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Anesthesiology/colonoscopy/no alcohol

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Expert: - 7/24/2009


Question
how come they tell you not to have alcohol 24hrs after being under a mild anesthetic for colonoscopy? what are the side effects if you do?

Answer
1. Alcohol dehydrates, and one who has undergone colonoscopy is already considerably dehydrated from the bowel prep...... and  needs to RE-hydrate after the study is complete.  Drinking alcohol would make the dehydration worse and possibly symptomatic.

2. People who drink tend NOT to follow directions like: "keep the surgeon's appointment we made for you in treatment for your colon cancer we found".

3. Maybe you've been drinking too much to begin with and this is a subtle way of suggesting you seriously start cutting back (?).

Anesthesiology

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Volunteer

JM Starkman, MD

Experience

Over twenty-five years of adult and pediatric, inpatient and outpatient clinical anesthesia practice--some private, some group.

Organizations
American Association of Physicians and Surgeons. My county medical society.

Publications
[not a researcher]

Education/Credentials
American medical school graduate. Board Certified. Fellowship trained Cardiovascular and Pediatric anesthesia subspecialist.

Past/Present Clients
Over 20,000 anesthetics, the majority of which have been personally managed, with less than 5% consisting of supervising nurse anesthetists or in-training resident physicians.

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