Surgery and THC?

[oldmaninbc]

I spoke with a nurse for 35 minutes this morning; going over the details for my hernia surgery that will happen soon and getting a lab appointment for blood work. We discussed several details including drugs that I take. When I mentioned cannabis she said I should not use any for 48 hours prior to surgery. I said I use it for pain and have a medical cannabis licence. She said if I do use cannabis I should inform the surgeon because the anesthesiologist would need to know. I was surprised to find out how much anesthetics are effected by THC. Does anyone have any experience with surgery and THC?

 

[SubGirl]

If you tell your anesthesiologist you smoked weed prior to surgery, they will probably cancel it. They don’t joke around with weed

 

[oldmaninbc]

If you tell your anesthesiologist you smoked weed prior to surgery, they will probably cancel it. They don’t joke around with weed

I use cannabis once a day at 6:00PM , I eat 1/4 of a 1gram cookie. Eating a cookie is a problem in the sense you could vomit during surgery and choke. Smoking is a problem because of the tube they put down your throat and an irritated airway caused by smoking could cause coughing. From my understanding using THC requires a higher use of anesthetics, a longer time to come out of anesthesia and a higher dose of pain medication after surgery . At my advanced age I just want to be careful, I have already waited a long time for this operation. The nurse seemed ok with the THC use as long as I was using it for pain but said I would have to tell the surgeon, I hope the surgeon wouldn't cancel, that would not be good.

 

[bigsur51]

No problems here

my last surgery was the removal of 22 teeth which required anesthesia and an anesthesiologist

I smoked before surgery and it did not bother me…I’ve had two other surgeries and had smoked within 24 hours and no problems

thats my experience

if you have doubts , maybe it’s best for you to error on the side of caution?..

oh yeah , I never told any of the docs anything..
feck em’

 

[tobedetermined]

Like bigsur51, I have smoked within 24 hours of two back surgeries, a neck surgery, lithotripsies . . .

And a couple of those were pre-legalization so I I probably didn't tell any of the docs. And btw, after my last back surgery - day 1 excluded - my only pain reliever was a 5 gram chunk of home made blueberry bubble hash. I had Oxys at hand but I resisted and just stayed super stoned for the week on the hash.

 

[SubGirl]

Yes I smoke before surgery too many times, usually right up to the hour before I have to be there but I don’t tell them anymore as they have told me recently that they wouldn’t operate if I had smoked within 48 hours after I told them I smoked cannabis. Like big said maybe best to error on the side of caution if your not sure about it.

 

[bigsur51]

Like bigsur51, I have smoked within 24 hours of two back surgeries, a neck surgery, lithotripsies . . .

And a couple of those were pre-legalization so I I probably didn't tell any of the docs. And btw, after my last back surgery - day 1 excluded - my only pain reliever was a 5 gram chunk of home made blueberry bubble hash. I had Oxys at hand but I resisted and just stayed super stoned for the week on the hash.

dude , when I broke my neck in five places and they flew me to the hospital for emergency surgery , I just got through smoking a joint

same here on the meds….they loaded me up on opiates

did not take one

made some pain patches from some oleoresin made QWET style and taped them to the back of my neck

 

[Brother Nature]

I had a minor surgery about 6 weeks ago, I personally think it’s always a good idea to be honest with your doctors about what you take so I mentioned I smoked, but I didn’t smoke on the day. I had all young doctors and the anaesthesiologist was also a younger guy so they didn’t care about my recreational use. He did explain to me that some anaesthesia drugs have a cross tolerance with cannabis so that is why they won’t operate if you have taken it in the last 48 hours, but in reality he’s never seen any kind of negative reaction. I live in a country where it is illegal too, but we have centralised healthcare so you don’t need to have insurance to get certain surgeries, I’d imagine in the us system, your insurer will do whatever they can to not pay for you so discretion would be advised in that situation, otherwise I think it’s a good thing to be honest with your healthcare professional.

 

[HarleyJammer]

Heart cath on Wednesday.. I can TRY to abstain from my daily consumption.

 

[Alpine Guerilla]

I'm always honest with the doctors (although weed is not legal where I live) and asked the anaesthesiologist last time why cannabis is relevant to him. He replied that it might require a slightly higher dose for sedation and that they keep an extra eye on it so I don't wake up during surgery. They usually try to sedate as little as possible, not to put too much strain on the body.

After a surgery I don't use my vape for two days as THC dilates the blood vessels, the fresh scars are then supplied with more blood and a little more wound fluid comes out (maybe that's just me).

 

[RottyRzr]

Heart cath on Wednesday.. I can TRY to abstain from my daily consumption.

I had to have a right heart ablation (cath) and I told the docs and anesthesiologists about my cannabis use and they never even blinked. Still did the ablation.
Also have had hernia surgery and they told me not to smoke any the day before. Seemed like they weren't really concerned.

 

[oldmaninbc]

Heart cath on Wednesday.. I can TRY to abstain from my daily consumption.

How is the TRYING going?

Hope it all goes well for you tomorrow. Do you get to observe any of the procedure?
I get some blood drawn on Thursday, LOL

 

[oldmaninbc]

I spoke with another nurse today regarding questions around my hernia surgery, I don't have my end of life paper filled out yet, just incase something goes wrong.
I have a Dr. appointment on Mar21 to discuss end of life "wants and don't wants", the nurse said just to tell the surgeon before surgery. After doing some research I realize even if they bring you back from the brink of death it doesn't mean that you won't be permanently harmed by heart failure etc. I don't want to be bed ridden, being hand fed or someone changing my diaper, that's not life for me!

I was also very interested in how cannabis use would play out. if I was using it as a recreation then no cannabis for 48hr. prior surgery. However, cannabis for medical use(I have had a Canadian Medical Cannabis Production licence since 2011) that makes a difference and I can use cannabis up to the day before surgery. If I use it on the day of surgery they will cancel the operation. I have been waiting along time for this fix, I don't want to ruin my opportunity for surgery.

The nurse also cautioned me on being very clean(shower) on surgery day, that includes clean clothes and to make sure I wash my hernia belt. It was a productive conversation and for what ails the Canadian medical system I still appreciate what we have.

 

[CharlesU Farley]

I spoke with a nurse for 35 minutes this morning; going over the details for my hernia surgery that will happen soon and getting a lab appointment for blood work. We discussed several details including drugs that I take. When I mentioned cannabis she said I should not use any for 48 hours prior to surgery. I said I use it for pain and have a medical cannabis licence. She said if I do use cannabis I should inform the surgeon because the anesthesiologist would need to know. I was surprised to find out how much anesthetics are effected by THC. Does anyone have any experience with surgery and THC?

Kind of pressed for time right now and can't read the entire thread, lots of medical shit this morning. The reason you need to tell the anesthesiologist that you consume cannabis is because they will have to adjust the amount of anesthesia they give you during surgery. The surgeon is not going to give a shit because it doesn't affect what he's going to do whatsoever. It's the anesthesiologist and most importantly the recovery room nurses who need to know. It's an established medical fact that heavy cannabis users require heavier amounts of gaseous anesthesia during surgery, so if the surgeon has to hit you with a little bit more then usual, it'll take you longer to wake up in the recovery room and the recovery room nurses have to know that, so they don't think something is wrong.

Other than that, cannabis has no adverse effect in the OR, unless you're a heavy smoker and have bronchitis, which they are very used to dealing with. You have no idea the number of alcoholic dirt bags, drug addicts, street urchins, and nere-do-wells that surgeons and anesthesiologists have to deal with in the OR, a pot smoker is not going to concern them.

Too long to get into now, but until I reached Medicare I never told a medical professional anything about my cannabis use whatsoever, because that shit stays on your medical record and affects your medical/life insurance rate.

The only time I've ever heard of any surgeon shutting down an operation because of cannabis use is with organ transplantation, and that's a totally different fucking ball of wax.

 

[chilliwilli]

You gonna need more anesthesia if u smoke weed. The anesthesiologist doesn't want that u to wake up on the table.

 

[oldmaninbc]

Kind of pressed for time right now and can't read the entire thread, lots of medical shit this morning. The reason you need to tell the anesthesiologist that you consume cannabis is because they will have to adjust the amount of anesthesia they give you during surgery. The surgeon is not going to give a shit because it doesn't affect what he's going to do whatsoever. It's the anesthesiologist and most importantly the recovery room nurses who need to know. It's an established medical fact that heavy cannabis users require heavier amounts of gaseous anesthesia during surgery, so if the surgeon has to hit you with a little bit more then usual, it'll take you longer to wake up in the recovery room and the recovery room nurses have to know that, so they don't think something is wrong.

Other than that, cannabis has no adverse effect in the OR, unless you're a heavy smoker and have bronchitis, which they are very used to dealing with. You have no idea the number of alcoholic dirt bags, drug addicts, street urchins, and nere-do-wells that surgeons and anesthesiologists have to deal with in the OR, a pot smoker is not going to concern them.

Too long to get into now, but until I reached Medicare I never told a medical professional anything about my cannabis use whatsoever, because that shit stays on your medical record and affects your medical/life insurance rate.

The only time I've ever heard of any surgeon shutting down an operation because of cannabis use is with organ transplantation, and that's a totally different fucking ball of wax.

I've waited about 2 years for this surgery, I really dislike when my intestine comes out and through my abdomen, it's getting harder all the time to put it back. My spouses friend had emergency surgery at 5 in the morning when her hernia could not be put back in. I learnt that if your intestine is out for more than 4 hours it dies and has to be cut out.
The nurse was adamant, no cannabis use on the day of surgery or it would be cancelled. As far as I can tell I only get to speak to the surgeon and he relates any information to the surgical team. It's too late to keep my cannabis use to myself, 3 different family doctors/Health Canada have signed my access to cannabis papers since 2011. My doctor several years ago gave me the ultimatum if I wanted to continue with my morphine script I would have to go into the lab immediately and be screened for several types of drugs. I told him I had nothing to hide. I'm in my mid 70s and not too worried about my record. I could be at end of life just about anytime now. My 3 best friends of 40-50 years have died.
Thanks for dropping by and sharing your thoughts.

 

[tobedetermined]

I've waited about 2 years for this surgery

That seems to be a long wait time for Canada. Are you out in the boons or ?

 

[oldmaninbc]

That seems to be a long wait time for Canada. Are you out in the boons or ?

The wait time for non-essential surgery is long; too long, our medical system is in need of correction. You wait for the federal government to reach a health care deal with individual provinces, then you hope to hell the money they received will be spent on the health care system and not one of the politicians pet projects. For all the problems the health system has I can say all round it has never let me down in a big way. The lady who I have lived with for the last 25 years, came here from Texas, until we were able to get her landed immigrant status,then duel citizenship, for a while she had no medical coverage, my family doctor treated her for free.

I don't live in a larger city, where I reside has a population of about 350 people, it's a non incorporated area. I will be having my surgery in a city of about 37,000 people, there was a new medical tower built on the hospital few years back to bring it up to meet the needs of a larger population and to take on more medical issues. The last time I had surgery there it only took about 8 weeks from diagnosis to surgery.

 

[tobedetermined]

For all the problems the health system has I can say all round it has never let me down in a big way.

That basically says it for us here too. We don't have the same availability that we had in previous decades (but seemingly could not afford) but it all gets done. I live in Toronto and our main doc filters us towards a hospital that is busy spending a $50 mil donation, so despite the hardhats wandering by, the service is excellent and it is worth enduring the 30 minute traffic battle to get there. I have been making my own substantial contribution to their parking fund . . .

Good luck!

 

[oldmaninbc]

That basically says it for us here too. We don't have the same availability that we had in previous decades (but seemingly could not afford) but it all gets done. I live in Toronto and our main doc filters us towards a hospital that is busy spending a $50 mil donation, so despite the hardhats wandering by, the service is excellent and it is worth enduring the 30 minute traffic battle to get there. I have been making my own substantial contribution to their parking fund . . .

Good luck!

That is something some people are upset with; there is a private company that is responsable for parking, they are out of a different city than Penticton(hospital) , maybe Vancouver, that is were parking lot profit goes. I don't know how they come up with these ideas, I guess someone has a greasy palm.

I spent the first 20 + years in Ontario , that is where I was born, under a bridge on the way to the hospital. Are you familiar with an area called Puslinch Township(I lived as a child and went to 2 one room school houses) about 20 minutes or so from Guelph, where I eventually lived. Made many trips to TO for fun and to purchase those nefarious illegal products, LOL. I have many fond memories of being entertained in Toronto.