should I tell my doctor?
OK, so I've been trying to quit smoking for the surgery and I was successful for two months, but I was around some friends recently that smoke and I sorta fell off the wagon. I'm supposed to be a month clean of nicotine for the surgery. My question is... should I phone the doctor and let him know, or should I just not mention it? Sorry if it seems like a silly/stupid question... it's just that I know people who have smoked and had the surgery and nothing happened to them. My surgery is scheduled for next Tuesday and I really hate the idea of waiting another month.
Thanks,
Malinda
Thanks,
Malinda
Was it a one time slip or are you back to smoking regularly? If it was just a one time slip then I don't think you really need to tell him. If you are smoking again then yes, you should postpone your surgery until you can quit again.
I know what I am talking about. My revision was pretty rushed. From the time I saw my surgeon until I was on the operating table was 8 days. My surgeon knew I smoked but I told him I would quit. Of course I couldn't quit. I really thought that after spending nearly a week in the hospital without cigarettes that I wouldn't start up again. I did. I told my surgeon that I was only smoking a few cigarettes a day when in reality I was smoking 2 packs a day.
After my surgery I had a hard time waking up. My oxygen levels kept dropping. I was put on oxygen but I was so confused after surgery that I couldn't think right. I could barely move I was so exhausted. I really thought I had some kind of brain damage because of my smoking depriving my brain of oxygen. My thinking was so jumbled I couldn't remember what day it was or where I was. I talked to my boyfriend that night on the phone and he told me later he was scared because I was talking so strange. I truly thought that I was going to need someone to take care of me because I couldn't walk. I have a teen age daughter and I was afraid of what would happen to her if I couldn't take care of her anymore. I regretted having the surgery because I thought it left me brain damaged.
Of course I did recover. But it took me a long time, months until I was back to normal. And of course I kept smoking. I felt guilty because I had promised my surgeon I would quit. And it was breaking me financially. I'm very low income and and I spent over $200 on cigarettes. I couldn't pay my bills. I finally got my doctor to prescribe Chantix and I managed to quit for about 9 months then I went back to it. During that time my incisional hernia popped out again. I had it operated on last April and I picked up a big baby and it came back.
My surgeon wouldn't operate on the hernia unless I quit smoking and he said he would test me. The reason for that is he told me that in his experience smokers who had hernia surgery had a 80% chance of it coming back.
I had to be smoke free for a month. I told him to go ahead and schedule the surgery and I would be smoke free and I was. I quit smoking again last Dec and haven't had a cigarette since. I used Chantix again. It's the only thing that works. I had such a hard time quitting that I swore I wouldn't start again. I never want to go through that again. I am so happy I am saving the money even though I do miss it. But I am an all or nothing person. No such thing as moderation for me with the things I am addicted to. So I don't go down that road.
Good luck to you in your quitting.
I know what I am talking about. My revision was pretty rushed. From the time I saw my surgeon until I was on the operating table was 8 days. My surgeon knew I smoked but I told him I would quit. Of course I couldn't quit. I really thought that after spending nearly a week in the hospital without cigarettes that I wouldn't start up again. I did. I told my surgeon that I was only smoking a few cigarettes a day when in reality I was smoking 2 packs a day.
After my surgery I had a hard time waking up. My oxygen levels kept dropping. I was put on oxygen but I was so confused after surgery that I couldn't think right. I could barely move I was so exhausted. I really thought I had some kind of brain damage because of my smoking depriving my brain of oxygen. My thinking was so jumbled I couldn't remember what day it was or where I was. I talked to my boyfriend that night on the phone and he told me later he was scared because I was talking so strange. I truly thought that I was going to need someone to take care of me because I couldn't walk. I have a teen age daughter and I was afraid of what would happen to her if I couldn't take care of her anymore. I regretted having the surgery because I thought it left me brain damaged.
Of course I did recover. But it took me a long time, months until I was back to normal. And of course I kept smoking. I felt guilty because I had promised my surgeon I would quit. And it was breaking me financially. I'm very low income and and I spent over $200 on cigarettes. I couldn't pay my bills. I finally got my doctor to prescribe Chantix and I managed to quit for about 9 months then I went back to it. During that time my incisional hernia popped out again. I had it operated on last April and I picked up a big baby and it came back.
My surgeon wouldn't operate on the hernia unless I quit smoking and he said he would test me. The reason for that is he told me that in his experience smokers who had hernia surgery had a 80% chance of it coming back.
I had to be smoke free for a month. I told him to go ahead and schedule the surgery and I would be smoke free and I was. I quit smoking again last Dec and haven't had a cigarette since. I used Chantix again. It's the only thing that works. I had such a hard time quitting that I swore I wouldn't start again. I never want to go through that again. I am so happy I am saving the money even though I do miss it. But I am an all or nothing person. No such thing as moderation for me with the things I am addicted to. So I don't go down that road.
Good luck to you in your quitting.
WLS 10/28/2002 Revision 7/23/2010
High Weight (2002) 240 Revision Weight (2010) 220 Current Weight 115.
Wow, you had quite an experience. Was that severe brain fog after surgery really nicotine withdrawal? When you put it that way it kinda makes sense that you wouldn't want your body going through too much stress at once (nicotine withdrawal and surgery).
To answer your question, at first I just smoked three cigarettes. Then I made the mistake that I'm still kicking myself for and bought a pack, which I promptly smoked in one day. That was Wednesday. I'm trying to quit again, but all the feelings from the beginning of nicotine withdrawal are starting to rear their ugly heads again. At first it's just: "Oh, I'll have this one cigarette," and then it's two, then three, then before you know it you're smoking again. Only I can't start smoking again because I have no money. Anyway, does Chantix really help with withdrawals? I've thought of trying it but I've heard it can make you suicidal and, being predisposed to depression, I definitely don't need that.
To answer your question, at first I just smoked three cigarettes. Then I made the mistake that I'm still kicking myself for and bought a pack, which I promptly smoked in one day. That was Wednesday. I'm trying to quit again, but all the feelings from the beginning of nicotine withdrawal are starting to rear their ugly heads again. At first it's just: "Oh, I'll have this one cigarette," and then it's two, then three, then before you know it you're smoking again. Only I can't start smoking again because I have no money. Anyway, does Chantix really help with withdrawals? I've thought of trying it but I've heard it can make you suicidal and, being predisposed to depression, I definitely don't need that.
I believe my experience was because my oxygen level was so low. I was kept in the hospital because my oxygen level was so low and I couldn't leave until it was at least 94% or something.
The Chantix just killed the urge to smoke. I didn't exactly take it as directed. I just decided to take it and keep smoking. You are allowed smoke for one week with Chantix but I kept smoking. What happened was after two or three week I noticed I was smoking a lot less. By time time I was taking it a month I was down to about a pack a day, which is nothing for me. Then it was less until I was only smoking one or two a day and that's when I quit. It still was hard because the mental urge was still there but physically I think the Chantix affects the receptors in the brain that is gets pleasure from cigarettes or something like that. All I know is it helped me quit. The last time I took it for a few months before I saw my surgeon so when he told me I had to quit to have the surgery I had no problem giving them up.
The worse part of the Chantix for me was the weird dreams. Not necessarily bad but strange and vivid and I would wake up kind of disturbed. Other then that I didn't notice any changes. I also suffer from depression and it didn't seem to affect that.
Please do yourself a favor and call your surgeon and reschedule your surgery. It really is risky to have surgery while smoking. The difference is amazing. With my hernia surgeries I recovered very quickly as opposed to how long it took with my revision.
The Chantix just killed the urge to smoke. I didn't exactly take it as directed. I just decided to take it and keep smoking. You are allowed smoke for one week with Chantix but I kept smoking. What happened was after two or three week I noticed I was smoking a lot less. By time time I was taking it a month I was down to about a pack a day, which is nothing for me. Then it was less until I was only smoking one or two a day and that's when I quit. It still was hard because the mental urge was still there but physically I think the Chantix affects the receptors in the brain that is gets pleasure from cigarettes or something like that. All I know is it helped me quit. The last time I took it for a few months before I saw my surgeon so when he told me I had to quit to have the surgery I had no problem giving them up.
The worse part of the Chantix for me was the weird dreams. Not necessarily bad but strange and vivid and I would wake up kind of disturbed. Other then that I didn't notice any changes. I also suffer from depression and it didn't seem to affect that.
Please do yourself a favor and call your surgeon and reschedule your surgery. It really is risky to have surgery while smoking. The difference is amazing. With my hernia surgeries I recovered very quickly as opposed to how long it took with my revision.
WLS 10/28/2002 Revision 7/23/2010
High Weight (2002) 240 Revision Weight (2010) 220 Current Weight 115.
It's not only the risks that ladytazz describes. Smokers have a harder time with wound healing and are also much more prone to ulcer formation (which we are all at greater risk of getting post op - smoking only amplifies that).
I know the thought of delaying surgery is very painful but honestly if u r back to smoking u r putting yourself at additional risk and I would really suggest u think of your long-term health rather than short-term delay. After all, isn't this why we r doing this surgery?!
I know this is a hard journey but hopefully the long-term rewards are worth it.
Andrea
I know the thought of delaying surgery is very painful but honestly if u r back to smoking u r putting yourself at additional risk and I would really suggest u think of your long-term health rather than short-term delay. After all, isn't this why we r doing this surgery?!
I know this is a hard journey but hopefully the long-term rewards are worth it.
Andrea
RNY February 2012
starting BMI 40
I absolutely think you should speak to your surgeon about this. I also think you should consider postponing your surgery until such time as you are 100% confident that you can comply with all requirements for surgery.
If you're already breaking the rules and you haven't even had surgery yet, I question whether you're actually ready to make the commitment required to be successful...
Please step back and don't just look at the smoking, but the entire big picture here.
This surgery takes a full and solid commitment on many levels. Do your actions, thus-far, actually reflect that you are ready to meet the commitment required?
I would tell my surgeon but if it was just a one time slip up be sure to let him know that. If you restarted smoking again he does need to know. I have been told that smoking increases your risk of blood clots. I don't smoke but I am literally the only one in my family that doesn't. So of course I am the one who one ended up with blood clots in my left leg from my toes to the top. I was supposed to get off my warfarin this month but they performed an ultrasound on my leg while I was in the hospital last week they discovered I still haven't broken it all down so I have a lovely three more months on the warfarin, which makes me sick to my stomach.
So please tell your doctor, but make sure that it was just a one time accident! I hope it all works out well for you and that you don't end up delayed. Let us know how it all worked out for you.
So please tell your doctor, but make sure that it was just a one time accident! I hope it all works out well for you and that you don't end up delayed. Let us know how it all worked out for you.
Met my first goal, met my second goal, met my surgeons goal. Now I have a new goal!
I don't want to seem harsh....but if you take this surgery serious you will be smoke free
I would not even talk to the sugeron, my choice, till I was 3 months smoke free....I had surgery April 11th after being 6 months smoke free, that was best thing I could of ever done....not only for health but this surgery cost a little afterwards because of the change of eating.
Good Luck to you
I would not even talk to the sugeron, my choice, till I was 3 months smoke free....I had surgery April 11th after being 6 months smoke free, that was best thing I could of ever done....not only for health but this surgery cost a little afterwards because of the change of eating.
Good Luck to you
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