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why would smoking nessesitate leg amputation
why would smoking nessesitate leg amputation -- Posted by tigerlilly@privacy.net.org.com on 07-21-05 22:46
why would smoking nessesitate leg amputation
Question
had bi-fem surgery last Feb. Am still smoking, but feel good. I'm 68, 205lbs.
Left leg tired after 1/4 mile walks and required short breaks before continuing
3 mile walks. Why would smoking be a reason to amputate my legs!!?? Thank you
for your answer.
Answer
Norm, In our practice, the surgeons will re-do a smoker's bypass once, and if
the patient continues to smoke, the next surgery would be an amputation.
Esentially, smoking un-does the surgery.
The disease, atherosclerosis, that narrows the arteries, is a progressive
diesease even without smoking, but smoking so damages the arteries that the
bypass of a smoker will fail, often in a very short period of time.
So, while a surgeon can re-do and re-do the bypass, there comes a time when the
doctor is really not able, in good conscience, continue to repair a problem that
is being actively caused by the patient, like someone who intentionally injures
himself, of course he needs help, but there is a limit to how much the doctor
can repair the problem without putting the responsibility back on the patient.
While smoking increases the odds the bifemoral bypass will fail, the disease may
also progress to invade other vessels: the aorta, the main artery from your
heart to the extremities; the carotids which nourish your brain; the vessels
that nourish your penis may be narrowed and leave you impotent. Any artery can
be damages and smoking is really the single most problem over which you as the
patient have control.
As young as you are, I can't imagine you would want to face amputation,
impotetnce, stroke or heart attack and you are really just marking time until
one or more of the other vessels become involved.
Not such great news I know, but yes, if you continue to smoke, there will come a
time athat at the very least, the pain that you have will only be repairable by
amputation of one or both legs.
In our practice, I have seen 2 men choose smoking over their legs and I was
really amazed to see them make that choice, but make it they did, after a long
series of conversations with the surgeons, they both opted to have the
amputations as they didi not want to or felt they could not stop smoking. I
still see these 2 guys and have watched them try to adapt to a legless
existance, and it ain't pretty.
There ae many ways to get help to stop smoking, accupuncture, hypnotism, pills,
patches, keep trying until something works. I myself, smoked for decades and
know how very very very hard it is, but after seeing the damage it really does
cause, I did manage to stop smoking and I still miss it every day, so I know of
which I speak, I hope you can find a way to stop. best of luck,
if this sounds more like a lecture than an answer, let me know and I will try
again, Lauri
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