Question:
my surgeon says i have to quit smoking for at least 6 weeks before she will do surger
has anyone else been told that? and why do i have to quit smoking?? — breezyberi (posted on June 10, 2001)
June 9, 2001
Before any major surgery if you smoke you are told to quit. There are
additional risks associated with smokers when surgery is preformed. Your
lungs are under a lot of stress because of the anesthesia. My lungs felt
like I was recovering from bronchitis after surgery, they felt congested
and I found it difficult to take deep breaths I would imagine smoking would
just make this condition worst.
— Laura R.
June 9, 2001
Almost none of the surgeons will do surgery if you are smoking. Man, I
relate! I smoked for 13 years and quit last year (thank you - 30 more
pounds I didn't need!!) Please, please quit before your surgery. It would
be so tempting to keep smoking - I know - because it is addictive. But
your health depends on your STOPPING NOW. Your healthy lungs are critical
to your surviving and recovering from surgery. Just think of yourself
without all that extra weight -- it's way better than a cigarette today!!!!
Good luck to you.
— blee01
June 10, 2001
Just an FYI--if you think you can fool your surgeon into thinking that you
have actually quit, you can't. They will many times do arterial blood gases
to check specifically for this. If they find unfavorable results, and
suspect that you are still smoking, then your surgery will be cancelled. I
know this must be hard, but it is very important that you follow your
doctor's recommendations. It's not because he wants to torture you, but
it's for your overall health and best interests. He wants to give you a
quick and healthy recovery.
— [Anonymous]
June 10, 2001
Yes, I have been nagged and asked this question from the surgeon, other
doctors and head nurse constantly whether or not I was a smoker or if I
ever was one. I dabbled in smoking when I was a freshman in high school
(and that was like 17 years ago...and they wanted to know how much, when
and how I quit..further more, they documented that info into my chart! Odd
huh??? Anyhow, they have to be sure you won't have any breathing
complications during and after surgery. Deep breathing is one of the major
things that will have you do once you awake to help clear the lungs out.
Being a smoker will count against you....I found in my booklet that if you
are a smoker, just cut down as little as possible..if you quit, that will
just help you out in the long run at the end and you will be grateful for
the effort I am sure. Good Luck!
— [Anonymous]
June 10, 2001
I smoked and basically quit six weeks before my surgery but I cheated and
bummed a cigg from my friends now and then and from my hubby when he was
home for a weekend before my surgery and when they asked me a thousand
questions the morning of my surgery I told the nurse honestly that the last
cigg I had was the morning before and that I had bummed a few from friends
the previous week... She said she wouldn't tell the surgeon that or he
would cancel my surgery... WRONG!!!!! She did tell him, and I was never so
embarressed in all my life. He came in and lectured me in front of my
father (who thought I had quit months previous)
and threatened to cancel my surgery right then and there!!! He was very
upset with me and didn't hesitate to let me know it! He is an excellent
surgeon and knows whats best for me and my recovery was ten times harder...
Even in the hospital, the girl next to me did great, never smoked, compared
to me. I couldnt even get out of bed on my own until the night before I
went home! Now two weeks later I have had bronchitis for a week and
struggling with that ontop of my recovery. It's not fun hacking and
coughing and feeling like you will come apart at the seams, litterally!
Please for your own good, quit and I mean dont sneak and have one here and
there, your only cheating and hurting yourself!!!!!!!!!!!!! You can do it,
YOU deserve this!!! (((BIG HUGZ))) Renee Donalson
— Renee D.
June 10, 2001
You are the only one who can decide which is more important: smoking or
live-saving surgery. Seems like a pretty easy answer to me!
— [Anonymous]
June 10, 2001
Smoking is VERY bad for your health. Of course we don't truely understand
this because we don't actually see what goes on inside of our bodies. (kind
of like, out of site, out of mind). Before you go into the surgery, you
need to be as healthy as you possibly can. Nicotine will be in the same
blood streem as well as the anesthetics. You're docter knows way more than
you do!!! Trust his or her opinion! Why don't you call your docter or
nurse and ask them why you should stop smoking if you still don't see the
risk. Maybe you should research smoking on your own and learn exactly what
you're doing to your body. Plus, if you do continue to smoke, I'd wait
until you reover and start feeling really well before you do it again. ASK
YOUR DOCTER! You do have a right to know. Good luck with everything!
— [Anonymous]
June 10, 2001
It has been proven that smokers dont heal as rapidly from surgery. In
Canada there are many procedures that are not performed on smokers because
they just dont recover as well and there are non smokers who would benefit
more from the procedure that can go first.
It has come to this! So now it is up to you. Plus as already mentioned the
recovery from anesthesia is compromised as your oxygen transfer is reduced
because you dont have as many available alveoli as they are clogged with
tar and nicotine.
Doctors these days are statistic oriented and they would rather operate on
people who statistically going to do better with this procedure. They want
to be able to tell new patients that they have a very low mortality rate
and a low rate of complications.
Good luck with quitting smoking and your surgery...you can do it!
— SusanMaria
June 10, 2001
There is a SUBSTANIAL increase in the risk of pneumonia after surgery if
you are a smoker. The dr states six weeks because this is how long it takes
your lungs to actually do some recovery from the damage smoking has done to
them.
— paula B.
June 10, 2001
Smoking reduces blood flow in the small blood vessels that your body uses
for healing after surgery, so healing time and pain will be greater.
I heard theres a new drug out that once taken makes a cigarette taste like
burnt rubber, perhaps tht could be of help?
— bob-haller
June 10, 2001
I highly recommend that you quit smoking prior to the surgery as your
surgeon has asked. My husband and I both had Open RNY. He smoke for 20
years but quit 4 years ago. I have never smoked. His recovery was slower
than mine and he had to have 3 respiratory therapies each day because of
the
damage that smoking had previously done to his lungs. Smokers are more
prone
to pnemonia and other problems.
— Liz G.
June 10, 2001
Hi Kim, My DR. did advise me to quit smoking before surgery. I'm sure glad
I did, because after surgery I did develop fluid in my right lung & a
fever for 2 days and I did stop smoking 2 months before surgery. I was a
smoker for 35 yrs & let me tell you it's not easy to stop. I wore the
patch for 2 weeks & I haven't had a cigg since. I feel 100% better. So
listen to your DR. & quit. You don't want any added complications. GOOD
LUCK!
— socco58
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