Smoking - Advice ???

Hello ladies, can anyone give me advice please, i am a smoker and i was told by my PC to stop smoking 2 days before my op ( which is today ) iv got patches but im really struggling. Has anyone had the same issue ? and has anyone not stopped smoking ?
Is it really dangerous to carry on smoking ??
Any advice really appricated
Carrie xx

hi hun i managed to stop 2 days before my op no patches just will power , was really hard but just kept thinking it was for my own benefit my cousin on the other hand didnt stop , she didnt smoke on the day , but she was quite sick after her op , not sure if could have been related to her still smoking .

if you can manage to stop for these few days i would , im not really sure on the danger part but i hoped i helped some xx

Hey hun. I gave up 4 weeks before. But the 2 weeks before I smoked about 2 a day. I then didn't smoke sunday, monday and tuesday before hand.

It is dangerous for the GA. But its more important to give up after as it can cause capsular contracture. Which could ruin ur new boobies.

I had a few cigs at the weekend but I'm not back to the 20 a day as before as I keep thinking about my beautiful new boobies xxxxx

Thanks girlies ! I put a patch on last night before bed and i was fine up untill lunch time today and then i was really wanting a ciggy but then i bit my hubby's head off ! Lol and caved in by 3pm. I will put another patch on tonight and have to stick it out tomorrow as my BA is on thursday ! xxx

Caz- I don't want to worry u. But I'd give ur clinic a call as I was told not to use patches for 72 hours before as they have the same effect on ur blood as the patches (but obv they don't effect ur breathing at all)

Sorry don't want to worry u but just want ur BA to go smoothly xxxxx

I thought you had to stop using patches too hun xx You better check it out xx

Smoking increases the risk of CC and also infection after your op xx Also not good to mix with the GA xx

Try to stick with it xx it's worth it xx You will be grumpy for a bit but that goes away xx

Good Luck xx

Hi Caz

I read from a moderator that patches are as bad because it's still nicotine and that thins the blood which means you won't clot like you should. I know for sure my surgeon wouldn't touch me with someone elses barge pole if I were still smoking. I gave up about 5 weeks ago and it's hard hun but the benefits are amazing. My skin looks great, I feel so much better / happier / healthier and I'm financially better off (or at least I will be until I hand over a whack of money to my surgeon ) Hun also please note I've smoked for past 4 years (having not smoked for 9) and I've since developed capsular contracture which is believed to be (possibly) assisted by smoking.

Give up hun, the craving subsides and you're left with a much healthier lifestyle.

Ps I'm not one of those nutters who preach to everyone smoker...I still get the urge to lick the lips of all random smokers who pass me, but I'm determined to crack it this time :thumbs:

I am not entirely sure but I would just check with your surgeon about patches because I think it is the nicotine that can slow healing etc. so I am not sure if using patches instead of smoking is going to help I have a feeling you might need to either go cold turkey or if you really can't then at least cut down. x

Hi ladies, thanks for all your advice, when i went for my pre op last week the nurse said it was fine to use patches ??? Im really worried now. I will give them a call tomorrow and check again. Thanks again ladies xxx

hattie260 wrote:I am not entirely sure but I would just check with your surgeon about patches because I think it is the nicotine that can slow healing etc. so I am not sure if using patches instead of smoking is going to help I have a feeling you might need to either go cold turkey or if you really can't then at least cut down. x

Hi Hattie, Yes the nurse said to cut down which i have but im sure she said i could use patches too ? I will call them in the morning as my op is on thursday and im really worried now, thanks hunni xxx

Hi ladies, hubby said there's no point calling them tomorrow as my op is thursday, and just to only smoke a few a day. Iv had 3 op's before and iv been told to cut down but not to stop if i cannot do it ? Im finding this really hard to do and im starting to panic now ! xxx

Sorry hun I didn't mean to worry u.

I asked james on here and he said the same.

Its the tar and carbon monoxide is bad for ur breathing but the nicotine is bad for ur blood....

But u need to listen to ur clinic, ps and nurse. If they say your ok to just cut right down then its their care u have paid for so its their intructions u need to stick too xxxxxxx

Ps- sorry again I didn't mean to worry u xxxxx

dont panic hun as that will make you want to smoke more , as i said my cousin did smoke right up to the day and everythin went fine with her , just really try your hardest tomorrow to not smoke any , chew gum or do somethin that will take your mind of it , i found it really hard to and craved like mad , but i didnt buy any and when it came to the evening and i was craving the most it was 2 late to go out buyin them , so i ended up goin to bed early and that helped , i surprised myself how well i did not giving in xx

Awww thanks Lola and Sammi ! I will not bother with the patches and im going to really go for it without ciggy's tomorrow !
Im 99 percent sure the nurse said i could use patches so im really pleased iv got this amazing forum ( and ladies ) to give all their advice and experiance ! Thanyou again xxxx

Well done for cutting down hun, I think you would be better off cutting down and not using patches if you can, if you cut down AND use patches you might actually be taking in more nicotine than you would have smoking normally if that makes sense?? Good luck hun I know it isn't easy (I used to smoke) but its worth it xx

Aww thanks Hattie ! Yes i put a patch on last night and caved in at 3 this afternoon and took the patch off, but i would of had the nicotine in me to start with, so im going to go for it tomorrow and if i need the odd one or two then its not as bad as patches. thanks hunni xxx

Try eating everything in site........it works. Get some sucky sweets or lolly pops, anything to keep your mouth active. It will be worth it. x

Aww thanks hun thats a good idea, I will go to the shop first thing ! xxx

My kids might not agree coz all their haribos have gone and any lolly that ever entered this building has been sucked into oblivion. But I'm still not smoking so it must work. Tastes better as well :-)

Good luck with your surgery Caz I'll be thinking of ya x

Awww thanks babe, I will post up a thread of my big day on the weekend xxx