quitting smoking prior to surgery?

[libaba 4]

I'm new to the boards here, and have not had my initial consult with the surgeon yet. I'm scheduled to go in on 1/18 and I will be cash pay as our insurance has an exclusion for any WLS. I want to have surgery ASAP, but I have some fears. I'm just this week trying to quit smoking. Started Chantix last week and Friday is my full on quit date. I have smoked for 30 yrs. I know I have to give it up for my health, and for surgery but I'm really scared about giving up cigarettes, alcohol and most food in a short period of time.

anyone else out there that had to quit prior to surgery?

[Tiffykins 673]

I didn't quit prior to surgery, but did after. I can tell you that the lack of physical hunger really helps you not eat to replace the habit of smoking.

Remember, giving up food is very temporary, giving up alcohol is also necessary, and giving up cigs, well I have quit and gone back to it 3 times since my revision.

If you have addictive personality, like I do, then I recommend getting into a support group, and really find another coping mechanism for those tough times.

Maybe you'll be one of the lucky ones that picks up exercise/working out as a transfer addiction. I picked up shopping, and luckily I'm extremely frugal, and it hasn't impacted us financially.

[Billy363627 15]

Oh god I am the poster boy for smoking...lol I tried to quit like 300 times.. I did manage getting off them with Chantix. You can do it don't give up on yourself before you even start..You have to stand firm because you can smoke on chantix. You have to do it for yourself. If your will is to have this surgery and make yourself more healty then you can do it..Not eating is temporary. From all the posts I have been reading your will to eat is almost gone when you have this surgery..The doctor said after about three months I could drink a little. But it is very limited..I wish you all the luck in make your decesion. But do realize that the peeps on this forum are very understanding and full of great advise as well as support.. good luck

[Need2LoseW 0]

Oh god I am the poster boy for smoking...lol I tried to quit like 300 times.. I did manage getting off them with Chantix. You can do it don't give up on yourself before you even start..You have to stand firm because you can smoke on chantix. You have to do it for yourself. If your will is to have this surgery and make yourself more healty then you can do it..Not eating is temporary. From all the posts I have been reading your will to eat is almost gone when you have this surgery..The doctor said after about three months I could drink a little. But it is very limited..I wish you all the luck in make your decesion. But do realize that the peeps on this forum are very understanding and full of great advise as well as support.. good luck

This is the first time that I have read that you cannot drink. Is this true? I don't drink a lot, but I do enjoy it occasionally. How much and what can you drink? For example, can you have two martinis or two glasses of wine?

[Tiffykins 673]

This is the first time that I have read that you cannot drink. Is this true? I don't drink a lot, but I do enjoy it occasionally. How much and what can you drink? For example, can you have two martinis or two glasses of wine?

Yes, you can drink as you can with any WLS type.

It's typically recommended to wait until you are goal, or at least 3 months out to allow adequate time for your stomach to heal. Plus, staying hydrated is key during the first 2-4 weeks so adding alcohol to the mix is just wasted calories, and is a diuretic essentially it's just wasteful to drink early out. Your surgeon will have guidelines. While some surgeons are super conservative, they'll tell their patients 6-12 months wait for alcohol. I was cleared for alcohol at 3.5 months. I was advised to avoid red wines due to the tannins (acid), and have been drinking since around 6.5 months out. I was below goal.

I will tell you that the first time I drank. It hit me hard and fast. One glass of wine, and I had slurred speech, numb lips, and overall not pleasant after just one drink. I sobered up quickly as well. Today, at 19 months out, I drink extremely socially. My alcohol tolerance is back to what it was pre-op. The one thing I have noticed is that I urinate 4 times the amount I did pre-op. Once I break the seal, I'm in the potty every hour. It runs right through me, and I have to really drink heavily to get drunk. Catching and maintaining a buzz is much easier now, but early out, 1-2 glasses of wine and I was pretty buzzed then it'd leave me pretty quickly and there was no fun in that.

[DisneyAddict 10]

I had to quit smoking for 3 months before my surgery. I'm at day 66 now. My surgery is tentatively scheduled for later this month. Believe me, I understand the quitting thing. My first appointment with my surgeon was back in April I guess. I'd been trying to quit constantly since then. Cold turkey. Didn't work.

Finally I decided to try the patch (target brand) and it actually worked for me. I've been smoking for 18 years and quite heavily 14 of those years. It's been rough but I have to say after the first few days on the patch, I've had it in mind that if I want the surgery, I have to quit. That's been my motivating factor. If I sneak a cigg, I've screwed myself. Believe me, I'd love a smoke right now. I've nearly tackled friends and random people out in public I see smoking for their ciggs.

I've gotten the mind set of "it's really NOT an option for me right now". That's helped. I don't want to lose all the time and good work I've had since I've been free of ciggs only to have to put off my surgery even longer. I can deal with it. Now after the surgery? There's no guarantee I'll stay quit. I'd like to think I'm just having a hard time on the last step of the patch and once the nicotine is out of my system, I won't be so possessed. I rather like not stinking, having the extra money and being able to taste. It's quite nice. I also was able to go see the first half of the last Potter movie without fidgeting or going outside to smoke.

Never in a million years did I think I'd be able to quit. EVER. The stars just aligned for me perfectly and my intense desire to finally lose all this weight was what did the trick. Good luck. It's really rough. One day at a time

[Billy363627 15]

My doc told me to quit smoking 2 months before and 3 months after so that the nicotene would not cause problems with healing..He told me after my stomach heals he didn't really care if . smoked my self to death..Any way he told me that to not drink till your at least 3 months out. We are really glad to have Tiff she is so knowledable about the do's and don't. It is really good to know about the red wine though..I drink it for my heart so I too am a causel drinker as well. If you truely want to do this for yourself you can overcome any obsticle..

[libaba 4]

Well thanks for the replies! I'm doing pretty good so far, but it's only been a few days. I have not been truly tested yet. I pray that I can stick with it. It is such a lifestyle change though! I don't think I realized how much of my day was planned around my need to smoke! coffee on the patio in the moring while taking the dog out, smoke breaks at work with my co-worker/friend, drinks out on the patio in the evening with my hubby - that's when we really talk. I'm missing all of that I think more than the cigs! I just somehow have to come up with new habits. It's never easy from what I understand!

[SouthernSleever 228]

It is never easy and I miss those things you just mentioned. I have quit and started so many times I can't count. I started smoking when I was 17. Quit when I was 20 for 6 months. Quit when I was 24 (and pregnant) for 5 years and started again in june/julyish. I had to quit again before my surgery in October. It is one of the most difficult addictions to break of my life. I will say this though I have thought of smoking once since surgery. That was on New Years Eve when I had a glass of wine and saw someone smoking outside. The longer you are past it, the easier it is.

[Guest BariatricBitch]

I'm new to the boards here, and have not had my initial consult with the surgeon yet. I'm scheduled to go in on 1/18 and I will be cash pay as our insurance has an exclusion for any WLS. I want to have surgery ASAP, but I have some fears. I'm just this week trying to quit smoking. Started Chantix last week and Friday is my full on quit date. I have smoked for 30 yrs. I know I have to give it up for my health, and for surgery but I'm really scared about giving up cigarettes, alcohol and most food in a short period of time.

anyone else out there that had to quit prior to surgery?

I'm a smoker and scheduled to have surgery on January 31st. My doctor asked that I quit prior to surgery and I've done as he asked. It hasn't been easy AT ALL, I've slipped up many times but just put myself back on track. I'm smoke free now and thankful. The purpose of this surgery is to improve our health and I just keep reminding myself that quitting smoking is apart of that process. Hang in there and I wish you the best in your journey!

[DisneyAddict 10]

Well thanks for the replies! I'm doing pretty good so far, but it's only been a few days. I have not been truly tested yet. I pray that I can stick with it. It is such a lifestyle change though! I don't think I realized how much of my day was planned around my need to smoke! coffee on the patio in the moring while taking the dog out, smoke breaks at work with my co-worker/friend, drinks out on the patio in the evening with my hubby - that's when we really talk. I'm missing all of that I think more than the cigs! I just somehow have to come up with new habits. It's never easy from what I understand!

I could've posted that. I miss all those things too.

By the way, I played games like Feeding Frenzy 1 and 2, Farm Frenzy or any other "time management games" to help me get past those craving moments that drove me nuts. I still do actually. I was able to play a level or 3 or more when I was really antsy to help me get my mind off it and get past that craving. I also drank orange juice to help with the cravings too and that helped a lot for me. Keep up the good work. You can do it