Smoking?

Are there any smokers out there who didn't actually quit smoking prior to surgery?

I know all the drs i went to about surgery actually test you for smoking and will cancel your surgery. i don't smoke but if i did i would stop prior they say it causes problems with healing.

I'm curious about this test that they do... I'm guessing tho, since you're a non-smoker, you probably haven't been tested? Please let me know if you have, and what the test is, or what exactly they're testing for. Thanks for your info too! Take care.

Actually I have had it. My insurance company Cigna does the 6 month smoking test because our premiums are higher. Its a saliva/ whatever else the get out of the rubbing the inside of your jaw test. Lol I work for the government so shoot no telling with big brother.

My revision was somewhat of an emergency.  My surgery was about a week after I saw my surgeon.  He urged me to quit but didn't test me or anything.  I was still smoking when I had the surgery and I can honestly tell you it was a nightmare.  My oxygen levels were terrible and they had to supplement me.  I was so out of it I thought I was going to die.  They were talking about sending me home with oxygen.

I quit while I was in the hospital and a little while after that but started again.  I had an incisional hernia that my surgeon wouldn't repair because he said that 100% of smokers who had hernia repairs got hernias again.  I quit again, had the surgery, stayed quit for about nine months.  Got another hernia, quit again, had the surgery again, stayed quit for about 10 months this time.  I started again, quit for several months, started again and quit again 3 months ago.  This time I have no urges or cravings and I am hoping it's for good.  Whenever I quit before I always had cravings, made worse by being around smokers.  What has helped is using an e cig with zero nicotine liquid.  Whenever I thought about having a cigarette I took a hit of it and the urge was gone.  After a while I realized I haven't used it in quite a while but I keep it around in case I get cravings again.

Smoking is a ***** to quit, believe me, I know, but what really pushed me to quit is going to funeral after funeral of close friends, most around my age, and every one of them smoked.  Sharon, Jim, Peter, Judy, Mary and Cheryl, all gone, if not directly from smoking it was complicated by their smoking.  Sharon had breast cancer and it looked like she was beating it but she got sick and developed pneumonia, brought on by smoking and her weakened immune system from chemo.  Peter, Judy and Mary all had cancer related to smoking.  Jim had a lot of health issues complicated by smoking and Cheryl from COPD, brought on by smoking.  All gone way too soon because they smoked.  When we smoked in our younger days we felt invincible, like those things only happened to other people.  Now as I get older and see it happen to so many I know I realize that I am not immune and it could well be me as them.  It really does kill and it doesn't just happen to someone else.

Thanks for your info. I had never heard about the 100% of smokers who had hernia repairs got hernias again. I had a hernia repair approx 5 years ago, and smoked for another 4 years after... and didn't get another hernia. So this particular fact has me very intrigued. Of course it makes sense...

I still crave smoking, but I think mostly because I enjoyed smoking. I was only a moderate smoker and often and a very light smoker... but mostly because I enjoyed it. Sure, I miss it. I doubt I will go back to it, now that the cost of it has sky-rocketed to being one more thing left to the stinking rich. I know it kills... but so do cars, yet we get into those everyday... sighs. I'm sorry to hear that you've suffered so many deaths close to you that resulted from smoking issues.

Thank you for your input, info and concern. Take care.

What has helped me with cravings this time is the e cig.  I got the kind where you add your own liquid and I use a tobacco flavored liquid with no nicotine and it really satisfies the cravings.  I also quit due to cost more then anything, in spite of the health risks.  The e cig tastes like the way I want a cigarette to taste without any harshness.  The first few weeks I used  it frequently but after a hit or two I was satisfied.  Over the past few months I found that I rarely use it.  I don't even keep it with me anymore.  I have gone days without even thinking about smoking and other times when I think I want a cigarette and a puff or two of the e cig takes care of that.  I told my doctor about it and they don't have an opinion either way.  I haven't heard any negatives about them but I am sure I will.  But even if there were negatives it would still be better then real cigarettes.

I do want to warn you that the e cigs don't really help you quit smoking, at least not me.  They helped me after I quit to deal with the cravings so I wouldn't start up again.  I am pretty good at quitting.  I've done it a hundred times ;)  It is staying quit that  I have the problem with.  So far, so good as far as not being tempted.

Really 100%. I may have to start smoking after surgery  smoking=hernia=Tt and ins pays ching ching. lol

nah i hate smoke but its tempting

Smoking doesn't cause hernias, it just makes it more likely to have a hernia return after surgery.  I am pretty sure he said 100% but it could have been something like 90%.  All l I know is he said the risk of a repeat hernia is very high when you smoke.  I can understand that because smoking does affect healing.  He may have thrown that number around to scare me.  I did return to smoking after my second hernia surgery a year and a half ago and I still didn't get another hernia so who knows.

And, in spite of 2 hernia surgeries I couldn't get a tummy tuck without paying close to what I would have to pay without the hernia surgery, just a little less off the operating room and anesthesia, not enough to make it worthwhile :(

darn Well at least im glad you cleared that up for me before i started chain smoking. lmfao

Cigna paid for mines and xh in 2001 because we had to have hernia repaired so the also did the muscle work.