Swap smoking for vaping in the lead up to your spine surgery

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What is this information about?

This information tells you about how smoking can harm your health and slow your recovery from spine surgery. But there are things that you can do to help yourself. We can also help you.

The Swap2stop scheme is described below. Swap2stop supports you to quit by replacing cigarettes with vapes. This information tells you what to do if you want to try to quit smoking with Swap2Stop.

Why should I try and stop smoking before my spine surgery?

Smoking causes serious harm to your body. It affects your anaesthetic, surgery, and recovery.  
 
If you have spine surgery, evidence shows that smoking can:  

Quitting smoking is the single best thing you can do to improve your chances of a good recovery after surgery. The longer you quit, the greater the benefits:

Within hours

• Your oxygen level returns to normal.

Within weeks

• Your immune response (your body’s way of fighting illness) is improved.
• You are less likely to get infections in your wounds.
• You are less likely to have lung complications.
• Your recovery from surgery will be quicker.

By 12 months

• Your risk of heart attack and stroke is half that of a smoker.

How can we help you?

At University Hospitals Sussex, we ask all smokers to try to quit smoking before surgery.   

A vape (also called an e-cigarette) is a device that allows you to inhale nicotine in a vapour rather than smoke. 

Using a vape to help you quit tobacco smoking is the most popular and effective method to become smokefree. The Swap2Stop scheme provides you with a free re-usable vape, to help you to be smoke free before surgery.

How will vaping help me stop smoking?

The feeling of craving a cigarette is due to the nicotine it contains. The problem is that cigarettes also produce tar and the poisonous gas carbon monoxide when burnt. It is these that cause serious harm to your body.   

Vapes provide the nicotine your body craves but without burning tobacco, so no smoke or harmful products are produced. According to Public Health England, that makes them at least 95% safer than smoking tobacco.  

Vapes are also strictly controlled and regulated. You can also vary the strength of nicotine delivered by a vape and chose flavourings that you like.

How can I take part in the Swap2stop scheme?

Swap2Stop gives smokers who want to quit smoking tobacco a free vape starter kit. This includes a vape, coils, e-liquid. The vape provided is re-chargeable, re-usable and adjustable. This gives you control over your cravings. 

To join Swap2stop, you can either talk to us directly in your preassessment clinic appointment or self-register and receive a follow-up phone call.

1. Talk to us or self-register if you want to quit smoking and sign up for the Swap2stop scheme.
2. To self register: visit the website www.uhsussex.nhs.uk/preoptimisation
   Scroll to the bottom of the page. You will see a Swap2Stop link under the title
   ‘Information for patients’. Click the link.
3. You will get a welcome email from us.
4. In this email, you will find your vape voucher code. 
5. Using your code, place an order for your vape starter kit with our provider Totally Wicked (totallywicked-eliquid.co.uk).
6. Then it is time to plan your quit and make a start! 
7. After four weeks, you will receive a follow-up email from us to see how you are getting on.

Planning your quit

Smokers who plan a quit attempt are more successful at quitting. Attached to your welcome email is a document to help you plan your quit.   

It is worth thinking about the reasons you want to quit, the challenges you are going to face and how you are going to deal with these. Then it is time to set a quit date and stick to it.   

If you have another smoker at home, then they can join the scheme by approaching their council (see details below).  Your local smoking cessation service can also help support you on your journey to being smoke free.

Where can I go for further information and advice?

Visit the website UHSussex PreOptimisation and scroll to the bottom of the page. You will see a Swap2Stop link. Click here to access further details on the Swap2Stop scheme and register yourself online. 

If you are in hospital, you may see a member of the Tobacco Dependency Team. You can find out more about them here:

For more information about stop smoking services and local support, please visit one of the following: