Experts often recommend avoiding CBD and other cannabis products immediately before and after surgery. This recommendation is typically made due to insufficient research investigating potential surgical risks.
Cannabidiol (CBD) is an active chemical found in cannabis that is commonly ingested to alleviate the following symptoms:
pain, nausea, vomiting anxiety, stress
Research on the benefits and risks of CBD is still in its early stages. The only FDA-approved form of CBD is called Epidiolex, which is used to treat seizures associated with several rare epilepsy syndromes.
Researchers are still investigating how CBD and other cannabis products affect surgical outcomes. There is also evidence to suggest that people who smoke cannabis may require more anesthesia than those who do not use cannabis before surgery. However, few studies have investigated the effects of CBD on anesthesia.
Most medical professionals recommend avoiding the use of cannabis products in the hours to days before surgery, as their effects on surgical outcomes and interactions with other medications and anesthesia are unknown.
Few studies have specifically looked at how CBD affects surgery. Researchers in a 2022 study showed that people who used cannabis before surgery experienced more of the following effects than those who did not use it:
High postoperative pain scores High opioid use Frequent sleep disturbances
Effects of other cannabis products on surgery
Most of the current research investigating the effects of cannabis products on surgery focuses on smoking cannabis, but this is also an area that is currently under-researched.
The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) recommends avoiding smoking marijuana on the day of surgery. Doctors also recommend waiting at least two hours after you last smoked marijuana before starting any elective surgery. This recommendation is based on the following evidence:
Smoking marijuana can increase your heart rate and blood pressure for at least two hours, which can increase your risk of a surgery-related heart attack. Smoking outside the 2-hour window on the same day may carry similar risks, but to a lesser extent than smoking within 2 hours. 2 hours. Smoking the day before surgery can have negative effects, especially for people who smoke frequently.
Interactions between CBD, drugs, and anesthesia
Researchers are still investigating whether CBD interacts with other drugs and whether these interactions may affect surgery. CBD is primarily broken down in the liver by the enzymes CYP3A4 and CYP2C19. CBD could theoretically interact with other drugs that affect the function of these enzymes.
Some very early, low-quality research suggests a possible interaction between CBD, THC, and the blood-thinning drug warfarin. The increased effectiveness of warfarin could theoretically increase the risk of severe bleeding.
There are no established guidelines as to whether or how long before surgery you should stop taking CBD. To be on the safe side, many experts recommend stopping a few days in advance.
The ASA recommends that when using the CBD-containing drug Epidiolex for seizure control, avoid abruptly stopping it before surgery.
CBD has a half-life of approximately 27 to 35 hours, meaning that half of the drug is eliminated from your body within this period. In most cases, drugs are expected to be cleared from the body after four to five half-lives. For CBD, this equates to approximately 4.5 to 7.3 days.
After this period, CBD levels in the blood are very low and are less likely to cause surgical problems.
It has not been established whether it is best to avoid CBD after surgery or for how long. If in doubt, it is always best to consult your surgeon for their recommendations.
Research is mixed on whether CBD is a good pain reliever for surgical pain.
In a small 2024 study published in the Orthopedic Journal of Sports Medicine, researchers found that taking CBD for 14 days after surgery showed no difference in surgical outcomes compared to a placebo up to 1 year later. It turns out. Researchers concluded that this may be a good option for reducing pain.
A task force set up by the International Association for the Study of Pain found that current evidence does not support the use of cannabinoids as painkillers. Some evidence suggests that it may be more effective in treating chronic pain than acute pain caused by surgery.
In a 2023 article published in The Journal of Pain, researchers say that while there is no good reason to think that CBD effectively reduces pain, there is enough evidence to doubt its efficiency and the purity of commercially available products. He claimed there was a reason.
Here are some frequently asked questions about CBD.
When should I tell my doctor about using CBD?
Before your procedure, we recommend that you disclose to your anesthesiologist whether you have recently ingested any cannabis products. Knowing that you have recently consumed cannabis may influence your doctor's anesthesia decision.
Does CBD have sedative effects?
CBD often causes a feeling of relaxation. Although it may help you feel calmer, it is not recommended for use before surgery until more research is known investigating its safety before surgery.
Can I take CBD before a colonoscopy?
It is best to consult your doctor before taking CBD in advance of a colonoscopy to determine if it is safe for you.
Can CBD help after surgery?
Anecdotally, some people find CBD helpful in managing pain after surgery. Research has not yet shown CBD to be an effective pain reliever after surgery.
A limited amount of research has investigated the safety of CBD before and after surgery. It's best to tell your surgeon ahead of time if you're using cannabis products so they can determine if it's safe.
In theory, CBD could interact with other drugs such as warfarin and increase surgical complications. Some doctors have expressed concern that CBD products could be mislabeled or contaminated.
