anesthesia and redheads

December 20, 2002

I was reading readers digest today and happened upon this article - I find it

very interesting and in my case true. I know we had discussions before of the

number of redheads on the list - seemed like there were fairly many considering

something like only 2% of the population is redheaded. anyhow here's the info:

hair apparent

do blondes have more fun? don't know - but redheads need more anesthesia. red

hair is the first know visible genetic trait that indicates how much anesthesia

a person needs.

twenty women, ages 18-40, were given a common anesthetic gas. Ten had red hair,

ten had dark hair. Each rec'd a mild electric shock: those who twitched were

given more anesthetic until reflexes stopped; those who didn't got less until

they reacted.

Redheads needed 20% more gas than the brunettes, said anesthesiologist

Sessler of the University of Louisville. The link may occur because a genetic

variation that produces red pigment also triggers higher levels of the hormone

that increases pain sensitivity. Blondes should respond like brunettes because

they share the same pigment, only less.

December 20, 2002

I can vouch for this being true! When under going Endoscopies they would

give me Versed (spelling??) so I wouldn't remember. The usual dose was

around 3mg and they had to give me 8! Doc said that was the most he had

ever given anyone, but when they had given me 5 I had REMEMBERED the

whole procedure. He nearly died when I told him that and repeated word

for word what was said. You should have seen the poor man's face. He

felt just awful! Now...the funny thing is......... I don't have red hair

naturally.......however when ever I have bleached my hair.....we always

got red......instead of blonde. I have Celtic skin...just like a true

red head....and most who see me with my " chemically enhanced " red

hair....would NEVER know that I am not a natural red head. SOOOO, I must

REALLY be a red head.....just incognito! LOLOL

Debbie in Gig Harbor

ladybostons@...

www.paws2print.com

December 21, 2002

I'm not a redhead Debbie...but when it comes to Versed, you might as well

inject straight water into my veins, that's how much effect it has on me. My

last scopes that I had, I told them " NO VERSED...it doesn't work " ...and they

looked at me blankely, and gave me Versed. Duh! Then they wondered why I

was alert and with them after they had given me the maximum allowable

dose...for the lower scope, I just propped my head up on my arm, and watched

the procedure on the screen...I wasn't happy...and the doc said it was the

first time she actually was able to converse with her patient that she was

scoping. Well...I told them!! Then, they went to do the tummy scope..and

talk about gagging and choking...it was miserable...but they wouldn't give me

anything else. I decided after that little fiasco, NEVER again would I allow

them to give me Versed. Maybe I am a true redhead...who knows? (my hair

bleaches out to red too...=)) Or I'm just blonde and don't know I'm supposed

to konk out.

Regards~

´¨¨)) -:¦:-

¸.·´ .·´¨¨))

((¸¸.·´ ..·´ -:¦:- Jacque

-:¦:- ((¸¸.·´*

www.jacquemiller.gasupusa.com

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> I can vouch for this being true! When under going Endoscopies they would

> give me Versed (spelling??) so I wouldn't remember. The usual dose was

> around 3mg and they had to give me 8! Doc said that was the most he had

> ever given anyone, but when they had given me 5 I had REMEMBERED the

> whole procedure. He nearly died when I told him that and repeated word

> for word what was said. You should have seen the poor man's face. He

> felt just awful! Now...the funny thing is......... I don't have red hair

> naturally.......however when ever I have bleached my hair.....we always

> got red......instead of blonde. I have Celtic skin...just like a true

> red head....and most who see me with my " chemically enhanced " red

> hair....would NEVER know that I am not a natural red head. SOOOO, I must

> REALLY be a red head.....just incognito! LOLOL

December 21, 2002

Jacque, I'll tell you........with Versed the Doc told me he was going to

have to go before a board and EXPLAIN why he gave me SOOOOO much! But he

was a Captain in the navy so I wasn't too worried about him. LOL Not to

mention he was getting ready to retire from the Navy. He was a GREAT

Doc! Could do those Endoscopies nicely. He was just so concerned about

me the second time he had to scope me.......so he went to bat for me so

I wouldn't HAVE to remember the whole thing. I do remember the gagging

and feeling like I was choking with an emergency one he had done on me.

It was awful. I sure wasn't looking forward to it.

Interestingly.......the very first scope went just fine with the normal

amount of versed.....then with each progressing scope I needed more and

more. I wonder if you can develop a tolerance for it?

Debbie in Gig Harbor

ladybostons@...

www.paws2print.com

******************************************************

From Vicki's post it would appear so. I think with my first scope, I was

given IV demerol and valium...so even though I was alert, I was very relaxed

and felt no choking reflex or like I was being strangled. The other

experience was in my opinion, so unnecessary...if they would only listen. We

DO know our own bodies better than they do.