Hernia Surgery While on Ozempic or Mounjaro: What to Tell Your Surgeon

If you're taking a GLP-1 weight-loss medicine such as Ozempic, Wegovy or Mounjaro and need hernia surgery, it's important your surgical and anaesthetic team know. Here's why.

Why it matters

GLP-1 medicines slow how quickly the stomach empties. Around an operation involving anaesthesia, that can be relevant to safety, because a fuller stomach may affect anaesthetic planning. Guidance in this area has been evolving, so your anaesthetist will advise based on current recommendations.

What you should do

Tell your surgeon and anaesthetist at consultation and again before surgery that you take one of these medicines, including the dose and when you last took it. Don't stop or change the medication on your own — follow the specific advice your team gives you about timing around the operation.

The weight-loss connection

Rapid weight loss — including from GLP-1 medicines — can itself increase the risk of gallstones, and some patients are managing both weight change and abdominal symptoms at once. Mention any new abdominal pain so it can be assessed.

The takeaway

These medicines aren't a barrier to hernia surgery, but they're an important part of your pre-operative picture. Full disclosure lets your team plan safely.

This article provides general information and is not a substitute for individual medical advice. Please consult a qualified clinician about your own circumstances.