Nervous about no water for mid-day surgery

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ask your surgeon not DCUM and see what they say wrt water and time of arrival at surgery facility.

I have done afternoon procedures many times. They will give you fluids by IV. Just tough it out. Swish water in mouth and spit if it's dry,

OP here. I certainly was not “asking DCUM” whether I should follow orders: I am following orders. What I was asking is basically for some assurance that yeah, this sucks but it will be OK. Which is what several other posters have said. Asking for an IV is a great idea, and I appreciate those posters who offered reassurance without falsely accusing me of “asking DCUM” whether I should follow orders.

Look clearly you were nervous writing this. I said ask to clarify the last sip you can take including meds sip based on arrival time. In some cases they have let me have water 4 hours prior to afternoon surgery.

I did not sat\y ASK for an IV. It's what they do. They put an IV line in and that's how they hydrate you and in some cases start sedation.

I was trying to help you. You took it the wrong way. I have had 8 surgeries and most were after noon.

Good luck. Swish water.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You’ll be fine. Hydrate well the day before.

This is important because it is hard to place an IV in someone who is dehydrated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You’ll be fine. Hydrate well the day before.

This is important because it is hard to place an IV in someone who is dehydrated.

Yes. Half the time I get it in the back of my hand and that's so painful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You’ll be fine. Hydrate well the day before.

This is important because it is hard to place an IV in someone who is dehydrated.

Yes. Half the time I get it in the back of my hand and that's so painful.

This is the part that makes me nervous. My last surgery let me have water or other clear lupus to 2 hours before. I was surprised after prior surgery instructions to nit drink after midnight. I even double checked. They said 2 hours is all that’s required but many places do more in case they move up the time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You’ll be fine. Hydrate well the day before.

This is important because it is hard to place an IV in someone who is dehydrated.

Yes. Half the time I get it in the back of my hand and that's so painful.

This is the part that makes me nervous. My last surgery let me have water or other clear lupus to 2 hours before. I was surprised after prior surgery instructions to nit drink after midnight. I even double checked. They said 2 hours is all that’s required but many places do more in case they move up the time.

Yes, it's so extreme. If the concern is surgeries getting moved up, they can say 4 hours instead of 2 to provide a cushion.

[Anonymous]

It's hugely annoying to remember when scheduling surgeries.

My young teen daughter had to get surgery and she was so dehydrated because of the no-water rule they poked her endlessly to get the IV in. It was painful, poor thing.

Drink a ton before midnight!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You’ll be fine. Hydrate well the day before.

This is important because it is hard to place an IV in someone who is dehydrated.

Yes. Half the time I get it in the back of my hand and that's so painful.

My last surgery I told them I do not want the IV in my hand, showed them a great vein in my arm and they were happy to oblige. I told them sometimes the IV in the hand is more painful than the surgery.

[Anonymous]

Good luck today OP!

[Anonymous]

This is frustrating. The "no water after midnight" for a 1 pm surgery is outdated advice. But many hospitals still follow it. I'm sorry.

https://www.mhealthfairview.org/blog/no-food-or-drink-after-midnight-before-surgery-not-so-fast-experts-say

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You’ll be fine. Hydrate well the day before.

This is important because it is hard to place an IV in someone who is dehydrated.

Yes. Half the time I get it in the back of my hand and that's so painful.

My last surgery I told them I do not want the IV in my hand, showed them a great vein in my arm and they were happy to oblige. I told them sometimes the IV in the hand is more painful than the surgery.

They KNOW the IV in the hand is painful, even though they might pretend they don't in front of a patient. It's a very well-known fact!

Usually there are two reasons why they do it: 1. Before surgery, in case something goes wrong, they sometimes want to keep the arm vein for emergencies and other IV placement. 2. Sometimes, when the patient is dehydrated, it's occasionally easier for them to poke in the hand.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ask your surgeon not DCUM and see what they say wrt water and time of arrival at surgery facility.

I have done afternoon procedures many times. They will give you fluids by IV. Just tough it out. Swish water in mouth and spit if it's dry,

What's the difference by IV or by drinking water?
I had surgery that was so delayed that I had to pee from being on the fluids so long.
So it all ends up in the same place?

IV hydration does not go in your stomach. The reason they don't want you to eat or drink before surgery is because they don't want anything in your stomach that could possibly come up and you could aspirate on (i.e. it goes into your lungs). My dad aspirated during emergency surgery (delay of surgery would have had a near certain fatal result) and it really delayed his healing and caused other complications.

So yeah, it has to do with your stomach, not your kidneys or bladder

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You’ll be fine. Hydrate well the day before.

This is important because it is hard to place an IV in someone who is dehydrated.

Yes. Half the time I get it in the back of my hand and that's so painful.

My last surgery I told them I do not want the IV in my hand, showed them a great vein in my arm and they were happy to oblige. I told them sometimes the IV in the hand is more painful than the surgery.

They KNOW the IV in the hand is painful, even though they might pretend they don't in front of a patient. It's a very well-known fact!

Usually there are two reasons why they do it: 1. Before surgery, in case something goes wrong, they sometimes want to keep the arm vein for emergencies and other IV placement. 2. Sometimes, when the patient is dehydrated, it's occasionally easier for them to poke in the hand.

This. Hand is often my last resort but sometimes what's needed. The AC (inner elbow joint area) often is the easiest place to put one, but I also hate them there as they limit arm movement quite a bit. 90% of the time, I'll place an IV in the forearm. But what you may think is a good vein may not be suitable for an IV due to valves. And if you're dehydrated or have other things that make veins harder to see and feel, you'll end up with an IV that's the easiest place to get on you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ask your surgeon not DCUM and see what they say wrt water and time of arrival at surgery facility.

I have done afternoon procedures many times. They will give you fluids by IV. Just tough it out. Swish water in mouth and spit if it's dry,

What's the difference by IV or by drinking water?
I had surgery that was so delayed that I had to pee from being on the fluids so long.
So it all ends up in the same place?

IV hydration does not go in your stomach. The reason they don't want you to eat or drink before surgery is because they don't want anything in your stomach that could possibly come up and you could aspirate on (i.e. it goes into your lungs). My dad aspirated during emergency surgery (delay of surgery would have had a near certain fatal result) and it really delayed his healing and caused other complications.

So yeah, it has to do with your stomach, not your kidneys or bladder

thank you!