Smoking After Bypass

[MichaelJH]

I was talking with a medical professional recently about smoking as a Type I diabetic who I have encountered twice still continues to smoke despite having had a number of heart attacks and suffering an amputation. We then got onto bypasses as I have had a quadruple heart bypass and had one behind the right knee (the leg I am having problems with now) planned before a new broom (Dr Plonker) cancelled it saying you only intervene when there is ulceration and gangerence. Anyway the lady I was speaking to said if a person was intending to resume smoking bypass surgery was pointless as the vein acting as an artery would probably fail within the year. Definitely food for thought for some as a friend's husband resumed smoking two weeks after bypass surgery and did not survive a year!

[Captain_Birdseye]

That's interesting, if a little sad... but you're quite correct, there's a reason they advise people not to smoke, especially if they have heart conditions/surgery. Having other conditions on top of this could only increase risk.

[MichaelJH Heart Star in reply to Captain_Birdseye]

The other interesting comment she made was that of someone was going to continue smoking there was a good chance they would live longer without a bypass than with.

[MountainGoat52]

A sobering thought Michael. When I had my bypass op, one of the guys on the ward told me he was planning to resume smoking when he got home. I wonder whether he is still alive. 😯

[tonysmithpi]

A friend of mine had a triple bypass in 1999. Still smoking probably 30 a day. Its anecdotal isnt it ?., there are those that will not survive and those that will.