Expert: Diminishing Dawn - 4/25/2011

Question
Hi Dawn,
I'm wondering if you could clarify a question for me.  I live in Ontario and will be attending my first bariatric assessment in June, 2011.  I was told I need to be 6 months smoke free before they even consider me for surgery.  Is is 6 months smoke free BEFORE my first assessment appointment OR 6 months smoke free BEFORE my surgery?  In other words, eventhough I have not quit smoking yet and my initial assesment is in less than two months, can I still attend the sessions as I'm quitting smoking now?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks so much!!

Answer
It is supposed to be 6 months free before surgery so I would think that most centres will not give you your final stamp of approval until you're been clean 6 months.  That's not to say that a center may not just stop you at a certain point in the process and say "we'll see you in 6 months". It is at their discretion. I'd get to your doctor now and get on one of the many smoking cessation drugs and alreaddy be started before you to to your first bariatric assessment. If it looks like you are doing nothing now, they may just stop you in the process.

Dawn