“Is it safe for me to get an anesthesia after having my insulin injection?”
I am a diabetic, and have to have a small surgery on my leg. Is it safe to get an anesthesia after taking my regular insulin injection?
8 Answers
Yes and no. If the anesthesiologist knows about it, he or she can give intravenous glucose if they are able to measure your blood glucose.
No problem
That depends on what you’re glucose level is and if you’re eating after the surgery. Some surgeries can and are done with local anesthetic and without restrictions on eating. Check with your surgeon before to coordinate your surgery and medical needs.
It is. Just let your anesthesiologist know and you fingerstick will be checked
In general, diabetic patients should have their surgery scheduled first in the morning. Usually, they are requested to take 1/2 their insulin dose the night before surgery and no insulin the morning of surgery. Glucose monitoring should ensue upon arrival to the pre-op area. Any necessary treatment can then be determined at that time.
Yes. The anesthesia team will check your blood sugar while you are under anesthesia.
I would try to get instructions from the anesthesiologist the night before surgery. Usually we tell patients to take about 1/2 their normal does of only the LONG- acting types of insulin. No short acting ones, as you will not be eating the morning of surgery.
Well, it depends on how well your insulin works for you. Some diabetics are brittle and they have to have insulin and sometimes dextrose infused during surgery. The stress of surgery causes serum glucose to increase. Surgery can be done safely as long as your anesthesiologist knows that you took your insulin and they frequently check your glucose throughout the surgery. Small and/or short surgeries usually don't really affect the glucose. We usually tell people not to take their insulin because we'd rather treat a too high glucose rather than a too low one. Some anesthesiologists will have the patient take 1/2 their insulin dose and then closely monitor the glucose. So, to answer your question, as long as the anesthesia provider knows and is okay with you taking your insulin, then it's okay.
