Smoking cigs in small proportions 1 wk after surgery

[ellington7]

I just wanted to know if smoking cigs everyonce in a while a week after surgery can cause adverse problems with recovery.  I ask this because I have been smoking a little for the past week, but I make sure I drink alot of water to stay hydrated. Secondly... Won't the oxygen through heavy consumptions of water keep my chest arterys and veins open?

please respond...

P.s...I know smoking is bad in any case, but If I've been "greatly" stunting my recovery from doing it, will stopping now fix any damage I might have caused? 

[hellbent]

Hi,

I remember my doctor saying that smoking is totally forbidden for the first couple of days were the wounds lets say are fresh since you need the oxygen to be transferred without any "obstacles". After that he didn't give me any specific indications. Although I am a smoker my self I smoked no more than three of four cigarettes per day after the threshold given from my doctor. I can say that I recovered quite normal although the two sides weren't having the same recovery pace (But I guess this is normal as well...or at least common).

So even though I would highly advise you for all other reasons not to smoke, at least keep it low and everything will be fine.

Please keep in mind that this is not a professional opinion but derives from personal experience so the truth might be totally different.

Good luck

[ellington7]

Thank you...I'm not smoking alot, only 2 to 3 every other day, so that's not horrible, but I guess I should quit completely, so....anyways, it's good to no that I haven't done something to harm my results or cause physical harm as I did wait a week and a  half after surgery to smoke...