Pre op appointment

Wannabslim2014

Hi All,

I am due for my pre op on the 16th of June which is only 2 weeks away.....my operation is booked for the 26th July.

I am wondering if you can help me...I have really fallen off the wagon with smoking and food.

I gave cigarettes up in January and in the last couple of weeks due to incredible amounts of stress in my family/personal life I'm back on them. I am beginning to panic like nothing on earth and just wondered if the doctors test for nicotine in the pre op. I am trying desperately to get back off them, have cut down again but I have no idea how long it takes to get out of your system.

I know there are no excuses for going back on the smokes and food, but I am having a really tough time of it and any help in what the doctors look for on the pre op would be great. Have I quite literally blown my chances of them continuing with the op by gaining weight??
xxx

Mangopickle

See about seeing a counselor to help you stop medicating with food and cigarettes. You need to deal appropriately with your panic. I strongly advise you work on this with no delay. Refusal to quit medicating with food is a huge reason for WLS failure. Smoking is a very serious risk factor when going into surgery. Please be honest with your surgeon and don't try to skate by on this. A perfectly normal person in excellent health still has a 1/500 chance of death. The reason they make you quit is because you increase the risk factor. In all likelihood a counselor will help calm your fears and get you back on track.

Wannabslim2014

Thank you for responding MangoPickle :-)
I spoke to the Bariatric nurse yesterday (as I don't even know who my surgeon is yet) and was completely honest with her. She calmed me down and said that I still have 7 weeks until the surgery to lose some of the weight I have gained, which I CAN and WILL do. Re the smoking she said that I have to stop, which I know and had been clear of them for 5 months up until this point and everything hit me hard. She explained about the increased risks etc. I haven't smoked since I spoke to her and I wont go back on them now.
I was just on a major panic on Monday and just needed to get it out on MFP for some support as I am finding that the support system is non existent in the UK so I am relying on MFP its really helpful to chat with people that have already had the Sleeve or are preparing for it. I will look into seeing if I can find a counsellor as that is not something that has been suggested before.

Thanks again :flowerforyou: xx

Mangopickle

I was assigned a psychologist just to get in this process on my ins. At Vanderbilt they consider the psych part of the pre-op mandatory. We actually go thru hours of testing and interviews. Attending post op support groups is mandatory and a condition of getting the surgery. They insist you meet people that already had the surgery prior to yours. I blows away any preconceived notions that this is easy or magic. But it also allays fear as you listen to their surgery experience. If you want WLS to be successful you have to stop medicating with food. That is just a simple fact. For me it was trusting my Life to God. Now when death and destruction come into my life I grieve, I pray, I deal. I don't eat. Life is full of $h1t. I just finally accepted that death and destruction were part of the greater Matrix of Glory and an opportunity for me to practice temperance, fortitude and judgement. These instances of trial have yielded great Grace. All my relationships are amazingly better including my relationship with me. I quit worshipping at the alter of food. Food never cured my stress, loved me, kept my secrets or gave me more than 5 min of pleasure. Focus on you and loving you now exactly as you are. See yourself and know yourself as the beloved creation you are. Honestly, if you can do that, everything else is just going to fall into place. I will say a prayer for intercession for you to St Maximilian Kolbe . He is my go to guy for addiction help. God bless