Question:
Anyone smoking before and after WLS surgery?

I am awaiting approval from United Healthcare PPO insurance and promised myself that if I was approved for the VBG surgery I would stop smoking... Anyone stop smoking after their WLS?    — P F. (posted on February 10, 2004)

February 10, 2004
I quit smoking on 2/17/03. Not for WLS but to help improve my health. When I decided to have surgery I asked the surgeon what I needed to do to prepare. He said you already did it. Quit smoking! Some surgeons will not even operate on a smoker. If you're considering WLS do yourself a favor and quit now. I know it's hard but it will be worth it! Good luck!
   — y0maria

February 10, 2004
I was a smoker, and quit officially in late December of 2003, two weeks after my consult. Most prudent physicians and anesthesia docs won't operate on smokers...it is too dangerous. I am a pulmonary nurse, I of all people know better. I have taken care of many people who went in for routine surgeries (including WLS) and never got off the ventilator, largely because of smoking. I am only on post op day 5 myself, but I don't dare light a cigarette. I may never again have an opportunity to be smoke free for so long. Please quit before surgery.
   — Andrea L.

February 10, 2004
Hi, I had open RNY on 8/25/03. I was supposed to quit smoking before hand. I honestly did try to quit, but with no luck. After surgery, I could not even imagine having a cigarette. But, unfortunatly, 10 days after surgery, the cravings came back and I started up again. I am now trying like crazy to quit. I did not have any complications due to my smoking. But it is obviously better for you if you are able to quit. I wish you the best of luck with everything!!! 307/215/130
   — sara P.

February 10, 2004
I had no choice but to quit about 3mo before WLS b/c my Surgeon said he would not do it if I was smoking, he even checked my oxygen levels (ouch!). I was stupid and started smoking again a few months or so after my WLS and have been struggling to quit(I don't even like smoking, it's just a habbit and im surrounded by smokers), so far I quit a few days before my TT and have not smoked since and it's just been a few weeks. My Surgeon said I should worry about my little stomach getting ulcers or something worse and asked if I wanted to end up back with my old stomach. Made me scared lol, so im trying really hard this time. Good luck!
   — Sandy M.

February 11, 2004
I never told anyone this before, but when I first started my WLS joureny I was smoke free, I quit on my birthday 9 months prior to my first appointment. Well in May my boyfriend and I were going through somethings and I started smoking again. It was like food, it comforted me. Anyway, my surgeon was completely booked and I thought that I would not get an appointment until October so I figured I had plenty of time to quit again. Wrong. On Friday July 18th, the suregeons office called and said they had an opening for Monday the 21st would I be able to do it. HECK yeah! However I was still smoking. I smoked my last cigarettte on Sunday July 20th the day before surgery. Luckily everything turned out fine. The good thing is I had quit and had just recently started again, and I had only been a smoker for about a year and a half before I quit the first time (what idiot so may lungs were not THAT damaged. Have I smoked since surgery - HECK No! I will never smoke again. I honestly have not had a desire to smoke. I encourage everyone to stop smoking if you are having surgery. Give yourself a fighting chance. My advice: Stop now and you will have one less thing to worry about after surgery.
   — S S.

February 13, 2004
Sara...Are you my twin LOL. I tried to quit before my RNY (Lap). I couldn't do it, but did quit after surgery. This lasted a whopping 11 days. I wish that I could have quit for good. I am going to try to quit again this month. I know that it would be the best (medically) for me and my family. Not to mention, the money I would save and the horrible smell I would get rid of. I was lucky that I did not have any complications with my RNY, but I believe that my Plastic surgeries would have healed better had I quit. I wish you the best on whatever route you take. Good Luck with your surgery! Sincerely, Mary Beth
   — Beffy W.

February 13, 2004
I did - I stopped 4 weeks to the day before my surgery. After surgery, I went through such terrible withdrawals for food that it actually made the smoking unimportant. I also do a lot of cardio such as spinning or step that I absolutlely could not do if I smoked. Every once in a while I have a morning exercise class where my lungs just won't work properly and I feel like I just smoked a pack. When this happens I realize 13 years of smoking does a lot of damage and it makes me even more determined not to start back up. Good luck to you - take this opportunity to make a clean start! :)
   — Rachael B.