Hi! I got a breast reduction 4 days ago and I was wondering how long I should wait until I can start vaping again? I know how nicotine is a blood vessel constrictor but so is coffee? just wondering is 2 weeks okay? post op?
I prefer that my patients avoid smoking or vaping for at least four weeks after surgery. Your best to discuss this with your surgeon.
Ideally you would discontinue vaping forever, as nicotine addiction is an expensive, unhealthy practice. Nicotine constricts the blood vessels that produce healing, and there is tons of evidence that tobacco products increase healing complications. Nicotine also constricts vessels supplying sensory nerves and thus increases pain after surgery. I would ask your surgeon how long you should lay off vaping, but my best answer is forever.
Nicotine is not the same as caffeine. You should avoid any nicotine use until you are completely healed, usually at least 4-6 weeks.
I endorse vaping cannabis when you have stabilized after surgery. If you smoke anything you will inhale tar, benzenes and aldehydes which are very damaging to the lungs. When you vape this does not happen and you inhale only the cannabinoids you have chosen that are suitable for example for pain or nausea. I use this as an alternative to opioids and have treated over 40,000 patients successfully. For pain and nausea I suggest sativa dominant hybrids such as Blue Dream, OG Kush or Girl Scout Cookies. For sleep I recommend Indica strains such as Purple Urkle or Grand Daddy Purple. Expect relief to start as soon as 30 seconds (beats a Demerol injection). I never recommend tobacco because of adverse affect on wound healing of nicotine. Use good vaporizer such as PAX 2
Forever. Stop vaping. Quit! You are 4 days into quitting, now continue without vaping forever one day at a time. Your lungs were designed to bring oxygen to your tissues. Your lungs can function to bring toxic substances to your tissues too, but we all know that it damages lung tissue. I'm guessing because you chose to have breast reduction surgery, you are interested in health, not advice on how best to shorten your life and diminish quality of life. Your surgeon or someone involved in your health care must have advised you to quit that led to your four day abstention from nicotine and other substances. I don't understand why you would bring this question to us rather than follow the instructions of your surgeon. Be strong Rachel Harris.......quit forever and enjoy your improved quality of life from both breast reduction and quitting a very unhealthy habit. Good luck.
My advice is to use your recent operation as an opportunity to stop all tobacco/vaping, now and forever.
Thank you for sharing your excellent question. Best to stop all together, but if you must, wait at least 4-6 weeks after surgery so as to minimize healing complications.
I hope your surgeon told you no smoking or vaping for 2 months before a breast reduction and for 2 months after. I make my smoking patient get a nicotine blood level test 4 days before surgery, and have no problem cancelling them if it is positive. Even given that, the likelihood you will have wound healing problems is high. You put effort into getting this surgery done- now you are going to sabotage it? I would think again about ever starting vaping again.