Expert: Ronald Levy, M.D. - 5/5/2009

Question
I have a surgery scheduled that requires general anesthesia. I am in my early 20s.  7 days prior to my surgery, which should take an hour, I slipped and I took a 60 mg oxycontin and a xanax. People have made big arrangements to take me to the surgery, closed an office for a day...will a week be enough time with the short half life of these to make then negligable when I am exposed to anesthesia? My doc is someone I know and don't want to tell this embarassing story to. I asked a nurse at a different office and she said it was ok, but shes not a doc

Answer
Neither one is a problem (even if you took it the day of surgery) although obviously you wouldn't want to take it the day of surgery. Both drugs will be long worn off by the time of surgery. Don't worry.

Ronald Levy, MD
Professor of Anesthesiology
UTMB-Galveston