Surgical intervention is a serious manipulation for which you must prepare properly. All recommendations on this topic should be given by a specialist.
Special attention should be paid to diet and alcohol consumption after surgery. In fact, in some cases, even a small dose of ethanol contained in alcoholic beverages can cost a person's health and even life.
In order not to harm your own body and contribute to your speedy recovery, you should follow the advice given in this article.
Are anesthesia and local anesthesia compatible with alcohol?
Everyone must understand that anesthesia and alcohol are incomparable concepts. And there are good reasons for it. To get started, let's find out what types of anesthesia they are: local and general anesthesia.
Anesthesia is the introduction of a drug into the human body that promotes the temporary loss of sensitivity of the tissues. There is a blockage in the transmission of nerve impulses, as a result of which the signals do not enter the brain and there is no reverse reaction. Therefore, a person does not feel painful sensations during surgery.
Local anesthesia has a specific period of action. As a general rule, this is the time allotted for the operation and an additional 2-3 hours afterwards. A person is gradually removed from anesthesia, but alcohol after local anesthesia can lead to the fact that its effect will instantly end. And this can cause pain, which is quite difficult to get rid of with the help of medication.
Can I drink alcohol after (general) anesthesia? It is not worth doing, as this can lead to much more serious consequences than in the previous case:
- Severe pain at the site where the surgery was performed.
- Tension or weakening of muscle tissue.
- Headache, dizziness.
- Nausea, vomiting and, as a consequence, dehydration.
- Anaphylactic shock.
- Alterations in the work of the nervous system.
Drinking alcohol after surgery and possible consequences.
Doctors do not recommend drinking alcohol after surgery for any reason. And it's not about the first day or week after the procedure. The withdrawal period can last for several weeks or even months. Its duration depends on the complexity of the procedure performed and the patient's state of health.
Before the operation or at the end of it, the attending physician gives the patient certain recommendations. They relate to lifestyle, nutrition, alcohol consumption, and more. And he gives them not only like that, but to avoid undesirable consequences and complications.
Why it is forbidden to drink alcohol after the operation:
- Using anesthesia that is not compatible with alcohol. Otherwise, a great blow to health will be dealt, which can affect the functioning of vital systems and organs.
- Prescribe antibiotics for rehabilitation after surgery. They are also not compatible with alcohol. Also, even at the end of the course of taking them, it is worth giving up strong drinks for at least a week. Otherwise, its effect can be minimized.
- Poor tissue healing. This can be caused by drinks that cause fermentation processes in the body. It could be beer. Therefore, it is better to reject it.
- Weakening of the body's immune defenses. If you start drinking alcoholic beverages the day after surgery, it can affect your immune system. The result will be latent diseases or exacerbation of chronic pathologies.
- Blood clotting disorderA small dose of ethanol that enters the body can cause internal bleeding, poor and long-term healing of the affected skin.
In addition to all this, some surgical interventions imply a total rejection of the use of ethanol in any form. Since it can cause significant damage to the body and affect the quality of human life in the future.
Experts agree that after surgery, the body needs time to recover. And for this, it is necessary to create the right conditions: adhere to the correct diet and completely abandon alcohol for at least 30 days.
Estimated time of alcohol consumption after surgery
As already mentioned, the time after which alcohol can be consumed depends on the patient's health status and the complexity of the operation performed. Therefore, it is difficult to clearly define the period after which it can be used. And the doctor should give any recommendations on this matter, who to contact with this question.
How long after the operation can you drink alcoholic beverages (approximate terms):
- Alcohol after laparoscopy - can be completely prohibited in some cases. This is due to the fact that after laparoscopy, in order to maintain the body normally, people are forced to take certain medications throughout their lives. Almost all are incompatible with alcohol. It is necessary to completely abandon alcohol if the gallbladder is removed. After a laparoscopy performed in the gynecological part, you can pay for a small amount of alcohol after a month and a half.
- The time to drink alcohol after laparotomy is the same as in the previous case.
- Drinks containing ethyl alcohol should be treated with extreme caution after heart surgery. You should not abuse them, as this can lead to serious problems: heart failure, stroke, heart attack. If there are no complications after surgery, alcohol cannot be given before 3-4 weeks after surgery.
- The optimal alcohol withdrawal period after eye surgery is 3 months. This time is sufficient for a full recovery or to relieve pain. Why exactly 3 months? The fact is that in most cases the rehabilitation period lasts from 1 to 3 months. At this time, patients are prescribed restorative drops or tablets, and almost all of them are incompatible with alcohol.
- Plastic surgery: it is recommended to stop consuming alcoholic beverages for a period of 2 to 4 weeks. If there are any complications or the patient is prescribed a course of rehabilitation, it may take several months.
- After removal of the pancreas, it is not recommended to drink alcohol at all. Especially in the first 2-3 years after the operation.
- Elimination of appendicitis: alcoholic beverages are strictly prohibited for 3 weeks, as are some foods.
- Surgery to remove the tumor: Alcohol is taken only with the permission of the doctor. In fact, to restore the body, drugs can be prescribed that are prohibited from taking together with alcohol.
All the terms given above are conditional and are established exclusively by the treating physician. Before taking another dose of alcohol, remember the risk to the body. After the operation, it weakens, needs to be restored and the recommendations given by the specialist are followed. Therefore, do not overload it with ethanol, which will significantly lengthen the rehabilitation period.