Recovery & Smoking

[pmonko1]

Is smoking cannabis during the recovery process a bad idea?  There isn't much research available online, but I know that it does help with arthritis pain.  I'd much rather smoke than take Vicodin if possible. Does smoking or vaping hinder bone & muscle recovery?
Anyone have experience with this?

[hernanu]

No experience with it, since it's illegal in these parts. 


Having said that, though - the pain you're dealing with after recovery is (hopefully) not arthritis pain. That's gone in my experience, and what you are confronting is pain from two sources:

   
• Surgery. Your body has been insulted (cut, shifted, drilled and bored). Your body has to recover from these and heal the injuries from the surgery itself.
• Recovery. Your body has to anneal your implants with existing bone, you need to replace blood lost during the procedure and your body needs to restore muscle which wasted away due to your compensating for the arthritis.

Several things come into play - you need to rest properly, hydrate, eat well and be aware of your body and your body's response to stress.


It's important to be aware of your body since you may stretch, over exercise, etc. in ways that you may not be ready for. Your reaction to this impacts your recovery.


So again, the pain that you get is not arthritis. I am also leery of strong drugs. I think heavy drugs, when overused can lead to abuse. But drugs can be useful in a short stint.


Recovery is a time to be in close contact with your health care providers. They are administering drugs to you to help you get to the point that you don't need them.


I was prescribed oxycodone, but was able to tolerate my pain with a high dose Advil treatment without using it. I stayed on the advil for a month and was fine after.


My personal take on this is that I don't want to self medicate at a time when I'm trying to coordinate with the doctors.


No judgment on cannabis, but I don't want to add another drug to the mix (surgical drugs, others) and I had a good experience using what I had and was prescribed.


I also thought it was a good thing to have my head clear to both devote myself to my recovery, be able to monitor my body for good / bad reactions without having any fog there. Some times it's good to feel some pain if your body is trying to tell you something.


Just my 2 cents.

[catfriend]

It is legal - currently - where I live, but I would be leery of using it during recovery. As stated, you'll no longer have any arthritis pain, only surgery/recovery pain, and that feels so different. You will be prescribed a narcotic for the pain. I was prescribed oxycodone, and I took it for as long as I felt the need. I was also prescribed an anti-inflammatory, a blood thinner, and one other pill. My concern would be how the cannabis would combine and react with the narcotic and possibly other medications you'll be prescribed, or might be taking already for other conditions. Tobacco smokers have issues recovering from surgery (some doctors refuse elective surgery on smokers). You might want to investigate this angle. It might be best to hold off on smoking until you're off the prescribed medications and you can at least enjoy it more.

[pmonko1]

Thanks for the advice guys.  I just got home from the hospital yesterday and I'm on a similar pain pill regimen. Norco every 4 hours, one anti-inflammatory per day and aspirin for the blood clots.  I'm also using the ice machine w/DVT calf massagers.  I'll stay away from smoking until I'm off the pain meds.