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[FutureLengthener]

I know it can block nutrient absorption, and slow bone healing to make non-unions more possible...but in practice, how much would it slow LL recovery? I thought I read in a few diaries that some people smoked throughout the whole process and ended up okay.

[YellowSpike]

I was a light smoker for a few years. In the last two years (I stopped a few days before my surgery), I averaged 2-3 cigarettes a day, and some days none. So I wasn't that bad. The recovery of my femurs at the moment is slow-ish (particularly, my left leg). Every LL doctor I consulted with warned against smoking. I wonder how much further along I'd be if I'd never smoked. I'm not gonna go back it, aside from maybe socially/while drinking.

[FutureLengthener]

I was a light smoker for a few years. In the last two years (I stopped a few days before my surgery), I averaged 2-3 cigarettes a day, and some days none. So I wasn't that bad. The recovery of my femurs at the moment is slow-ish (particularly, my left leg). Every LL doctor I consulted with warned against smoking. I wonder how much further along I'd be if I'd never smoked. I'm not gonna go back it, aside from maybe socially/while drinking.

Well you can never be sure the smoking made your recovery slow, in fact such a light amount shouldn't have had too much impact. But of course when you're trying to recover from broken bones, every day less you spend crippled counts. I smoke half a pack a day, I guess I should quit a few weeks before my surgery.

[KiloKAHN]

It's bad enough that many doctors will absolutely refuse to do CLL on you if they find out that you're a smoker.

This is a good, somewhat brief read about the effects smoking has on bone healing.

http://www.virginia.edu/uvaprint/HSC/pdf/05021.pdf

[YellowSpike]

Well you can never be sure the smoking made your recovery slow, in fact such a light amount shouldn't have had too much impact. But of course when you're trying to recover from broken bones, every day less you spend crippled counts. I smoke half a pack a day, I guess I should quit a few weeks before my surgery.

My PT said as long as you don't smoke post surgery, it's fine, but I read a study that showed that even former smokers who had quit for a while had slightly slower bone regeneration. But I knew this going into it. I'll probably still enjoy a cigarette in the future here and there, once my recovery has made solid progress, that is.

[DoctorGirl]

We are talking about wound necrosis, I think it should be similar for bone surgery. Facelift patients who smoke get their face rotten in the worst case.

[shordepressed]

Needs smoke