Eating and Drinking Before Your Procedure
Follow these instructions if you are currently taking a GLP-1 agonists medicine or will have taken a GLP-1 agonist medicine within 6 weeks of your procedure.
Your procedure will be delayed or cancelled if you do not follow these restrictions. Your stomach must be empty for your procedure and anesthesia. We do not want contents (food or liquids) from your stomach to get into your lungs. We want to help keep you safe.
Some GLP-1 agonist medicines are:
- Dulaglutide (Trulicity®)
- Exanatide (Byetta®, Bydureon BCise®)
- Liraglutide (Saxenda®, Victoza®)
- Semaglutide (Ozempic®, Rybelsus®, Wegovy®)
- Tirzepatide (Mounjaro®, Zepbound®)
What can I eat and drink the night before and day of my procedure?
Follow these restrictions unless your doctor tells you something different.
| Not Allowed | Allowed | |
|---|---|---|
| 24 hours before procedure arrival time |
| All fluids (drinks) |
| After 11:00 p.m. the night before your procedure |
| Only clear fluids |
| 2 hours before procedure arrival time |
|
|
Clear fluids
- Clear fluids cannot be hazy or cloudy. They cannot have pulp or fats.
- Only apple or white grape juice
- Black coffee (no milk, cream, or nondairy creamer)
- Clear tea without milk or cream
- Infant electrolyte drinks like Pedialyte®
- Clear sports drinks like Gatorade® (any color)
- Clear carbonated drinks like Sprite® or 7-Up®
- Clear, fat-free broth
- Clear protein drinks like Ensure Clear®, Premier Protein Clear®, Fizzique®
- Water
- Do not add milk, creamer, honey, or lemon to any clear fluid drinks.
Non-clear fluids
- Milk
- Coconut water
- Jello™
- Hot chocolate
- Coffee or tea with milk, cream, honey, or nondairy creamer
- Orange juice (with or without pulp) and other fruit juices
- Smoothies
- Tube feeding formulas like Promote®, Impact®, and Nepro®
Do not drink alcohol
Why can’t I eat or drink before my procedure?
- Anesthesia slows down protective reflexes, such as coughing and swallowing.
- One protective reflex keeps stomach contents from going into the lungs. This is called aspiration. If this happens, oxygen cannot get into the lungs.
- Aspiration is less likely to happen when the stomach is empty. Fasting (not eating or drinking) keeps the stomach empty.
- Aspiration may cause brain damage or death.
Can I have gum or hard candy while waiting for my procedure?
- Adults (18 years and older) can chew gum or suck hard candy. Do not swallow gum or hard candy. Your procedure may be delayed or cancelled if you do this.
If I use tobacco, when should I stop?
On the day of your procedure, no vaping, smoking, and so on, unless your care team has told you to stop sooner (such as no smoking for at least 30 days before your procedure).
Stop 8 hours before your procedure arrival time, unless your care team has told you to stop sooner than that.
Our Department of Anesthesia used research and expert opinions from the American Society of Anesthesiologists and the European Society of Anesthesiologists to make these guidelines.