Avoiding alcohol before surgery is important to help your body heal faster and reduce risks. Even small amounts of alcohol can affect how your body responds to surgery and medications. Stopping or cutting back before surgery helps your body heal faster and reduces risks.
If you drink alcohol every day, your body may be dependent. Stopping suddenly can cause dangerous withdrawal symptoms. Always talk to your doctor or health care team before making changes.
Benefits of avoiding alcohol include:
- Faster healing and shorter hospital stays
- Stronger lungs
- Reduce risk from anesthesia and medications
- Lower your chance of complications
Why We Ask About Alcohol Use Before Surgery?
If you drink alcohol, even occasionally, it is important to understand how it can affect your surgery and recovery. This information is shared with all patients who drink any amount of alcohol, so everyone take steps to stay safe and heal well.
What Can You Do Before Surgery?
You should not drink any alcohol for at least 24 hours before your surgery. However, if you drink alcohol every day or almost every day, stopping suddenly may cause dangerous withdrawal symptoms and you may need a plan to safely reduce or taper alcohol use with medical support. Always talk to your health care team before making changes.
Follow Canada's Low Risk Drinking Guidelines:
- 0 drinks per week = best health benefits (including better sleep, heart, and brain health)
- 1-2 drinks per week = low risk of alcohol-related harms
- More than 7 drinks per week (women) or 14 drinks per week (men) = increased health risks
No type of alcohol is safer than another - wine, beer, spirits, cider, all carry the same risks.
Symptoms of alcohol withdrawal may include:
- Feeling shaky or anxious
- Nausea (feeling sick to your stomach) or sweating
- Confusion or hallucinations (seeing things that are not there)
- Seizures
If you have ever had these symptoms after stopping alcohol, it is important to tell your health care team. We are not here to judge, we are here to keep you safe. You may need medication in the hospital to stay safe.
How to Get Help Before Surgery
If you are ready to reduce or quit alcohol:
- Talk to your family doctor or nurse practitioner about a safe plan - there are medications available that can help with quitting
- Call *811 to speak with a health navigator for local resources
- Call the 24-hour Alcohol and Drug Information Line at 1-800-663-1441
There is no shame in asking for help. We bring this up because alcohol can seriously affect your surgery, and we want you to have the safest recovery possible.
Where to Learn More
Learn more about substance use at Healthlink BC or call *811
Visit Help Starts Here for substance use and addictions support.
Call BC *211 or visit bc.211.ca to find community and social resources close to home.
24-hour BC Alcohol and Drug Information and Referral Service: 1-800-663-1441
Canada's Low Risk Alcohol Guidelines
First Nations Health Authority Mental Health and Substance Use