One month till surgery and still smoking

[ladysplenda 1]

This is hard. I have cut down but I wanted to quit by now.Going to talk to counsler Monday.Can't do this alone. It would help alot if husband did not light up around me.But I can only blame myself.

ladysplenda

[La_madam 20]

I smoked then and I smoke now, trying to quit 2 addictions at the same time is tough, once I get to my goal weight I will conquer this smoking addiction. I healed fine , my smoking created no problem for me with surgery.

[ladysplenda 1]

I am having a hard time giving up my COPING DEVICES.But I am at high risk for a heart attack being diabetic.no booze no cigs and no food SAY IT AINT SO tuff on me.

[PinkMary 3]

i'm smoking like .. Greek, i didn't have problem in anaesthesia,

but is in plans now to quit smoking.. but i can't do it right now..

it's too hard fighting for 2 demons at the same time..

i hope soon i ll have the attitude and the strength to do it

[tomorrowsdream 0]

Now is the time to quit. Take this advice from someone who smoked and had to have 5-way-bypass surgery 5 years ago. I have never smoked a cigarette since, but unfortunately I gained weight. Go figure. I'm just giving you a bad time. I recall everytime I was stressed I smoked, but I paid the price big time. Try using the patch. I had to go cold turkey but I was in so much pain from having my chest cracked open a cigarette was the last thing on my mind. I think my surgery is a few mo. away, but I wanted to meet some people on here and know what the surgery was like and what to expect. Good Luck.

[happypsychrn 0]

My surgeon insisted I quit the day I scheduled surgery. I've been a non smoker now for exactly 3 weeks. Get yourself some Wellbutrin or Zyban and use chewing gum, sugarless of course, after meals when the craving is the worst.

The doc also told me to blow up 20 to 30 balloons a day for 2 weeks prior to surgery. I appreciate his concern. I've had surgery before, in fact had my gallbladder out last year and the surgeon (different one) didn't mention it. This makes me confident I've chosen well.

Keep the goal in mind when you're quitting - you're going to be much healthier and thinner without needless addictions.

[Time to love me 0]

I don't smoke but I was asked by my doctor if I did smoke and I asked why, thinking he heard something in my lungs or my exam was abnormal. Anyhow, he told me that he refuses to operate on anyone who doesn't stop smoking two months before the surgery. I thought this was a standard thing for everyone.

Well, good luck! I'm sure it must be just as hard as losing weight. I could not imagine losing weight and quitting smoking at the same time. That seems like a double edge sword to me.

[Lynn B 0]

My doctor also expects you to quit 2 months before surgery and I gave it one hell of a try. I would be fine for days at a time (watching hubby smoke) then I would break down and smoke for a day and then be fine for a week. Needless to say during my 3 weeks of post op liquids I picked it right back up. I agree that fighting one battle at a time is hard enough but I do want to quit in the future.

I spoke with the anesthesiologist when I had my Gallbladder out on 8/18/05 and he said smoking does not affect the anesthesia but it can slow your rate of healing (I was fine) At the very least try to cut down or quit for a week before surgery and no smoking the day before according to what I have read.

Good luck,

[liannatx 897]

This is also an issue I am concerned with. I am looking at the end of this month for surgery and am a smoker. I asked my Dr. coordinater about it and she said that of course it is better overall to quit if possible, but that she was a smoker when she had hers done and that you just need to let your dr.and anethesialogist know. If you cant quit I think everything will still be fine.

[ladysplenda 1]

I have cut down. I was going to go see a counsler and 2 hours before the appt I found out he was not in network.

Thank's for everyones input.