Surgery is serious manipulation that must be properly prepared. All recommendations on this matter should be given by a specialist.
Particular attention should be paid to diet and alcohol consumption after surgery. This is because in some cases even a small dose of ethanol contained in alcoholic beverages can cost a person health and even life.
In order not to harm your own body and contribute to its speedy recovery, you should take into account the advice given in this article.
Are anesthesia and local anesthesia compatible with alcohol?
Everyone should understand that anesthesia and alcohol are incomparable concepts. And there are good reasons for this. To begin with, let's find out what the types of anesthesia are - these are local and general anesthesia.
Anesthesia is the introduction of a drug into the human body that promotes the temporary loss of tissue sensitivity. There is a blockage in the transmission of nerve impulses, which prevents signals from entering the brain, and there is no reverse reaction. Therefore, a person does not experience painful sensations during the surgery.
Local anesthesia has a specific period of action. As a rule, this is the allotted time for the operation and 2-3 additional hours afterwards. A person gradually recedes from anesthesia, but alcohol after local anesthesia can cause its effect to end instantly. And it 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 it, because it can lead to much more serious consequences than in the previous case:
- Severe pain where the surgery was performed.
- Tension or weakening of muscle tissue.
- Headache, dizziness.
- Nausea, vomiting and, consequently, dehydration.
- Anaphylactic shock.
- Disorders of the work of the nervous system.
Drinking alcohol after surgery and the possible consequences
Doctors don't recommend drinking alcohol after surgery for a reason. And this is not the first day or the first week after the procedure. The period of abstinence can last several weeks or even months. Its duration depends on the complexity of the intervention 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 in order to avoid unwanted consequences and complications.
Why is it forbidden to drink alcohol after the operation:
- Use an anesthesia that is not compatible with alcohol. Otherwise, a severe blow to health will be dealt, which can affect the functioning of vital systems and organs.
- Prescription of antibiotics for rehabilitation after surgery. They are also not compatible with alcohol. In addition, even at the end of the course of their intake, it is worth giving up strong drinks for at least a week. Otherwise, their effect can be minimized.
- Poor tissue healing. This can be caused by drinks that cause fermentation processes in the body. It could be beer. It is therefore better to refuse it.
- Weakening of the body's immune defenses. If you start drinking alcoholic beverages the day after surgery, you can knock out your immune system. This will result in latent diseases or an exacerbation of chronic pathologies.
- Blood clotting disorder. A 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 surgeries involve a complete 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 - to adhere to the correct diet and completely abandon alcohol for at least 30 days.
Estimated timing of alcohol consumption after surgery
As already mentioned, the time after which alcohol can be consumed depends on the patient's state of health 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 recommendations about it, who to turn to for this matter.
How long after the operation can you drink alcoholic beverages (approximate terms):
- Alcohol after laparoscopy - it 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 drugs throughout their lives. Almost all of them are incompatible with alcohol. It is necessary to completely abandon alcohol if the gallbladder is removed. After a laparoscopy performed on the gynecological part, you can afford a small amount of alcohol after a month and a half.
- The timing of alcohol consumption 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 overdo it, because it can cause serious problems - heart failure, stroke, heart attack. If there are no complications after surgery, alcohol can be given no earlier than 3-4 weeks after surgery.
- The optimal period of abstinence from alcohol after eye surgery is 3 months. This time is sufficient for full recovery or pain relief. Why exactly 3 months? The fact is that in most cases the rehabilitation period lasts from 1 to 3 months. Currently, patients are prescribed drops or restorative tablets, and almost all of them are incompatible with alcohol.
- Plastic surgery - it is recommended to stop alcoholic beverages for a period of 2-4 weeks. If there are any complications or the patient is prescribed a course of rehabilitation, it may take up to several months.
- After the removal of the pancreas, it is not recommended to drink alcohol at all. Especially in the first 2-3 years after the operation.
- Suppression of appendicitis - alcoholic beverages are strictly prohibited for 3 weeks, as are certain foods.
- Surgery to remove the tumor - alcohol is only taken with the permission of the doctor. Indeed, to restore the organism, one can prescribe drugs that it is forbidden to take with alcohol.
All the conditions stated above are conditional and are set exclusively by the attending physician. Before taking another dose of alcohol, it is worth remembering the risk to the body. After the operation, it is weakened, must 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.