surgery and smoking

I have finished all of the requirements before my surgery. I only have to stop smoking! I have been a pack a day smoker for years....its hard. I was wondering about the urine test. I was looking at the e cigs to try and help step down. Does anyone have any info on the urine test?

 Sorry but the only way to pass the  test is to stop smoking.  They test for a by product of nicotine, which you still get from the gum, e cigs, and everything else that has nicotine.  It is hard but you can do it.

Well, they are aware that I am using the patch, so I am not sure how that will work. I was told, they can tell the difference in the patch and actual smoking, who knew?

It is in the difference of the levels of the byproduct.  I had to quit too and it was hard but doable.  Have you tried to ask them to prescribe chantix?

I cant take Chantix, not with all of my other meds.

You might try a hypnotist to stop smoking. That's what I resorted to in 1991 to stop--meds like Chantix were not commonly available back then. It worked for me--but you have to WANT to stop smoking.  I must tell you that stopping smoking is WHAT you need to do prior to surgery. I know at least 2 post ops who stopped smoking prior to surgery, but only temporarily. They began smoking a few weeks post op and they both ended up with severe bleeding ulcers that required major surgery to fix.  One guy was around 50 and had a really hard time recovering. The 2nd example was a younger woman, around 22-23, who ended up with 6 surgeries within one year. Her dad told me her last trip to the hospital she was spitting up blood, and she had 6 bleeds in her ulcer. DAVE

They actually test your urine for cigarette smoking? I used an e-cig, but I am going to send you a private message.

They did a blood test on me and I had to have no ciggarettes for a week to pass it.  Hope this helps.

there's a book called The Easyway by Allen Carr. It kind of unbrainwashes you. Seriously, it may just be a book, but it's a miracle worker. Allen Carr has clinics all over the US and has a 98% success rate.

I was a pack and a half smoker for 30+ years, quit on Jan 2,  2012... Did Chantix for one month then cold turkey...
I had previously tried Wellbutrin but had a sezure on that... so did the Chantix but only for the short time.... I wanted to buzz in on the ecigs
My husband also quit smoking except he was not as motivated (or should I say stubborn) as I, he used an ecig to help him quit. After my surgery in July I still had cravings for cigs as all my co-workers and the rest of my family still smoke. Hubby gave me one of his ECig's and I use it to stave off those cravings. Although since I went through the trouble of quitting smoking I DID NOT want to be a slave to nicoitine any more.. so I use the ecig with the non-nicotine liquid... It works and as a long time smoker I know how hard this habit is to break, I do recommend these ecigs or as my hubby calls them "Not a cigarette... a personal vaporizer" You can get the liquid with nicotine then slowly reduce the nicotine over time til you break the nicotine addition...

Good Luck... YOU CAN DO IT!!!