Smokers

[mandymae 28]

Ones anyone know if they actually test us? I'm really worried about being able to quit.

[isajck 229]

To answer your question, yes a reputable doctor will test you as he/she should. There are several threads discussing this. Do a quick search for "smoking" and you'll probably find a couple.

[FDclerical 318]

test what exactly? it depends on your insurance requirements. it also depends on what your surgeon and pulmonary come back with. i personally was toldto quit a month before surgery. im struggling really hard and i started to take chantix in hopes of quitting. its very. very. very. hard. but i know it will be worth it in the end. healthier and a better me!!! i currently have no cigs and money to buy them so thats a start

[nyxa 159]

not quitting smoking could be really detrimental to your surgery, so i'd honestly at least try to quit. i've seen some surgeries where people didn't stop smoking & it messes with your healing time, your skin as well as other stuff.. it's not pretty.

"Smoking does two things in terms of the cardiovascular system that anesthesiologists area concerned about. First, smoking increases the amount of carbon monoxide attached to hemoglobin in the blood. This has the effect of decreasing oxygen supply. Carbon monoxide also makes the heart pump more poorly, also decreasing the amount of oxygen that is delivered to the body. Second, nicotine increases the amount of oxygen that the body needs. So, oxygen supply is being compromised at the same time that more oxygen is being utilized.

Smoking obviously also affects the lungs. Among other thigns, smoking causes an increase in the amount of mucus secreted while at the same time decreasing the ability of the lungs to clear these secretions. In addition, smoking causes the small airways in the lungs to be narrowed and more prone to collapse. The end result of these effects are an increased susceptibility to infection, chronic cough and increased chance of pulmonary complications. Lastly, smokers also have increased sensitivity to stimuli and increased bronchial reactivity, increasing the chance for bronchospasm and other life threatening pulmonary processes.

This is not just theory. There have been multiple studies confirming that smoking increases the incidence of pulmonary complications after an anesthetic as much as six times. Smoking has been shown to be an independent risk factor for complications ranging from complications of lung function to wound healing to cardiovascular events such as heart attack."

source: http://anesthesiolog...es/12012003.php

also:

Q: What specifically does smoking do to inhibit healing and recovery from surgery?

A: Nicotine closes the blood vessels responsible for bringing oxygenated blood to the tissues. In addition to its healing power, oxygen also fights infection and helps to keep tissue alive, as well as being instrumental in delivering important medications like antibiotics. Furthermore, smoking clogs the lungs, and thus increases risk of pulmonary infection such as pneumonia.

Q: What are the worst-case scenario consequences of smoking before and after surgery?

A: Smoking significantly increases the risk of severe infections, pneumonia, and tissue death.

Q: Are there specific surgeries that you will refuse to perform on a smoker?

A: Certain procedures which involve a lot of pulling or altering of blood supply would present more risk for a smoker. These procedures include face lifts, tummy tucks, and the use of tissue flaps as in reconstructive surgery.

Q: Aside from quitting entirely, how long do you recommend patients avoid smoking before and after surgery?

A: Ideally, the patient would quit altogether. However, this is obviously not going to happen with a lot of patients. Generally, it is recommended that a patient avoid smoking for at least 3 weeks before and after surgery.

Source: http://plasticsurger.../smoking_PS.htm