Smoking

[meghuffman 4]

I am a smoker and have been for 20 years. I know that the surgeon I'm using requires that I stop smoking for the month prior to surgery and the month afterwards to aid in the healing process. I was wondering if any other smokers have had to meet this requirement and how hard it was for you to stop.

Please don't reply only to tell me how bad smoking is for me. I know everything there is to know regarding how bad smoking is for my health. This is a choice I've made throughout the past 20 years of my life and I become extremely offended when I feel that I'm being judged for this habit. So, unless you can provide constructive support and/or advice related to my stopping smoking, please do not reply to this post.

Thanks

[KellyL 173]

Wellbutrin helped me a yr or so ago to quit but I was mostly a social or a few a day. Good luck, I know its hard, especially if you're on a pre-op or post op diet.

[KellyL 173]

Wellbutrin helped me a yr or so ago to quit but I was mostly a social or a few a day. Good luck, I know its hard, especially if you're on a pre-op or post op diet. You can do it!!

[meghuffman 4]

Thanks. I smoke WAY TOO MUCH- over a pack a day. I've wanted to want to quit, but I haven't wanted to quit. Does that make sense? My husband, who dips tobacco and smokes a cigarette every now and then, is very supportive of me quitting since I've been told that it will help me heal. I know people who've had bypass surgery and never stopped. But I don't want to go through all of this for health reasons and have my body fail to heal properly because I haven't stopped smoking.

I know I'm gonna have to stop and I know that I need to stop- surgery or not. I guess it would be a good idea to go ahead and try to cut down so that when the time comes for me to stop, I will already be on my way. And since people usually gain weight when they stop smoking, I guess it's better to do that now before surgery, than to have problems losing weight after surgery.

Thanks. It's nice to know that I'm not the only one who has gone through this.

[kellyw74 258]

I too use to smoke. I was a 20 year smoker myself and just quit!

I think you really have to want it to do it. I made up my mind that I was going to do it and I did. I went to Walmart and bought some of those Nicoderm CQ Patches and threw my smokes in the trash. That was 4/9/10. I have never smoked again!

You can do it! Just believe in yourself enough to do it! I had my surgery one year and one month to the day I quit. I am glad that I quit before hand. Being told I had to quit would have been hard for me too! I don't do well with being told what to do! LOL

Those Patches really help with the cravings and having them on, I knew I couldn't smoke. They can make you have a heart attack. That kept me honest. I did have cravings for about a week, but then I was good! It was really ALOT easier than I thought it would be.

Give it a shot!

Best of luck!

Kelly

[Nancy Rivers 24]

A friend of mine who smoked went to his PCP and got a prescription to help him stop smoking - it really worked for him. I've known others who have used the OTC Patches and have had success. My parents quit cold turkey when the price went up too high for them about 20 years ago. Check with your state health department - they might have some stop smoking programs that can help you as well.

From what research I have done, every surgeon will require you to stop smoking prior to surgery - so it's not just your surgeon.

Sorry, I've never smoked, but I know there are options out there that will help. Good luck!

[Amanda131 214]

While I've never smoked, I have family members who have successfully quit. In addition to Wellbutrin and Chantix prescriptions, I have heard two different family members swear by the effectiveness of both hypnosis and acupuncture in fighting the mental cravings. Good luck to you.

[KellyL 173]

Oh and get something to take the place of them too, like sf popsicles, sf candy, whatever works for those times when you miss doing something with your hands and mouth. That seems to help too.

[AnneG 7]

Some people have had great success with the e-cig.

You can get e-liquid of varying mgs of nicotine to help step down over time-

all the way down to 0mg.

It worked for me.

[kekerene 35]

I had the Lap Band put in about 5 years ago and quit for 6 months, 1 month pre-op and 5 months after surgery. I am now about to have a revision to the sleeve on June 23rd so yesterday was my last day for smoking. They told me to quit 10 days before surgery so I just figured I would get a head start and quit now. I also got pregnant in Feb. 2010 and quit for 10 months. I know quitting is soooo hard as I have been a smoker for 15 years now. I have never used medications or Patches when I quit. For me, I just have to keep reminding myself of the reason I am quitting and how that is more important to me than a cigarette. The first few days are really really tough but each day gets easier. You can do it. Like the others have recommended, there are meds out there, patches, etc. Try anything that you think might work for you, everyone is different. I can tell you that before my surgery was tough but after the surgery the cravings really did go away. The only reason I ever started again was because I went on vacation and had a few drinks and everyone around me was smoking so I asked a friend for 1 cigarette. After that 1 it turned into 2, 3, 4, etc. I know it's tough but you will get through it. Best of luck to ya!

[meghuffman 4]

Thanks for the information. I used to work at a smoke-free workplace so I chewed Nicotine gum throughout the day. That took the cravings away- but when I'd get off work, I'd smoke a pack before the next morning! LOL I'll definitely try the Patches. My sister quit several years ago and was in a TERRIBLE mood. Nobody wanted to be around her. She's since started back (I don't know?).

I guess I'd rather gain any "quitting smoking" weight before the surgery instead of screwing up my surgery by eventually trying to quit later. I know I need to quit. My whole life revolves around it- and I don't like being controlled by something like this. I want to want to quit, but I've never wanted to quit. But this is as goog a time as ever. I wanna continue to try to get pregnant when I'm able to after the surgery. If I quit now, I won't have to worry about it if I do get pregnant.

I'm sorry for rambling. I'm just throwing out things here that may help me to want to quit.

Thanks again for the info!

I too use to smoke. I was a 20 year smoker myself and just quit!

I think you really have to want it to do it. I made up my mind that I was going to do it and I did. I went to Walmart and bought some of those Nicoderm CQ Patches and threw my smokes in the trash. That was 4/9/10. I have never smoked again!

You can do it! Just believe in yourself enough to do it! I had my surgery one year and one month to the day I quit. I am glad that I quit before hand. Being told I had to quit would have been hard for me too! I don't do well with being told what to do! LOL

Those patches really help with the cravings and having them on, I knew I couldn't smoke. They can make you have a heart attack. That kept me honest. I did have cravings for about a week, but then I was good! It was really ALOT easier than I thought it would be.

Give it a shot!

Best of luck!

Kelly

[Heatherr 149]

I quit cold turkey, meaning without any aids, but I had made my mind up to quit and started cutting down by a couple of cigarettes per day every week or so. By the time I threw my last pack away, I was smoking 10 cigarettes per day. I truly believe that made it easier with withdrawal symptoms.....which were only bad for a few days. After that, if I had a craving, all I had to do was change whatever I was doing and my mind would change gears as well.

If you;re going to quit for all that time pre and post op, you may as well make it permanent.

Also, I found mini bottles of Water to be helpful with the whole hand to mouth habit.

It will be tough, so you really do need to psyche yourself up into doing it. If you're not ready, it wont work.

Very GL to you.

[kids05 4]

well I can tell you, I don't smoke...but if you have surgery, you have to (quit that is...)!!! You're going to NEED all that money to buy NEW CLOTHES!!! You run out fast and its FUN! Good Luck!

[LeslieT 0]

I, too am a smoker, My surgery is tomorrow and with the nerves I've been smoking a bit too much since I wanted to quit by now. I have used Chantx in the past and had great results for about 6 months. I tried about a year later to try it again but had too many side effects that time. The first time it was totally worth it- my doc said I just didn't take it long enough.

I will not smoke after...my friend who is an exsmoker for two months and a nurse is begging me not to and told me that if I smoke after the surgery it could cause my stomach to not get enough oxygen to heal and I could end up with a feeding tube for the rest of my life...that's motivating!

Whatever you decide...good luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks. I smoke WAY TOO MUCH- over a pack a day. I've wanted to want to quit, but I haven't wanted to quit. Does that make sense? My husband, who dips tobacco and smokes a cigarette every now and then, is very supportive of me quitting since I've been told that it will help me heal. I know people who've had bypass surgery and never stopped. But I don't want to go through all of this for health reasons and have my body fail to heal properly because I haven't stopped smoking.

I know I'm gonna have to stop and I know that I need to stop- surgery or not. I guess it would be a good idea to go ahead and try to cut down so that when the time comes for me to stop, I will already be on my way. And since people usually gain weight when they stop smoking, I guess it's better to do that now before surgery, than to have problems losing weight after surgery.

Thanks. It's nice to know that I'm not the only one who has gone through this.

[former_vbg 198]

Thanks for the information. I used to work at a smoke-free workplace so I chewed Nicotine gum throughout the day. That took the cravings away- but when I'd get off work, I'd smoke a pack before the next morning! LOL I'll definitely try the Patches. My sister quit several years ago and was in a TERRIBLE mood. Nobody wanted to be around her. She's since started back (I don't know?).

I guess I'd rather gain any "quitting smoking" weight before the surgery instead of screwing up my surgery by eventually trying to quit later. I know I need to quit. My whole life revolves around it- and I don't like being controlled by something like this. I want to want to quit, but I've never wanted to quit. But this is as goog a time as ever. I wanna continue to try to get pregnant when I'm able to after the surgery. If I quit now, I won't have to worry about it if I do get pregnant.

I'm sorry for rambling. I'm just throwing out things here that may help me to want to quit.

Thanks again for the info!

I just had to chime in as someone who TOTALLY can relate to what you are going through. I was told to quit 30 days before surgery and I'm not sure what the time frame would be after surgery- but probably the same. Although, I'm sure the Dr. might think I wouldn't start back up again if I quit.... Like you, I know I need to quit but I also never have really wanted to quit either.

The combination between going through the food funeral stuff and quitting smoking is tough!!! REALLY tough! I'm pretty sure I will have to up my ticker for the start of this journey because of it.

Leslie- I had no idea that smoking after surgery could cause the stomach to not heal- ever. Do you think she was trying to scare you by the feeding tube story to make it more dramatic? I'm not saying one should even think about smoking after surgery, it's just hard. I'm not using any aids either- just trying to remember the reason I'm doing it.

Hang in there! When is your surgery?