Question:
did anyone smoke before surgery? how long before, and did you want to smoke at all?
I stopped smoking on January 7th 2003. Although I feel like I want to smoke I haven't broken down. Every time I go to the hospital they ask me if I stopped smoking and it is driving me crazy! I want a cigarette, but I can't and it is making me extra, extra nervous and anxious! Please Help me... — Tawana M. W. (posted on March 13, 2003)
March 13, 2003
hey good job and stick with it! if u havent screwed up be proud and dont! i
smoked up til the nite before luckily i did great but i have since started
again :( just tell urself hey if i wat i can start back AFTER my surgery
— christine S.
March 13, 2003
Yep... smoked up until 6 weeks before surgery. At that point I had to stop
or they wouldn't do the surgery. Yes, I totally wanted to smoke during that
time. What I did was use the Nicotrol Inhaler which is similar to the patch
and that it delivers small amounts of nicotene but it is in a
"cigarette" type form so you can "smoke" it. It really
did help and I found that I used it a lot less than what was recommended. I
did get permission from my Dr ahead of time though because I was still
putting something into my lungs. He told me if that was the only way I was
going to be able to quit the cigarettes then that was the lesser of two
evils. I made it through surgery well although my oxygen stats were very
low for the first two days post op and I had to be on oxygen. Keep strong!
It really does make a difference even though the cravings tend to override
it. Too, If being asked if you have stopped is driving you nutso then ask
the hospital to note it in your record in LARGE letters so that nobody will
make the mistake of asking again. Good luck!
— daytymer
March 13, 2003
I smoked the all the way up to the day of surgery. My surgery was at 2pm
and i had a cigarette around 12:30 that day. But also no one ever told me
to quit, my surgeon nor any nurses told me i needed to quit. Me,
personally, I didn't have any problems afterwards either. Good Luck.
— Sunny4x4chick
March 13, 2003
Hang in there. You want clear lungs for the surgery.
If you are having open rny... you'll have a scar that cuts through your
diaphram and breathing will be a bit painful. Coughing will be something
you'll dread since it puts a lot a lot of pressure on your incision and
hurts like hell in the beginning. The cleaner your lungs the less the
coughing. Just my 2c
<p>Take Care, Be Well, Be Happy!
— John T.
March 13, 2003
Hello! Yup, I too smoked up until mid-January when I quit FOREVER! You
are doing great, and believe me, I know how difficult it is to quit right
before having surgery...there is more stress right now than ever, huh! But
you are doing it! Of course I still want to smoke from time to time, but I
won't! This surgery is a fresh start, and I can choose to remain fat and
smoke, or quit and have this surgery. I chose the latter. However, ask
your surgeon about smoking after the surgery as someone had responded
earlier. My surgeon has gone into great explanations about smoking pre-
and post-WLS surgery. He has explained that smoking after WLS surgery can
cause marginal ulcers where the intestine is connected to the new pouch.
It may sound awful, but this info has put enough fear in me to remain a
nonsmoker....whatever works, ya know?!? LOL Go figure...the thought of lung
cancer didn't stop me, but wanting this surgery so bad and wanting to
succeed at this surgery has. Good luck in your upcoming surgery! You are
doing great...hang in there!
— [Deactivated Member]
March 13, 2003
Hi, Tawana!
I know it sounds really strange, but you might ask your "higher
power" for help to get you thru this. I quit almost 12 years ago, was
a 1 1/2 to 2 pack a day smoker, and I couldn't have done it without His
help. I found out later, that many former smokers did the same thing. I
didn't even start up again after my husband passed away 11 years ago. You
CAN do it! It's never easy to do something like that, cold-turkey. Good
luck!! My surg. date is coming quickly (March 24th) Will get back to you
after I get back to work. Sue-Ellen
— Sue-Ellen J.
March 13, 2003
Tawana, I smoked up until surgery, although I had cut down. Big deal
though, still coughed up a lung and alot of blood while in the hospital
after LAP RNY. Afterwards I didn't feel the urge to smoke for a few months.
Then it crept back up on me, and now I do socially again. BAD IDEA! I wish
I never gave in to that temptation. I know it is hard, but as time passes
it will get easier and easier to stay away from it. COngrats on quitting,
it is so difficult, but will sustain your life so much longer. Goodluck to
you!
— Lezlie Y.
March 13, 2003
hi there :) i too was a smoker pre op, surgeon required to stop atleast 2
weeks before. im not a heavy smoker. it was a tough time to quit with all
the nerves going thinking of everything. one thing i did , i went and
bought a bag of baloons and blew them up all the time to give my lungs a
really good work out. i think it helped, i had no problems at all and the
nurse even made a comment on how good the oxygen level in my blood was and
that i was obviously not a smoker. im not saying this will be everyones
case as everyone is different, i can only speak for my experience. i was
worried it would be hard on me but i was ok, i also freaked a little as
there seems to be higher incident of blood clots no only with obese but
smokers as well. im greatful all went good, i was able tl stay quit for a
month after then started again, my bad!!! best of luck to you and do try
the baloons its inexpensive and gives the lungs a good work out! :)
— carrie M.
March 13, 2003
Tawana, I smoked for about 25 years, since I was in my teens. My
brother-in-law had triple bypass heart surgery in April 2002, he had lived
with my wife and I for several years, so we were close although he was 10
years older than I am. When I walked in the CICU after he got back from
surgery, with him hooked up to the resperator and all the other tubes and
hoses, I could not hold back. I had said for years that I wanted to quit,
BUT I made up my mind that miniute! I don't know if you are religous or
not, but let me tell you this. I have been fairly religous all of my life,
and I know that if you ask him and you are serious he will help you, all
you have to do is pray. I asked the Lord to help me to quit and after that
ever cigerette that I smoked tasted a little worse and a little worse. And
every time that I smelled someone else smokeing it almost made me throw up.
Two days later I smoked the last cigerette that I had in my posession and
before I had smoked half of it it tasted so bad I couldn't finish it, I
throughed away half a cigerette. I stoped at the next gas station and
bought $25.00 in bubble gum. I can not stand to smell anyone else smoking
anymore, and I don't even want one either. I just chew my bubble gum and
blow my bubbles. And thats from a 39 year old! Good luck and God Bless!
— Grady E.
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