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9 days till op ,stopping smoking ??

Posted , 9 users are following.

khippie
khippie

My thr is in 9 days and as a smoker i am thinking of using the op and time after to quit smoking . Just wondering if anyone else has done so , and looking for any suggestions or advice please 

3 likes, 21 replies

21 Replies

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  • shirley17649
    shirley17649 khippie

    Posted

    Good time to quit. You won't regret it {or the op}

    Best wishes

    Shirley

  • Rocketman_SG6UK
    Rocketman_SG6UK khippie

    Posted

    Someone here asked their surgeon "what;s the worst thing I could do in myrecovery", his answer surprised her (and me),  "Smoke".

    So yes, good idea, it will improve your health, and think how much money you will save too.

    I did many years ago (1973), whilst acting as a codriver and mechanic on a rally car team in the UK.  There was so much petrol around, I didn't want to light up - when I got back I just thought that if I could do without it for the several days of the rally, then I didn't need it at all.

    Good luck with quitting smoking.

    Graham

  • khippie
    khippie

    Posted

    thankyou for the replies , i think i ll make a dr s appointment tomorrow and speak to him about help with stopping , i do feel its making good use of the time . also as i will probably be off my food for a while after op i wont want to eat instead of smoking , hopefully biggrin
    • AnnieK
      AnnieK khippie

      Posted

      Good for you and your body! I hardly had any appetite for the first 2 weeks after surgery, had to force myself to eat!
    • luvinlex
      luvinlex AnnieK

      Posted

      That's the first time I've ever heard anyone mention their loss of appetite. I'm at 11 weeks and I have not had an appetite since the day I go home. I buy the Protein pre-mixed drinks. Most have 28% of your daily protein needs and I always drink 5-6 per day. I don't know why I can't eat. I've gone to the store and bought things I like a lot. Then, it either rots in the fridge, fruit rots in the basket or frozen foods just stay frozen. Everyone seemed to ask me "how's your appetitie?" and I'd tell them I wasn't hungry... and hear the speech about why I shoul eat and what it should be. Sort of like people telling me "you should walk your dog more often" and know what's best for me when they are not me... I don't think I'm losing weight, I'm already thin. 5'9" and 135lbs. Not a lot of body fat to lose, but there is muscle that can be lost if I don't keep protein as a significant part of my daily intake. I still don't understand why I'm never hungry. I though it might be the pain pills that "killed" my hunger pains, but now I know it's not. Forcing yourself to eat is a horrible thing.. like you want to gag and spit out whatever you've just put in your mouth... If anyone knows about this... maybe I should start a new thread?
    • AnnieK
      AnnieK luvinlex

      Posted

      Yes, I think you should! It sounds like a very serious issue for you. Let's get the good forum people helping you out! My appetite is not nearly as good as it was before surgery. And for the first two weeks, blech, could hardly eat.

      Start that thread, my dear!

  • Gossip
    Gossip khippie

    Posted

    Best of luck. Great decision. I used e cig but dr will give u other nicotine replacement instead. Patches, pills etc. It's not gonna be easy depending on how much of a smoker u are. Best wishes x
  • luvinlex
    luvinlex khippie

    Posted

    I am also a smoker. I was told to quit before my surgery. ( they tell you that before any surgery - especially ones that are in your extremeties, because they want you to have a good blood flow and cigarettes will cause poor healing ). I spent about one minute thinking about it and decided, I was too nervous to quit. I worried too much about the procedure, and knew it was not a good time for me... It didn't effect my outcome. My surgeon actually never even brought it up.. it was on one of my many handouts. I know people will have their opinions, but to hear from another smoker is quite different than non-smokers. Non-smokers will always take a rather superior stance on the issue. Only because they don't understand how strong the addiction is for some people, not all. I applaud you if this is the point where you do decided to quit. I used Chantix when I quit and its like a miracle drug. Careful, when you stop taking it, you'll fall back into your smoking ways. I had my doctor write a RX that I get filled every month so I never am without that crutch of the drug. 

    It makes cigarettes not so "delicious" and also makes the brain not get that "happy satistfaction" when you do smoke. So.. it helps in two ways. You think less about cigarettes and then if you do smoke one, you get no pleasure. It's like magic. So, if you are trying to quit, I'd highly recommend using Chantix - I've tried so many patches, lozenges, accupuncture, cold turkey, gum... nothing ever worked until now. Good luck. and don't feel bad about yourself if you don't succeed, you need to focus on your surgery and recovery. Eating well and getting exercise. Those things you HAVE to do. If you can cut down before, that's next best thing to stopping. 

    • belleAUSSydney
      belleAUSSydney luvinlex

      Posted

      I smoke. Didn't while in hospital and it didn't bother me. But I used the whole unpleasant hospital experience as an excuse to light up as soon as I got out.

      I did quit for two years a few years ago. I had just left a job I'd held for 25 years and got a good payout, so I spent some on three hypnotherapy sessions. Stayed off the ciggies for two years until I left another job I had in Thailand. Leaving that one stressed me out so much I bought a five-pack from a street vendor and have been smoking since. Would love to go back to the hypnotherapist, but he's expensive and I can't afford it right now. Hopefully will get my business up and running soon and will be able to pay myself enough to do it.

    • luvinlex
      luvinlex belleAUSSydney

      Posted

      Isn't it strange how just ONE very stressful event will undo all the years of being a non-smoker. I had gone 8 year. Then, I decided I wanted a new car. Mine was pretty darn old VW rag top. VERY raggy. I made good money, didn't have debt... and had decided a Jetta wagon in black was exactly what I wanted, My live-in boyfriend or whatever you call them now "partner". He TOLD me, "you don't need a new car,and you are NOT going out and then having a car payment. You have a perfectly fine car". Well.. I left.. got the car... and went and bought a pack of cigarettes. I was SO nervous. Then, I never layed them down. Darn that stress and darn those bossy men. Hmmphrmp
  • renee01952
    renee01952 khippie

    Posted

    Hi khippie -

    How addicted are you? How many cigarettes do you smoke in a day? where do you smoke? and when ?   

    My surgeon never mentioned smoking to me, but the question was asked on the forms - I am a smoker ... 

    Like Luvinlex, I didn't want to add more stress by "trying" to stop before surgery -

    While in the hospital I had no desire to smoke - I could have asked to be wheeled outside (as a volunteer I know one can if desired) - I still smoke, but had to adjust my habit - I can;t smoke in the house anymore and ralized that, for me, it is habitual more than addictional - 

    For me it is important to not deny myself anything, otherwise I become obsessed with it - 

    Your surgery is in 9 days - If you are ready to quit smoking, do so, for yourself - 

    Smoking is more a habit than an addiction - 

    good luck darling - 

    big warm hug

    renee

     

    • khippie
      khippie renee01952

      Posted

      I smoke roll ups - 6-10 a day . I have smoked for about 26 years -gave up both times I was pregnant :-) am off to drs this morning as I do think I need something to help the process !! Thankyou
    • renee01952
      renee01952 khippie

      Posted

      Okay, so 6-10 a day is not an addiction in my book - Addiction is like a chain smoker, lighting one with the other (although that can be a habit too) - 

      please let us know what your doctor gave you.... good for you for making th decision !11

  • Kate53CornUK
    Kate53CornUK khippie

    Posted

    Hi khippie,

    Renee is right, it's all about the habit.

    I smoked for 25 years and never thought I would give up. A small excuse is all you need. Mine was arthritis. I read somewhere that smoking had a negative effect on the joints. I was in so much pain that it seemed a simple thing to do.

    My partner also had a lung function test and wasn't happy with the results so we went into the vape shop in our town. They were really helpful and we both came out with a kit and advice. I stopped that day and puffed on my 'puffer'. To my delight I found the 18mg nicotine liquid to be too strong and went down to the 12mg. I chose flavours as far away from tobacco that I could and over months changed down to a mix of 0-3mg.

    Smoking is pure habit. I haven't had a cigarette for nearly two years but enjoy having a puff on my vape when I am concentating on something.

    It felt really good going into both my hip surgeries without the usual automatic question of 'how mant do you smoke a day?' because no one could smell it on me.

    I would probably suggest using something to replace the dreaded smokes while you face surgery because the call of the habit can drive you mad.I could extoll the virtues of not smoking but you know this and all you are facing is someone taking away your comfort. A vape allows you to still have something to hang on to and you're in control.

    DO IT. You will feel so smug.

    • renee01952
      renee01952 Kate53CornUK

      Posted

      Kate, what is a "vape" shop ? 

      oh, I remember that there was delay with my surgery the 2nd time - I was already in the OR and they were waiting for the anesthesiologist who went out for a smoke ..... I understood cool

    • Kate53CornUK
      Kate53CornUK renee01952

      Posted

      Sorry, Renee, I kind of assume, living in a bit if a backwater, that the rest of the world has had these things for ages. A vape shop/lounge is where you can buy all your vaporiser stuff. I get to try flavours there before I buy. I am currently Puffing on 'summer rain'.

      I intend to kick the whole thing before long but can honestly say I haven't missed 25 years of smoking and it was so easy and pleasant.

    • renee01952
      renee01952 Kate53CornUK

      Posted

      cheesygrin of course it is - I was not familiar with the name - Head shop, Smoke shop - Do you have an e-thingy, or pen, or hooka type of thing - I would love to get some advice - I tried e-cigarette like 10 years ago and that thing was so heavy to hold ... 

      I would like something to puff on while sitting here at my table ...

       

    • Kate53CornUK
      Kate53CornUK renee01952

      Posted

      Renee, I'll send you a link to an online shop and tell you what I use. 

      The vaporiser I use is much heavier than my old roll-ups but that is a good change too because you can't hold it in your habitual manner = one habit gone.

      No one was more surprised than me that it worked, I thought I was a hardened smoker. One of my kids left a cig on the table a while ago and I thought I would test myself.......oh jeez, I was nearly sick!

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