Does a person need to be nicotine free before spinal surgery or disc fusion?
340358
Any surgery will benefit from being nicotine-free.  Tobacco products reduce the blood flow to healing areas on our bodies thus slowing the healing process.  If it were my body, I would choose no tobacco before surgery.
483469
Nicotine is a short-acting drug that is eliminated from the body relatively quickly (i.e., within a day or so). However, the effects of acute nicotine withdrawal can be felt for as much as two weeks or more. In addition, the byproducts of nicotine can be detected in the blood for up to a month after you stop smoking. This is only of concern if you are in a situation where someone else might want to test you for the presence of nicotine or nicotine byproducts in your system. \n\nMost people can quit "cold turkey" without any ill effects other than feeling irritable, restless, and craving cigarettes. However, if you have any medical condition for which you are (or should be) receiving treatment, it's a good idea to check with your doctor first. He or she can also support your efforts to quit and discuss nicotine replacement options if you choose to slowly wean yourself off nicotine. \n\nI pasted this article that may help answer your question. Good Luck!
430283
Use a nasal decongestant before taking off.  Then chew gum.
892903
Do the best you can...I had a g/f that had a tummy tuck and she quit cold turkey before her surgery, but started back while she was recovering...\n\nBe strong...do what's best for succesful results of your surgery...if you feel that strongly about smoking, you can smoke again after you're through the surgery and on the mend...\n\nI know it's not easy (I'm a habit smoker myself)...good luck!
1018584
Here is a quote from expert testimony regarding tobacco products:\n\n"Let me begin by emphasizing three fundamental facts: (1) all tobacco products are hazardous, (2) there is no safe level of tobacco use, and (3) the only proven way to reduce the enormous burden of disease and death due to tobacco use is to prevent its use and to help users quit."\n\nMy personal testimony as an ex-smoker is that although I am now obese (not from quitting smoking), I can breathe better, and have better endurance than 20 years ago, when I was not overweight and smoking.  The improvement in the way I feel was worth the agony of quitting, and I quit many times.  I am not even talking about health risks, but just the improvement in my day to day functioning.
1062759
Yes, but in combination with Nicoderm patch. My doctor had me use the patch (2mg) and ween down after the first week to a half a patch. I cut it in half. I also used black licorice when the urges really got to me. Just put a piece in your mouth and suck on it. \nI have to say the want and need to quit is foremost in being successful. It was very hard for me but I haven't smoked in over 7 years now. After the first 3 months it was so hard I told myself I would never go back to smoking as I never wanted to go through that again. It worked for me and my husband! Good Luck and get a friend to help. Find something to do with your hands, wood working, crafts, knitting, dishes and take baths and showers, you can't smoke in a shower.....lol.. Keep busy.
860610
Don't fool yourself....you're talking about being pain free with herniated discs. No way is that a possibility.\nBack and/or neck surgery is a tricky option.  It could correct it for a while or it could make it worse.  You mentioned that you have a degenerative problem.  Well, there you go.  This is a widespread problem in your body.  One surgery is not going to cure or heal it.  It will most likely come back and as you age it will get worse.\nI know quite a few people that had the operation you are talking about and after a couple of years they were right back where they started.  If you can, hold off for as long as you can with the surgery.  Research other options and try other avenues of pain relief.
494286
Smoking creates risks for surgeons.  You constrict blood vessels, raise blood pressure, and have a whole host of weird chemicals running through your body.\n\nWhat happens if you have this surgery and can't get outside to smoke during recovery?  What happens if you run into post-surgical complications due to the diminished capacity of your blood vessels?\n\nI had a doctor tell me if I were to have surgery to correct spinal stenosis, I would fare better if I lost weight first.  These things can and do create complications.
1117485
immediately....as there is now a reduction in the levels of nicotine and tar in the blood stream and your lungs can recoperate
646221
Consider physical therapy before surgery. You don't say how old you are. If you are younger you have a good chance of healing without surgery if you are patient and take care of yourself in the coming months. It can take 6 months to heal naturally from a disc injury. Get multiple medical opinions. There is nothing worse than back surgery gone bad, so remember surgery is never "no big deal".
202227
It was a very relaxing experience. I went through a session of hypnotherapy in an attempt to quit smoking. The doctor had me under for about 30 minutes. I was concious during the whole session, but was aware I had been hypnotyzed; he mentioned my hands and arms were so relaxed and light that they began to float, and I could tell they were in the air. I felt rested and relaxed afterwards and had no recolection of smoking for almost a week. Unfortunately, I did not repeat the treatment, but later decided to quit cold-turkey and haven't smoked in almost a year.
134663
Laser therapy works great for those who are committed to ending their nicotine addiction. I run a laser smoking cessation clinic in Grand Rapids, Michigan and have had great results. Internationally, the laser has sucess rates of 85% on average, up to 96% is the best I have heard. You can check out my website to find out more. There are laser centers all over the US so there should be one around you somewhere. Good luck!
418062
no no no no, it's another scam.. you must use an alternative to smoking if you can't quit by will.. Get the gum first, shew as much as you want at the beginning so you don't crave cigs, give it time, you can't quit in a week or a month, use it for 3 months then alternate between nicotine gum and regular gum to phase the addiction out. this will rid of your psy addiction and then physical dependancy. It's cheeper to start with.
655351
some doctors use it to help their patients with smoking cessation, and on 05-31-2006 it will be excluded from all medicare part d drug lists! (sorry i'm excited means i don't have to talk to doctors about it anymore.)
696894
There is a natural detoxifier- water. It helps speed the bodies' detox and lessens nicotine cravings. Drinking fruit juices and eating small, regularly intervalled meals also helps during detox.\n\nTHe body is free of nicotine about 72 hours after quitting, so it's not really that bad (in perspective, but during is no fun at all!).
716274
In terms of your disc herniation, it is doubtful that it will disqualify you. A large number of the human population has asymptomatic disc herniations confirmed by MRI studies on asymptomatic patients. Further MRI studies on cadavers, in which during life- had no complaints of back pain. It is estimated that some 30-40 % of the population have disc herniations. Furthermore there is absolutely no clinical correlation between size (mild/moderate/marked) of the herniation and severity of the patient's pain. \nRegarding your steroid. If at some point of time the pain becomes too great, whereupon all conservative treatment methods have failed. Sure, go with the steroid. A steroids main purpose is to inhibit inflammation- because inflammation results in pain. Inflammation is somewhat good in that its real purpose is to move "cells" to the area to help repair. If you INHIBIT this process, you in effect INHIBIT healing. (ice slows the process down some whilst decreasing pain). Steroids have also shown to result in periarticular osteoporosis ( slight bone loss at the point of injection). Spinal decompression makes sense as your first line of treatment. Think of your disc like a jelly doughnut. Some your jelly has leaked out. The jelly is irritating surrounding nervous tissue--> pain. Decompression causes a negative vaccuum in that disc to help it suck the jelly back in. If your chiro is good... he will then start you off with some stabilization exercises to help with the pain and future occurances of pain.
1604
Methods of quitting\nCold Turkey method\nNicotine Replacement Methods (Patch, Gum, Nasal Spray)\nBehavioral Methods\nCognitive Therapy Method\nOther Methods and adjuncts (acupuncture, hypnosis, medications)\nFactors for relapse while in the process of quitting\nPredictors of successful quitting\nCold turkey method\nThis is the prefered method used by so called self changers, people who quit on their own and without any nicotine replacement by gum, patch or nasal spray. Little is known about this method as any research study would influence the results as it would no longer be a spontaneous process. Strong motivational factors are believed to play the foremost role in successful quitting using this method.\nNicotine replacement therapy\nIn this method the nicotine delivered by the cigarette is replaced with nicotine delivered through the skin (transdermal nicotine or nicotine patch) , the nasal mucosa (nicotine nasal spray) or the buccal mucosa (nicotine chewing gum). Several well designed clinical trials have shown the efficacy and safety of nicotine replacement the goal of which is to reduce cravings and ease withdrawal symptoms.\n\n      Transdermal Nicotine Patches\n      The nicotine patch is usually well tolerated, and provides constant, steady nicotine blood levels throughout the day and night when worn. They are quite simple to use, help prevent weight gain, cravings, and nicotine withdrawal symptoms and are socially acceptable\n      Side Effects of the patch\n      Patches may cause a local skin reaction,and insomnia with nightmares may occur.\n\n      Overdosing in nicotine is possible, especially if a person smokes while wearing the patch. Smoking while wearing a patch is dangerous and may lead to stroke or heart attack.\n      Use of the patch requires abstinence from tobacco products...i.e. no smoking or chewing tobacco.\n\n      Cost\n      Patches are expensive and cost close to $100 per month of use.\n      However bear in mind that smoking 1 ppd costs $1000 per year, which multipied by 10 years approximates the price of a car.\n      Some people are tempted to cut the patch to save money. Nicoderm is the only patch that can be cut without destroying the patch's ability to deliver nicotine through the skin to the bloodstream reliably.. It is not unsafe to cut the other patches as far as I know. However cutting the other patches impairs the transdermal drug delivery system, and may not provide reliable blood levels of nicotine. the key word here is reliable.\n\n      The total dose of nicotine in the patch does not correlate at a milligram to milligram equivalency to the dose delivered to the bloodstream. The drug delivery system of the patch ensures that nicotine is transported thru the skin at a constant rate, and e ach manufacturer uses a different patented technology to do this. Only a portion of the total nicotine contained in the patch is transported thru the skin. Individual differences in skin thickness, location of the applied patch, and other related factors play a role in the total dose delivered.\n      3 Step Tapering Method of using the patch\n          o The 21 mg patch is worn daily for 6-8 weeks for quitters who smoked an average of 1 ppd ( 2 ppd quitters may require 2 patches to alleviate cravings and withdrawal symptoms)\n          o The 14 mg patch is then worn daily for the next 2 to 4 weeks if the ex smoker remains confident in his or her ability to not smoke and if urges or cravings to smoke are controlled.\n          o The 7 mg patch is then worn for 2-4 weeks if the same criteria as above are met.\n          o In the absence of cravings and urge to smoke the patch is then stopped entirely.\n\n      It is important to individualize the tapering method . . . Some people require longer periods of use, others shorter. If cravings intensify , return to the next higher dose of the patch.\n\n      Types of nicotine patches\n            Nicotrol\n            15,10,5 mg 16 hour patches\n