Nicotine tests and patches/gum

I am having surgery at the end of the month and I am getting a nicotine test next week. I haven't smoked at all in 4 days and had cut down from 1 pack a day to 2-3 cigarettes a day the past 3 weeks. I had already been tested while I smoked, so I'm sure the levels of nicotine or nicotine related substances will have been dramatically reduced. I am just concerned that I have not been 1 month smoke free as I was supposed to. If they detect traces of something, can I claim I occasionally used a patch and/or nicotine gum, and get away with it? or would the nicotine from patches/gum show up differently in this test?

[Jade59]

Hi,

I really don't know the answer to your question.  What I Do know is nicotine leaves the blood stream 72hrs after the last puff.  Since it's now been 5 days, you are likely safe with your test, but I'm thinking your doc wanted you off the smokes for a month due to all the other chemicals in cigarettes which may slow down the healing process.  It is my theory that thousands of chemicals don't just leave your body after 3days when one has smoked for years and years...and years lol

If after your test, some traces Are still detected, I wouldn't be deceptive if I were you.  Your doctor must have a valid reason for you to stop smoking an entire month before surgery, don't you think?

I wish you the best outcome.  

[kathyjo]

I had surgery in 2000 and back then they made me wear stockings for circulation, or,  because I was a smoker, lack of . Because of poor circulation smokers are susceptible to many circulatory related problems, including blood embolisms, heart attack and strokes to name a few, so that is why your doctor has asked you to quit.....not just for a month, but if you can make it to a month, then you can quit for good and I suspect that is the aim : )
Good luck to you and if you need help, we are here for you and you can also check out whyquit.com for some very useful info.

[Jade59]

Good, you're back!! :)....to educate us all on why one needs to stop smoking before surgery!  

[Salah_abdeen]

I'm 26 years old now I smoke since the 1999 (20 to 30 every day), I love sport, ((I used to love smoking also!!))
Last Friday 25/03/2011 I was playing Basketball with some friends, then something really strange happened to me, I couldn't keep on playing,I laid myself on the ground, and tried to take a breath, it was so hard to take it, I suffered really, I thought it's over, my friends were scared really, as I was!!
Then they told me that I should stop smoking, i decided 5 minutes after to give up smoking, most of them was laughing! They said I can't because I love cigarettes! I liked the Idea of challenging me!! really!
I feel like **** now without cigarettes, I feel dizzy,I REALLY can't concentrate! Everyone can recognize this!
I still have the desire to smoke a cigarette ( this is my 2nd day without smoking)
BUT NO WAY!!! I gave up smoking!! I'm not gonna kill myself again!
I think running will let you somehow loose the desire to smoke specially if you ran more than you can handle! I mean to get tired, let you Lungs feel like exploding!!

[allmymarbles]

I never heard of requiring a candidate for surgery to be a non-smoker. Is this something new?

[teko]

If you are having surgery, the doc wants you off smokes due to the anesthetic you will be having. Smoking makes going under one much riskier so rather than worry about fooling the doc, come clean and let him know you have reduced or quit for this long. He needs to know this in order to best take care of your medical needs. The only one you hurt by fibbing is you.:)

I am sure it will be fine, but fess up and good luck with your surgery and since you quit this long, hey keep going cause your ahead of the game already!

[treemarks]

Doctors want you to quit smoking because it interferes with bone growth after the fusion.  Some doctors do refuse to do surgery if you're a smoker because of the increased failure rate of fusion from cigarettes/nicotine.  
I was told no nicotine of any kind at all.  It will be a long summer but I'd rather heal faster and not have to repeat this surgery.

[teko]

That makes sense. I am sending all my support your way along with a few cyberhugs to go with it! Hang Tuff!