TAH: Upcoming hysterectomy 3/6: Dr says to drink water day of surgery

I'm having a TAH in just a few days, and the anxiety is about to get the best of me. At the GYN/ONC appt. a few days ago, the nurse told me not to eat anything after midnight the day of surgery, but that I should drink up to 20 oz of water between midnight and 2 hrs before surgery. This goes against everything I have ever heard, which is nothing to eat OR drink after midnight. In my research I have found that some surgeons and anesthesiologists have revised the policy of no water, because dehydration can cause problems of it's own. One of my biggest concerns is aspiration during surgery, so I'm really afraid to drink anything. Has anyone else been told to do this??

The best instructions to follow are the ones you get from *your* doctor. The surgical team will be expecting you to arrive in a certain physical condition based on those instructions.

If you want to double-check, just call back. "Hi, I just wanted to double-check, am I really supposed to..."

Very interesting. I can see reasoning behind it when you think about it.
But I second the advise to call and double-check with the doctor's office. I bet they get that call a lot since most of us think differently.

	Quote:
Originally Posted by Roo83 Very interesting. I can see reasoning behind it when you think about it...

Yeah, for one thing, I know that when I'm dehydrated nurses have an awful time finding my veins for IVs, etc. I've learned that *unless* I've been told otherwise, always show up well-hydrated if nurses are going to be looking for veins!

Yes. Many hospitals are now using a program called ERAS (Enhanced Recovery After Surgery). This program is in use at the hospital where my Endometrial Cancer TLH, BSO plus Omentum, Appendix and lymph node sampling was done in November. Instructions were no food after 8 hrs prior to surgery, then clear fluids until 3 hours prior to surgery, and then right before the 3 hr prior mark MUST drink 2 cups apple or cranberry juice. The rationale is the carb load going into surgery ensures your body has enough energy to begin recovery. I had an afternoon surgery. I’m 74 years old and passed all the benchmarks — walking, eating, passing gas, fluid intake/output (measured) is adequate, pain controlled — by the next morning so was discharged and went home. My recovery was straightforward...no setbacks and no complications.

	Quote:
Originally Posted by MO54 I'm having a TAH in just a few days, and the anxiety is about to get the best of me. At the GYN/ONC appt. a few days ago, the nurse told me not to eat anything after midnight the day of surgery, but that I should drink up to 20 oz of water between midnight and 2 hrs before surgery. This goes against everything I have ever heard, which is nothing to eat OR drink after midnight. In my research I have found that some surgeons and anesthesiologists have revised the policy of no water, because dehydration can cause problems of it's own. One of my biggest concerns is aspiration during surgery, so I'm really afraid to drink anything. Has anyone else been told to do this??

I was told this is the new protocol with surgery. My doctor said clear liquids like apple juice, Gatorade and water up to two hours before surgery and no food after midnight. If you have breathing tube during surgery I don’t think you can aspirate any fluids.

At pre op the anesthesiologist also told me (he was rather talkative, lol) all about how they used to limit liquids before surgery to prevent aspiration, but now find it's safe to have clear liquids up to 2 hours before surgery, and it's so much easier on patients.

Interesting - I;d do a last minute check with your Dr.

I will share that they gave me a drug cocktail (Celebrex and an antibiotic and something else) about 1/2 hr pre surgery and a small amount of water to drink to swallow them down. Its clearly not the end of the world anymore.

Thank you all for replying and sharing your stories and advice. I will be so glad when the surgery is behind me and I can get on with the recovery. I don't know yet what all I"m facing because of a 20cm mass in the right adnexal. The ultrasound and CT scan do not tell them definitively what it is, so I'm anxious to get it out and see where we go from there.

I am a nurse, but in no way giving medical advice. I give my INPATIENT's that are going for surgery meds all the time within a couple hours of surgery. I advise them not to "chug," but drink a reasonable amount of water to swallow pills or "wet their whistle." Food is a hard no, though.