To think this can’t be that unusual before a General Anaesthetic?

[GeneralLevy]

Teenage son, at the stage of eating all he can see, had a GA today.
He wasn’t allowed to eat after 4am. He set his alarm for 3:30am and cooked a small meal. I gave permission, but didn’t wake.
Everyone has treated it like it’s the oddest thing to do, and they keep mentioning it- like it’s never happened and laughing (they ask you many times to check you haven’t eaten before surgery so it keeps coming up).
I get him. He LOVES food, feels dizzy easily. Also the operation was delayed 4 hours so I think it was quite a prudent choice- otherwise he wouldn’t have eaten since 6pm. I know people do fast, but he’s a teenage boy and they really don’t tend to like it.

its a bit odd to get up in the night and make food, its really not that hard to fast

btw they are lovely, it’s in a good natured way. Lovely hospital treatment and staff. I’m just surprised it’s such a story

Sounds like your son is pretty smart - thinking ahead. Good for him!

I know I'm missing the point enrirely, but great that you have a teenage son who cooks! Wishing him all the best, and a quick recovery.

I’d find it very easy, but I didn’t that as a reason to make him when he had a plan. I’m overweight though and he’s at the 2nd centile on the nhs bmi… I’ve presumed I have the benefit of my reserves! He’s at the stage of a growth spurt of going up, but not yet out

Not odd. I've had quite a few fasting tests and procedures and I always do it.

He’s lovely thanks. His high food drive is only a blessing for me. He cooks good meals and even wakes me for the odd cooked breakfast. I guess that’s that my selfish motivation for not ever intervening.

It's not that weird. I've woken someone up and gave them a small breakfast before their eating window expired and they went back to sleep. They have a speedy metabolism and would have been uncomfortably hungry by the time they actually had their surgery.

In the olden days when I was covered under my dad's very generous private health insurance I was taken into hospital the night before surgery- nil by mouth after midnight. At 11.30 pm someone came round with a tea trolley and toast.

Well, I'd find it odd but maybe that's because I just wouldn't want to eat at that time anyway.

Technically he didn't break any of the rules he had been given so it's fine I am sure.

It's not a problem.
Anaesthetists often recommend patients "carb load" before certain surgical procedures to enhance their recovery. Maybe not so much for healthy teenage boys, but even so.

That’s him. He eats extra meals most days,
enjoys food but is very lean muscle due to high activity and genetics. 4 hours waiting by a bed and he wasn’t far off hanging upside down from a rail I think. He was pacing on and off while on his phonewith the curtains closed so as not to annoy anyone

Not unusual at all. I had a scheduled op and couldn't eat. I was actually in hospital waiting for it, the surgery was delayed about 8 hours as they had a trauma surgery to deal with so I was in hell of not being able to eat and drink for a whole day. At the same time I got some wierd nerve pain from the tubes I had in, and the only way I could deal with it - as they could not give me any more pain relief either - was to not move. So I basically lay on a bed hungry, thirsty, unable to move and needing the loo for an entire day. I'm still traumatised 🤣

When they finally came to get me I made a loo dash. The nurse had the cheek to ask me if I could walk, yes walk, to the theatre. I said I think I might need a wheelchair so she went to find me one, then wheeled me at about 45 mph down to the theatre.

Honestly the last thing you want is to go into a GA feeling stressed. They said I was one of the calmest people they had seen (all smoke, I was frazzled!) and most people are extremely nervous, so it was wise to not add extra stress.

I personally wouldn’t have done that (because I’d be scared of having messed up by eating so close to the cutoff time) but I don’t think it’s an odd or bad thing to do, especially not if he gets dizzy through fasting. DD can get quite dizzy and has fainted a few times going 5hrs without food, she would likely have done what your DS did too.

I would have done the same thing. Going into hospital is miserable. Being hungry and uncomfortable in a noisy environment with health concerns is the absolute pits, especially if you get bumped all day. I think it's weird that people wouldn't choose to mitigate their suffering!

It is pretty unusual (particularly for a teenage boy) but isn’t a problem. (Doi: anaesthetist)

really not unusual to be asked if you want to walk to theatre if you are able!

Really? I didn't know that, I was wheeled to theatre in the trolley bed that they knocked me out in. Mind you, my local hospital (that I spend far too much time in) gets really weird about wanting to wheel you around to tests etc once you're admitted.

I had my tonsils out at 20 and wasn't allowed to eat after 6am, I did the same as your son 😂. Extremely glad I did as well as the op was that delayed I didn't go down until 4pm!! I only did it as heard so many horror stories of not being able to eat for weeks after- turns out they made me eat toast the next morning before they'd even let me home!

My teenage son would definitely do this at the moment, though he probably wouldn't cook a meal, just eat a plate of e.g. banana, cooked chicken, bagel and maybe a protein shake.
With my stupid sleep at the moment there's quite a high chance I'd see him!

I spent a few weeks on an offshore oil rig a good few years ago, and as it’s a 24 hours set up, they obviously have night shifts and day shifts and some people who just work whenever the operations need them. So they serve full meals at lunchtime and at midnight, and breakfast and full meals first thing in the morning and early evening, so you get your full 3 meals whichever shift you work.

One of the younger guys out there (22ish) was working the day shift, but he used to set his alarm for the middle of the night and go in and eat an extra full meal at midnight just because he could. He’d get a sleep in before and after. Tall lean lad - didn’t want to turn down food 😆

Well I didn't and didn't regret it - I was so nervous beforehand I'd have thrown up and my appetite goes when I'm stressed. I can imagine maybe if I wasn't so nervous and were still in my starving teenage years I might have.

Your son was absolutely correct to eat, why face surgery feeling rougher than necessary? But I'm not good at being hungry so hate skipping meals, I had a curry while waiting for an ambulance while in labour because I was concerned about how long it'd be before I'd get to eat (long time ago, no snacks given or recommended to bring any, you would have been chastised for eating during labour). Well done to your ds, he's learning to look after himself.

Not weird! When I went in for planned section, I got up at 4 to have a quick breakfast and went back to bed Thank god I did as we ended up getting delayed and I probably would have passed out!

I'd have done the same. I don't cope well when I'm hungry