Can I drink alcohol after the operation and in what cases should I refuse?

Surgical intervention is a serious manipulation for which you need to properly prepare. All recommendations on this issue should be given by a specialist.

Particular attention should be paid to diet and alcohol consumption after surgery. Indeed, 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 early recovery, you must heed the advice given in this article.

surgery and alcohol consumption after it

Is 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 figure out what types of anesthesia are - these are local and general anesthesia.

Anesthesia is the introduction of a drug into the human body that promotes temporary loss of tissue sensitivity. There is a blockage of the transmission of nerve impulses, as a result of which 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 rule, this is the time allotted for the operation and an additional 2-3 hours after. A person departs from anesthesia gradually, but alcohol after local anesthesia can lead to the fact that its effect will end instantly. And this can cause pain, which is quite difficult to remove with the help of medications.

Can I drink alcohol after anesthesia (general)? This is not worth doing, since this can lead to consequences much more serious 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 result, dehydration.
  • Anaphylactic shock.
  • Disturbances in the work of the nervous system.

Drinking alcohol after surgery and possible consequences

Doctors do not recommend drinking alcohol after surgery for a reason. And it's not about the first day or week after the procedure. The period of abstinence can drag on 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 just like that, but in order to avoid undesirable consequences and complications.

Why is it forbidden to drink alcohol after the operation:

  • Using anesthesia that is not compatible with alcohol. Otherwise, a huge blow will be dealt to health, which can affect the functioning of systems and vital organs.
  • Prescribing antibiotics for rehabilitation after surgery. They are also not compatible with alcohol. Moreover, even at the end of the course of taking them, it is worth giving up strong drinks for at least a week. Otherwise, their effect may be minimized.
  • Poor tissue healing. This can be provoked by drinks that cause fermentation processes in the body. It could be beer. Therefore, it is better to refuse it.
  • Weakening of the body's immune defenses. If you start drinking alcohol the next day after surgery, you can hit your immune system. The result will be latent diseases or 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 surgical interventions involve a complete rejection of the use of ethanol in any form. Since it can cause significant harm to the body and affect the quality of human life in the future.

Experts agree that after the surgery, the body needs time to recover. And for this, it is necessary to create the appropriate conditions - to adhere to the correct diet and completely abandon alcohol for at least 30 days.

illegal alcohol after surgery

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 any recommendations on this matter, to whom you should contact with this question.

How long after the operation can you drink alcoholic beverages (approximate terms):

  • Alcohol after laparoscopy - it can be completely banned in some cases. This is due to the fact that after laparoscopy, to maintain the body normally, people are forced to take certain medications 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 drinking alcohol after laparotomy is the same as in the previous case.
  • Drinks containing ethyl alcohol should be treated with extreme caution after heart surgery. They should not be abused, as this can provoke serious problems - heart failure, stroke, heart attack. If there are no complications after surgery, then alcohol can be administered no earlier than 3-4 weeks after surgery.
  • The optimal period of abstinence from alcohol after eye surgery is 3 months. This time is enough for complete recovery or pain relief. 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 restoring drops or tablets, and almost all of them are incompatible with alcohol.
  • Plastic surgery - it is recommended to refuse alcoholic beverages for a period of 2 to 4 weeks. If there are any complications or the patient is prescribed a rehabilitation course, it can take up to several months.
  • After removal of the pancreas, drinking alcohol is not recommended at all. Especially in the first 2-3 years after the operation.
  • Removal 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. Indeed, 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 set exclusively by the attending physician. Before taking another dose of alcohol, it is worth remembering the risk to the body. After the operation, he is weakened, needs to be restored and the recommendations given by the specialist are followed. Therefore, you should not overload it with ethanol, which will significantly lengthen the rehabilitation period.