Question:
Smoking
My first post...here goes. I am a F/64 weight 200 5'5 BMI 33.3. I have been diabetic for many years. Take oral meds only. I have to lose my excess weight. I smoke and have for 50 years. There is NO way right now that I can stop. I need a surgeon that will work with me to rid myself of weight and my smoking. Has anyone here found a surgeon that will do the mini by-pass or any other weight reduction surgery on smokers. Have a pre-op seminar on 2/8 at Baylor Hosp. in Dallas TX. Please respond soon. Thanks kay — Keteth (Kay) W. (posted on January 27, 2005)
January 27, 2005
I am sorry you will likely have to quit. Besides the known risks of smoking
for WLS patients, leaks, poor healing, ulcers that are hard to treat, blood
clots just to name some. Most surgeons today REFUSE to do WLS on smokers
because the death rate is more. They do a smoke test the morning of surgery
too. If you do find a surgeon just understand your chance of dyying is a
lot more. Please quit...
— bob-haller
January 27, 2005
I'd suggest that you run (no walk) to PCP and see if you can get the
Wellbutrin Rx for smoking cessation, or at very least, clonidine patches (I
used thes when I quit).
You gotta stop smoking . . . most docs won't operate on you, and even if
they did, outcome is riskier.
Besides which, the last thing you want when adjusting to post-op life is a
cigarette jones! Talk about sabotage!
Good luck! :o)
— RWH G.
January 27, 2005
I have taken the time to answer your question, because I care. My ex., a
recovering alcoholic for 17 years, and 3 pak a day smoker, quit cold
turkey, 3 months ago. If he can do it, anybody can. You just don't want
it bad enough yet. You will, the day they tell you they have found cancer.
Then it will be too late. I watched my best friend of 17 years die of
brain cancer (it started in her lungs). She was a light smoker, also
diabetic. Aside from smoking, she took excellent care of her health. See
my profile a bit later today. I've written a bit about her, and not yet
posted it. Another thought. Forget about the mini-bypass. If you are
going to do it, have the regular RXY. I did not have that much to lose. I
am one month and six days out. Weight loss 24.5 pounds, from 214.5 to 190,
so far. Bless you. I hope you make the right decision.
— lindarodham6
January 27, 2005
Hun, unfortunatly it is not justthe surgeon who can refuse your WLS... the
anesthiologist carries just as much power, if not more. Part of the reason
why you have to quit pro-op is that you have to give your body a chance to
expell all the phlem that is sitting in your lungs due to the smoking.
Otherwise, after surgery you can do some major damage coughing that crap up
not to mention not being able to come off the respirator. At our hospital
surgery was performed on a WLS patient and she was never able to come of
the respirator, she is 5 weeks post-op and still on it in a medically
induced coma becuase her lungs cannot stay inflated on their own due to all
of the phelm and damage to her lungs.
— MagickalMom
January 27, 2005
Back in 1999 I had back surgery, and I was a pack a day smoker, I even had
a cigerette on the way to the hospital. All went fine with the surgery.
The surgeon and docs all knew I smoked. I had told them I coughed up
plemhg (excuse spelling) all day long, But Im actually not here to promote
your smoking, It took me about 10 years to actually quit. Where you said
"there is NO way right now that I can stop" thats not true,, you
should of said "I dont want to quit right now" because thats what
you mean. All of us x smokers know that. Its a hard thing to do, very
hard, but you can do it, Ive been smoke free for 3 1/2 years. Its one of
the best things I have ever done for myself. I quit cold turkey. I
thought I would never be able to quit smoking, but now I understand that I
never really wanted to quit back then, the day I said that I would never
have another cig has held up, you have really got to want to quit in order
to succeed. If you want the WLS bad enough and the surgeons and docs say
to quit smoking, then you will, if you dont, then you really dont want the
surgery. Im sorry for preaching, but I do wish you luck in your endeavors,
and hopefully one day you will want to quit smoking.
— Amy Hoffman
January 27, 2005
smoking interferes with your blood circulation and healing. It also makes
it so your lungs do not expand as well or absorb oxygen as well. It
increases your risk of blood clots and pneumonia post op. Of course some
people will smoke then want to sue the doctor when they have complications
brought on by their own destructive habits. (can you tell I am in the
health care field?) Give stopping your ery best shot even if only for a few
months preop and until you are fully healed post op. By then you might
even see that you can quit and enjoy your newfound health.
— **willow**
January 27, 2005
Honestly Kay if you really wanted to have this surgery done or any type of
weight loss suregery you would put your mind to it to stop smoking. I am
scheduled to have surgery on March 3 i found out i was approved on Dec. 28
2004 the day that i found out that i was approved i stopped smoking i
havent had a cigeratte since that day granted it hasnt been that long but i
used to say the same thing as you "i cant stop" but i want this
surgery and i dont want anything in my way to put a stop to it so i just
did it cold turkey i thought i was going to have a lot of withdrawal
symptoms i only had 3 really bad headaches for 2 days straight. So the only
thing that i can say to you is if you really want to have this surgery and
loss the weight you know you need to lose then you need to put your mind
to it and decide that you are going to stop on a certain day and i would
say when you dont have anymore cigerattes in your last pack and just dont
buy anymore and if cold turkey is to hard for you try to get some type of
nicorette or something like that but if your going to do it just do it.
Becuase even with this surgery it is a mindset you have to want it just as
bad. i hope i was of some help if you need anymore help just email me wish
you luck Tyshea From sicklerville
— TYSHEA PERKINS
January 28, 2005
At 200 pounds, and a BMI of 33.3, you do not qualify for WLS. WLS is for
morbiditly obese people. Forgive my bluntness, with 50 years of smoking,
and declaring outright there is NO WAY you will quit, I have to say, why
bother with the surgery?
— SpyderS
January 28, 2005
My surgeon did surgery on smokers. I quit because I assumed they all
required it from what everyone here said. Anyhow, the day of surgery I was
sooooo nervous that I shared one with my hubby. I told my surgeon and he
said to me "I never told you that you had to quit. It's not a big
deal."<br><br>Your problem will by getting insurance
approval with such a low BMI, sorry to say. ~~REbecca
— RebeccaP
January 29, 2005
Rebecca didnt you go back to smoking then get a hard to treat painful
ulcer:(
— bob-haller
February 6, 2005
Yes Bob, I have battled ulcers ever since I had my surgery and yes, several
weeks following surgery I did start smoking again. However, the poster
asked about surgeons that performed surgey on smokers, not on whether
smoking was detremental to ones health.
— RebeccaP
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