Smoking and appointments......

 So I've been smoking for about 13 years now and I've read on this amazing site of very helpful people that a lot of surgeons will not operate if you smoke (I definitely understand why). Since deciding about going through this process after lots of reading on this site I knew I had to quit for the right reasons so the day I spoke to the doctor about a referral I also asked for champix. I've read lots that surgeons won't operate unless you've quit for 3-6 months (some require a different length of time) so I wanted to start the process of quitting straight from the gate right after I read this. As of now I have quit. I've also read that if you say you quit at orientation they will not start booking your other apointments until (let's say) you have not smoked for 6 months. My question is I haven't smoked for 2 weeks and my orientation is April 27th, do I say I recently quit or that I don't smoke? Technically both are true but will it delay the process even more if I say I recently quit?

Congrats on quitting! It is tough but hang in there

It's hard to say, different centres have different policies but generally you need to be smoke free for 6 months at the time of surgery. This may or may not move your appointments back. Don't sweat it, just be honest if they ask and keep on track with being smoke free.

Thank you! Definitely one of the hardest things I've had to do especially when it was the thing I went to when I was stressed out or upset and now finding things to keep me busy and my mind off of smoking.

Congrats on quitting! That is awesome, keep it up. 

I quit about 9 months ago, when I got my referral. The first appointment I had was with the nurse, and as a part of the blood and urine testing she/he orders, they are testing to ensure you have not smoked for 6 months at least. So, ask at the orientation - they are going to find out anyway when they do your tests! 

Don't sweat it too much. Be honest, they will press you for specifics, ie "Have you ever smoked? When was your last cigarette?" Most likely you will have at least 6 months smoke-free before surgery either way so makes sense to be honest. They DO randomly test you for nicotine so you have to be off all nicotine supplements as well (ie gum, lozenges), just FYI, because the urine test can't differentiate between nicotine gum and a cigarette ;) 

For me, being "forced" to quit smoking was the best thing that ever happened to me, and I've told the people at my centre that.

If you lie and they find out through testing it will not look good in your record. They may then question your committment. I have found that being honest with them works in your favour in the end

I plan on being honest as I don't want to make myself look bad if they find out I just recently quit. I've read that people quit smoking 2 weeks before they had their surgery but people are also saying smoke free for 6 months before you even have all your appointments to get surgery. So how do people still smoke and go through all of their appointments? or is it just that every program is different?

Can they really tell how long you have been smoke free if the nicotine is out of your blood and urine after 72 hours .I know they say it can be a little bit longer depending on how much you smoke. 

Nicotine can clear your system in a relatively short period of time but its metabolites can take a couple weeks to clear. Congrats on quitting! Keep it up, it will be one of the best decisions you ever make.

Congratulations to you and your decision!  With this kind of positive outlook, you will be very successful in your journey!

Congrats on quitting some centres also test you for smoking as well.