SMOKERS!

IS THERE ANYONE OUT THER THAT SMOKED BEFORE SURGERY AND AFTER SURGERY? IS THERE COMPLICATIONS ? JUST ASKING

I have not had surgery yet, but I have heard that you have to quit smoking in order to be eligible for surgery.  I quit and have not had a cigarette in 8 days.  I have been using an electronic cigarette with very low nicotine to get me through and eventually I will have to give that up as well at least before and right after surgery.  You have to consider what nicotine does to your blood vessels.  You don't want that in your system when you are preparing for surgery or while you are healing. :)

I am a cigar smoker and quite 2 weeks before! Do yourself a favor and quite.

I quit about 6 months before my surgery. I started up shortly after, and am trying to quit now. I'm going back in tomorrow because we're worried about an ulcer. Smoking can definitely cause complications. I had to quit to qualify for surgery. I regret starting back up because it's soooooooooo hard to quit now.

Smoking makes it extra hard on your lungs post op which can lead to pneumonia. It also makes you more prone to blood clots which if they get to your heart or lungs can be deadly. And long term it just ain't worth it, I smoked for over 30 yrs. Ten years ago I could ride 20 miles a day on my stationary bike and had no weight issues, today I have to use oxygen to walk 20 feet to the car and have gained 100 lbs. So I guess it depends on what kind of life you want 20 years from now, had I realized how badly it would affect me later I definately would have put more effort into quitting years ago.

I hear you im in the same boat I feel you !!!

Hislady - your words hold so much meaning to me! In 2004 I was in my Dr's office with another case of bronchitis and he told me at that time "I have been a doctor for 20 years and in all that time I have had a handful of patients who smoked that got lung cancer but ever patient I had that smoked were on some type of oxygen when they were in their 60's, what quality of life do you want"? That was it, I quit the next month and have never looked back. At the time I had smoked on and off for 30 years.

I quit smoking about a year ago.
You need to quit before you even think about surgery. It is not only because of your lungs. Nicotine affects so many other organs. My surgeon will do blood work, and if there is any trace of nicotine, he will pull you off the bed and cancel your surgery. He's that serious. He doesn't want patients risking their lives, and wasting his time, when they're going to get ulcers by smoking. The ulcers cause you to bleed out, or cause leakage.

Consider it a test on how strong-willed you will have to be with your post-op lifestyle.

You CAN do it!!

give it up.  you are undergoing a major surgery to help with your eating issues and save your life.  do the same for your lungs and help avoid cancer.  quit now.  you wont be able to smoke before or after surgery (or you will greatly increase your chance of dying from surgery), this is your opportunity to quit

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO POSTED..ALL GREAT ADVICE. PRAY FOR ME!