Re: "Alcohol Use Frequently Overlooked Before Surgery"

"Rib-splitting" takes on a different meaning when it comes to surgery, and as I learned six years ago, having a lung lobe lopped off is no laughing matter. Getting a lung cancer diagnosis was shocking enough, especially since I'd kicked the habit 17 years earlier, but the thought of undergoing major surgery shook my soul like a major 'quake.

Several days before my operation, my parents joined my husband and me for a farewell-to-fine-dining-for-a-while dinner at a French bistro. As I ordered a glass of Cabernet for its flavor and soothing effect, my stepmom Judy interrupted, "You shouldn't drink before surgery!"

"What?!" I cried. One of my favorite sayings, "Whatever gets you through the night," apparently didn't apply to nightcaps, at least in the days before surgery.

Judy was right. I did some research and learned that, in the weeks before surgery, drinking should be minimized or cut altogether. Says cosmetic surgeon JoAnne Lopes,  "Alcohol causes increased bleeding, increases the chances of infection, depresses immune functions and may interfere with wound healing."

My doctor didn't even ask if I drank, and apparently most don't. A new study shows that not just drinking, but AUDs (Alcohol Use Disorders) are frequently overlooked in surgical patients. The authors of the study of more than 1500 patients found that "most doctors didn't use well-documented tools for AUD detections, perhaps because the doctors were uncomfortable asking patients about their alcohol consumption," according to HealthDay.

"Physicians tend to underestimate and miss AUD in younger patients," said study author Dr. Claudia D. Spies. "Our results emphasize that the use of computer-based screening methods. . .applied to every patient, are effective in addressing these biases." Seems patients are more comfortable assessing their own alcohol use through a computerized self-assessment tool.

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), one in 13 American adults is an alcohol abuser or alcoholic. And no one should drink before surgery, so it's great that this info is getting out there.

And although when I read about the study, it brought back the anxiety of that night when I so wanted the pleasure and comfort of a glass of fine wine, it also brought back the sweet feeling of knowing that Judy loved me enough to make sure the surgery went well and that I healed quickly. Which I did. 

Re: MedLine News, "Alcohol Use Frequently Overlooked Before Surgery"...

"Rib-splitting" takes on a different meaning when it comes to surgery, and as I learned six years ago, having a lung lobe lopped off is no laughing matter. Getting a lung cancer diagnosis was shocking enough, especially since I'd kicked the habit 17 years earlier, but the thought of undergoing major surgery shook my soul like a major 'quake.

Several days before my operation, my parents joined my husband and me for a farewell-to-fine-dining-for-a-while dinner at a French bistro. As I ordered a glass of Cabernet for its flavor and soothing effect, my stepmom Judy interrupted, "You shouldn't drink before surgery!"

"What?!" I cried. One of my favorite sayings, "Whatever gets you through the night," apparently didn't apply to nightcaps, at least in the days before surgery.

Judy was right. I did some research and learned that, in the weeks before surgery, drinking should be minimized or cut altogether. Says cosmetic surgeon JoAnne Lopes,  "Alcohol causes increased bleeding, increases the chances of infection, depresses immune functions and may interfere with wound healing."

My doctor didn't even ask if I drank, and apparently most don't. A new study shows that not just drinking, but AUDs (Alcohol Use Disorders) are frequently overlooked in surgical patients. The authors of the study of more than 1500 patients found that "most doctors didn't use well-documented tools for AUD detections, perhaps because the doctors were uncomfortable asking patients about their alcohol consumption," according to HealthDay News.

"Physicians tend to underestimate and miss AUD in younger patients," said study author Dr. Claudia D. Spies. "Our results emphasize that the use of computer-based screening methods. . .applied to every patient, are effective in addressing these biases." Seems patients are more comfortable assessing their own alcohol use through a computerized self-assessment tool.

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), one in 13 American adults is an alcohol abuser or alcoholic. And no one should drink before surgery, so it's great that this info is getting out there.

And although when I read about the study, it brought back the anxiety of that night when I so wanted the pleasure and comfort of a glass of fine wine, it also brought back the sweet feeling of knowing that Judy loved me enough to make sure the surgery went well and that I healed quickly. Which I did.