Why can’t you drink or eat before a general anesthetic?

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If you have undergone any surgery, you will remember that, at the time, they told you that, before general anesthesia, you would not be able to eat or drink anything. Of course, in those moments you comply with whatever they tell you, but you may wonder why later. What reason is there for you not being able to eat anything at all before the intervention?

There are those who have a very bad time before surgery in which they are going to be given a general anesthesia. The nerves that are suffered are only understood by people who have been in that position. And because of that, one of the things we would like to do would be to eat or drink. But, due to the indications about general anesthesia, we cannot do it. Next, we explain the process and the reason why it is logical that, even if it is a bit annoying, you cannot eat or drink.

It is a risky process

Do not think that when they give you general anesthesia it is as if they put you to sleep and you will remain peacefully resting on the stretcher. In reality, it is a very complicated and risky process. By the time you’re put under anesthesia, your body’s reflexes also go to sleep. Everything that works in our body in a natural way, such as the movement of swallowing, for example, is deactivated. Therefore, the chances of something happening in your body that could put you in danger or cause problems for surgeons are enormous.

If you have food in your stomach, the food could back up into your throat. One possibility in this case would be to vomit, which might not seem like such a concern during surgery, but it could also happen that some of that food is diverted into the lungs. That situation would be really risky, since you could suffer internal damage and it would make the work of the surgeons more complicated. You would also be risking a subsequent infection such as pneumonia.

How long I have to wait?

The specialists who are handling your case at the hospital will be in charge of informing you about it and the data they provide you is what you should take into account. In addition to this, you have to know that the time during which you cannot eat or drink before general anesthesia usually depends on the type of intervention you are going to undergo.

In any case, the average is usually found within a period of six hours in the case of food and a minimum of two hours for liquids. It is also advisable to keep in mind that, although these periods of time exist, there are a series of foods and drinks that must be discarded in the hours before surgery. For example, although liquids are allowed within that two-hour window, it is not recommended that you drink milk, coffee, or tea. If you are going to drink something during the previous hours, it is best to use water.

Another frequent question is whether, for example, you could chew gum. Seeing as you don’t swallow the gum, you might think there’s no problem with that. But the answer is negative. You should not chew gum either in that period of time in which you can no longer eat or drink. The reason is the sugar and the substances that you are getting from the gum, whatever they are. In this same group we also have to add nicotine gum, which must be discarded while you are within the waiting period for anesthesia. This may make it more difficult for people who depend on it to hold back the urge to smoke, so a lot of patience is recommended.

Regarding how long you have to wait after surgery to eat or drink, this will also be something that you will be informed about at your hospital. In any case, the process is usually a wait of around 2 hours and always starting to drink a little water that is lukewarm. From there, it is checked if your body has reacted well and the doctors will give you permission to start doing food tests. Much encouragement!

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