Prepping for Surgery and Nicotine?

[g33k]

Ok, so I've been planning a re-constructive surgery for some time now and finally have the available time off of work to do it! I made the appointments and am scheduled for the end of August...but one thing has me worried. My doc (plastic surgeon) called my house and left a message that if I was still smoking, to stop immediately! Little does he know it's been since Feb 14th lol! But do vape pretty heavily each and every day now.

Upon the research I did on effects of smoking before surgery, I found the following bits of info:
1. Smoke which contains carbon monoxide will restrict the amount of oxygen to be delivered to the healing wounds
2. Nicotine actually makes your body thrive for more oxygen
3. Nicotine only stays in your body for 8-12 hours
4. Nicotine is a vascoconstrictor which means it simply restricts the flow of blood in the vessels

My question is to anyone with any type of medical expertise, would vaping still cause harm if done before surgery? I'm willing to give it up or go to a zero nic juice a few days before the "knife day" if it would help, but to me, the loss of nicotine seems like it might end up causing more stress then I feel I am ready for

I know my doc says to quit smoking, but vaping? I'd ask him but their offices are only open one day a week as the other days he's in surgery and his schedule and mine don't always meet eye to eye for me to get his answer, which is why I turned to here

Any thoughts anyone?

 

[four2109]

Discuss it with your doctor.

 

[g33k]

Discuss it with your doctor.

I figured this much just wanted to see if there was anyone else who may have gone through it and had any info. As earlier stated, the doc's office is kind of hard to get in touch with as he is only there 1 day a week and the other days are surgery's. I will keep trying him though

 

[warlike36]

As having surgery takes you to deaths door aka Anastassia. I would give up vaping at least 12 hours prior. Im no doctor but surgery is some serious sh%t.

 

[geeker]

Who/what/when/where?

 

[Safira]

g33k I have no advice but do wish you all the best.

Can I just ..... about one little thing in general. Why oh why do all Dr.'s (not just yours) have to be this way. Just a message to stop smoking NOW, for the surgery in a month. I can only speak for myself but I think if most smokers could just put away the smokes for a whole month we wouldn't be here right now. Heck if I could go 24 hours without suffering major withdraw symptoms I'd be happy. Giving you more info and advice in his message on your options would be nice. (not .....ing about your Dr, it seems a lot of Doc's out there are this way)

OK rant over, good luck. Of course you know your Dr. knows best. I agree with warlike if your surgery is in the morning it might make that 12 hours easier to deal with.

 

[g33k]

Agreed Safira, you're little rant is exactly what I was thinking as well. I know I can overcome the nic-fit for a day as I do it quite often due to the amount of time I've had to spend in hospitals, but once my surgery is over I'll not have to visit so much (YAY!) So the 12 to even 48 hours I can handle...I'm just wondering if it is the actual nicotine that is the culprit. More from what I have gathered though seems to let me know that it is not the nic, but more so the smoke itself from analogs. My surgery will require some skin grafting which from what I have read needs all of the elasticity of the skin to be there. This reduces scarring. Now analogs tend to make the skin lose it's elasticity and since I'm shooting for minimal scarring, I can see why they say no smoking.

I've already come to terms that I'm just going to a very low nic juice for the time being until about 3 days before surgery. Then I'll just give it up and if I have to, I ordered some 0 nic juice as well to "tide my cravings".

Thanks for the well wishes too!

 

[Shotline]

As I am no doctor or even in the medical field, take this advice for what it is worth.

As nicotine causes your blood vessels to constrict and blood vessel growth is essential for skin grafts (or so I have heard), knock off the nicotine for a couple days before (if indeed the nicotine only stays for 12 hours).

 

[g33k]

Sounds like your take is the same as mine Shotline. I knew of the vascoconstriveness of nicotine but didn't really think about it in terms of grafting...that makes a lot of sense! Guess I'll stick with my plan of quitting a day or two before and hit up my 0 nic juice!

Thanks all for the input! I realize that none of us are dr's but any input was helpful to make sure I wasn't mis-interpreting information. I'll still check with the doc (worst case I'll see him on my pre-surgery visit 2 weeks before).

Thanks again!!