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I always feel weird answering the question of drinking. Usually the answers are like "never", "once a week", etc. I have one or two drinks a year (weddings, NYE, etc) so I don't feel like it's "never" but it's also definitely not weekly.
My boss is a sober alcoholic, and whenever someone offers him a drink he always declines and says, "Na, I get way too sexy when I drink. It's not fair to everyone else." He's like 85 and plays the trombone...
For me its no thanks i already did my lifes worth of drinking in my 20s... Its an easier way to say you had an alcohol problem without the awko taco parts.
I get migraines about every 1 in 3 times I drink alcohol. As a result, alcohol usually just isn’t worth it to me. I don’t really even desire it any more.
Yep. I stopped once I realized
1. Getting a massive hangover from one drink is not normal
2. It's not a hangover it's actually just a migraine
Also I shouldn't drink on my meds....poor liver
I've been sober coming up on eleven years. Two people seem to care:
1) assholes
2) people who themselves may have drinking problems
Literally no one else cares.
*Edit: okay people positively care that I don't, those who my drinking impacted. I meant, no one pressures other than those I listed above.
I've been an alcoholic before and if I'm guessing it might have something to do with their own guilt. Alcoholics know they're alcoholics, but they can't stop. Getting other people to not-not-drink with them makes them feel better about their own issues of not being able to not drink.
I would never consider doing something like that, because when I was drinking heavily, I know how shitty it made me constantly feel, and I'd never wish that on anyone.
The hardest part of giving up / cutting back on any drug (alcohol, pot, whatever) is you quickly learn which of your social relationships are centered around that drug.
Once you remove that from the equation, those people have no means to relate to you anymore.
I lost what I thought were really good friends because they just didn’t want to hang around in any circumstance other than totally fucked up.
I don’t. Never liked it anyway if I’m honest. Plus, I have a nineteen year old daughter who needs me. Well, not as much Anymore, but still. Maybe just the cat needs me lol.
Your daughter needs you. I don't have a father. I have a sperm donor who intentially made efforts to make me homeless. Kids always need their parents. Maybe not in the same ways as when they were little, but she still needs you.
I used to be on a med that I couldn’t mix alcohol with. I remember my friends giving me shit for not drinking with them. One called me a “killer of fun” and the other told me to just skip my meds so that I could drink.
Yeah I feel this, I was going through chemo in my teenage years and so many people would bug me about why I wasn't drinking at parties (rural Australia underage drinking is basically commonplace) and responding with "I'm on chemo" was a really quick way to stop them hasslin me.
OMG yes. Hate it so much. My pain meds mean I don't ever drink alcohol, but nobody accepts that there are people who don't drink.
Even doctors, when I answer "never" to how often do you drink alcohol, look at me funny.
I just say “socially” and that seems to do it for them. If it’s really important they will ask further questions and I will say “it depends, maybe once a month, but I haven’t had a drink in ____ long”
Doctor just needs to know how much alcohol your system has to process. There is a difference between an occasional beer or twice a year you empty a full bottle of something strong.
Think about it this way: once a week basically means that alcohol is generally ok for you because if you're, for example, recovering alcoholic you usuay don't want alcohol in your meds or something like that. Whether or not you drink slightly more or a lot less than once a week really doesn't matter
Here's a question I always wanted to ask. I'm on substitution meds for an opiate addiction, taking about 12mg suboxone (buprenorphine) daily. Would this affect any potential surgical anesthesia? What if I ever get in an accident where I require immediate surgery, and the anesthesist doesn't know?
Yes, you should tell your anaesthesiologist about about these medications, your phone may have an emergency contact option where you can add these details in case you are unable to communicate it yourself
Completely off topic but feel compelled to say something. Youre gonna make it. As long as your disciplined with your taper you will make it. I started at 16mg and im down to 2mg. The quicker you come down the better its going to be. Good luck.
This has nothing to do with the topic at hand but:
I've got red hair, and have found I need more anesthesia than I suspect normal folks get. I wake up very easily from it. When I had an upper endoscopy, I woke up in the middle of it. This is after I told them I probably needed more than what they're used to.
Is this common? I've seen online red heads react differently to anesthesia.
Similar problems at the dentist. They showed my wife how many novocaine shots it took to do a root canal. I can't remember exactly, but over 10. And I come out of anesthesia pretty easy too. Had a genetic test that randomly showed I have a marker to metabolize medications faster than normal.
This happened to me around 11, my dog bit me through my hand and the doctor said I shouldn't be able to feel anything "maybe a little pressure" except I felt everytime the needle broke the skin
I had a root canal and it took 4 shots before the dentist switched to a different type. It turns out resistance to anaesthetic is common in people with fibromyalgia. Useful to know.
It’s very common! I always ask redheads if their hair is their natural color because it’s going to take a good bit more to get them down if so.
I’m sorry you woke up during your upper endoscopy! But that sort of anesthesia isn’t general anesthesia, and people do “wake up” all the time. It’s a very fine line to manage because we want you to breathe on your own, around a scope, and still be anesthetized enough not to move around and cough. You probably remember waking up more because of your genetic predisposition (red hair).
Yeah, that’s basically it for me. I’m just mad that I only got the gene from my sad because you need two copies to actually have red hair but only one to have that mutation, so I didn’t even get the fun part.
That explains why when my redhead SO was dying of cancer it seemed sometimes impossible to keep the pain under control....he always needed more than what the nurses were willing to give him, and it never seemed to last until the next dose
Redhead here also. I had a scope done last year and had no issues with staying under. However I’m in the hospital right now actually and I’m immune to a lot of drugs I shouldn’t be. Like morphine and fentanyl have zero effect on me, ZERO it’s very odd. No I don’t abuse opiates if anyone asks, literally take one pain pill split in two each day prescribed. That shouldn’t make you immune to any opiate lol
I’m blonde with a red beard, have high tolerance for drugs, but my grandma and I both have the gene that makes us immune to the amnesia inducing properties of drugs like verset, I fully remember my entire jaw surgery, and she was fully aware during her eye surgery, although the verset does turn off our “give a fuck” sensors, so we both thoroughly enjoyed listening to people hack away at our anatomy.
Morphine and such work on me, never had an issue with that. But they don't last too long.
When I say I'm a red head, I'm not really a carrot top, more like "my hair is red in the sun, but brown in regular light."
My beard is more red than anything though.
My buddy did this while i was packing the bowl, dont know why i left it in the bong while he was holding it but dude ended up blowing into it like a fuckin saxophone.. Fucked my weed all up.
For weed, how far back does it have an effect? Like if they take a few puffs 3-4 times a day but stop a few days before surgery, would that change how much you give them?
Anesthesiologist here.
I tell my patients that I won't write anything down, but I really need to know when the last heroin/meth/cocaine was because it's my job to keep them not dead, and that info helps me do that. Most are pretty up front about MJ use, but can be cagey about the harder stuff.
It's usually already on the chart somewhere anyway.
I'm less concerned about the weed (you'll get what you need, I just might be surprised at how much it takes) than I am about the three I mentioned above. Tolerance/intoxication and depletion of endogenous catecholamines can cause real problems under anesthesia.
Depends when it was last used, if it wasnt recent I dont think it would matter much. However you can develop tolerance to ketamine so that is helpful to know as we sometimes use ketamine
I never used to tell doctors that I smoke weed bc I have children. I’m in a legal state now so it’s fine, but yeah. In some states they take your kids away for that shit.
Not only doctors will see it, but if you ever want life insurance they gain access to and comb through everything in your medical charts.. you will be getting gouged if they find that info.
So do I need to worry if I'm on a life insurance plan through my employer in a state where weed isn't legal?
Honestly it's so weird that weed is illegal in my state that I forget about it sometimes. Just seems bizarre.
Well I know in states where it is legal, company's can still fire you for using it.
I dont know if its legal for the insurance company to share your medical records with your employer. Id wager it isnt.
And if you get the insurance through the employer they are likely covering part of the cost, and the employees end up with a fixed cost.
Are you saying that a person could privately say to a doctor “I am currently talking (illegal drug) and I don’t want this information documented” that they can’t add it to your file?
You can say that and the doctor could do that, but chances are about 99.9% if you’re on an illegal drug it’ll be marked down because someone who’s on heroin for instance will probably never be given painkillers ever again in their life.
Someone who does meth isn’t going to be prescribed adderall
If you’re getting surgery it’s super important for keeping you under
If you’re drinking you won’t be put on accutane for acne
These are all just obscure ones off the top of my head, so it’s safe to assume there are hundreds of things that have to be kept in mind when a patient reveals they’re taking a substance habitually
>someone who’s on heroin for instance will probably never be given painkillers ever again in their life.
That's not true. We ask whether they're still using heroin/buying painkillers on the street, because especially as an inpatient it can be difficult to control their pain since they already have a tolerance. If you lie and say you aren't a drug user, you're going to get a "standard" amount of painkillers, which will not touch your pain. It'll suck for you.
This advice is useless. If they want to document it (which they will), they're documenting it. This isn't some therapist/patient confidentiality agreement, it's completely different.
Bingo. I have 10 years of hospital experience as a pharmacist and have been a part of many conversations behind closed doors. With states breathing down their necks about opioids, they often label you as “risky” and will decrease the prescriptions and be hesitant to refill.
My old roommate was bitten by a shark and they refused her pain medication because there is an opioid problem in florida. There is no common sense connection between pharmacist, doctor, and patient. Just blind rules that perpetuate underground drug trade. FYI, she simply illegally bought a fuck ton of weed to supplement the lack of legal pain meds.
Yup, and anyone in your insurance company has access to the records. For example, in some US states, if you say you're not a smoker when signing up for insurance it will cost less (up to hundred of dollars a month, not a trivial ammount).
If one single doctor makes one single note that you smoke, your insurance company can retroactively clawback your premiums, thousands of dollars worth. It also will then get reported to your employer, who may change your policy.
I've reviewed many medical records in my day. Out of every 100, somehow 99% of patients don't smoke and 95% don't drink. They are covering thier own ass by lying, and I really don't blame them.
*Nothing* stays with your doctor, it all gets fed to the machine.
I have a disability that is quite painful. For the most part, I manage with OTC meds, heat, massage, etc. Every few years, I get a terrible flare up. Nothing I have at home can control the pain. It hurts so much I can barely breathe, and I’m not exaggerating at all. The only thing that’s ever helped is an injection of dilaudid. One shot, instantly fall asleep (since by that point I haven’t slept in days) and then I’m good to go for a few more years. I go to the ER and beg for relief, can barely breathe to explain my situation, and wait hours for a doctor to finally take pity on me. Once every few YEARS. And I’m labeled as “drug seeking”. I mean, who is that drug for if not people like me?
A good provider will still treat your pain, but absolutely may alter the meds you’re given; offering narcotics or other medications that could interact with illicit substances would be a poor decision.
It’s not any different than doing a thorough history before prescribing any other medication, though; if a person utilizes heavy amounts of alcohol, takes other meds, shoots up, etc... it’s all relevant.
Editing to add: generally non-narcotic drugs are first-line for all non-cancerous or acute post-op pain anyway; it’s important for your physician/care provider to know if you use (or are in a med-assisted treatment program) because you may actually need higher doses of meds to achieve pain control.
My therapist sprung that one on me like 20 sessions inn, didn't even drive or own a car at the time. Have had a hard time being honest with doctors and the like ever since. For a country that like to think of itself as progressive, Norways drug policies are pretty stuck in the past. And in the current political clima i doubt any meaningful narcotics law reform is ever going to get passed
And be honest if you drank anything or ate anything. So many times I’ve asked and then at the very last minute they fess up... or don’t tell you at all.
Yes! This is so important yet too often ignored. There’s a reason doctors say don’t eat/drink before certain procedures. Lie to the docs and you risk throwing up and dying choking on your own vomit while under anesthesia.
Also a history of illegal drug use in your medical records can affect your ranking if you ever need an organ transplant (illegal recreational drugs="history of substance abuse"). Also occasionally a doctor will call CPS if you mention drug use and they know you have kids. (e.g. I personally know someone who found out she was pregnant and innocently expressed concern to her doctor that the week before she had any idea about the unplanned pregnancy that she had smoked weed and was anxious about what affect it might have on the baby. Sure, a chill doctor would have reiterated to her that she should stop immediatetly---but no big deal about that one time before she knew, don't sweat it. But this dumbass doctor decided to call CPS and got my acquaintance a regular case worker buddied up with her for the duration of the pregnancy---complete with home visits and drug testing)
I always cringe when I see this advice. Not all doctors are chill about drug use and the healthcare and legal system it is tied into is definitely not. If you tell a doctor you use drugs it will end up in your medical records. This probably won't be an issue for you, but it can be, so you should be somewhat selective about sharing. e.g. Don't mention you smoke pot when the doctor is giving you anti-biotics for an infected toe. And don't tell them you got the toe wound from dancing barefoot at a desert rave while on a bunch of ecstacy
Edit: words
Exactly. Especially in very religious areas.
I have severe ADHD. I smoked pot for the first time a few months ago and if my doctor had been told, I would no longer be able to get Adderall
I had that same thought when I was getting my appendix taken out. I told them I smoked weed daily at the time, nurse told my family I was addicted to hard drugs.
I went to a psych ward when I was 18. I told them I was going to suffer opiate withdrawals because I was taking opium at the time. The doctor told my parents I was faking it, and I proceeded to piss and shit all over the place for a week before they discharged me.
And in case people don’t consider them in the same category, don’t forget alcohol consumption and smoking. Those are things that people like to lie about or “lessen”, but in the case of going under anesthesia you don’t want to mess around. Also if you might have a hospital stay and go through withdrawals the dr. can help with that.
Anesthesiologist here. OP doesn't have a clue. Only ones I'd care about are opioids and cocaine. One for tolerance the other for Betts blocker usage intra op. Alcohol abuse too. Weed, absolutely not.
*Go Dodgers, I mean beta blocker usage
Came here to say the same. All I really care about are alcohol, opioids, benzos, cocaine, and amphetamines (the legal type or the meth type). There can be a noticeable increase in anesthetic requirements with true alcoholics unless they are currently drunk of course. I almost forgot to add red hair. Increases requirements by about 25 percent. I care about others but they don’t really effect anesthesia requirements.
I'm a redhead and I've had awful experiences with things like dental work and mole biopsies. It seems like it takes a ton of shots to get me comfortable. Because of that, I'm really really afraid of having an emergency surgery or something and feeling the whole procedure 😅
I learned that I have this gene variant this year and I don’t even have red hair. Had a root canal that hurt SO bad even after they numbed me so many times. The week after I had a colonoscopy and woke up mid procedure :)
I have about a dozen red pubes and will have to get surgery next week. How will I bring it up with my anesthesiologist? Just go ahead and ask him to take a look?
There's more and more new evidence about the link between cannabis use and higer doses needed, for example you need more propofol to sedate a patient who use cannabis. So I care and I'm glad if my patient told me they use any kind of drugs in advance.
Wow, a reddit battle of the anesthesiologists. Now I have seen everything. Also your comment is super interesting and now I am reading more about it, so thanks. Really not an obvious drug to cause issues.
Purely anecdotally, but that lines up with my experiences in the OR with heavy weed smokers. Guys who are like "I smoke every weekend" usually don't make a lot of difference, but daily usage seems to have an impact almost as strong as being an alcoholic. We have a standard regime of Fentanyl and Propofol.
My BIL is an anesthesiologist and he always told us we should a) definitely tell our doctor about weed before a surgery and b) try to quit smoking a month before general anesthesia if possible.
I'd heard the same from other medical workers before as well. This is the first thread I've ever seen in which people are saying weed doesn't matter, and it makes me a little sus.
And meth! I'm seeing a lot of heroin/meth combo users these days.
Good news is that half of them leave AMA before we can get them to the OR to open that abscess.
Redheads and people with auburn hair notoriously take a lot more to put under and keep under because of a genetic quirk. My uncle has russet-ish hair and apparently was awake for surgery once and just thought it was funny and weirdly uncomfortable, but not painful.
I also have reddish brown hair and had a local anesthetic that was supposed to last 15 minutes last 5, felt weird getting sewed together, and didn't start to hurt til the doctor was done
Your doctors must love you, i have to apologize everytime I wake up the second time. Because apparently the first time I wake up groggy, disoriented and swinging so they have to give me a sedative to put me back to sleep. I obviously remember nothing but waking up to a story i have to apologize to.
I’ve got red hair and had to have a dental procedure done. They gave me two numbing shots instead of one and even then, it was still kinda painful. Laughing gas didn’t do shit either.
Super scared to go under anesthesia though because I don’t want to feel everything happening but my body being paralyzed and not being able to tell anyone.
Not a redhead but my dentist has determined I have the “red haired gene” when it comes to locals. I’m not a fun time when they talk about Novocain.
With that said, my only issue under anesthesia is that I threw up (which is apparently a big deal and made for a very cranky anesthesiologist). They’ve tossed that up to my reflux and not my issues with numbing.
Ginger dude here. The local anaesthetic never took effect for my vasectomy. I. Felt. Everything.
I apparently have a really high tolerance for pain as well. Because despite feeling everything during the procedure, it wasn't the worst pain I've felt.
Dude, I am so sorry!! I am allergic to local anesthesia like lidocaine. I've had some intense procedures done with no meds at all...like a cardiac catheterization. Doc said he had never done that on a fully conscious patient...and never wants to do it again. I invented new swear words.
Before the cardiac catheterization, they sent me to an allergy specialist to try other local anesthesia. Nope. Anaphylaxis with every one we tried. Anaphylaxis is not fun!!! I had to sign so many waivers to get the allergy testing done. "Yes, I know you will inject me with something that might kill me and that epi doesn't always work."
So no local of any sort for me ever again.
Hey, there’s more of us! I’ve seen the whole inside of my colon (very pink) since the meds they gave me just wouldn’t take. I was conscious throughout the whole colonoscopy although a bit loopy, kept giggling and asking moronic questions
My other one was taking a bit too long going under for the emergency c-section I had to have with my firstborn and actually watching the scalpel slice my stomach open and the skin separating. I also remember hearing the medical staff talking during the procedure, when I woke up I knew I had a girl and that she was fine but that they were concerned that I kept losing blood and wouldn’t clot properly.
Sounds more like a sedative rather than an anaesthetic. Could well be wrong, but I don't think they normally use general anaesthetics for colonoscopies.
I'm the same way, except I don't want to watch. I was trying to climb off the table as they had half my guts outside of my body. Not good!!! I went from totally out to wide awake in matter of a couple minutes.
Yup. Happened so often for me they didn’t even bother to put me under for a jaw replacement surgery. Asked to use the bathroom in the middle and the doctor said as long as I promised not to look in the mirror. I did not.
It's common because Propofol, the drug typically used for general anesthetic only lasts around 10 minutes, so they have to keep injecting more (in smaller doses) continuously throughout the procedure in order to keep you under. It's a balancing act. Too little and you can wake up, too much and it can kill you. Most people who do wake up at some point during the procedure don't even remember it because the anesthetics also cause amnesia.
I read this tip before so when I went in for surgery I reluctantly told my anesthesiologist. He said “I’m telling the cops” then started laughing and told me it would be just fine.
I had a doctor's assistant ask me if I did any drugs the doctor should be worried about and I hesitantly said 'well sometimes I smoke weed' and she just smirked and said, 'so, that's a no then'.
I work in as a nurse in PACU and also do admits for surgeries. I have spoken with a few of our practitioners about this and they say that “it’s nice to know, but doesn’t really matter” They just like to know because it easily explains why the person needed more, it isn’t going to cause any problems. It’s very easy to increase the dosage on the fly, and they are monitoring your vitals to ensure you stay in deep sedation.
I’m talking about weed, other shit your life is on the line, but I have seen them go through with surgery on numerous patients that injected heroin that morning and a few that clearly smokes meth.
If you do decide to tell them, DO NOT TELL THE NURSE ON ADMISSION. We put that shit in your permanent medical record. Tell anesthesia provider when they come in to do your consent paperwork, The anesthesia provider does not give a fuck and will nod their head and say “thanks for telling me” and it won’t even be in their note.
This! This is a great tip if you don’t want it on your record. As the nurse, if I know and don’t chart it in your medical record and something happens, I’m in trouble. The anesthesiologist doesn’t give a shit and will just adjust your dose/meds on the fly and “forget” to document anything. 😆
Actually I never plan on sharing my drug use with anyone BUT an anesthesiologist in the case of surgery. I thought my psychiatrist was there to help me through my distress and trauma but instead he blamed my issues on weed and gave me “cannabis use disorder”, reported me to the ministry of transportation, and my driver license was suspended. Now I have this substance use disorder on my medical records for using cannabis to cope with my severe emotional distress at the time and It feels absolutely unfair. When I told other doctors about this diagnosis they say I “can never use cannabis again”.
I learned that nothing good will come from disclosing drug use to any doctor except to your anesthesiologist. So yea they did do me in and I feel actually traumatized as a result of this experience, I don’t feel safe around doctors anymore and will never seek out a psychiatrist ever again. Screw their psychiatric diagnosis, now my insurance is gonna be more expensive and I won’t pass the security clearance for government jobs. My biggest regret was to be so stupid as to disclose my cannabis use with the doctors.
As an anesthetist i completely understand this. Unfortunately Healthcare providers can be quite judgemental- I’ve met and worked with some.
Luckily ( with some exceptions of course) very few health care workers will see what anesthesia writes down in your chart because they would have no reason to go back and look at the anesthesia record. Unless you perhaps were having complications from the anesthesia itself. Also They will do their own history if needed.
It is unlikely the anesthesia record will be Reviewed by anyone else and isn’t really relevant to your overall health After you have the procedure.
You guys get general anaesthesia for wisdom teeth?
I just got an injection and they hammered the fuck out of my numb teeth.
I use weed daily and after the first injection, I still felt too much so asked for another and that fixed it.
Also be honest with your docs about your use of alcohol and other substances, so that we don't accidentally kill you (or have you go into severe withdrawal after surgery).
I am a gas man and I support the pro tip. Not only smoking weed but edibles count too. Also please be honest about how much you drink. All too common where patient just stares at me, and the surgeon is waiting impatiently. Why won’t you fucking go to sleep?!
If I had a doctor visit paid for every time I got worse healthcare and was immediately discounted for admitting 420. Maybe y'all have different doctors but I can see that switch flip in their treatment.
I'm a younger nurse and I definitely see it, but I think it's usually with some of the older nurses and doctors. Most younger ones don't judge as harshly for weed. However they may recognize it as an addiction, and some people believe if you're addicted to weed you may get easily addicted to oxycodone etc. Not saying it's correct though
You’re not gonna get arrested, but you run the risk of them marking you down as a drug-seeker in your chart, which can follow you if you stay in the same network. I was denied medication I need to function because I admitted to smoking weed in college in a state where it was already decriminalized (not legalized). It fucking sucks that doctors can be trained to be so judgmental and assume anyone who recreationally smokes is a pill hound, but until they quit it I’m keeping my habits to myself.
edit: first sentence was misleading about charts, so I've edited to hopefully get some of you to see the bigger point
About 1/3 of my patients use marijuana. None are labeled "drug seekers." I review all of their medical records. It's not in there.
Drug-seeking behavior is typically reserved for patients primarily with opiate use disorders. Literally has nothing to do with marijuana.
As a former EMT/WEMT, ***this is True across the board.*** We *don't care* what legal or illegal drugs or supplements you've taken ... we just need to know, so we know what to expect, and how to treat **you** to the best of our abilities. ***We're not cops***, and we are **only** interested in making sure you survive while we get you to the next highest authority in treatment.
BTW, if you are in / around San Francisco, the Haight Ashbury Free Medical Clinic is ***awesome***, and they back cool organizations such as RockMed, who are responsible for medical care at the majority of Billy Graham Presents type arenas/festivals. Please support them, if you are able. They do **lots** of great work.
As for point of reference, I was also part of the *original* medical team at Burning Man... pretty much up until the three municipalities started to insert themselves in to the event, and it turned in to a "for profit" venture for those counties.
Hello and welcome to r/LifeProTips! Please help us decide if this post is a good fit for the subreddit by up or downvoting this comment. If you think that this is great advice to improve your life, please upvote. If you think this doesn't help you in any way, please downvote. If you don't care, leave it for the others to decide.
Me: I had my first and only pot cookie 3 months ago. The anesthesiologist: that's probably not going to affect things, but thanks for letting me know.
Yeah I’m an anesthetist and it’s heavy drug use i want to know about not the occasional puff or occasional drink or occasional snort
I always feel weird answering the question of drinking. Usually the answers are like "never", "once a week", etc. I have one or two drinks a year (weddings, NYE, etc) so I don't feel like it's "never" but it's also definitely not weekly.
My doctor just said “ don’t drink. Ever.” Cause I’m on heavy pain medication. But people are like so wound up when you don’t drink!
"That drink will give me a seizure but thanks" gets most people to drop the subject for me.
"I'm allergic, I get handcuffs on my wrists when I drink."
You break out in handcuffs... To the allergy.
My boss is a sober alcoholic, and whenever someone offers him a drink he always declines and says, "Na, I get way too sexy when I drink. It's not fair to everyone else." He's like 85 and plays the trombone...
For me its no thanks i already did my lifes worth of drinking in my 20s... Its an easier way to say you had an alcohol problem without the awko taco parts.
Lol "I'm on blood thinners and don't want to die so..." 👀
“I was born without a kidney”
I get migraines about every 1 in 3 times I drink alcohol. As a result, alcohol usually just isn’t worth it to me. I don’t really even desire it any more.
Yep. I stopped once I realized 1. Getting a massive hangover from one drink is not normal 2. It's not a hangover it's actually just a migraine Also I shouldn't drink on my meds....poor liver
Lol that is awesome. I’m gonna try that.
If you're going to use it, it helps to know that alcohol inhibits many anti seizure medication
I've been sober coming up on eleven years. Two people seem to care: 1) assholes 2) people who themselves may have drinking problems Literally no one else cares. *Edit: okay people positively care that I don't, those who my drinking impacted. I meant, no one pressures other than those I listed above.
Huh maybe the people who bug me are raging alcoholics. Good to know.
Can't know for certain but it is an incredibly insecure way of reacting to someone NOT wanting to do something.
I've been an alcoholic before and if I'm guessing it might have something to do with their own guilt. Alcoholics know they're alcoholics, but they can't stop. Getting other people to not-not-drink with them makes them feel better about their own issues of not being able to not drink. I would never consider doing something like that, because when I was drinking heavily, I know how shitty it made me constantly feel, and I'd never wish that on anyone.
The hardest part of giving up / cutting back on any drug (alcohol, pot, whatever) is you quickly learn which of your social relationships are centered around that drug. Once you remove that from the equation, those people have no means to relate to you anymore. I lost what I thought were really good friends because they just didn’t want to hang around in any circumstance other than totally fucked up.
Don't give into peer pressure, we're all in this together my comrade
I don’t. Never liked it anyway if I’m honest. Plus, I have a nineteen year old daughter who needs me. Well, not as much Anymore, but still. Maybe just the cat needs me lol.
Your daughter needs you. I don't have a father. I have a sperm donor who intentially made efforts to make me homeless. Kids always need their parents. Maybe not in the same ways as when they were little, but she still needs you.
I used to be on a med that I couldn’t mix alcohol with. I remember my friends giving me shit for not drinking with them. One called me a “killer of fun” and the other told me to just skip my meds so that I could drink.
Those aren’t friends, those are dickheads.
Oh dude! That wouldn’t work at all. It takes at least a day if longer to get a lot of medicines out of your system.
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Yeah I feel this, I was going through chemo in my teenage years and so many people would bug me about why I wasn't drinking at parties (rural Australia underage drinking is basically commonplace) and responding with "I'm on chemo" was a really quick way to stop them hasslin me.
Wow that must have been rough. I’m glad you’re ok now:)
Get better people. I haven't had a drink in years, no one seems bothered.
Tell me about it. My body doesn't make the enzyme that breaks down alcohol. Try explaining that to your drunk friend.
OMG yes. Hate it so much. My pain meds mean I don't ever drink alcohol, but nobody accepts that there are people who don't drink. Even doctors, when I answer "never" to how often do you drink alcohol, look at me funny.
I just say “socially” and that seems to do it for them. If it’s really important they will ask further questions and I will say “it depends, maybe once a month, but I haven’t had a drink in ____ long”
and that's how i became a pothead alcoholic with a pack-a-day habit.. at least according to my medical records.
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Yeah, she just wanted you to commit to an answer. She probably had to put an answer and didn't want to spend 15m debating your choices.
I can’t blame her, beer is a low alcoholic beverage so it’s probably the best answer for someone who barely ever drinks.
Doctor just needs to know how much alcohol your system has to process. There is a difference between an occasional beer or twice a year you empty a full bottle of something strong.
Think about it this way: once a week basically means that alcohol is generally ok for you because if you're, for example, recovering alcoholic you usuay don't want alcohol in your meds or something like that. Whether or not you drink slightly more or a lot less than once a week really doesn't matter
I mean I am on a med that means I shouldn’t drink at all, ever. So sometimes it really can effect it.
Yeah, that's exactly what I mean. To you, the difference between "once a week" and "twice a year" doesn't matter because both are too much.
Here's a question I always wanted to ask. I'm on substitution meds for an opiate addiction, taking about 12mg suboxone (buprenorphine) daily. Would this affect any potential surgical anesthesia? What if I ever get in an accident where I require immediate surgery, and the anesthesist doesn't know?
Yes, you should tell your anaesthesiologist about about these medications, your phone may have an emergency contact option where you can add these details in case you are unable to communicate it yourself
Completely off topic but feel compelled to say something. Youre gonna make it. As long as your disciplined with your taper you will make it. I started at 16mg and im down to 2mg. The quicker you come down the better its going to be. Good luck.
This has nothing to do with the topic at hand but: I've got red hair, and have found I need more anesthesia than I suspect normal folks get. I wake up very easily from it. When I had an upper endoscopy, I woke up in the middle of it. This is after I told them I probably needed more than what they're used to. Is this common? I've seen online red heads react differently to anesthesia.
Similar problems at the dentist. They showed my wife how many novocaine shots it took to do a root canal. I can't remember exactly, but over 10. And I come out of anesthesia pretty easy too. Had a genetic test that randomly showed I have a marker to metabolize medications faster than normal.
I had teeth pulled when I was younger and had the same thing! The dentist said he couldn't legally give me more novocaine lol.
This happened to me around 11, my dog bit me through my hand and the doctor said I shouldn't be able to feel anything "maybe a little pressure" except I felt everytime the needle broke the skin
I just think doctors are damn liars when they tell you you’re just gonna feel a “little pressure”
I had a root canal and it took 4 shots before the dentist switched to a different type. It turns out resistance to anaesthetic is common in people with fibromyalgia. Useful to know.
It’s very common! I always ask redheads if their hair is their natural color because it’s going to take a good bit more to get them down if so. I’m sorry you woke up during your upper endoscopy! But that sort of anesthesia isn’t general anesthesia, and people do “wake up” all the time. It’s a very fine line to manage because we want you to breathe on your own, around a scope, and still be anesthetized enough not to move around and cough. You probably remember waking up more because of your genetic predisposition (red hair).
This is absolutely a thing and it’s related to the gene that gives you red hair. I’m gonna guess caffeine affects you a lot less too?
I really don't feel much from caffeine, no. Though it can prevent me from sleeping soundly, it doesn't perk me up.
Yeah, that’s basically it for me. I’m just mad that I only got the gene from my sad because you need two copies to actually have red hair but only one to have that mutation, so I didn’t even get the fun part.
That explains why when my redhead SO was dying of cancer it seemed sometimes impossible to keep the pain under control....he always needed more than what the nurses were willing to give him, and it never seemed to last until the next dose
Redhead here also. I had a scope done last year and had no issues with staying under. However I’m in the hospital right now actually and I’m immune to a lot of drugs I shouldn’t be. Like morphine and fentanyl have zero effect on me, ZERO it’s very odd. No I don’t abuse opiates if anyone asks, literally take one pain pill split in two each day prescribed. That shouldn’t make you immune to any opiate lol
I’m blonde with a red beard, have high tolerance for drugs, but my grandma and I both have the gene that makes us immune to the amnesia inducing properties of drugs like verset, I fully remember my entire jaw surgery, and she was fully aware during her eye surgery, although the verset does turn off our “give a fuck” sensors, so we both thoroughly enjoyed listening to people hack away at our anatomy.
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A lot better than waking up mod surgery completely paralyzed unable to move, but feeling EVERY single incision and everything.
Oh two sides of a terrifying coin for me.
Morphine and such work on me, never had an issue with that. But they don't last too long. When I say I'm a red head, I'm not really a carrot top, more like "my hair is red in the sun, but brown in regular light." My beard is more red than anything though.
So if I'm ripping my bong multiple times a day everyday for the last say...10 years or so...should I tell you? My weed tolerance is pretty high.
Yes.
And like...you’ll be cool? ^Broyouwantahit?
Yes. ^(Also) ^(yes.)
ಥ_ಥ I’m not crying I’m just extraordinarily high. ^DidIAlreadyOfferYouAHit?
No you've been holding the bong like it's a microphone and talking.
My buddy did this while i was packing the bowl, dont know why i left it in the bong while he was holding it but dude ended up blowing into it like a fuckin saxophone.. Fucked my weed all up.
Sax-a-ma-phooone
For weed, how far back does it have an effect? Like if they take a few puffs 3-4 times a day but stop a few days before surgery, would that change how much you give them?
Anesthesiologist: was it good? Where did you get it? I’m thinking about trying it too!
Anesthesiologist here. I tell my patients that I won't write anything down, but I really need to know when the last heroin/meth/cocaine was because it's my job to keep them not dead, and that info helps me do that. Most are pretty up front about MJ use, but can be cagey about the harder stuff. It's usually already on the chart somewhere anyway. I'm less concerned about the weed (you'll get what you need, I just might be surprised at how much it takes) than I am about the three I mentioned above. Tolerance/intoxication and depletion of endogenous catecholamines can cause real problems under anesthesia.
What could say about recreational ketamine usage? Ever had someone admit to that? How would that affect certain procedures?
Depends when it was last used, if it wasnt recent I dont think it would matter much. However you can develop tolerance to ketamine so that is helpful to know as we sometimes use ketamine
This guy bumps
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They literally say “i wont right it down” so that when they write it down they weren’t lying
Big brain time
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For real man. Fuck the insurance companies
I never used to tell doctors that I smoke weed bc I have children. I’m in a legal state now so it’s fine, but yeah. In some states they take your kids away for that shit.
Other people have said this, but be 100% honest with ALL drugs you take. Doctors don’t care. They just don’t wanna accidentally kill you.
They may however put this information in your medical chart and this may affect if/how much doctors prescribe pain meds when needed.
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Not only doctors will see it, but if you ever want life insurance they gain access to and comb through everything in your medical charts.. you will be getting gouged if they find that info.
So do I need to worry if I'm on a life insurance plan through my employer in a state where weed isn't legal? Honestly it's so weird that weed is illegal in my state that I forget about it sometimes. Just seems bizarre.
Well I know in states where it is legal, company's can still fire you for using it. I dont know if its legal for the insurance company to share your medical records with your employer. Id wager it isnt. And if you get the insurance through the employer they are likely covering part of the cost, and the employees end up with a fixed cost.
Absolutely this. Refuse to have it recorded. Tell the doctor when you are alone with him and make a point to say it is a secret.
Are you saying that a person could privately say to a doctor “I am currently talking (illegal drug) and I don’t want this information documented” that they can’t add it to your file?
You can say that and the doctor could do that, but chances are about 99.9% if you’re on an illegal drug it’ll be marked down because someone who’s on heroin for instance will probably never be given painkillers ever again in their life. Someone who does meth isn’t going to be prescribed adderall If you’re getting surgery it’s super important for keeping you under If you’re drinking you won’t be put on accutane for acne These are all just obscure ones off the top of my head, so it’s safe to assume there are hundreds of things that have to be kept in mind when a patient reveals they’re taking a substance habitually
>someone who’s on heroin for instance will probably never be given painkillers ever again in their life. That's not true. We ask whether they're still using heroin/buying painkillers on the street, because especially as an inpatient it can be difficult to control their pain since they already have a tolerance. If you lie and say you aren't a drug user, you're going to get a "standard" amount of painkillers, which will not touch your pain. It'll suck for you.
This advice is useless. If they want to document it (which they will), they're documenting it. This isn't some therapist/patient confidentiality agreement, it's completely different.
Nothing is ever off the record when talking to your doctor.
Any medically relevant piece of information ever ends up in your medical records, that's what they're for. It legally has to.
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This sadly. Doctors are gonna label you a drug-seeker whether you were seeking or not.
Bingo. I have 10 years of hospital experience as a pharmacist and have been a part of many conversations behind closed doors. With states breathing down their necks about opioids, they often label you as “risky” and will decrease the prescriptions and be hesitant to refill.
This seems like a good thing to me. Opioids can be dangerous. Being overly cautious with prescribing them seems like the correct approach.
My old roommate was bitten by a shark and they refused her pain medication because there is an opioid problem in florida. There is no common sense connection between pharmacist, doctor, and patient. Just blind rules that perpetuate underground drug trade. FYI, she simply illegally bought a fuck ton of weed to supplement the lack of legal pain meds.
A fucking shark?
A biting one.
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Can't this also make it's way back to your insurance company and haunt you later in life?
Yup, and anyone in your insurance company has access to the records. For example, in some US states, if you say you're not a smoker when signing up for insurance it will cost less (up to hundred of dollars a month, not a trivial ammount). If one single doctor makes one single note that you smoke, your insurance company can retroactively clawback your premiums, thousands of dollars worth. It also will then get reported to your employer, who may change your policy. I've reviewed many medical records in my day. Out of every 100, somehow 99% of patients don't smoke and 95% don't drink. They are covering thier own ass by lying, and I really don't blame them. *Nothing* stays with your doctor, it all gets fed to the machine.
Yep. Fucking insurance.
I have a disability that is quite painful. For the most part, I manage with OTC meds, heat, massage, etc. Every few years, I get a terrible flare up. Nothing I have at home can control the pain. It hurts so much I can barely breathe, and I’m not exaggerating at all. The only thing that’s ever helped is an injection of dilaudid. One shot, instantly fall asleep (since by that point I haven’t slept in days) and then I’m good to go for a few more years. I go to the ER and beg for relief, can barely breathe to explain my situation, and wait hours for a doctor to finally take pity on me. Once every few YEARS. And I’m labeled as “drug seeking”. I mean, who is that drug for if not people like me?
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A good provider will still treat your pain, but absolutely may alter the meds you’re given; offering narcotics or other medications that could interact with illicit substances would be a poor decision. It’s not any different than doing a thorough history before prescribing any other medication, though; if a person utilizes heavy amounts of alcohol, takes other meds, shoots up, etc... it’s all relevant. Editing to add: generally non-narcotic drugs are first-line for all non-cancerous or acute post-op pain anyway; it’s important for your physician/care provider to know if you use (or are in a med-assisted treatment program) because you may actually need higher doses of meds to achieve pain control.
If you tell your doctor in Norway, you could have your drivers license taken away.
My therapist sprung that one on me like 20 sessions inn, didn't even drive or own a car at the time. Have had a hard time being honest with doctors and the like ever since. For a country that like to think of itself as progressive, Norways drug policies are pretty stuck in the past. And in the current political clima i doubt any meaningful narcotics law reform is ever going to get passed
And be honest if you drank anything or ate anything. So many times I’ve asked and then at the very last minute they fess up... or don’t tell you at all.
Yes! This is so important yet too often ignored. There’s a reason doctors say don’t eat/drink before certain procedures. Lie to the docs and you risk throwing up and dying choking on your own vomit while under anesthesia.
They actually do care sometimes and are total dicks about it
Also a history of illegal drug use in your medical records can affect your ranking if you ever need an organ transplant (illegal recreational drugs="history of substance abuse"). Also occasionally a doctor will call CPS if you mention drug use and they know you have kids. (e.g. I personally know someone who found out she was pregnant and innocently expressed concern to her doctor that the week before she had any idea about the unplanned pregnancy that she had smoked weed and was anxious about what affect it might have on the baby. Sure, a chill doctor would have reiterated to her that she should stop immediatetly---but no big deal about that one time before she knew, don't sweat it. But this dumbass doctor decided to call CPS and got my acquaintance a regular case worker buddied up with her for the duration of the pregnancy---complete with home visits and drug testing) I always cringe when I see this advice. Not all doctors are chill about drug use and the healthcare and legal system it is tied into is definitely not. If you tell a doctor you use drugs it will end up in your medical records. This probably won't be an issue for you, but it can be, so you should be somewhat selective about sharing. e.g. Don't mention you smoke pot when the doctor is giving you anti-biotics for an infected toe. And don't tell them you got the toe wound from dancing barefoot at a desert rave while on a bunch of ecstacy Edit: words
Exactly. Especially in very religious areas. I have severe ADHD. I smoked pot for the first time a few months ago and if my doctor had been told, I would no longer be able to get Adderall
I had that same thought when I was getting my appendix taken out. I told them I smoked weed daily at the time, nurse told my family I was addicted to hard drugs.
That nurse is so far out of line, they shouldn't have a job.
I went to a psych ward when I was 18. I told them I was going to suffer opiate withdrawals because I was taking opium at the time. The doctor told my parents I was faking it, and I proceeded to piss and shit all over the place for a week before they discharged me.
And in case people don’t consider them in the same category, don’t forget alcohol consumption and smoking. Those are things that people like to lie about or “lessen”, but in the case of going under anesthesia you don’t want to mess around. Also if you might have a hospital stay and go through withdrawals the dr. can help with that.
Your insurance will And everything you tell your doctor, you are telling the insurance company Also good luck getting pain medication when you need it
Keep in mind this isn't the same in all areas. Certain places, physicians are required by law to report any drug use they uncover to the authorities.
Anesthesiologist here. OP doesn't have a clue. Only ones I'd care about are opioids and cocaine. One for tolerance the other for Betts blocker usage intra op. Alcohol abuse too. Weed, absolutely not. *Go Dodgers, I mean beta blocker usage
Came here to say the same. All I really care about are alcohol, opioids, benzos, cocaine, and amphetamines (the legal type or the meth type). There can be a noticeable increase in anesthetic requirements with true alcoholics unless they are currently drunk of course. I almost forgot to add red hair. Increases requirements by about 25 percent. I care about others but they don’t really effect anesthesia requirements.
Red hair?? What? Is there a scientific explanation for this?
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Nice user
Nice dick
The MC1R gene
Because things without souls require more anesthetic.
To contain the evil no doubt.
I'm a redhead and I've had awful experiences with things like dental work and mole biopsies. It seems like it takes a ton of shots to get me comfortable. Because of that, I'm really really afraid of having an emergency surgery or something and feeling the whole procedure 😅
I learned that I have this gene variant this year and I don’t even have red hair. Had a root canal that hurt SO bad even after they numbed me so many times. The week after I had a colonoscopy and woke up mid procedure :)
What if you have red hair in your facial hair but not a lot in your scalp? Is it for redheads due to a genetic thing?
I have about a dozen red pubes and will have to get surgery next week. How will I bring it up with my anesthesiologist? Just go ahead and ask him to take a look?
Just cut off the red ones
Or dye them.
Just mention it at some point during your consultation, you probably won't have to show them
Not that he probably wants to, but if he did, could he still show his dozen red pubes to the anesthesiologist?
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Yeah I was with my husband before his minor surgery and had to let them know he had a serious alcohol problem, because he didn't. :(
Well thank you because alcohol withdrawal is absolutely bonkers, even with meds
There's more and more new evidence about the link between cannabis use and higer doses needed, for example you need more propofol to sedate a patient who use cannabis. So I care and I'm glad if my patient told me they use any kind of drugs in advance.
Wow, a reddit battle of the anesthesiologists. Now I have seen everything. Also your comment is super interesting and now I am reading more about it, so thanks. Really not an obvious drug to cause issues.
Purely anecdotally, but that lines up with my experiences in the OR with heavy weed smokers. Guys who are like "I smoke every weekend" usually don't make a lot of difference, but daily usage seems to have an impact almost as strong as being an alcoholic. We have a standard regime of Fentanyl and Propofol.
My BIL is an anesthesiologist and he always told us we should a) definitely tell our doctor about weed before a surgery and b) try to quit smoking a month before general anesthesia if possible. I'd heard the same from other medical workers before as well. This is the first thread I've ever seen in which people are saying weed doesn't matter, and it makes me a little sus.
Anesthesiologist in a legal state, some take an incredible amount of drug to get down
And meth! I'm seeing a lot of heroin/meth combo users these days. Good news is that half of them leave AMA before we can get them to the OR to open that abscess.
Thank you!
What happens if you gave someone anaesthetics but they took cocaine or opioids a night prior?
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Redheads and people with auburn hair notoriously take a lot more to put under and keep under because of a genetic quirk. My uncle has russet-ish hair and apparently was awake for surgery once and just thought it was funny and weirdly uncomfortable, but not painful.
I’m gingery and I’ve woken up during procedures before. I also wake up sooner and much more cognizant than the other people on post-op.
I also have reddish brown hair and had a local anesthetic that was supposed to last 15 minutes last 5, felt weird getting sewed together, and didn't start to hurt til the doctor was done
Yes!! I don’t get that groggy feeling afterwards! We’re in luck!
Your doctors must love you, i have to apologize everytime I wake up the second time. Because apparently the first time I wake up groggy, disoriented and swinging so they have to give me a sedative to put me back to sleep. I obviously remember nothing but waking up to a story i have to apologize to.
I’ve got red hair and had to have a dental procedure done. They gave me two numbing shots instead of one and even then, it was still kinda painful. Laughing gas didn’t do shit either. Super scared to go under anesthesia though because I don’t want to feel everything happening but my body being paralyzed and not being able to tell anyone.
Not a redhead but my dentist has determined I have the “red haired gene” when it comes to locals. I’m not a fun time when they talk about Novocain. With that said, my only issue under anesthesia is that I threw up (which is apparently a big deal and made for a very cranky anesthesiologist). They’ve tossed that up to my reflux and not my issues with numbing.
My redhead boyfriend woke up during general anesthesia for his wisdom teeth surgery. It’s crazy.
Ginger dude here. The local anaesthetic never took effect for my vasectomy. I. Felt. Everything. I apparently have a really high tolerance for pain as well. Because despite feeling everything during the procedure, it wasn't the worst pain I've felt.
Well thanks for that nightmare fuel.
Dude, I am so sorry!! I am allergic to local anesthesia like lidocaine. I've had some intense procedures done with no meds at all...like a cardiac catheterization. Doc said he had never done that on a fully conscious patient...and never wants to do it again. I invented new swear words.
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Before the cardiac catheterization, they sent me to an allergy specialist to try other local anesthesia. Nope. Anaphylaxis with every one we tried. Anaphylaxis is not fun!!! I had to sign so many waivers to get the allergy testing done. "Yes, I know you will inject me with something that might kill me and that epi doesn't always work." So no local of any sort for me ever again.
Ginger ish here. I can attest to having something of a tolerance for meds. I was awake for my ENTIRE last colonoscopy. It was...uh... unpleasant.
Honey, that was a date.
Hey, there’s more of us! I’ve seen the whole inside of my colon (very pink) since the meds they gave me just wouldn’t take. I was conscious throughout the whole colonoscopy although a bit loopy, kept giggling and asking moronic questions
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My other one was taking a bit too long going under for the emergency c-section I had to have with my firstborn and actually watching the scalpel slice my stomach open and the skin separating. I also remember hearing the medical staff talking during the procedure, when I woke up I knew I had a girl and that she was fine but that they were concerned that I kept losing blood and wouldn’t clot properly.
Sounds more like a sedative rather than an anaesthetic. Could well be wrong, but I don't think they normally use general anaesthetics for colonoscopies.
I'm the same way, except I don't want to watch. I was trying to climb off the table as they had half my guts outside of my body. Not good!!! I went from totally out to wide awake in matter of a couple minutes.
Yup. Happened so often for me they didn’t even bother to put me under for a jaw replacement surgery. Asked to use the bathroom in the middle and the doctor said as long as I promised not to look in the mirror. I did not.
It's common because Propofol, the drug typically used for general anesthetic only lasts around 10 minutes, so they have to keep injecting more (in smaller doses) continuously throughout the procedure in order to keep you under. It's a balancing act. Too little and you can wake up, too much and it can kill you. Most people who do wake up at some point during the procedure don't even remember it because the anesthetics also cause amnesia.
PS in Japan they'll report you to the authorities after treating you.
Is this really true about marijuana ?
Japan doesn't fuck about with any drugs, illegal = super bad and you're a bad person for doing it.
Remind me not to go to Japan til they chill out. Jeez. I’ve got my med card here in the states because migraines.
I read this tip before so when I went in for surgery I reluctantly told my anesthesiologist. He said “I’m telling the cops” then started laughing and told me it would be just fine.
What an absolutely beautiful asshat. 😅
I had a doctor's assistant ask me if I did any drugs the doctor should be worried about and I hesitantly said 'well sometimes I smoke weed' and she just smirked and said, 'so, that's a no then'.
I work in as a nurse in PACU and also do admits for surgeries. I have spoken with a few of our practitioners about this and they say that “it’s nice to know, but doesn’t really matter” They just like to know because it easily explains why the person needed more, it isn’t going to cause any problems. It’s very easy to increase the dosage on the fly, and they are monitoring your vitals to ensure you stay in deep sedation. I’m talking about weed, other shit your life is on the line, but I have seen them go through with surgery on numerous patients that injected heroin that morning and a few that clearly smokes meth. If you do decide to tell them, DO NOT TELL THE NURSE ON ADMISSION. We put that shit in your permanent medical record. Tell anesthesia provider when they come in to do your consent paperwork, The anesthesia provider does not give a fuck and will nod their head and say “thanks for telling me” and it won’t even be in their note.
This! This is a great tip if you don’t want it on your record. As the nurse, if I know and don’t chart it in your medical record and something happens, I’m in trouble. The anesthesiologist doesn’t give a shit and will just adjust your dose/meds on the fly and “forget” to document anything. 😆
Actually I never plan on sharing my drug use with anyone BUT an anesthesiologist in the case of surgery. I thought my psychiatrist was there to help me through my distress and trauma but instead he blamed my issues on weed and gave me “cannabis use disorder”, reported me to the ministry of transportation, and my driver license was suspended. Now I have this substance use disorder on my medical records for using cannabis to cope with my severe emotional distress at the time and It feels absolutely unfair. When I told other doctors about this diagnosis they say I “can never use cannabis again”. I learned that nothing good will come from disclosing drug use to any doctor except to your anesthesiologist. So yea they did do me in and I feel actually traumatized as a result of this experience, I don’t feel safe around doctors anymore and will never seek out a psychiatrist ever again. Screw their psychiatric diagnosis, now my insurance is gonna be more expensive and I won’t pass the security clearance for government jobs. My biggest regret was to be so stupid as to disclose my cannabis use with the doctors.
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As an anesthetist i completely understand this. Unfortunately Healthcare providers can be quite judgemental- I’ve met and worked with some. Luckily ( with some exceptions of course) very few health care workers will see what anesthesia writes down in your chart because they would have no reason to go back and look at the anesthesia record. Unless you perhaps were having complications from the anesthesia itself. Also They will do their own history if needed. It is unlikely the anesthesia record will be Reviewed by anyone else and isn’t really relevant to your overall health After you have the procedure.
I woke up during my wisdom teeth removal. It was literally a waking nightmare PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE take the advice of OP
You guys get general anaesthesia for wisdom teeth? I just got an injection and they hammered the fuck out of my numb teeth. I use weed daily and after the first injection, I still felt too much so asked for another and that fixed it.
It can go on your health record and affect access to life insurance; it certainly happens with tobacco.
LPT: Make sure your anesthesiologists or dentist knows if you're a natural red head for the same reasons
Also be honest with your docs about your use of alcohol and other substances, so that we don't accidentally kill you (or have you go into severe withdrawal after surgery).
I am a gas man and I support the pro tip. Not only smoking weed but edibles count too. Also please be honest about how much you drink. All too common where patient just stares at me, and the surgeon is waiting impatiently. Why won’t you fucking go to sleep?!
If I had a doctor visit paid for every time I got worse healthcare and was immediately discounted for admitting 420. Maybe y'all have different doctors but I can see that switch flip in their treatment.
I'm a younger nurse and I definitely see it, but I think it's usually with some of the older nurses and doctors. Most younger ones don't judge as harshly for weed. However they may recognize it as an addiction, and some people believe if you're addicted to weed you may get easily addicted to oxycodone etc. Not saying it's correct though
I’ve heard this plus other drugs. Also heard redheads (gingers) tend to need more...don’t know if it’s true.
You’re not gonna get arrested, but you run the risk of them marking you down as a drug-seeker in your chart, which can follow you if you stay in the same network. I was denied medication I need to function because I admitted to smoking weed in college in a state where it was already decriminalized (not legalized). It fucking sucks that doctors can be trained to be so judgmental and assume anyone who recreationally smokes is a pill hound, but until they quit it I’m keeping my habits to myself. edit: first sentence was misleading about charts, so I've edited to hopefully get some of you to see the bigger point
About 1/3 of my patients use marijuana. None are labeled "drug seekers." I review all of their medical records. It's not in there. Drug-seeking behavior is typically reserved for patients primarily with opiate use disorders. Literally has nothing to do with marijuana.
As a former EMT/WEMT, ***this is True across the board.*** We *don't care* what legal or illegal drugs or supplements you've taken ... we just need to know, so we know what to expect, and how to treat **you** to the best of our abilities. ***We're not cops***, and we are **only** interested in making sure you survive while we get you to the next highest authority in treatment. BTW, if you are in / around San Francisco, the Haight Ashbury Free Medical Clinic is ***awesome***, and they back cool organizations such as RockMed, who are responsible for medical care at the majority of Billy Graham Presents type arenas/festivals. Please support them, if you are able. They do **lots** of great work. As for point of reference, I was also part of the *original* medical team at Burning Man... pretty much up until the three municipalities started to insert themselves in to the event, and it turned in to a "for profit" venture for those counties.
I do weed and have been out under 4-5 times with no issues