question

Hello all, I was wondering if anyone can tell me if it is true that smoking will cause your staples on your pouch to weaken? I know smoking is bad for you in general. Just was wondering Thanks Beth

Boy if that's true I'm in a whole lotta trouble. No. Smoking can do a lot of things to you/us...but it shouldn't have ANY impact on your staple line. however, you should discuss this concern w/ your doc. Hugs, toots

Don't know about the staple weakness but Dr. Peters said that smoking has alot to do with excessive scar tissue formation. That can cause several different problems. Plus it makes you look old. Why on earth would you have MAJOR SURGERY to loose weight and continue to smoke!!!????? I will never understand that. Especially now that my Uncle was just diagnosed with Lung Cancer that has spread to his liver. They're doing chemo ONLY to shrink the tunors in his lungs to help his breathing. There's nothing they can do to save him. This is the 2nd Uncle I will loose to smoking related lung cancer. If you are smoking do whatever you can to stop now!!! Take it from one who has seen it up close and personal. Lung cancer is a horrible death!!!!!!! Very painful!

Beth Brett Gordon, former Phys Asst at CHRIAS, used to tell me that smoking causes the staples to desinigrate! I thought that was odd, scare tactic. Dianne

Hi Beth, Just my 2 cents on the smoking issue. It's pretty much a fact that smoking can irritate or stimulate ulcers and smokers heal slower than non smokers and face more risks in general...sooooo...I would conclude that IF someone were developing a staple problem or infection of some type, than smoking would slow or hinder the healing process in some way. I think I'd err on the side of NOT smoking. I was a smoker for more years than I care to remember. I had one long term quit of 5 years than relapsed into smoking for another 3 years....I've since been quit again over 3 years because I stopped six months before I even called to inquire about having gastric bypass. I figured if I couldn't commit to a lifestyle change and not smoke, then I couldn't properly commit to the lifestyle changes after surgery. I am pretty much a hardass about the subject because I feel like why bother to do all the work of gastric bypass just to go ahead and light up another smoke. You really can't half ass a commitment to better health and in this day and age all the information we have regarding smoking and it's effects...if a person smokes then you basically get what you ask for. Nothing ****** me off faster than someone who whines and moans about being sick all the time, or who has direct smoking related problems, who still lights up! It gets to the point where ok, it's a choice and if someone makes that choice, be prepared to live with the results of that choice. I'm not directing this at you, just making general observations. I felt this way before but now it's magnified about 100 times since I find myself facing a possible cancer diagnosis ( not lung ) Linda