Expert: Ronald Levy, M.D. - 3/2/2008

Question
I have had surgery recently and I told the doctor and anesthesiologist not to use Versed because I had a bad experience with it last time and they used it on me this anyway.  I am having problems.  I would like to know All the amnesia medicine that there is out there so they won’t use these on me ever again.  I think there is three of them.  The anesthesiologist told me Versed is the shorted, it’s half life is 3 to 4 hours.  I am very upset he used Versed when I asked him not to.  Now I am having emotional problems remembering things.  I cry at the drop of a hat. Is this from the medicine?  Next time I will put all the amnesia drugs on my allergy list.  Horrible experience for me.  Why did he use Versed when I told not to.  What part of NO doesn’t he understand.  Thank you for answering my question.
Valerie


Answer
I doubt the Versed is causing the crying, etc but it is certainly an amnestic and people do have strange reactions. I would not put it on an allergy list because that has other connotations but make sure to tell your next anesthesiologist that you have had two bad reactions to Versed and not to use it again. They should comply. I can't answer why this one didn't. There are far more than 3 so I am not going to list them all here. Understand that the other agents do have a longer half life and may in fact make this proble you have last longer. You won't know that until your next procedure (at which point you may want to go back to Versed (which is why you shouldn't list it as an allergy).

Ronald Levy, MD
Associate Professor of Anesthesiology
UTMB-Galveston