pre tests

Hello All, I was wondering when the best time is to have the pre surgery testing done. Is it better to wait until as close to your surgery date as you can? Or, is it better to have it done well in advance, like a week or two? Also, are these the tests that check whether or not you are off cigarettes? Thanks Mousie

I had my surgery at Hurley in Flint. They scheduled my pre-admission testing for me. I think it was a few weeks before my surgery. The only tests I had were the breathing test, EKG and a bunch of blood work. I don't smoke, so I don't know if they test for Nicotine or not. Good luck! Tina

The surgeon's office is the one who decides when the pre-testing is I believe. You end up doing NUT consult, plus labs, (yes, they check for nicotine) and EKG and whatever else they feel is necessary. Mine was done on June 24 and my RNY was July 19, nearly a month later. And then I was on my own. I'd stop the smoking now. Only because they find out you are smoking they may just yank you from the date you have planned. Plus it can keep you from healing properly, and cause infections. The risks of nicotine far outweigh the possiblities from what you can be post op. What's more important? The weight coming off or that cigarette? Then you decide for yourself. I understand how smoking can effect a person because my father smoked 4 packs a day and he died February 15, 2006 of esophageal cancer that was so severe, he had 6 rounds of chemo and it did no good. Finally, he is resting in peace. It is not worth it to smoke seeing what he went through, so stop it as soon as you possibly can, and then proceed with surgery. SW