Advice re eating before replacement

I'm due to have my third pacemaker on Tuesday. Doc's secretary told me on Friday that I should eat a good breakfast before 7am and then go to the hospital at 10am. Due to be a day patient, all being well, and have it done under a local rather than a general. Told a friend who was horrified, and said that, as I'll have a mild sedation I shouldn't eat after midnight. WHo's right? What should I do?

7 Comments

Let's see now...

by donr - 2016-01-10 01:01:11

...that's roughly 4 hrs prior to the surgery.
THEORETICALLY, your stomach should be empty by then. You live in the UK, so I cannot interpret what "...done w/ a local..." means. It could involve sedation.

But - forget all that. Supposing something goes astray & for some reason they need to use that general anesthesia on you.

I would forgo that "good breakfast." As a patient who has inhaled vomit & wound up in the ICU circling the drain, I would not take that chance.

No one can predict what will happen during a surgery. Even a "Minor" one like a device replacement.

Donr

Who to believe ?

by IAN MC - 2016-01-10 01:01:12

Your Doc's secretary is right and your horrified friend is wrong in my opinion.

You have to go without food before a general anaesthetic because your body's reflexes are affected and vomiting could be dangerous. This does not apply to a local anaesthetic procedure.

I assume that you would have breakfast before having a local at the dentist; your PM replacement procedure is no different ( and it would not happen immediately after your breakfast anyway. )

Personally though , I would rather have a light than a very heavy breakfast beforehand.

Hope it goes well

Ian

Cup of coffee

by Good Dog - 2016-01-10 04:01:01

Assuming you like coffee, I would have a cup of coffee and a slice of toast. If you don't like coffee, something else really light.
I wouldn't be horrified, but my gosh, if you can't wait till after surgery to have a nice meal, I just don't get it. No big deal, but I'm with Donr. Why would you ever even consider taking a chance, however small it may be. It isn't like you are going to starve to death if you wait till later in the day???? Frankly, my heart just doesn't work right after eating a large meal. The digestion process involves more than just the stomach.

David

Instructions

by Cabg Patch - 2016-01-11 04:01:51

I just had two surgeries, one under general and one under local. Both written instructions said no food or drink 8 hours prior to the procedure, and no alcohol 24 hours prior. Small sips of water were acceptable to take medication.

Normally I would advise you follow the instructions you received from the Dr office, but this is a case where you might just be better safe than sorry. It certainly wouldn't hurt if you didn't eat 8 hours before the procedure.

Have Nothing

by Bionic Beat - 2016-01-11 05:01:34

It may be '....just a local.' Or not. No one has a crystal ball before any kind of surgery.

It's just not worth the risk IMO. When in nursing, I saw all sorts of weird things happen including a guy who died while having a few teeth out.

Had my pm op on Dec 21st and was without anything from midnight til after the procedure. My lunch was just fine.
Good luck with your (fasting op). ;-)

Bionic Beat

How about you just follow your Dr.'s instructions?

by Hoser - 2016-01-12 04:01:25

Seems like the right thing to do. BTW, this is exactly what I was told for a 1 PM procedure, no eating or drinking after 7 AM.

Thanks guys

by vics57 - 2016-01-13 04:01:06

Thanks for responses. I'm home again!! I decided to have something light to eat at about 6.30am - for some weird reason I fancied the home made chicken soup, so had a bowl of that and half a piece of toast. Very yummy! Got to hospital at 10am. Usual round of blood tests etc, but there was a delay so didn't get into theatre until 4pm. (The surgeon had visited me at 1pm and said he was pleased I'd had something to eat early in the day.) Didn't have any sedation at all, so just the local anaesthetic. Bit of a struggle to get old pacemaker out, due to scarring, but all fine and dandy in the end. Just feels as if a horse kicked me in the chest today, but, fingers crossed, all went well. I asked several people about the eating thing, and the general advice was that, if there was 6 hours between eating something lightish and the surgery, then that was fine. Thanks for comments though.

You know you're wired when...

You participate in the Pacer Olympics.

Member Quotes

Hi, I am 47 and have had a pacemaker for 7 months and I’m doing great with it.