smokers???

Anyone out there who has had this surgery a smoker? As bad as I want this surgery I don't know if I can give up my cigarettes..............any help would be appreciated. :help:

Hello Sandra, Welcome to the board. I hate to be the one to tell you.... you will need to decide if you want to smoke or have surgery. I have never heard of any doctor that would do the surgery without quitting first. I am a former smoker and I understand your pain, I loved the little devils. Maybe your PCP can give you some of the new drugs that helps you quit. I myself just stopped cold turkey. Go see your doctor and find out what he/she has to say, and good luck my Friend I have gone from 312 pound to 222 ( this am ) , it is soooooooooooooooo worth quiting for this surgery, trust me , I feel better than I have in years. The Pug's Momma

Hi, well as you've already heard, most surgeons tell you to quit. My surgeon will not treat you if you smoke, but I didn't so it wasn't a problem for me. He told me he couldn't understand how a woman can go through a life-threatening operation and try to still kill herself from smoking. He's not known for being nice about things such as that! Anyway, I work with a girl who just quit to have the surgery and then started back. I tell her every day how dumb she is, she still has lots of medical problems and I don't know if the smoking is the cause of any of them, but she'd be better off without the cigarettes! Just think of it as a rebirth and how much better you'll feel. AND.....being a past smoker myself (I smoked from age 14 until my youngest child was 2 and diagnosed with asthma)......smokers smell terrible! Sorry, just being honest. Lynne

Smoking is a habit thats very hard to break, but its the same w/all other bad habits, you have to make up your mind to do it and then stick w/it. My doctor tells everyone in the educational meetings that he holds that one of the reasons you have to stop is smoking causes ulcers. After you have this operation, you CANNOT risk getting an ulcer. I myself am very glad I had the surgery and would stop smoking if I had to, to do it all over again. Good luck in your decision and God Bless! Angie

I quit about 2 years ago to have this surgery. I have to tell you though, I still want a cigarete all the time. It's been a battle for me but I know it was well worth it. I don't have that smoker's cough anymore and I don't get winded going up stairs anymore. If you can't quit smoking for the surgery maybe you don't have what it takes to be a good canidate for the surgery. This surgery is a major life change that requires alot of giving up of things..sugar, alcohol, carbs, and cigarettes amoung other things. Ya gotta just do it. Don't mean to sound harsh but maybe a reality check is in order. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

Sandra, I have not had surgery yet but have met with my surgeon. I too am a smoker and was very worried whether or not I could quit. He does not require that you quit but he did tell me that I needed to cut back as much as possible. I smoke 1 pack a day. I just think it would be more than I can handle to give up food and smokin: at the same time.

my surgeon did NOT require that i quit smoking. but he recommended it highly. the anestesiologist asked me to quit at least 3 days before surgery. i did NOT. he asked, the morning before surgery if i'd quit. i said yeah...this morning. he said..not good enough. but they did the surgery anyway. the strange thing is...the day before surgery i smoked a pack and a half of cigarettes...that's the last cigarette i've smoked, and that was jan. 15th, 2005...yup...a year and a half ago. and i havent missed it....AT ALL. there are surgeons out there who dont require that you quit. but they'll all recommend it. it's better for the healing process. the tissue heals better. good luck. blessings, paula jan. 15, 2005 320/207/160

Hi Sandra I was smoking for 30 years. I was up to 3 packs a day. When i went to orientation from my doctors they said right away. If you smoke, stop, if you dont stop, no surgery, he made me go for a nicotine test last week. I stoped cold turkey, my husband quit with me together and he smoked for over 40 years and had to stop cause of heart problems. I tried that smoker gum, but i almost vomitt on it. So i said heck no i rather quit cold turkey. And since i want to get healthy and cigarettes are not healthy and i am doing this surgery for my self so i can see my kids (2 - 3year old) grow up. We stoped on March 14, 2006 and it was not as bad as quit drinking sodas. Sodas almost killed me, lol. Give it up you will feel a lot better. Now i can not even be around a smoker and i have to gag. Well they say non-smokers who used to be smokers are the worst non-smokers. Good luck. My thoughts and prayers are with you.