Careful preparation makes your anaesthetic safer and your recovery smoother — please read the information in full, ideally as soon as your surgery is booked. Select Adults or Children below to display the relevant information.
Fasting: when to stop eating and drinking
An empty stomach protects your lungs while you are anaesthetised. Unless the hospital gives you different instructions, follow these rules:
- No food for 6 hours before your admission time. This includes milk and milky drinks.
- Clear fluids are encouraged up to 2 hours before your admission time — water, clear apple juice, black tea or black coffee (no milk). Staying hydrated actually helps your recovery.
- Nothing at all in the final 2 hours, except a small sip of water to take approved medications.
Please avoid chewing gum, lollies and sweets on the day of surgery. If you accidentally have chewing gum or a boiled sweet, tell the admitting nurse or anaesthetist.
A worked example: if your admission time is 10:00am, finish any food by 4:00am (in practice, don’t eat after your evening meal), keep drinking water freely through the early morning, and finish your last glass of water by 8:00am.
The hospital will phone you the day before surgery to confirm your exact fasting times — their instructions take priority. If you accidentally eat or drink outside these rules, tell the admitting nurse: it is far better to delay your operation than to risk your safety.
If you take a GLP-1 medication (Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, Saxenda, Trulicity), different fasting rules apply — see Medication advice.
Your medications
Most regular medications should be taken as usual on the morning of surgery with a small sip of water. However, some need special handling — particularly blood thinners, diabetes medications, weight-loss injections and some blood pressure medications. There is a dedicated page for these: Medication advice. If you have not received clear instructions about any of them, contact us or your surgeon’s rooms before your day of surgery.
Pre-anaesthetic assessment
Before your operation, your health and medical history will be reviewed. Depending on your surgery and health, this may be a phone call, a video call, a hospital pre-admission clinic visit, or a discussion on the day of surgery. Dr Siriwardana will also see you before your operation to answer your questions and confirm the anaesthetic plan.
Your health questionnaire
Once your surgery is booked, a health questionnaire will be sent to you from the practice, along with your fee estimate. It takes about five minutes and covers your medical history, medications, allergies and previous anaesthetics. Please complete and return it as soon as you can — doing so early means anything important is identified and planned for well before the day of your operation.
What your anaesthetist needs to know
- All medications you take, including over-the-counter medicines, supplements, herbal products and recreational drugs
- Allergies and any abnormal reactions to medications
- Previous anaesthetics and any problems — including severe nausea, difficult airway, or a family history of serious anaesthetic reactions
- Heart or lung conditions, snoring or sleep apnoea — if you have obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), bring your CPAP machine with you, and be aware you may need to stay overnight for monitoring after your operation, even for day surgery
- Reflux or heartburn, and any recent coughs, colds or fevers
- Loose teeth, caps, crowns, dentures or other dental work
- If you are, or could be, pregnant, or are breastfeeding
In the days before surgery
- If you become unwell — a cold, fever, chesty cough, vomiting or diarrhoea — contact your surgeon’s rooms as soon as possible. It may be safer to postpone.
- Smoking and vaping: stopping even briefly before surgery reduces the risk of breathing complications. The longer you can stop beforehand, the better.
- Alcohol: avoid alcohol for at least 24 hours before surgery.
- Arrange your lift home: after any anaesthetic or sedation you must not drive. A responsible adult should take you home and ideally stay with you overnight after day surgery.
What to bring on the day
- Your medications (in their original packaging) or an up-to-date list
- Your CPAP machine, if you use one
- Your Medicare card, health fund details and photo ID
- Any relevant scans, X-rays or test results your surgeon has asked you to bring
- Glasses instead of contact lenses if possible; leave jewellery and valuables at home
This information is general in nature. The instructions given to you by the hospital, your surgeon or your anaesthetist for your specific operation always take priority.
A little reassurance, together.
Explore this guide together, one step at a time.
🧸 Preparing your child
Children cope best when they know, in simple and honest terms, what is going to happen. In the days before the operation, explain that they will have “special sleep medicine” so the doctors can fix the problem, that they won’t feel anything during the operation, and that you will be nearby. Keep it factual and matter-of-fact — children take their emotional cues from you, so a calm parent is the single most powerful preparation tool there is. Let them ask questions, and pack a favourite toy or comfort item to bring along.
To see what happens on the day itself — including a short video made for children that you can watch together — visit Your anaesthetic → Children.
🍉 Fasting for children
Children have their own fasting rules, and they are kinder than the adult ones. Unless the hospital tells you otherwise:
- Solid food: nothing for 6 hours before admission
- Formula or cow’s milk: 4 hours before for infants up to 12 months; 6 hours before for older children
- Breast milk: up to 3 hours before
- Clear fluids (water or diluted clear apple juice): encouraged up to 1 hour before
A well-hydrated child is a happier child and easier to put a drip in, so do keep offering clear fluids up to the cut-off. The hospital will confirm exact times when they call you.
This information is general in nature. The instructions given to you by the hospital, your surgeon or your anaesthetist for your specific operation always take priority.