Smoking :(

[LaylaJ 17]

Okay guys I am so nervous. My surgeon told me to quit smoking that he would put off my surgery if I didn't. I tried really really hard but occasionally I still smoke. I've been smoking for 5 years. I went to the doctor to seek help to quit and he wouldn't prescribe Chantix for me due to other medications I take and I couldn't do the patch. I go tomorrow to sign my consent papers and have my last visit before surgery. I'm terrified he is gonna tell me that I have to wait. I know I should have buckled down and tired even harder but I have made progress I went from smoking a pack or more a day down to maybe 2 or 3 cigs everyday or every 2 days or so. Has anyone else had this problem? Did your surgeon put your surgery off due to smoking?

[1Day1Life4Now 882]

cutting back that much should help a lot but you really need to cut them out completely for atleast 3 months post-op. Smoking will interfere with your healing and could cause complications. You need to choose which is most important to you. Maybe you could try the nicotine gum. Also, check with your primary care physician, maybe he can find you a cessation aid.

[LindafromFlorida 1,542]

I hope you conquer smoking in your Quest to be healthy. Only you can do it. Best of luck!!!

[crashkaers 7]

I had to be smoke free for 3 months. I figure if I could quit smoking there was a good chance I could quit eating crap so that made my surgery more successful. Gotta want to quit, I tried many times till I finally made up my mind that I had too.

[nona1414 19]

I know it's soo easy to say 'just quit' but as an ex smoker myself it's just soo hard to do. I quit exactly 11 days before my surgery. Surgery was 3 days ago.. So I am fairly new to this.. Don't plan in picking them up ever again...I just said I really wanted to be healthy period..I have ( had) three addictions: food, cigs and wine! Have always wanted to have some control but could never do it! The surgeon said no smoking for 14 days prior.. I didn't quite make 14 days but at day 11 I was like ok that's it! It must be done! I would never forgive myself if I went through all of this and mess around and have something happened during surgery cause I couldn't put those things down..

Anyway long story short you have a choice.. Choose health over something that I found gave me more pleasure at all when I thought about it..Just a big illusion.. In fact smoking made me more nervous and anxious.. It's just no way to live! Anyway message me if you want to talk.. I know what u are going through!

[nona1414 19]

*meant to say smoking have me NO pleasure..

[unbesleevable1 420]

I quit a month before surgery. My surgeon didn't have any strict feelings about it one way or another. Others are much more strict, and will test you for nicotine and not operate. I quit using the tiny lozenges. I am 5 months post op and havent smoked or used any nicotine replacement. There are times I crave! But you can do it! Take it minute by minute. Good luck, it's really for your own safety (airway and healing). Wasn't a risk I wanted to take.

[Kelly Gonzalez 52]

This happened to me. I was supposed to be sleeved June 2013, and 2 weeks before my surgery, my surgeon tested me. I also cut down to only 1 cigarette a day. He would not do the surgery, he said it was too much of a risk. I went on Chantrix, and I can't say weather it helped me or not, because I never finished taking them, but I quit last November, and was sleeved on 3/31. I smoked for 47 yrs, so if I can do it, so can you. You just have to tell yourself it's all in your mind. If you were hospitalized, or jailed, you wouldn't be able to smoke, and you would have to do it. I just kept reminding myself of this. I feel so much better that I quit. Good luck, I know it's not easy.

[Jwow1 11]

Okay guys I am so nervous. My surgeon told me to quit smoking that he would put off my surgery if I didn't. I tried really really hard but occasionally I still smoke. I've been smoking for 5 years. I went to the doctor to seek help to quit and he wouldn't prescribe Chantix for me due to other medications I take and I couldn't do the patch. I go tomorrow to sign my consent papers and have my last visit before surgery. I'm terrified he is gonna tell me that I have to wait. I know I should have buckled down and tired even harder but I have made progress I went from smoking a pack or more a day down to maybe 2 or 3 cigs everyday or every 2 days or so. Has anyone else had this problem? Did your surgeon put your surgery off due to smoking?

Just wondering how your appt went. I smoked for many years but did quit several years ago. Before I even thought about this surgery. I know how hard it can be to stop.

Praying all goes well!

[ShelleyHolt 5]

I'm having the same problem! I'm trying so hard to quit bc my surgery is in June . That doesn't leave me much time. My husband is also a smoker, I have 26 yrs of smoking that's seeming to overpower me. I'm not sure if my surgeon will test or not but I know it's detrimental to my healing and health. I've tried the vaporizer with the e-liquid and it curbs the cravings some and helps to minimize the withdrawal symptoms. I'm still smoking though, just trading off from one to the other and going back and forth. I also can't take Chantix bc of severe anxiety. It's a struggle that I HAVE to overcome and I need to do it quickly. If my husband would quit with me, I think it would be so much easier.

[LaylaJ 17]

I haven't actually completely cut them out. I got down to a couple a day. My surgeon still did the surgery on 4-8-14 but not being able to quit cost me. I am at greater risk for blood clots due to the smoking and my BMI of 60 so I had to take those blood clot preventative shots in my stomach while I was in the hospital. They were painful!!! I was released from the hospital today and have to take a blood clot preventative by mouth for a month which is a lot better than the shot but I still wouldn't have to have it if I could have just quit smoking. I couldn't take the Chantix either due to my anxiety. I wish I would have found a way to quit somehow. Best of luck to all of you who are trying to quit.

[Abry 28]

Okay guys I am so nervous. My surgeon told me to quit smoking that he would put off my surgery if I didn't. I tried really really hard but occasionally I still smoke. I've been smoking for 5 years. I went to the doctor to seek help to quit and he wouldn't prescribe Chantix for me due to other medications I take and I couldn't do the patch. I go tomorrow to sign my consent papers and have my last visit before surgery. I'm terrified he is gonna tell me that I have to wait. I know I should have buckled down and tired even harder but I have made progress I went from smoking a pack or more a day down to maybe 2 or 3 cigs everyday or every 2 days or so. Has anyone else had this problem? Did your surgeon put your surgery off due to smoking?

I did the same and was sleeved 4/2 and I haven't had a smoke since but before surgery I couldn't quit it's easier and important to do it after

[NittanyLion 4]

I am sure you understand why you have to quit smoking, right? Same reason why we need to stop caffeine. Both caffeine & nicotine sharply increase the risk of stomach ulcers. When you are left with 15% of your former stomach, ulcers are a very big deal.

For the love of yourself, don't move forward until you conquer this and any of the other prerequisites. It is a hard enough journey when you have met the prereq's, you don't need to add more risk.

[crashkaers 7]

I was never told about caffeine. In fact I was allowed as much caffeine during my liquid diets as I wanted. Pretty sure quitting coffee would have been harder for me then smoking was.

[JCP 619]

My surgeon requires his patients to stop and it was part of our lab work. I think he requires 3 months but I'm not sure of that. He is very strict so I know if any caffeine showed in the final labs, he would delay it. I was delayed a month due to anemia.

Edited December 26, 2014 by JCP