smoking and TAH/BSO

I am about a pack-a-day smoker, have been for about 5 years or so (don't ask why I started so late in life...I'm an idiot). I have been trying like mad to cut down so I am just below that now but it's hard! the pain and boredom get to me too much. I know I should quit before surgery and I'm pretty sure I know the reasons why (other than it's just a good idea) but even that hasn't been helping. so, I'm wondering how surgery and recovery went for other smokers out there. I've had two surgeries in the past, had my gallbladder out when I was 17 and had my tubes tied about 3 years ago, and had no problems whatsoever. obviously, I wasn't a smoker when I had my gallbladder out but did not notice anything out of the ordinary with the tubal so I'm not sure if I was just lucky or what. any hints? other than quitting

the pack I'm on now is the second to last I have in the house, I'm going to do my best to just stop after that. at least until surgery. I figure it's better than nothing, right? problem is, there's a convenience store right across the street...argh.

Hello Miss Meatball,

I quit smoking in 2003 but then with my fibroid crisis and impending hys, I freaked and relapsed. I didn't want to go into major surgery as a smoker. I went on wellbutrin (also called Zyban) to quit; I find it really helps a great deal to cut the nic cravings, makes it way, way easier to quit. This was the 2nd time I used it so I also knew it would help to prevent weight gain. If you look at quit statistics, the people who use wellbutrin and the patch have the highest success rate.

I passed my four weeks with no ciggies mark yesterday. Hurray.

Now, let me tell you, if I HAD been a smoker, it would have been AGONY because it was more than two weeks before I could cough. Too painful before that and I'm sure that if I had been a smoker, I would have needed to cough a lot after surgery. I quit one week before and ran a lot and that cleared my lungs, thank heavens.

If you absolutely cannot quit, use a patch in the hospital.

But think how great it would be to be a new you, a non-smoker. You have all my support regardless. I know how hard it is, especially heading into all the anxieties of major surgery.

I too am a pack a day smoker. When I went into the hospital, I wore the patch. I was there nearly 5 days - without a cigarette . My biggest regret is that I picked up a smoke on the ride home.

I did okay with the surgery. Was on oxygen overnight, but have read posts where others were on oxygen as well.

I know that healing is better without the smoke and wish I had made a different choice. I'd be 7 weeks on the road to being nicotine free now. However, I am smoking more - since I'm home more.

I am planning on working to quit starting Tuesday. Slowly but surely I will beat this.

Good luck.

OH, I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GOING THROUGH! I STOPPED SMOKING FOR ALMOST 1 YEAR. WHEN MY DOC TOLD ME I NEEDED TO HAVE A HYSTERECTOMY, I WENT RIGHT TO THE QUICK CHECK AND BOUGHT A PACK. THE NIGHT BEFORE MY SURGERY, I SMOKED THE ENTIRE PACK (UP ALL NIGHT WITH WORRY AND UPSET). I WAS SCHEDULED FOR THE OPERATION AT 7AM, I FELT LIKE MY CHEST WAS CAVING IN THAT MORNING. THE SURGERY WENT WELL AND I'LL BE CELEBRATING MY 6 MONTH HYSTERVERSARY ON THE 13TH OF JULY. I KNOW IT WAS WRONG TO SMOKE BEFORE GOING IN FOR THE OPERATION, EVERYONE TOLD ME IT WOULD MAKE MY RECOVERY HARDER, BUT, YA GOTTA DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO GET YOUR NERVES UNDER CONTROL. GOOD LUCK WITH THE SURGERY AND QUITTING SMOKING.
PS. I'M NOW ON THE PATCH, 6 WEEKS AND NO CIGARETTS!

MARYLOU

well if you don't stop smoking before. the best advice is not to smoke the day of the operation the anesthesiologist will be happy if you don't. i did not smoke the day of surgery and all went well. i managed to quit for about 10 days after but being bored, i started up slowly again. but want to quit again

jane321

I have smoked off and on for 10 years. I quit for 6 and a half years and then started again. I quit in Jan 2005 just before a lap surgery. I used zyban and the patch. I haven't had one since. My DH is still smoking though. It is very hard somedays. You just have to make up your mind and get your head in the right place. Good Luck!
Kat

I smoked for years - quit for three and started smoking again about a yearish before my surgery. I knew I wanted to quit and quit and once scheduled for surgery I went and bought the patch. ( About a month prior). I ended up doing okay but had a little lung infection. One doc said it could happen to anyone but ya know with the smoking and all, well, it made me more prone to infection. ( I think he even made a smoking gesture with his hands!)
I'm glad I quit but staying off the cigs is harder than losing weight!
Good luck!

I too was a pack a day smoker before the surgery. My last smoke was the night before I went into the hospital, They did put the patch on me and I had it on for 3 days and I told them I did not want it anymore because I thought that might have been what was still making me vomit. They took it off of me, and I still have not smoked and it will be a month soon... I smoked for 30 yrs and I am so proud of myself and I truly hope I do not go back to it.
Good luck to you.

Hi, I've smoked for 15 years (since I was 18) and I smoke between 10-15 cigs a day.

I had my TAH/BSO on 13th May and I had a cigarette about an hour before I went down to surgery (bad I know!).

There were no complications during my surgery. The anaesthetist new about my smoking habit so I guess they just keep a closer eye on you during surgery.

I had my first cigarette 3 days post-op (as soon as I was well enough to go and walk outside accompanied) and I had such a nicotine rush I nearly fell over but boy, I enjoyed that first cigarette so much!

I'm still smoking now and realise that I should pack it in altogether, however, with now being on HRT I am so worried about putting on weight so at the moment I am trying to cut down.

My recovery from the surgery has been brilliant even though I am a smoker so don't worry.

Hope this helps.

Rowdy.

wow, thank you ladies!! I sat and thought and worried about this for like 2 days before it dawned on me, "Duh! just ask!"

my dr didn't bat an eye when I told him I smoke so I wasn't too awfully worried, and my tubal did go really well. I guess I'm just wound up about this one and feel sort of guilty about not giving up the habit just yet.

thanks so much for the words of encouragement! HysterSisters so rocks!!