Question:
How are you handling no smoking pre-op?!

Is anyone else having a problem with no smoking prior to your surgery? I am looking forward to surgery and am optimistic about everything necessary for the weight reduction. But, this no smoking is a REAL problem! Seeking help &/or advice!!    — BILL M. (posted on March 7, 2002)

March 7, 2002
Funny you ask this. I quit this past Monday, exactly one mo. before my date (4/4) as required by my doc. I am wearing the patch and am vascilating between not really noticing it and wanting to smoke so bad that I am ready to rip people's heads off - and start smoking them!...I have told myself that I only have to do this for a month to help ensure a complication-free WLS, then I can start back...Now, hopefully I will have discovered the joys of breathing at that point, and won't want to start back. I know it sounds weird telling myself that, but I have to psych myself out...I know I can handle anything for a month! But, you know, as I was telling my roomie my theory this am, he said something very salient: "You are in the process of reinventing yourself (as a healthy, vital, THIN person), and part of the new Rebecca is that she doesn't smoke..." Hmmm...good food for thought. I may as well go all the "weigh" with this...Anyway, sorry for such a long answer, but thanks for asking this question.
   — rebeccamayhew

March 7, 2002
I just wanted to respond by saying that I quit smoking on January 28th of this year. My surgery us scheduled for March 20th. When I decided to quit I had been smoking for 14 years and was so afraid that I couldn't do it. I bought a box of the gum and only chewed 5 pcs out of the whole box. I kept telling myself that this surgery was more important that killing myself more and just kept my mind on other things. I know that it is not that important for other people to do that was just my experience but I wish you the best of luck and know it can be done. Even if it is long enough to get the surgery and then start back up. From what I hear if you up until the day you go on for surgery it will hurt more as far as the breathing goes when you come out of the anestesia. Don't quote me though!! Best of luck to you....
   — Tammy B.

March 7, 2002
I can completely understand. I smoked for 15 yrs. and quit Feb. 1st. My surgery is Mar.22. I had gotten a prescription for Wellbutrin and also used the nic gum. I found that I really didn't use that much of the gum. The Wellbutrin took the edge off. I didn't have the "I want to rip someone's head off" cravings. It helped with those. There were times that I got a sudden urge to smoke and it felt almost physical. Almost painful! lol That's when I would use a piece of gum. I guess I used the gum for the first two weeks. I didn't even use the whole box, and when my month supply of Wellbutrin ran out I didn't get it refilled. I've been doing fine without it. Each day gets better. At first I was obsessed.I would even dream about smoking! I kept telling myself (like the other poster) just til surgery, then I can smoke again. Of course I have no plans on starting again. I want to reclaim a healthy life with this surgery and smoking would defeat that goal. Plus I try to think long term, I've seen the devastating effects of smoking on my father and other elderly family members. Some cannot even do simple daily tasks because they get out of breath. They constantly use inhalers. That kinda scares me, even though I know if it were not for this surgery I would still be smoking. I will admit that I've noticed my sense of smell is better. I breathe better and my sinuses are not always stuffy like before. I notice the smell of smoke more now. When I'm around my friends that smoke I can really smell it on them, but it really doesnt bother me for them to smoke around me.I also do not preach to them. I always hated to listen to an exsmoker get on their soapbox. Good luck on quitting...you can do it.
   — Amanda J.

March 7, 2002
I tried to quit smoking before my surgery and I just couldn't do it. I managed to cut way , way, back. The night before my surgery was when I smoked my last cigarette. Iam almost 3 months out and I haven't smoked at all. I never thought I could do it but I did. I was so pre-occupied with recovering from this surgery that I could care less about the smoking. Now that I am feeling alot stronger and the cravings for cigarettes are alot stronger but the urges go away. Sometimes I will stand next to someone who is smoking and after smelling the smoke for about 5 minutes I have to leave the area. That usually holds off the cravings for atleast another week.
   — Laura G.

March 7, 2002
I am having the same problem. I don't have a date yet, but it will be sometime in May. I travel a lot and not smoking in the car is a BIG problem. I have switched to ultra lights and cut back about 1/2. I figure that's better than what I did before. But my surgeon will ONLY operate if you are 1 month smoke free, so I am running out of time. Well, I have a feeling I will quit, but then start up again after surgery. Don't anyone flame me! I know it's bad, etc., etc. I am going to try lollipops next! Good luck, you're not alone!
   — emilyfink

March 7, 2002
After smoking for over 20 yrs i was shocked when my surgeon said he would NOT do the surgery if he even thought i was still smoking. His partner had actually cancelled a surgery the morning of it because he could smell smoke on ther person. Okay how did i do it? I threw away all my ashtrays, made my home smoke free, that included my husband having to smoke outside (he is a smoker). I told my friends i had to quit! They have listened to me talk about this surgery for a yr now and i think they are tired of it lol. My biggest problem was in the morning, my habbit was aol, cig and coffee, well i quit drinking coffee, that was a MAJOR trigger to smoke. I chewed on straws instead lol, pen caps anything that i had on my desk lol. I can honestly say i have not smoked a cig in over 2 months now, and i am having my surgery at the end of april. woooooooooooohooooooooo hang in there you can do it!!!!!!!!!!
   — tinalivesay

March 7, 2002
It's funny my surgeon asked me to quit and I didn't. He said that I was making it hard on him and he did not want to loose a pataint. Well I had my operation and on the way home from the hospital I asked my friend who picked me up if I could have a smoke. I lit it and took a drag it tasted awful. I haven't smoked since. crazy huh???
   — Robert L.

March 7, 2002
I quit about three weeks before surgery, I am now 6 weeks post op. I hate to be negative, but the worst is yet to come, I have never wanted a cigarette so bad. I was fine until I was released from the hospital, not eating, not getting around so well, felt terrible. What do you do when you feel that bad? Well, I did one of two things: I ate or I smoked. Eliminate both and you come to the brink of insanity. I have not smoked since January 2, 2002, but I want one everyday. It has gotten better, stay strong, your lungs need all the help they can get.
   — Karen E.