Cigarette Smoking pre-opp

[smithers]

This question is for the docs. I am about 5 weeks away from surgery and I have just quite smoking in preparation. Can you please let me know if quitting 5 weeks ahead is ample time to reduce some risks that cigarette's cause for surgery?

[Jake]

Cigarettes slow down blood circulation and therefore make it harder for the body to heal its wounds.  I would say that 5 weeks is probably really early.  Once you're off I would stay off or at least have 1 every now and then if you must.  But the week before surgery I would steer clear by all means.  Definitely after surgery don't smoke for a week or two as well.  But I'm not a Doc so they can answer your question better.

Good luck.

[chubbyfats]

yeah, i need an answer for this too, cause god quitting is such a bitch

[ozymandias]

4 weeks ahead of surgery and 2 weeks post op are definitely no-smoking.  The two major complications with smoking and this surgery is (1) unprecitable effects during anesthesia and (2) healing.  By far the most important thing is healing.  With any kind of nicotine exposure, you get suboptimal circulation, which will definitely affect your healing post op.  Since you quit 5 weeks ahead, I think you are quite safe from complications, plus you will start to feel much better now that you quit!  Keep it up, and try to get through any cravings... just remember that cravings last a few minutes so just get through them and stay smoke free.  Like some other members on here (including me) you might find that after surgery you will not have a desire for cigarettes anymore.