Before surgery, anesthesiologists ask many questions. What medicines are you taking? Do you have any allergies? Have you had anesthesia before? Do you smoke or drink alcohol? Do you take any supplements? Do you snore heavily or use a CPAP machine?
Some patients answer comfortably. Others hesitate. That is understandable. A few questions may feel personal, and sometimes patients worry that the doctor may judge them. They may also think that an occasional drink, an herbal medicine, or a tablet taken only once in a while is not important enough to mention.
But before anesthesia, even a small detail can matter. We are not looking for the “right” answer. We need the real answer.
The reason is simple. Medicines, alcohol, smoking, supplements, sleep problems, and previous experiences with anesthesia can all affect how a patient responds during and after surgery. Some medicines can affect blood pressure, blood sugar, or bleeding. Certain drugs may change how much anesthesia a patient needs. Sleep apnea can become important when sedatives or pain medicines make a person more sleepy and affect breathing.
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The American Society of Anesthesiologists advises patients to discuss their medicines, supplements, alcohol or recreational drug use, and previous experiences with anesthesia before surgery. There is a reason we ask. We are not collecting this information out of curiosity. We are trying to make a safe plan for you.
Previous anesthesia experiences are especially useful. Perhaps you had severe nausea after an earlier operation. Maybe you were told that placing a breathing tube was difficult. Perhaps you took longer than expected to wake up or had some other problem after anesthesia. Please mention it. Even if it happened many years ago, it may still help us plan better this time.
The same applies to medicines. Patients sometimes remember their regular prescriptions but forget injections, painkillers, vitamins, herbal products, or supplements. If you cannot remember every name, bring a list. Even a photograph of the medicine box on your phone can be useful.
The questions about smoking, alcohol, or other substances are also not meant to embarrass anyone. If a patient tells me something that may affect anesthesia, I am not thinking, “Why did you do this?” I am thinking, “Does this change how I should look after you?” That is what matters.
Patients also sometimes assume that everything is already written in the medical record. But records are not always complete. Medicines change. Treatment may have happened in another hospital or another country. A short conversation can sometimes give us information that is not available anywhere else.
For me, the preoperative discussion is not just a formality before surgery. It is one of the most important parts of anesthesia care. The patient tells us what has happened before. We explain what we are planning now. Together, that information helps us decide what is safest.
There is no need to try to look like the “perfect patient.” Tell us what you take. Tell us what happened before. Tell us what you are worried about. The information may seem small to you, but it may be important to us.
Before anesthesia, honesty is not about admitting something. It is simply part of keeping you safe.
Girishkumar Modi is an anesthesiologist in the United Arab Emirates.
