Nicotine test
Hello All - I am scheduled for surgery on Feb 7th and my surgeons office called and they want me to come in and do a chest xray and some other bloodwork before my surgery.. I have a feeling they will do a nicotine test. I am currently a smoker (don't hate on me please I plan on quitting today actually) but my question was how long does it take for nicotine to leave the bloodstream so that It wont show up on a nicotine test if they give me one?
Surgery date - February 7, 2013
I'm not sure. Why not just ask your doctor if he is ordering a nicotine test and if so, how long in advance you need to quit smoking?
Kelly
Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor. Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me. If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her. Check out my blog.
Why are you nervous about admitting that you've been smoking? Is there some reason your doctor would think you don't smoke?
Kelly
Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor. Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me. If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her. Check out my blog.
It shouldn't push back your surgery date. If it was important to him that you quit smoking sooner, he would have told you that sooner.
Kelly
Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor. Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me. If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her. Check out my blog.
About 7 days.... Well a friend passed the test with only having quit 7 days before and passed...sooo...take it for what it is I guess.
I know my center tells you to be smoke free for 6 mths before surgery.
Good luck.
Juls
Family Dr. 06/05/2012 Referral Received 06/28/2012 Orientation 08/01/2012 NP 08/27/2012
SW 08/28/2012 Nut Class 08/27/2012
NUT 10/01/2012 PS 10/01/2012
Surgeon Dr. Cyriac 12/07/2012 **SURGERY JAN 30, 2013**
I think you should just level with your doctor and tell the truth. There is a good reason to for this particular rule, and by not disclosing the facts, you could be risking you own health. You could also limit his ability to mitigate any issues that he might encounter, and that really isn't fair to him or his staff.
Kat
My surgeon requires 30 days of smoking cessation before the nicotine test, they test because the surgery is elective and smoking depresses lung function and circulation, a risk he is not willing to take. If I would have tested positive for nicotine my surgery would have been pushed back a month or more, a risk I was not willing to take. I would imagine that your surgeon would have been upfront with you if they had a no smoking policy. I quit smoking a little over a month before I had surgery, continued not smoking for two months after surgery. There is a higher risk of ulcers in smokers and poorer circulation. I had been smoking again for the past three months, but quit again six days ago with Chantix (any lengthy quit I have had in the past has been coupled with Chantix, not for everyone, but works for me).
I personally would like as much blood flow going to my skin as possible, my doctor stated that if I maintained my quit that my skin would be more resilient (loss of 100lbs age 29). I also enjoy running and other assorted exercises, but I know (could feel) that the status of my lungs, per smoking, compromises my level of intensity.
