Be it major or minor surgery, a patient should take extreme care before and after the procedure and follow the medical practitioner’s advice. One of their important suggestions is to stop the Vitamin and other supplements intake.
As a patient, it is important to let the physician know your entire medical history and the medicines and supplements you are consuming. This small step can ensure that they are temporarily stopped and you don’t face any complications during and after the surgery.
Patients have the impression that vitamin supplements are always safe and it makes them strong, It can be hard to think of how detrimental they are when consumed before the surgery. So, to be on the safer side, it is good to know clearly why should you stop vitamins before surgery.
What supplements are safe to take before surgery?
Most of the supplements and medications are advised to be stopped even though they don’t have a direct impact when the surgery happens. In theoretical terms, there are certain vitamins and other supplements that are allowed. Following are the supplements that fall under the safe category.
- Vitamin B12
- Vitamin C, D, and A
- Iron, Calcium, Folate, Magnesium, and Zinc
Though they are safe to take in, to be on the safer side, they suggest avoiding any kind of Vitamin supplements before the surgery.
Generally, hospitals fix a pre-surgical appointment with patients to discuss the do’s and don’ts and prepare them for the upcoming surgery. As a rule, they include nutritional supplements pause
Reasons to stop taking in vitamin supplements?
So, most vitamin supplements are safe but why do surgeons ask patients to hold them for a while?
Not knowing the ingredients present in it
Certain supplements contain herbal products and components which can lead to internal bleeding when the surgery happens. Ingredients like garlic, ginger, gingko, cumin, green tea, licorice, omega 3 fatty acids, etc aren’t safe to consume before surgery. It can get pretty serious and cause excessive blood loss, and complicated clots which have to be fixed separately. These herbal ingredients are not present in every supplement and even if they are, not in substantial amounts. But doctors cannot find out what ingredients are present in the supplements you consume and without dwelling on it and taking a risk, they suggest stopping it.
🔔 Other serious impacts include cardiovascular malfunctioning, hypothermia, increase or decrease in blood sugar levels, or colliding with other medical substances ingested.
Blood clots and bleeding
Certain vitamin supplements like Vitamin E can cause heavy bleeding when the surgery happens, particularly if one has consumed it in high quantities. Hematoma during the surgery can be unmanageable and the increased surgical procedures can prolong the recovery period.
Reduce the power of medications that aid in healing
A patient who has undergone surgery will be prescribed a lot of anaesthesia, medications and antibiotics prevent infections, reduce pain and cure better. Vitamin supplements might contain ingredients that can suppress or interfere with the functioning of this medication. This in turn, directly interferes with their treatment and recovery. At this stage, it will be too difficult to control the effect that can worsen the patient’s condition even more.
Makes you feel drowsier for a longer time
The effect of anaesthesia stays with you for up to 24 hours. Some herbal ingredients in vitamin supplements can make you feel weary and sleepy by extending the impact of anaesthesia in the bloodstream.
What vitamins to stop taking before the surgery?
Now that you know why should you stop vitamins before surgery, here are the vitamins that are identified as unsafe to consume a few days before surgery. They are Vitamin E, C, K and B.
Patients should also stop consuming fish oil capsules, multivitamin tablets and syrups, and herbal supplements and boosters consumed for immunity, digestion, and nutrition balance.
After surgery, the patient should wait for at least 72 hours till they resume consuming the above vitamins after confirming with the medical care team.
Along with supplements, patients should stop the intake of certain medications that are used to treat depression, anxiety, and other mental illnesses.
Also, there are food items that can be rich in these nutrients. The patients can avoid them upon consulting their medical practitioner or finding another alternative.
🔔 Note that the surgeon wouldn’t completely deny any supplements consumption without reviewing the patient’s history, current health condition, and minimum vitamin intake. The patient should feel free to discuss and clarify any concerns and obligations if it isn’t an emergency surgery.
How many days before surgery should I stop vitamins?
This suggested duration to hold the intake of the supplement can change based on the severity of the operation. In general, the suggested period to stop medication is between one to two weeks.
🌿 Every herbal and nutritional supplement must be completely stopped a week prior to the surgery.
On the other hand, there are some nourishments that are essential to speed up your healing process and build up your immunity and health back. Our body goes through the stages of healing after the surgery and builds up tissues and organs that are in bad shape day by day. Vitamins like E and C are crucial for rebuilding collagen, healing open wounds quicker, and feeling more energetic. So, patients are in need to resume their supplements after surgery even if they didn’t consume them before surgery.
Conclusion
Surgery can get complicated within minutes putting the life of the patient in a danger zone. It’s the responsibility of the patient to share openly their medical and medication records with the doctor. And the doctor should probe and know this information which can probably affect their surgical process and bring in negative consequences. Even if the doctors inquire only about medications, any supplement intake must be mentioned along with it too.
Hope you understand now why you should stop vitamins before surgery. Avoiding the additional supplements in this short period can save your life from unexpected dangers and help you recuperate faster. Preparing your body for surgery is equally important to the surgery itself. Additionally, having a list of medications and supplements that are currently intaken can also help in sharing and cross-checking with the GPs.
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