Smokers!!!

hello everyone,

i am interested in WLS and have already completed my first step... Doctor referral !

i have a question : are there any smokers out there?

Was wondering if quoting is an absolute requirement . Is there anyone currently smoke after their surgery ? 

Of course, I hope to quit but in case it doesn't happen does that mean no surgery?

Many doctors will test you for nicotine before surgery. If you have any trace, they will cancel you and alert your insurance who will likely never pay for your surgery again. If you're committed to your health, stop the cigs. It's hard, but until you can do that surgery won't be the best answer. Smoking after surgery causes major health issues. 

i have a friend that did wls she smoked befor surgery but was trying to quit she did end up still getting the surgery but ur doctor  might be different ..i understand  smokin is hard to quit but if u want to start a healthier life with wls u might as well go all the way with ur health it can be dun i was a smoker from when i was 13 and now im 30 i have been smoke free for over a year now im glad i kicked it  i still crave to smoke now and again but once i smell a smoker it a turn off and i remember why i quit it also helps with mind control for ur wls you quit all the bad foods so that u dont go back to old habits and gain ur weight back u have to learn that u are in control not ur bad habits

I meet my doctor that did my surgery at the very beginning. He told me that he will not do surgery on a smoker. He said that smoking can cause us to have ulcers and that is very dangerous for those of us that have wls. I was so happy I had already quit in 2009

My doc would operate on anyone who smokes. You have to be 3-6 months smoke free before they even set up a date for you. 

Cleveland Clinic tests for nicotine before surgery and during pre-op requirements.  They will not perform surgery if you test positive within 3 to 6 months of your date.  Smoking increases your risk of blood clots during/after surgery and ulcers afterwards.  WLS and smoking just don't go together.  

I have been smoke free for nearly 10 years.  I used to be a 3 pack a day smoker.  Don't "hope" to quit.  QUIT.  You can do this.  

If you could only do one thing for your health, give up smoking and stay fat!  Smoking is way worse for you than being obese.

I smoked for 25 years and gave up 13 years ago - two years before my surgery.  There are many ways to quit now - get help from your doctor before this becomes an issue for you.  As an aside, my 50 year old smoker sister has terminal lung cancer.  Not sure how old you are, but 50 is no age to die!

I think there are 3 reasons we are told No Smoking.  First, it's bad for the health.  Second, it slows the healing process. Third, it stimulates the appetite.

Quit now, before the nicotine test is conducted. I quit smoking in June 2014 with the help of an e-cig.  I started out on the same nicotine level as my real cig.  I gradually tapered down the nicotine level until I reached 0% nicotine, which is just air.

There's a woman in the support group I went to who had RNY and refused to stop smoking.  As a result, she kept getting ulcers and having serious pain and problems.  Her surgeon finally "fired" her as a patient because he got tired of her not caring about her health and got tired of having to deal with the damage she was doing to herself.  

Seems pretty scary.  

During my pre-op class the nurse scared us away from smoking by telling us about complications that are more likely to occur if you smoke after surgery. She had a patient who smoked, and that person's intestine fused to their abdominal wall. It took months and months to heal. I would never suggest that anyone go ahead with surgery if they won't quit smoking first.