Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5

Original poster

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

112 replies

GeneralLevy · 14/09/2023 16:32

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.

OP posts:

Silvers11 · 14/09/2023 20:12

Good for him!! Not odd at all if he was allowed food up until 4am - think I would probably have done the same thing. As you say, even if you think an op will happen at a certain time, there are often delays

Laststop · 14/09/2023 20:18

in my job i do pre op appointment and often encourage getting up for a midnight snack

whynotwhatknot · 14/09/2023 20:24

id have done the same if i didnt get indegestion-feel very faint when i fast

ReadingSoManyThreads · 14/09/2023 20:28

Smart boy!

Lunde · 14/09/2023 20:31

I did that when I had a knee replacement - even though I was not having a GA I was still not allowed to eat after midnight. So I had scrambled eggs and toast before the midnight fasting deadline.

I'm glad that I did as despite going down to surgery at 7am, I didn't get back to the ward until 3.45pm because of a complication that meant I was held in recovery for hours - so breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea were long gone and there was nothing until dinner

OnGoldenPond · 14/09/2023 20:32

MistyTrains2 · 14/09/2023 16:43

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 was once nil by mouth for four days straight in hospital waiting for an operation that kept being delayed. Worst of it was they kept forgetting my fluids drip so I ended up very dehydrated and weak.

Gurthnamuckla · 14/09/2023 20:34

jolaylasofia · 14/09/2023 18:00

my teenagers fast during ramadan so think it's a little dramatic. fasts are often 17 hours long depending on time of year. I have never done it and don't plan to they do it because all their friends do

But during Ramadan, people eat pre-dawn, and depending on where you are and when exactly Ramadan falls, that can be pretty early.

TowerRaven7 · 14/09/2023 20:36

I don’t think it’s odd at all! I would probably eat before bed but a hungry teen? Good on him!

ButterflyBlush · 14/09/2023 20:38

Azaeleasinbloom · 14/09/2023 16:35

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

I agree 👍☺️

TheOldLadyOfThreadneedleStreet · 14/09/2023 20:38

I think your DS was sensible. My DS had several GAs as a teenager. One time he didn’t have breakfast and the op was delayed by several hours. He ended up with scarily low blood pressure which the surgical team put down to low blood sugar. So after that he always ate a full meal just before the fasting window, regardless of when in the day or night that was.

cathcath2 · 14/09/2023 20:39

Hahaha, I know quite a few teenage boys that would do that!

beanii · 15/09/2023 18:29

Yep it's weird 🤷‍♀️😂

Just eat as you normally would the night before - then you eat after surgery.

I had spinal surgery 2 weeks ago and ate at 6pm the night before.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5