Anesthesia | How Long Does Anesthesia Stay in the Body after Hysterectomy?

In general, all modern anesthetic agents should be out of your system within 24–48 hours of your hysterectomy. The exact time will vary based on which medications were used for you and in what dosages. Though traces of anesthesia medications may be found in your blood a few days after your hysterectomy, they should not have any noticeable effect.

Medications used to put you to sleep (usually Propofol) and those used to keep you asleep (usually Sevoflurane or Desflurane mixed with Nitrous Oxide and Oxygen) likely leave your system in less than 24 hours. Any muscle relaxants used should wear off relatively quickly or be reversed by your anesthesiologist. Sedatives and narcotic pain medications, on the other hand, may last longer, especially if you continue to receive narcotic pain medications following your hysterectomy.

Though the medications have a generally predictable effect that lasts for a particular amount of time in most people, nothing in medicine is certain. Responses to medicine differ from patient to patient; thus, there will always be a few women on either end of the curve. On one end, the medications will have very little effect and/or only last a very short time, while on the other end, even small amounts of the medication will have strong and/or prolonged effects.

To be safe, you should not drive or drink any alcohol for at least 24 hours after general anesthesia or while taking narcotic pain medications. If you have had prior issues with any anesthesia medications, you should discuss those issues with your anesthesiologist prior to surgery. If you have any unusual side effects after your hysterectomy that you attribute to anesthesia, talk to your doctor immediately.

This content was written by a member of HysterSisters.com as a non-medical professional based on discussions, resources and input from other patients for the purpose of patient-to-patient support. Reprinted with permission: Anesthesia | How Long Does Anesthesia Stay in the Body after Hysterectomy?

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