R there any smokers????

Ok I've got a couple of questions/concern?? Did anyone smoke prior to having WLS?? if so did you quit prior to having surgery and if so how long prior to the Surgery? and have you started back smoking after having the surgery? I am/was a smoker and I quit in November, then started back again in March..but have quit again.. I'm happier when I'm not smoking but when I'm depressed or stressed I eat and smoke. So this is a battle of mine, I definately don't want smoking to interfer with my chances of WLS, so everytime I think of a cigarette I think RNY...but I fear after the surgery starting back...which I hope I don't, but it's still possible.

Hi Sonya, I am not a smoker, but I do know that many Dr.s won't do surgery on patients that do smoke. I don't know the effect that it would have post-op, except that it will greatly limit your ability to excerise like you will need to to follow plan. Good luck. Pat

Hey Sonya! I am not a smoker, but have several friends who were smokers prior to thier surgery. From what I have seen and heard, most doctor's require you to stop smoking at least one month prior to surgery. Good luck! Nancy

I quit in September not because of the surgery but just needed and wanted to quit...and it is still hard. in 2002 I had a breast reduction and I had to quit three weeks before he would do the surgery because of the healing. I quit three weeks exactly to the date. I was quit for 3 months after and then I had a very stressful day at work and it went all to hell. I hope I don't start back after surgery, we will see. Good luck on it G

HI... I quit on Dec 31, 2004! I haven't smoked since. I had my RNY on May 23, 2005. If I hadn't stopped smoking I would have never been approved. My doc wrote a letter to the medical director of my insurance company about how I was trying to improve my life. And after 3 denials I got approved. I must say that I am so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so Happy Happy Happy Happy Happy Happy Happy Happy Happy not to smoke!!!! Just stick with it...you can do it. Try Quitnet.com it is a great website! Jen

I am a former smoker , three years clean, okay I have a couple times cheated but it has been months since I have even thought about smoking. I think ALL or most doctors will not do this surgery if you smoke. So please try to stear clear of the little yummy Devils, smoking makes out pouches hard to heal , and we do not want that. Take Care

i quit 2 weeks before my surgery with the help of wellbutrin (zyban) but unfortunately i did start again after surgery. the pain meds i was on made me crave nicotine like nothing else in the world, and i couldn't take wellbutrin SR immediately post-op b/c the pill was too big. i made a new year's resolution and quit for a couple of months at the beginning of this year but i've since relapsed. my husband also smokes and he started back first, making it harder for me to stay quit. we're both back on wellbutrin now and i'm down to 2-3 cigs a day with our quit date being this friday. i didn't gain any weight when i quit earlier this year, but wellbutrin is known for having a side effect of weight loss, so that may have had something to do with it. i recommend it, i had a nervous breakdown the one time i tried to quit cold turkey, wellbutrin helps both with the cravings and the emotional stress of quitting. i wish i had known this when i had my surgery, but i found out that i could have taken an older, non-SR formulation which has smaller pills that you take more often during the day, i probably would have stayed quit if i had that support immediately post-op. good luck!