odd question about smoking and drinking...

[CurvyCat 0]

I am neither a regular smoker or regular drinker. The two do tend to go hand in hand for me, but usually it is weeks or months between my 'party' nights out. I don't drink or smoke at all when not in these sorts of social situations, and I do neither to excess when I do go out.

Once every year I go on a campout with a group of people that is pretty much a party group. I've been going to this event for over 10 years and it's my one time of year when I get to let my hair down for a few days.

This year, it happens to fall over Memorial Day weekend, which is right before my 2-week pre-op diet.

I am going to TRY not to drink more than a beer or two each day or smoke any cigs at all, but I know it's going to be difficult around this crowd.

I'm wondering how much effect a few days of less-than-perfect behaviour with the alcohol/nicotine thing might have, or would the two weeks of following the pre-op diet to the letter be enough.... *sigh*

I'm also not going to go off my BC pills until 2 weeks pre-op (as the idea of dealing with feminine hygiene while camping is not a good one), and I hope that 2 weeks will be good on that too.

Argh, I hate second-guessing all this. :thumbup:

[BetsyB 9]

I don't think that the alcohol will be an issue at all. As long as you stick to real moderation, you don't have to worry about it affecting your weight or impacting your liver in any lasting way.

The smoking is a bigger issue. It really is strongly, strongly recommended that you not smoke for at least four weeks before surgery.

While even a couple of days of not smoking produces some benefits (reduced carbon monoxide levels, for example), quitting for less than 4 weeks before surgery may actually increase respiratory risk from anesthesia. I know this sounds insane, but it makes sense if you consider that when you stop smoking, your lungs increase their production of mucus as they heal. These extra secretions help you hack out the crud from smoking----and in the long term are beneficial. But they're not beneficial if you are combining them with anesthesia, abdominal pain that prevents coughing to clear the secretions, and so on.

Smoking 2 weeks before surgery really ups your risks. Quitting for 2 weeks before just isn't enough.

I'm a former smoker, and know that drinking and smoking often go hand in hand; when I quit smoking, I had to give up drinking for quite a while.

If you can't separate the two, that'd probably be the safest route for you to take.

[Manda87 3]

You don't have to have fun with cigarettes or alcohol! However, choosing alcohol would be the lesser of the two evils. :thumbup:

[CurvyCat 0]

Thanks for the replies. :thumbup:

I knew the alcohol would be less likely a problem.

The smoking thing I was more curious about, and your response, Besty, is dead-on for a habitual smoker.

I come from that rare breed where for me it really is a social drug just like alcohol, though, so I don't have the build-up of lung damage from smoking. I don't know how fast lung damage occurs from it, but I'm guessing it's not too much from 4-5 cigs/day for 4 days. :thumbup:

For perspective, IF I do smoke over this trip, it will only be the second time in 2010 that I've smoked at all. I don't get out a lot, LOL!

So I'm not worried about going through hacking or withdrawal or any of that.

Your comment does tell me what the surgeon is concerned about regarding smoking, though, which is helpful. I wasn't sure if it was because of the nicotine possibly constricting blood vessels, or what. I'll ponder how the information might apply in my case as a very infrequent social smoker. :smile:

I know that the cigs and alcohol aren't necessary to have fun.... If that was the case, I'd only be having fun a few times a year, and that certainly isn't true! It's pretty much something I only do around a particular group of friends, and I don't see them often.

Now I think I'm probably more concerned about not stopping my BC early enough.... heheh

[BetsyB 9]

I understand that you're just a social smoker.

If you choose to do so less than four weeks prior to surgery, you increase your risk of respiratory complication.

Your risk may not be as high as an habitual smoker, but you can't justify the risk away. It's there, and it's real.

[BetsyB 9]

And yes---you're right. There is more than a respiratory risk. Smoking does interfere with wound healing, too---because of the blood vessel constriction you've mentioned.

That reverses fairly rapidly after smoking cessation.

[CurvyCat 0]

Thanks again. :thumbup:

I tend to agree with most of the comments of yours that I've read on LBT in general, and it's unlikely that I will smoke during this trip.

I am going to have a final indugence in some high-quality brews, though, as I'm going cold turkey on all carbonation post-op. hehe

Here's hoping that all the secondhand smoke and the campfire smoke won't be too hard on me, LOL!