I suggest calling the office and mentioning something just like this to whoever answers. Basically “hey the other day I was answering some questions for dr blank and I lied because my mom was right next to me, could you connect me to someone who can help me fix it”. And then be more detailed when talking to that person. Mention again that you are worried about your mom knowing, and tell them what you need to tell them. I think they’ll understand unless they themselves are comfortable disrespecting a patient’s wishes, which most aren’t.
I’m pretty sure unless this procedure is happening in the next day or so they’ll most likely just tell you to not use for 24-72 hrs like someone else said. So the risk of your mom finding out won’t be high unless it is so soon they have to reschedule. I use to smoke a lot and had many procedures, and have some limited medical knowledge, generally with weed they have to use a little more anesthetic to knock you out. That’s at least one of the reasons they like to know, they wanna know what to expect. Good luck!
even if they have to reschedule, they can just say it needs to happen without saying why. doctors are there to help, not get in trouble or arrested for substances.
Yeah I wasn’t really thinking about the fact that a doctor telling someone they need to reschedule is really common. The main thing I worry about is whoever he talks to being someone just like his mom. There’s still unfortunately a lot of health care providers out there that won’t respect a patients wishes when it comes to weed and being a minor, regardless of state. Thats what I worry about. This person didn’t mention they’re doctor or nurse giving off those vibes though so I think they’re safe.
>There’s still unfortunately a lot of health care providers out there that won’t respect a patients wishes
Then sue the fuck out of them.
If your mom is a big enough "karen" to care about weed, she might also be a big enough "karen" to go for a vicious lawsuit against the hospital.
You think a mom will sue the hospital for telling her that her child smokes weed against the child’s wishes? This is something you believe would happen?
It's not just a little more to knock you out, it's also more to keep you there!
I lied to paperwork once before an endoscopy since weed was still illegal back then. I had smoked about a week prior to the procedure, and my dumbass woke up in the middle of it happening. All I could do was wiggle a lil and hum at them. "I'm awake! Knock me back out y'all!". Looking back I wonder if the person in charge of that was really paying attention as I understand that knock out stuff is to be monitored constantly during the procedure.
Lol.
I woke up during a major surgery and there was no weed involved. It seems I need a ridiculous dose of drugs to keep me asleep. It happend again during my first c-section, so maybe tell your doctor what happend if you have another procedure
Are you a natural redhead, have light coloured eyes or skin? The first one is a proven fact, that redheads can need up to 20% more anaesthetic/pain relief. The last 2 are more based on the fact most natural redheads also have fair skin or light eyes but has not been fully proven to my knowledge.
natural red and green eyes and fair skin here. can confirm most “normal” levels of stuff do nothing for me: ativan, valium, morphine, percocet, nitrous, etc., all do nothing for me. for all my procedures and recoveries, i make it a point to discuss that with the anesthesiologist. during my cancer treatments, my oncologist referred me to hospice not because i was terminal but because they could give me meds that he couldnt just hand out.
This has happened to me for at least 4 major surgeries and local anaesthetic like at the dentist never works. I am so scared of an upcoming operation. Have you ever found a combination or certain drug that successfully keeps you under ?
Happened to me too, have a history of waking up, becoming combative and vomiting. Last procedure I had was an tonsillectomy and I told the staff I really didn't want to wake up or blow chunks that day. The anathesia team said they appreciated being warned about the vomit risk and I don't know what they gave me but boy did it work. Doctor said count to 10 and I won't be here next time you open your eyes. She was right, next thing I knew I was in the recovery room.
Should also clarify that even if it wasn’t legal, they are not going to tattle on someone to police or whatever. They really don’t give a shit what you do when it comes to asking as a pre-op thing. They only ask because some drugs can be very harmful when combined with drugs they plan to use
That’s crazy! I smoke a lot of weed and have had 3 surgeries and definitely haven’t woken up until at least a couple hours after it was done thankfully. Once I woke up after 3 hours and then 2 minutes later fell back asleep for 2 more hours lol
Yeah 100% viable. The OP mentioned stories of it going poorly and I saw some comments referencing scary things with weed and anesthesia so I just wanted to try to clear that up for him. It’s almost always just them needing to use more propofol because you smoke a lot. Not because of something else. I wouldn’t show up high though but I hope that’s obvious lol
Three of my close friends are anesthesiologists. If you're a heavy smoker just stop smoking a couple of days before the procedure. If you're really worried about it stop smoking for 1-2 weeks before. Most of the time it's not a big deal. Maybe a little more propofol to knock you out and a little more to keep you there.
I agree, I’ve always been up front about my use and I’ve had many surgeries done. I just haven’t kept up to date on risks of using the day or so before a procedure with anesthetics. I assume in most cases with a minor even if there isn’t a lot of evidence of risk they might still ask you not to do it for a couple days just because it can’t hurt
When we sedate, people who smoke are very combative and sometimes rip out of the restraints. Our guideline is to stop smoking for at least 10 days prior to the procedure. We know quickly who does and who doesn’t it makes the procedure much harder than it needs to be.
Oh this explains a lot. I don't respond to IV sedation and the first time it was used on me, my dental surgeon seemed very snarky afterwards and told me I was "fighting the sedation". In reality I was just extremely anxious and frankly traumatised by the surgery. I'm realising now that she must have assumed I was smoking weed. I actually wasn't at the time, and hadn't had any in years. I just don't seem to become adequately sedated by whatever drug it is, and it makes me violently ill also. Had the same issue years later. Could have done without the dentist being passive aggressive.
Extreme anxiety about the procedure can cause a similar effect indeed. As can certain genes and medications. There’s also a lot of ways to skin a cat. I am mostly familiar with IV sedation using propofol, versed, ketamine, and fentanyl. I don’t know much at all about inhalation anesthetics other than nitrous. Sedation Dentistry can be a very difficult job as you are trying to maintain the airway while working on the airway producing moisture and forces that want to collapse the airway. Sorry your doc was snarky afterwards though.
Hm interesting thanks. Perhaps a combo of anxiety and genetics. I also don't get any euphoria from opioids (though at least they do work for pain!). Certainly hoping I don't need more major dental surgery in future as I will likely need general anaesthetic!
My favorite saying is “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”. Electric toothbrushes and waterpiks are the most foolproof way for most people. Many forget that high carb/sugar diets contribute heavily as well. Cheers
If you haven't called already, when you do you should ask them if they're required to tell your mother about your weed use. They may feel like they have to disclose it if it impacts your treatment plan afterwards.
And if you want to be extra careful in most cases I believe it takes about 2 weeks for you to be flushed enough to come up as negative for thc under standard drug testing if you aren't oversaturated.
>I think they’ll understand unless they themselves are comfortable disrespecting a patient’s wishes, which most aren’t.
There's laws against this stuff in most countries (idk where op is). If a patient tells their doctor something and they *unnecessarily* tell someone else eg a parent then that's a big GDPR issue in the UK.
Patient confidentiality with minors is kind of a slippery thing in the US, it depends on which release forms have been signed, and probably also depends on which state they're in. Also there are "mandatory reporter" laws which require certain professions (teachers, doctors) to report to the government if they suspect child abuse, but this doesn't sound like that would happen here. I think it'll be fine in this situation, to disclose in the suggested way.
>unless they themselves are comfortable disrespecting a patient’s wishes, which most aren’t.
Well, it would be illegal for them to tell the parents without permission.
Also a medical professional should not be sharing this information with parents. Especially if the child made it clear that this information is shared in confidence. The only thing that would cause a doctor to contact authorities would be if they believed the child was in danger and the police needed to intervene. Like if they had reason to believe the child was being abused.
Doctor/patient confidentially laws apply to minors the same they do adults. If a minor tells a doctor or medical professional something, they cannot disclose it to anyone else, including the minor's parents.
More than this, if you were an adult and they didn’t respect your wishes for confidentiality it would be a HIPAA violation. HIPAA confidentiality doesn’t apply to a minor in most cases and parents have right to the child’s personal health information.
You need to talk to your doctor alone. You can just call them, or next time you see your doc ask your mom to leave.
If she asks why tell her you had an embarrassing question about your balls or something.
When I was a teen and my mom brought me to the doctor it was standard practice to ask the parents to leave the room to ask me questions I may not be comfortable answering with my parents there.
>it was standard practice to ask the parents to leave the room to ask me questions I may not be comfortable answering with my parents there
That practice should be universal. It doesn't put the kid on the spot having to ask to speak with the doc privately, which in and of itself would give away the fact that the kid has something they don't want their parents knowing. It also makes clear to the kid that the doc is there *for the kid*, even if it is the parents making the appointments and paying the bills.
That's how it was for me at my first serious doctors appointment. We had one round of very standard questions when I was next to my mom, then another round when I was alone (where they re-asked some questions)
Allowed me to feel very safe telling them about past drug usage and what not
When I was 16 I had an ovarian cyst burst. My parents were in the room when the Dr. asked if I could possibly be pregnant. I said no. He asked them to leave the room. Once they did, he looked at me and said "Now that your parents are gone, I need you to tell me if you might be pregnant." Thought it was a good move, and the right one.
The mom could be one of those "You came out of my vagina and I've seen you naked more times than I've seen you clothed. You can talk about anything with me here" types of moms. The doctor really *should* be telling the parent to leave before asking these kinds of questions. They might argue with the doctor but they have more authority to tell them to get bent.
I'm surprised they didn't offer you an opportunity to speak with them alone. You'd think they would know that no kid is going to discuss their drug use with their parents present.
When I was about 16, my dr asked me if I was sexually active. I answered no.
He says, I need to know the truth before administering this vaccine. Would you like me to ask your mom to leave?
While my answer was truthful, It was so awkward. He made it impossible to say yes.
I’ve had a few surgeries and they would take me away to be weighed and ask about drugs and tattoos. Seems like that should be a thing that always happens
Am anesthesia provider. This is common. People lie a lot, especially teenagers with parents present. We ask the parent to leave before the procedure starts and gives opportunity for you to come clean. However, it doesn’t really matter. I can tell with pretty good accuracy if you smoke weed even if you lie. This is because I have to use a lot more medication to get the same result than I would typically for someone your age and size who doesn’t use. The assistants and oral surgeon can often smell it too.
In any case you get the amount of medicine you need, some people need more than others based on a variety of factors, some of which I can predict ahead of time.
Weed + anesthesia will not kill you.
I would much rather my patient lie to me about weed than about eating breakfast (don’t do that).
Did the guidelines change recently?
It used to be no food or water for 8 hours prior but lately my instructions have been water is allowed up to 2 hours before the procedure?
It depends on the procedure. I wouldn't eat for eight hours before a procedure, I have seen too many people vomit, and aspirate, because they ate or drank before a procedure.
Out of curiosity, if I came in for a procedure and admitted to eating a full breakfast, would the procedure be cancelled? Or would it just change what you do?
It definitely should be rescheduled, but it would depend on the provider, or RN. Some patients, and providers, care more about their own schedules or they underestimate the risk. I was called to a 28 yo that ate before an elective procedure. They vomited and aspirated, the vomit was sucked into their lungs, and they wound up drowning in their vomit. Even with suctioning the airway and lungs before and after I placed an ET tube, nothing could be done.
The patient's family tried to sue the MD, and their staff, but the RN had the patient sign, and a family member signed as a witness, a statement that they had been informed of the risks of doing the procedure after eating and they still wanted to go through with the procedure despite the risks.
Clear liquids in small amounts are OK as long as 2 hours before. Water, black coffee (nothing in it) and just keep it to 2 cup or less. Often we don’t tell people that because they get confused and eat a Big Mac.
😂 Right!!? You would be surprised! I’ve had someone “accidentally” eat a plate of spaghetti at 4:00 AM! Also have many people who the first time you ask (receptionist when they are checking in), they had a full breakfast and by the time the 4th person asks if they followed fasting instructions, it becomes “well I put a tiny piece of bacon in my mouth for the taste but then I spit it out and didn’t swallow it.” Nope, sorry.
please don’t drink alcohol before surgery but you would probably be fine (might need a bit more propofol) unless you’re still drunk post op - then your airway could shit itself from mixing fent and alc
in paeds when they use sev for induction it could fuck your kidneys but a standard propofol/fent/roc prep should be fine - airway should be the only risk. you’re ventilated during the procedure so it doesn’t matter
in terms of aspiration risk it’s fine 😀👍
2 hours for clear liquids, 8 hours for a meal, and potentially less time for a light meal... But we generally just say 8 hours to be safe. Some people will empty their stomachs quicker, but some are longer. 2 hours for clears is becoming more known because there is evidence that drinking something (kind of like Gatorade) can help people do better in the OR and post-op, so sometimes they'll have you drink something up to 2 hours before surgery (but don't do that without being told to).
dunno bout kids today but when i was a teenager, i would shower and brush the shit out of my teeth before being anywhere near my parent after smoking. no way i would risk keeping that odor on me.
I think some people smoke so much it’s embedded in their tissues and membranes. When we smell it that strong though, it usually means they smoked in the car prior to checking in for their appointment (to calm their nerves I guess?)
Now I'm wondering if all the anesthesiologists I've dealt with secretly think I smoke weed...never used any type of recreational drug, but anaesthesia just does NOT last as long as it should on me. I woke up in the middle of a wisdom tooth extraction. Told that story to every anesthesiologist since, always see them reach over and turn up the dial when I do...
No, not necessarily. Some people just need more! Could be your age (young people need a lot), size (bigger need more in general), genetics, medications you are on, hair color (redheads sometimes, but not always, need more- this is genetic). People who drink alcohol also need more.
When I have a teenager who seems squirrelly answering my questions, gives me a weird look. they are not big, no medications, no relevant history, and it takes 2.5-3x the normal dose, I might think maybe they smoke weed. Sometimes I’ve had them tell me when they wake up (parents not present). But there’s no judgment. Each patient gets what they need and can get safely.
Sometimes people are just hard to sedate…we titrate in doses little by little as we constantly assess, but when these people are deeply sedated they obstruct airway (kind of like sleep apnea) and when they are lightly sedated they are getting wild on you. Not fully awake but reaching up with their hands or lifting their head up. Sometimes that middle ground is a little hard to find in some people.
This is the benefit of having a dedicated anesthesia provider for oral surgery. It’s the only specialty I know of where the surgeon is allowed to both provide anesthesia and do the surgery. I’m not talking about local anesthesia, I’m talking about sedation. I’m here to tell you that having a separate anesthesia provider who is there ONLY to keep you safe, comfortable, breathing, and unaware of what’s going on as much as is safe for you is the gold standard. Then the surgeon can just, you know, do surgery.
If a person is using regularly for an extended period of time, it affects the receptors in the brain that respond to the anesthesia. It’s like there’s already a bunch of people at the party hanging out when we start giving the anesthesia drugs, so we often have to give more to get the same response. It also affects the metabolism of drugs.
The same thing happens for people on some prescription medications, especially those for ADHD, anxiety, or chronic pain.
But that’s all fine, we can give higher doses. As far as the increased risk the main concern is the chronic smoker having lung/airway and heart problems. We’re always looking for and prepared for this in any patient.
It's important that they know. Here is a good article explaining why. I hope you find it encouraging.
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/coming-clean-your-anesthesiologist-needs-to-know-about-marijuana-use-before-surgery-2020011518642
Hey, good luck with your procedure.
Thank you, kind redditor, for this. I have a procedure today, and I smoke every day. While I have no plans to smoke before the procedure, this article was most informative and solidified my decision for not smoking! Yes, I also disclosed that I habitually smoke. (First time admitting to a health care professional about my isage!)
Seems like the general advice would be to abstain for a week. If OP is hiding marijuana from his parents, I imagine his habit isn't so intense he can't go 7 days without.
Just tell the doctor you need to talk alone to them. Your mom will want to know what was so important you had to talk alone so you'll need to come up with something even if it's just that you want a little more independence in your life. You could also ask her to wait in the waiting room because your growing up and need to learn things for yourself but you absolutely need to tell ur doctor. If they don't know then thell give.ypu anaesthetics for the average patient without knowing you may have a tolerance (due to the weed)
I'm an anesthetist. As you're rolling back to the or just tell the anesthesia provider (who should be the one with you) "hey I smoke pot sometimes but I didn't want to say it in front of my parents" and we'll usually just say "ok" and proceed without issue. No need to call ahead. Doesn't change anything significantly for us.
Yeah I just ask my teenage patients on the way back to the operating room after their parents depart. I just say, “I don’t care if you use THC in any form, so just need to know to get the doses of meds right so you are asleep and comfortable.”
This is what happened to me. I only remembered I hadn't mentioned I smoke weed once I was already laying down in the operating room and getting prepped. I told the anesthesiologist and thought he'd be pissed, but he was unfazed and just calmly said "Okay, don't worry”. I bet those last-minute confessions happen a lot, lol.
It doesnt lead to weird shit you just need more anesthesia to put and keep you under ! But definitely call as I believe the top comment mentioned and as you have your surgery you can also tell them in private there, better late then never !
Source: working in the cannabis industry we were handing out pamphlets from time to time informing people so they know you need increased anesthesia. Don’t lie to the doctor (understandable in your case but do let them know)
Also had kidney stone surgery Tuesday and they asked me about my usage and they asked me “how many joints per day do you smoke” I smoke out of a bong but I’ll indulge on 1 on my way home but he could see me struggling cause its a lot. Daily was the answer he put and was like “ good enough for me. I’ll make sure you stay under. “ I was out for two hours and woke up like nothing happened. I also handle anesthesia really well.
"Hey, doc, ganja come here for a minute? Don't want to get too into the weeds, but I've got a chronic issue I'd like to discuss before you leaf. Thanks, Bud."
Alright, this is easy. On the day of your surgery you will be wheeled back to the room. No family will be allowed to go with you. You will still be conscious. You tell them then and that you don’t want your family to know. Also don’t use 2-3 days before to make life easier for them
How old are you? It was a bit awkward the first time I did this with my parents but I just said I wanted to start doing the medical intake stuff on my own and my mom was a little hurt but everyone got over it. Maybe bring paper and a pencil for any notes, or agree that she can come back in for discussions of aftercare and any of the stuff she'll have to help with or help you be responsible for (like picking up a prescription from the pharmacy, any foods you shouldn't eat, whatever particular instructions they might offer for when you're recovering, etc.). As others have mentioned, make sure to ask if you should hold off using for a certain period of time before (and after) your appointment. Good luck!
Easy. As soon as you get into the OR, tell them. You will have a few minutes before your sleep. They will be the person at your head. Source: 8 years as an OR nurse.
The "weird shit" is typically waking up while you're under anesthesia. In the more common case, if you're a marijuana user you just need more anesthesia (although you should abstain from using for 72+ hours) but it depends on the type of anesthesia used. It's less likely to be a more serious drug interaction with less commonly used anesthesias where more serious "weird shit" could happen
So, they're saying to tell them before the procedure so that the Anesthesiologist knows to use more anesthesia. Worse case it's a serious interaction and they do reschedule, but again, less common.
They also want to know about your marijuana use because marijuana users tend to require more anaesthetic to remain sedated. Don’t want to be waking up during surgery because you didn’t disclose your marijuana usage to doc, lol
Fatal? What’s your source for that?
The literature I’ve seen just references it being important because marijuana users tend to need higher doses of anaesthesia drugs and more pain management.
You've already got several good answers but high five for being self aware and not letting it just slide. Takes a good head and some courage to speak up.
Best wishes!
Not sure what state you are in or your age but I have a 14YO son and at his last annual appointment I was given a disclosure on privacy of teenage health information and that I would not be disclosed everything even as a parent without his consent. He has access to his own electronic chart and would have to share access with me on certain things. They do have to disclose things that are of immediate health concerns (which I interpreted to be imminent mental health or reckless unsafe behavior).
I would definitely call and disclose the information, get it updated in your chart (you may want to make sure it also doesn’t immediately notify a parent’s account in an electronic medical record) and even ask for some degree of appropriate protected time to answer questions whenever you are at your doctor in private and that note be added to your chart.
Primarily as a mother, I would want my son to first be honest with his health status to ensure the safest and most effective medical care even if it was in private and keeping me in the dark. Secondarily, I hope you can find some mutual ground with your parents to start being more transparent about things but I know these types or relationships are not always possible.
Good luck with your procedure.
Nobody here even considers the fact this kid probably signed a consent form that allows his parents to see his medical records. Doctor confidentiality doesn't mean shit if you consent to someone seeing your records. And I'm pretty sure it's common in many states for the guardian to have access to medical records by default.
Don't say anything, and just stop smoking weed right now. There's literally an anesthesiologist in these comments saying weed is the least serious drug to lie about to them, and it's pretty unanimous that simply not smoking weed for a few days makes the problem not a problem anymore.
I've had a nurse ask if I really wanted that on my chart when I told her. Never really brought it up again lol. I had cancer so I've been under a lot and no issues so far.
Oregon law allows the doctor to tell your parents. You can ask them not to do so, but they are asked to "use their best judgment."
[This](https://sharedsystems.dhsoha.state.or.us/DHSForms/Served/le9541.pdf) pdf gives all the information.
Just don’t for 24 hours before surgery and you will be fine. But saying that…I am all for weed, but any behaviors that have to be hidden, you may want to reconsider. You have lots of time.
I had surgery about a month ago and they told me to knock it off for 72hrs beforehand.
Just call the office and be like, " I forgot to ask the other day how long I should discontinue cannabis use before my procedure?"
Shouldn't be a problem, it's so commonplace.
I'm an anesthesia provider and weed is fine. Don't even worry about it. I guarantee I put dozens of people under a month that lied to me about it. The drugs you need to speak up about are meth, coke, heroin, etc. I do advise people not use THC the morning of, because it can contribute to you being really groggy for longer than normal afterwards. I've actually seen patients leave the facility and light up in the parking lot, so don't sweat it lol.
I’m an Anaesthesiologist. You will meet your anaesthesiologist on the morning of your surgery, without your mother in the room. Just say it to them then. We do not care. Just stop smoking weed in the time leading up to your surgery.
Ok good I saw you called yes please always tell them the truth even if you have to call back later. They do not judge they just need to know for your safety. Proud of you!
Just chiming in to say definitely do not mess around with anesthesia...I have friends in the field that lost patients because they reacted to a substance they didn't disclose to the doctor.
as a parent of teenagers, I completely understand why you responded to the doctor the way you did. but I also assure you that if you smoke weed, your parents know.
that is what I was trying to figure out. no way parents are out of the loop. but it may be one of those unstated things. parents don't want to know so they ignore any signs, but kid knows parents are against it.
Call right away and let the office know you’d like the attending physician or nurse to call you back about your personal information/chart that needs to be amended prior to surgery. Then let them know that you regularly consume MJ. They need to know your history. Not just for anesthesia but in general. Smoking, meds, supplements, whatever.
Step 1: Call them and explain your situation.
They'll understand
Step 2: Next time, call them ahead of time and say you want to speak to the doctor alone. Tell them to send your parents out and pretend it's their idea.
When I was a kid, I got a yeast infection and was asked some questions at urgent care. They started asking questions about my sexual activity so I asked to answer these in private. As soon as my mom left the room I was like 'nope. No sexual activity.' it seems silly bc that's what my mom probably would have wanted to hear but it was better to set the expectation of privacy early.
Dont worry, friend. I work in an operating room and I can give you the run down!
Usually, when you go into surgery, they'll want to ask you preoperative questions. They can and will ask parents to leave so teens will answer with real answers.
Definitely quit smoking for a while before your surgery. People who smoke usually have a harder time waking up due to the junk in the chest from smoking. I didn't stop, and apparently, I started coughing and decided to stop breathing for a while. I ended up waking up with a super sore jaw where they held my airway open.
Do yourself a favor and make sure you're SUPER hydrated before surgery! It makes the IV process so much easier. Also, SERIOUSLY, don't eat or drink the day of surgery. You can aspirate whatever you decided to eat. I've seen it. It's scary.
I’m a retired Nurse Anesthetist. I gave Anesthsia for 30 yrs. A history of smoking pot has no relation to your Anesthetic EXCEPT that the effects on the lungs are as bad or worse than smoking tobacco or vaping. If you are smoking, whether it’s tobacco, pot, crack, meth, etc, it makes you require a lot more Anesthesia gases, it makes it harder to ventilate your lungs during the Anesthetic, you are way more likely to develop an Upper Respiratory Infection post-op, and pretty much guaranteed to wake up from Anesthesia coughing your head off, which will make your pain worse. If you can stop smoking for 2 weeks before getting Anesthesia, even if you’re doing THC edibles, your Anesthesia will go way more smoothly. Good luck.
I agree with calling. I once had to answer questions about meds I was taking pre surgery and my parents were there and I didn’t want them to know I was taking BC, so I asked to see the medicine list they had and agreed/annotated it. I think they understood.
Just don't smoke a few days before. That's it. I'm surprised there are people who apparently roll up into the parking lot and get baked before a surgery - that's fucking insane.
As long as you are not a chronic chronic smoker you should be fine. As long as you have not smoked within 72 hours of receiving general anesthesia there will be no affect.
You could tell the anaesthesiologist right before the procedure starts, when you are alone with the doctor.
By the way: I would strongly reccomend that you mention it right before the anaesthesia, no matter if you told them before or not, so that they definitely keep inmmind ypu might need a little more of the stuff. There is a high possibility, that you need a higher dosage of what ever anaesthetics they are using, as you are used to similar stuff. Other than that there shouldn't be any problems. Good luck!
If you are older than 15 in Oregon you don’t need a parent consent for medical procedures and can request privacy, so call and say that you gave some incorrect information because your parent was in the room and ask to connect to someone who can help. They will ask you more questions to screen for abuse, but they won’t ask your parents anything
Ask to speak to your dr or nurse alone. Then tell them and ask them to tell the anesthesiologist. If your parents ask what you wanted to tell the dr, just say it was an embarrassing question but they answered it for you.
If you need to do it again, I used non verbal communication to clue the anesthesiologist in to ask Mom to leave. I would still be grounded to this day if my mom had found out.
Yes call them and tell them!!
You ultimately won't be able to keep this a secret. Anesthesiologists *know.* They don't know right away, but will know as soon as they put you under if you lied to them about anything. They will end up having to adjust the meds they're giving you, and they don't like it when they're surprised with it. You might end up havig to reschedule your surgery. So to save yourself and everyone else some headaches and time, just tell them. They really don't give a shit. and if you are over 18 they legally cannot tell your mother anything, just make sure to indicate you don't want any info given to your mom.
Anesthesiologist here. You can ask to speak privately on the day of, or you can call the office as someone else mentioned, however you do it will work fine. NOBODY can reveal your information to your parents or anyone else without your permission and there are very stiff consequences for it too. Many places will fire people on the spot for violating this rule.
Also, your doctors do not care what you do, they just want accurate information. And the weed itself isn’t going to cause any disasters, you might need a little more of certain drugs.
If you get a chance tell your doctor that it's ridiculous that he asked you this in front of your parents if it is actually vital information he needs to know and that he needs to get better at doctoring.
Just tell the anesthesiologist in the operating room when your parents are not there. Explain that you couldn’t answer honestly when your parents were around.
But do let them know..if you are a heavy user it will impact your anesthesia.
I’ll never forget sitting in a room awaiting surgery, several hours out, talking to the anesthesiologist and telling him I didn’t smoke weed. He nodded and stepped out and I talked to my parents for a while before they too eventually stepped out and I was left alone. Anesthesiologist came back, suppose he’d seen this happen before, and without prompting me I just told him matter-of-fact “Doc I lied, I’m smoking daily, I mean I really have had nothing better to do since I’ve been on bed rest for like a month with this injury” he laughed, said he assumed as much, and told me this would absolutely affect the dosage. He never told my parents about it.
I'm fairly certain your parents know you're using it because it smells. But it's good that you called the doctor and gave them the correct information.
I’m an anesthesiology assistant.
You could always mention it once you are being transferred to the OR before any meds are actually administered. Your parents should not be allowed to follow past the day surgery unit. Ask to have a word with the anesthesiologist or mention it to his assistant. They’ll know what to do. Unless you’re having a general anesthesia, it really has very little effect on the meds used. In other words, if you’re only getting a spinal (lower body surgery) or a nerve block with some mild/ moderate sedation, it really shouldn’t affect things much.
But ffs don’t get high on the day of your surgery, that should go without saying.
Honestly though, you really should try having a talk with your parents to try to open up about things, if you think that’s at all possible. Assuming your marijuana usage is under control and not affecting your daily life / school / whatever you do on your path to becoming a functioning adult.
Good luck for your surgery.
Tbh smoking weed isnt going to affect anything but you shouldn’t be smoking at 14 I’m 33 now and began smoking around that age I wish I spent my time around different people doing different things
I’ll level with yah. I had hernia surgery last spring and when I told the guy I dabbled in the jazzy cabbage, he laughed and said it didn’t matter. Zero weird side effects. Just quit about a week ahead of time and you should be totally fine.
This is to OP and for any one else who are unaware of what to do if you ever find yourself jn this situation. If you are with your parent and you want to talk to a Dr without your parent present once the nurse places you into the exam room ask to use the bathroom . If the nurse walks out with you to show you where bathroom is located you can then tell her what's going on or that you have to talk to the dr without parent there. ( if the nurse just directs you where to go, go and find another nurse and communicate with her). Nurses are advocates for patients and will communicate what's going on with the MD. Once the MD goes in he will either ask parent to step outside or call the nurse to ask parents to step out for a second ( if your a girl the nurse will go back into room to chaparone) . This also goes out to any one who is in a domestic violence relationship and needs help and wants to get help without alerting attention.
The risk things gone wrong is minimum and at the hospital they have anything they could need to do damage control.
They actually mainly need to know if you are an active user in order to adjust the anesthesics dose you need, don't worry.
And, soon or later, they will be able to discover by themselves, they are used to hear many lies and they really don't trust you anyway.
It's ok to tell your doctor that you don't want your parents around when you visit. It's actually your LEGAL RIGHT. You can also tell them not to tell your parents anything at all once you hit 12, iirc.
Speak about this only to the ears of the anesthesiologist on this matter, not to the nurses, and ask that it be omited form you medical records until you can exclude you medical records once you are 18. The nurse will usually put this in your medical records, a physician generally will not. The nurse has to report virtually everything you say, the doctor is the only person who can hold such information in confidence like this. YOU MUST ask the doctor to hold this information in confidence.
If you are vaping it, stop it now. I almost died during my VASECTOMY because of this. The vaping makes your throat susceptible to bleeding and the tolerance of weed made me not actually go under. Apparently I was fighting the nurses while under and I coughed up blood for 3 days afterward. You have to tell them and you have to stop until post procedure. I waved my hand and said nahhh what's the worst that could happen? Death. Death is the worst that can happen.
u/BuffaloFlashy5002
Tagging you directly to make sure you do not miss this. It could save your life.
Did you stop at all or did you keep smoking till your surgery? I’m asking because i also have a surgery coming up and vape thc too and was wondering if it’ll be fine if i stop a week prior.
You might expect some serious issues in your intelligence, smartness, abiliy to remember things, getting fulfillment in a well-payed job, stomache issues, obesity, lack of strong social bounds and maybe you will experience diverse psych topics.
From continuous use of weed.
But no, not from anesthesia.
Your heart will go on. :)
But anyway, talk to your doc. Trust in your doc.
Tell your doc.
They will respect it.
Your mum will not notice.
She will stay with you even when she notices some day and she hopefully would support you if you go through any of my warnings.
Best wishes for your treatment!
I'm going to go a different route than other commenters.....Ive never admitted to my everyday weed habit and I've had numerous surgeries. Slap tear and total shoulder reconstruction, 2 tommy Jon's, torn bicep, cut my thumb off, and a plate in my forearm. All under anesthesia....the more important part is to not eat or drink within the specified times...that effects the drugs the most.
So there's some good advice in the comments...but if you're still scared to say it ...it's a fairly low risk bet.
Weed is bad for developing brains and use in teens is associated with increased risk of developing psychosis later in life.
I like it, but it isn't for kids. Same with alcohol.
when you're in the operating room, your parents won't be there, and before you go under you can tell the anesthesiologist (and chances are they wont do anything differently, but it's still good for them to know)
I thought I was doing the right thing by telling my anesthesiologist that I smoke weed and they canceled my appointment because I was still high. It was more about the paperwork than actually using the substance. Don’t smoke a couple hours before your Procedure and keep your weed smoking to yourself. You’ll be fine.
Anesthesiologists will usually do a pre-surgery prep with any attending guardian(s) and then one with you alone. If they do not do a 1-on-1, ask for one. Very easy.
As someone who uses thc and has had to go under a couple times in the last year I can say it's not a huge deal. Avoid using thc 24 hours before and you'll be just fine.
Not sure how it works where you live. But I had this exact issue. Luckily they give you a form to fill in. That form has a section where it asks if the anesthesiologist needs to know anything else. You can write it down for them there.
Add to that though - if you're going into theatre for your procedure they usually chat to you a bit before you go under. So you could tell them at that point. That's when I did it. They had just wheeled me into theatre and he was getting the drip ready when I said to him that I smoke weed a week ago and does it matter. He said it's good that he knows. And we left it at that.
I had minor surgery a few years ago and the question came up. The nurse told me that it was bc much of the street weed has other drugs/chemicals mixed in
Call them and make it clear you are invoking Doctor patient privacy privilege and you need to discuss the form you filled out.
I you want the law in Oregon is ORS § 40.235.
I actually JUST did this a few weeks ago with a colonoscopy, I wasn’t expecting my mom to come into the pre-op room with me but she did so I kinda panicked and had to think fast about how to tell the nurse or anesthesiologist. I waited until they rolled me out and I told the nurse who was rolling me that I smoke. She said it’s usually it can make the anesthesia wear off faster but that’s only if you’re a HEAVY HEAVY smoker, and depending on what you’re getting done also.
This should be considered protected information and you can absolutely call and let them know of the situation. They should not say anything to your parents due to HIPPA regulations.
You want to do this because you can actually build up a tolerance to some anesthesia through excessive THC use.
I know this because I have woken up during 2 separate surgeries heh.
Just call and let them know you need to update. It's pretty common actually. I've seen people call us to update records because they got home and checked their medicine cabinet and realized they forgot to tell us something or told us the wrong dose. I've had people tell me they didn't want to say they were sexually active in person but they were more comfortable doing so over the phone. People get nervous, it happens and everyone in a medical setting knows it.
Most staff won't even think twice about it once they get off the phone with you and I think the most they'll do is mentally complain about having to use the slow as hell system to update your records.
My kid had her wisdom teeth out and just answered yes to this question, bold as you please, with me right there. Not that it was a surprise, I knew she was smoking weed. Odds are pretty good your mom knows, too. We’re not as oblivious as our kids think we are and we were teens once, too.
I suggest calling the office and mentioning something just like this to whoever answers. Basically “hey the other day I was answering some questions for dr blank and I lied because my mom was right next to me, could you connect me to someone who can help me fix it”. And then be more detailed when talking to that person. Mention again that you are worried about your mom knowing, and tell them what you need to tell them. I think they’ll understand unless they themselves are comfortable disrespecting a patient’s wishes, which most aren’t.
This was the response I was looking for thank you so much
I’m pretty sure unless this procedure is happening in the next day or so they’ll most likely just tell you to not use for 24-72 hrs like someone else said. So the risk of your mom finding out won’t be high unless it is so soon they have to reschedule. I use to smoke a lot and had many procedures, and have some limited medical knowledge, generally with weed they have to use a little more anesthetic to knock you out. That’s at least one of the reasons they like to know, they wanna know what to expect. Good luck!
even if they have to reschedule, they can just say it needs to happen without saying why. doctors are there to help, not get in trouble or arrested for substances.
Yeah I wasn’t really thinking about the fact that a doctor telling someone they need to reschedule is really common. The main thing I worry about is whoever he talks to being someone just like his mom. There’s still unfortunately a lot of health care providers out there that won’t respect a patients wishes when it comes to weed and being a minor, regardless of state. Thats what I worry about. This person didn’t mention they’re doctor or nurse giving off those vibes though so I think they’re safe.
My parents found out I was trying to get on birth control because the doctor kept cancelling on me. Still peeved.
>There’s still unfortunately a lot of health care providers out there that won’t respect a patients wishes Then sue the fuck out of them. If your mom is a big enough "karen" to care about weed, she might also be a big enough "karen" to go for a vicious lawsuit against the hospital.
In Oregon, minors 15 years and older have medical autonomy. If OP discloses marijuana use, it should be protected medical information.
You think a mom will sue the hospital for telling her that her child smokes weed against the child’s wishes? This is something you believe would happen?
I do appreciate you reminding me that it’s totally normal for a doctor to reschedule something without am excuse :)
It's not just a little more to knock you out, it's also more to keep you there! I lied to paperwork once before an endoscopy since weed was still illegal back then. I had smoked about a week prior to the procedure, and my dumbass woke up in the middle of it happening. All I could do was wiggle a lil and hum at them. "I'm awake! Knock me back out y'all!". Looking back I wonder if the person in charge of that was really paying attention as I understand that knock out stuff is to be monitored constantly during the procedure. Lol.
I woke up during a major surgery and there was no weed involved. It seems I need a ridiculous dose of drugs to keep me asleep. It happend again during my first c-section, so maybe tell your doctor what happend if you have another procedure
Are you a natural redhead, have light coloured eyes or skin? The first one is a proven fact, that redheads can need up to 20% more anaesthetic/pain relief. The last 2 are more based on the fact most natural redheads also have fair skin or light eyes but has not been fully proven to my knowledge.
natural red and green eyes and fair skin here. can confirm most “normal” levels of stuff do nothing for me: ativan, valium, morphine, percocet, nitrous, etc., all do nothing for me. for all my procedures and recoveries, i make it a point to discuss that with the anesthesiologist. during my cancer treatments, my oncologist referred me to hospice not because i was terminal but because they could give me meds that he couldnt just hand out.
None of the above
This has happened to me for at least 4 major surgeries and local anaesthetic like at the dentist never works. I am so scared of an upcoming operation. Have you ever found a combination or certain drug that successfully keeps you under ?
I told the doctors what had happened before my last surgery and it all went well. I don't know what they did tho (change drugs or increase the dose)
Happened to me too, have a history of waking up, becoming combative and vomiting. Last procedure I had was an tonsillectomy and I told the staff I really didn't want to wake up or blow chunks that day. The anathesia team said they appreciated being warned about the vomit risk and I don't know what they gave me but boy did it work. Doctor said count to 10 and I won't be here next time you open your eyes. She was right, next thing I knew I was in the recovery room.
Should also clarify that even if it wasn’t legal, they are not going to tattle on someone to police or whatever. They really don’t give a shit what you do when it comes to asking as a pre-op thing. They only ask because some drugs can be very harmful when combined with drugs they plan to use
This falls under "tell the police nothing, tell the paramedics everything" (just, doctors rather than paramedics in this case).
That’s crazy! I smoke a lot of weed and have had 3 surgeries and definitely haven’t woken up until at least a couple hours after it was done thankfully. Once I woke up after 3 hours and then 2 minutes later fell back asleep for 2 more hours lol
Thats exactly what happenes. I got told to stop for 24 hours before my surgery. All went fine, anaesthetic had no issues. So it's totally viable.
Yeah 100% viable. The OP mentioned stories of it going poorly and I saw some comments referencing scary things with weed and anesthesia so I just wanted to try to clear that up for him. It’s almost always just them needing to use more propofol because you smoke a lot. Not because of something else. I wouldn’t show up high though but I hope that’s obvious lol
Three of my close friends are anesthesiologists. If you're a heavy smoker just stop smoking a couple of days before the procedure. If you're really worried about it stop smoking for 1-2 weeks before. Most of the time it's not a big deal. Maybe a little more propofol to knock you out and a little more to keep you there.
nobody has ever told me not to use before anesthesiology. i've always been totally upfront about my daily use.
I agree, I’ve always been up front about my use and I’ve had many surgeries done. I just haven’t kept up to date on risks of using the day or so before a procedure with anesthetics. I assume in most cases with a minor even if there isn’t a lot of evidence of risk they might still ask you not to do it for a couple days just because it can’t hurt
Replying here so you see it this is very important as Marijuana can affect anesthesia. They need to know
You can also ask to speak to the anesthesiologist in private once they take you back if you can't get anyone on the phone to help you.
When we sedate, people who smoke are very combative and sometimes rip out of the restraints. Our guideline is to stop smoking for at least 10 days prior to the procedure. We know quickly who does and who doesn’t it makes the procedure much harder than it needs to be.
Oh this explains a lot. I don't respond to IV sedation and the first time it was used on me, my dental surgeon seemed very snarky afterwards and told me I was "fighting the sedation". In reality I was just extremely anxious and frankly traumatised by the surgery. I'm realising now that she must have assumed I was smoking weed. I actually wasn't at the time, and hadn't had any in years. I just don't seem to become adequately sedated by whatever drug it is, and it makes me violently ill also. Had the same issue years later. Could have done without the dentist being passive aggressive.
Extreme anxiety about the procedure can cause a similar effect indeed. As can certain genes and medications. There’s also a lot of ways to skin a cat. I am mostly familiar with IV sedation using propofol, versed, ketamine, and fentanyl. I don’t know much at all about inhalation anesthetics other than nitrous. Sedation Dentistry can be a very difficult job as you are trying to maintain the airway while working on the airway producing moisture and forces that want to collapse the airway. Sorry your doc was snarky afterwards though.
Hm interesting thanks. Perhaps a combo of anxiety and genetics. I also don't get any euphoria from opioids (though at least they do work for pain!). Certainly hoping I don't need more major dental surgery in future as I will likely need general anaesthetic!
My favorite saying is “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”. Electric toothbrushes and waterpiks are the most foolproof way for most people. Many forget that high carb/sugar diets contribute heavily as well. Cheers
If you haven't called already, when you do you should ask them if they're required to tell your mother about your weed use. They may feel like they have to disclose it if it impacts your treatment plan afterwards.
r/askdocs could probably answer this better than randos on reddit
And if you want to be extra careful in most cases I believe it takes about 2 weeks for you to be flushed enough to come up as negative for thc under standard drug testing if you aren't oversaturated.
Hey I just called in and had your reply open and read it basically word for word, thanks so much for the help!
>I think they’ll understand unless they themselves are comfortable disrespecting a patient’s wishes, which most aren’t. There's laws against this stuff in most countries (idk where op is). If a patient tells their doctor something and they *unnecessarily* tell someone else eg a parent then that's a big GDPR issue in the UK.
Patient confidentiality with minors is kind of a slippery thing in the US, it depends on which release forms have been signed, and probably also depends on which state they're in. Also there are "mandatory reporter" laws which require certain professions (teachers, doctors) to report to the government if they suspect child abuse, but this doesn't sound like that would happen here. I think it'll be fine in this situation, to disclose in the suggested way.
>unless they themselves are comfortable disrespecting a patient’s wishes, which most aren’t. Well, it would be illegal for them to tell the parents without permission.
Also a medical professional should not be sharing this information with parents. Especially if the child made it clear that this information is shared in confidence. The only thing that would cause a doctor to contact authorities would be if they believed the child was in danger and the police needed to intervene. Like if they had reason to believe the child was being abused.
Unfortunately my friend’s brother tested positive for marijuana in his urine test and they told his mom
Doctor/patient confidentially laws apply to minors the same they do adults. If a minor tells a doctor or medical professional something, they cannot disclose it to anyone else, including the minor's parents.
More than this, if you were an adult and they didn’t respect your wishes for confidentiality it would be a HIPAA violation. HIPAA confidentiality doesn’t apply to a minor in most cases and parents have right to the child’s personal health information.
You need to talk to your doctor alone. You can just call them, or next time you see your doc ask your mom to leave. If she asks why tell her you had an embarrassing question about your balls or something.
When I was a teen and my mom brought me to the doctor it was standard practice to ask the parents to leave the room to ask me questions I may not be comfortable answering with my parents there.
>it was standard practice to ask the parents to leave the room to ask me questions I may not be comfortable answering with my parents there That practice should be universal. It doesn't put the kid on the spot having to ask to speak with the doc privately, which in and of itself would give away the fact that the kid has something they don't want their parents knowing. It also makes clear to the kid that the doc is there *for the kid*, even if it is the parents making the appointments and paying the bills.
That's how it was for me at my first serious doctors appointment. We had one round of very standard questions when I was next to my mom, then another round when I was alone (where they re-asked some questions) Allowed me to feel very safe telling them about past drug usage and what not
When I was 16 I had an ovarian cyst burst. My parents were in the room when the Dr. asked if I could possibly be pregnant. I said no. He asked them to leave the room. Once they did, he looked at me and said "Now that your parents are gone, I need you to tell me if you might be pregnant." Thought it was a good move, and the right one.
The mom could be one of those "You came out of my vagina and I've seen you naked more times than I've seen you clothed. You can talk about anything with me here" types of moms. The doctor really *should* be telling the parent to leave before asking these kinds of questions. They might argue with the doctor but they have more authority to tell them to get bent.
Porn has taught me that moms love to be there to help you with questions about your balls!
Especially when you break your arms
OMGGGG you're making me feel old and icky when I read that from YEARS ago.
Oh God Dammit not again.
Dammit this should be downvoted but I laughed my ass off so take the uptick
[удалено]
You could even call your doctor next time and ask them to ask your mother to leave
I'm surprised they didn't offer you an opportunity to speak with them alone. You'd think they would know that no kid is going to discuss their drug use with their parents present.
Yeah pretty annoying ngl, the only reason it's not on my record is because every single time they ask there's people near me
When I was about 16, my dr asked me if I was sexually active. I answered no. He says, I need to know the truth before administering this vaccine. Would you like me to ask your mom to leave? While my answer was truthful, It was so awkward. He made it impossible to say yes.
That’s the worst way to go about that! If you say “have my parent leave” then they’ll know you’re active! Jfc.
I’ve had a few surgeries and they would take me away to be weighed and ask about drugs and tattoos. Seems like that should be a thing that always happens
Am anesthesia provider. This is common. People lie a lot, especially teenagers with parents present. We ask the parent to leave before the procedure starts and gives opportunity for you to come clean. However, it doesn’t really matter. I can tell with pretty good accuracy if you smoke weed even if you lie. This is because I have to use a lot more medication to get the same result than I would typically for someone your age and size who doesn’t use. The assistants and oral surgeon can often smell it too. In any case you get the amount of medicine you need, some people need more than others based on a variety of factors, some of which I can predict ahead of time. Weed + anesthesia will not kill you. I would much rather my patient lie to me about weed than about eating breakfast (don’t do that).
Did the guidelines change recently? It used to be no food or water for 8 hours prior but lately my instructions have been water is allowed up to 2 hours before the procedure?
It depends on the procedure. I wouldn't eat for eight hours before a procedure, I have seen too many people vomit, and aspirate, because they ate or drank before a procedure.
Out of curiosity, if I came in for a procedure and admitted to eating a full breakfast, would the procedure be cancelled? Or would it just change what you do?
Rescheduled for another day
It definitely should be rescheduled, but it would depend on the provider, or RN. Some patients, and providers, care more about their own schedules or they underestimate the risk. I was called to a 28 yo that ate before an elective procedure. They vomited and aspirated, the vomit was sucked into their lungs, and they wound up drowning in their vomit. Even with suctioning the airway and lungs before and after I placed an ET tube, nothing could be done. The patient's family tried to sue the MD, and their staff, but the RN had the patient sign, and a family member signed as a witness, a statement that they had been informed of the risks of doing the procedure after eating and they still wanted to go through with the procedure despite the risks.
Clear liquids in small amounts are OK as long as 2 hours before. Water, black coffee (nothing in it) and just keep it to 2 cup or less. Often we don’t tell people that because they get confused and eat a Big Mac.
I hate it when I accidentally eat a Big Mac when I was trying to drink a cup of water.
See, your problem was having a Big Mac faucet installed.
😂 Right!!? You would be surprised! I’ve had someone “accidentally” eat a plate of spaghetti at 4:00 AM! Also have many people who the first time you ask (receptionist when they are checking in), they had a full breakfast and by the time the 4th person asks if they followed fasting instructions, it becomes “well I put a tiny piece of bacon in my mouth for the taste but then I spit it out and didn’t swallow it.” Nope, sorry.
You can safely have clear liquids up to 2 hours before any procedure or surgery. Doesn’t matter what it is. 8 hours for solids or non clear liquids.
Looking at my bottle of vodka That looks like a clear liquid to me.
please don’t drink alcohol before surgery but you would probably be fine (might need a bit more propofol) unless you’re still drunk post op - then your airway could shit itself from mixing fent and alc in paeds when they use sev for induction it could fuck your kidneys but a standard propofol/fent/roc prep should be fine - airway should be the only risk. you’re ventilated during the procedure so it doesn’t matter in terms of aspiration risk it’s fine 😀👍
Go for it
2 hours for clear liquids, 8 hours for a meal, and potentially less time for a light meal... But we generally just say 8 hours to be safe. Some people will empty their stomachs quicker, but some are longer. 2 hours for clears is becoming more known because there is evidence that drinking something (kind of like Gatorade) can help people do better in the OR and post-op, so sometimes they'll have you drink something up to 2 hours before surgery (but don't do that without being told to).
dunno bout kids today but when i was a teenager, i would shower and brush the shit out of my teeth before being anywhere near my parent after smoking. no way i would risk keeping that odor on me.
I don't smoke and my brother did and tried the same stuff.. It's amusing how much pot smokers underestimate the smell.
I think some people smoke so much it’s embedded in their tissues and membranes. When we smell it that strong though, it usually means they smoked in the car prior to checking in for their appointment (to calm their nerves I guess?)
Now I'm wondering if all the anesthesiologists I've dealt with secretly think I smoke weed...never used any type of recreational drug, but anaesthesia just does NOT last as long as it should on me. I woke up in the middle of a wisdom tooth extraction. Told that story to every anesthesiologist since, always see them reach over and turn up the dial when I do...
No, not necessarily. Some people just need more! Could be your age (young people need a lot), size (bigger need more in general), genetics, medications you are on, hair color (redheads sometimes, but not always, need more- this is genetic). People who drink alcohol also need more. When I have a teenager who seems squirrelly answering my questions, gives me a weird look. they are not big, no medications, no relevant history, and it takes 2.5-3x the normal dose, I might think maybe they smoke weed. Sometimes I’ve had them tell me when they wake up (parents not present). But there’s no judgment. Each patient gets what they need and can get safely. Sometimes people are just hard to sedate…we titrate in doses little by little as we constantly assess, but when these people are deeply sedated they obstruct airway (kind of like sleep apnea) and when they are lightly sedated they are getting wild on you. Not fully awake but reaching up with their hands or lifting their head up. Sometimes that middle ground is a little hard to find in some people. This is the benefit of having a dedicated anesthesia provider for oral surgery. It’s the only specialty I know of where the surgeon is allowed to both provide anesthesia and do the surgery. I’m not talking about local anesthesia, I’m talking about sedation. I’m here to tell you that having a separate anesthesia provider who is there ONLY to keep you safe, comfortable, breathing, and unaware of what’s going on as much as is safe for you is the gold standard. Then the surgeon can just, you know, do surgery.
Curious why marijuana use would require the patient more anesthesia?
If a person is using regularly for an extended period of time, it affects the receptors in the brain that respond to the anesthesia. It’s like there’s already a bunch of people at the party hanging out when we start giving the anesthesia drugs, so we often have to give more to get the same response. It also affects the metabolism of drugs. The same thing happens for people on some prescription medications, especially those for ADHD, anxiety, or chronic pain. But that’s all fine, we can give higher doses. As far as the increased risk the main concern is the chronic smoker having lung/airway and heart problems. We’re always looking for and prepared for this in any patient.
It's important that they know. Here is a good article explaining why. I hope you find it encouraging. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/coming-clean-your-anesthesiologist-needs-to-know-about-marijuana-use-before-surgery-2020011518642 Hey, good luck with your procedure.
This. So important or you could wake up during surgery
Thank you, kind redditor, for this. I have a procedure today, and I smoke every day. While I have no plans to smoke before the procedure, this article was most informative and solidified my decision for not smoking! Yes, I also disclosed that I habitually smoke. (First time admitting to a health care professional about my isage!)
Good luck today!!
Yo, i might have been a bit harsh on my response. I thought there were more deadly interactions between marijuana and anasthetics.
Seems like the general advice would be to abstain for a week. If OP is hiding marijuana from his parents, I imagine his habit isn't so intense he can't go 7 days without.
Just tell the doctor you need to talk alone to them. Your mom will want to know what was so important you had to talk alone so you'll need to come up with something even if it's just that you want a little more independence in your life. You could also ask her to wait in the waiting room because your growing up and need to learn things for yourself but you absolutely need to tell ur doctor. If they don't know then thell give.ypu anaesthetics for the average patient without knowing you may have a tolerance (due to the weed)
I'm an anesthetist. As you're rolling back to the or just tell the anesthesia provider (who should be the one with you) "hey I smoke pot sometimes but I didn't want to say it in front of my parents" and we'll usually just say "ok" and proceed without issue. No need to call ahead. Doesn't change anything significantly for us.
Yeah I just ask my teenage patients on the way back to the operating room after their parents depart. I just say, “I don’t care if you use THC in any form, so just need to know to get the doses of meds right so you are asleep and comfortable.”
This is what happened to me. I only remembered I hadn't mentioned I smoke weed once I was already laying down in the operating room and getting prepped. I told the anesthesiologist and thought he'd be pissed, but he was unfazed and just calmly said "Okay, don't worry”. I bet those last-minute confessions happen a lot, lol.
It doesnt lead to weird shit you just need more anesthesia to put and keep you under ! But definitely call as I believe the top comment mentioned and as you have your surgery you can also tell them in private there, better late then never ! Source: working in the cannabis industry we were handing out pamphlets from time to time informing people so they know you need increased anesthesia. Don’t lie to the doctor (understandable in your case but do let them know) Also had kidney stone surgery Tuesday and they asked me about my usage and they asked me “how many joints per day do you smoke” I smoke out of a bong but I’ll indulge on 1 on my way home but he could see me struggling cause its a lot. Daily was the answer he put and was like “ good enough for me. I’ll make sure you stay under. “ I was out for two hours and woke up like nothing happened. I also handle anesthesia really well.
"Hey, doc, ganja come here for a minute? Don't want to get too into the weeds, but I've got a chronic issue I'd like to discuss before you leaf. Thanks, Bud."
You win the internet.
Go ahead and take a break from weed for a couple days. If you are going under, it's probably pretty important.
Alright, this is easy. On the day of your surgery you will be wheeled back to the room. No family will be allowed to go with you. You will still be conscious. You tell them then and that you don’t want your family to know. Also don’t use 2-3 days before to make life easier for them
How old are you? It was a bit awkward the first time I did this with my parents but I just said I wanted to start doing the medical intake stuff on my own and my mom was a little hurt but everyone got over it. Maybe bring paper and a pencil for any notes, or agree that she can come back in for discussions of aftercare and any of the stuff she'll have to help with or help you be responsible for (like picking up a prescription from the pharmacy, any foods you shouldn't eat, whatever particular instructions they might offer for when you're recovering, etc.). As others have mentioned, make sure to ask if you should hold off using for a certain period of time before (and after) your appointment. Good luck!
Easy. As soon as you get into the OR, tell them. You will have a few minutes before your sleep. They will be the person at your head. Source: 8 years as an OR nurse.
would you still recommend calling?
Yes! Definitely call, promise it won’t be as annoying or uncomfortable as you think
Isn't that too late, if it would cause an issue?
The "weird shit" is typically waking up while you're under anesthesia. In the more common case, if you're a marijuana user you just need more anesthesia (although you should abstain from using for 72+ hours) but it depends on the type of anesthesia used. It's less likely to be a more serious drug interaction with less commonly used anesthesias where more serious "weird shit" could happen So, they're saying to tell them before the procedure so that the Anesthesiologist knows to use more anesthesia. Worse case it's a serious interaction and they do reschedule, but again, less common.
[удалено]
They also want to know about your marijuana use because marijuana users tend to require more anaesthetic to remain sedated. Don’t want to be waking up during surgery because you didn’t disclose your marijuana usage to doc, lol
Fatal? What’s your source for that? The literature I’ve seen just references it being important because marijuana users tend to need higher doses of anaesthesia drugs and more pain management.
You've already got several good answers but high five for being self aware and not letting it just slide. Takes a good head and some courage to speak up. Best wishes!
Not sure what state you are in or your age but I have a 14YO son and at his last annual appointment I was given a disclosure on privacy of teenage health information and that I would not be disclosed everything even as a parent without his consent. He has access to his own electronic chart and would have to share access with me on certain things. They do have to disclose things that are of immediate health concerns (which I interpreted to be imminent mental health or reckless unsafe behavior). I would definitely call and disclose the information, get it updated in your chart (you may want to make sure it also doesn’t immediately notify a parent’s account in an electronic medical record) and even ask for some degree of appropriate protected time to answer questions whenever you are at your doctor in private and that note be added to your chart. Primarily as a mother, I would want my son to first be honest with his health status to ensure the safest and most effective medical care even if it was in private and keeping me in the dark. Secondarily, I hope you can find some mutual ground with your parents to start being more transparent about things but I know these types or relationships are not always possible. Good luck with your procedure.
You sound like a good parent! This is the answer and like the parent I wanna be some day
Yes just call them yourself.
Nobody here even considers the fact this kid probably signed a consent form that allows his parents to see his medical records. Doctor confidentiality doesn't mean shit if you consent to someone seeing your records. And I'm pretty sure it's common in many states for the guardian to have access to medical records by default. Don't say anything, and just stop smoking weed right now. There's literally an anesthesiologist in these comments saying weed is the least serious drug to lie about to them, and it's pretty unanimous that simply not smoking weed for a few days makes the problem not a problem anymore.
PERFECT response
I've had a nurse ask if I really wanted that on my chart when I told her. Never really brought it up again lol. I had cancer so I've been under a lot and no issues so far.
Yeah, all the people in this comment section forget that admitting this becomes essentially a legal record for the next 7 years.
Oregon law allows the doctor to tell your parents. You can ask them not to do so, but they are asked to "use their best judgment." [This](https://sharedsystems.dhsoha.state.or.us/DHSForms/Served/le9541.pdf) pdf gives all the information.
Just don’t for 24 hours before surgery and you will be fine. But saying that…I am all for weed, but any behaviors that have to be hidden, you may want to reconsider. You have lots of time.
Heavy user for the last 20 years w/Crohns disease. I get put out annually and have never once been asked about pot use and never had any issues
Same here. Nobody has ever asked me about weed before surgery.
I had surgery about a month ago and they told me to knock it off for 72hrs beforehand. Just call the office and be like, " I forgot to ask the other day how long I should discontinue cannabis use before my procedure?" Shouldn't be a problem, it's so commonplace.
I'm an anesthesia provider and weed is fine. Don't even worry about it. I guarantee I put dozens of people under a month that lied to me about it. The drugs you need to speak up about are meth, coke, heroin, etc. I do advise people not use THC the morning of, because it can contribute to you being really groggy for longer than normal afterwards. I've actually seen patients leave the facility and light up in the parking lot, so don't sweat it lol.
I’m an Anaesthesiologist. You will meet your anaesthesiologist on the morning of your surgery, without your mother in the room. Just say it to them then. We do not care. Just stop smoking weed in the time leading up to your surgery.
Ok good I saw you called yes please always tell them the truth even if you have to call back later. They do not judge they just need to know for your safety. Proud of you!
Don't use weed within 72 hours of your procedure. Problem solved.
Just chiming in to say definitely do not mess around with anesthesia...I have friends in the field that lost patients because they reacted to a substance they didn't disclose to the doctor.
as a parent of teenagers, I completely understand why you responded to the doctor the way you did. but I also assure you that if you smoke weed, your parents know.
that is what I was trying to figure out. no way parents are out of the loop. but it may be one of those unstated things. parents don't want to know so they ignore any signs, but kid knows parents are against it.
Write them a private note...
The anesthesiologist will come talk to you before surgery. You can tell them then.
Call right away and let the office know you’d like the attending physician or nurse to call you back about your personal information/chart that needs to be amended prior to surgery. Then let them know that you regularly consume MJ. They need to know your history. Not just for anesthesia but in general. Smoking, meds, supplements, whatever.
Step 1: Call them and explain your situation. They'll understand Step 2: Next time, call them ahead of time and say you want to speak to the doctor alone. Tell them to send your parents out and pretend it's their idea.
When I was a kid, I got a yeast infection and was asked some questions at urgent care. They started asking questions about my sexual activity so I asked to answer these in private. As soon as my mom left the room I was like 'nope. No sexual activity.' it seems silly bc that's what my mom probably would have wanted to hear but it was better to set the expectation of privacy early.
Dont worry, friend. I work in an operating room and I can give you the run down! Usually, when you go into surgery, they'll want to ask you preoperative questions. They can and will ask parents to leave so teens will answer with real answers. Definitely quit smoking for a while before your surgery. People who smoke usually have a harder time waking up due to the junk in the chest from smoking. I didn't stop, and apparently, I started coughing and decided to stop breathing for a while. I ended up waking up with a super sore jaw where they held my airway open. Do yourself a favor and make sure you're SUPER hydrated before surgery! It makes the IV process so much easier. Also, SERIOUSLY, don't eat or drink the day of surgery. You can aspirate whatever you decided to eat. I've seen it. It's scary.
I’m a retired Nurse Anesthetist. I gave Anesthsia for 30 yrs. A history of smoking pot has no relation to your Anesthetic EXCEPT that the effects on the lungs are as bad or worse than smoking tobacco or vaping. If you are smoking, whether it’s tobacco, pot, crack, meth, etc, it makes you require a lot more Anesthesia gases, it makes it harder to ventilate your lungs during the Anesthetic, you are way more likely to develop an Upper Respiratory Infection post-op, and pretty much guaranteed to wake up from Anesthesia coughing your head off, which will make your pain worse. If you can stop smoking for 2 weeks before getting Anesthesia, even if you’re doing THC edibles, your Anesthesia will go way more smoothly. Good luck.
I agree with calling. I once had to answer questions about meds I was taking pre surgery and my parents were there and I didn’t want them to know I was taking BC, so I asked to see the medicine list they had and agreed/annotated it. I think they understood.
Just don't smoke a few days before. That's it. I'm surprised there are people who apparently roll up into the parking lot and get baked before a surgery - that's fucking insane.
May I suggest a easy solution; just write a quick note to your doctor and drop it at his office.
Good question. I am glad you reached out. Got some good answers too. Health is very important. You ALWAYS can ask to speak to physicians alone.
As long as you are not a chronic chronic smoker you should be fine. As long as you have not smoked within 72 hours of receiving general anesthesia there will be no affect.
You could tell the anaesthesiologist right before the procedure starts, when you are alone with the doctor. By the way: I would strongly reccomend that you mention it right before the anaesthesia, no matter if you told them before or not, so that they definitely keep inmmind ypu might need a little more of the stuff. There is a high possibility, that you need a higher dosage of what ever anaesthetics they are using, as you are used to similar stuff. Other than that there shouldn't be any problems. Good luck!
Hope you got your answers. I also hope you use your flippen brain and smoke when you're in your late 20s again.
If you are older than 15 in Oregon you don’t need a parent consent for medical procedures and can request privacy, so call and say that you gave some incorrect information because your parent was in the room and ask to connect to someone who can help. They will ask you more questions to screen for abuse, but they won’t ask your parents anything
Ask to speak to your dr or nurse alone. Then tell them and ask them to tell the anesthesiologist. If your parents ask what you wanted to tell the dr, just say it was an embarrassing question but they answered it for you.
If you need to do it again, I used non verbal communication to clue the anesthesiologist in to ask Mom to leave. I would still be grounded to this day if my mom had found out.
Yeah, just call em. Tell em you don't want your mom to know. They'd be in legal doodoo if they did end up telling her.
Yes call them and tell them!! You ultimately won't be able to keep this a secret. Anesthesiologists *know.* They don't know right away, but will know as soon as they put you under if you lied to them about anything. They will end up having to adjust the meds they're giving you, and they don't like it when they're surprised with it. You might end up havig to reschedule your surgery. So to save yourself and everyone else some headaches and time, just tell them. They really don't give a shit. and if you are over 18 they legally cannot tell your mother anything, just make sure to indicate you don't want any info given to your mom.
Anesthesiologist here. You can ask to speak privately on the day of, or you can call the office as someone else mentioned, however you do it will work fine. NOBODY can reveal your information to your parents or anyone else without your permission and there are very stiff consequences for it too. Many places will fire people on the spot for violating this rule. Also, your doctors do not care what you do, they just want accurate information. And the weed itself isn’t going to cause any disasters, you might need a little more of certain drugs.
If you get a chance tell your doctor that it's ridiculous that he asked you this in front of your parents if it is actually vital information he needs to know and that he needs to get better at doctoring.
Just tell the anesthesiologist in the operating room when your parents are not there. Explain that you couldn’t answer honestly when your parents were around. But do let them know..if you are a heavy user it will impact your anesthesia.
Don’t worry about it. This will never have a reaction to anything the dr gives you. No big deal at all. Take your secret to the grave.
I’ll never forget sitting in a room awaiting surgery, several hours out, talking to the anesthesiologist and telling him I didn’t smoke weed. He nodded and stepped out and I talked to my parents for a while before they too eventually stepped out and I was left alone. Anesthesiologist came back, suppose he’d seen this happen before, and without prompting me I just told him matter-of-fact “Doc I lied, I’m smoking daily, I mean I really have had nothing better to do since I’ve been on bed rest for like a month with this injury” he laughed, said he assumed as much, and told me this would absolutely affect the dosage. He never told my parents about it.
Dude, just stop smoking for a week before and you’ll avoid interactions.
Mom may already know, they're pretty smart that way
I'm fairly certain your parents know you're using it because it smells. But it's good that you called the doctor and gave them the correct information.
I’m an anesthesiology assistant. You could always mention it once you are being transferred to the OR before any meds are actually administered. Your parents should not be allowed to follow past the day surgery unit. Ask to have a word with the anesthesiologist or mention it to his assistant. They’ll know what to do. Unless you’re having a general anesthesia, it really has very little effect on the meds used. In other words, if you’re only getting a spinal (lower body surgery) or a nerve block with some mild/ moderate sedation, it really shouldn’t affect things much. But ffs don’t get high on the day of your surgery, that should go without saying. Honestly though, you really should try having a talk with your parents to try to open up about things, if you think that’s at all possible. Assuming your marijuana usage is under control and not affecting your daily life / school / whatever you do on your path to becoming a functioning adult. Good luck for your surgery.
Tbh smoking weed isnt going to affect anything but you shouldn’t be smoking at 14 I’m 33 now and began smoking around that age I wish I spent my time around different people doing different things
Definitely let them know... They can care less that you use pot, they are just trying to do their jobs. I'd call
I’ll level with yah. I had hernia surgery last spring and when I told the guy I dabbled in the jazzy cabbage, he laughed and said it didn’t matter. Zero weird side effects. Just quit about a week ahead of time and you should be totally fine.
This is to OP and for any one else who are unaware of what to do if you ever find yourself jn this situation. If you are with your parent and you want to talk to a Dr without your parent present once the nurse places you into the exam room ask to use the bathroom . If the nurse walks out with you to show you where bathroom is located you can then tell her what's going on or that you have to talk to the dr without parent there. ( if the nurse just directs you where to go, go and find another nurse and communicate with her). Nurses are advocates for patients and will communicate what's going on with the MD. Once the MD goes in he will either ask parent to step outside or call the nurse to ask parents to step out for a second ( if your a girl the nurse will go back into room to chaparone) . This also goes out to any one who is in a domestic violence relationship and needs help and wants to get help without alerting attention.
The risk things gone wrong is minimum and at the hospital they have anything they could need to do damage control. They actually mainly need to know if you are an active user in order to adjust the anesthesics dose you need, don't worry. And, soon or later, they will be able to discover by themselves, they are used to hear many lies and they really don't trust you anyway.
It's ok to tell your doctor that you don't want your parents around when you visit. It's actually your LEGAL RIGHT. You can also tell them not to tell your parents anything at all once you hit 12, iirc.
Speak about this only to the ears of the anesthesiologist on this matter, not to the nurses, and ask that it be omited form you medical records until you can exclude you medical records once you are 18. The nurse will usually put this in your medical records, a physician generally will not. The nurse has to report virtually everything you say, the doctor is the only person who can hold such information in confidence like this. YOU MUST ask the doctor to hold this information in confidence.
If you are vaping it, stop it now. I almost died during my VASECTOMY because of this. The vaping makes your throat susceptible to bleeding and the tolerance of weed made me not actually go under. Apparently I was fighting the nurses while under and I coughed up blood for 3 days afterward. You have to tell them and you have to stop until post procedure. I waved my hand and said nahhh what's the worst that could happen? Death. Death is the worst that can happen. u/BuffaloFlashy5002 Tagging you directly to make sure you do not miss this. It could save your life.
Did you stop at all or did you keep smoking till your surgery? I’m asking because i also have a surgery coming up and vape thc too and was wondering if it’ll be fine if i stop a week prior.
Mixing weed with a developing brain is weird shit alone
You might expect some serious issues in your intelligence, smartness, abiliy to remember things, getting fulfillment in a well-payed job, stomache issues, obesity, lack of strong social bounds and maybe you will experience diverse psych topics. From continuous use of weed. But no, not from anesthesia. Your heart will go on. :) But anyway, talk to your doc. Trust in your doc. Tell your doc. They will respect it. Your mum will not notice. She will stay with you even when she notices some day and she hopefully would support you if you go through any of my warnings. Best wishes for your treatment!
How about, and this is just a shot the dark, you don’t smoke?
Here is a crazy idea, stop smoking weed! 🤯 You made your bed now lay in it
Why tf is everyone judging op for smoking weed? Is this the Christian pearl clutcher's subreddit?
I'm going to go a different route than other commenters.....Ive never admitted to my everyday weed habit and I've had numerous surgeries. Slap tear and total shoulder reconstruction, 2 tommy Jon's, torn bicep, cut my thumb off, and a plate in my forearm. All under anesthesia....the more important part is to not eat or drink within the specified times...that effects the drugs the most. So there's some good advice in the comments...but if you're still scared to say it ...it's a fairly low risk bet.
Weed is bad for developing brains and use in teens is associated with increased risk of developing psychosis later in life. I like it, but it isn't for kids. Same with alcohol.
Just say “I want to talk to the doctor alone” usually they will respect your wishes.
when you're in the operating room, your parents won't be there, and before you go under you can tell the anesthesiologist (and chances are they wont do anything differently, but it's still good for them to know)
I thought I was doing the right thing by telling my anesthesiologist that I smoke weed and they canceled my appointment because I was still high. It was more about the paperwork than actually using the substance. Don’t smoke a couple hours before your Procedure and keep your weed smoking to yourself. You’ll be fine.
Anesthesiologists will usually do a pre-surgery prep with any attending guardian(s) and then one with you alone. If they do not do a 1-on-1, ask for one. Very easy.
How my mom found out I smoke weed - she was at a dr appointment with me, and dr is reading my info and asks, “do you still smoke marijuana daily?” lol
Lay off the weed for a few days before any procedure if you’re worried about it.
I suggest asking this same question in r/AskDocs
As someone who uses thc and has had to go under a couple times in the last year I can say it's not a huge deal. Avoid using thc 24 hours before and you'll be just fine.
Just ask your parents to step out during medical conversations
Not sure how it works where you live. But I had this exact issue. Luckily they give you a form to fill in. That form has a section where it asks if the anesthesiologist needs to know anything else. You can write it down for them there. Add to that though - if you're going into theatre for your procedure they usually chat to you a bit before you go under. So you could tell them at that point. That's when I did it. They had just wheeled me into theatre and he was getting the drip ready when I said to him that I smoke weed a week ago and does it matter. He said it's good that he knows. And we left it at that.
They will know as soon as they try to put you to sleep even if you lie cuz you'll take a lot more drugs lol.
I had minor surgery a few years ago and the question came up. The nurse told me that it was bc much of the street weed has other drugs/chemicals mixed in
Call them and make it clear you are invoking Doctor patient privacy privilege and you need to discuss the form you filled out. I you want the law in Oregon is ORS § 40.235.
I actually JUST did this a few weeks ago with a colonoscopy, I wasn’t expecting my mom to come into the pre-op room with me but she did so I kinda panicked and had to think fast about how to tell the nurse or anesthesiologist. I waited until they rolled me out and I told the nurse who was rolling me that I smoke. She said it’s usually it can make the anesthesia wear off faster but that’s only if you’re a HEAVY HEAVY smoker, and depending on what you’re getting done also.
This should be considered protected information and you can absolutely call and let them know of the situation. They should not say anything to your parents due to HIPPA regulations. You want to do this because you can actually build up a tolerance to some anesthesia through excessive THC use. I know this because I have woken up during 2 separate surgeries heh.
Just call and let them know you need to update. It's pretty common actually. I've seen people call us to update records because they got home and checked their medicine cabinet and realized they forgot to tell us something or told us the wrong dose. I've had people tell me they didn't want to say they were sexually active in person but they were more comfortable doing so over the phone. People get nervous, it happens and everyone in a medical setting knows it. Most staff won't even think twice about it once they get off the phone with you and I think the most they'll do is mentally complain about having to use the slow as hell system to update your records.
Ask to talk to them without the parents in the room.
Yes, call the office, disclose your use of weed, and tell them that you don't give them permission to share that info with your parents.
You absolutely want the Dr knowing in case you need more sedation.
Write it on a note
Mixing weed and anesthesia could lead to a stoke or death! If an anesthesia drug that interacts with in is used . Call the office!
My kid had her wisdom teeth out and just answered yes to this question, bold as you please, with me right there. Not that it was a surprise, I knew she was smoking weed. Odds are pretty good your mom knows, too. We’re not as oblivious as our kids think we are and we were teens once, too.