Question:
Requirements

Has anyone had dr tevenstine. I was wondering what his requirements for wls, some drs want you quit smoking and lose certain amount of weight    — jenn097 (posted on December 2, 2008)

December 2, 2008
Irregardless of the surgeon--wt loss attempt and stoping smoking are important. Loss of wt prior to surgery means the fatty deposits on your liver will be greatly diminished, makeing it highly likely you can have LAP RNY. Fatty livers sometimes make it impossible for the surgeon to do the LAP procedures Smoking is an irritant, put toxins into your system, may delay healing or cause ulcers to the surgical area. My surgeon gives a nicotine test. I spoke to a man who is having RNY on 12-10 and he just had to rush to get another nicotine test done. He's been "kicking the habit" of chewing tobacco--so any form of nicotine can cause problems. DAVE
   — Dave Chambers

December 3, 2008
Smoke and all it's chemicals are harsh on the pouch...It prevents healing properly too...ALL docs will prefer you quit, unless they just don't care...As for losing weight, well that's to shrink the liver mainly and make the surgery MUCH easier for them and SAFER for you...The liver is like a blood soaked paper towel...It tears so easily and bleeds profusely if damaged...Unfortunately it sits right over the stomach and in MO people is quite heavy and fatty...They need to be able to hold that thing off the surgery site without damaging it...Losing weight shrinks the liver making it easier/safer on everyone invovled! I lost only 10 lbs pre op and my surgeon was happy...I also had open RNY so everything was a little easier on the surgeon anyway! Open RNY is rare these days...It takes a LONG time to heal...Took me 6 months and I was NOT a smoker....So...there ya go! Do what you have to do to be healthy....I quit smoking and that was the hardest thing I ever had to do...even over WLS..24 years I smoked...I quit New Years Eve 6 years ago and never took even a puff ever again...I used the gum...and then weaned myself slowly off the gum...It took about a month and a half...before I was able to give up the gum too...Best thing I ever did...but I gained 80-100ish lbs...which is what sent me over the edge in health troubles and led me straight to WLS....There is NOTHING good about smoking...But if you are going to have WLS anyway...QUIT now!
   — .Anita R.

December 3, 2008
I think it would be a pretty safe assumption that any and all doctors you see about WLS are going to require you to quit smoking. I don't know who Dr. Tevenstine is so I can't help you with that. But I wanted to let you know that you might also want to contact your insurance company as they often have their own set of requirements. Good luck!
   — mrsidknee

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