Mmj And Anesthesia

[Letterhead954]

Next Monday I'm going in for a minor surgical procedure. The doc told me it's a 10 minute procedure done here at their clinic under a local anesthetic, but my insurance company insists that I drive an hour to Saginaw and have it done under anesthesia (just sedation or totally out I don't know) in a hospital. I spoke with a nurse there today and they say I have to stop mmj for 72 hours before this. That doesn't work for me since I need it daily for pain and insomnia. I can take norco occasionally but not for 4 days straight, though I can hold off the mmj the night before. I told her ok but now I'm not sure what to do. Does anyone know if using mmj 24 hours in advance of anesthesia can cause a problem? I'm assuming they're just being extra careful, but if there is a real danger here I need to know that. Thanks!

[Jjamh]

I just did it an hour before my back surgery, I was on the table for 5 1/2 hrs, no problem.

[Kingdiamond]

Ive also smoked the previous evening before they knocked me out to insert tubes in my ears   theres always risks  when it comes to be put under for surgery I dont think cannabis use is one of them at least it wasnt for me.

[bax]

with the rates of people using cannabis ( millions per day in usa) , if there was a problem with cannabis + anesthesia , we would have seen it by now.

 

dont worry, be happy.

 

this is not medical advice lolol

Edited December 8, 2016 by bax

[mibrains]

I agree..

I used the morning of on the drive to my colonoscopy...

no ill effects..

I think they are overly careful...

 

The anestetioligist told me after i told her i am a daily cannabis user that she would adjust the medication she was giving me and add a little more...she thanked me for being honest about my daily use..i did NOT tell her I smoked on the way there...I told her I waited the 72 hours out of fear they will cancel the procedure...

 

It's pure ignorance...eventually they will be edjucated.

[dutchfarm]

I have done before and after, no problem for me, it is individual. Just remember, anytime you go under anesthesia you ar etaking a risk of dying, that is THE most dangerous part of just about any surgery. I would definitely fight about being put under( given the danger) verses a local, Quite a few years ago I had to have a steel plate removed from my arm and I argued with the doctor about going under,no problem he said, took the plate out using a local and the effects of the local were nothing compared to going under. Again, being put under anesthesia is quite dangerous.

                                        Farmer Brown

[Smallbiz]

The anestetioligist told me after i told her i am a daily cannabis user that she would adjust the medication she was giving me and add a little more..

 

Did u ask her why daily users would need more anesthesia than someone who doesn't use everyday?

[Restorium2]

The risk that the medical community has outlined is a higher tolerance because of marijuana usage. So the risk isn't dying, it's being under dosed. If your anesthesiologist is doing their job they would notice that you were under dosed and just give you some more of whatever they are using before you even come close to waking up.  

[Wild Bill]

The anestetioligist told me after i told her i am a daily cannabis user that she would adjust the medication she was giving me and add a little more..

 

Did u ask her why daily users would need more anesthesia than someone who doesn't use everyday?

 

I was told that they had trouble keeping me under while they had me in an induced coma. The doctors asked my son if I drank alcohol frequently because the sedative wasn't keeping me under the way they expected it to. They said, "This guy is like Jimi Hendrix, if I gave this much to most people it would kill them".

 

Apparently your body gets used to the sedative effects of the cannabis and the effect of the pharmaceuticals is not as strong.

[cristinew]

Use Ketamine,.

[Smallbiz]

It seems scary to me. I tell them nothing about my mm use and it goes fine. It seems to me that they will assume mm will affect the anesthesia and give you more for no reason maybe.

[Restorium2]

It seems scary to me. I tell them nothing about my mm use and it goes fine. It seems to me that they will assume mm will affect the anesthesia and give you more for no reason maybe.

Exactly why I never tell them about it. Their job is to monitor the patient to get the right dose. When I found out the risk was waking up then I just figured they should be able to handle that, it's erring on the side of safety to be on the edge of waking up, not overdosing. 

[swamper]

It seems scary to me. I tell them nothing about my mm use and it goes fine.

 

The problem is that we (or myself anyways) can not trust anyone, it seems, to not use our medical marijuana use against us if we do tell them. This is just wrong.

[bax]

was it because of your mmj use , or your prescribed opiate for pain use, that caused your tolerance to anesthesia wild bill?

Edited December 8, 2016 by bax

[Wild Bill]

Must have been the cannabis, or just the way my system works. I wasn't on any opiates until I woke up and they started pumping me full of them.

 

I used to drink years ago but not for a long time.

 

Drugs have an odd effect on me sometimes. They gave me Xanax while I was in the nursing home and it kept me up all night. Like drinking two pots of coffee.

[Greg Rx]

It sucks that the medical establishment cannot be trusted to tell the truth about marijuana.

I think you know the problem is legal liability, there are no supporting studies that will stand up in court. In medicine, every word you say is a potential law suit unless it is about vaccines. There you can lie your azz off with no consequences. 

[Greg Rx]

It seems scary to me. I tell them nothing about my mm use and it goes fine. It seems to me that they will assume mm will affect the anesthesia and give you more for no reason maybe.

They will give you less, not more. 

[Letterhead954]

Thanks everyone for the responses. My procedure is at 5:45 a.m. Monday so I'll just not use that night. Now I wish I had just said 'no' when asked about mmj. Next time....

[bax]

the paranoia is real