Same Day Surgical Procedures (Outpatient)

What do I do with my insulin or pills for same day surgical procedures?

It is important to keep your blood glucose controlled when you are having an outpatient procedure. The following directions will guide you in managing your diabetes medicines before and after your test and procedure.

The Evening Before Your Test or Procedure

• Continue usual diabetes medicine until midnight
• Follow all directions your doctor gives you for test preparation. If a clear liquid diet has been prescribed, follow the diet below. It is OK to take liquids containing sugar as listed in the sample diet.
  
  SAMPLE DIET – may substitute equivalent clear liquids:
  
  • 8 oz. Diet Soft Drink
  • 8 oz. Regular Jello
  • 1 1 Regular Popsicle
  • 8oz. Apple Juice
  • Broth
  • If you wish additional fluids, those should be diet or calorie free
    
    
• Nothing to eat or drink after midnight, except for #3 below
  

The Morning of the Test or Procedure

• Nothing to eat or drink
• Check blood sugar first thing this morning (and at 12 noon if you are not at the hospital). Bring these results and your blood sugar log book with you to the hospital.
• If your blood sugar is less than 60, take one of the following before your arrival at the hospital:
  • 3 glucose tablets
  • 4 oz. Juice (prefer clear juice such as apple or grape only) (NO ORANGE JUICE)
  • 6 Life Savers™ candies
• If BG is > 250 call your doctor
• DO NOT TAKE your diabetes pills this morning
• If you take insulin: Take ½ your usual amount of morning insulin- see examples 1and 2. (this includes all types of insulin such as NPH, 70/30, 70/25, 50/50, Regular, Humalog, Lente, Ultralente).

Example 1: Your usual morning dose is 15 units NPH and 8 units Regular. You would take 7 units NPH and 4 units Regular the morning of surgery

Example 2: Your usual morning dose is 27 units of 70/30 insulin
You would take 13 units of 70/30 the morning of surgery.

The Morning of the Test or Procedure

• Nothing to eat or drink
• Check blood sugar first thing this morning (and at 12 noon if you are not at the hospital). Bring these results and your blood sugar log book with you to the hospital.
• If your blood sugar is less than 60, take one of the following before your arrival at the hospital:
  • 3 glucose tablets
  • 4 oz. Juice (prefer clear juice such as apple or grape only) (NO ORANGE JUICE)
  • 6 Life Savers™ candies
• If BG is > 250 call your doctor
• DO NOT TAKE your diabetes pills this morning
• If you take insulin: Take ½ your usual amount of morning insulin- see examples 1and 2. (this includes all types of insulin such as NPH, 70/30, 70/25, 50/50, Regular, Humalog, Lente, Ultralente).

Example 1: Your usual morning dose is 15 units NPH and 8 units Regular. You would take 7 units NPH and 4 units Regular the morning of surgery

Example 2: Your usual morning dose is 27 units of 70/30 insulin
You would take 13 units of 70/30 the morning of surgery.

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Surgery (Inpatient)

What do I do with my insulin or diabetes pills if I am going for surgery?

It is important to keep your blood glucose controlled when you are having a surgical procedure. This will help to prevent complications during and after surgery, which are related to your diabetes. The following directions will guide you in managing your diabetes medicines before your surgery.

The Evening Before Surgery

• Continue usual diabetes medicine until midnight.
• Nothing to eat or drink after midnight

The Morning of Surgery

• Nothing to eat or drink
• Check blood sugar first thing this morning (and at 12 noon if you are at the hospital) and write down the results. Bring these results and your blood sugar log book with you to the hospital.
• If your blood sugar is less than 60, take one of the following before your arrival to the hospital.
  • 3 glucose tablets
  • 4 oz. Juice (prefer clear juice such as apple or grape only) (NO ORANGE JUICE)
  • 6 Life Savers candies
• If BG is >250- call your Doctor- If your glucose remains high, your surgery may need to be delayed.
• DO NOT TAKE your diabetes pills this morning.
• If you take Insulin: TAKE ½ your usual amount of morning insulin- see example 1 and 2.
  (this includes all types of insulin such as NPH, 70/30, 50/50, 75/25, Regular, Humalog, Lente, Ultralente)

Example 1: Your usual morning dose is 15 units NPH and 8 units Regular. You would take 7 units NPH and 4 units Regular the morning of surgery.

Example 2: Your usual morning dose is 27 units of 70/30 insulin.
You would take 13 units of 70/30 the morning of surgery.

When You Arrive at the Hospital

• Check in for your surgery as directed by your surgeon.
• Tell the nurse:
  • You have diabetes
  • What your blood sugar was this morning
  • If you take insulin, how much insulin you took this morning