Question:
I have heard that you have to quit smoking
my question is why do you have to quit, and is their anyone out there that has had it that smokes now? I really dont want to be a snot about it, but right now my cigs are the best thing after a meal. maybe if im not eating that will go away also.. thanks — melissa K. (posted on May 24, 2004)
May 24, 2004
I had my surgery in October of '03 and I quit for 8 mos. Well, stupid me
started smoking again just recently, about 5 mos. ago. For the obvious
reasons, you shouldn't smoke, and of course, when you are going through a
surgery like this, as with any other surgery, it is easier to breathe
following surgery, if you quit first. But, as far as it affecting you post
surgery, I find no problems with smoking now(when it comes to the surgery),
but if you can quit, that would be the best way to go.
— Donna F.
May 24, 2004
Smoking besides all it known risks causes severe troubles for WLS patients.
Leaks, ulcers, poor healing, excess coughing, bloodclots just to name a
few, and many are killers. WLS is done to get healthy. Many surgeons test
for smoking and will cancel surgery if the patient hasnt quit. This is a
good thing they want you to survive surgery and do well.
— bob-haller
May 24, 2004
I had to quit for at least 6 weeks before. And my surgeon did a blood test
to make sure. Also the healing process would be longer. And what I didn't
know is smoking creates stomach acids, and you don't want that going on
after WLS. Its has been tough but I gotta stick to it. I did WLS for
healthy reasons.
— DJJCHARRIS
May 24, 2004
My Dr. would not do it if I smoked. He has done patients that did smoke and
still do. I heard that it has to do with the anasthesia and your lungs. It
is easier to get pneumonia after surgery if you are a heavy smoker, that is
why they have you do the deep breathing and coughing after surgery to get
everything out of your lungs so you don't get pneumonia. I hope this helps.
— neumjake
May 24, 2004
I am not a smoker but had severe complications including not being able to
breathe. Quitting depends on your doc. Some will blood gas you before to
make sure you've quit. If you don't quit, then do some good aerobic
exercise for a few mos pre-op to get your lungs strengthened. I think
smoking should be up to the person.
— mrsmyranow
May 24, 2004
Well, because it lessens the risks for complications. I had a buddy that I
met through this site. We were in the hospital together...she had her
surgery the day before mine. After surgery she was unable to get the
spirometer to go very high and she had a few other complications related to
breathing. They didn't allow her to leave until the day after me...If the
Dr. requires it, it's not to spite you...it's for your health.
— Morna B.
May 24, 2004
Well duh. If you are smart enough to know that being fat is bad for you -
you should be smart enought to know that smoking is bad for you. Why would
you continue to punish your body after doing something to save it? Flame
on. I can take it.
— JAFMartin
May 24, 2004
My surgeon also informed us that smoking also harms the skins
elasticity(sp) and we need all the help we can get. But yes more
importantly you need to be able to breath and breath very well after
surgery. I think it standard practice to have a spirometer near by after
surgery!
— davesband1
May 24, 2004
This isn't a "flame" site, Julie. While you're certainly entitled
to your opinion, please try to be as human as possible while conveying it.
There's no need to "Well, DUH" anyone. I don't smoke, but I have
asthma, and it was hard breathing after surgery due to that. Anything you
can do to make it easieron yourself is reccommended. Good luck!
— jenn_jenn
May 24, 2004
Smoking causes your body to heal slower. (bad) Smoking causes your lungs to
recover slower after general anesthesia. (bad)<br><br>I smoked
for 10+ years prior to WLS, and quit 6wks prior to. I had no issues with
breathing after surgery. I started smoking again (like an idiot) a few
weeks post-op. I had to have surgery again a year later to re-do my RNY
and remove and ulcer. (I'm sure smoking didn't help the ulcer) That surgery
was not planned and I did NOT quit prior to. I again had an uneventful
recovery. <br><br>The requirement to quit lies with the
surgeon, check with yours. Mine didn't care either way. The craving for
cigs will not go away because you are not eating....LOL I found they
increased because I wasn't doing anything with my mouth. :(
— RebeccaP
May 24, 2004
Hi Melissa,
It was required by my surgeon that I was smoke free for 6 weeks before
surgery. I had surgery on Dec 10, 2003 and I'm still not sure what kind of
tests she did to make sure I was smoke free. But, they had tried to move
my surgery up twice and I hadn't quit yet. They wanted to do it in
September and when I told the nurse I was still smoking, she said they
couldn't do it. So, I quit on Sept 23, 2003. Granted, this is one of the
most stressful times in your life and for smokers, ciggies are a stress
reliever and help calm your nerves. But, I haven't had a cigarette in 8
months and 2 days. Granted, there are times, I'd kill for one, especially
since food is no longer my crutch, but at 5.00 bucks a pack, NO WAY!! If I
am in a stressful situation, I think about it, but won't do it. Then, when
I smell the smoke on my co-workers after their breaks, they stink! I
looked at quitting smoking as the first step in my WLS journey. I want to
have a baby once I reach goal and don't want to be smoking, harming an
unborn child. As for the reasons to quit in relation to surgery, as
everyone as mentioned, breathing afterward and healing. I'm not going to
preach to you, most smokers know the risks, but for surgery, try to quit
for the 6 weeks. Keep in mind, it takes 6 weeks to break a habit,
everything after that is withdrawl from the drugs in the cigarettes.
Before surgery, I chewed on straws, hard candy, pretzel rods, and tried to
stay busy. Drink lots of water! Good Luck with everything!
— Kathy *.
May 24, 2004
I have seen people get their date cancelled as our surgeon flat out refuses
to do this surgery on smokers - and they can test this the morning of, in
case they suspect. As most non-smokers know, whether you smoke that morning
or not, it's detectible. Trust me on that. My plastic surgeon won't operate
on smokers either. It's not for THEIR benefit - it's for the patient. Less
infection, less chance of complications post-op, less breathing problems
(like the little one- pnuemonia)... Why not take this opportunity to make
TWO fantastic life-extending choices?
— kultgirl
May 25, 2004
I quit in 1988 after 16 years of three packs a day. I guess I dont
understand why smoking is so important. I know its a hard habit to break
but if you are going to go through open or lap rny surgery why wouldnt you
want to live the best life possible. Smoking just doesnt fit in the plan -
exercize eating right even relaxation...do yourself and family a favor
--quit now it will be the best thing you ever do for your health - WLS is
second. In order to live a healthy live we all have bad habits to give up
and you can do it! Best wishes to you
— debmi
May 25, 2004
My Dr. told me that he would not do the surgery unless I quit smoking. I
had quit 4 weeks prior. I'm glad that I did because in the hospital it
felt like I was coughing up a lung, and that is not comfrontable when you
just had surgery open. But, now I feel I have to much time on my hands, I
don't hardly eat and I do not smoke. At least you save money. I do not
know about you but the hardest test is when I went out with my girlfriends
(who smoke) and I was drinking. Drinking and smoking goes together, I had a
couple of puffs but I did not start smoking again. My advice to you is if
you can quit, do it because the surgery is hard enough without adding
trying to breathe along with it.
— Sherry S.
May 25, 2004
Melissia, Hi I no its bad to smoke we all no that , But my Doctor did not
require that I quit I had to take a extra test since I was a smoker the
breathing test, and past. Its a a very bad habit which we all know and yes
Iam still smoking 8 months after surgery and 126lbs on the losing
side...........WHEW-WHOOO!!! If you can quit good for you, I since have
tryed but havent I wish I could but its so hard, I even tryed that smoke
away a few weeks ago and that didnt work either, well best of LUCK to you,
take care christine Clymire :)
— blainejrjeni
May 26, 2004
My surgeon required cessation of smoking within 6 weeks of surgery and did
test for it. His reasoning was that it slowed healing and increased risk
because of the respiratory problems associated with smokers. Recently I
got a new insight on this--my brother who's never had a weight problem, had
2 heart attacks. He's been a smoker for over 40 years and the main cause
of his heart attacks was that smoking decreases the elasticity of your
veins/arteries and makes you more susceptible to plaque forming on your
arteries--and that's what got him. We have this surgery to get healthy,
so I look on it as a start of a new way of life for those getting it.
Gotta go with the flow on this one!
— Cathy S.
May 27, 2004
Not that I want to sound preachy about smoking, BUT...
My mother-in-law had two "silent" heart attacks before having a
big one. She was always very active and seemingly healthy...except for the
constant smoking. She needed a five-way bypass. Two years after the
bypass, the scar tissue from the heart attacks caused her heart to quiver.
In a nutshell, she died, and was dead for about 10 minutes. They brought
her back to life, but with serious brain damage.
The point of this story is that her heart troubles were partially
attributed to smoking. She is a shell of her once vibrant self, and it's
getting difficult to remember her when she was "alive." Don't
let this happen to you!
— [Deactivated Member]
June 1, 2004
I tried to quit before my surgery, but was so nervous that I wasn't able to
fully quit. I smoked the morning of my surgery and the moment I got home.
I healed just fine. Best of luck to you.
— kb0lqx
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