worried......scared.....concerned........help me!

I am having sergery on monday! I am wanting to pig out for the last time but i am unable to becasue i have to loose a few lbs before . my sergon says that he wants to see a commitment to loosing weight so i have to loose weight and eat healthy stuff before. I am okay with that. I am concerned that he wont do the sergery if i dont loose in the next four days. I am excited for the day i come home from the hospital..and a year after the sergery. i just want it all to work out. I am having the lap RNY so does that mean that there is a tube in me? come on some of you alumni, help me. how soon after can i have a cig, if i want - i probally wont but willl it kill me immediatly, how soon after can i have a drink? wine? i am only 24 and i am very much a planner, i have a house and a wonderful soon to be husband, and i have a great carrer. i am just doing this so that i can begin my health life. but can i drink? soory went of on a tangent there. Just needed to vent. for those of you whom are here to help thank you so much for everything! God Bless!

Sara, I had Lap RNY and didn't have any tubes. All surgeons are different though. I don't know about the cigarettes and as for the alcohol, my surgeon says to wait 6 months. Good luck, Christie

I'm the bad girl. I had my husband take me out for a cigarette the wed after my monday surgery. I would hold off on the drinking for at least 6 months. Patty

HI Sara I know all people are different, but you should quit smoking before surgery. I know some are ok , but look what happened to me. my surgeon requires you to quit smoking 1 month before surgery, which i didnt'. i ended up in icu on a respirator for 6 days and am now home but hooked to oxygen for who knows how long. i ended up being there like 11 days. good luck to you. Linda

Hi Sara, I don't smoke, but I can tell you that the anethesia really affected my lungs. I had a lap RNY. I had an NG tube for 24 hours (every doctor is different on this). I was on oxygen for almost three days, and had difficulty breathing for 5-6 days after surgery. There's not much time for you to ween yourself off the tobacco, but you might want to consider using a patch while you're in the hospital and for the first week or so to help reduce the cravings while you're not able to smoke. Good luck to you!

Sara, If you really are committed to a healthy lifestyle and not going into this thinking it is a "quick fix", then you should have ALREADY quit smoking. This surgery is a COMPLETE lifestyle change. If you are completely changing your life for the better, Why on earth would you be worried about drinking and smoking? I personally had Lap RNY on the 4th. I woke up with 5 bandaids covering steri-strips on my stomach. I was hooked to an IV, had a heart monitor and a catheriter. All three came out the next morning and then I was started on ice chips and water. None of my incisions were big enough to warranty a drain. None of my incisions have top level stitches either. They are all sewn under so I just look like I have a scratch, no stitches or staples. Your doctor may do things differently and close you up the lazy way with staples. Your surgeon should have you visiting a dietician who can answer your questions about what foods and beverages you are allowed to re-introduce and when. Every dietician is different, every surgeon is different, and every patient is different. My surgeon and dietician state no alcohol for the first year. But they both advised me that they have patients who are five years out and still can't drink alcohol. You need to go into this surgery on Monday with the RIGHT ATTITUDE. You need to go in to the surgery on Monday knowing you will loose weight, but also knowing you will make a commitment to a healthy lifestyle. Be prepared to give up smoking and drinking. Be prepared to give up red meat, fatty foods, junk, sugar and white carbos (bread, rice, pasta). If you can't make this kind of a commitment to a healthy lifestyle, Call your surgeon and cancel, because you aren't ready. Leland Lap RNY 08/04/04 283/250.5/150

Dear Sara, I have to agree with Leland's reply on this one, but you're the person living in your body----so treat it like you want to. I gave up smoking years ago, after being up to 2-packs/day by age 16. It was hard, but eventually, the cravings and desire left me. I'm 40 now. As for drinking. I hear from other patients that they do that about 1 year out, but it ALWAYS makes them sick or regretting it altogether. Try it if you must, but be prepared to vomit! Leland had it right, though. This is a major LIFESTYLE change. Cigs and Drinking may need to be WAY DOWN on your "to do" list when you get home. Good luck with your goal. I hope you make it! LH Alabama