box so we can get on it. I am wishy washy though. I hate how $$$ smoking is, and of course that it's bad for health.. but I love smoking.

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My doctor won't even do a band unless you have quit. He said that after the band is placed smokers have more long term problems with the band, irritation to the lining of your stomach and ulcers. He also said that if you are as committed to your health as you claim(which is neccessary to have the band)then quitting smoking needs to be just as important. I know it sounds a bit harsh but I understand his concerns.

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My Dr. required I stop smoking 2 months before he would schedule a surgery date. Chantix is a miracle drug in my opinion.

I have told anyone who would listen about it and how it helped me.

I started taking it and quit smoking 1 day before I really had to....never looked back, don't get me wrong, it wasn't easy the 1st 2 weeks...but now, I don't even think about cigarettes.

The only side effect I had was decrease in appetite (like that's a problem, I lost 5 lbs) and a few weird dreams.

GO GET YOUR SCRIPTS FILLED!

Start this today!

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I tried chantix, it was wonderful for the first week, but when the dose was uped, i started having mood swings, and became suisidal, went off it, but it did help, have to go back to the doctor to see if i can stay on lower dose..

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      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
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      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
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