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Author Topic: Marijuana use pre-surgery  (Read 3830 times)

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Offline InsanelySirius

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Marijuana use pre-surgery
« on: March 15, 2016, 12:02:42 AM »
Hi there,

I know a similar question was asked a few years ago, but I wanted to get an updated answer. I am donating my liver this summer to my best friend and have been in a lot of contact with my doctors. My primary doctor told me that I must quite drinking 3 months before my surgery date, which I have already done. When I tried looking online for the timeline regarding marijuana use, I keep seeing conflicted answers (although mostly it is around 1 month before surgery). To be safe, I emailed my doctor and asked, and she told me to stop 3 months before, just like drinking.

Here is my issue: I know for a fact that my doctor is highly against smoking weed because her son used to have a bad problem. When we did my interview, she went on a rant about drugs being terrible for you and that too many people smoke smoke weed nowadays and whatnot. Personally, I am not a heavy smoker, in fact I probably smoked a total of 10-12 times last year. I have severe anxiety which I cannot take medication for because I am already on meds for ADHD and certain strains of marijuana can help relieve extreme panic attacks. In addition, I am currently in college and recently my stress has been at an all time high.

I don't want to mess up this opportunity to help my friend, but I honestly don't really trust that my doctor is being objective on this point. Does anyone have any experience with this? Or any recommendations about who else I can turn to for answers (my surgeon maybe)?

Offline Fr Pat

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Re: Marijuana use pre-surgery
« Reply #1 on: March 15, 2016, 06:46:02 AM »
     I am not qualified to judge about the science involved, but if you WANT to donate (and from your posting it certainly seems that you do) I would suggest that you do EVERYTHING the doctors ask, whether you agree with it or not. Different hospitals (and different doctors) sometimes have different rules, but they are the ones who will decide if the operation will happen or not. And for what it may be worth, many hospitals would require that you give up tobacco smoking for that same period of time. One reason is that pneumonia is one of the post-op risks, so they want the donor's lungs to be as clean as possible.
    best wishes,
      Fr. Pat

Offline CK

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Re: Marijuana use pre-surgery
« Reply #2 on: March 29, 2016, 08:07:07 PM »
OK, for the record- mental health professional here.   :)  You most certainly can take anxiety meds and ADHD meds together, it's quite common.  And marijuana tends to help anxiety in the short-term (you feel better right away) and make it worse in the long-term (your anxiety level gradually gets worse).

In my personal opinion, marijuana is no more dangerous than alcohol (and probably less so), but when either substance is used to treat mental health issues, it causes problems.

That being said, you should do as the doctors advise you, in terms of the donation, but you can always seek a second opinion.

 

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