Question:
Does this test reveal if you have been off cigarettes for any certain period of time?

I am still struggling with quitting for good, I know I will for sure not smoke for 3 weeks prior to surgery. I just want to know if any kind of test will show that you didn't quit six months ago like you told the doctor you did. I'm afraid he will postpone or cancel surgery if he finds out, I've already waited 17 months for this and am about out of my mind with waiting.    — [Anonymous] (posted on September 22, 2001)

September 22, 2001
I too struggled to quit before surgery. There is no test to tell how long you have quit. But if you see a pulminologist they may be able to tell being they are lung specialist. The only real test to prove you have or have not been smoking is an Artierial Blood Gas which measures the level of carbonmonoxide in you blood. When you smoke this is elevated. However after about a week smoke free this should clear the extra carbonmonoxide from you blood. I did not quit until 2 days before surgery and let me strongly recommend you quit at the minimum several weeks before surgery. Coughing up mucus after breathing treatments in the hospital was agony.
   — Jennifer H.

September 22, 2001
Im sure this works the same way but...My mother has MS and has to have the blood gases checked periodicly and they can tell each time just how much she is smoking and how often due to the levels of Carbonmonoxide. Not sure if they check blood gases before surgery. I do have to agree with the last poster..coughing up flem after surgery is a pain in the butt but if your a smoker its far worse!
   — mastrnservnt

September 23, 2001
They can also take a nicotine level from a blood test. I know life insurance companies use it for policies on non smokers to make sure you are a non smoker!!! --
   — CohenHeart

September 23, 2004
I quit smoking almost two years ago, Oct.9, 2002, and when I had the pulmunary or arterial gas check, the doctor told me that I needed to quit smoking. This blew my mind because I worked so hard to quit and have stuck with it. Beats me!!!
   — Catherine D.