I am also a smoker and have been under general anesthesia about 5 times without any problem.  Your anesthesialogist will not judge you or make you feel bad about being a smoker.  He/She needs to know that are you though.  I don't think that they do anything drastically different when administering the gases to a smoker or a non-smoker.  The problem with being a smoker is AFTER the surgery.  They should give you a little plastic device that has a little ball in it and a tube that you will inhale a deep a breath as you can and get that little ball to "stay" at an assigned number.  This deep breathing exercise makes your lungs work harder than youdo when you ae breathing normally.  It's sole function is to get the sticky anesthesia gases out of your lungs and out of your system.  It is kinda fun to try to get that little ball to balance.  My kids even played with it!

I am sure that your Gynecologist has documented in your chart that you are a smoker(??)  So the anesthesialogist will already know that.

As far as taking pain meds prior to surgery I was taking lots of hydrocodone before my surgeries and didn't have a problem with pain control afterwards. Did you Gyn prescribe any pain meds for you prior to you hysterectomy?    I am suprised that they are performing and abdominal hyst on you.  Maybe he told you he would be doing it laproscopically?  If that is the case that is a piece of cake!  There are three little wires they insert into your belly so they can "see" inside to cut your uterus loose from the ligaments that hold it in place.  Then they slide it down your birth canal and voila!  You are done!  Takes about 1.5 hours to do it.  You won't even really notice the little tiny incisions where they put the laproscopic wires in.  I would call you doc on Monday and ask him if this is what he has planned so you can relax before Wednesday.  You know if you are really in alot of pain in the hospital just tell the nurse your pain level is a a 9 or a 10.  She will call your doc and ask him to increase your pain med.

Soon you will be a member of the Hyster Sister club!  No more worries!

dak

EWW,that sounds very painfull..i am not taking them for pain anymore just pleasure..It started out as pain, but you know how that goes..i also smoke, and now since i am hooked on these things i smoke even more..How do i tell the anestiologist i take pain pills but no problem..i am having a hysterectomy and only have problems on my cycle.
thanks

I was already wearing the fentanyl patches when I had the last of the four surgeries to remove the bone in my upper arm. I also told him I was a smoker. They take all of these things into consideration. The anesthesiologist needs to know.

I'm sure everything will go fine......

Hugs......LS

thanks for your response, if you don't mind me asking , before your surgery were you taking any pain meds? i am having it wed of next week, should i start to try to take less a few days before to lower my tolerence?? just kind of worried.
thanks again

road2recovery,
you should be ok thru sugery just make sure to tell them what you are taking and how long you were taking them ... I had my hyster , they gave me shots of morphine for about the first 6 hours the on to percs ,I was fine .the doc did not even send me home with any and I was pretty good , good luck
the first day is the worst then the pain really lightens up ...
Avis

thanks so much, the doctor is cutting me and i don't know why, but when i go the day before i will ask him to please do it the other way..Because my husband will only be home for one week to help me and i have 4 kids..Maybe he will say he will do it vaginaly..how many were you taking before your surgery? I am so scared i am going to wake up in the middle of it because i have done this to myself..I hate myself with these pills..
Thanks for the advice
and you are right i can't wait to have no period!!!

When I had my partial hysterectomy I woke up with a  IV and a PCA (patient controlled anesthesia) device.  It had morphine in it and I was very comfortable. My hysterectomy was really simple and even when I went home the next day with Percocet I was not in pain.  I was just tired so I babied myself and just relaxed for 6 weeks.  I had a vaginal hysterectomy so there was no abdominal cutting like my Mom had back in the 70's.

I'd rather have had another hysterectomy than deal with this failed back surgery I had 11 weeks ago.  Taking 4 to 5 Norco's a day and tons of Advil.  Getting ready to do a mylegram in a week or two.  I understad they are painful and can give you a roaring headache but at least I'll know if there are anymore compressed nerves in there.  

Good luck with your hyst.  I can tell you it was the best thing I ever did for myself health wise.  Been 7 years without a period and that is TOO COOL!
I have girlfriends that are still having awful periods and pain and when I hear how awful they feel I am so glad that i don't have to deal with that mess anymore.

dak