Weight Loss Medication

How to prepare for your procedure

Many people now use medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, Saxenda, Trulicity, and Mounjaro for various health reasons. These are called GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs). Because these medicines can slow the stomach’s emptying, following these simple fasting steps will help keep you safe during your anaesthetic.

Please tell us about your medicine

Let us know if you’re taking any of these medicines:

• Liraglutide (Victoza, Saxenda)
• Semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy)
• Dulaglutide (Trulicity)
• Tirzepatide (Mounjaro)

Please tell us about them:

• On your admission/registration forms
• During pre-op calls
• On the day of surgery

Your fasting plan

Unless otherwise advised, plan to prepare as follows:

Morning procedure

On the day before your procedure

• Finish your last solid meal by 8am.
• From 8am to midnight: clear fluids only (no solid food).

On the day of your procedure

• From midnight to 6am: water only, up to half a cup every hour.
• After 6am: no drinks (a tiny sip of water is okay to take medicines if you’ve been told to).

Afternoon procedure

On the day before your procedure

• Finish your last solid meal by 11am.
• From 11am to 7am: clear fluids only (no solid food).

On the day of your procedure

• From 7am to 11am: water only, up to half a cup every hour.
• After 11am: no drinks (a tiny sip of water is okay to take medicines if you’ve been told to).

If you have diabetes

If you also have diabetes, here are some extra tips:

• Aim to limit sugar-containing clear fluids by having diet lemonade or diet cordials.
• Monitor your blood glucose levels (BGL) every 2 to 4 hours while awake (if on insulin or a sulfonylurea such as gliclazide, glibenclamide, glimepiride or glipizide).
• Target BGL should be 5 to 10 mmol/L.
• If BGL is less than 5 mmol/L at any stage (for example, a hypo), you should have a sugar-containing clear fluid such as clear juice or lemonade.
• If BGLs are increasing to 10 or more, limit your sugary clear fluids and instead have diet cordial, diet lemonade or clear broths.

Consider what to drink in the 24 hours before

Clear fluids include:

• Water
• Black tea or herbal tea
• Black coffee
• Cordial
• Jelly
• Icy poles
• Rehydration or electrolyte drinks
• Clear (strained) soup or broth
• Clear lemonade
• Clear fruit juice without pulp

Clear fluids do not include:

• Milk
• Milkshakes
• Tea or coffee with milk
• Cloudy fruit juice
• Thickened liquids
• Milk supplements (for example: Resource Plus, Fortisip, Ensure Enlive, Fortijuce)