Any pre op smokers

[Stephy2014 16]

Did anyone smoke prior to getting your surgery date?

[ImsexyandIknowit 50]

I had to quit before they would even schedule me, It took me about a month until my test showed negative. Nicotine Cotinine (Urine) is what the test is, and you can get test strips on Amazon.

Unfortunately I stopped for 6 months and started smoking again. I am trying to quit for good

Good Luck

[Stephy2014 16]

Did you go back since you have had your surgery?

[ImsexyandIknowit 50]

1 minute ago, Stephy2014 said:

Did you go back since you have had your surgery?

Yes I did I am out 2 years from surgery I stated smoking 6 months after the surgery 😞

[Stephy2014 16]

It has been so hard on me. I am sure I will go back once surgery is done.

[I♡BypassedMyPhatAss♡ 806]

I read that smoking after gastric bypass increases risk of stomach ulcers. Just some food for thought.

[ShoppGirl 5,063]

I did not smoke immediately pre op but I was a past smoker. I just wanted to say that if you do want to quit and are able to quit for a couple of weeks for the surgery it gets much easier to choose to remain that way. You have to want to do it but if you do, don’t sell yourself short just because it’s hard in the beginning. For me it got easier every day I went without.

[FutureSylph 377]

I smoked for over 50 years before my surgery. Quitting cigarettes (14 months ago) was by far the hardest thing about this entire process, but also the best thing I've ever accomplished. I still miss cigarettes every single day -- but I'm more determined than ever not to smoke again. Now I'm breaking the chains of morbid obesity, too. I'm all about the freedom, baby!

[I♡BypassedMyPhatAss♡ 806]

Wow! That's awesome! Congrats on an amazing achievement!

[Smanky 752]

I smoked from the age of 14 (I'm now 50) and finally quit about 2.5 years ago. This was after a decade of using Patches which would work, but then I'd go out for drinks with friends and wind up buying a packet, that then turned into a couple of days back on the cigs before trying to quit again. And endless cycle.

What finally worked for me was going to my doctor and being prescribed Champix (Varenicline). It killed the desire to smoke, and the nausea was a fantastic deterrent after the course. I would threaten myself with another course if I touched another cigarette, and the nausea memory really kept me in line.

When I had my surgery, I was about 2 years cigarette free, and my surgeon is ADAMANT that I stay away even from other people smoking because of the ulcer risk. And I've had ulcers since surgery, and... yeah they're not fun.

Anyway, as an ex chain-smoker who really struggled to quit, I cannot praise Champix enough. Worth a shot if you want to quit and haven't tried it.

[I♡BypassedMyPhatAss♡ 806]

29 minutes ago, Smanky said:

I smoked from the age of 14 (I'm now 50) and finally quit about 2.5 years ago. This was after a decade of using Patches which would work, but then I'd go out for drinks with friends and wind up buying a packet, that then turned into a couple of days back on the cigs before trying to quit again. And endless cycle.

What finally worked for me was going to my doctor and being prescribed Champix (Varenicline). It killed the desire to smoke, and the nausea was a fantastic deterrent after the course. I would threaten myself with another course if I touched another cigarette, and the nausea memory really kept me in line.

When I had my surgery, I was about 2 years cigarette free, and my surgeon is ADAMANT that I stay away even from other people smoking because of the ulcer risk. And I've had ulcers since surgery, and... yeah they're not fun.

Anyway, as an ex chain-smoker who really struggled to quit, I cannot praise Champix enough. Worth a shot if you want to quit and haven't tried it.

Congrats on being a quitter! 🤗

[Smanky 752]

3 hours ago, WhispersOfAngel said:

Congrats on being a quitter! 🤗

Thank you! My lungs have never been so pleased.

[ms.sss 15,757]

I was smoke free for 10+ years before surgery (I was a pack a day smoker for about 20 years before that).

Then at around 1 year post op, I had a stinkin' cigarette while on vacation, and have been quitting and un-quitting ever since...for the past 2+ years. Ugh.

So my advice would be try as hard as you can to not pick it up again once you put it down (yeah, i know, easier said).

P.S. The first time i quit for the long haul was surprisingly easy: I had moved to a different country for a year where the cigarettes were ridiculously expensive compared to back home, so I just stopped. It helped, i think, that I was in a different environment so there were no habits nor routines to continue, you know?

Good Luck! ❤️

[Stephy2014 16]

14 hours ago, Smanky said:

I smoked from the age of 14 (I'm now 50) and finally quit about 2.5 years ago. This was after a decade of using Patches which would work, but then I'd go out for drinks with friends and wind up buying a packet, that then turned into a couple of days back on the cigs before trying to quit again. And endless cycle.

What finally worked for me was going to my doctor and being prescribed Champix (Varenicline). It killed the desire to smoke, and the nausea was a fantastic deterrent after the course. I would threaten myself with another course if I touched another cigarette, and the nausea memory really kept me in line.

When I had my surgery, I was about 2 years cigarette free, and my surgeon is ADAMANT that I stay away even from other people smoking because of the ulcer risk. And I've had ulcers since surgery, and... yeah they're not fun.

Anyway, as an ex chain-smoker who really struggled to quit, I cannot praise Champix enough. Worth a shot if you want to quit and haven't tried it.

1 hour ago, ms.sss said:

I was smoke free for 10+ years before surgery (I was a pack a day smoker for about 20 years before that).

Then at around 1 year post op, I had a stinkin' cigarette while on vacation, and have been quitting and un-quitting ever since...for the past 2+ years. Ugh.

So my advice would be try as hard as you can to not pick it up again once you put it down (yeah, i know, easier said).

P.S. The first time i quit for the long haul was surprisingly easy: I had moved to a different country for a year where the cigarettes were ridiculously expensive compared to back home, so I just stopped. It helped, i think, that I was in a different environment so there were no habits nor routines to continue, you know?

Good Luck! ❤️

I have terrible anxiety so it is way easier said then done, I dont do anything else to relieve anxiety like some do(medical marjuana) but I am going to try what I can, I did try Chantex and it made me extreamly sick and I cant stand that feeling. But thanks all for the encouraging words. Kudo to all for quitting.

[FutureSylph 377]

7 hours ago, Stephy2014 said:

I did try Chantex and it made me extreamly sick and I cant stand that feeling. But thanks all for the encouraging words.

Yeah, I tried Chantix soon after it came out, but I couldn't handle the incredibly vivid nightmares it gave me.

I'll tell you what did work for me: I used nicotine lozenges for two months while I learned to break the habits of association between smoking and other activities (drinking coffee, finishing a meal, driving, etc.). Once those new habits were learned, the nicotine lozenges were much easier to give up than the cigarettes had been. Addiction was so much more than physical dependence.