Stopped GLP-1 for surgery

TeresaHip

TeresaHip

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Dr said to stop tirzepitide 2 weeks before surgery. I'm struggling bad! My appetite is back with a vengeance. I've also gained 3 pounds. 😭 I'm trying to resist but it's hard. I'll be glad when I can take it again. I'm tempted to take half my dose. I will definitely take it right after surgery. I'll have my husband draw it up and bring it to the hospital.

Edited to add

It's actually been 3+ weeks because I stopped it myself to give my body a break. I was going to start back last week. My surgery wasn't scheduled yet because the surgeon had lots of surgeries scheduled. They said it would be about a month. Well they called and asked if I wanted to do it on the 11th because he had a cancellation. I definitely jumped on it because I wanted to get it over with.
 
TeresaHip said:


Dr said to stop tirzepitide 2 weeks before surgery. I'm struggling bad! My appetite is back with a vengeance. I've also gained 3 pounds. 😭 I'm trying to resist but it's hard. I'll be glad when I can take it again. I'm tempted to take half my dose. I will definitely take it right after surgery. I'll have my husband draw it up and bring it to the hospital.

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Sometimes you have to allow your body to heal so you are better equipped to fight your battles.

Take your break, lick your wounds, when you are well you will come back with a vengeance and hit your goals!

We are rooting for you!!
 
TeresaHip said:


Dr said to stop tirzepitide 2 weeks before surgery. I'm struggling bad! My appetite is back with a vengeance. I've also gained 3 pounds. 😭 I'm trying to resist but it's hard. I'll be glad when I can take it again. I'm tempted to take half my dose. I will definitely take it right after surgery. I'll have my husband draw it up and bring it to the hospital.

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Sorry that you're having such intense hunger. I've read many accounts over the years of this happening when discontinuing glp-1s and (frankly) it scares me. Makes me never want to stop.

I'm really surprised it's two-weeks before surgery as the guidance has evolved over the last several years. But a lot of physicians are slow to keep up with those changes. And a lot depends on the type and nature of the surgery.

Anyhoo, thoughts and prayers with you for your surgery and hoping you have a quick recovery!
 
TeresaHip said:


Dr said to stop tirzepitide 2 weeks before surgery. I'm struggling bad! My appetite is back with a vengeance. I've also gained 3 pounds. 😭 I'm trying to resist but it's hard. I'll be glad when I can take it again. I'm tempted to take half my dose. I will definitely take it right after surgery. I'll have my husband draw it up and bring it to the hospital.

Click to expand...
Click to expand...
I recently had to stop a week before and a week after surgery. The week after was because the general anesthesia makes you constipated for a few days. You have to let things start flowing again before you restart.

Anyway, yes the hunger came back and I gained 4lbs. The big question was do I restart at the prior dose or a lower dose? I restarted lower and gained another 2lbs. I then went higher than before over 3 weeks. That worked and the weight came right back off -- largely because the higher dose just killed my appetite. Now I'm back to my pre-surgery dose and my pre-surgery weight. Everything is stable again.

Overall, it was a process, but no big deal in the end. I gained a little weight, but lost it quickly.

I'd be interested to hear the experience of people who went right back to their previous dose after being off for 2-3 weeks.
 
Anesthesia provider here. I recently had surgery myself. Was recommended to stop for seven days, but I extended it to 10 for safety sake. Yes, the last couple of days had more food hunger but nothing too bad. I resumed the same dose as previously taken as soon as I got home that day. All good since then.
 
Skidude said:


Sometimes you have to allow your body to heal so you are better equipped to fight your battles.

Take your break, lick your wounds, when you are well you will come back with a vengeance and hit your goals!

We are rooting for you!!

Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Sad part is I stopped myself about a week or so before. So it's actually been 3+ weeks. I was going to start back last week.
 
krsct said:


Anesthesia provider here. I recently had surgery myself. Was recommended to stop for seven days, but I extended it to 10 for safety sake. Yes, the last couple of days had more food hunger but nothing too bad. I resumed the same dose as previously taken as soon as I got home that day. All good since then.

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Depending on procedure, bowel movement can be necessary prior to release.

Your thought on taking dose prior to bowel movement subsequent to procedure?

Would it only be if Dr. stated that requirement for release?
 
TeresaHip said:


Sad part is I stopped myself about a week or so before. So it's actually been 3+ weeks. I was going to start back last week.

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Keep up your spirits, this too shall pass...
 
It's actually been 3+ weeks because I stopped it myself to give my body a break. I was going to start back last week. My surgery wasn't scheduled yet because the surgeon had lots of surgeries scheduled. They said it would be about a month. Well they called and asked if I wanted to do it on the 11th because he had a cancellation. I definitely jumped on it because I wanted to get it over with.
 
Skidude said:


Depending on procedure, bowel movement can be necessary prior to release.

Your thought on taking dose prior to bowel movement subsequent to procedure?

Would it only be if Dr. stated that requirement for release?

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Click to expand...

If discharge is dependent on bowel movement then would definitely wait until after that.
 
I think one of the bigger issues is that sometimes oral antibiotics are required after surgery. If your digestion is slowed by the muscle that allows food from your stomach into your small intestine (pyloric sphincter), the antibiotics will not get into your bloodstream as fast.

I had major dental surgery done a few months ago and suspended all GLP-1s. My appetite came back, of course, but I regarded that as a net positive considering the situation.
 
Good luck with your surgery. Maybe it's a good thing you are giving your body a break. You need all the nutrients you can get to facilitate healing.
 
krsct said:


Anesthesia provider here.

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I have an upcoming epidural for my neck. It’s an old motorcycle injury.

I was shocked when I found out I have to suspend my Tirz for 7 days. I read that aspiration is a concern.

Have you learned that there are other complications? Anything else to watch out for?
 
Throttle883 said:


I have an upcoming epidural for my neck. It’s an old motorcycle injury.

I was shocked when I found out I have to suspend my Tirz for 7 days. I read that aspiration is a concern.

Have you learned that there are other complications? Anything else to watch out for?

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should not be necessary. Holding GLP1 only appropriate for general anesthesia which you will not have. However, best to follow the instructions you are given.
 
Good luck with the surgery. Regardless of the research in the end you have to do what the surgeon or anaesthetist wants to keep them happy, otherwise they might not want to go ahead.

A few weeks of being extra hungry, and a few extra pounds hopefully will not be too hard to fix after you can restart the GLP drugs.

Looking on pub med, there are literally hundreds of studies on surgery outcomes with or without GLP drugs, and though It is not definitive and there are some showing worse outcomes overall GLP drugs improve outcomes post surgery, especially orthopedic ones.
 
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