Can hydrocodone, other painkillers, and marijuana have dangerous effects with anesthesia?

I have taken hydrocodone and tramadol, as well as some antihistamines, on about 5 occasions within two weeks of surgery when I will be going under general anesthesia. I have also used marijuana occasionally. I did not tell the nurse about the hydrocodone and tramadol because she was asking about my drug use right in front of my mother (pretty stupid as most kids aren't going to tell their whole story of drug use in front of their mom), although she did want specific information about my marijuana use.

Could using these drugs this far before surgery have an effect on anesthesia? I have no addiction, so withdrawal would not be an issue. They didn't make much of an issue of alcohol with the exception of poisoning my liver right before surgery, so I am thinking maybe these drugs aren't an issue as long as I don't take them right before surgery. Thanks a lot.

It is very important to let your anesthesiologist know about any and all drug use. Yes, they can interact with what we use, and cause serious complications.

It will also explain why you need more drug than the average bear to get you comfortable.

Usually, two weeks without any drug is enough time to clear it from your system, but you still may be tolerant to the effects of opiates. The problem with that is that you decrease the space between the effective dose and the lethal dose, and will either be undertreated for your pain, or at risk to stop breathing and die.

People who abuse opiates are also at risk for opiate induced hypersensitivity - things that are not painful to normal people ARE painful to druggies. Heroin users are the WORST, but any opiate can do it. You can really mess yourself up good if you develop that. (It's a change within your cells, where the opiate receptors start to work differently. There's no cure once you get it.)

We take care of all sorts of people and can get almost anybody through anything. It helps if we know the whole story though.

no problem. but you do need to tell the anesthesiologist all that you take before going under.

Tell the doctor.

yes it can. Make sure to talk with them now and don't wait until the day of the operation.

hydrocodoe, possibly, but notmarijuana it doesnt do anything

yep -- lots of effect.

Believe me - health professionals don't really care about what you are taking -- however, these drugs can have severe interactions with anesthesia - cause damage, or even death. For example, cocaine interacts with certain meds used in anesthesia and can cause a heart attack when mixed.

In addition, if patients are using drugs or drinking a great deal prior to surgery, they may have withdrawal symptoms afterwards -- doesn't necessarily have to be about addiction but accomodation (your body is used to the medication and will freak out if it doesn't get it) but withdrawal can be minimized with medication if the doctors and nurses know about it before.