Quitting Smoking

Surg date is 2/11....... YIKES, that is less than a week away !!!!!!
I decided to quit smoking prior to going to the castle, and am going to do all in my power to NOT smoke again when I get home. Doc said he would use HRT while I was on the nicotine patch, but NOT if I'm smoking.

Has anyone else quit smoking just prior to surg? Any hints on how to get thru the added tension of not smoking as well as the nerves of pre-op ???

Thanks,
MissSugar

I wasn't brave enough to quit before. I made up my mind to quit while in the hospital. I didn't even use the patch. Definitely didn't miss it the first two days in the hospital. Furthest thing from my mind. When my husband would come back from smoking one, the smell would make my stomach turn! I had never tried to quit before. Didn't know what to expect. I only made it three weeks. Friends had come over and lit up in the house. The lingering smell made me crave it just like the smell of fresh chocolate chip cookies! To make matters worse, my husband quit with me, but still had a half of a pack put up...just in case. I knew where they were and lit one up. Couldn't stand it, tasted REALLY bad, hurt my throat and put it out after 3 or 4 puffs. But then it called me again and again. I was even sneaking out for my short walks alone so I could smoke without getting caught by my DH. To say the least, I'm back to smoking almost a pack a day. Getting ready to "quit" again. I wish you the best of luck and the moral to my story is...stay away from other smokers for a good while and don't keep any cigarettes in the house.

I quit smoking a week or two before I had my hyst on 9/17/02 and didn't smoke after my surgery...thought I was doing good and then the urge started again. I started smoking again and have been struggling with quitting since. I gave it up as my New Year's resolution and lasted one week. I was miserable, irritable and a walking nightmare. I don't smoke that much, and don't smoke in the house. Living in upstate NY where the temps have been COLD, I feel a bit ridiculous sitting outside in the cold on my back porch sneaking a smoke. You'd think that would be enough incentive to quit, but I am weak. If I have 'em, I feel like I need to smoke 'em. I tell myself at the end of a pack that that's it, now I can quit...but then I'm back buying more. I hate my weakness, but I don't know what to do. I've quit before, one time for about 3 years, but a night out with a few drinks and I'm craving it again, bum one or buy a pack and the rest is history. I have been wanting to quit, but can't seem to find the strength. I've read that smoking with HRT isn't good, and I know it isn't good. What a terrible thing, to be hooked on something so stupid, and so expensive!

Amy

i was wondering about this myself. My doc has not mentioned me quitting yet, but i'm a few weeks away from surgery. (abd hyst) he is probably waiting to drop this on me at the last minute...but i do NOT believe i can do it.

do i HAVE to quit before surgery? i heard that it was a "requirement" my doc knows i'll go crazy if he asks me to quit...to quit smoking i think you have to want to, i don't want to. I enjoy smoking. I don't smoke in my house, but my garage is nice and cozy.

MissSugar, why would your doctor use HRT if you were on the patch and not if you were smoking? I guess i don't see any different risk than if you were smoking and on the brith control pill. Then again this is a subject my doctor and i have not discussed so i guess i do not understand it.

I'm fairly young having my surgery, but i've laster longer than most women in my family (i'm 33) and i've been on birthcontrol for a long time and smoked for a long time with no complications

Hi,
I know what you are going through, agggghhhh... my surgery for tah, bso, and appendix and feb 24th, and i am sitting here having a cigarette, I am so mad at myself, I know when I have woken up from my laps, how I have had coughing fits, and I just can not forsee myself waking up from major surgery coughing like that! I prayed to god tonite that I will not have a cigarette in the morning, I even bought a bag of lollipops! I am very worried about the hrt and smoking when it says the risks are high for blood clot or stroke in smokers! I wish you well in your guiting endevor, I really need to do this also!

Hi, guys,

I'm a non-smoker but certainly a veteran of surgery, having had three operations, including a hysterectomy, in the past 10 months. I know that (1) anesthesia and a smoking habit don't mix. Anesthesia stresses the lungs, increasing the risk of respiratory congestion, and smoking only magnifies this risk. My anesthesiologists were always VERY relieved when I told them I was a non-smoker.

(2) HRT and an ongoing smoking habit can be dangerous, greatly increasing the risk of blood clots and stroke (as mentioned above). Have you ever met a stroke victim? Alison, my friend in Massachusetts who's 44, will never move her left arm again and has permanently lost the majority of her vision (among other things) thanks to a massive stroke last summer. Her young children are still not yet able to understand why Mom can't really do stuff anymore and spends so much time in the hospital.

No one would ever expect you to quit smoking on your own. That's why the majority of attempts to quit fail. If you express an interest in quitting to you doctor, I know he'd be very glad to share with you different ways you can quit with as little discomfort and as much opportunity for success as possible.

Good luck to all of you!

Laura
4/10/02 - breast biopsy (removal of non-malignant duct ectasia)
8/1/02 - TAH/BSO (menorrhagia, fibroids, severe anemia)
2/3/03 - bilateral inguinal hernia repairs
Premarin .625

Sugar,
Just do it. You know what you have to do. Stop smoking. I did it cold turkey when my cervical biopsy came back cancer. I decided that was the last time a Dr. was going to talk to me about cancer if I could help it. DON'T BUY THEM OR BUM THEM!!! If you don't have them you will not smoke them. It was tough but after the first week I was really proud of myself. It keeps getting easier. Go on www.Quit.net Read some stories about what could happen to you if you keep smoking. I loved to smoke!! And I still miss it. I keep telling myself that mabye in a month or two I will have one..........if I tell myself that I will never smoke again, I would lite up right now. I hope that makes sence to you.

Good Luck, Get through one craving at a time. Ask yourself, what will happen to me if I don't have a smoke right now?........ NOTHING........your arm doesn't fall off, time still moves, work still needs done. I will add you to my prayers to help give you the strength you will need.

thank-you lucky devil, that post really hit home, i am also 44 from mass. and what you said was like wow......... stuff like that really happens, i dont know if it will work before surgery on 2-24 but after reading that i just threw 3/4 of a pack of cigarettes in the trash! thank you for a big reality check!

https://www.hystersisters.com/vb2/sho...084#post550084

Hi all!

There was some discussion about this lately on another thread, the link is above. Maybe something there will help!

Good luck to those of you who want to quit. It really is tough but SO wonderful to be an ex-smoker. Really, really wonderful.

many s to you all. It's not easy but you can do it!!!!!!

My day is Feb 10 (Monday). I'm going to try to stop for the next two days ... at least. I'm a mass of nerves ... so I don't know how I'll go ... at least I don't have to worry about HRT ... my ovaries are staying ... for now.

Have quit previously though and have used St John's Wort tablets to try to calm the nerves ... this has assisted greatly.

Also, the nicorette inhaler was also handy for a little while.

However, I have always drifted back being around friends who all smoke and aren't keen to quit.

Good luck with it. Drink plenty of water. Try carrot sticks and celery too when you feel the urge.

Carolyn