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Original poster

Ate 5.5 before surgery admission time

45 replies

Dontthinkthrice · 25/04/2023 13:08

Hi guys, think I’m being silly but I’ve not been particularly nervous about this surgery until today and now I’ve found something to worry about!

Was supposed to not have anything to eat for 6 hours prior to admission which was 10.30… but I ate scrambled eggs, whole meal toast and avocado with half a cup of coffee and two biscuits at 10.45 (hadn’t realised the time as was rushing around getting everything done). Am really full up still.
Have scared myself on google that I’m going to choke to death under anaesthesia because I finished eating half an hour after I was supposed to.

Is this going to mean I can’t have my surgery? I don’t know what time it will be, just that my admission time is 4.30pm.

OP posts:
LIZS · 25/04/2023 13:13

You will need to tell the anaesthetist. It increases your risk of aspiration,

bilbodog · 25/04/2023 13:13

You will probably just be OK.

Mabelface · 25/04/2023 13:16

You'll probably be okay as it's unlikely you'll be taken to theatre as soon as you're admitted. Do mention it to the anaesthetist though.

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MrsBennetsPoorNerves · 25/04/2023 13:18

They will almost certainly ask you when you last ate. Just answer the question honestly and they will assess the risk.

ShippingNews · 25/04/2023 13:19

It really depends on what surgery you are having. You are an awful lot ! Normally you'd be expected to have a light meal / snack at 10-30am, not a full brunch. Definitely tell the anaesthetic nurse what you are and when.

ShippingNews · 25/04/2023 13:20

*you are, not you are.

SauvignonBlanche · 25/04/2023 13:21

It may affect the list order but with your admission time the chances are that you are at the end anyway decreasing the possibility of moving you down.

Make sure you tell them straight away or call them now.

ShippingNews · 25/04/2023 13:21

*ate ! Not are !

Valhalla17 · 25/04/2023 13:21

I would mention, because that is a lot of food to be honest. If you'd had an apple then it would probably be different! No point putting yourself in harms way, tell them and they can make the decision. Assume you won't go into surgery immediately anyway, so probably a buffer and it's fine....but def check!

Hope it all goes well OP.

MrsWhites · 25/04/2023 13:24

My husband has very recently had surgery and was told a light meal/snack 6 hrs before. I think what you had constitutes more than a light meal so would definitely discuss it with the doctor when you get to the hospital.

PinotPony · 25/04/2023 13:32

Why would you eat at 10.45 on the day of surgery? Surely you'd have breakfast in the morning and then a snack like a piece of fruit mid morning to tide you over...

If you're nervous about the surgery, did you do it to sabotage the procedure?

All you can do is be honest and let them decide.

Emelene · 25/04/2023 13:36

Can you ring the ward ahead of time? Would save you a trip if they cancel.

cattygorically · 25/04/2023 13:36

Please please be honest and tell the anaesthetist. It's extremely important they're aware

Original poster
Dontthinkthrice · 25/04/2023 13:58

PinotPony · 25/04/2023 13:32

Why would you eat at 10.45 on the day of surgery? Surely you'd have breakfast in the morning and then a snack like a piece of fruit mid morning to tide you over...

If you're nervous about the surgery, did you do it to sabotage the procedure?

All you can do is be honest and let them decide.

because I hadn’t had breakfast as was dashing around getting all children where they needed to be and just didn’t realise the time and needed to eat.

it’s private elective surgery and I definitely did not want to sabotage

OP posts:
CharlotteRose90 · 25/04/2023 14:07

You need to ring them. They will either cancel it for another day or push back your admission time. It’s light snacks only the day of your procedure not a full on breakfast.

LittleLegsKeepGoing · 25/04/2023 14:08

Definitely tell the anaesthetist the truth. The last thing you want is to be put under then have the procedure abandoned because you ended up vomiting whilst unconscious with a high risk of aspiration (fluid getting into your lungs).

Anaesthesia is risky as it is, no need to add extra unknown variables for the professionals to deal with.

MrsBennetsPoorNerves · 25/04/2023 14:08

Sounds like you need to put your own health as a higher priority, OP.

Hope that they are able to proceed with the operation regardless, but definitely tell them the time you ate and how much you ate, just in case.

ShipSpace · 25/04/2023 14:08

Good grief!!

Original poster
Dontthinkthrice · 25/04/2023 14:10

No one told me to have a light meal or snack just to stop eating 6 hours before 🤦‍♀️
ive called just waiting for a call back

OP posts:
Babdoc · 25/04/2023 14:16

For the first 20 years of my career as an anaesthetist, we used 4 hours as the fasting limit, OP!
Tell your anaesthetist and let them decide what they want to do, but it’s very likely going to be longer than half an hour between the time of your admission and being ready for induction of GA.
They can either wait if necessary, do you under local (if possible for your procedure) or do a rapid sequence intubation or an awake intubation.

Kyse · 25/04/2023 14:17

I guess wait and see what they say. I was just told to stop eating from midnight the night before and nothing to drink but water after that, then stop water at 6am. I had my op at about 10am

euff · 25/04/2023 14:17

Hopefully it will be okay. The surgery may not happen at the exact time it's scheduled for anyway so there may be leeway. Are you given the actual surgery time not just admission and prep time? Also lots of emergency surgeries occur without that period fasting period. Hope all goes well.

Changes17 · 25/04/2023 14:19

IME it takes ages anyway. You're not going to be going under at 4.30pm on the dot - bet it's more like 6ish. Better to have eaten than be really starving. Just tell them factually what time you finished eating. Not very likely to be an issue.

Reallybadidea · 25/04/2023 14:23

So you were 15 minutes after the cut off time? It will be fine.

Original poster
Dontthinkthrice · 25/04/2023 14:25

Babdoc · 25/04/2023 14:16

For the first 20 years of my career as an anaesthetist, we used 4 hours as the fasting limit, OP!
Tell your anaesthetist and let them decide what they want to do, but it’s very likely going to be longer than half an hour between the time of your admission and being ready for induction of GA.
They can either wait if necessary, do you under local (if possible for your procedure) or do a rapid sequence intubation or an awake intubation.

Thanks so much for this! And does it matter how much I ate? I still don’t feel hungry. I get the shakes and tend to have funny turns when I’m hungry so thought I’d try and give myself as much energy as possible in eating what I did!

OP posts:
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