Caffeine After Abdominoplasty; Can I Drink Coffee After Abdominal Surgery?

Does coffee after abdominal surgery can help the recovery of normal bowl function in the patients?

Many patients cannot drink or eat solid food after abdominal operations. They have to wait for several hours, days, or even weeks to recover their strength and tolerate different types of drinks and solid foods.

Therefore, effects of coffee consumption after abdominal surgery in one of the main concerns of patients. For this reason, we want to talk about its health benefits and possible adverse effects.

Fortunately, coffee effects have been investigated in several studies. The results show, as drinking coffee can have a meaningful impact on the speed of returning to normal bowel function after surgeries, it is a good idea to give patients a cup of fresh coffee after several hours.

It is important to note that the results of the new systematic researches confirms the previous findings.

One of the main benefits of having coffee after abdominal operations is increasing of their tolerance toward solid foods.

Why drinking coffee after abdominal surgery is useful?

According to several studies, after surgeries, coffee can improve the recovery of patients and help them to gain their early normal bowel function.

Fortunately, in these surgeries, coffee consumption is considered to be a safe, well-tolerated, and an inexpensive method to practically help the patients return to their routine life.

Can I drink too much coffee after operation?

Definitely no! as a patient, it is important to consume coffee moderately. Because, only regular consumption for several cup of fresh coffee per day can help improve postoperative care in patients after laparoscopic surgeries.

So, try to avoid too much caffeine intake to prevent adverse effects of higher dose of caffeine.

In the following, we’re going to discuss a bit more about the effects of having coffee after abdominal surgery.

Why Coffee after abdominal surgery is better than other recovery methods?

Even there are other useful methods to help patients recover normal bowel function after operation.

But, coffee is one of the most widely used beverages worldwide. Many patients prefer to have coffee instead to other treatment and rehabilitation methods.

Is caffeine good after operation?

Yes, caffeine in your cup of drink, as one of the most important compounds in the coffee seeds, can have a positive effect on your gastrointestinal system.

It also can help cardiovascular system and exhibit anti-inflammatory effects.

On the other hand, it has antagonistic effect on the a2a receptors and is important for our immune system. Therefore, coffee after abdominal surgeries can improve the speed of postoperative return to the normal condition.

Do all reviews show similar results for having coffee?

No, each review or systematic research have been conducted by considering different aspects of consuming coffee. So, recommendation about how to use coffee after abdominal surgery vary in different studies.

Do all types of coffee have the same effect?

No. Different types of coffee have different amount of caffeine. On the other hand, the amount of coffee compounds the use of additives can be also important for the patients.

So, if you want to consume certain types of coffee, especially if they are brewed by using certain additives like milk, sugar, or other common coffee additives, it is strongly recommended to consult with your doctor.

On the other hand, keep in mind that we have decaffeinated beverages that are popular in different parts of the world. But, it is not yet entirely clear whether decaffeinated coffee can be effective after surgeries.

Coffee after abdominal surgery and incidence of POI

Several studies show that coffee can prevent the incidence of POI. It is also helpful in shortening LOS.

Therefore, experts believe that due to the manipulation of the bowel, coffee can be important for patients who’ve already passed an abdominal surgery.

Also, meta-analysis in systematic reviews shows that postoperative use of coffee can effect POI after surgery.

This means that based on recent studies, the effect of coffee after surgeries is significant.

Side effects of drinking coffee after abdominal surgery

Fortunately, clinical researches associated no significant adverse effect with coffee consumption. So, you can drink it on a regular basis after operation. In fact, as we mentioned several times, by enhancing the recovery of the patients, having coffee after abdominal surgery is recommended and can be useful for improving gastrointestinal function.

Can I have coffee right after abdominal surgery?

No, first of all, it depends on the case. But as a whole, having coffee too soon can be problematic. So, it is better to consume coffee after waiting for a while.

• How long do patients have to wait?

Primarily, it depends on the type of operation and the health condition of patients to decide about the minimum time that a patient has to wait before drinking coffee after abdominal surgeries.

It can be 5 to 6 hours. For example, in a randomized trial, researchers allocated each patient 3 cups of coffee after abdominal surgery after waiting for 6, 12, and 18 hours.

But, other patients may need to wait more than a day or even a week to tolerate coffee.

Can coffee after surgery increase the tolerance to solid diets?

Yes, It reduces the time that each patient needs to wait before taking solid foods.

because, according to a systematic randomized research, coffee intake after operation can increase the tolerance of patients and help them to have a solid diet.

Can coffee decrease the time to the first passage of flatus?

Yes, by the recovery of bowl function, coffee can reduce the required time for the first passage of flatus. It also can reduce the required time for the first defecation in patients.

Is coffee after abdominal operation is better than warm water?

Yes, the improvement in the recovery of patients after drinking coffee and warm water have been investigated by a randomized trial.

It this trial, nearly 100 patients were enrolled. 49 patients had coffee after abdominal surgery and the other patients were enrolled in the control group. the control group had warm water instead of coffee.

At the end of trial, results showed that the mean time to tolerate solid foods reduced significantly in the group that consumed coffee after abdominal operation.

Another important note is that no adverse effects is reported in this trial. The result of this trail confirms the previous findings.

Final thought

Coffee is one of the most popular beverages in the world. Many people consume it several times a day. It can boost your energy and enhance your immune system.

But, many patients may worry about consuming coffee or similar beverages. They think that they should avoid many foods and drinks. Especially, if they are in a critical health condition and need to have an operation.

In this article, we discussed that coffee after abdominal surgery can be safe for patients. It can help them to recover their normal bowel function. Therefore, they can consume it moderately on a regular basis several times a day.

but, it is strongly recommended to consult your doctor before you consume coffee or other types of foods and beverages.